Velvet Lounge/611 Florida/Clavius Productions schedule

Clavius Productions presents:

Tuesday, September 11
Velvet Lounge
915 U St NW WDC
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
202-462-3213
$7, doors at 9pm, 21+

Souvenir's Young America (Crucial Blast, Richmond atmospheric post-punk)
Across Tundras (Crucial Blast, Denver sludgecore spaghetti western epic psych trio)
The Seventh Gate (Northern Virginia noisy grindcore trio)
The World That Summer (DC doomy shoegaze trio)


Souvenir's Young America
http://www.myspace.com/souvenirsyoungamerica
http://www.syarva.com

"It's high-lonesome evocative stuff, blessed with electronic flippery, rolling percussion, and haunting, mesmeric guitars." (Decibel)

"Epic-scaled, reflectively cinematic metal with roots in everything…simultaneously suggesting old deserts under wide-open skies and a post-shoegaze zone at its most astringent." (All Music Guide)

"Instrumental art-rock, not easily classifiable. Maybe if Autechre and Sleep got together and wrote a bunch of songs that Tom Waits forgot to record? I've had the pleasure of seeing them live on several occasions and they always just knock me out, extremely creative and extremely heavy." (Aspecialthing)

Lush, shimmering guitar ambience and hypnotic, propulsive instrumental heaviness wind through the dusty highways and burnt twilight skies of An Ocean Without Water, the sophomore album from Richmond's Souvenir's Young America. Divided into six flowing movements, An Ocean Without Water is filled with intensely beautiful melodies that drift on lonesome harmonica strains and sparkling, celestial electronics, shot through with mystic, western slide guitar, passages of crushing angular riffage, rolling tribal drumming, and transcendent blues. Through their intricate song arrangements and moody textures, Souvenir's Young America has created an epic, emotional narrative. The sound draws from the collected DNA of forebears like Popul Vuh, Earth, Labradford, and Neurosis, yet they form a powerfully evocative instrumental language all of their own. Features collaborations with Aughra (Magic Bullet Records) and Nick Forte (Sublight Records, ex-Rorschach/Beautiful Skin). The band has developed their sound even further with this new album, and I couldn't be more entranced with the epic, moody sounds that enfold over An Ocean Without Water's 40-minute running time.

You can also get your hands/ears wrapped around the band's previous releases, including the awesome September Songs cassette and 12", their self-titled debut CD, and their split 7" with Candiria ambient side project Spylacopa, all through the Crucial Blast webstore. (Crucial Blast)


Across Tundras
http://www.myspace.com/acrosstundras

Dark Songs of the Prairie, the first full-length album from Denver's Across Tundras, holds eight portraits of heavy majesty carved out of massive syrup riffage and spacious melodies. It's almost like hearing some mysterious '70s country-rock outfit thawed out and refitted with mighty amplification, sludgecore tempos, and shoegazey shimmer that conjures up visions of the wide-open prairies and looming mountains of the band's home territory. As weighty as the melodic heaviness coming from the whole "post-metal" camp, but coming from a different place altogether, Across Tundras draw a tangential line from Neil Young to Hum to Neurosis, and unleash a powerful new statement of rustic, crushing Americana. Features former members of Sioux Falls, SD post-hardcore outfits Spirit of Versailles and Examination of the….

"What with Deadwood a now-indelible part of the national consciousness, its Shakespearian dialogue, shit-kicker palace intrigue, and hand-to-hand ultra-violence making for some of the finest drama on American TV, itâ??s time we give a pound to the Dakota territories. Across Tundras hail from just such a place -â?? Sioux Falls, in fact â??- though their bio places them firmly in their adopted home city of Denver, which not only has no cool TV shows about it, but is mere miles from Rocky Flats, where they used to makes nukes. Wherever they call home, the trio, which contains members of Spirit of Versailles and Examination of the…, plays pure Western music, vast expanses of guitar crunch that owe as much to the wide-open spaces of Morricone soundtrack vistas as Neurosisâ?? San Francisco bonfires and the mind-expanding buzz of Crazy Horse. Now, donâ??t expect any of Ennioâ??s twang -â?? this is the album the Neil Young of Earth 2 made with Black Sabbath. (I think it was called Everyone Knows This Is Sweet Leaf. Or was it Cortez the War Pig? Six of one, either way.) Most of the songs are power trio whump â??nâ?? roar, but both â??The Old Sextonâ? and â??Aura Lea, Maid of Gold Hairâ? are overblown acoustic sing-along/rants worthy of Royal Trux at its most fried, the ramble-tamble sound of filthy zombie hippies around the campfire chewing on the flesh of meth-addled bikers dumb enough to camp in their territory. You cocksuckers and hoopleheads need to know: Thar be the new West, here be the new Westerners." (Decibel)

"If ever an album title so aptly described the contents within, the debut from Denver's Across Tundras would be the one. Throughout the course of its 51 minutes, you're teleported, via a delectable mix of twangy, barbiturate-infused outlaw country, colossal post-metal a la Pelican/Isis and stirring indie shoegaze, to the dusty trails and backroads connecting America's ghost towns, where everyone rolls their own smokes, facial hair is not an urban trend and the alcohol comes from bathtub stills. Across Tundras can crush with the most crushing, as exemplified by vocalist/guitarist Tanner Olson's interplay with the unnervingly raw sounding drums in "Ramblin' In the Shadows" and the title track. The plodding string trills and superb chord progression of "If God Cuts You Down" adds to the music's transient and nomadic feel as do the vistas featured in the booklet photography, while "The Old Sexton" and "Aura Lea, Maid of Golden Hair" are two filmic drones that could be precursors to a Sergio Leone-directed gunfight. Dark Songs of the Prairie has all that, plus the distinction of being that rare extreme music album that can take you back to a time where men were men and sheep were nervous." (Kevin Stewart-Panko, Terrorizer)


The World That Summer
http://www.myspace.com/theworldthatsummer

Vibration-heavy sounds using primarily drums and guitars. Although constantly evolving, it
sound a bit like Sigur Ros if they were knuckle-dragging apes from swampy Florida, rather than twee, mincing Icelanders.

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Wednesday, September 12 @ Velvet Lounge: Der LSD-Nacht!

If you weren't lucky enough to catch Mani Neumeier with Acid Mothers Guru, and are still vainly waiting for your invite to Manuel Gottsching's 55th official birthday party on Sept. 9th, or are unable to catch his lone US show in ages on Sept. 20 in Texas(!), then do the next best thing and come down to the Velvet Lounge on Sept. 12 for Der LSD-Nacht, where your fave Krautrock ravers will be featured via the magick of mind-blowing DVD footage. The usual suspects (Amon Duul II, Can, Kraftwerk, Popol Vuh, Tangerine Dream, Guru Guru, etc.) will be on brain-searing display along with many others such as Xhol Caravan, Achim Reichel, Organisation, and Floh De Cologne, just to name a few. Doors open at 8, der show commences at 10ish. And it won't cost you one deutsche mark!

Clavius Productions and Sonic Circuits DC 2007 present:

Thursday, September 13
Velvet Lounge
915 U St NW WDC
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
http://www.dc-soniccircuits.org/2007/
202-462-3213
$8, doors at 8, 21+

Exploding Star Quintet (Thrill Jockey avant-jazz ensemble, featuring Rob Mazurek of Chicago Underground Duo/Mandarin Movie)
Radio Shock (NYC noise-party one-man band with keyboard/guitar/toys)
36>Ca$H $lave Clique (DC improv psych/noise duo, mem. of Nimrod/Sikhara/Steve Mackay & the Radon Ensemble/Acid Mothers Temple/Nik Turner)
Myo (solo laptop noise from Baltimore)


Exploding Star Orchestra
http://www.robmazurek.com/
http://www.myspace.com/explodingstarorchestra

In 2005, cornetist Rob Mazurek was approached by The Chicago Cultural Center and the Jazz Institute to put together a group that would represent the more contemporary/avant-garde side of sound in Chicago for a concert in Millennium Parkâ??s Frank Gehry-designed concert hall. The music was conceptualized/composed in Manaus Brazil, Fontevraud, France and Chicago, and developed over more than a dozen performances of the Orchestra before it was recorded by John McEntire at his Soma Studio in Chicago.

We Are All From Somewhere Else is comprised of three distinct sections, and corresponds to a story involving an exploding star, cosmic transformation, a sting ray, the travels of the sting ray, intelligent conversations with electric eels, the destructive power of humans, the death and ascension of sting ray, the transformation of sting ray ghost to flying bird, and the transformation of bird to phoenix to rocket to flying burning matter to a new-born star.

Says Mazurek, â??I could clearly see and hear the events as a kind of animated adult/childrenâ??s story that could be presented in book or video form. In the end you have a poem text based on the original story line that is then flipped backwards to reveal another perspective on the poem. The flipped text was orchestrated by Portuguese video artist and conceptualist Joao Simoes, while I was in Lisbon making final preparations for the release of this recording.â?

As the arrangements of the parts of the pieces came together it became more and more evident that Nicole Mitchellâ??s flutes would play a major role in the realization of the music. That said the intent of the music is not to featuring individual players (although this very well could have featured any individual in the group, as they are all very strong soloists and improvisers) it is more about the projection of a certain sound pertaining to imagination and the trajectory of the sound as movement in time and space, weaving patterns and non-patterns around and inside the idea of the poem. The overall organic approach included actual organic sounds – for example, the sounds of electric eels recorded by Mazurek at INPA research laboratory in Manaus. The juxtaposition of two drums, two basses, two mallets, multiple flutes, two cornets, bass clarinet, ARP synthesizer, guitar, trombone, voices and flugelhorn all played important roles in the development of the final sound.

â??Psycho-Tropic Electric Eel Dreamâ? is a group improvisation centered around the sound of electric eels. The electric eel tanks Mazurek recorded at INPA contain two species of eels, Pulsating and Waveform. The sound was recorded in a special tank of 15-20 eels of various sub-species, each with its own tone. The results are fascinating tonal clusters not unlike the sound of violins. This track reveals the beauty of these fine creatures and juxtaposes our improvisation with them, and concludes with spoken word by Rob Mazurek (â??Robert Ashley was in my head during this partâ?), some ARP by Jim Baker and some final cascades of Nicoleâ??s flute, which was snuck into the recording on the bass amp mic sitting in the hallway while Nicole was playing in another room. â??Black Sunâ? features Jim Bakerâ??s lovely piano playing. â??This piece was originally written for the great French pianist Jeanne-Pierre Armengaud,â? says Mazurek, â??who I had the pleasure of working with at Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud in France during my residency there.â? What you hear is Jimâ??s emotionally charged and understated improvisation on the theme of the composition. The sound corresponds perfectly to the text/poem of the recording in which the death of the stingray is a new re-birth of the bird and eventually a new star.

â??Cosmic Tomesâ? starts out with storm sounds from the Amazon reversed. The powerful first section reveals a wide-open improvisation on a specific theme and then deconstructed through three harmonic centers. The Cornet is that of composer and leader Mazurek. Corey Wilkesâ?? poignant flugelhorn plays an important role within the center of the piece and for a moment he takes off in a more grand gesture. The song then melts into the second part of this suite; repeated lines based on the last harmonic chord of the first section find the bass taking the lead and Matt Bauderâ??s two tenor parts and bass clarinet part playing a major role. One hears Jeff Parkerâ??s guitar, Jeb Bishop`s trombone, Josh Berman`s cornet, Matt Lux`s electric bass, Jim Baker`s modified piano, Nicole Mitchell`s flute, and some excellent cutting, filtering post-production work by John McEntire. Part 3 of â??Cosmic Tomesâ? is meant as a kind of prayer or meditation on the idea of unity in the world/universe.

â??15 Ways of Looking at a Finite Universeâ? is a quick piece inspired by the Anna Levine book â??How the Universe Got Its Spotsâ?, and catapults the recording into the last piece, â??Part 5,â? in which we travel back to space, birthing or re-birthing new galaxies. Nicole Mitchellâ??s flute floats over the thick harmonics with Matt Bauder`s bass clarinet doubling the bass of Matt Lux and Jason Ajemian, creating the foundation for the sweet melodic interplay.


Radio Shock
http://www.radioshock.org/
http://www.myspace.com/radioshock

Radio Shock is a one-man band that plays sometimes danceable, often dissonant, noise-party music. Radio Shockâ??s infectious beats will make you want to get up and dance while trying to trip you up at the same time. Created by M*P*Lockwood specifically to tour and entertain live audiences, Radio Shock is designed for maximum mobility. The music is made using only a found Yamaha keyboard, a uniquely tuned guitar, and a collection of Toysâ??R'Us noise-makers (sometimes played all at the same time), all of which can be carried on M*P*â??s person. Because of this, he has been able to tour across the country by Greyhound bus. In fact, Radio Shock is considered to be on â??permanent tourâ? and any lack of shows in the immediate future should be considered a brief break.

M*P*Lockwood has been a member of the critically-acclaimed No-Core band Cock Robot, and one half of the laptop-hardcore duo Lotus. But with members of these bands living in different cities, M*P* wanted a musical vehicle to play live shows right NOW, and as often as possible. Since its inception, Radio Shock has been lucky enough to play shows with like-minded artists such as Nautical Almanac, Wolf Eyes, Sightings, The Haters, Hair Police, Forcefield, Cock ESP, and many others.

