I haven’t actually been to one the Wetherspoon’s beer festivals in years, so perhaps I should give it a go and see what it’s like these days. It might be fun. It will be cheap!
Well this looks like it might be fun
Author: ashleyelsdon
Storyteller - Poet - Explorer
Back in 2013 when it was the first SoundLab at BOC
Strange to think about how much it moved forward in 2014, and where it will go next too. I hope to be able to talk about that soon enough.
Soundscapes Exhibition at the National Gallery
So I went to the National Gallery to see the Soundscapes exhibition. I’d heard a lot about this exhibition and I thought that the concept was great, but was interested to find out for myself.
So the way it was set up was that each room had a single painting together with the artist’s sound work for that painting. There were 6 actual pieces and a film about the overall concept where the artists talked about there work and how it had come about.
I think that the idea, the concept, and the process was great, but sadly more successful than the overall result. A couple of the pieces worked well but on the whole I didn’t think it was all it could have been, which was a shame really.
I’m glad that they try these things out though. That’s what’s important really.
Enjoying Spotify’s new Discover Weekly playlist
It’s been a few weeks now since Spotify introduced their new ‘Discover Weekly’ playlist feature. I approached this with some skepticism. I didn’t like the idea of a playlist generated by some algorithm based on my listening habit. I assumed it would pick up all the wrong things and offer me some dreadful concoction of tracks that would be ultimately unlistenable.
However, I was for the most part wrong. It appears that Spotify have done a very good job of pulling this together and making it something that is in fact quite enjoyable to listen to, and that has, somewhat rapidly, become a looked forward to part of my week.
As a result of the discover weekly playlist I’ve already found a few artists who’s work I didn’t know and have looked into further. It’s been very good. I really hope it continues to provide interesting discovery and open up new musical possibilities.
I just hope that they don’t get rid of it like they did with Spotify apps.
Return to Telos, a great end to the series
So that was a good episode. Not a bad story in the end. A good way to finish off the season, but not the best. Not as good as some of the others in this season. I’m probably being too picky about these stories, as they certainly are very good, well devised and beautifully produced. But when Big Finish can be so good at their job you end up expecting more and more and more.
I’m sure it’s too much to ask. Roll on the next season, with Romana as well!
Bill Nelson’s Getting the Holy Ghost Across … the tape!
I already have this album, on vinyl and on CD, but the tape has something special about it, and it isn’t just that it was the format that I bought this album on for the first time. No, it’s something different.
With the original tape was a lyric list that came with it, printed on the same sort of paper that bibles are printed with. It was a lovely touch and in keeping with the whole album, so when I saw it come up on eBay I knew it was something I wanted to own again just for old times sake.
Moog Soundlab residency: Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard Performance
After being at one of these performance I’d booked to go again, expecting, not unreasonably, for it to be of a similar format to the previous Moog Soundlab event at the Ace Hotel in Shoreditch. I was wrong. At least, I was for the most part wrong. It was similar in the sense that there was the same enormous (or at least enormous by my standards) Moog modular rig being used. However, I was different in more or less every other aspect.
To illustrate I took a photograph of the letter that every received (on their chair as they arrived) and were asked to read.
I think you’ll agree that this is really quite unusual. As were the two glasses of gin that did arrive and were, at least to my taste, nothing like the gin I’m used to.
In fact, as an event it was more like something I might see at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, rather than in London, so from that perspective, I loved it.
David Sylvian’s book … Hypergraphia
So Mr Sylvian has a new book coming out in November. There’s a micro site dedicated to it already and it looks interesting. As a fan I’ve already ordered my copy although I didn’t get a chance to get one of the signed copies. Never mind.
As you’d expect it looks pretty beautiful inside too.
Personally I’d prefer it if he released some new music too, but I’ll settle for this. I’m sure it’ll be an enlightening read.
Listening to old songs …
I’ve been listening to a lot of my ‘old’ songs. Stuff I recorded on old analogue gear, like my Fostex X-15. Those old recordings were made my bouncing loads of tracks from one side of the tape to another. So the quality wasn’t brilliant. With some tracks it was pretty bad in fact, but, even then, some of those tracks were great songs.
I been really enjoying listening to these songs, and they remind me about what’s important in music. It’s about making songs that mean something, that are good and that stand the test of time. I think that once in a while it’s important to be reminded about that kind of thing.
I like to think that I can make some more songs that I can feel that good about again. That’s my plan.
Moog Soundlab residency: Dave Colohan
This was a lovely little event, and when I say little I really do mean it. The audience was tiny in a tiny little basement bar at the Ace hotel in Shoreditch. It’s a nice venue though. The performance lasted a hour and was very interesting and used a lot but not all the equipment.
I find it interesting to watch a modular performance like this to see how the music is actually generated and sustained. It isn’t like normal performances at all of course. Quite different indeed.
The arrangements were lovely, with people’s names on their booked seats.
And on each seat was a thing called a “dream machine”, which was a strange light contraption sitting on a turntable. It made an interesting effect though.
So it was an enjoyable evening, good fun, interesting to watch and different environment too.
I am Ashley Elsdon 