What's that you say? You want to know more about the Digitiser 30th Anniversary Weekend that's taking place on the 28th and 29th July 2023 at the Harrow Arts Centre? You want to know what it’ll be like??! And why we’re even doing it?!
Well, it's none of your business, frankly.
I jest.
Fart (read) on!
This is our fourth live spectacular – including DigiFest back in 2016 – and we keep doing them because they’re like nothing else. We don’t want to get old and decrepit and regret missing an opportunity to try to bring something a little bit special into the world. Each time the shows have gotten better and more ambitious, thrusting at the envelope of what we can achieve on our budget – but that’s only part of our reason for doing it.
The sense of community, to be able to share a left-field sense of humour in a safe environment full of like-minded weirdoes, isn’t something we’ve ever experienced anywhere else.
This time, it’s a celebration of not just three bloody decades of a thing that – frankly – it’s probably a bit odd to be celebrating, but a celebration that we’ve only just made it through three pretty awful years. The world has become so divided, but the Digi Live Weekend is a celebration of something that can still unite us.
We – me and you – have a shared history. Some of you grew up reading my words. Some of you only discovered Digi since it relaunched on YouTube, and you tell us that Sanja and I have kind of become like friends that you hang out with virtually once a week. With appearances every now and then with other mates, like the Cheapshow boys.
Well, it's none of your business, frankly.
I jest.
Fart (read) on!
This is our fourth live spectacular – including DigiFest back in 2016 – and we keep doing them because they’re like nothing else. We don’t want to get old and decrepit and regret missing an opportunity to try to bring something a little bit special into the world. Each time the shows have gotten better and more ambitious, thrusting at the envelope of what we can achieve on our budget – but that’s only part of our reason for doing it.
The sense of community, to be able to share a left-field sense of humour in a safe environment full of like-minded weirdoes, isn’t something we’ve ever experienced anywhere else.
This time, it’s a celebration of not just three bloody decades of a thing that – frankly – it’s probably a bit odd to be celebrating, but a celebration that we’ve only just made it through three pretty awful years. The world has become so divided, but the Digi Live Weekend is a celebration of something that can still unite us.
We – me and you – have a shared history. Some of you grew up reading my words. Some of you only discovered Digi since it relaunched on YouTube, and you tell us that Sanja and I have kind of become like friends that you hang out with virtually once a week. With appearances every now and then with other mates, like the Cheapshow boys.
SHARING IS CARING
Either way, that shared history is special to us, and we think it’s special to many of you too. The 30th Anniversary Weekend is our chance to say thank you, and offer you an opportunity to be an actual part of Digitiser history.
We’ve never had anyone come away from a Digi Live show feeling anything other than accepted and happy, having curated something wholly unique.
The chaos we – me, Sanja, Gannon, Eli, and our friends - bring to videos and podcasts is magnified by 1,000 when we’re stripped bare (metaphorically) front of an audience. In all honesty, it brings out the best in all of us – and it almost feels to me like a live setting is Digitiser’s natural home. The high many of you tell us you experience afterwards is worth all the effort we put in.
It’s a coming together of those on stage with those in the audience. The energy of it, the feeling of belonging, of being among others like us, is hard to put into words.
It has to be experienced – in person. It’s part of the reason we’ve never live-streamed these shows; because it could never capture the feeling of being in that room with everyone, and the experience of everyone congregating in one place for a shared thing. It’s incredibly special.
We also love how Digi Live has become something more than we ever planned; the now-traditional car park knees-up before and after with friends new and old, the opportunity to hang out and meet you all… it’s priceless, frankly. It feels like a family reunion; we’re all bonded by our ability to laugh at things that probably shouldn’t be funny.
Either way, that shared history is special to us, and we think it’s special to many of you too. The 30th Anniversary Weekend is our chance to say thank you, and offer you an opportunity to be an actual part of Digitiser history.
We’ve never had anyone come away from a Digi Live show feeling anything other than accepted and happy, having curated something wholly unique.
The chaos we – me, Sanja, Gannon, Eli, and our friends - bring to videos and podcasts is magnified by 1,000 when we’re stripped bare (metaphorically) front of an audience. In all honesty, it brings out the best in all of us – and it almost feels to me like a live setting is Digitiser’s natural home. The high many of you tell us you experience afterwards is worth all the effort we put in.
It’s a coming together of those on stage with those in the audience. The energy of it, the feeling of belonging, of being among others like us, is hard to put into words.
It has to be experienced – in person. It’s part of the reason we’ve never live-streamed these shows; because it could never capture the feeling of being in that room with everyone, and the experience of everyone congregating in one place for a shared thing. It’s incredibly special.
We also love how Digi Live has become something more than we ever planned; the now-traditional car park knees-up before and after with friends new and old, the opportunity to hang out and meet you all… it’s priceless, frankly. It feels like a family reunion; we’re all bonded by our ability to laugh at things that probably shouldn’t be funny.
