First off, I get lost in Boston. Luckily I end up on Mass Ave., through arbitrary driving decisions, which is, I realize, helpful when I am calling for directions. Anyways, I spent a good forty-five minutes clueless in the city, so I'm a bit late for set-up. Luckily, my set-up time is normally pretty short. I mean, providing that there are grounded electrical outlets available.
Well, I get there, and its a nice little space. We get to perform right in front a Bay window which is nice. I have a fondness for bay windows. Also, I find from Carmen than we got press. Press from The Boston Globe. Whoohoo!!! We're one of the top 5 picks! Unfortunately, The Boredoms AND Laurie Anderson are playing the same night. So, our audience is still pretty small.
I get changed and everything. Then, I take the wires out of the battery re-charger and attempt to connect them back to the witilt accelerometer. Notice the word choice: "attempt". One of the wires twisted off in this endeavor. Oh noes! Carmen goes on just as this happens. I try not to mess with shit too much while she's performing. She does well... her voice is awesome, as always. She seems to have some problems with the Carmenizer, but interesting sounds do come out. I look forward to seeing/hearing the full version.
So, I ask for a paper clip so I can keep pressure on the wire and perform the pieces despite the disaster. Rob gets me one and it works. I am so MacGuyver. Error of my Ways goes off without a hitch! I explain that I will lose control of the synth, etc. Later, someone asks me how I am losing control, so maybe she didn't notice my frustrated shaking trying to set off the synth. It could be that it is hard to read as frustration? Well, everything goes well. Well, at one point, the server freaks out before I can do "things that breathe", but I just move on to a pre-recorded piece (accordion improv) and set things up fast. I perform it later.
At this point, my set just goes. I'm so sad. I'm a sad sad girl. I am going insane with the sadness and losing control. By the end of the my set, though, the paperclip has slipped and I can't do balancing act. I could have fiddled with it, but I decide to spare both myself and the audience the time of silence whilst fixing shit, and do "better in the dark", which I wasn't going to do.
Again, I try and make use of the space and levels. I do a bit of crawling and try to incorporate chairs, mic stands as props. I feel I might be moving a bit too much. I tend to be in constant motion, so I force myself to hold particular poses so things don't get too... "busy". I think I need to work on staying still in moments and using it more as a dramatic device.
The very act of performing seems to bring about what I call the "fragile body" sometimes, the disassociation of the self from the body. I find myself often thinking in body parts and where to put them, rather than putting my "self" places. My hands sometimes feel like props in black lace, disconnected from the rest of me. Even though my thesis pieces are exploring these concepts, it is the pieces where I have the most freedom to move that brings about this state most often. In balancing act and Error of my Ways there are moments when I am not aware of things like that, but then it does appear. Actually, until I fixed it, balancing act did produce those sensations the most, perhaps because I was faking it the vast majority of the time and I felt useless... because I was so bad at it. There is a strange continuum in Error of my Ways where I am really using the controller effectively, and then I am wondering what the hell is happening. In the beginning of the piece, I do feel like an embodied performer. Everything contrasts to my accordion pieces where I sometimes even feel like I lose the sense of myself as a self but I am just lost in the activity of it. Reminds of Rivka telling me what an embodied instrument it has become for me.
Afterwards, I get told that I am indeed like an Edward Gorey heroine. Nice. And Rob tells me he's never seen anything like it before. He wants me to send him a DVD of one of my shows. Yay!
As I enter the exit from the interstate back to Hanover, NH, I notice a sign with an arrow pointing in the vague direction of my neighborhood: "KARATE" it says. Indeed.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
excerpts from March 23rd show
from the HzCollective
Also, a pic of me improvising with two other accordion players during the same show, Wendy Hsu and Bob Holub.
Also, a pic of me improvising with two other accordion players during the same show, Wendy Hsu and Bob Holub.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
March 23 @ The Guffey Art Center, Charlottesville, VA
So, as stated before, I did not realize that March 23 was Easter when I booked this gig. It was a few days later when I remember that it is also my mother's birthday! Whoops! Oh, well. It is the place that is closest to Roanoke, where my parents live. So, my family are all coming to see the show. Not only that but Wayne (who gave me Wendy's name in the first place) my ex from long long ago in Roanoke is playing the gig with his girlfriend, Khate. Lots of Roanokers (the correct term) in the audience. Also, Kevin Parks, an eamusic grad whom I met at ICMC is also on the bill. It is nice knowing most of the people involved beforehand.
My family arrives a few minutes before me and help me carry in gear. I give my mom a present and say "happy birthday" a ton before just getting ready and setting up. Set-up does go pretty well, except for one moment where I forget to set the default output to my audio interface and I can't figure out what's up. Well, I find out very soon, but the moment it happens my heart stops and I'm positive that I am fucked and a Nightlight-like fiasco is about to take place. Uh, but no.
First up are Kevin Parks and Jonathan Zorn. They are guitarish with electronics... seems to be free improv and this is confirmed later. Apparently, it was the first time that they played together. It works well, I didn't know that. My sister comes in late, not realizing that they had started. She starts to say something loudly but I shush her emphatically. I have turned into a shusher.
I wonder what my family thinks of it, and what framework they have to attach what people are doing. I remember being a freshman college student living in New Orleans, walking into the Funky Butt and stumbling on free improvisation. I was the one that got shushed. I had thought that they were setting up and equipment and tuning, and not playing. Funny to think of that, now.
Then, me. I drop everything with beats out of my set except for the accordion improv piece. Everything goes smoothly. Except for performing in general and the areas where I have to improvise, I am not winging it at all. Everything works. Error of my Ways is very frustrating, but then again, only because I wrote that kind of thing into my piece. I also am switching songs very fast with very little set-up time. I continue to use the chair as a prop etc., as I am moving around. I stand on top of it, etc.
balancing act is spectacular in that every part of it works the way its supposed to AND I can actually find the dot sometimes and the noise leaves the mix and things sync. Partly its because I'm better at it... partly its because I made it easier in code as part of my general set clean-up in DC. It is less of a steady progression of now I'm successful then less so then I never find the dot. Its more like, hey! I found the dot for a while! Oh, I lost it. Damn... where is it? I'm actually trying to find it...
