Coming up soon is the 10th installation of the quarterly series known as Sun Worship. The series has been dedicated to bringing the work of performance artists involved in free improvisation to the Seacoast area for two and a half years now.
Sun Worship Series::: http://offsetneedlesound.blogspot.com/p/sun-worship-history.html
BUOY Gallery::: http://www.buoygallery.org/
For this particular Sun Worship event I have imposed a restriction on the performers to present work without the aid of electricity. This is not only a way to celebrate those artists who already have been able to present works unaided by electric current, but also challenge those of us that have thus far relied on it.
Two such artists are pioneers of the experimental music field from New York, Tom Hamilton and Al Margolis. Long time friends Tom and Al have performed all over the world together. This will be a very special one of a kind installation by these two who have been developing their set specially for this acoustic version of Sun Worship.
Tom Hamilton::: http://www.myspace.com/dataday
Al Margolis::: http://ifbwana.com/content/bio
Horn blower, percussion percussor and visual artist Steve Norton will be bringing his group Kilter to BUOY. Steve has been playing free improvised music and other means of audio expression for decades. He is an expert in knowing when, what, and just how much.
Kilter::: http://www.rednotebook.org/music/kilter.html
A Boston group that celebrates their non electric eccentric with every performance is Skinny Vinny. I'm going to take a guess that this will be a 4th participation for The Skin Vins at Sun Worship. Their sound has momentum!
Skinny Vinny::: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=35433
I was hoping to be joined by trumpet player Forbes Graham but alas he is in Europe and will not be attending. Bicycle wheels will be summoned for sound with or without aid from another sounder. (Instead I performed with an amended version of a group I am part of, Grau Garten. Missing was Greg Kowalski, participating were Steve Norton, Marc Bisson, Dave Bacon, and Dei Xrist)
Another Boston trumpeter and returning artist Eric Dahlman has let me know he will be able to participate and will be accompanied by friend Erik Nugent.
And the latest addition is William Jasper and friend Myles. William and Myles are 14. William and his siblings have performed around Portsmouth for years and it will be an honor to include them at this 10th Sun Worship event.
BUOY Gallery has been very generous to share their space and host the Sun Worship Series for the past two years. Please come, bring some beverages, a donation, something to share, an open mind and ears. This event is sure to be a memorable and moving experience.
Showing posts with label Offset Needle Radius. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Offset Needle Radius. Show all posts
8/7/11
Upcomming Offset Needle Radius Stuff...
Upcoming events of bicycle wheel and whatever elseness coming down the pike around New England. Next up will be
FRANTASIA FEST 8 up in Livermore Falls. Yes, it's time for another three day bonanza/residency/thingy up in sleepy town Livermore Falls, Maine, hosted by the generous people Fran and Kathleen Szostek. Fran is absolutely tireless in assembling these three day events, a process that takes a year of work and much sacrifice to put together. This year brings the added feature of a partnership with the music department at UMaine Farmington. The first night of Frantasia will take place at a performance space on the University campus while Friday and Saturday nights will continue the tradition of taking place in Livermore Falls' Treat Memorial Library building, right on the main drag.
Offset Needle Radius will be the second set Friday evening, just after the Skinny Vinny thingy.
NEXT appearance will be as part of the Grau Garten trio at 119 Gallery in Lowell, Mass. Grau Garten has performed in a few different mutations and in it's full capacity consists of Steve Norton on sax, horns, and various other wind thingies and percussive stuff, Marc Bisson on guitar slinky, and other things, Greg Kowalski performing improvised projected visuals and myself on the bicycle wheels and perhaps a few other elements.
The following night will bring the 10th edition of Sun Worship at BUOY Gallery, Kittery. This is a special ALL ACOUSTIC edition which will challenge those of us who regularly rely on amplification for our performances while coming naturally to those whose sound sources are acoustically amplified.
Please come out to experience some of these amazing performances. There is always something for everyone and a chance to witness some out of the ordinary creative expression.
FRANTASIA FEST 8 up in Livermore Falls. Yes, it's time for another three day bonanza/residency/thingy up in sleepy town Livermore Falls, Maine, hosted by the generous people Fran and Kathleen Szostek. Fran is absolutely tireless in assembling these three day events, a process that takes a year of work and much sacrifice to put together. This year brings the added feature of a partnership with the music department at UMaine Farmington. The first night of Frantasia will take place at a performance space on the University campus while Friday and Saturday nights will continue the tradition of taking place in Livermore Falls' Treat Memorial Library building, right on the main drag.
Offset Needle Radius will be the second set Friday evening, just after the Skinny Vinny thingy.
NEXT appearance will be as part of the Grau Garten trio at 119 Gallery in Lowell, Mass. Grau Garten has performed in a few different mutations and in it's full capacity consists of Steve Norton on sax, horns, and various other wind thingies and percussive stuff, Marc Bisson on guitar slinky, and other things, Greg Kowalski performing improvised projected visuals and myself on the bicycle wheels and perhaps a few other elements.
The following night will bring the 10th edition of Sun Worship at BUOY Gallery, Kittery. This is a special ALL ACOUSTIC edition which will challenge those of us who regularly rely on amplification for our performances while coming naturally to those whose sound sources are acoustically amplified.
Please come out to experience some of these amazing performances. There is always something for everyone and a chance to witness some out of the ordinary creative expression.
5/11/11
Friday may 13::: YDLMIER Tape Releaes Show, BOSTON
In February I recorded over 2 hours of material to be released on the exclusive YDLMIER cassette label. The result is the 47 minute cassette entitled "Spoke Tension". Friday May 13 will be the release show, hosted by YDLMIER at the Flandrew Floft in Boston. Greg Kowalski will be performing free improvised projections with me. Other cassettes being released and performances by:
Moon Climb The Wall
http://www.myspace.com/moonclimbthewall
Ghost In Salad
http://www.myspace.com/ghostsalad
Pataphor
http://www.myspace.com/pataphorband
After May 13 I will have a handful of cassettes for sale for $6 in person, $7 in the mail.
