If you were upset about the Gorleston Clifftop Festival being cancelled there’s no need - because the entire thing is now being recreated on Minecraft.
Paul Osborne, physics teacher at Ormiston Venture Academy and prominent local musician, has teamed up with his son Dylan and sound effects specialist Matt George to build Gorleston seafront from scratch - only virtually.
And on July 26-27, 10am-10pm, he will be hosting a virtual clifftop festival on the popular videogame encompassing “even more music acts than the original”.
Minecraft is a game in which players can create and explore entire worlds - co-operating with, or competing against, other users.
Mr Osborne said: “I got the inspiration from South by Southwest Festival in America, which is our Glastonbury equivalent.
“When the festival was cancelled due to Covid-19, they decided to recreate the whole thing on Minecraft.
“I haven’t been at work for two months now and felt myself itching to do something creative, so decided to replicate the idea for our own festival here in Gorleston.
“Just before lockdown hit, we were on the bring of launching a new live music event called “All Stars” in Gorleston which was supposed to run over three days in April. Turning to Minecraft seemed like a good way to fill the void.”
Pre-recorded live music will play at the virtual festival across the two days, with over 20 bands now signing up.
Music will play as you approach a stage - like in a real-life festival - and the Gorleston surrounds, according to Mr Osborne, “feel perfectly right, even if a little bit blocky”.
Anyone can attend the festival if they have Minecraft on PC or console, but you can also play through purchasing a much cheaper mobile app.
The design of the clifftops and ravine have been done in painstaking detail, while the new huts at the end of Gorleston beach will turn into a secret underground nightclub at 10pm real-time when the festival rounds up.
“There will even be the customary firework display”, Mr Osborne said.
He added: “We will also be nodding to elements of other cancelled festivals, such as the Maritime and Out There Festival.
“The only thing I haven’t developed in detail are the houses along the seafront - so I’m appealing to all Minecraft builders to design their own houses, which I can then place in the world and credit to them.
“It’s all very exciting and I hope as many people as possible can take part!”
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