Radio Shock has put out two split releases with the similarly, yet more obviously, named band â??Radio Shack,â? a cassette on Ignivomous Records and a 7#8243; record co-released by several hip noise labels. Radio Shock has also produced several self-released CDRs and provided a track for the Cock ESP remix CD. Just released is a cassette tape on Pink Triforce Tapes out of Montreal. The latest release is a self-released CDR EP called Burn Down Radio. Coming soon is a 30-second looped tape on Human Conduct out of Baltimore.


Ca$h $lave Clique
http://www.myspace.com/cashslaveclique

Unbeknownst to Threat Williams, OhSlamma 36 ded Mazafaqaz, and Crealonious Funk, a strange set of cosmic yet real (CREAL) events would bring them together to finally give voice to THE CA$H $LAVE CLIQUE. Yet everyone is a CA$H $LAVE. Thus they are just a small arm of Le Clique that has been CREALLY chosen by their master Dr. Fantasti to rain down sonic terror. Dr. Fantasti charged these three with the daunting task of creating a new sound, to unite CA$H $LAVES everywhere. Influenced by the indigenous of their native Washington D.C., Le Clique has taken go-go music and made it their own. Creating the undeniable force that is GO-GO NOISE CORE (go-go-no-co).

Who is this Dr. Fantasti? Some say a God, some say the Devil. The truth lies somewhere in between. The good doctor was ordered to create cash to enslave this world by his evil master, Greedasty. After doing this Fantasti fell into a deep depression and began to question his loyalty to Greedasty. Upon finding out about Fantastiâ??s treasonous thoughts Greedasty banished him from the heavens and sent him to earth to live forever as a plush singing hamster. Fantasti, thus was destined to live his life as a discarded novelty gift only to be used once or twice and then thrown away. However, he was purchased for Crealonious and he did not just throw him away or stuff him in a closet. Crealonious sat Fantasti in a prominent spot in his house and the doctor saw his chance to escape his terrible predicament. Using his super intellect he rewired the sound mechanism in himself so that he could speak to Crealonious.

At this time cataclysmic events were about to bring Le CLique together. Crealonious and Threat were already friends, but they had never met OhSlamma. Autumn winds began to blow and soon like a speck of pollen being blown to a flower, OhSlamma landed at Crealoniousâ??s door step, and was welcomed in. The doctor saw his chance. He began to transmit subliminal messages to the three when they were together. Finally it began to work and they started to unconsciously prepare for the creation of THE CA$H $LAVE CLIQUE. The dye was cast on the fateful day that Fantasti, through his subliminal messages, ordered OhSlamma to pinch his foot thus allowing the doctor to reanimate himself into a living plush singing hamster.

Like Mr. Miyagi and Daniel-San the doctor began to mold his disciples. He trained them for months transforming them from conspicous consumpton machines into sonic suicide bombers. The chosen three were then given their crusade. Create a sound to unite all CA$H $LAVES and bring about the destruction of the Spectacle. So the sound was created thus fulfilling the Fantasti prophecy â??Let there be CA$Hâ?, and the CA$H $LAVE CLIQUE was ordered to unleash their sonic terror on the world.


36
http://www.soundsfromthepocket.com/36.htm

Drummer Sam Lohman displayed his talents with such bands as Sheer Terror, Nimrod and Maji, before taking on the numeric spelling of his name, Sa(3) Mu(6), while beginning his solo percussion project in Japan. After his initial show, April 1994 at Zokai Center in Osaka, 36 continued to play throughout the South Pacific and at major international events, including the â??What is Music?â? fest in Sydney, Austrailia and the â??Pacific Rim Jobâ? in Vancouver BC. 36 contributed tracks to well known Japanese compilations â??Osaka Pirate Radioâ? and the tribute to legendary live space â??Bar Noiseâ?.

2004 saw a renewed flourish of activity for 36. During the first Radon Portugal showcase, Lohman did triple duty, playing with Steve Mackay, Sikhara and 36. After returning to the States, 36 joined the ranks of Spaceseed to back Hawkwind frontman Nik Turner for his US tour. 36 toured the rest of â??04 on the Ovo USA rampage, sometimes infiltrating Cock ESP concerts as well as continuing his work with Steve Mackay and the recently founded Ca$h $lave Clique.

In addition to these numerous projects, Lohman joined the ranks of Japanese â??Soul Collectiveâ? Acid Mothers Temple for a series east coast concerts in 2005 Radonâ??s first quatro-continental performer shows no signs of slowing in â??07 with numerous projects in the works.


Myo
http://www.myosound.com

Myo is Cory Oâ??Brien, an improviser and experimenter who works with digitally processed voice and objects. Myoâ??s live manifestations have been described by Vital Weekly as â??louder, dirtier, gritty and angular, but still with ingredients of microsound.â? Previous collaborations have included Kenneth Yates (of Harm Stryker, Insects with Tits), and video artist Metaphreaq. He currently lives and works in Baltimore, Maryland.

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Friday, September 14
Velvet Lounge
915 U St NW WDC
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
http://www.dc-soniccircuits.org/2007/
202-462-3213
$9, doors at 8pm, 21+

Ramon Churruca (performance artist from Bilbao, Spain)
xedh (sound artist from Bilabo, Spain)
Piasa (harsh noise from Virginia)
Scraping Teeth (guitar/drums improv noise-rock trio from Miami, featuring Rat Bastard of To Live and Shave in L.A./Laundry Room Squelchers)
Ahlzagailzehguh (NYC harsh noise, Hospital Productions)
Kakerlak (Baltimore harsh noise)


Ramon Churruca

Ramón Churruca was born in Bilbao in 1964. He belongs to an important family from Las Arenas. Since childhood, heâ??s expressed interest in comedy, film and pornography. He studied at the agustino school, Padre Andres de Urdaneta, and recalls that â??it was a concentration camp. A soccer culture existed: if you didnâ??t play, you were gay or weird.â?

Influenced by the work of Doug Hall, he traveled at the age of twenty to the United States to study experimental film at the Art Institute of San Francisco where he majored in performance/video. His stay in the city made him very open-minded. Nevertheless, Ramon discovered that social class systems exist in the art world. â??Those supposed liberal worlds are really conservative.â? This would be a recurring idea in his work.

When he returned to California in 1989, he acted under the pseudonym Ramón Quantalagusta in the Bilbao Safi Gallery on Las Cortes street. Thatâ??s where they did the first performances of Botxo where artists like Bada, Alberto Safi or Álex de la Iglesia participated. In this gallery, Churruca talked about for the first time of the unveiling of the new Basque: â??El Technoaldeano Urbanoâ? (The Urban Technopeasant), the illuminated messianic figure that is reflected in Ibarretxe for those that want to build a gigantic â??bidegorri euskaldunâ? where they can channel their paranoias.

For Ramón, the performance â??is a declared madness. It takes a lot of mental work and written preparation. I give myself a set of guidelines that I modify according to what I see happening. The public looks for immediacy, the connection and the rush. After â??Tecnoaldeano Urbanoâ? (The Urban Technopeasant), Churruca was â??Olentzero Farloperoâ?, â??Siamés Separatistaâ? and currently acting as â??Negruriâ? wearing a mask of an elderly man. â??Often times, the topics are reality. I handle myself according to the language of the topics. From there comes the Negruri. Heâ??s the devil. Like the Euskal Herria of PNV looks at the ancient society of Neguri. I am 100 years old. It has to do with the operation of the social class system in Bilbao and in the art world. For some to prevail, others must fail.â? Film is one of his greatest passions and he considers himself â??a very good spectatorâ? although he creates the fiction of others but not his own. He has made several short films and acted in a dozen of films, always in special collaborations. Álex de la Iglesia counted with him for â??El día de la bestiaâ?, â??Muertos de risaâ? y â??Crimen Ferpecto.â? In spite of him, Churruca assures that he works better as a performer.

The apparent tranquility and timidity of Ramón shifts when he goes into battle, in hyperactivity, madness and destruction. In his performances he has a tendency to disrobe, to confront and to criticize everyone. His criticisms are fundamentally directed to society, nationalists, the public and even himself. He laughs about everything and at everyone but he doesnâ??t consider himself crazy, â??They think that you are a lunatic because you do things that venture outside convention.â?


xedh
http://www.xedh.org/

xedh is the soundwork of the Basque Country-based artist Miguel A. García.

selected works & live:

2007 - live at El Tanque exhibition centre, Santa Cruz (Tenerife, Spain)
2007 - released â??Nacht & nebelâ? split with Fever Spoor at Anima Mal Nata (Holland)
2007 - sound installation at L´Mono (Bilbao, Spain)
2007 - released â??Sexâ? LP at Smell the Stench (Australia)
2007 - live at Arto Artian festa #5, Mogambo (Txintxerpe, Spain)
2007 - live at Bebarruko Jardunek, Matadeixe (Azkoitia, Spain)
2007 - live at Dislokes fest w/ Tüsuri (Barakaldo, Spain)
2007 - released â??Composition in redâ? EP at Camomille Music (Canada)
2006 - live at MEM 2006, Bilborock (Bilbao) w/Merzbow
2006 - released â??Agujero negroâ? LP at Hamaika (Getxo, Spain)
2006 - released â??Rencloserâ? EP at Picomedia (France)
2006 - live at Bilbao Arte (Bilbao, Spain)
2006 - soundtrack for Closing Time film by Iñigo Cabo & Robert Todd (Bilbao, Spain)
2006 - live at LEM 2006, EART Gallery (Barcelona, Spain)
2006 - live at MRB/AMM, Arteleku (Gipuzkoa, Spain)
2006 - released â??La indiferancia demostradaâ? LP at Nervous Nurse (Germany)
2006 - released â??Sort:zenâ? EP at Expanding Electronic Diversity (Canada)
2005 - sound installation for â??somos buena genteâ? exhibition (Asturias, Spain)
2005 - sound for contemporary dance piece, MID-E 2005, Arteleku (Gipuzkoa, Spain)
2005 - live at Mano Dura fest (Barcelona, Spain) w/Valvula Antirretorno
2005 - live at Portinho project (Galicia, Spain) w/Valvula Antirretorno
2005 - released â??Xenophile experimental density hamperâ? collab. with Zan Hoffman (USA)
2005 - released â??Dios existeâ? LP at Slaughter Rec. w/Valvula Antirretorno (Italy)
2004 - released â??Serpentsâ? EP at Verato Project (Germany)
2004 - live at Colectivo Noize Fest, Montehermoso w/Valvula Antirretorno (Gasteiz, Spain)

â??Conceived by Miguel A. García as a vision of industrial past and future landscapes, the music distilled by Xedh is a music of immersion, inscribed in a broad and evocative current that makes textures and their alternation an excellent narrative element. A music of planes where silence envelops perverse rhythms and opens gaps through which oppressive atmospheres slip in – pulsing music, inviting us on an inner journey, full of images and colours, of a strangely pictorial quality.â? (Victor Nubla)

â??Xedh confirms by planting an enormous (rusted) nail in the allegedly apocalyptic landscape of the modern industry of sounds assembly. Heir of a certain old-school tradition (and not least), the man of Bilbao dismantles some musical commonplaces for better building a singular work which takes all his actual relevance – There is this amplitude, the density of a formal, unnarrative suggestion of reality filtered through the abstractive prism of Xedh composition, and these constant calls to break up, if you definitively refuse to look beyond.â? (Thierry Massard)

â??In a constant struggle for balance, Xedh explores mathematics and cognitive logic on one side and pits it against nature and harmony. The result is an abstract brawl for domination, as you can discern the organic tissue from the synthetic in their collisions.â? (camomillemusic.com)


Piasa
http://www.myspace.com/pieuhsaw

Piasa (pronounced pie-uh-saw) are a harsh noise band from Virginia.

Currently, Piasa is: William, Scott, Damian, Tristan, Jason, Ian, and other various collaborators.

The idea for what would become Piasa, was originally conceived in 2004 by William Mansfield and Scott Nussman, out of a desire to do something different. An early incarnation would see that idea evolve into a guerrilla noise squad…leaving bewildered patrons in shopping and strip mall parking lots scratching their heads…or running quickly back to their cars, hands held tightly against their ears, whatever the case may be.

Autumn of 2005 saw the birth of a tighter, more creatively focused, and collaborative incarnation of the band, playing shows in local basements and venues, concentrating on heavy improvisation.

In early 2006, Piasa became a mobile audio terror unit, taking their dirty sounds and filthy minds out on the road, touring in support of their first full length effort.

As of summer 2007, Piasa have been on a handful of tours, self-released an earful of recordings, continue to terrorize the everyman, and show no signs of slowing down.

Piasa has been fortunate enough to share the stage with some incredibly gifted artists and musicians, including: Realicide, Them Natives, Facemat, Kohoutek, Halflings, Yellow Tears, Shallow Waters, Medhammer, Warmth, Bobby Vomit, Orgasmic Response Unit, Being, Alan George Ledergerber, Perpetual Amnesia, Kakerlak, Spunky Toofers, Grails, Kayo Dot, Cough, Pygmy Lush, The New Flesh, Deathroes, Panicsville, Nautical Almanac, Donna Parker, All Violet, Ultimate VAG, Hollow Bush, Skeleton Warrior, HZMT, Prurient, Aaron Dilloway, Hair Police, Wolf Eyes, etc, etc, etc.