It also slightly less angsty than usual because I have to switch all the words. Also, I'm using a keyboard amp instead of PA, which is less optimal in some cases, but in the case of the feedback involved in balancing act it is great. There's no crazy shit with feedback happening, ever. I get comments on how it was really neat how my voice affected the music, etc.... and I think, yes, this is the first time you can hear it in the way it was intended!
Study in Losing Control continues to be unpredictable and one of the best pieces in my set.... or something. Its the piece that feels the most interactive, like I'm pushing against something and its responding... not like an instrument, though... like another person. I do baby-sit the computer as I'm performing, changing levels, etc... even starting new synths in SC3 once things start... it does emphasize my use of the computer, which I wanted to make less salient not more, but it does allow me to fix and adjust things as I'm going which I've decided is more important.
One of the improvements that happened in Chapel Hill and continued in Charlottesville was that I just stopped feeling sheepish about actually performing and having a cabaret-type thing when it was so different from what I was seeing other people do. Not that no one else does similar things but no one that I was playing with had these elements. Rivka asked me what I called what I did, and I said post-modern cabaret, which is mostly true. But I've seen what Meow Meow does and I don't do that. I still need to get a lot better at talking and having a dialogue. Switching between songs quickly is really a stop-gap for that. I think I've at least improved. I feel my show would be more compelling if I could find a persona (other than my natural nerdy computer programmer / composer one because that doesn't mesh with the rest of my performance) that worked for me and I could stick with it.
In retrospect, it was helpful trying to come up with an entertaining bio that really described my show/act, because without the aspects of cabaret and angst, I don't know if my set would have come together... Well, I mean, it first felt like different parts of my set were very disjunct, and now I don't feel that. I feel that my personality carries through and provides a thread. Or, maybe I've just been performing through the set long enough that I've gotten used to it. Or that.
Anyways! Wayne & Khate's set. He calls himself feralcatscan, by the way. It very dramatic for this type of thing. They have glow-y balls and stuff. You can see the Dr. Who love, right there. I am mildly surprised that they are not using computers at all since Wayne was the first guy to use a computer on stage in Roanoke way back then, in the day. But I do know that he's been building and hacking and circuit-bending his own instruments so maybe it isn't that unexpected. Meanwhile, he tells me a desktop is just too much to carry to gigs lately and he won't use laptops because he can't build them himself. (but he still uses Windows!) By the way, he also built their PA and painted it. It is very pretty. We almost always agree on aesthetics. Also, both he & Khate changed into nicer/more goth clothes to perform, which is nice, because it meant I wasn't the only one who was doing that.
Meanwhile, a few people leave. The turn-out is not great since its Easter weekend... (hmmm) Wendy asks me if I still want to do the 3 accordion improv we planned. I'm like, dude! I don't care if people are here or not! So everyone gets ready, etc. Everyone else has a nicer accordion than me that's electric, plugged into an amp, and just, tons of effects. Also, they have more reeds. They both probably have a musette setting. I am so jealous. I want that.
Its okay that I'm not electric and I don't have lots of effects. There is space for me when we are playing in way that there never seems to be when I'm playing with other ensembles. Not that contrast isn't good, but it is really really nice to hear something timbrally and know how to produce that on my instrument and then play off of it in a completely intuitive manner. Its like improvising voice with Carmen, although obviously not as comfortable as that since Carmen & I have been working together for a while. But still! There is that element to it. I still feel like we are being a bit timid... or I can only speak for myself and I was feeling that a bit. Especially with my acoustic accordion with no musette setting. (I don't think they even used that setting, I just want a musette setting a LOT)
Anyways, we pack up and chat and catch up a little bit. I'm kinda in a hurry to get out because I'm driving to DC.... which, by the way, google gives me directions going through the middle of BFE except for as I'm driving through it I realize that it is not really BFE. There's stuff there. Like, some farms. Some houses. Relatively lots of stuff compared to BFE in Vermont / New Hampshire. BFE in Virginia is much, much more populated. People may be handling snakes for religious purposes.... but there is stuff to do there. I mean, when you think about it, people talking in tongues is pretty entertaining. I've only seen it two or three times in my life and it was a spectacle. AND the music in Pentecostal churches tends to be fantastic.
Then, DC! Stefan! Losing my keys! Panic! Finding them again! Overly long trek back to the wastelands of New Hampshire due to me not being an overly ambitious driver.
me: Oh! This roadstop has....internet. My car doesn't have internet... *distract distract*
Also, no matter how much coffee I drank I was tired enough so that it affected my driving ability, unfortunately. Touring is exhausting.
My family arrives a few minutes before me and help me carry in gear. I give my mom a present and say "happy birthday" a ton before just getting ready and setting up. Set-up does go pretty well, except for one moment where I forget to set the default output to my audio interface and I can't figure out what's up. Well, I find out very soon, but the moment it happens my heart stops and I'm positive that I am fucked and a Nightlight-like fiasco is about to take place. Uh, but no.
First up are Kevin Parks and Jonathan Zorn. They are guitarish with electronics... seems to be free improv and this is confirmed later. Apparently, it was the first time that they played together. It works well, I didn't know that. My sister comes in late, not realizing that they had started. She starts to say something loudly but I shush her emphatically. I have turned into a shusher.
I wonder what my family thinks of it, and what framework they have to attach what people are doing. I remember being a freshman college student living in New Orleans, walking into the Funky Butt and stumbling on free improvisation. I was the one that got shushed. I had thought that they were setting up and equipment and tuning, and not playing. Funny to think of that, now.
Then, me. I drop everything with beats out of my set except for the accordion improv piece. Everything goes smoothly. Except for performing in general and the areas where I have to improvise, I am not winging it at all. Everything works. Error of my Ways is very frustrating, but then again, only because I wrote that kind of thing into my piece. I also am switching songs very fast with very little set-up time. I continue to use the chair as a prop etc., as I am moving around. I stand on top of it, etc.
balancing act is spectacular in that every part of it works the way its supposed to AND I can actually find the dot sometimes and the noise leaves the mix and things sync. Partly its because I'm better at it... partly its because I made it easier in code as part of my general set clean-up in DC. It is less of a steady progression of now I'm successful then less so then I never find the dot. Its more like, hey! I found the dot for a while! Oh, I lost it. Damn... where is it? I'm actually trying to find it...