UPDATE::: Here is video from the performance recorded by Greg Kowalski:::
Moon Climb The Wall
http://www.myspace.com/moonclimbthewall
Ghost In Salad
http://www.myspace.com/ghostsalad
Pataphor
http://www.myspace.com/pataphorband
After May 13 I will have a handful of cassettes for sale for $6 in person, $7 in the mail.
UPDATE::: Here is video from the performance recorded by Greg Kowalski:::
1/23/11
:::Offset Needle Radius LIVE on the radio:::
Through a fierce last minute campaign to drum up some performance opportunities in the Northwest I've been offered two live on air slots. Although I have guest engineered on live radio and played in a band live on the radio, this will be a first for Offset Needle Radius.
To hear streaming broadcasts, check out KAOS Radio Olympia for the Dancing In Circles radio show 9 to 11pm Pacific (Midnight to 2am Eastern) and to KPSU Radio Portland for the What's This Called? show on Saturday February 5th 12 noon to 1pm (3-4pm Eastern).
1/22/11
Northwest Territories, Here Comes Offset Needle Radius:::
Last minute preparations and attempts to try and squeeze just a couple of performance opportunities out of the Northwest has so far resulted in one booking so far, for Friday February 4th at Gallery 1412. The show will be 8pm with local acoustic songster Cowlick. I will be spinning, soothing, and torturing the steel wheels generously donated by my friend and once co worker Matt Cardinal.
Unfortunately my timing for a visit to the Northwest is not quite ideal as I seem to be fitting my time there in between the "Is That Jazz?" festival and the Seattle Improvised Music festival. So it goes. I am grateful for the opportunity to bring it to Seattle in any capacity. Thanks to the generous people at Gallery 1412.
Gallery 1412 is located at 1412 18th Avenue in Seattle between Pike and Union. If you are reading this, I hope you'll come check it out:::
Unfortunately my timing for a visit to the Northwest is not quite ideal as I seem to be fitting my time there in between the "Is That Jazz?" festival and the Seattle Improvised Music festival. So it goes. I am grateful for the opportunity to bring it to Seattle in any capacity. Thanks to the generous people at Gallery 1412.
Gallery 1412 is located at 1412 18th Avenue in Seattle between Pike and Union. If you are reading this, I hope you'll come check it out:::
1/10/11
Bonus Track from Impending Release
Fionas Week was recorded over a week residency in Concord, NH in January 2010. I set up in the kitchen of the house and recorded every night. Instrumentation consisted of the 700c one cross pattern bicycle wheel mounted on the Park TS 2 stand, as well as Fiona's collection of instruments for little people including miniature piano, plastic keyboard xylophone, whistles, mini cassette recorders, and a buddha box. This track was a bonus that didn't make it onto the final album but is none the less a good example of the recordings.
Whatever T.W.T.D by OffsetSound
Mastering is being done in Brooklyn by Andrew Gerhan, layout assistance from Michael Winters, inside photograph by Eli Thompson, 2010. Released on Wow Cool -vs- Offset Sounds Recordings
Whatever T.W.T.D by OffsetSound
Mastering is being done in Brooklyn by Andrew Gerhan, layout assistance from Michael Winters, inside photograph by Eli Thompson, 2010. Released on Wow Cool -vs- Offset Sounds Recordings
11/22/10
Sun Worship VII on the Horizion
Sun Worship no. 7 is coming up in less than four weeks! I have to admit, the Winter Solstice one is my favorite. And just days after this event, we will be treated to a full moon on the solstice.
The Sun Worship is going to be a bit more work than usual but I'm looking forward to the results. Based on the collaborative participation effect Laura Lulof's installation had on the previous Sun Worship event, it seemed like it just wouldn't be the same to go back to the same old Buoy Gallery for the next one. So I have enlisted area artists Peter Donovan, Al Mead, and Greg Kowalski to help transform the space once again into another collaborative installation. Performers that evening will include Peace, Loving from Jamaica Plain, after a very heavy year of touring. Also appearing will be Maine's veterans of improvisational sound, Mystic Out Bop Review, Walter Wright's Loup Garou, Lou Bunk and Lou Cohen from the Open Sound series in Somerville will bring 2Lous, and of course, an installation of the Offset Needle Radius. Greg Kowalski (previously of Qfwfq Duo) will be returning to add beautiful improvised projections throughout the evening. Come one come all to another convergence of the Sun Worship!
Copies of the poster on heavy semi-gloss paper will be available for purchase at the event or get in touch with me.
Copies of the poster on heavy semi-gloss paper will be available for purchase at the event or get in touch with me.
10/25/10
Balloons, Bicycles, and Bodies::: Offset Needle Radius opening for Judy Dunaway Dec. 4th
When::: Saturday December 4th, 8pm
Where::: Andrew's Loft, 381 Congress Street Boston
Andrew Eisenberg has extended a great invitation to me which I thankfully accept. I'll be performing on a bill with internationally known Judy Dunaway at Andrew Eisenberge's loft on Saturday December 4th. The theme of this event is "Balloons, Bicycles, and Bodies". Fulfilling the Bodies portion will be Bodydrama - movement by Joe Burgio , Rachael Rosner, Betty Wang; sound by Lou Cohen, Matt Samolis, Walter Wright.
Judy Dunaway has explored New Music utilizing balloons as primary sound source since the late 1980's. She's perfomed with many vetrans of New York's New Music movement since the late 80's and has written over 40 pieces of music for balloon.