HOLIDAY… MAKE ME FEEL SO GOOD
The Digi community is INCREDIBLY lovely, welcoming, and accepting; we owe all of you who’ve been to our events a huge debt of gratitude for making them about more than just the shows, and being so welcoming to newcomers.
That’s why we decided to hold a two-day experience. Many of you had already treated our shows as mini holidays with friends – and we thought… well, as you’re there already, why not give you even more for just another twenty quid? We already aim to immerse you in a world apart from real life; why not extend that?
With this being Digitiser’s 30th anniversary year, and – frankly – not knowing how many more of these shows we have in us, it seemed like the right time to go all-out. We’ve all had a rotten three years or so, and that grimness seems to be continuing on into 2023, so to offer an escape from reality in the middle of it all, a mini holiday, where all you have to worry about is laughing until your udders erupt, feels almost like a public service!
Digi is unique in so many ways.
We started out as a hugely popular Teletext gaming page, which somehow made its readers feel like they were the only ones reading. We shifted and evolved over the years – my post-Digi stuff as Mr Biffo (Chatroom Freak etc.) is all part of the history, which is why, for me, the segue into what we do now on YouTube never felt that jarring. The community is why we keep doing it even when facing challenges in life, and why we look forward to these chances to meet you.
The Digi community is INCREDIBLY lovely, welcoming, and accepting; we owe all of you who’ve been to our events a huge debt of gratitude for making them about more than just the shows, and being so welcoming to newcomers.
That’s why we decided to hold a two-day experience. Many of you had already treated our shows as mini holidays with friends – and we thought… well, as you’re there already, why not give you even more for just another twenty quid? We already aim to immerse you in a world apart from real life; why not extend that?
With this being Digitiser’s 30th anniversary year, and – frankly – not knowing how many more of these shows we have in us, it seemed like the right time to go all-out. We’ve all had a rotten three years or so, and that grimness seems to be continuing on into 2023, so to offer an escape from reality in the middle of it all, a mini holiday, where all you have to worry about is laughing until your udders erupt, feels almost like a public service!
Digi is unique in so many ways.
We started out as a hugely popular Teletext gaming page, which somehow made its readers feel like they were the only ones reading. We shifted and evolved over the years – my post-Digi stuff as Mr Biffo (Chatroom Freak etc.) is all part of the history, which is why, for me, the segue into what we do now on YouTube never felt that jarring. The community is why we keep doing it even when facing challenges in life, and why we look forward to these chances to meet you.
TERRIBLE CULT
Digi always felt like a cult thing, but now we really are a cult thing – something small and beloved by a tiny audience, punching well above our weight in terms of what we’re able to do, our sense of ambition, and the people who want to collaborate with us. Why we can do that I have no idea, but the Digi Live Weekend will be no different.
Everyone is tbc in terms of availability, but this time we’re hoping to have a massive guest-cast – with Ashens, Larry Bundy Jr, Sooz Kempner, Mr Hairs, and Ryan Livermore… and hopefully making their Digi Live debuts are Ash Frith and Violet Berlin …
And, of course, they’ll all be meeting Beanus and Num-Num, Piccalilli Willy, Action Man, Monty’s Mum, Third Bird, Snowmobile Dundee, Paul Gannon, Eli Silverman, and other absurdist characters et al.
All of our plans are subject to change – and may move from one evening to another – but currently, the schedule for each night is as follows:
FRIDAY
The first evening’s entertainment will kick off with a tongue-in-cheek trawl through the history of Digitiser – from 1993 to the present day. Expect a panel of guests offering their not-what-you-might-expect take on the Teletext era and what it was like to be a part of the gaming landscape of the 90s, through to Digitiser The Show, up to the forthcoming Digi Level 2, and our current YouTube exploits.
You'll even have the non-compulsory chance to ask the guests questions.
Suffice to say, there will be enough surprises and nonsense along the way that the Real Turner The Worm will be sick with excitement!
After a short break for some important infomercials, and a visit from Monty, we’ll have The Golden Bean Variety Hour, hosted by Beanus – where players can win a genuine Reversible Sedgewick!
Peppered in among all this will be the usual tangents and segues that you’ve come to expect from us. The Man’s Daddy IS waiting to share his latest jokes with you.
SATURDAY
During the day, there’ll be a programme of events and panels starting at midday, courtesy of Chunky Fringe. More details on those to follow closer to the time.
Saturday evening is our time travel night – a bucket of fun, games and nonsense themed to different decades, from the 90s through to Digitiser’s 60th anniversary in 2053. Expect more erotic dancing, more absurd songs, more characters, more shouting, and an exciting Digitiser’s Great British Days Out slide presentation in which I will sweat to death before your very eyes while wearing a thick blue coat.
Again, the running order might change from one night to the other, depending on logistics, but none of the above really conveys what the nights will be like. To tell you more would spoil the surprise that has become our stock-in-trade. Nothing we really do will go how you expect – and we keep it loose enough that we embrace the chaos. As I say, the live environment somehow feels like our natural home.