It also slightly less angsty than usual because I have to switch all the words. Also, I'm using a keyboard amp instead of PA, which is less optimal in some cases, but in the case of the feedback involved in balancing act it is great. There's no crazy shit with feedback happening, ever. I get comments on how it was really neat how my voice affected the music, etc.... and I think, yes, this is the first time you can hear it in the way it was intended!
Study in Losing Control continues to be unpredictable and one of the best pieces in my set.... or something. Its the piece that feels the most interactive, like I'm pushing against something and its responding... not like an instrument, though... like another person. I do baby-sit the computer as I'm performing, changing levels, etc... even starting new synths in SC3 once things start... it does emphasize my use of the computer, which I wanted to make less salient not more, but it does allow me to fix and adjust things as I'm going which I've decided is more important.
One of the improvements that happened in Chapel Hill and continued in Charlottesville was that I just stopped feeling sheepish about actually performing and having a cabaret-type thing when it was so different from what I was seeing other people do. Not that no one else does similar things but no one that I was playing with had these elements. Rivka asked me what I called what I did, and I said post-modern cabaret, which is mostly true. But I've seen what Meow Meow does and I don't do that. I still need to get a lot better at talking and having a dialogue. Switching between songs quickly is really a stop-gap for that. I think I've at least improved. I feel my show would be more compelling if I could find a persona (other than my natural nerdy computer programmer / composer one because that doesn't mesh with the rest of my performance) that worked for me and I could stick with it.
In retrospect, it was helpful trying to come up with an entertaining bio that really described my show/act, because without the aspects of cabaret and angst, I don't know if my set would have come together... Well, I mean, it first felt like different parts of my set were very disjunct, and now I don't feel that. I feel that my personality carries through and provides a thread. Or, maybe I've just been performing through the set long enough that I've gotten used to it. Or that.
Anyways! Wayne & Khate's set. He calls himself feralcatscan, by the way. It very dramatic for this type of thing. They have glow-y balls and stuff. You can see the Dr. Who love, right there. I am mildly surprised that they are not using computers at all since Wayne was the first guy to use a computer on stage in Roanoke way back then, in the day. But I do know that he's been building and hacking and circuit-bending his own instruments so maybe it isn't that unexpected. Meanwhile, he tells me a desktop is just too much to carry to gigs lately and he won't use laptops because he can't build them himself. (but he still uses Windows!) By the way, he also built their PA and painted it. It is very pretty. We almost always agree on aesthetics. Also, both he & Khate changed into nicer/more goth clothes to perform, which is nice, because it meant I wasn't the only one who was doing that.
Meanwhile, a few people leave. The turn-out is not great since its Easter weekend... (hmmm) Wendy asks me if I still want to do the 3 accordion improv we planned. I'm like, dude! I don't care if people are here or not! So everyone gets ready, etc. Everyone else has a nicer accordion than me that's electric, plugged into an amp, and just, tons of effects. Also, they have more reeds. They both probably have a musette setting. I am so jealous. I want that.
Its okay that I'm not electric and I don't have lots of effects. There is space for me when we are playing in way that there never seems to be when I'm playing with other ensembles. Not that contrast isn't good, but it is really really nice to hear something timbrally and know how to produce that on my instrument and then play off of it in a completely intuitive manner. Its like improvising voice with Carmen, although obviously not as comfortable as that since Carmen & I have been working together for a while. But still! There is that element to it. I still feel like we are being a bit timid... or I can only speak for myself and I was feeling that a bit. Especially with my acoustic accordion with no musette setting. (I don't think they even used that setting, I just want a musette setting a LOT)
Anyways, we pack up and chat and catch up a little bit. I'm kinda in a hurry to get out because I'm driving to DC.... which, by the way, google gives me directions going through the middle of BFE except for as I'm driving through it I realize that it is not really BFE. There's stuff there. Like, some farms. Some houses. Relatively lots of stuff compared to BFE in Vermont / New Hampshire. BFE in Virginia is much, much more populated. People may be handling snakes for religious purposes.... but there is stuff to do there. I mean, when you think about it, people talking in tongues is pretty entertaining. I've only seen it two or three times in my life and it was a spectacle. AND the music in Pentecostal churches tends to be fantastic.
Then, DC! Stefan! Losing my keys! Panic! Finding them again! Overly long trek back to the wastelands of New Hampshire due to me not being an overly ambitious driver.
me: Oh! This roadstop has....internet. My car doesn't have internet... *distract distract*
Also, no matter how much coffee I drank I was tired enough so that it affected my driving ability, unfortunately. Touring is exhausting.
Monday, March 24, 2008
March 21 @ The Lighthouse in Chapel Hill, NC
Stefan and I leave DC planning to arrive at Chapel Hill in time to have a leisurely dinner with my friends before the 9:30pm show...in theory. The catch here is that we both forget it is Easter weekend. Do you know what that means? It means that we were horrendous traffic for three hours.... until we were about an hour away from Richmond, I was never going above 35mph. It took us almost seven hours to get to Chapel Hill.
It looks like we will be arriving when the gig is supposed to start. I didn't think I was the first one to go on... but I'm freaking out a little in any case. I call the venue several times. No one answers. In a panic, I call Gennette and get her to go to the club to tell them we were gonna be late. Luckily, this is one of the two places on my tour where I had this kind of option. She calls me back.
No one is at the club. Not even the owner or the manager. None of the other musicians. Just some girls that always hang there. It is, at this point, around 8:45pm.
I forgot about living in the South. Then, Gennette tells me the game went over and that's probably why. She doesn't know which game, although we assume it is basketball or something. Its very big there.
We arrive at 9:30pm exactly. No one is playing. They tell me I'm second and I don't have to set-up until right before. In fact, they don't want me to set-up until the first act tears down. My friends are already there and we run into more on the way. We decide to leave and get a drink at the Lantern. We need to unwind post stressful trip. I say I will be back in 20. When we get back, which is roughly within that time frame, the previous set just finishes. I feel pretty terrible since I usually try to watch all the other shows. Meanwhile, all my friends show up, and I'm very touched by how many people came. I got to see a ton of people that I hadn't seen since I'd left for Dartmouth and even before.
Then, I set up. They actually have a feedback monitor and a stage, which is great. Everything is in the opposite part of the room from the last time I played there... which admittedly was a few years ago. The only problem is this crazy hum that won't go away. Someone jokes about seeing if there is a Computer Scientist in the room to help me... which is funny because a plurality of my friends are CS grad students.