Find more artists like Judy Dunaway at MySpace Music
Judy is currently a visiting lecturer for the Massachusetts College of Art in the Art History department. Andrew's loft is at 381 Congress Street in Boston. This space used to be the Mobius offices. Show up around 8.
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Come and Gone::: Octoer 23rd at THird LIfe STudio Union Square SOmerville
THe long awaited Offset Needle Radius Somerville premier has happened. My sincere thanks to Lou Cohen and Lou Bunk for hosting the series and inviting me to participate.
Weeks prior to found me in the studio after work, casting into the night's dark embrace working on the expanded vocabulary of my untrue cast of spoked hoops, new movement, new sounds, new dialogue.
The night concluded with the participants packing gear, brief conversations, and hauling equipment out to vans and cars parked outside on Somerville Avenue. It was probably around 11pm. The last performance was birdorgan, accompanied by Laurie Amat on vocalizations and Lucio Menegon a.k.a. Kingtone on prepared guitar. Diedre was off on an island off the Maine Coast creating her own mayhem for the evening.
Prior to birdorgan and friends was Shawn Greenlee of Providence. He triggered sounds utilizing a lit sensor picking up color and shape drawn on a piece of paper at close range, fed into a laptop and then amplified on a fender 212 Combo and GK solid state amp into some stacked 6/10 speaker cabinet. The computer screen lit with waves of distorted color accompanying a shrill distorted scream of tones in unison.
After my set and a brief repose the duo of Noell Dorsey and Brendan Murray performed a piece for two voices , crash symbol, tom drum and synths.
I built a few new piezo contact mics and taped them down good to 50cm x75cm plastic sheets Dei Xrist had bestowed upon me weeks prior. Bicycle wheels were rolled on the floor like boomerang yoyos try as they might to return to the Master's warm hand, lose momentum until succumbing to a slow motion wobble dance until a crescendo of metallic death cry ends in still silence the wheel looses all vibration. The hand grabs and returns it to life to repeat this ritual again, again, with the others rolling and crashing. Plastic contact sheets on the wall and floor a wheel finds its way and rests there with aggressive hisses now amplified the metal scrapes along the plastic sheet. A metal rod produced assists in each spoke speaking its harmonic identity. They rang and hissed each with its own 11/32nds out of tune with its neighbor. Subtle input from two other wheels resting aside the A/V cart which was also amplified. Onto the Aalpa Wheel, the First and Best of them, atop the TS 2. It blobbered, trickled, cackled and swooned in a outpour of emotions for nearly 10 minutes.
In all performed for about 30 minutes. It felt good, complete, not rushed nor bullied from the switch in the line up from third position to first. After my eminent start was announced I stood bent in half holding my charges silently at my side until the room settled down to a pre dawn hush of 60Hz. THen they began to roll and tumble as I described.
It was the first test of a pair of JBL Eon 15 G2's I picked up in Woburn on the way down. I met George in a large ballroom linened for a wedding party of 95. Staff milled about the empty room making small adjustments to the setting. George was the wedding D.J. that night and he had some Rock Classique howling threw them. I didn't need the demonstration. I knew what I was getting. Setting them up at the THird Life Studio I noticed one of the volume pots was seriously fucked up scratchy. It was a little annoying at the time but I don't mind in the long run. I'll fix it when I've finally had enough.
Eli and I opted to leave the van where it lay, a block away on Bow Street. Might as well as I've already gotten the parking ticket, a reward for not feeding the meter that hid in complete dark blackness beneath the tree beside the van. I had no idea those meters were nocturnal.
After circling the globe over and over in tighter offset radii until we were circling around Union Square looking for a landing, getting off course, righting ourselves, and finally exiting the vessel. That's when I wish I had noticed the unreadable writing on the shadowed toll troll demanding rent on the curb I had taken. But I didn't . Instead Eli and I crossed the street and walked, in search of food. In a window was Marc Bisson, Mike Daily, and their friend and a third of Prehistoric Horse, Lucio Menegon.
They were eating large fresh looking sandwiches full of stuff. Food friendship and information all in one stop. Birdorgan was just off a week trip down to NYC for a few performances and Lucio had just performed at 119 Gallery the previous evening.
I failed at Boston navigation once again, guessing in leu of street signage as seems to be the tradition. I think it may be necessary to mature there or at least drink the water for an extended period to gain the homing pigeon extra sense of locality to efficiently navigate the paved cow paths Boston is built on. No matter the hassle of hunting for signs denoting our current and desired location I am always glad to be in the heart, just a curb away from being swept along with the trash in the street. It is eye opening alive and complex. Next time I'm bringing along a map. THat will be December 4th at Andrew Isenberg's loft at 381 Congress Street in Boston propa. See you then.
If you're lost and looking for a specific location in Boston, just remember::: it's right next to the Dunkin Donuts.
Weeks prior to found me in the studio after work, casting into the night's dark embrace working on the expanded vocabulary of my untrue cast of spoked hoops, new movement, new sounds, new dialogue.
The night concluded with the participants packing gear, brief conversations, and hauling equipment out to vans and cars parked outside on Somerville Avenue. It was probably around 11pm. The last performance was birdorgan, accompanied by Laurie Amat on vocalizations and Lucio Menegon a.k.a. Kingtone on prepared guitar. Diedre was off on an island off the Maine Coast creating her own mayhem for the evening.
Prior to birdorgan and friends was Shawn Greenlee of Providence. He triggered sounds utilizing a lit sensor picking up color and shape drawn on a piece of paper at close range, fed into a laptop and then amplified on a fender 212 Combo and GK solid state amp into some stacked 6/10 speaker cabinet. The computer screen lit with waves of distorted color accompanying a shrill distorted scream of tones in unison.
After my set and a brief repose the duo of Noell Dorsey and Brendan Murray performed a piece for two voices , crash symbol, tom drum and synths.
