Nice. I love it.
Strange... I love a lot of things I hear on this list but rarely write to say that unless I actually have something interesting to add.
So I'm wondering why I feel compelled to in this case. I think possibly because I'm still bogged down by complexity, nearing the end of a 3 year struggle to make it simple again (while retaining the advantages I began this journey for.) Or it is the idea of reversal, where the artists become the audience and, dissolving that barrier, so the audience feels like part of the art. Or perhaps it's just that I felt like I was in that room too for a second. Or because I know most "experimental" attempts like that fail musically (in my opinion) so it's quite a joy when that sort of approach really works. Or, because I am from Chicago originally!
Anyway, Thank you for sharing!
---Christopher.
On Mar 10, 2010, at 7:32 PM, Daryl Shawn wrote: This is tangentially related...possibly interesting. I did a loopy improv set w/my tape decks last night in Chicago, at a very open-minded establishment called Ronny's. One of the other acts playing, called Sunglasses, had a fascinating approach. They had a couple of cheap Yamaha keyboards, plus two or three pedals each, mainly delays and some fuzz. Their set started with both of them playing a few massive notes on the keys, then twiddling knobs for a moment, then they simply stepped back from their gear, grabbed their beers and simply let the echoes die down, listening along with the crowd. Not only was it interesting musically, hearing different things emerge as the delays overlapped and faded away at different rates, but somehow it was fascinating to watch them...listen. I can't quite explain it, but there was something great about these two guys simply drinking some beer and being totally absorbed in the sound they'd created. They nodded their heads a bit, even chatted for a second about what was going on, then simply closed their eyes and waited along with the rest of us for the ten minutes or so until all sound had disappeared. Definitely made me think about what makes a good performance, because this went against most rules that I know. Unlikely as it sounds, their shtick totally worked for me, on many levels, I think because they clearly knew what they were going for, and were intently involved in it, even if more as listener than performer. For a longer description, here's my tour diary (the earlier dates have yet to be filled in).. http://www.swanwelder.com/tour/spring10.htmDaryl Shawn www.swanwelder.comwww.chinapaintingmusic.com
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