We all think its ground hum but we can't find another outlet. Some other musician tells me he restarted his powermac and that worked for him, once. So... I do that, even though it seems unlikely. Time is passing by. The Nightlight people are completely unhelpful... until someone that played there before tells us about the outlet in the kitchen. Stefan is running around with wires trying to find an outlet himself. Thankfully, I brought a crazy long extension cord just in case.
Yes, it was ground hum. Everything is fixed. Only it took us over an hour to get them to tell us where the other outlet was. !!! Most of wiring in the Nightlight is ungrounded. At this point, a Nightlight person shows up and says I have to go on...now and could I please limit my set to fifteen minutes? Jeez. I just start with better in the dark since its the oldest and I can do it in my sleep. I feel catastrophic, which with my set... works well. In the middle of songs, I go and initialize songs in SC for the next thing. I set up completely for Error of my Ways... even introduce it when I realize (using NetAddr.langPort) that the port number has incremented. The one damn thing I forgot to create a failsafe for between the Baltimore & DC shows. I say, just kidding! and do an accordion number right away. Uh, no accelerometer pieces for this show.
things that breathe and Study in Losing Control go off incredibly well. Every number, too, I'm actively performing and using the space on the stage. I stand on chairs... I use random things as props... I'm oddly cognizant of vertical and horizontal levels in space... I had changed a few parameters in Study in Losing Control since everything lately had been under control since I had... er, over-performed it? or something. Anyways, I had learned how it reacted... so I had changed some parameters in the noise UGENs, etc. thinking that would do something. Well... it did. I had no idea what was going on... also, I was so stressed out that I was actually really freaking out and worried about things blowing up. Sounds were coming out of it that I've never heard ever... possibly in my life. I checked the computer a few times during performance, even. It was horrible and wonderful all at the same time. There is the sense for me though that my set has coalesced and everything makes sense. I'm finally performing performing the whole way through it.
At the end of my set, the woman from the next act whom I hadn't seen tells me to get my shit off the stage at fast and possible. She is very upset with me. So I do.
Another thing, the entire night was advertised as being a set of experimental music by female musicians. Well, we were all female. As for experimental... the other artists were very good from what I heard... but all definitely fit well within the rock/alt/indie-guitarish category. Ah, well. Even in the experimental shows I feel like I tend to stick out a bit... especially when the other sets are quiet-ish free improv with very introverted performances.
Afterwards, Amber comes up and tells me that was exactly how she's been feeling lately and she was so glad she came to my show. I think that's one of the best things to hear. Stefan tells me that was the best set he's seen me do... Everyone is very nice, and wanting to chat. They ask me if I want to leave, but I stay because I've been the last act and had people leave, etc. Unfortunately, this also causes some problems. My friends do slowly file out the club, leaving it more than half empty and then saying good-bye, etc. as they leave.
I stay the whole set. At the end, the woman in the act comes up immediately to me and makes another comment. She is extremely pissed off. There's nothing to be done at that point, so I just get my stuff and go.
Then, we go to Vespa and catch the last half-hour of bhangra and I run into more people that I know. Turns out that there was a conflict (of course!). Well, I knew NC Lounge had a Siren's gig thing but there was also bhangra, etc. and Montek & Bruce were djing. So, its pretty damn cool that everyone who showed up, did show up.
Next time I play Chapel Hill I am going to go through another venue or booker. That is actually an extremely easy thing to do. No more damn Nightlight and ungrounded outlets. Stefan thinks I should carry a small electrical generator where I go. Perhaps not a bad idea.
Later, I get more detailed feedback from some of my friends. Rivka, whose dissertation is on embodiment and performance tells me she did really like how I used space on stage in my performance. She also said the accordion really worked since it was such an embodied instrument for me... which I think actually must have happened in the past few years. Pepe likes my rhythms and improvisation stuff... It was nice to get all that positive feedback. Oh, and Stefan says he's going to start going to my shows and holding up a big black sign that says "ANGST" in red letters.
It was so nice to be home (or a home-like place) even with all the stress. I had a locopop. You cannot find these outside of the Triangle. And rural areas of Mexico. Seriously! I had grapefruit-basil. (it is entirely predictable I would get the one with basil) Other flavors were: Tamirand, Chocolate Stout, Blueberry-Rosemary, Mango-Chile, Indian Rice Pudding, etc.
I also stayed with Gennette, who is a master water-saver. See, there's been a drought for almost a year or something and they were asked to cut water consumption by at least 30%. Gennette took that as a challenge. I think at this point she must be saving over 80% of what she was previously using. Seriously. And she has youtube videos about it.
It looks like we will be arriving when the gig is supposed to start. I didn't think I was the first one to go on... but I'm freaking out a little in any case. I call the venue several times. No one answers. In a panic, I call Gennette and get her to go to the club to tell them we were gonna be late. Luckily, this is one of the two places on my tour where I had this kind of option. She calls me back.
No one is at the club. Not even the owner or the manager. None of the other musicians. Just some girls that always hang there. It is, at this point, around 8:45pm.
I forgot about living in the South. Then, Gennette tells me the game went over and that's probably why. She doesn't know which game, although we assume it is basketball or something. Its very big there.
We arrive at 9:30pm exactly. No one is playing. They tell me I'm second and I don't have to set-up until right before. In fact, they don't want me to set-up until the first act tears down. My friends are already there and we run into more on the way. We decide to leave and get a drink at the Lantern. We need to unwind post stressful trip. I say I will be back in 20. When we get back, which is roughly within that time frame, the previous set just finishes. I feel pretty terrible since I usually try to watch all the other shows. Meanwhile, all my friends show up, and I'm very touched by how many people came. I got to see a ton of people that I hadn't seen since I'd left for Dartmouth and even before.
Then, I set up. They actually have a feedback monitor and a stage, which is great. Everything is in the opposite part of the room from the last time I played there... which admittedly was a few years ago. The only problem is this crazy hum that won't go away. Someone jokes about seeing if there is a Computer Scientist in the room to help me... which is funny because a plurality of my friends are CS grad students.