I built a few new piezo contact mics and taped them down good to 50cm x75cm plastic sheets Dei Xrist had bestowed upon me weeks prior. Bicycle wheels were rolled on the floor like boomerang yoyos try as they might to return to the Master's warm hand, lose momentum until succumbing to a slow motion wobble dance until a crescendo of metallic death cry ends in still silence the wheel looses all vibration. The hand grabs and returns it to life to repeat this ritual again, again, with the others rolling and crashing. Plastic contact sheets on the wall and floor a wheel finds its way and rests there with aggressive hisses now amplified the metal scrapes along the plastic sheet. A metal rod produced assists in each spoke speaking its harmonic identity. They rang and hissed each with its own 11/32nds out of tune with its neighbor. Subtle input from two other wheels resting aside the A/V cart which was also amplified. Onto the Aalpa Wheel, the First and Best of them, atop the TS 2. It blobbered, trickled, cackled and swooned in a outpour of emotions for nearly 10 minutes.
In all performed for about 30 minutes. It felt good, complete, not rushed nor bullied from the switch in the line up from third position to first. After my eminent start was announced I stood bent in half holding my charges silently at my side until the room settled down to a pre dawn hush of 60Hz. THen they began to roll and tumble as I described.
It was the first test of a pair of JBL Eon 15 G2's I picked up in Woburn on the way down. I met George in a large ballroom linened for a wedding party of 95. Staff milled about the empty room making small adjustments to the setting. George was the wedding D.J. that night and he had some Rock Classique howling threw them. I didn't need the demonstration. I knew what I was getting. Setting them up at the THird Life Studio I noticed one of the volume pots was seriously fucked up scratchy. It was a little annoying at the time but I don't mind in the long run. I'll fix it when I've finally had enough.
Eli and I opted to leave the van where it lay, a block away on Bow Street. Might as well as I've already gotten the parking ticket, a reward for not feeding the meter that hid in complete dark blackness beneath the tree beside the van. I had no idea those meters were nocturnal.
After circling the globe over and over in tighter offset radii until we were circling around Union Square looking for a landing, getting off course, righting ourselves, and finally exiting the vessel. That's when I wish I had noticed the unreadable writing on the shadowed toll troll demanding rent on the curb I had taken. But I didn't . Instead Eli and I crossed the street and walked, in search of food. In a window was Marc Bisson, Mike Daily, and their friend and a third of Prehistoric Horse, Lucio Menegon.
They were eating large fresh looking sandwiches full of stuff. Food friendship and information all in one stop. Birdorgan was just off a week trip down to NYC for a few performances and Lucio had just performed at 119 Gallery the previous evening.
I failed at Boston navigation once again, guessing in leu of street signage as seems to be the tradition. I think it may be necessary to mature there or at least drink the water for an extended period to gain the homing pigeon extra sense of locality to efficiently navigate the paved cow paths Boston is built on. No matter the hassle of hunting for signs denoting our current and desired location I am always glad to be in the heart, just a curb away from being swept along with the trash in the street. It is eye opening alive and complex. Next time I'm bringing along a map. THat will be December 4th at Andrew Isenberg's loft at 381 Congress Street in Boston propa. See you then.
If you're lost and looking for a specific location in Boston, just remember::: it's right next to the Dunkin Donuts.
9/3/10
Sun Worship VI Taking(taken::) Shape
Hot on the tails of another Frantasia Festival is the 6th edition of Sun Worship Series. This time Mercury will still be recovering from a retrograde session of confusion and adding to that sensation is an installation at our host gallery Buoy. The installation is by Brooklyn artist Lauren Luloff. The space is broken up with colorful walls of laminated fabric with occasional windows and portals. Should be interesting- and I like interesting.
Photos by Elizabeth Thompson
On the bill was Id M Theft Able, Skinny Vinny, some such configuration of Birdorgan, and the post accident return of Offset Needle Radius, Improvised projections by Greg Kowalski. At the conclusion of Id M Theft Able's set, a chorus of mayhem ensued created by all of the evening's participants.
This was first Sun Worship not to occur on a SUNday. Instead, it will be happening on SATurday September Eighteenth. SO no more excuses. Come experience fringe sound art in an otherwise well hemmed arts community.
On the bill was Id M Theft Able, Skinny Vinny, some such configuration of Birdorgan, and the post accident return of Offset Needle Radius, Improvised projections by Greg Kowalski. At the conclusion of Id M Theft Able's set, a chorus of mayhem ensued created by all of the evening's participants.
This was first Sun Worship not to occur on a SUNday. Instead, it will be happening on SATurday September Eighteenth. SO no more excuses. Come experience fringe sound art in an otherwise well hemmed arts community.
7/3/10
Sun Worship V, The One That Almost Got Away
Feverishly trying to keep up with springtime work volumes at the bike shop took precedence over creative endevers. That meant that planning for the fifth Sun Worhsip event suffered. So I was even more grateful for the performers who were able to rally with only two weeks notice. Eric Dhalman was able to enlist a friend on guitar and bass to accompany him on horns, whistles, and various light treats. Although Joshua Jefferson was not in the area to join in, Steve Norton and Angela Sawyer were up for a performance and brought their elaborate collection of bird calls, horns, electronics. They performed an extensive and dynamic set moving through various textures and intensities. Birdorgan was complete again with percussionist Mike Daley who incorporated his crutches in the first performance since he crashed his scooter. Lighting up their set was Greg Kowalski from Qfwfq Duo, projecting real time abstract images across the group and wall behind. I brought along the bicycle wheel, electronics, etc., for a performance of Offst Needle Radius that was somewhat eclipsed by bunq's implosion of various objects, crumpled paper, balancing sticks, toys, etc.