Scraping Teeth
http://squelchers.net/ST/teeth.htm

You might think the tight-minded would walk on by, saying this isnâ??t music at all, itâ??s just damn noise, turn that shit down! However, the members of Scraping Teeth assure such is not the case. â??We always get a strong reactionâ?, says bassist Isaac Ersoff. The groups guitarist, Frank â??Rat Bastardâ? Falestra, picks up on the idea: â??Rock and roll is supposed to cause a reaction. When it first came in, people hated it. Thatâ??s what rock and roll is. People either hate us or like us, thereâ??s no in-between.â? Does it bite, or does it have bite?

If it is difficult to embrace the ragged, jagged sounds of Scraping Teeth, well, thatâ??s part of the challenge, part of the fun, and ultimately, part of the payoff. The Miami-based trio is breaking new ground that lies somewhere between aggressive (call it progressive if you absolutely must) rock and dissonance for its own sake, between the obscure and the ungrippable styles of new music and the blatant and overly popular structures of standard rock-roll. They may be way out there, but once you get the hang of it, they become way-in as well. Itâ??s, um, cool.

Itâ??s unlikely youâ??ll find yourself humming along to songs such as â??Death by Refrigeratorâ? or â??Machine God Noise,â? but that doesnâ??t mean Teeth music doesnâ??t contain logic and structure. It does, coached in a dense and often flatulent combination of angry guitar riffs, drones, squawking bass, more drones, screams from hell, drums that punctuate in blood, progressions that seem aimless except that the aim is not to be linear and predictable. Both active and reactionary, this musicâ??s boundaries are drawn only by the inspiration of the moment. This stuffâ??s wild, man.

â??I call it â??pizza music,â??â? Ersoff says cryptically. Falestra points out that itâ??s â??music not to think to.â? And drummer Dimthingshine sums up the Teeth grind as â??acid-rock mayhem of the day, of the moment. Feelings of the world as we feel it.â? At first glance, then, the world hurts like a misdirected dentistâ??s drill on full blast. Hitting a nerve.

As unfair, critically speaking, as it may be, you did get some idea what this terrifying trio is up to by checking a few song titles: â??Torture and Stuff," â??Blow Me While I Shitâ? and â??My Car Blew Up and Took Me With It.â? This ainâ??t exactly Bobby McFerrin territory.

This reason itâ??s unfair to go by a handful of songs titles is that, much like the actual songs, the music of Scraping Teeth is timeless, endless, boundless. They donâ??t play songs, really, it all runs together, changing at every show, and itâ??s all on tape -â?? you could say the trio doesnâ??t have any songs, or you could say they have thousands of songs. â??We have more hooks per minute,â? Falestra notes. But it all happens so fast. Most bands rehearse a song, play it, and play it at a club. Then theyâ??re married to that song for the next three years. Iâ??ve done that (with other groups). I want to come up with something new every minute. Thatâ??s why we record every show. We can look back and refer to things, and redo a song if we want. Itâ??s all documented. Itâ??s a challenge to us to equal a group with a planned format, but this is viable music.â? (At one point the band found itself playing to a completely empty club. Someone walked in and asked them what the hell they were doing playing to no one. â??Weâ??re recording,â? came the quick reply.)

Falestra knows what heâ??s talking about. Like his two associates, heâ??s made his bones in a number of areas, including work with more traditional rock bands. He also writes a music newsletter called Second Opinion, runs a productive recording studio called Esync, is a accomplished producer, engineer, has his own record label called Esync Ocular Exchange, and organizes the annual Expo-mental music series, which begins on Tuesday.

Bassist Ersoff is a classically trained player (the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York), records and occasionally performs with another group, Spongong, and also runs a label, Fuk-M-All Disc. Drummer Dimthingshine was behind a number of vinyl slabs released in the eighties, also runs his own label (Thingsflux Music), composes for film, writes reviews for various publications, and has worked with groups ranging from jazz to metal. He can also scream like the devilâ??s own whipping boy. â??I didnâ??t know I was going to be screaming my head off,â? he says. â??But when I heard the music, I felt it needed screaming.â?

Falestra was already running the show on Thursday nights at Churchillâ??s Hideaway (presenting a mondo bizarro mix of music and performance art), when Scraping Teeth came together in January. He had known Ersoff for about a year and had been familiar with â??Shines work for about eight years; the first time the three played together as Scraping Teeth was onstage. No rehearsal, no nothing. Get up there and rock. â??The first lyrics,â? Falestra recalls, â??were the front page of New Times. Whatever was there on the cover became our lyrics. Then Isaac started coming up with concepts on tape and paper. We played off the sounds coming out of the monitors -â?? itâ??s always improvised.â? (To this day, the band still hasnâ??t rehearsed. Itâ??s all done live, on the stage, now.)

Ersoff believes some people follow the group just to see what they might do next. Even the band doesnâ??t know that. Generally, Ersoff will kick a groove on bass, Dimthingshine will pick it up, and Falestra will squeeze from his alternately tuned guitar progressions and riffs inspired by the polyrythms of the other two. Sometimes â??Shine, who calls himself a cross between a rock drummer and a Muppet, will take the improv lead. Whatever the case, the three are savvy and talented enough to immediately react to one anotherâ??s playing. Then it all comes together as a sort of dense noise that, if you mentally peel away the layers of distraction, contains surprisingly smart and compelling melodies (and, yes, hooks) that are unlike any that have come before. â??We do things that arenâ??t cliche,â? Falestra notes. â??We break ground, we break sound barriers. Ten years from now when this becomes pop, weâ??ll be able to show people our tapes from ten years ago and say, â??See?â?

Apparently some portion of the Miami music audience is smart enough to see already. Scraping Teeth are now booked every Wednesday at Washington Square, and Thursdays at Churchillâ??s. Perhaps there is something to be said for challenging music. Maybe there isnâ??t anything to be afraid of. â??Iâ??m not satanic,â? Dimthingshine asserts. â??Iâ??m not possessed. Itâ??s just that everyone thinks I am.â? Falestra adds, â??You canâ??t be afraid of what the audience thinks.â? You can only hope the audience does think. (Greg Baker, New Times, November 1990)


Ahlzagailzehguh
http://www.geocities.com/collapsedhole/

"Damn! 25 tracks of harsh noise on a 20-minute 3" CD. That's unexpected! Few of these pieces run more than a minute, and none longer than a minute-and-a-half, so the short bursts of explosive noise actually move along quite nicely, especially because a lot of different sounds are explored throughout. Sure, they're all fairly in your face and aggressive, and lots of distortion is employed, but at the same time, there are different ways to manipulate different tones and styles of distortion. Apparently all of this stuff was created using broken electronic devices, metal, various household objects, effects pedals, and synths. That sounds about right, because there is a certain lo-fi quality to the recording here, and the compositions are fairly minimal as far as layering and such. From straightforward walls of harsh distortion to banging and clanging sounds, to garbled rumbles and caustic treble, there's a little bit of everything, and then some. And it rarely calms down a notch. That's not to say this is like Masonna or Merzbow or anything, it's not, but it's not at all ambient either. I tend to be bothered by tracks that start and end abruptly, as it makes things feel unintentional, and that's something that can be disruptive here. But there are so many tracks that the stuttered beginnings and endings become common enough to work. Limited to just 44 copies, the first seven came in handmade sleeves with melted black/gold wax and glue. This one, like the rest, comes in a small sleeve printed on cream-colored paper with an abstract collage of images on the front and back, and a small xeroxed insert with the song titles inside. Not bad. I like the visual aesthetic and there is a certain feeling to most of the tracks, it's a little boring, but I can appreciate it. I'd be interested to hear longer, more developed works for sure. (Aversionline)

Clavius Productions and Sonic Circuits DC 2007 present:

Saturday, September 15
Warehouse Arts Complex
1017 7th St NW WDC
http://www.dc-soniccircuits.org/2007
http://www.warehousetheater.com
$12, doors at 8pm, all ages!

Baseline (Bilbao, Spain)
Esther Venrooy (Netherlands)
Oier Etxeberria (Bilbao, Spain)
Hal McGee (Florida)
Gunung Sari (NYC electro-acoustic trio)
Zan Hoffman (Louisville)
Ironing (Florida)
Constant Mauk (Richmond, mem. of Harm Stryker)
am salad (Baltimore)
Musica Ex Machina festival presentation


Baseline
http://www.baselinenoise.com

Baseline is the work of the polifacetic artist (music, video, design, webs…) from Bilbao, born in Gijón, Pilar Baizán.

She started by including sound in video-art, where she already used loops and her own recordingsâ?¦and little by little, she developed her musical side until she formed Baseline, which really came about as an independent project in 2004.

Baseline is a Sound Artistic Project, Electronic industrial sound with deep and dense textures. She manipulates loops from sound fragments. She uses glitch, field recordings…rhythmic, emotional, visceral, sensual, evocative she often accompany her shows with video, which are intended to provide more depth to the sound, an idea which comes from video-art.


Esther Venrooy
http://www.esthervenrooy.com
http://www.myspace.com/esthervenrooy

Esther Venrooy (b. 1974, Rosmalen, The Netherlands) is a composer and sound artist working in the field of electronic music.

After completing studies in classical saxophone, Venrooy attended the European Dance Development Center (Arnhem) as a composer in residence, where she began employing electronic and digital techniques in pieces aimed at choreography and stage performance. Gradually her music evolved into an independent means of expression and she continued her work with electronica at the IPEM (Institute for Psycho-acoustics and Electronic Music) in Ghent, Belgium where she still resides. At this time she started utilizing film editing paradigms as a foundation for her personal composition methods.

Her works range from purely electronic composed music to improvised combinations of electronica with traditional instrumentation such as piano, flute and satsuma-biwa. She has created site-specific works as well as multimedia performances and installations. Much of her music has been released on CD or vinyl and has received good critical acclaim.

Esther Venrooy has performed her music extensively for audiences in cities such as Antwerp, Amsterdam, Brussels, Berlin, Madrid, Hamburg, Cologne and The Hague. Upcoming concert destinations include Washington DC, New York and Rotterdam.

Apart from her artistic activities, Venrooy is a lecturer on 20th century music and experimental arts at the Ghent school of fine arts, where she also runs the audio workshop. Together with her husband she runs Odradek – an organization that curates events, releases and concerts dedicated to sound art and innovative or experimental music. Venrooy also presides the board of (k-raa-k)3 organization.


Oier Etxeberria

Oier Etxeberria is a musician and visual artist living in Bilbao. He has been involved in collective and individual projects such as the music band Akauzazte, K.O. Toys, the free tv AmatauTV and Periferiak07 art programme. He has exhibited, played and participated in different venues, art galleries and festivals.


Hal McGee
http://www.halmcgee.com
httP://myspace.com/halmcgee

My name is Hal McGee. I have been making homemade recordings of my own experimental, electronic, industrial and noise music since September 1981. In Indianapolis, Indiana in the early 1980s I recorded several tapes of experimental industrial avant pop with Debbie Jaffe, as a duo under the name Viscera. Viscera appeared on countless international compilations. In 1984 we each started solo recording projects. Jaffe recorded several tapes as Master/Slave Relationship, and later several LPs and CDs, on into the 1990s. In the 1980s I recorded about two dozen tapes of power electronics, industrial, and experimental electronic music under the name Dog As Master. I had a track on the first Dry Lungs compilation, as well as many other international compilations. In the mid-1980s Jaffe and I operated the Cause And Effect International Distribution Service. We distributed homemade experimental music tapes from artists all over the world: U.S.A., Canada, England, France, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Japan, Norway, The Netherlands and others. We sold, traded and gave away more than 5,000 tapes in three years from 1984-87. Cause And Effect was also a label. In addition to our own tapes, Jaffe and I released recordings by Nurse With Wound, Merzbow, Borbetomagus, Controlled Bleeding, F/i, D.D.A.A., Negativland, John Duncan, Blackhouse, Haters, Vox Populi, Algebra Suicide, Jabon, Human Flesh, and more. We also released four compilations, which I have recently reissued on CDR. In 1988 I moved to Florida. Within a few months I began a new project: Electronic Cottage Magazine, which took â??an inside look at The Hometaper Phenomenon, Cassette Culture and Electronic & Experimental Musicâ?. I published six issues of the magazine from 1989 to 1991, and sold something like 5,000 magazines. I also published three 90-minute tape compilations in conjunction with the magazine. I have recently reissued these compilations as well. In the 1980s and early '90s I collaborated with several of the best underground hometaper recording artists: Al Margolis of If, Bwana (under the name Bwana Dog), Chris Phinney (of Mental Anguish), Jabon, Dimthingshine, NOMUZIC, David Prescott and others. I took a three year vacation from music-making activities, from 1992 through mid-1995. Since then I have recorded more than 60 full-length tapes and CDs of new experimental and electronic music. I have done a lot of solo recordings, but I have also collaborated extensively with other recording artists: Chris Phinney (Mental Anguish), Ironing (Andrew Chadwick), Microwave Windows (Brandon Abell), Paramutual Operator (Jenifer Abell), Brian Noring (EHI, 360 Sound), Phil Klampe (Homogenized Terrestrials), Charles Rice Goff III (Turkey Makes Me Sleepy), L.G. Mair, Tom Sutter, Emil Hagstrom (Cock ESP), Keith Nicolay (Post Prandials), Dave Wright (Not Breathing), Big City Orchestra, Al Margolis (If, Bwana), Carl Howard (NOMUZIC), John Hajeski (Busyditch), Bret Hart, and others. In 1997 I published a few issues of a personal zine reporting on my music activities, called HalZine. In 1998 I produced the Tape Heads International Compilation Series, eight 90-minute cassettes of recordings by more than 200 audio artists from all over Planet Earth. Over the last 24 years I have made recordings in a wide variety of experimental music subgenres and styles (and have crossed and mixed these styles to make new creations): electronic, free improvisation, space music, electroacoustic, tape cut-ups, tape collage, industrial, power electronics, deconstructed rock, spoken word, â??noiseâ?, ambient, abstract sound sculpture and painting, etc. Recently I became a member of the Tapegerm Collective, the Internetâ??s premier musician community. And in October of 2006 I started doing live performances again, after a dry spell of 19 years. I have released 158 albums.