We all think its ground hum but we can't find another outlet. Some other musician tells me he restarted his powermac and that worked for him, once. So... I do that, even though it seems unlikely. Time is passing by. The Nightlight people are completely unhelpful... until someone that played there before tells us about the outlet in the kitchen. Stefan is running around with wires trying to find an outlet himself. Thankfully, I brought a crazy long extension cord just in case.
Yes, it was ground hum. Everything is fixed. Only it took us over an hour to get them to tell us where the other outlet was. !!! Most of wiring in the Nightlight is ungrounded. At this point, a Nightlight person shows up and says I have to go on...now and could I please limit my set to fifteen minutes? Jeez. I just start with better in the dark since its the oldest and I can do it in my sleep. I feel catastrophic, which with my set... works well. In the middle of songs, I go and initialize songs in SC for the next thing. I set up completely for Error of my Ways... even introduce it when I realize (using NetAddr.langPort) that the port number has incremented. The one damn thing I forgot to create a failsafe for between the Baltimore & DC shows. I say, just kidding! and do an accordion number right away. Uh, no accelerometer pieces for this show.
things that breathe and Study in Losing Control go off incredibly well. Every number, too, I'm actively performing and using the space on the stage. I stand on chairs... I use random things as props... I'm oddly cognizant of vertical and horizontal levels in space... I had changed a few parameters in Study in Losing Control since everything lately had been under control since I had... er, over-performed it? or something. Anyways, I had learned how it reacted... so I had changed some parameters in the noise UGENs, etc. thinking that would do something. Well... it did. I had no idea what was going on... also, I was so stressed out that I was actually really freaking out and worried about things blowing up. Sounds were coming out of it that I've never heard ever... possibly in my life. I checked the computer a few times during performance, even. It was horrible and wonderful all at the same time. There is the sense for me though that my set has coalesced and everything makes sense. I'm finally performing performing the whole way through it.
At the end of my set, the woman from the next act whom I hadn't seen tells me to get my shit off the stage at fast and possible. She is very upset with me. So I do.
Another thing, the entire night was advertised as being a set of experimental music by female musicians. Well, we were all female. As for experimental... the other artists were very good from what I heard... but all definitely fit well within the rock/alt/indie-guitarish category. Ah, well. Even in the experimental shows I feel like I tend to stick out a bit... especially when the other sets are quiet-ish free improv with very introverted performances.
Afterwards, Amber comes up and tells me that was exactly how she's been feeling lately and she was so glad she came to my show. I think that's one of the best things to hear. Stefan tells me that was the best set he's seen me do... Everyone is very nice, and wanting to chat. They ask me if I want to leave, but I stay because I've been the last act and had people leave, etc. Unfortunately, this also causes some problems. My friends do slowly file out the club, leaving it more than half empty and then saying good-bye, etc. as they leave.
I stay the whole set. At the end, the woman in the act comes up immediately to me and makes another comment. She is extremely pissed off. There's nothing to be done at that point, so I just get my stuff and go.
Then, we go to Vespa and catch the last half-hour of bhangra and I run into more people that I know. Turns out that there was a conflict (of course!). Well, I knew NC Lounge had a Siren's gig thing but there was also bhangra, etc. and Montek & Bruce were djing. So, its pretty damn cool that everyone who showed up, did show up.
Next time I play Chapel Hill I am going to go through another venue or booker. That is actually an extremely easy thing to do. No more damn Nightlight and ungrounded outlets. Stefan thinks I should carry a small electrical generator where I go. Perhaps not a bad idea.
Later, I get more detailed feedback from some of my friends. Rivka, whose dissertation is on embodiment and performance tells me she did really like how I used space on stage in my performance. She also said the accordion really worked since it was such an embodied instrument for me... which I think actually must have happened in the past few years. Pepe likes my rhythms and improvisation stuff... It was nice to get all that positive feedback. Oh, and Stefan says he's going to start going to my shows and holding up a big black sign that says "ANGST" in red letters.
It was so nice to be home (or a home-like place) even with all the stress. I had a locopop. You cannot find these outside of the Triangle. And rural areas of Mexico. Seriously! I had grapefruit-basil. (it is entirely predictable I would get the one with basil) Other flavors were: Tamirand, Chocolate Stout, Blueberry-Rosemary, Mango-Chile, Indian Rice Pudding, etc.
I also stayed with Gennette, who is a master water-saver. See, there's been a drought for almost a year or something and they were asked to cut water consumption by at least 30%. Gennette took that as a challenge. I think at this point she must be saving over 80% of what she was previously using. Seriously. And she has youtube videos about it.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
March 20 @ The Lighthouse, Washington, DC
The first inkling I get that The Lighthouse is, in fact, a house where people live and not er, some other sort of venue is when they send an email that says we have to start at 8pm because we can't disturb the neighbors, and also we should come early because they are making dinner for everyone. Since the place is about fifteen minutes from Stefan's place, we do not have strange directional problems, and we arrive right on time. It is totally a house. A nice, big one, though!
We run into the members of Sonic Circus, and they tell us we can just start unloading... and so we do. Everything goes in the basement. The PA hasn't arrived yet, so I do the amount of set-up that I can do without it. I'm done in about fifteen minutes, and so we go up and have dinner. It's nice and relaxing. Dinner is vegan and very good. They made applesauce from scratch, partly because their band name is Fantasy Apple Pipe Machine.
We chat and stuff. Layne is teaching music for Quaker kids and teaching them how to make instruments. I wish I had a teacher like that in junior high. I also talk with Mike from Sonic Circus and we find out we know lots of the same people and play the same venues. He even met Katia and Charlie during ICMC 2006.
Initially, I was scheduled in third place, but I end up playing last due to the fact that I claim I am not particularly loud. Anyways, we all go down to the basement to watch Sonic Circus. Their first piece is very cool and unexpected. It is for bassoon and turntables, and it was pretty rocking. I've never seen anyone rock out on a bassoon before. The rest of the set is also very solid, and in particular, they play this awesome video along with a Terry Riley piece. Later, Stefan tells me that for a while, it even matched with the color of the music in his mind. (context: he has synesthesia)
Next up: The Fantasy Apple Pipe Machine is interesting. Layne is playing a mic'd styrofoam box with pipes laid on top. As he hits the box, the pipes start rolling off and he has to constantly keep them steady and put them back. It is very precarious. That is probably my favorite part of watching the band. I say so later, but he seems very nonplussed when I mention it. It occurs to me briefly that others may not share a similar interest in things going wrong and dangerous performance situations.