In all, the evening was another great night of free improv performance. September will bring Sun Worship VI, will be the first Sun Worship event to take place on a Saturday, and will no doubt be great. So write it on your calender, September 18th: Sun Worship VI!
In all, the evening was another great night of free improv performance. September will bring Sun Worship VI, will be the first Sun Worship event to take place on a Saturday, and will no doubt be great. So write it on your calender, September 18th: Sun Worship VI!
3/24/10
Offset Sounds with Marc Bisson Friday Apr. 2nd, 119 Gallery
Prepared guitarist Marc Bisson of birdorgan and I will collaborate for a set at 119 Gallery on Friday April 2nd. The evening will feature a performance by Stutter Inst. from Switzerland. Marc and I have collaborated on three occasions now, most recently at the Buoy Gallery in Kittery as part of Sun Worship IV. Each time we come together, our communication evolves as it twists and turns around our contrasting sound vocabularies. Come listen to the resulting sounds combined.
119 Gallery is at 119 Chelmsford St. in Lowell, Massachusetts. The gallery will open its doors around 7 pm. Donations are requested to offset costs to performers and the gallery.
In addition to performing with Marc Bisson, I will be premiering a new visual time-based art piece at 119 Gallery. The work has just been completed, titled, Spring Trim, and features sculpted hair atop my head. This will be the first public showing of this piece, which will be an ongoing work as the hair grows thus slowly changing over the weeks and months to come.
3/8/10
Sun Worship IV IS Coming: Sunday March 21st
Thriving on the deadline, the flier is in the works. A great line up once again with diverse sets from New England Phonographers Union, Warewolf, Crank Sturgeon, Marc Bisson, bunq, and of course, Offset Needle Radius.
The New England Phonographers Union
is a fluid congregation of sound artists and field recordists who work with untreated and unprocessed recordings of the rich and varied sounds around them. Through the exploration and documentation of urban and rural public spaces, sound objects and events, the Union captures auditory phenomena otherwise lost, and re-interpret the particularity of individual places as a newly idealized sonic environment. Within a focused listening environment the members present their recordings, both individually and as collaborative improvisations. Performing at Sun Worship IV will be Rick Breault, Mike Bullock, Linda Aubrey Bullock, Ernst karel, and Jed Speare.
Crank Sturgeon
has been freaking out audiences around New England and the world for longer than I can tell you about. His combination performance art/noise creation is always unique and completely unignorable. Utilizing during various performances, nudity, inflatable sculptures, masks and costumes, contact mics, intense square wave generators and high volume. Crank Sturgeon was unable to participate in Sun Worship III having just come off yet another European tour and down with a case of the travel bugs. I'm really excited to bring him back to Kittery this time around.
Loup Garou (Warewolf)
is collaborative group consisting of Walter Wright of Apocalypso Trio on electronics, Setheyny Pen of Ralph Eats Dynamite on toy pianos and objects, Mike Daily of birdorgan on prepared guitar and whatnot, Kit Demos of Mystic Out Bop Review on electronics. The pairing of sound sources can at first seem unlikely or perhaps unsettling. The introduction of melody from the damaged primitive sounds of the toy piano jars some peoples idea of free improv sound. The result is playful and disarming at times, conflicting and challenging other moments. This event will see Mike Daily hurting his drums, accompanied by Walter Wright and Kit Demos on electronicas. Sadly, Setheny and her toy pianos won't be able to make it...
Marc Bisson
is one quarter of birdorgan, utilizing prepared guitar, electronics, synths, wind up toys, and many other objects to create sort of a one man improv band of unique sound that moves easily through varying textures and intensities.
bunq
has been appearing at area free improv sound events for some time, usually accompanying sound performers with his creative stacking and balancing performances. Always with different elements to create teetering towers with, challenging his own sense of balance and the limits of structural gravity resistance, until the inevitable climax of a crash scattering objects across the floor. Each time David's performances are an exercise in tension building, structure rendering, release, and rebuilding.
This is happening at Buoy Gallery at 2 Government St in Kittery just over the bridge from Portsmouth. We'll get things started around 7pm. Donations requested. Please bring $$ or gas cans full of petrol to help offset the cost to performers and the gallery for bringing you this event. It is truly a labor of love and oobe.
The New England Phonographers Union
is a fluid congregation of sound artists and field recordists who work with untreated and unprocessed recordings of the rich and varied sounds around them. Through the exploration and documentation of urban and rural public spaces, sound objects and events, the Union captures auditory phenomena otherwise lost, and re-interpret the particularity of individual places as a newly idealized sonic environment. Within a focused listening environment the members present their recordings, both individually and as collaborative improvisations. Performing at Sun Worship IV will be Rick Breault, Mike Bullock, Linda Aubrey Bullock, Ernst karel, and Jed Speare.
Crank Sturgeon
has been freaking out audiences around New England and the world for longer than I can tell you about. His combination performance art/noise creation is always unique and completely unignorable. Utilizing during various performances, nudity, inflatable sculptures, masks and costumes, contact mics, intense square wave generators and high volume. Crank Sturgeon was unable to participate in Sun Worship III having just come off yet another European tour and down with a case of the travel bugs. I'm really excited to bring him back to Kittery this time around.
Loup Garou (Warewolf)
is collaborative group consisting of Walter Wright of Apocalypso Trio on electronics, Setheyny Pen of Ralph Eats Dynamite on toy pianos and objects, Mike Daily of birdorgan on prepared guitar and whatnot, Kit Demos of Mystic Out Bop Review on electronics. The pairing of sound sources can at first seem unlikely or perhaps unsettling. The introduction of melody from the damaged primitive sounds of the toy piano jars some peoples idea of free improv sound. The result is playful and disarming at times, conflicting and challenging other moments. This event will see Mike Daily hurting his drums, accompanied by Walter Wright and Kit Demos on electronicas. Sadly, Setheny and her toy pianos won't be able to make it...