Gunung Sari
http://www.neckandtongue.com/gunungsari.htm

Gunung Sari is an experimental performance group based in Brooklyn, New York. Formed in late 2005, they have performed in festivals like Bent 2006 + 2007, La Superette at Eyebeam, Noise! Fest organized by free103point9 radio at The Ontological Hysteric Theater, Flow at Monkeytown, Phi Phenomena, and Frequencies. They have also played in venues such as The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Issue Project Room, and Cake Shop.

Their influences range from obscure gamelan and folk music from Southeast Asia, to the avant noise of downtown New York. They combine home-made electronics, analog boxes, percussions, saw, wood, metal, and toys in their performances. They also do video projections at times, and in some events utilize the computer as a tool for sound and image synthesis.

As a collaborating unit, they are interested in the similarities and differences regarding the physicality of manipulated circuits and more traditional instruments such as percussion, and using these opposing means in interplay of the intentional and interference.

Gunung Sari is Nick Lesley, Stanley Ruiz, and Michael Dotolo. Their latest recording is available at Neck and Tongue music.


Zan Hoffman
http://www.zh27.org
http://www.myspace.com/mastersoftheungentlemanlyart
http://zmotua.blogspot.com

Since the mid-1980s Zan Hoffman has been active in the international noise scene. He has released more than 987 albums and they all have a reason to exist. That is, they exist for a reason. Zan says, â??Iâ??m driven by an imperative to do works that make a point nobody else is making. Every one of my releases exist separately from the excellent body of home-taping recordings which is my listening consciousness, yet informed by it, influenced by it, and driven by it.â?

Appearing live for the first time in 20 years, last seen opening for the Henry Rollins Band in the Des Moines Botanical Center, Masters of the Ungentlemanly Art bring their international and intranational collaborative extravaganza to the Sonic Circuits festival.

Uncomfortable in traditional situations this concertâ??s highlight is Masters of the Ungentlemanly Art plan to use recordings from as many artists taking part of Sonic Circuits as possible.

Masters speciality is large global structures of sound gathering and regeneration and they are fiercely independent and irrational as need be.

34 releases 1985-2007 have been recorded to date by Masters.


Ironing
http://www.myspace.com/ironing

Ironing is focused on manipulating and recontextualizing somewhat autobiographical sound sources, altering them through lo-fi analog processes. A pile of cast off equipment, hissy tapes and damaged records get worked into a collage of microcassette field recordings, blown out Miami beats, local radio and abused cassettes in a noise collage meets hyperactive dub frenzy.

Andrew Chadwick (Ironing) hails from Gainesville, FL, where he also spends time on the bedroom label Hymns.


Constant Mauk
http://www.myspace.com/constantmauk

Incorporating sounds generated by feedback loops and self-oscillating, mysterious boxes, Constant Mauk represents restrained, subtle tones and droning sub-bass backdrops among a sea of manipulated samples. A veteran of the 804noise collective, Constant Mauk (aka cstmk) performed for several years as the â??gentlerâ? half of Richmondâ??s harshest two person project, Harm Stryker, before striking out on her own as a one-woman microcassette assault. This is noise for noiseâ??s sake. Cstmk will be throwing out bass. Be ready to throw back some midrange.


A.M. Salad
http://www.amsalad.com
http://amsalad.blogspot.com

A.M. Salad is an ever-changing sound sculpture set in motion, currently existing at a junction between energized, chaotic rumble and waves of trancing drone; a moody, schizo-sensory treatment fusing meditation and destruction. Sounds are teased from micâ??d wire, metal, tools, assemblages, and junk instruments by way of flailing, untamed movement from man, device, and environment. Sounds are altered and infused with various electronics.

A.M. Salad began in 1994 as the longer-named Amish Macaroni Salad by small town introvert and boredom connoisseur Keith Childress (me). Amish Macaroni Salad recorded a lot of solitary lo-fi sound experiments during the early to mid-90s, using a cheap karaoke machine and an arsenal of thrift store gadgets, appliances, distressed vinyl, and various micâ??d sound makers. Some of the recordings were released on E.F. Tapes, while others were self-released in small numbers.

Following the early Amish Macaroni Salad explorations, I began playing in groups with some other musicians on the rural Eastern Shore of Maryland, including Algebrassiere who rarely played live though released some recordings on labels such as Ecstatic Yod, Scratch-N-Sniff, Imvated, Deathbomb Arc, etc.

Reducing the name of my solo project to A.M. Salad, I have continued to explore new sound sources, and new techniques. In 2004 a collection of my early tape work was re-released on a CD called â??Lo-Fi for Hi-Fiâ? by a consortium of labels: Eerie Materials, Gold Soundz, Little Mafia, Nihilist, Sloth Jinni, SunShip, and White Tapes. I continue to work with DIY labels, though most of my newest work has been self-released. My recordings range from collage amalgamations to loose improvisations to planned attacks. Absurdity and bad humor also have their place in my work. I view my art as a serious passion, though without (hopefully) taking myself too seriously in the process.

I began playing A.M. Salad live in 2005, and have participated in festivals including the 804noise Fest in Richmond, Virginia; the SoundScape Movement Fest in Chapel Hill, N. Carolina; and the International Noise Conference in Miami, Florida. In my live sound, as in my recordings, I continue to have an interest in giving a voice to utilitarian objects whose purposes are not generally associated with sound as a primary function, or whose sound is not generally associated with a musical context. I continue to gravitate towards the faulty, spastic, accidental, and untamed while melding textures and unstable environments into a myriad of half-emotions and fleeting sensory stimuli. A.M. Salad welcomes the chaotic and unknown, as well as the clumsy and uncomfortable.

I consider myself a smiling pessimist at war with myself, while attempting to open up to the other, and embrace the forgotten or otherwise deemed unimportant in this egocentric, power dominated world. I currently receive junk mail, greasy restaurant menus, and bills in Baltimore, Maryland. I try to visit â??the wildâ? as much as possible…

FOUND Magazine's There Goes The Neighborhood Tour "2007!"
with Davy and Peter Rothbart

September 25, 2007
Velvet Lounge
915 U St NW WDC
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
202-462-3213
$7, doors at 9pm, 21+

with special guest Echolalia (solo theremin)

————————————————

Dang, you *knew* it wasn't safe. And you were right. To celebrate the release of FOUND #5 – The Crime Issue – our madman duo of Davy & Peter Rothbart are back on the road this fall on a 65-city, 38-state, 3-month rampage! At each show, Davy will share a trunk-load of sparkling, brand-new finds, and Peter will blast you with his new jams based on notes from FOUND #5.

"Davy and Peter Rothbart are utterly engaging performers!" – The Los Angeles Times

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The FOUND show is a rowdy reading-and-music performance, full of heartbreak and humor. Davy shares his favorite found notes from his magazine and bestselling FOUND books, and Peter plays songs based on finds. The Los Angeles Times said, "Davy and Peter Rothbart are utterly engaging performers."

————————————–

Davy Rothbart

Author and filmmaker Davy Rothbart is best known as the Creator and Editor of FOUND Magazine, a publication dedicated to discarded notes and items found and sent in by readers. A frequent
contributor to public radio's "This American Life," Rothbart is also the author of The Lone Surfer of Montana, Kansas, a collection of short stories.

Peter Rothbart

Peter Rothbart is an award-winning singer/songwriter and front man for The Poem Adept. His albums, Songs for the Long, Lonely Drive (2004) and The Sight of Any Bird (2007) have been featured in The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and SPIN Magazine. After extensive touring in the U.S. and U.K., he recently moved to Seattle.

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Clavius Productions presents:

Friday, September 28
Velvet Lounge
915 U St NW WDC
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
202-462-3213
$8, doors at 9pm, 21+

Alasehir (mem. of Bardo Pond, Important Records)
Suishou no Fune (atmospheric Japanese psych, Holy Mountain/The Lotus Sound)
Kohoutek (pseudo-CD release show…we're still waiting for it!)
Slasher Risk (NYC improv noise-rock guitar/drums duo)


Alasehir
http://www.bardopond.org

Alasehir is the project of Bardo Pond brothers John and Michael Gibbons with drummer Jason Kourkounis (ex-Mule/Delta 72/Burning Brides/Hot Snakes). Unlike the Gibbons' project Alumbrados, also being released on Important at the same time, Alasehir is more rock-oriented, establishing a heady, heavy groove and jamming on it throughout.

"The ear of the musician detects a certain musical note in every city which is different from that of another city. He hears in each street a new
melody, and to him the sound of wind in the treetops of different forests gives a varying sound. In the Desire World, seemingly, SOUND
PROCEEDS FROM FORM. But in the music of ALASEHIR it is different, for while each form occupies and obscures a certain space there, form is
nonexistent when viewed from the standpoint of ALASEHIR. Where the form was, a transparent vacuous space is observable. FROM THAT EMPTY VOID
COMES A SOUND which is the "keynote" that creates and maintains the form whence it APPEARS to come, as the almost invisible core of a gas-flame is the source of the light we perceive." (Michael Gibbons)


Suishou no Fune
http://suishounofune.web.infoseek.co.jp/suishou.eg.html
http://www.myspace.com/suishounofune

Suishou no Fune was formed by Pirako Kurenai and Kageo in Tokyo, July 1999. Basics of their music are formed by twin guitars in duo. Twin guitar
players are influenced and create songs.

Kageo's guitar work establishes the basics of a song in the case of most. Pirako plays a lead guitar mainly, and often receives inspiration from free-style playing, and sing a song ad lib. The artistic sound is the psychedelic rock that twin guitars work that is full of sensitivity by the freedom that is not bound by stereotype.

Suishou no Fune usually make much songs by ad lib, sing the song which make the best use of the Japanese poetic beauty. The songs of "Spirit, Light and Darkness, Soul, Love and Hatred, Shamanistic, Life and Death" will touch your heartstrings. You will enjoy the sound of Japanese verse and their psychedelic world, if you don't understand Japanese.

Suishou no Fune is magic music.

Formed in 1999 as a duo of female guitarist Pirako Kurenai and male guitarist Kageo, Suishou no Fune have been making some of the most charmingly
chaotic dream music coming out of Japan. Their sound contains subcutaneous elements of no-wave energy mixed with psychedelic rock a la early Fushitsusha or Kousokuya. Other songs approach balladry with oddly beautiful twinned vocals and distorted guitars. They have performed around Tokyo with a list of people who could succinctly be described as everybody and were even invited to play Scotland's Weekend festival in 2005.

The group's sound runs from massively distended nod-outs that recall parts of the first Fushitsusha album through weird duo tracks that orbit a parallel universe where late-period John Fahey was the prime influence on Charalambides,
infernal Dead C/Gate style guitar abuse and achingly beautiful comedown ballads. The twin vocalists are massively different in their approach, with Pirako singing in a high wayward style that's all throat and no lungs while Kageo works from the other end of the pipes with a ripped Father Yod/Jim Morrison/Keiji Haino polyglot. Simply one of the greatest out-of-nowhere groups to come out of the Tokyo underground in years and the undisputed stars of PSF's recent Tokyo Flashback 5 compilation. (Volcanic Tongue)

* Featured on PSF's recent Tokyo Flashback 5 comp and Durtro Jnana's 5xCD Not Alone benefit disc
* For fans of Fushitsusha, Kousokuya and Les Rallizes Denudes


Kohoutek
http://www.claviusproductions.org/kohoutek

Hey we are a four-piece origional rock band seeking our final member. We are looking for someone very experienced yet in our same age group
(21-26). We have several influences including Pink Floyd, Muse, and Smashing Pumkins, Sublime, TBS, The Doors… The music mus always be growing. To be our drummer you have to be dedicated, highly motivated, and a good person (meaning fun to hang out with, contribute to the music, etc.) We are 420 Friendly but usually not during practice unless we feel like we need a creativety boast. We have our own studio, record every practice, so we can make sure everything is improving. Practice
at least twice a week. Thanks!