Then, Sejayno. They seem humorous, which is nice. I am not sure which parts are serious and which parts are not sometimes. Their homemade instruments look incredibly interesting.
Then me. I start with Error of My Ways. I accidentally start the guitar parts twice, which throws me at first. But, it works, actually. Its very interesting. I try to follow only one guitar part for my voice parts. This time, the synth really does stop working (it is supposed to that, I know. I programmed it in). It is frustrating. It is also softer because it is competing against two copies of the guitar.
things that breathe and Study in Losing Control go especially well that night. There's something about performing things a lot that makes them go better. Huh! It is mystery. (no, not really). Lastly, I do balancing act. Unfortunately, the speakers are placed for maximum feedback, the song is more about me trying to find the place with the least amount of feedback than trying to find the dot. It is sort of different piece than I intended and yet the same arc. Oh, I fail in preventing feedback. I am thinking of just taking out some of the ways the voice affects the piece. It sounds pretty awesome in ideal conditions but that's happened... once.
Oh, and before I play balancing act one of the people watching asks me about my technology, in progressive questions.
him: Is that Supercollider?
me: No, its C++
him: Is that Supercollider?
me: yes.
him: version 3?
me: 3.1, actually.
Entertaining, I'm sure.
ETA: Wanted to add, that although this gig was at a party, it still had one of the better turn-outs I've seen!
We run into the members of Sonic Circus, and they tell us we can just start unloading... and so we do. Everything goes in the basement. The PA hasn't arrived yet, so I do the amount of set-up that I can do without it. I'm done in about fifteen minutes, and so we go up and have dinner. It's nice and relaxing. Dinner is vegan and very good. They made applesauce from scratch, partly because their band name is Fantasy Apple Pipe Machine.
We chat and stuff. Layne is teaching music for Quaker kids and teaching them how to make instruments. I wish I had a teacher like that in junior high. I also talk with Mike from Sonic Circus and we find out we know lots of the same people and play the same venues. He even met Katia and Charlie during ICMC 2006.
Initially, I was scheduled in third place, but I end up playing last due to the fact that I claim I am not particularly loud. Anyways, we all go down to the basement to watch Sonic Circus. Their first piece is very cool and unexpected. It is for bassoon and turntables, and it was pretty rocking. I've never seen anyone rock out on a bassoon before. The rest of the set is also very solid, and in particular, they play this awesome video along with a Terry Riley piece. Later, Stefan tells me that for a while, it even matched with the color of the music in his mind. (context: he has synesthesia)
Next up: The Fantasy Apple Pipe Machine is interesting. Layne is playing a mic'd styrofoam box with pipes laid on top. As he hits the box, the pipes start rolling off and he has to constantly keep them steady and put them back. It is very precarious. That is probably my favorite part of watching the band. I say so later, but he seems very nonplussed when I mention it. It occurs to me briefly that others may not share a similar interest in things going wrong and dangerous performance situations.
Then, Sejayno. They seem humorous, which is nice. I am not sure which parts are serious and which parts are not sometimes. Their homemade instruments look incredibly interesting.
Then me. I start with Error of My Ways. I accidentally start the guitar parts twice, which throws me at first. But, it works, actually. Its very interesting. I try to follow only one guitar part for my voice parts. This time, the synth really does stop working (it is supposed to that, I know. I programmed it in). It is frustrating. It is also softer because it is competing against two copies of the guitar.
things that breathe and Study in Losing Control go especially well that night. There's something about performing things a lot that makes them go better. Huh! It is mystery. (no, not really). Lastly, I do balancing act. Unfortunately, the speakers are placed for maximum feedback, the song is more about me trying to find the place with the least amount of feedback than trying to find the dot. It is sort of different piece than I intended and yet the same arc. Oh, I fail in preventing feedback. I am thinking of just taking out some of the ways the voice affects the piece. It sounds pretty awesome in ideal conditions but that's happened... once.
Oh, and before I play balancing act one of the people watching asks me about my technology, in progressive questions.
him: Is that Supercollider?
me: No, its C++
him: Is that Supercollider?
me: yes.
him: version 3?
me: 3.1, actually.
Entertaining, I'm sure.
ETA: Wanted to add, that although this gig was at a party, it still had one of the better turn-outs I've seen!
Monday, March 17, 2008
March 15 @ The Red Room Collective
First thing, we're in the car and Stefan notices all my directions that I printed out are from The Red Room, not to the Red Room. But I printed them twice! Mysterious. The presents some mild difficulties, but we manage to arrive mostly on time. At least, on time enough so that I am not freaking out.
Except for we arrive at the wrong place. It takes us a bit to figure this out.
See, the contact address for the Red Room Collective and its physical location are quite different things... which we find out when Stefan checks his phone and sees their directions to the place at a different address. Huh.
Shit.
So, back to the car, and back on I-83 to the next exit. I'm thinking, well, I don't take that long to set-up! Really! And shows are usually pretty late! We do get there and find a good parking spot. We rush in. "Sorry I'm late! blah blah blah wrong place lost blah blah blah!" and there's one guy there. He's like, "Its okay, the audience hasn't found the place, either."
I immediately relax, and just start setting up. There's a guy setting up for the opening band with a large basket next to a drum set, and we do the introduction thing. Later, we ask what is in the basket and it is a surprise. The other band is freaking out because there's no one there. Apparently, all the members of the collective are out of town or not showing up, and they forgot to send out the email to everyone. There is a mass telethon of calls to try and coax audience members to show up. People from the opening band start using emotional blackmail against friends who are not going to show...mostly in jest. It is amusing.
Meanwhile, one of the guys says, "You need a place to stay, don't you? I have the keys to John's place and you can use the guest room." John is not actually in town, but he is going to let me stay there?
Me: "Uh.... what?"
Apparently, they just assumed I needed a place to stay, and went ahead and provided me one.... which was very nice, actually. But not needed. Anyways, they call John and ask him if they can watch movies at his house afterwards. He says yes.