Marc Bisson
is one quarter of birdorgan, utilizing prepared guitar, electronics, synths, wind up toys, and many other objects to create sort of a one man improv band of unique sound that moves easily through varying textures and intensities.
bunq
has been appearing at area free improv sound events for some time, usually accompanying sound performers with his creative stacking and balancing performances. Always with different elements to create teetering towers with, challenging his own sense of balance and the limits of structural gravity resistance, until the inevitable climax of a crash scattering objects across the floor. Each time David's performances are an exercise in tension building, structure rendering, release, and rebuilding.
This is happening at Buoy Gallery at 2 Government St in Kittery just over the bridge from Portsmouth. We'll get things started around 7pm. Donations requested. Please bring $$ or gas cans full of petrol to help offset the cost to performers and the gallery for bringing you this event. It is truly a labor of love and oobe.
1/4/10
January brings sounds from across the Atlantic Ocean to the Maine Seacoast.
Hey, listen up friends: Coming up are a few rare chances to catch Wouter Jaspers, Bram Stadhouders, and Bas Verbeek all on tour from Tilburg in Noord Brabant, The Netherlands. For a few exclusive dates around the Eastern Seaboard, including three events this week here in Maine. Each performing a unique solo improvised sound set, you might hear collages of motors and vocal sounds, infinite reverb drone, classical guitar, words, swoops, and sighs among other things. Upcomming dates are below.
Sunday night January 3rd in 2010, Marc and Dei opened their house to friends to hear sounds and music from these three distant travelers. They had food and refreshing beverages to share in a pot luck setting. The food was great tasting, healthy, and satisfying, just right for getting ready for some noise. People drove in from an hour away on snow covered roads to be in that basement that night.
Offset Needle Radius combined sounds with Marc Bisson and Dei Xrist of birdorgan. We ripped and crunched and scraped and wiggled guitar strings, looped SK-1,s droaned dropped vocals and other tongue sounds. Then Bas Varbeek sat down on the red cloth, lit the candle, and emitted a deep drone from a black Les Paul, beginning softly and rising to fill our minds. Vocal layers of drone eventually overtook the Les Paul, dominating the thick reverb heavy sound.
Next was Wouter Jaspers who had performed in 2008 at Ello Gallery in Portsmouth,with Staplerfahrer . Sitting at the card table strewn with stomp boxes, mixer, laptop, cables, and piles of other things, Jaspers slowly began to interweave tones and textures; a drifting piece incorporating speech, small electric motor radio frequencies, microcassette sounds.
Closing the evening was Bram Stadhouders. He brought out a beautiful classical nylon stringed guitar. With an internal mic running into an IBook, Verbeek improvised three pieces. Beginning with subtle foley sounds and then incororating classical runs up and down the neck. His playing embraced more of the classical style that has won Verbeek awards at competetions as his set progressed.
These three artists have traveled far to share their sound visions with us here. Please get out and see them at one of the upcomming events around the Eastern Seaboard.
17-12 Zebulon – New York, NY
19-12 Pyramid Atlantic - Washington DC
20-12 Robin's Bookstore - Philadelphia, PA
22-12 Ghost Print Gallery - Richmond, VA
23-12 Bobo Gallery - Asheville, NC
26-12 Ed's - Hickory, NC
27-12 TBA - Charlotte, NC
28-12 Badgerhouse - Raleigh, NC
29-12 Nightlight - Chapel Hill, NC
30-12 Garfield Artworks, Pittsburgh, PA
03-01 The House of Goings - Manchester, NH
05-01 Daileyville - Lowell, MA
06-01 South Side Grill - Lewiston, ME
07-01 Memorial Library, Main Street - Livermore Falls, ME
08-01 Strange Maine - Portland, ME
09-01 Buoy Gallery, 2 Government St. - Kittery, ME
10-01 Sunday coma series - New York, NY
11-11 Douglas Street Music Collective, New York, NY.
Sunday night January 3rd in 2010, Marc and Dei opened their house to friends to hear sounds and music from these three distant travelers. They had food and refreshing beverages to share in a pot luck setting. The food was great tasting, healthy, and satisfying, just right for getting ready for some noise. People drove in from an hour away on snow covered roads to be in that basement that night.
Offset Needle Radius combined sounds with Marc Bisson and Dei Xrist of birdorgan. We ripped and crunched and scraped and wiggled guitar strings, looped SK-1,s droaned dropped vocals and other tongue sounds. Then Bas Varbeek sat down on the red cloth, lit the candle, and emitted a deep drone from a black Les Paul, beginning softly and rising to fill our minds. Vocal layers of drone eventually overtook the Les Paul, dominating the thick reverb heavy sound.
Next was Wouter Jaspers who had performed in 2008 at Ello Gallery in Portsmouth,with Staplerfahrer . Sitting at the card table strewn with stomp boxes, mixer, laptop, cables, and piles of other things, Jaspers slowly began to interweave tones and textures; a drifting piece incorporating speech, small electric motor radio frequencies, microcassette sounds.
Closing the evening was Bram Stadhouders. He brought out a beautiful classical nylon stringed guitar. With an internal mic running into an IBook, Verbeek improvised three pieces. Beginning with subtle foley sounds and then incororating classical runs up and down the neck. His playing embraced more of the classical style that has won Verbeek awards at competetions as his set progressed.
These three artists have traveled far to share their sound visions with us here. Please get out and see them at one of the upcomming events around the Eastern Seaboard.