We may be announcing some other details nearer the time that will give you a chance to be more involved with the show.
Digi always felt like a cult thing, but now we really are a cult thing – something small and beloved by a tiny audience, punching well above our weight in terms of what we’re able to do, our sense of ambition, and the people who want to collaborate with us. Why we can do that I have no idea, but the Digi Live Weekend will be no different.
Everyone is tbc in terms of availability, but this time we’re hoping to have a massive guest-cast – with Ashens, Larry Bundy Jr, Sooz Kempner, Mr Hairs, and Ryan Livermore… and hopefully making their Digi Live debuts are Ash Frith and Violet Berlin …
And, of course, they’ll all be meeting Beanus and Num-Num, Piccalilli Willy, Action Man, Monty’s Mum, Third Bird, Snowmobile Dundee, Paul Gannon, Eli Silverman, and other absurdist characters et al.
All of our plans are subject to change – and may move from one evening to another – but currently, the schedule for each night is as follows:
FRIDAY
The first evening’s entertainment will kick off with a tongue-in-cheek trawl through the history of Digitiser – from 1993 to the present day. Expect a panel of guests offering their not-what-you-might-expect take on the Teletext era and what it was like to be a part of the gaming landscape of the 90s, through to Digitiser The Show, up to the forthcoming Digi Level 2, and our current YouTube exploits.
You'll even have the non-compulsory chance to ask the guests questions.
Suffice to say, there will be enough surprises and nonsense along the way that the Real Turner The Worm will be sick with excitement!
After a short break for some important infomercials, and a visit from Monty, we’ll have The Golden Bean Variety Hour, hosted by Beanus – where players can win a genuine Reversible Sedgewick!
Peppered in among all this will be the usual tangents and segues that you’ve come to expect from us. The Man’s Daddy IS waiting to share his latest jokes with you.
SATURDAY
During the day, there’ll be a programme of events and panels starting at midday, courtesy of Chunky Fringe. More details on those to follow closer to the time.
Saturday evening is our time travel night – a bucket of fun, games and nonsense themed to different decades, from the 90s through to Digitiser’s 60th anniversary in 2053. Expect more erotic dancing, more absurd songs, more characters, more shouting, and an exciting Digitiser’s Great British Days Out slide presentation in which I will sweat to death before your very eyes while wearing a thick blue coat.
Again, the running order might change from one night to the other, depending on logistics, but none of the above really conveys what the nights will be like. To tell you more would spoil the surprise that has become our stock-in-trade. Nothing we really do will go how you expect – and we keep it loose enough that we embrace the chaos. As I say, the live environment somehow feels like our natural home.
We may be announcing some other details nearer the time that will give you a chance to be more involved with the show.
We really hope you can come and hang out with us and the rest of the community for a couple of days of EXCELLENT entertainment. If you've done it before you know what to expect (ie; the unexpected). If you never have, you really won't regret it. Heck, we don't even pick on the audience.
Of course, we'd love everyone to be able to do both nights, but if for some reason you can’t do both, then we can guarantee you’ll still have an amazing time whichever of these two very different, but interlinked, shows you pick.
Lastly, every time we do one of these events, we get people afterwards telling us that they didn’t even know it was happening, and wish they’d been able to come. So, with that in mind, if you’re able to help us spread the word and give us a shout out – in any way you can, whether you’ve got a YT channel, or you stream on Twitch, or you can give us a plug on your Discord, or Reddit, or Twitter – it would be much appreciated.
Let’s all make this the celebration of 30 years that Digi deserves.
Oh look - here are some important links!
FAQ
https://www.digitiser2000.com/main-page/digitiser-live-weekend-2023-faq
NIGHT 1 TICKETS
https://harrowarts.com/whats-on/event/an-evening-with-mr-biffo
NIGHT 2 TICKETS
https://harrowarts.com/whats-on/event/digitiser-live-3-0
DIGITISER WEEKEND ATTENDEES GROUP
https://www.facebook.com/groups/726702425742043
Of course, we'd love everyone to be able to do both nights, but if for some reason you can’t do both, then we can guarantee you’ll still have an amazing time whichever of these two very different, but interlinked, shows you pick.
Lastly, every time we do one of these events, we get people afterwards telling us that they didn’t even know it was happening, and wish they’d been able to come. So, with that in mind, if you’re able to help us spread the word and give us a shout out – in any way you can, whether you’ve got a YT channel, or you stream on Twitch, or you can give us a plug on your Discord, or Reddit, or Twitter – it would be much appreciated.
Let’s all make this the celebration of 30 years that Digi deserves.
Oh look - here are some important links!
FAQ
https://www.digitiser2000.com/main-page/digitiser-live-weekend-2023-faq
NIGHT 1 TICKETS
https://harrowarts.com/whats-on/event/an-evening-with-mr-biffo
NIGHT 2 TICKETS
https://harrowarts.com/whats-on/event/digitiser-live-3-0
DIGITISER WEEKEND ATTENDEES GROUP
https://www.facebook.com/groups/726702425742043
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