Sonic Week(end) 8

I’m just back from Sonic Weekend 8, my sixth to date. Despite the obvious contradiction, this one was a week long and was held somewhere in rural France.

Much fantastic music was made, as were many friendships. I can’t speak highly enough of Sonic Weekend. It’s always a beautifully creative and smiley time. Keep an ear open for the sounds produced in the not too distant.

Personal highlights of mine (in no particular order):

  • The opportunity to work with so many wonderfully creative musicians
  • Trying out some ideas for tuba and Theremin with Gordon Charlton
  • Playing in a small New Orleans style brass band
  • Twatting around with Sabbath’s “Black Sabbath” for Moog, tuba and drums
  • Natalie Sharp’s amazing face painting
  • Chatting with Aurelia Jaubert about her great art works
  • Deep, meaningful and funny conversations with some delightful friends, both old and new – in particular the journey down with the lovely Ben (SoundHog) and Tim (Mayor of Shaftesbury)

Due to all the other things that kept me busy I didn’t take many photographs to document stuff but here are a few images that I think encapsulate the mood and surroundings pretty well.

Main studio

Main studio : live room

Studio 2

Pedals and hair-straighteners

Wig and musical instruments

Ann, with dog

Mark, pointing at cock

Jesus (self-portrait)

Boy band

Scary doll leg

Odd tomb, with odd people on top

Odd tomb, with odd bloke filming it

Vines on building

Vines in field

Stupid dog

A wonderful time, as ever! If you are a keen musician with an open mind and you want to experience a fresh way of making music with some lovely people I can’t think of a better way than attending a Sonic Weekend. Thank you to Ann and Mark of White Label Music for making this happen, to Ben and Tim for the lifts, to Tim Dorney for his hospitality and production skills, to Steve for running Studio 2 and to everyone that attended for making it such a blast.

Next up, on Tuesday I head to Sweden for the second leg of my time on the PRS New Music Incubator programme. YES!

Newsletter #2

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Hello Barrow!

I recently headed up to Barrow-in-Furness to deliver a Noise Box workshop and chat about possible future sonic happenings with the guys at Octopus Collective – the people behind the marvellous Full of Noises Festival.

Their enthusiasm and courtesy was evident from the start, which made me keen to go and visit. Then they mentioned the park! Octopus Collective is based in a house (formerly used by the park keeper I believe) in the middle of Barrow Park. The park has a lake, a bandstand, a memorial, a skate park, a little railway and all sorts of other stuff – and artists are invited to explore this space.

Octopus Collective HQ

On the Friday we talked about Barrow, surrounding industries and areas, previous happening and thoughts for the future. Something very good is going to come of this! On the Saturday we brought another ten Noise Boxes into the world – YES! Oh, and at some point I was hastily handed a phone to chat with a lady on Radio Cumbria – have a listen, John from Octopus Collective up first (sorry for the clicks and pops – seem to be on the BBC stream!).

Here are some pictures of the space available. I will be back to explore these further!

Bandstand

Park

Ducks

Train

Lake

Memorial

Inside Octopus Collective HQ

Workshop

I was treated really well from the start. It seemed in their nature. This made me feel great, just like I did on my recent trip to Denmark. More of this please.

Oh, and many thanks to Nikki Pugh, who recommended me to Octopus Collective. You rock!