17-12 Zebulon – New York, NY
19-12 Pyramid Atlantic - Washington DC
20-12 Robin's Bookstore - Philadelphia, PA
22-12 Ghost Print Gallery - Richmond, VA
23-12 Bobo Gallery - Asheville, NC
26-12 Ed's - Hickory, NC
27-12 TBA - Charlotte, NC
28-12 Badgerhouse - Raleigh, NC
29-12 Nightlight - Chapel Hill, NC
30-12 Garfield Artworks, Pittsburgh, PA
03-01 The House of Goings - Manchester, NH
05-01 Daileyville - Lowell, MA
06-01 South Side Grill - Lewiston, ME
07-01 Memorial Library, Main Street - Livermore Falls, ME
08-01 Strange Maine - Portland, ME
09-01 Buoy Gallery, 2 Government St. - Kittery, ME
10-01 Sunday coma series - New York, NY
11-11 Douglas Street Music Collective, New York, NY.
12/31/09
Coming: XFest 2010 at 119 Gallery, Lowell
Walter Wright has assembled an incredible event once again! The time will soon be upon us once again to gather at the 119 Gallery in Lowell, Massachusetts for the Two THousand Ten XFest.
Wright assembles small groups of movement and sound artists to collaborate in 1/2 hour sets, 10 per night, for four nights. Plus great food, workshops, and general communal socializing. It'll be fun as hell whatever and whenever you get there. But I'd say try and spend one night in town, catch at least two nights of this crazy event that won't come around again until Two Thousand and Eleven.
When::: February Twenty Sixth to February
Where::: 119 Gallery 119 Chelmsford Lowell, Massachusetts
What::: Improv sound and movement arts festival///collaborations, food, workshops, etc.
Who:::Tons of people
LinK:: To performers, times, etc...
Wright assembles small groups of movement and sound artists to collaborate in 1/2 hour sets, 10 per night, for four nights. Plus great food, workshops, and general communal socializing. It'll be fun as hell whatever and whenever you get there. But I'd say try and spend one night in town, catch at least two nights of this crazy event that won't come around again until Two Thousand and Eleven.
When::: February Twenty Sixth to February
Where::: 119 Gallery 119 Chelmsford Lowell, Massachusetts
What::: Improv sound and movement arts festival///collaborations, food, workshops, etc.
Who:::Tons of people
LinK:: To performers, times, etc...
12/24/09
Jan. 3rd:::Underground Sound Series #2 at House of Goings On, ManChestHair, NH
The House of International Goings-On : Underground Sound Series #2
January 3, Sunday, 7PM, $5 donation mightily suggested.
301 Laurel St (intersection of Wilson), Manchester NH
603-377-9300
Potluck @ 5: spirits and victuals please feel to bring kindly.
For this evening's event we have for you straight from the Netherlands:
BRAM STADHOUDERS: freak/free ambient jazz! Guitar! Composer! Wrestling with the yoke of a youth damned by classical guitar (blue ribbon stuff), manipulating that acclaim to his deft advantage by surprising all and sundry with some jazzed out air formality.
WOUTER JASPERS: experimental! metalbaby! drone psyche! More fertile than a crescent! Noise + xperimental folk. Active tour and release cycles - 2009 release with a.o. Emil Nikolaisen (Woven Hand), + Euro-USA-Asia tour earlier this year. To his vision, music has to spread to everybody who wants to hear it, so he plays from hi-brow artfestivals to garages in Russia, sometimes soft and laidback and sometimes killing for the ears, but always with a great passion for his only love: good music.
BAS VERBEEK: Whether he sits down in a corner producing minimal introvert dark soundscapes or he’s raging around out loud intimidating his audience, Bas Verbeek (b. 1983) finds deep intensity in every extreme of experimental music and performance. Beauty, absurdism, dirt, minimalism, over the top, pitch black nihilist darkness; whatever he feels like he will use to go all the way to tingle your senses.
Opening will be assorted birdorgans plus Kittery, ME's Offset Needle Radius and Lowell, MA's Walter Wright (www.119gallery.org).
(This post originally sent by Marc Bisson)
January 3, Sunday, 7PM, $5 donation mightily suggested.
301 Laurel St (intersection of Wilson), Manchester NH
603-377-9300
Potluck @ 5: spirits and victuals please feel to bring kindly.
For this evening's event we have for you straight from the Netherlands:
BRAM STADHOUDERS: freak/free ambient jazz! Guitar! Composer! Wrestling with the yoke of a youth damned by classical guitar (blue ribbon stuff), manipulating that acclaim to his deft advantage by surprising all and sundry with some jazzed out air formality.
WOUTER JASPERS: experimental! metalbaby! drone psyche! More fertile than a crescent! Noise + xperimental folk. Active tour and release cycles - 2009 release with a.o. Emil Nikolaisen (Woven Hand), + Euro-USA-Asia tour earlier this year. To his vision, music has to spread to everybody who wants to hear it, so he plays from hi-brow artfestivals to garages in Russia, sometimes soft and laidback and sometimes killing for the ears, but always with a great passion for his only love: good music.
BAS VERBEEK: Whether he sits down in a corner producing minimal introvert dark soundscapes or he’s raging around out loud intimidating his audience, Bas Verbeek (b. 1983) finds deep intensity in every extreme of experimental music and performance. Beauty, absurdism, dirt, minimalism, over the top, pitch black nihilist darkness; whatever he feels like he will use to go all the way to tingle your senses.
Opening will be assorted birdorgans plus Kittery, ME's Offset Needle Radius and Lowell, MA's Walter Wright (www.119gallery.org).
(This post originally sent by Marc Bisson)
12/22/09
Awesome Basement Event in Man CHest hair
Marc Bisson and Dei Xrist host this great event with Wouter Jaspers, Bram Stadhouders & Bas Verbeek touring from the Netherlands. Offset Needle Radius will be performing possibly as part of a yet unknown collaboration, parts of birdorgan and Walter Wright. This show will be beautiful in its presentation of world class performers in the secret speak easy basement that is the House of Goings On. A very intimate evening that should NOT be missed... For directions, post contact information in your comment below...