Meanwhile, the opening band starts their set with us, the guy who took the door, me & Stefan, and the book store clerk that is subbing for organizer in the audience. I have to interrupt & point out to Stefan they have started because they are so quiet. The guy at the drums plays guitar and the other guy has a bunch of electronic gadgets connected to a mixer. He puts a knife in some small string instrument and runs it through a guitar pedal which seems to add distortion. He also has a circuit-bent keyboard and some other sort of organ / thing.
During their set, three people show up. Audience members! We all cheer because we are so happy there is an audience. I am pretty okay with it because I feel like the pressure is off and I can test run things and try different things. Plus, the other shows actually had an audience and I have more shows after.
Near the end of the opening band's set: The Taste of Popcorn" (or The Subjective Taste of Popcorn? one of those) we find out about the basket. The guy sitting at the electronics goes crazy and starts throwing shit. The drummer opens the basket and throws clothes everywhere. Everywhere. It did look like a clothes hamper. He starts playing the hamper with his sticks. The guy at the electronics grabs another string instrument, and they pretend to play for a few minutes. One of the audience members yells, "Free jazz is so deep!" a bunch.
I just realized that I am better at names when I don't know the faces first, because I don't remember anyone's names from that night. Yet, mention a friend's name I don't know and I will know it forever attached to everything you tell me about this person. Actually meeting people, I forget to pay attention during introductions or something.
Anyways, I get dressed and then go on. It takes me incredibly long to initialize the software this time, for some reason. I start with Error of My Ways, and that goes without a hitch.... except for I don't actually lose control. Or, I do for a bit, and then I get it back pretty quickly. Somehow, my random reset is pretty generous with me. I think this is actually the result of the fact that I hate losing control in this piece, and I made it a little too possible to regain it. Must re-calibrate. Meanwhile, I enjoy having control. Its a fun little thingy to have control of.
Then, balancing act follows. Everything goes well. I continued to feel distanced. I'm getting slightly better at finding the dot, but I think I need to add a threshold before the error starts affecting things. In that piece, I am never doing well finding that dot. Even when I had it programmed still for a while.
The set-up time for those pieces is atrocious, and I am now working on minimizing it.
This time, one of my synths mysteriously just doesn't start in things that breathe. It doesn't really affect the song so much in structure, etc. but it was surprising because normally that piece is rock solid.
Afterwards, it seems most people really liked Time becomes Magnetic, which is interesting because that is the piece I was most worried about not fitting into the set. At least the rest of the set is unified by voice, is what I'm thinking. The only remarkable thing about the set is that I start crawling around on the floor for some songs and climbing on furniture. My inbetween song banter remains a bit weak / mediocre.... which is something I have to work on if I'm billing my act as cabaret...
Afterwards, they give me all the door. The other bands don't want it, so I'm like, okay. Ironically, this is the only gig where someone has remembered to take a door. When we get to the car, we find out its over $70. Holy crap! Only three people who were not obligated to show up, showed up! They must have felt bad about the whole deal or something.
We decide to truck it back to DC and go out and drink there. We walk around for an hour trying to find the right bar.
Except for we arrive at the wrong place. It takes us a bit to figure this out.
See, the contact address for the Red Room Collective and its physical location are quite different things... which we find out when Stefan checks his phone and sees their directions to the place at a different address. Huh.
Shit.
So, back to the car, and back on I-83 to the next exit. I'm thinking, well, I don't take that long to set-up! Really! And shows are usually pretty late! We do get there and find a good parking spot. We rush in. "Sorry I'm late! blah blah blah wrong place lost blah blah blah!" and there's one guy there. He's like, "Its okay, the audience hasn't found the place, either."
I immediately relax, and just start setting up. There's a guy setting up for the opening band with a large basket next to a drum set, and we do the introduction thing. Later, we ask what is in the basket and it is a surprise. The other band is freaking out because there's no one there. Apparently, all the members of the collective are out of town or not showing up, and they forgot to send out the email to everyone. There is a mass telethon of calls to try and coax audience members to show up. People from the opening band start using emotional blackmail against friends who are not going to show...mostly in jest. It is amusing.
Meanwhile, one of the guys says, "You need a place to stay, don't you? I have the keys to John's place and you can use the guest room." John is not actually in town, but he is going to let me stay there?
Me: "Uh.... what?"
Apparently, they just assumed I needed a place to stay, and went ahead and provided me one.... which was very nice, actually. But not needed. Anyways, they call John and ask him if they can watch movies at his house afterwards. He says yes.
Meanwhile, the opening band starts their set with us, the guy who took the door, me & Stefan, and the book store clerk that is subbing for organizer in the audience. I have to interrupt & point out to Stefan they have started because they are so quiet. The guy at the drums plays guitar and the other guy has a bunch of electronic gadgets connected to a mixer. He puts a knife in some small string instrument and runs it through a guitar pedal which seems to add distortion. He also has a circuit-bent keyboard and some other sort of organ / thing.
During their set, three people show up. Audience members! We all cheer because we are so happy there is an audience. I am pretty okay with it because I feel like the pressure is off and I can test run things and try different things. Plus, the other shows actually had an audience and I have more shows after.
Near the end of the opening band's set: The Taste of Popcorn" (or The Subjective Taste of Popcorn? one of those) we find out about the basket. The guy sitting at the electronics goes crazy and starts throwing shit. The drummer opens the basket and throws clothes everywhere. Everywhere. It did look like a clothes hamper. He starts playing the hamper with his sticks. The guy at the electronics grabs another string instrument, and they pretend to play for a few minutes. One of the audience members yells, "Free jazz is so deep!" a bunch.
I just realized that I am better at names when I don't know the faces first, because I don't remember anyone's names from that night. Yet, mention a friend's name I don't know and I will know it forever attached to everything you tell me about this person. Actually meeting people, I forget to pay attention during introductions or something.
Anyways, I get dressed and then go on. It takes me incredibly long to initialize the software this time, for some reason. I start with Error of My Ways, and that goes without a hitch.... except for I don't actually lose control. Or, I do for a bit, and then I get it back pretty quickly. Somehow, my random reset is pretty generous with me. I think this is actually the result of the fact that I hate losing control in this piece, and I made it a little too possible to regain it. Must re-calibrate. Meanwhile, I enjoy having control. Its a fun little thingy to have control of.
Then, balancing act follows. Everything goes well. I continued to feel distanced. I'm getting slightly better at finding the dot, but I think I need to add a threshold before the error starts affecting things. In that piece, I am never doing well finding that dot. Even when I had it programmed still for a while.
