11/15/09

Nov. 10 "Strings N' Things" Recap, Manchester, NH

The 'theme' of this event sounds like a craft night to take place in a church basement, which in an abstract way, I suppose it was. I was having a difficult time getting out of town and ended up at Marc and Dei's house around 6:45pm, only an hour and 45 minutes later than I'd planned. Their basement was cleared out and strewn with strings of little lights. They had made black beans, brown rice, cornbread and provided beer, which was nice. I was starving and stressed out by the time I'd made it there.
The show started with birdorgan, Mike on bass, Mike on guitar, Marc on guitar, and Dei with her vocalizations. It sounded pretty wild, a great alternate invocation of birdorgan.
I think Offset Needle Radius performed next? Vertical guitar into two split signals into two amplifiers. Lots of the usual bowed strings with steel rod finishing up with microcassette mutterings. It didn't come off as I'd hoped. Something wasn't happening.
Next Walter Wright with a friend on toy piano and Marc Bisson on guitar was next. I didnt' get his friends name who played the toy piano. The sounds were nice, three vary different textural sounds blending, contrasting, and conforming together.
Last was Layne Garrett, who began his set on a steel guitar, improvised latin strumming style sort of a classical gypsy sound. The tunings changed as did the mood of the improvisations. Layne concluded his set with light sensitive sound generation synth and effects, more noise to contrast with the melodic nature of his guitar work.
Layne was touring via Greyhound Ameripass which is daring and brave. He had two CD's for sale, one of which he had sewed covers for on the bus between stops.
It was a great show to be at let along perform at.

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