Performance Sound & Vision

All the images used in the slideshow/video are images that are references or images that I am working with. the first half are of Elizabeth Clare Prophet the later half are of Aokigahara forest in Japan. this a forest that people say in haunted by ghosts, many people choose this place to kill themselves as it is said to be one of the most beautiful places to die in the world. it is second only to the Golden Gate bridge for the most suicides per year. some of the images are just random things that have/are influencing my work, this performance was a great chance to try out some ideas ive been playing with for a little while.

download the sound here

images all found on the internet, Eternal Rest photo by DC.

Performance Stills

The performance space was constructed by Louise Ward.

Performance

Im part of the third live performance night Livestock

it takes place at The Market Studios this Friday 26th Feb starting at 8pm.

This is an informal event which incorporates performance art, song, dance, and sound based work, the emphasis is being put on cross-discipline professional development in performance through a casual and experimental setting.
This is a bring your own booze event. There should be some pretty interesting and fun things.

The piece I'm doing is based on the Anti rock chants/prayers of the cult leader Elizabeth Clare Prophet along with some backwards and processed metal with improvised electronics. The piece also has a companion video piece, a slide-show with images that I was looking at when creating the piece. The set up will be very stripped back with 2 tape players and electronics provided by a Bug Brand Board Weevil all run into a small mixer with limited on-board effects. By using the tape players as a replacement for turntables, it references the source material used to create the piece. ECP's recordings have been used many times as sample sources for various music and the backwards metal is referencing the ideas that some music, mostly form the heavy rock/metal genre have used back-masked messages to corrupt the listener. It also references my time spent as a dj.

The images in the video/slideshow are mostly of ECP and Aokigahara, The forest, which has a historic association with demons in Japanese mythology, is a popular place for suicides; in 2002, 78 bodies were found, despite numerous signs, in Japanese and English, urging people to reconsider their actions. Due to the wind-blocking density of the trees, and an absence of wildlife, the forest is known for being eerily quiet.

I should have some footage and a recording of the performance that will be posted in the near future.

The Return (rough)

rough version lo-res

Monologue for a New Piece

Piece 1.

from here i can't see the stars

and i haven't been to anywhere like i was promised

if i wasn’t walking backwards

you'd still be so far away

two metal rings hang

next to each other on one wall

they over lap in a figure of 8

thats all i can see right now

another impasse

the story will have to be re-started

i remember the great grassy hills where we assembled below that night sky

we waited for the words

words of enlightenment

words to save us

high up on the grassy hill we waited to be taken into the love of the violet flame

to free our fiery sprit and redeem our souls

awake once more i begin again

i will not lie

i am afraid sometimes

wondering will i wake up in the morning or will this be the time?

i die before i wake wanting to go back to that place

the place of being inside of myself

inside a house where events remain and accumulate

i am afraid

of being left behind

facing the dark days ahead

surrounded by people who have forgotten