12/7/09
Portsmouth Area's Experimental Improvisation Event of the Year
Coming soon, it's Sun Worship III event on December 20th at Buoy Gallery in Kittery. Here's the flier. This is going to be a really fun event. You will be very sad if you choose not or are unable to attend. 
Click on the flier for a printable image. THen go to your favorite local coffee shop and tape it to the window. This is how we spread the word.
Click on the flier for a printable image. THen go to your favorite local coffee shop and tape it to the window. This is how we spread the word.
8/8/09
Silent Sun Worship
Cobwebs form around the speaker cones, the arrival of the Sun has lured all life into the embrace of its rays bringing silence to the land. Riding the fixie bike around country roads, wrenching on bikes for a living, picnics, out of town events, and errands have taken president for the moment. Resting up for Frantasia 2009....
7/16/09
THe Healing Therapies of Noise
I am by myself at home. It is quiet as I prepare food. Without any thought, a song begins to play in my mind. Perhaps it is by The Eagles, or Eric Clapton. Syrupy canned market research produced crap. As soon as I realize that I am hearing this inside my own mind, I instantly become irritated. A radio I can turn off, unplug, donate to the Salvation Army, throw in the river, torture and ultimately execute. My mind, containing millions of these audio viruses from contagious media sources, I have to live with. The common term for this phenomenon is "EARWORMS". To smother the irritating sounds, I create in my mind a swell of high volumed wide tonal spectrum sweeping noise, like a gigantic industrial sound sweeping machine, whooshes the unwanted viral song into my mental gutter. Guaranteed to crawl back into my consciousness eventually, I am grateful for my imagination, that it can create such a crushing noise to return my mind to peaceful silence. Perhaps this has been a driving inspiration for recent Offset Needle Radius performances consisting of dense feedback and square wave layering noise. One can only wonder...
I have also noticed that when I am confronted by popular music in an instance where I am unable to shut down or remove myself from its broadcast, I tend to change the words, or hum or otherwise vocalize the melody. Admittedly, I also do this with music that pleases me. In both cases, I suggest this is how I enjoy playing with the music that is being broadcast in the space I am inhabiting. In the context of playing this way with music that irritates me, it feels as if I am categorizing the basic elements of the song, breaking it down to focus on the ludicrousity of the material. This feels therapeutic to me and I find that when I am able to play with popular music in this way, it tends not to infect my mind s
o much and consequently not to invoke negative thoughts.
Years ago I embarked on a mix tape project I titled "Homicide/Suicide". The premise of the tape was to be a collection of all the most infuriating syrupy vapid pop songs I could think of. The happ
iest, most seemingly perfectly adjusted unchallenging pop songs always seem to conjure images of bloody, violent scenes, terrible thoughts of senseless murder. I've often thought that Sheryl Crow or Edie Brickell would be the perfect auditory backdrop for violent murder scenes in movies. It is as if this music, so perfectly elated and sickeningly sweet, reflecting an impossible reality, must thus be a cover up for terrible guilt, shame, horrible violence and destruction, as an actor who grossly over-acts their part. This range of pop music has such a negative effect on my mental well being that I thought creating the "Homicide/Suicide" mix tape would both serve to over-expose myself and thus hopefully build up my immunity, while examining and sharing for the sake of helping others understand this phenomenon. I never was able to complete the tape.
I hope this admission of my reaction to some popular music won't seem as an affront to friends who may find this sort of music pleasing. I am merely trying to share with readers some of the background that has informed Offset Needle Radius and assuredly all other music endeavors I have ever been a part of. As many of my friends might be allergic to cats and I would not wish to expose them to environments where cats inhabit, I would so request not to be exposed to this sort of music. This is how I am wired. The sounds that I create are a result of this inner circuitry
I have also noticed that when I am confronted by popular music in an instance where I am unable to shut down or remove myself from its broadcast, I tend to change the words, or hum or otherwise vocalize the melody. Admittedly, I also do this with music that pleases me. In both cases, I suggest this is how I enjoy playing with the music that is being broadcast in the space I am inhabiting. In the context of playing this way with music that irritates me, it feels as if I am categorizing the basic elements of the song, breaking it down to focus on the ludicrousity of the material. This feels therapeutic to me and I find that when I am able to play with popular music in this way, it tends not to infect my mind s
o much and consequently not to invoke negative thoughts.Years ago I embarked on a mix tape project I titled "Homicide/Suicide". The premise of the tape was to be a collection of all the most infuriating syrupy vapid pop songs I could think of. The happ
iest, most seemingly perfectly adjusted unchallenging pop songs always seem to conjure images of bloody, violent scenes, terrible thoughts of senseless murder. I've often thought that Sheryl Crow or Edie Brickell would be the perfect auditory backdrop for violent murder scenes in movies. It is as if this music, so perfectly elated and sickeningly sweet, reflecting an impossible reality, must thus be a cover up for terrible guilt, shame, horrible violence and destruction, as an actor who grossly over-acts their part. This range of pop music has such a negative effect on my mental well being that I thought creating the "Homicide/Suicide" mix tape would both serve to over-expose myself and thus hopefully build up my immunity, while examining and sharing for the sake of helping others understand this phenomenon. I never was able to complete the tape.I hope this admission of my reaction to some popular music won't seem as an affront to friends who may find this sort of music pleasing. I am merely trying to share with readers some of the background that has informed Offset Needle Radius and assuredly all other music endeavors I have ever been a part of. As many of my friends might be allergic to cats and I would not wish to expose them to environments where cats inhabit, I would so request not to be exposed to this sort of music. This is how I am wired. The sounds that I create are a result of this inner circuitry
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