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Upcoming:

Saturday 9/29 @ Velvet Lounge: Wooly Mammoth/The Brought Low/The New Flesh $8, doors at 9pm

Saturday 9/29 @ Bobby Fischer Memorial Building (1644 North Capitol St): The Apes/These Are Powers/The Wayward

Monday 10/1 @ Velvet Lounge: The Hipshakes (UK garage-punk on Goner
Records)/CoCoComa (Chicago garage-punk)/Suns of Guns/Not Bullshit DJ
night $7, doors at 9pm

Tuesday 10/2 @ Velvet Lounge: Human Host
(Baltimore experimental rock, ex-Charm City Suicides)/True Womanhood
(DC folk-psych duo)

Friday 10/5 @ Velvet Lounge: Wretched (MD doom, mem. of Earthride)/King Giant/Ol' Scratch/13 Legion $8, doors at 9pm

Sunday 10/7 @ Velvet Lounge: Dermaptera (Northern VA ambient
instrumentals)/Northern Valentine (Philly shoegaze/psych a la Windy
& Carl/Landing/Fuxa)/Field Shaman (Northern VA guitar/cello duo)
$7, doors at 9pm

Monday 10/8 @ Velvet Lounge: Slim Castle (solo
experimental guitar with projections, ex-Kohoutek)/A Tundra (Chicago
spazzy art-rock, mem. of Locks)/RLV (of N Collective, solo laptop) $7,
doors at 9pm

Tuesday 10/9 @ Velvet Lounge: Paradise Island
(Jenny Hoyston of Erase Errata)/Partyline (ex-Bratmobile)/My Disco
(angular post-punk from Australia)/Adrienne Anemone $8, doors at 9pm,
all ages!

Thursday 10/11 @ Velvet Lounge: Grey Daturas (Crucial
Blast, heavy instrumental drone/doom/psych from Australia)/Thee
Ultimate VAG (mem. of Kohoutek/To Live and Shave in L.A.)/Jason Simon
(of Dead Meadow)/Dactyl (Baltimore noise-rock) $7, doors at 9pm

Friday 10/12 @ Velvet Lounge: Black Pus (Brian Chippendale of Lightning
Bolt)/Kites (Load Records)/Video Hippos/MM-DD-YYYY/Russian Tsarlag $8,
doors at 9pm, all ages!

Saturday 10/13 @ Velvet Lounge: Upsilon
Acrux (heavy prog/math-metal from LA, Planaria)/TWIN (formerly King
Cobra, ex-Kicking Giant/The Need)/Always (solo noise from Australia)
$8, doors at 9pm, all ages!

How about a 1 AM-ish Charalambides show at 611 Florida for those of us who want to see both them and weedeater? :)

They're playing at the black cat at roughly the same time Weedeater is at the velvet.

well, no way will weedeater play before 11:30, so you can actually go see charalambides and then weedeater. i'm actually going to see both. i love alisdair roberts, too. sucks it had to fall on the same night.

Clavius Productions presents a weekend full of mind-melting psych, brain-twisting prog, and enough noise to almost eradicate the stale sounds of blandness emanating from the nation's capitol these days. Note the return of Brian Chippendale (of Lightning Bolt) to DC after a six-year absence:

Thursday, October 11
Velvet Lounge
915 U St NW WDC
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
202-462-3213
$7, 21+, doors at 9pm

Grey Daturas (heavy improv psych from Australia, Crucial Blast)
Jason Simon (of Dead Meadow)
Thee Ultimate VAG (improv guitar/percussion duo, mem. of To Live and Shave in L.A./Kohoutek)
Dactyl (Baltimore noise-rock)


Grey Daturas
http://www.greydaturas.com

It's hard to categorize the sound of a band like GREY DATURAS from Melbourne, Australia. But if it has to be done, they are probably best described as an improvised/instrumental noise-rock band. Since their earliest shows in 2001, the Grey Daturas have been celebrated as one of the loudest and most uncompromising live acts in Australia.

As for their influences, they couldn't be any more varied. Their influences range from such diverse acts as Sonic Youth, The Stooges, Earth, John Coltrane, Cluster, John Cage, Dark Throne, and '70s no-wave and post-punk.

Thunderous heavy psychedelia masquerading as metal soundscapes performed in an arthouse manner reminiscent of other like-minded, contemporary sonic explorers (i.e. Wolf Eyes, Acid Mothers Temple, SubArachnoid Space, Paik (they even sport a similar multimedia show), Sunno))), Boris, Sonic Youth, Melvins, Glenn Branca, etc…) that is heavy and metal-ish and focused on darker vibes but without the weight of negative emotions to tie them down to a particular style or mood or that need for "toughness" that hampers other metal bands' ability to be everything the Grey Daturas are…simultaneously beautiful, menacing, scary, loud, and serene…


Thee Ultimate VAG
http://www.claviusproductions.org
http://www.myspace.com/accidentswithmagnets

Ear-massaging melodies scientifically calculated by axeslinger Chris Grier (To Live and Shave in L.A./Sean McArdle Band/ex-Mungo Jerry) and skinpounder Scott Verrastro (Kohoutek/Insect Factory/Sequence Chair/PRV Trio/Kuschty Rye Ergot/The Antiques/Facemat/ex-Lemon Pipers). Completely and utterly devoid of any humanistic emotional content, this duo contructs automated jingles designed to relax your esophagus as the smooth taste of chianti goes down after a romantic candlelit dinner. Last seen on RockCruise '07.


Dactyl
http://www.myspace.com/dactyl

The loud shall inherit the music industry.

With major record companies losing money by the yacht-load these days, it's a good thing that bands like DACTYL can continue to work and thrive. Like cockroaches surviving after a nuclear war, underground rock bands must do whatever they can to survive and make records. Finding affordable alternatives to expensive recording studios is a must, and DACTYL seems to have found that. According the liner notes, this record was tracked at a club in Baltimore, with the vocals recorded "by Adam in his living room." (Adam is the record's producer.) It doesn't get more DIY than that.

The fact that the live recording setting gives Teething a distinct and organic feel is a given. The intensity of the music ebbs and flows quite nicely, creating a unique overall listening experience instead of sounding like just a bunch of songs thrown together. DACTYL's freeform sound has a lot in common with current noisemakers like SHELLAC and BOTCH. There's no shortage of punk enthusiasm here. Guitarist/vocalist Eric Smith does not come from the cookie monster school of singing, but his voice is still very non-traditional. For the most part, he sounds like FU MANCHU's Scott Hill with Bell's palsy (see track two, "Tooth Magic.") The rest of the band follow suit with strong, albeit left of center performances. Smith and fellow guitarist Rick Major really know how to use feedback for great dramatic effect. Listen to the opening build-up on the final track "Pull the Pin!" for an example.

If DACTYL is any indication, indie/underground rock still has a lot of life left in it. Empires rise and empires fall, but cockroaches will always survive. (Broadbent, Peace Dog Man)

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Friday, October 12
Velvet Lounge
915 U St NW WDC
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
202-462-3213
$8, 18+, doors at 9pm

Black Pus (Brian Chippendale of Lightning Bolt!)
Kites (Load Records, solo harsh noise from Providence)
Video Hippos (Baltimore/DC guitar/drums multimedia duo, Monitor Records)
DD/MM/YYYY (Toronto temper-tantrum art-punk)
Russian Tsarlag (mem. of Byron House, solo noise from Providence)


Black Pus
http://www.myspace.com/theblackpus
http://www.fauxfetus.net/faux/bands/blackpus/

Black Pus, Brian Chippendale's current solo project, showcases Brian's hurricane drumming in a chaotic outburst of distorted saxophone, percussion, and his trademark contact mic'd vocals. Black Pus' two releases are a lot crazier than Lighting Bolt's output so don't expect another Wonderful Rainbow.

A one-man dervish, Black Pus is Lightning Bolt drummer and Ninja artist Brian Chippendale battering drums, bass, and oscillating whatever, disgorging the squall via his DiareahRama Records imprint. Chippendale's third hand-screened CD-R's stuffed with signature noise spills ("Which Is Which"), wind-tunnel huffs ("The Mad Scatter)" and Angus MacLise treks ("Exerschism"). The catchiest bit, "Earth Ain't Enuff," is a warbling Pink Floyd/Sun City Girls polka that even an adventurous Baba might like. Leading the warped parade, Chippendale shouts bullhorn-style through a melted vocal loop and bass drum, sounding out a posse of Lollipop Kids marching for housing rights along the yellow brick road. (Tech nerd note: Chippendale says he used a Line 6 loop delay pedal.) The infectious oom-pah-pah -â?? "Come by my neighborhood/To buy my neighborhood/Come at the crack of dawn/Singing your slimy song/wearing a fresh-pressed suit/Crafted from wireless loot/Then grab my neighbor's place/Leading the property race/Buy all the water, too/Earth's not enough for you" â??- is aimed at Providence developers, but in this post-Turkey Day holiday season why not retroactively point the musket, too, at our small-pox-toting forefathers? Pass the black pus…errr, gravy. (Brandon Stosuy, Paper Thin Walls)


Kites
http://www.loadrecords.com/bands/kites.html

One-man electrical system operator Kites continues his man-and-machine battle for your mind. A blend of painful, electronic feedback nerve bake, quirky, simplistic songwriting, tinkling soundscapes, and atmospheric roars. Violent, sweet, unpleasant, and nice.

One-man organic sturm and scowl returns with his fourth record for LOAD. Following 2006's Peace Trials blend of campfire informed Wilheim Reich downer crunch and burn, this new release journeys into deeper tunnels of solid frozen anthracite. While definitely part of the contemporary American noise scene, KITES (Chris Forgues) blends percussive chug and homemade sine wave generation into a dynamic somewhere in between early '80s electro schoolyard loiterers THROBBING GRISTLE and Sheffield's CABARET VOLTAIRE.

Where Peace Trials took the song form to an almost confusing and happy place, songs on the new record feature a colder tone. Gone are the stringed instruments of the last record, replaced with more home-constructed oscillation batteries. Disembodied voices ping-pong from speaker to speaker, dry percussive chatter fills the headphone foam and you are prisoner in a room you can never leave.

The record is entirely self recorded. Chris constructs his entire electronics setup.


Video Hippos
http://www.videohippos.com
http://www.myspace.com/videohippos

Like members of any good scene, the bands in Baltimore's Wham City collective and satellite friends – Dan Deacon, Ponytail, Lizz King, Lexie Mountain Boys, Santa Dads, Video Hippos, to name a few – approach a similar aesthetic from different angles. Common ground: the exclamation point (everything is invariably rad! or free! or awesome! or something you can yell), indulgence in rebellion and art-school regression (warehouse squalor, communal everything), and, relatedly, a warped sense of nostalgia. This last point, though, is where the bands part ways: Lexie Mountain Boys sound like a playpen getting knocked over, Dan Deacon has encouraged audiences to imagine themselves in the rec rooms of their parents' houses scarfing pizza, and Video Hippos – well, Video Hippos took me longer to parse.

It wouldn't be fair to call them the scene's melancholics, but let's propose a dichotomy: Dan Deacon makes kiddie overstimulation sound like fun. Relentless, ga-ga fun. Call the doctor! because I'm choking on fun. Video Hippos' approach of wrapping simple, melodic pop-punk and Blondie riffs in toylike synths and effects pedals is that feeling's underbelly: numb, slate. Unbeast the Leash is 13 terse theme songs for an eight-hour day of cartoons and video games. And pre-adolescent boredom, lest you forget, is a rigorous bitch. Of course, the effect isn't just to retrieve that queasy, socked-out feeling from childhood, but – and this is abundantly obvious from drummer Kevin O'Meara's video projections that blare during the band's performances – to remind you that, yeah, media is still crammed down our throats, Bush Jr.'s smiling face is burned into our eager eyes, America eats its young, civilization is doomed, and so forth.

In that sense, Unbeast the Leash is a uniquely sad record, one that reminded me at first of the way New Order made dance music for clubgoers and downcast eyes alike – at a Video Hippos show in mid-July, I was among only a few people dancing, and the dancing was more like swaying. Photographs subsequently revealed Smiths fans quarantined in suburban bedrooms. O'Meara's kit faces away from the audience. He could be replaced by a drum machine (and often plays along with one), but the irony of letting a human do a machine's job is too rich to pass up. Guitarist and vocalist Jim Triplett stands motionless, staring at nothing in particular. He lets would-be rallying cries fizzle into statements of resignation. He swallows his words, and whatever comes out, comes out faint.

Unbeast the Leash hits the same emotional note for about 30 minutes, but a) That's part of the point, and b) It's a note that most bands aren't able to hit: the deep comfort of a true bummer. In that sense, they're Baltimore's shoegazers. They turn the garage-party aesthetic into a faded photograph the way My Bloody Valentine suffocated eros with a pillow. It's not that Unbeast the Leash is a triumph on the scale of Loveless by any stretch, but like that album, it sounds at once a part of its scene and completely contrary to it, the warm crash as the sugar wears off. (Mike Powell, Pitchforkmedia)


DD/MM/YYYY
http://www.ddmmyyyy.net/
http://www.myspace.com/ddmmyyyy

Today is a new day.

You can sing the same song a hundred times and it will never be the same. Nothing is, everything is, movement. Toronto's DD/MM/YYYY just released their sophomore album Are They Masks? on July 10th, 2007.

Ranging from subdued atmospherics to tempo-tantrum art punk, the album retains the experimental learning of the band, while poking fun at familiar pop formats. The follow-up album to 2005's Blue Screen of Death, Are They Masks? documents the continued evolution of the band with twenty-one new songs.

Taking influence from the works of Frank Zappa, Melt Banana, Dada art and video games, DD/MM/YYYY formed in 2003, out of the ashes of two recently disbanded Toronto acts.

They have since released a split CD with Panserbjorne in 2004, The World Is So Unreal, as well as Blue Screen of Death.

They have supported their releases with incessant touring, having successfully toured Canada many times over. This past May, DD/MM/YYYY embarked on their first full North American tour. The tour, which ran May 1, 2007-July 9, 2007, included dates with Japanther, Matt & Kim and Dan Deacon. DD/MM/YYYY has had the pleasure of performing with The Blood Brothers, Aidswolf, Tokyo Police Club, Gogogoairheart, An Albatross and White Mice, amongst others. DD/MM/YYYY will be touring again throughout the fall, with both Canadian and United States dates.