The set-up time for those pieces is atrocious, and I am now working on minimizing it.
This time, one of my synths mysteriously just doesn't start in things that breathe. It doesn't really affect the song so much in structure, etc. but it was surprising because normally that piece is rock solid.
Afterwards, it seems most people really liked Time becomes Magnetic, which is interesting because that is the piece I was most worried about not fitting into the set. At least the rest of the set is unified by voice, is what I'm thinking. The only remarkable thing about the set is that I start crawling around on the floor for some songs and climbing on furniture. My inbetween song banter remains a bit weak / mediocre.... which is something I have to work on if I'm billing my act as cabaret...
Afterwards, they give me all the door. The other bands don't want it, so I'm like, okay. Ironically, this is the only gig where someone has remembered to take a door. When we get to the car, we find out its over $70. Holy crap! Only three people who were not obligated to show up, showed up! They must have felt bad about the whole deal or something.
We decide to truck it back to DC and go out and drink there. We walk around for an hour trying to find the right bar.
Friday, March 14, 2008
March 13 @ Monkeytown, Brooklyn, NY
I get about 2 hours of sleep the night before, but I was able to practice my set, finish my timbre paper, and pack everything up so when I wake up everything is ready to go and I don't need to be an intelligent human to manage things. I rush out, Carmen sends me off, and I pick up John and we go.
Everything goes smoothly. We find the place right away, and it is a very, very cool venue. The restaurant part is really interesting but we are playing in the video screening room/stage area. There are four screens, one for each wall, and they soon start playing video. We are setting up in the center of the area, and everyone will sit all around us. Its kinda unusual.
Anne arrives as I'm loading stuff in, as does Lainie, and I finally meet them. Good times. Lainie is going to play the harmonium! Which is a nice free reed theme to the evening. Free reed instruments and sopranos.
Around 8:30ish people do start trickling in, Thank God. Bruce Arnold, a guitarist from Princeton I invited on Newton's suggestion shows up, and we talk. He's cool.
Then, its time and John goes on. The Chris Mann mix rocks, as always. I try and take pictures with the camera, but I kinda suck. So I take a lot. I figure if I take lots of them, it makes up for the fact that I am sucky photographer and I don't know what's going on with the photos.
Then, Anne is up. I really like her voice. I like sopranos. She plays the love/disease song from the video that I saw. I really enjoy that song. Also, the harmonium bit that comes later is nice. I like free reeds. Every one sings in the style of classical voice, which is nice.
Okay, then me. I go up and trip over something of Anne's and the feedback is horrendous. Its fixed soon... I start with my improv accordion piece + beats.... then: Time becomes Magnetic... actually, all of my set goes pretty damn well except for Every Night I Lose Control. First off, I lose my nerve, and decide not to perform Error of My Ways and balancing act had a problem in the initialization. Thankfully no one knew it because I just rolled with it for about 6 minutes then faded out as I was singing. It was disappointing, but I think it was a good show, regardless. People seemed to like "things that breathe". Also, I got several comments that the video went really well. I didn't notice. I didn't even control the video, so it was a happy coincidence. Once again I get asked for my website, etc, and I wish I had cards or something. Argh!
Also, two people came up and thanked me for inviting me randomly on myspace. They hadn't been to the venue before and they were really impressed. Well, it is a very rocking venue. Also, random promotion on myspace works. Awesome! Next time I hope I have more time to do promotion! I'm already doing more.
Then, I tried to pack up really fast since my friends I was staying with were going to get up early for work. And I was going to have to get up early, too. We got a little lost, but I was still all hyped up from the gig and in a good mood. It was nice seeing Greg again. We giggled a lot.
Then I didn't sleep because I've had insomnia the past few nights and this one was not an exception. I think I'm going to do my thesis pieces first next time and get them over with. Off to DC...
Everything goes smoothly. We find the place right away, and it is a very, very cool venue. The restaurant part is really interesting but we are playing in the video screening room/stage area. There are four screens, one for each wall, and they soon start playing video. We are setting up in the center of the area, and everyone will sit all around us. Its kinda unusual.
Anne arrives as I'm loading stuff in, as does Lainie, and I finally meet them. Good times. Lainie is going to play the harmonium! Which is a nice free reed theme to the evening. Free reed instruments and sopranos.
Around 8:30ish people do start trickling in, Thank God. Bruce Arnold, a guitarist from Princeton I invited on Newton's suggestion shows up, and we talk. He's cool.
Then, its time and John goes on. The Chris Mann mix rocks, as always. I try and take pictures with the camera, but I kinda suck. So I take a lot. I figure if I take lots of them, it makes up for the fact that I am sucky photographer and I don't know what's going on with the photos.
Then, Anne is up. I really like her voice. I like sopranos. She plays the love/disease song from the video that I saw. I really enjoy that song. Also, the harmonium bit that comes later is nice. I like free reeds. Every one sings in the style of classical voice, which is nice.
Okay, then me. I go up and trip over something of Anne's and the feedback is horrendous. Its fixed soon... I start with my improv accordion piece + beats.... then: Time becomes Magnetic... actually, all of my set goes pretty damn well except for Every Night I Lose Control. First off, I lose my nerve, and decide not to perform Error of My Ways and balancing act had a problem in the initialization. Thankfully no one knew it because I just rolled with it for about 6 minutes then faded out as I was singing. It was disappointing, but I think it was a good show, regardless. People seemed to like "things that breathe". Also, I got several comments that the video went really well. I didn't notice. I didn't even control the video, so it was a happy coincidence. Once again I get asked for my website, etc, and I wish I had cards or something. Argh!
Also, two people came up and thanked me for inviting me randomly on myspace. They hadn't been to the venue before and they were really impressed. Well, it is a very rocking venue. Also, random promotion on myspace works. Awesome! Next time I hope I have more time to do promotion! I'm already doing more.
Then, I tried to pack up really fast since my friends I was staying with were going to get up early for work. And I was going to have to get up early, too. We got a little lost, but I was still all hyped up from the gig and in a good mood. It was nice seeing Greg again. We giggled a lot.
Then I didn't sleep because I've had insomnia the past few nights and this one was not an exception. I think I'm going to do my thesis pieces first next time and get them over with. Off to DC...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
