Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Best New Experimental Sounds From Europe (1991)


I found this flyer for a great show from 1991(?). This took place at a gallery on the edge of China Town near downtown Boston. My friend and I were walking to the gallery when we noticed two guys standing up ahead of us a block a way from the gallery holding a pretty decent microphone, patched into a DAT recorder, we went past and straight to the show.

It was a small space and there were many spectators jammed-sitting down on the floor. I believe we missed Phauss or just the tail end. There was a good 25min before Hafler Trio played (there's no stage, it's them right in front of you BTY), but they didn't have instruments, just a DAT player and a couple flange pedals i think. It was the two dudes that were outside, playing back "street sounds" they recorded with overlays. IT WAS VERY LOUD!
They had the volume cranked to 11, for a small space densely packed-not pleasant. During a lull someone from the audience spoke up "Could you turn it down, please." and everyone in the space agreed "YESSSS!".

The Trio obliged, and continued. After they played, Karkawski/Bilting set up. The set consisted of a stainless steel double sink turned upside down on a stand and a PVC cage cube the height of a tall person.
There was some kind of mixer/computer patched into the cage, one of them entered the cube and moved their hands ,arms or legs in between the bars it would break a light beam that were dotted over the cage. This would change the speed, pitch or tone while the other played the sink with thick drum sticks, banging away with this tribal industrial melee.

By far one of the best shows that blew through the states during that time. Very intimate and in-your-face evening.

The flyer toner started to stick to other papers that i had packed away was very difficult pull apart without destroying it, with help from a blow dryer the job was done.

~UU~

2 comments:

soundhead said...

very interesting story!

thanks!!

Used Universe said...

Thanks SoundHead!!!!

~UU~