DD/MM/YYYY is: Tomas Del Balso, Matt King, Moshe Rozenberg, Mike Claxton, Jordan Holmes


Russian Tsarlag
http://www.geocities.com/nemomutton/jesus.html

Carlos Gonzalez, from Indiana (Bloomington, specifically), is the sole perpetrator of Russian Tsarcasm. If the sheer fantasticness (made it up) of this moniker doesn't urge you to download or buy my life…, you have no appreciation for wit, and frankly, i think a little less of you. Just thought you should know. Carlos is also in Byron House (Cephia's Treat darlings), Hepatitus Youth (see Byron House), Crotch Council, DKG Sleep Trio and assuredly others. He also puts out other people's music (as well as his own) on his Kinky Noise label.

Yay, a polarizing tape. This one, more so than his Kinky Noise released photography is for assholes, will divide listeners. Photography seemed a bit more experimental and loose sounding, while My Life Is as Natural as My Grip on the Machete is cemented in structure. Don't mistake structure for conventionality, this is not that. If there's anything that you might not like, it'd be Carlos' creepy, nasally, plaintively spoken vocals. Personally, I think they're fucking great. He could easily pass for (Anticon hip-hopper) Dose-one's younger brother. Additionally, the lyrics are very repetitious and have the distinct air of free association. You won't find any insight with "scent of the woman, scent of the unknown planet, keep it, i can't afford it", but you'll be amused. I am anyway.

On the topic of instrumentation, this is lo-fi, bedroom something or other. Expect a guitar, a sparingly used trumpet (maybe? what do I look like, a musician?) and a source of simple percussion, amongst a few other instruments. It's those repetitious guitar chords and mysterious percussive sounds that'll stay with you. Well, that and the vocal + lyrics combo, obviously. "I touched a dude. I washed his hands," the lyrics are a huge selling point. Carlos is also showing off a great ear for production with the spot-on layering job, panning and multi-tracked vocals. For a guy fucking around on a guitar, four-track, and not much else, I couldn't be happier. When you actually pay attention to the total package, you'll find that the sound is quite full and busy, without there feeling like too much is going on at once. Russian Tsarcasm has a unique approach, and it's paying off well for Carlos on this particular tape. Pretty damned catchy in parts, too. (Smooth Assailing blog)

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Saturday, October 13
Velvet Lounge
915 U St NW WDC
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
202-463-3213
$8, 18+, doors at 9pm

Upsilon Acrux (brutal prog from LA, Cuneiform/Planaria)
TWIN (post-punk/progressive homocore from NYC, formerly King Cobra, ex-The Need/Kicking Giant)
Opines (mem. of Barkitecture)
Always (solonoise from Australia)


Upsilon Acrux
http://www.meszlermedia.com/upsilonacrux/
http://www.myspace.com/upsilonacrux

Los Angeles-based Upsilon Acrux is among the best of the young bands (The Flying Luttenbachers, Hella, Ahleuchatistas) transforming punk rock's landscape, reinvigorating punk's physically powerful, aggressive and speed-driven sound by infusing it with a compositional intensity and technical prowess long associated with various forms of metal (speedcore, technical metal, thrash) and progressive rock. In Upsilon Acrux's hands, this sonic fusion results in an explosive new music that is both exhilarating and abstract. While the band cites an encyclopedic array of influences – everything from progressive and math rock (Henry Cow, King Crimson, Magma, Univers Zero, The Muffins, The Ruins, The Flying Luttenbachers, Zappa, Don Caballero); Krautrock (Faust, Neu!, Kraftwerk); metal and death metal (Morbid Angel, Necrophagist, Meshuggah, Frederick Thordendal's Special Defects); the energy and spirituality of jazz and free jazz (John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman and The Mahavishnu Orchestra); and more (This Heat, Nels Cline) – and proclaims "any version of Magma" as its "favorite rock band ever" – its music is not derivative of, nor directly comparable to, any one band – or any pre-established genre. An abstract tapestry of complex and hyperkinetic instrumental sound, Upsilon Acrux's music is composed of disparate elements, dissonance and unexpected time changes daringly interwoven with, and/or punctuated by, beautiful and accessible melodies.

The band's fifth album, Galapagos Momentum (Cuneiform Records) features 41 minutes of aggressive, intricate, athletic and composed post-punk instrumental rock contained on 10 tracks. It should attract listeners from across the broad spectrum of "non-slacker" music – fans of everything from punk rock to classical minimalism, death metal to Neu!, Captain Beefheart to The Flying Luttenbachers, King Crimson to Koenjihyakkei, Magma to Orthrelm, Don Caballero to Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Ruins to Hella and Ahleuchatistas.


TWIN
http://www.wearetwin.com/
http://www.myspace.com/wearetwin

TWIN (formerly known as King Cobra, who released records on Kill Rock Stars and Troubleman), from Olympia WA, is the most recent art-band project of seminal Riot Grrl artist/musician Rachel Carns (ex-The Need/Kicking Giant). Carns rose to fame in the late '90s in Olympia's nationally recognized feminist/queer/punk scene working with Miranda July, Radio Sloan and Chainsaw Records. She gained the attention of Time Magazine and was selected as part of Salon.com's Real Life Rock Top 10 in 2000. Her recent project, TWIN, has been described as "lesbian math rock," "homo-core," and "post-punk progressive."

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Upcoming shows:

Sunday 10/14 @ Velvet Lounge: Pup Tent/Mannequin Men (Flameshovel, garage-punk from Chicago)/Bunnyranch (Portuguese garage rock) $8, doors at 9pm

Tuesday 10/16 @ Velvet Lounge: The Mantras/A Decent Animal/Dennis Kane/Noise Vendors $7, doors at 9pm

Wednesday 10/17 @ Velvet Lounge: Gongzilla (ex-Gong)

Thursday 10/18 @ Velvet Lounge: Yellow Swans (Load Records)/Mouthus (Ecstatic Peace/Troubleman/Important)/Insect Factory $8, doors at 9pm, 18+!

And the Free Folk Phantasmagory IV, featuring Damo Suzuki of Can with Kohoutek, October 20-22 (details and descriptions coming soon):

Saturday, October 20
611 Florida Ave NW WDC
http://www.claviusproductions.org
202-360-9739
4pm, $5 suggested donation
BYOW!

Douglas Ferguson (Austin, experimental solo guitar)
Venison Whirled (Austin, ex-Brave Combo/ST-37, experimental solo percussion)
Jonathan Horne (Austin, experimental solo guitar)
Jason Simon (DC, singer/guitarist of Dead Meadow)
Chris Grier (DC, solo experimental guitar, mem. of To Live and Shave in L.A./Ultimate VAG)
Aunt Dracula (Philly psych in the vein of Animal Collective/Excepter)
Jorge Martins (Baltimore, mem. of Harrius, solo experimental guitar)
Eric Franklin (Baltimore, solo theremin/strings/percussion)
Great White Jenkins (Richmond folk-psych ensemble)
Facemat (DC improv psych/noise, mem. of Kohoutek)
Google Earth (Richmond percussion/Gameboy ensemble)
Twilight Memories of the Three Suns (DC improv psych/noise collective)
Stymphalian Birds & White Stags (DC experimental solo bass, a la Thrones)
True Womanhood (DC folk-psych duo)

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Sunday, October 21
Velvet Lounge
915 U St NW WDC
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
202-462-3213
$8, 21+, doors at 9pm

Sic Alps (San Francisco folk-psych-garage, Animal Disguise, mem. of Hospitals, ex-Ropers/Henry's Dress)
Violet (DC, solo electronics, Zero Moon Records)
Guy de Bievre (Belgium, avant-garde composer/Phill Niblock collaborator/experimental solo lap steel)
Sequence Chair (DC/Philly improv psych, percussion/electronics/tapes ensemble)

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Monday, October 22
Velvet Lounge
915 U St NW WDC
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
202-462-3213
$12, 21+, doors at 9pm

Damo Suzuki (of CAN) w/ Kohoutek
The Sounds of Kaleidsocope (DC/Philly fuzzed-out psych-pop)
Carlos Giffoni/John Wiese/Spencer Yeh (improv noise electronics/violin/vocals trio, mem. of Monotract/Bastard Noise/Burning Star Core)

Conflicts this and next month are ridiculous.

Unfortunate for those of us who want to see 2-4 shows on the same night but great for the music scene here as a whole.

yeah, one conflict that really sucks: jesu/torche vs yellow swans/mouthus. another: boris/damon & naomi vs stinking lizaveta/wooly mammoth.

Free Folk Phantasmagory night 2 V. witchcraft V. Rodrigo Y Gabriela V. Castanets is another.

Clavius Productions presents:

Thursday, October 18
Velvet Lounge
915 U St NW WDC
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
202-462-3213
$8, 18+, doors at 9pm

Yellow Swans (psych/drone/noise duo, Load Records)
Mouthus (NYC noise-rock guitar/drums duo, Ecstatic Peace/Troubleman/Important Records)
Insect Factory (DC improv psych-drone)


Yellow Swans
http://www.jyrk.com/yellowswans/

Yellow Swans play a constantly evolving mass of psychedelic noise that is both physically arresting and psychically liberating. Their music is a powerful rendering of free rock, black electronics, and white light vibrations. Consisting of Pete Swanson (vocals, drum machine, and electronics) and Gabriel Mindel Saloman (guitars, feedback, electronics), Yellow Swans create a dense ocean of sound using various analog and digital machines, all locked in a spiraling web of feedback. Yellow Swans, having spent two years in Oakland, CA, are based once again in Portland, OR, where they originally formed in the Fall of 2001. They have just finished a year in which they toured the USA, the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and are about to embark on their 3rd US tour in the Fall of 2006. They have also just released their second studio album, Psychic Secession, on Load Records.


Mouthus
http://www.ecstaticpeace.com/mouthus.php

Mouthus is duo Brian Sullivan and Nate Nelson of Brooklyn and they absolutely destroy, fuzzing minds wherever they blow. Super psyche-snarled feedback guitar and overload drum squall w/ hep sick-wave edge. A brain-gouged cross of Manowar head implosion and New York dustbomb detonation. Total surf skum blooze drone.

"Somewhere between electronic noise, drone and psychedelic rock, you will find the Brooklyn duo, Mouthus, coiled and ready to strike. On Loam, Brian Sullivan's impenetrable guitar stirs your emotions and Nate Nelson bangs a primeval beat that pounds through your chest to your very being. Sinister vocal sounds on 'Must Anubis' threaten to spin you back to your caveman past. The movement of sound from chaos to structure is Venus emerging, not from the ocean, but from primordial ooze, then melting back into the goo." (Forced Exposure)


Insect Factory
http://www.insectfields.org
http://www.myspace.com/insectfactory

Insect Factory is the project of minimalist sounds from guitarist Jeff Barsky. His playing explores subtle and detailed textures with acute
attention to overall composition, creating hypnotic fields of dense sound. Barsky frequently adds additional minimal instrumentation to Insect Factory performances. In the mid '90s, Barsky studied classical guitar and composition for several years at the Hartt School of Music in Hartford, Connecticut. Barsky also currently plays with the DC improv band Kohoutek, which combines elements of abtract noise, heavy rhythms, free jazz, and psychedelic rock. In addition to having collaborated onstage with avant-trumpeter Forbes Graham and bass player Joe Lally (FUGAZI), his various projects have performed on bills with acts as diverse as Kayo Dot, Mazen Kerbaj, Peter Wright, Bardo Pond, Double Leopards, Charalambides, and Carla Bozulich, and he has performed with Kohoutek at Suoni Il Per Popolo festival in Montreal. Barsky also co-runs Insect Fields cd-r, which serves as an outlet for musical projects he is involved with, as well as his contemporaries.

Clavius Productions presents:

Thursday, November 1
611 Florida
http://www.claviusproductions.org
8pm, $5 suggested donation
202-360-9739 for info
BYOW!

Mike Tamburo (Music Fellowship/New American Folk Hero, Pittsburgh experimental fingerpicker, ex-Meisha/Arco Flute Foundation)
Horseback (heavy drone from NC)
Kuschty Rye Ergot (DC improv psych, ex-Redeemers, mem. of Kohoutek)


Mike Tamburo
http://www.miketamburo.com/
http://www.myspace.com/miketamburo

Hello, I was born on March 30, 1977 in New Kensington, PA. When I was around 15 months old I was diagnosed with Otitis Media. My ears had filled with fluid and I was unable to hear correctly for several months. I had surgery and was sent to ear specialists that introduced me to the world of test tones and perceptual challenges.

Music has always been a part of my life. My father played guitar and sang me Beatles songs and sometimes his own self penned songs when I was young. My Grandmother and Aunt also played piano and sang Italian influenced songs. They all seemed happiest or at least at peace when they were playing music. I guess perhaps through imitation I decided I wanted to play music as well. For as long as I can remember I was playing something, hitting something, making some kind of noise. I first started out playing chord organ and toy xylophone. I can still remember holding out long tones on the chord organ. I remember that I loved to just hold down the chord buttons for as long as I could. Oddly enough one of my first musical performances was for Ralph Nader. I was probably around 5. My mother was doing a video interview with him. I was on the floor underneath them banging on my toy xylophone. I doubt he was impressed. In school I took up clarinet and played with the school band. At the time I hated it, but now looking back I realize that I learned the fundamentals of music on a B Flat clarinet.

Aside from various art projects I took up, I don't remember ever wanting to do much other than just being in a band. I started my first one when I was 13 or 14. I met some local kids that were playing together. I ended up singing for them. We were called Lurch. A very strange, I guess emo-type, band that included a bass player with a hunchback. This went on for a few years, until guitarist Chris Pecoraro and I decided we wanted to be a little freer and more experimental. I was still singing and I took up drums. Chris still played the guitar. This became Eskimo 88. We did this for the rest of our high school careers. We recorded and released to cassettes Open Your Ears and Hear a Sound and Inside Outside.

In 1995 I went away to Edinboro University. Instead of going to class I spent all of my time reading and writing music. I decided to try to learn the guitar. I made over 200 recordings of myself trying to learn the guitar. I was reading as many books on 20th century composition that I could find and then after trying to figure out what it all meant, I tried to apply it to guitar.

I dropped out of school at the end of the semester. I came back to Pittsburgh and started playing with Ken Camden and Brian Camphire. This was the start of Meisha. Shortly after Brian left, Pete Spynda joined. We recorded several times and released Meisha, Meisha Returns, Meisha Forever, The First Lessons in New Era Time: The Universal Orchestra of Pituitary Knowledge Sing Om to the Disturbed Onlookers, Who were Meisha and Robin Anyway?, The Fourth Lesson In New Era Time: The Republic of Meisha, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, Meisha Machine Music, and A Celebration of Life.

I returned to Edinboro University to study and make films. While there Pete Spynda and I formed Arco Flute Foundation with Matt McDowell, Rob Dingman and Jeff Komara. We recorded and released The Second Lesson in New Era Time Exploring the Possibilities of New Wave Villains; And What of Boy?, The Third Lesson in New Era Time: Running Slow-Motion Marathons With Purple Rejoice; Who Killed the Party House?, Everything After The Bomb Is Sci-Fi, Everything After Everything Is The Bomb Is Sci-Fi, I Ate Tony Conrad's Pierogies, The Fifth Lesson in New Era Time: The Unconsciousness of Yukon Steve. We also created a new system of time that was 3 hours and 14 minutes behind Eastern Standard Time.

Both bands did several tours and imploded leaving the shattered ashes for all to see. I now play alone and am always recording, painting, making films and video, listening to music, studying Enthobotany, thinking or watching T.V.


Horseback
http://www.myspace.com/horsebacknoise

Fuzz-washed, blessed drone.

"Drone records are a dime a dozen these days. Not that we don't love drone records, we do. In fact, often we're way too easy on the purveyors of drone, since the very essence of that sound, is so simple, and yet so completely satisfying to listen to. A guitar against the amp, a handful of keys on a keyboard held down, a loop cycled over and over and over, almost any sound smeared into a near static drift, we could listen to that stuff forever, and often do. But it's the rare drone record that uses the drone as just the jumping off point, as a foundation upon which to build a fragile and ephemeral structure of minimal melody and movement, instead of the beginning AND end. Stars Of The Lid are a good example, as is William Basinski, Tim Hecker and a handful of others.
Horseback too. We were sent this disc out of the blue and immediately fell in love. Only later to discover that this was the work of a faithful AQ mailorder customer by the name of Jenks Miller! Small world. Horseback is most definitely a drone record, but manages to incorporate plenty of not specifically drone-like sounds. At once massive and dense, dark and distorted, but also ephemeral and airy, soaring and dreamlike. The root of the sound is a guitar, or guitars, allowed to reverberate and ring out, unfurling billowing clouds of distorted buzz and whir, that settles on the speaker like a thick blanket of snow, glistening and blinding, but at the same time warm and enveloping. The guitars pulse and swell, melodies drifting in and out, streaks of feedback, all wound up into a huge softly roiling glowing orb of sound. It's almost unfair to call this a drone record, as it's so lush, and rich, and full of motion, sprawling out like some sort of sonic sunrise, the sounds gradually changing color, everything shifting and shimmering and transforming subtly as the record progresses. So much more than just a simple 'drone' record. In fact, it's easy to hear Galaxie 500, Spacemen 3, Loop, Flying Saucer Attack, that sort of spaced out doped up drift, all smeared into Horseback's haunting sun dappled world of slow burning sound. Elsewhere piano drifts amidst the dense guitar swells, and rhythms are provided by pulsing guitars and various sounds beating against one another. Vocals hover way below the surface, barely audible, but adding another layer of lilting mystery, near the end, the guitars peel back gradually revealing a blurry expanse of swirling cymbals and splattery free jazz percussion, all spread out into a buzzy sizzling swirl, over which the final haunting piano notes drift and fade. So gorgeous. Absolutely one of our favorite new records, a practically perfect fade-out-drift-off-drone-dream-disc, and quite an auspicious start for this brand new label…" –Aquarius Records (New Arrivals 270, July 2007)

â??'Finale' is a pretty brazen debut for Chapel Hill noisician Jenks Miller, an ebow-chugging mix of ever-overlapping drones and shimmering squall. Calling it 'Finale' â??- even though itâ??s the first track on the record -â?? was as obvious a choice as, say, 'Exit Music (For A Film)' or 'Ascension.'" (9/10) –Paper Thin Walls (March 2007)

"Miller's attention to detail is astonishing as he builds and deconstructs his instrumental tales. The songs lull you into a blissful dream-like state before slowly bringing you back into consciousness." –Sound as Language

"Though it be noise, it isn't abrasive. [Its] atonality becomes a densely layered blanket that sweeps over the listener heavily, but without smothering. The faintest hints of a melody seep through the fog from time to time, like the remnants of a pleasantly remembered dream." –The Daily Tarheel (June 2007)

"A compelling effort to say the least, as the space of these songs provide for enough personal feeling to ensure a connection, be it in a live setting or repeated spins of this album." –N/A Reviews (October 2007)


Kuschty Rye Ergot
http://www.myspace.com/kuschtyryeergot

Kuschty Rye Ergot is the new project from long-time DC area multi-instrumentalist/vocalist John Stanton. A collective as opposed to a fixed lineup, performances range from drifty slowburn Popol Vuh-ish watercolour solo guitar/synth constructs to full blown ensemble sonic exhaust blasts, along with occasional stripped down acoustic folk musings. Elements of many of Stanton's wide-ranging previous efforts (Redeemers, Cash Slave Clique, Nik Turner/Harvey Bainbridge of Hawkwind, Spaceseed, Promise Breakers, Cotton & Billawtm) are in evidence, refracted via a prism of spatial folk, electronics, and whatever else the lineup du jour shakes loose from their collective tree. A universe where Ronnie Lane and COB channel Dome and Peter Hammill? You decide.

Clavius Productions presents kicks off 2008 with a couple of experimental and entertaining shows:

Thursday, January 3
Velvet Lounge
915 U St NW WDC
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
202-462-3213
$7, doors at 9pm, 18+

Jason Ajemian (solo bass performance, mem. of Born Heller/Chicago Underground Trio/Exploding Star Orchestra/Dragons 1976/Mandarin Movie)
PRV Trio (guitars/percussion improv, mem. of Kohoutek/Janel & Anthony)
Layne Garrett (of Cutest Puppy in the World)


Jason Ajemian
http://www.myspace.com/lovealloverit
http://www.sundmagi.com/

Acoustic bassist Jason Ajemian is one of the members of the underground music scene in Chicago, playing a variety of creative improvised, noise, and experimental musics based in rock and jazz. He is a graduate of the William Patterson College in New Jersey, where he studied with bassist Rufus Reid and percussionist Kevin Norton. Arriving in Chicago in the fall of 2000, Ajemian embraced the then-burgeoning progressive music community. Ajemian also vocalizes and utilizes electronics. His dizzying number of credits include work with Rob Mazurek, the Exploding Star Orchestra, Dragons 1976, Lay All Over It, Born Heller, Matt Bauder, Ken Vandermark's Crisis Ensemble, Who Cares How Long You Sink, Triage, Mandarin Movie, The Chicago Underground Trio, and countless others. (Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide)


Layne Garrett
http://www.myspace.com/lostspaces

Layne Garrett's sounds are wide-ranging, from swallow-you-whole improvised noise freak-outs to unnervingly patient, shimmering compositions. Elements include: prepared and re-tuned guitars,
found-object percussion, thumb piano, field recordings, brutish bass clarinet, shaky voice, live sampling/processing, drift, collapse,
transformation. Lately, Garrett's solo performances have centered around extended finger-style acoustic guitar compositions in weird tunings.

Garrett lives in Washington DC and plays in the improv duo The Cutest Puppy in the World. He has received grants from the American Composers Forum and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. He has performed regionally and nationally and has several recordings available on the DC-based Sockets label, as well as forthcoming releases on New American Folk Hero. His recordings have been praised by the likes of Wire, Terrascope, Fakejazz, Foxy Digitalis, Free103point9, and Arthur.

"Patient cosmo-dronez with ear juice acoustic guitar improvisations and just fine clackery." (Thurston Moore/Byron Coley, Arthur Magazine)

"He obviously understands sound (as well as some of the required tools) enough to push his compositions/ experiments well beyond what might be comfortable and commonplace into the realm of new and challenging. What really elevates 'Space Superiority' above many of its contemporaries is that it sounds like Garrett is having a really good time making noise. He is obviously very serious about what he is doing, but allows levity and celebration to be the motivating force for the music." (Chris Jacques, Foxy Digitalis)

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Friday, January 4
Velvet Lounge
915 U St NW WDC
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
202-462-3213
$8, doors at 9pm, 18+

Satanized (Philly theatrical spaz-prog, Badmaster Records, mem. of Normal Love/Dynamite Club)
The Acid Achievers (long-running DC-area improv troupe sans Alzo, last show for a while!)
plus:
Mugu Guymen (treated drum-based duo, hyping up free improv, bringing freshness to outerworldlyness via Nigerian email scams via kalimba + contact mic + synth + drum)
http://www.myspace.com/muguguymen
Dick Neff (one-man drum-beating circuit-bent noise excitement machine)
http://www.myspace.com/burzee
Important Eagle (inspired soul sure to please true peoples)
http://www.myspace.com/themnatives

These four individuals are involved in many happenings such as THEM NATIVES band, SOUNDS FROM THE POCKET label, AC TEMPLE house venue, SILVER REICH band, BLAK CASL house venue, THE ASHTON VELVET ROCK CLUB RECORDING COMPANY label, EYEDRUM art + music gallery, RATWARD art hostile, NO-FI noise group, and BLACKBLACKS noise ensemble.


Satanized
http://www.myspace.com/thetruesatanized
http://www.badmasterrecords.com

Satanized is a chaotic noise-rock band from Philadelphia, PA consisting of guitar, bass, drums, turntable and vocals. Scathing treble frequencies and heavy rhythms, alternately slicing and pummeling the listener, are made all the more freakish sounding by occasional moments of high musical complexity occurring amidst the assault.

â??Surface versus content is intrinsic to the Satanized sound, disguising musical complexity within an overall primitive aesthetic. Where dissonance is traditionally utilized to create musical tension towards a consonant resolution, Satanized brings dissonance to the fore, revealing a sometimes primitive and sometimes complex, but always harsh sonic texture that is most likely perceived as being somewhat more akin to noise. To put it another way, it's all tension without the resolution. That outwardly primitive feel is enhanced by Gaspar's blunt bellows and Angevine's knack for providing accentuation that manages to provide a steady, headbangable rhythm while punctuating the swarming nuances of the guitar/bass interaction. It also provides uniformity to a batch of music that otherwise lacks it. What's nice about Satanized is that because it has this omnipresent treble going on, it's pretty easy to take music that's not really all that similar and make it work within this certain aesthetic context.â? (Philadelphia Weekly, Shaun Brady

Satanizedâ??s first show was on 06/06/06. Since then, they have performed with Pissed Jeans, Dan Deacon, Aids Wolf, The Flying Luttenbachers, Magik Markers, Old Time Relijun, To Live and Shave in LA, QUI, Clockcleaner, White Mice, Child Abuse, Neptune, Athletic Automaton, The Mai Shi, Night Wounds, Blood Baby, WZT Hearts, and many others.

Members of SATANIZED have collaborated and/or recorded with various folks including: RUINS, David Grubbs (Gastr del Sol), Kayo Dot, Book of Knots, Dynamite Club, NORMAL LOVE, Make A Rising, Pauline Oliveros, Norbert Möslang (Voice Crack), Dr. Dog, XthoughtstreamsX, Ensemble (Montreal - Bjork collaborater), illuminea, and many many more.

The Acid Achievers
http://www.nutmusic.com
http://www.myspace.com/alzoboszormenyiandtheacidachievers

DC improvising rock band once called a "Northern VA version of The Fall", also heavily influenced by Sun Ra, Funkadelic, Gong, Can, etc. 7-piece group includes two guitars, bass, drums, keyboard and theremin.

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Sunday, January 6
Velvet Lounge
915 U Street NW WDC
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
202-462-3213
$7, doors at 9pm, 21+

Screen Vinyl Image (DC shoegaze electro-rock, ex-Alcian Blue, Safranin Sound)
28 Degrees Taurus (Boston shoegaze)
Teething Veils (DC, mem. of The Antiques, ex-Revolt/Still/Union Suit)
http://www.myspace.com/teethingveils


Screen Vinyl Image
http://www.myspace.com/screenvinylimage

"Sometimes a sound, a groove, a beat, a rhythm, a crank and grind…just comes running at you like a Japanese bullet train in a hurry and on fire. It just plunges at you, layer after layer, and sits in your ears and demands to be put on repeat for days and days. You begin to see life as a 1967 test pattern on a B&W TV set (through a haze of cheap cigarette smoke). This is the case with the track below, the lead song from a new EP by the band Screen Vinyl Image (who are J. Sequential and Electra Blue). The sound is a disturbed
landscape, an alien-infested and acid-tinged one, that takes you straight (backwards or forwards?) to a moment where kraut-rock makes love to the world and everyone, by troika-endorsed law, can only communicate in signs and symbols and must possess at least three LPs, each, by Can and Suicide (playing them backwards, in week-to-
week cycles, whilst wearing VU dark sunglasses, a dangerous attitude and a wicked pout). This is my music of choice. I'm simply blown away. In fact, it's the best sound I've heard since playing this
album for the first of many times. Live shows are forthcoming, check the links below. Happy Revolution Day, comrades." (And Before the First Kiss)


28 Degress Taurus
http://www.sonicbids.com/28degreestaurus
http://www.myspace.com/28degreestaurus

"explosive, intense, dreamy, ultra romantic neo-psychedelia that walks the thin line between darkness and light…there is a sharp separation between our studio world and our live world. the records are dreamy, intimate and romantic pieces that sit somewhere between a Slowdive record and a Japanese folk-song. the live shows are a loud, ultra high energy, psychedelic, noisey, chaotic freak out session."

"It's as though Mirah joined a bubblegum rock group. The spacey, ambient pop is loaded with guitarist/songwriter Jinsen's reverb, melding perfectly with the eerie voice of Karina Dacosta. Drums and a good bit of tambourine from percussionist Kyle Courcy complete this unique sound. The band's melodies also possess this strong tinge of the unexpected, as exemplified by the traditional Asian sounds layered over the Sonic Youth-influenced keyboard/guitar interplay. The band is able to balance meandering Asian melodies with irreverent, sarcastic â?? even vulgar â?? lyrics. Either quality has the potential for being obnoxious, but 28 Degrees Taurus is able
to play them off one another with charming sincerity. In keeping with the band's eclectic influences, the album is equally suited to being the soundtrack to a drinking night with friends as it is to a quiet night of personal introspection. (Self-released)
(Kate Cole, Northeast Performer Magazine, June 2007)

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Upcoming at Velvet Lounge:

Tuesday 1/8: FFFFs (Sockets)/Pacific Before Tiger/Broken Connection (mem. of Northern Valentine)/Field Shaman

Wednesday 1/9: Gestures/Terrior Bute/Big Fun/Adventure

Friday 1/11: Soft People (featuring Eric Carbonara)/Begushkin (Locust)/Dark Sea Dream

Wednesday 1/16: Little Women (Sockets)/Twilight Memories of the Three Suns/Thee Ultimate VAG/Serfs

Friday 1/18: Marshall Allen (of Sun Ra Arkestra!) & Elliott Levin, more TBA

TONIGHT! Clavius Productions presents:

Friday, January 11
Velvet Lounge
915 U St NW WDC
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
202-462-3213
$8, doors at 9pm, 18+

Soft People (Philly psych-pop, featuring Eric Carbonara)
Begushkin (Locust, NYC experimental psych-folk with an Eastern influence)
Kuschty Rye Ergot (DC improv psych, ex-Redeemers, mem. of Kohoutek)
Dark Sea Dream (VA psych, ex-VOG)


Soft People
http://www.softpeoplemusic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/softpeople

Formed in the winter of 2007,this West Philly band combines the lyrical wit and cynicism of Ray Davies, Mayo Thompson and Frank Zappa with the fluid musical versatility of Lee Hazlewood,Can, Os Mutantes, and various international reactions to the psychedelic, garageand prog rock explosion. Zach Sulat (vocals,guitar), Matt Ricchini (drums,vocals), and Michael Heinzer (bass) spent five years refining their songwriting, performance, free improvisation, and communal-living tensions as members of The Doctor & Philip and Burrs. Eric Carbonara (guitar), a solo musician with a record released recently on Locust Musicâ??s Wooden Guitar series joined them to form Soft People.


Soft People have shared the stage with Damo Suzuki's Network, Dirty Projectors, Jennifer Gentle, The Dodos, Birds of Maya, Stinking Lizaveta, Castanets, Shapes and Sizes, Alec K Redfearn, Madagascar, Anup Pradhan, Lizz King, Whales and Cops, Public Record, Mike Tamburro, members of the Teeth and the Spinto band, and others.


Begushkin
http://www.myspace.com/begushkin

"Amidst layers of circular, minor-key guitar passages and a full band which includes instruments like violin, accordion and singing saw, Smith colors his stark songs with rich imagery that's just surreal enough to keep things from being too dirge-y. His throaty waiver and lyrical abstractions are actually reminiscent of Destroyer's Dan Bejar, only Smith seems to be reaching for many of the same trad-folk songbooks that Will Oldham goes to, as opposed to Bejar's well-worn copy of Hunky Dory. Unlike either of the two, however, Begushkin's songs twist through more exotic locales, be it tip-toed flirtations with Gypsy music during "Stroll With Me" or the Middle Eastern-inspired guitar snaking through "Hearth Light of Our Home." (Other Music)

"A good all-killer-no-filler folk album is hard to come by, but Dan Smith has aimed for the dark forests of the night and hit the ghoulish-looking trees on every shot." (Audiversity)

"Dan Smith makes Richard Thompson sound like Lou Christie. Smith isn't a basso profundo or anything like that. His style is conversational, but he sounds like he's making grave pronouncements about dark doings in bleak places." (andmoreagain)

Begushkin is the project of multi-instrumentalist Brooklynite Dan Smith & a cadre of merry friends:

Stephanie Rabbins - violin, backing vocals
Stephan Ryskewitch - guitar, bass, backing vocals
Dan Smith - vocals, guitar, bass, mandolin, piano, percussions
Cynthia Hopkins - accordion, saw, backing vocals
Josh Saltzman - drum set

live performance by Begushkin: http://keepingscoreathome.com/?p=295


Kuschty Rye Ergot
http://www.myspace.com/kuschtyryeergot

Kuschty Rye Ergot is the new project from long-time DC area multi-instrumentalist/vocalist John Stanton. A collective as opposed to a fixed lineup, performances range from drifty slowburn Popol Vuh-ish watercolour solo guitar/synth constructs to full blown ensemble sonic exhaust blasts, along with occasional stripped down acoustic folk musings. Elements of many of Stanton's wide-ranging previous efforts (Redeemers, Cash Slave Clique, Nik Turner/Harvey Bainbridge of Hawkwind, Spaceseed, Promise Breakers, Cotton & Billawtm) are in evidence, refracted via a prism of spatial folk, electronics, and whatever else the lineup du jour shakes loose from their collective tree. A universe where Ronnie Lane and COB channel Dome and Peter Hammill? You decide.


Dark Sea Dream
http://www.myspace.com/darkseadream

Northern Virginia trio (two guitars and drums) playing atmospheric psych, combining elements of fuzzed-out shoegaze, epic post-metal, and noise-rock. One of the best new bands in the DC area.

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Upcoming:

Wednesday 1/16: Little Women (Sockets, mem. of Zs/Owl Sounds, NYC no-wave free-jazz skronk)/Twilight Memories of the Three Suns (DC improv)/Thee Ultimate VAG (DC improv, mem. of Kohoutek/To Live and Shave in L.A.)/Serfs (UK solo experimental guitar) $7, doors at 9pm, 18+

Friday 1/18: Marshall Allen (of Sun Ra Arkestra!) & Elliott Levin w/ members of Kohoutek & Barkitecture, more TBA $10, doors at 9pm, 18+

Monday 1/28: Cash Slave Clique w/ Ginger Wagg/Drums Like Machine Guns (Philly noise)/Echolalia (solo theremin, mem. of The Acid Achievers) $7, doors at 9pm, 21+

Saturday 2/2: A Sunny Day in Glasgow/Screen Vinyl Image/The Offering/Twin Earth $8, doors at 9pm, 18+

Tuesday 2/5: Tetuzi Akiyama (Japan, solo experimental guitar)/Josef van Wissem (Netherlands, solo experimental lute)/Max Ochs $8, doors at 9pm, 21+

Clavius Productions presents:

Wednesday, January 16
Velvet Lounge
915 U St NW WDC
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
202-462-3213
$7, doors at 9pm, 18+

Little Women (NYC no-wave free-jazz skronk, mem. of Zs, Sockets)
Thee Ultimate VAG (DC guitar/percussion improv, mem. of Kohoutek/To Live and Shave in L.A.)
Twilight Memories of the Three Suns (DC improv)
Serfs (UK solo experimental guitar improv)


Little Women
http://www.myspace.com/littlewomensounds

Little Women "has a very genuine raucousness. Also though there's a gorgeous sense of structure. The band – two saxophones, guitar and drums – works a lot with these sort of fanfare-type themes, often with jagged, proggy rhythms. For the improvisations, the band atomizes, constantly splitting up into different mini groups. The guitarist Ben Greenberg plays with a crazy snarling tone and extreme volume, giving the music a real attack feel, and the saxophonists just completely go for it as well. Tenor player Travis Laplante has an absolutely huge sound, with an apocalyptic-free-jazz meets R&B kind of vibe. The set ended with this amazing coda: the two saxophonists – the other being the excellent Darius Jones – took off their mouthpieces and just started basically ranting/moaning/emoting into their horns, using the keys to fuck with the sound. It was unsettling and beautiful." (Hank Shteamer, Time Out NY)

Members of Little Women have recorded and/or performed with Mark Dresser, Cooper-Moore, Mat Maneri, Extra Life, Joe Morris, Dave Liebman, Anthony Braxton, The Fugue, Trevor Dunn, Gerry Hemingway, Zs, Jim Black, George Garzone, Matt Wilson, and Michael Formanek among many others.


Thee Ultimate VAG
http://www.claviusproductions.org
http://www.myspace.com/accidentswithmagnets

Hazy ambiguous melodies as imagined by axeslinger Chris Grier (To Live and Shave in L.A./Sean McArdle Band/ex-Mungo Jerry) and skinpounder Scott Verrastro (Kohoutek/Insect Factory/Sequence Chair/Kuschty Rye Ergot/PRV Trio/ex-Stryper). Examining the ghettoes and rural wastelands of America, this duo contructs melancholic odes to ancient Peruvian deities translated to these modern, godless times. Bring a pen and some paper, for a new chapter in the Rock Bible shall be written.

Clavius Productions is proud to present the return of original Sun Ra Arkestra member Marshall Allen to DC. Joining the 83-year-old legend will be Philly stalwart Elliott Levin (sax/flute/vocals), Kohoutek members Scott Verrastro (percussion) and Damian Languell, and upright bassist Brit Powell of Barkitecture. Space will be the place Friday night in DC:

Friday, January 18
Velvet Lounge
915 U St NW WDC
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
202-462-3213
$10, doors at 9pm, 18+

Marshall Allen (of Sun Ra Arkestra!) w/ Extra Terrestrial Guests Elliott Levin, Scott Verrastro, Brit Powell, and more
Mind Over Matter Music Over Mind (DC free-jazz)


Marshall Allen

After joining the Sun Ra Arkestra in 1958, Marshall Allen (alto saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, bandleader, arranger) led Sun Ra Arkestra's formidable reed section for over 40 years. As a featured soloist with the Arkestra, he pioneered the avant-garde jazz movement of the early 60s. Marshall was one of the first jazz musicians to play traditional African music and what is now called "world music." He is featured on over 200 Sun Ra releases, as well as appearing with Phish, Sonic Youth, Digable Planets, Medeski Martin & Wood, et al. Marshall assumed the helm of the Sun Ra Arkestra in 1995 and continues to reside at the Sun Ra Residence in Philadelphia, composing, writing and arranging.


Elliott Levin

Elliott Levin (flutes, saxophones, words) was born and raised in Philadelphia, pursuing early studies with Michael Guerra (legendary saxist/clarinetist of Philadelphia Orchestra under Stokowski); and composer/flutist Claire Polin (collaborator with flute innovater William Kincaid). For Elliott, studies with masters- pianist/improvisor/composer Cecil Taylor; and later with saxophonist/improviser/composer Odean Pope-led to long time relationships of performing and recording with their ensembles. A member of many groups in Philly/NYC area over the past 30 years, he has continued to work with his own ensembles as well.


Scott Verrastro

Drummer/percussionist Scott Verrastro utilizes a plethora of sticks, brushes, bells, shakers, cymbals and gongs, metal, contact mics, and household items – in addition to a traditional drum kit – to coax a wide palette of sounds. Verrastro received a degree in music literature from Northeastern University in Boston and continues to examine many forms of music, including all styles of improvisation and traditional folk. His main percussion influences are Milford Graves, Rashied and Muhammed Ali, Sunny Murray, Han Bennink, Jaki Liebezeit, Bill Bruford and Jamie Muir on Larks' Tongues in Aspic, and yes, even John Bonham, Bill Ward, Keith Moon, and Nick Mason. His improv psych band Kohoutek explores all of this territory, veering from drony Krautrock-inspired psych to abstract noise freak-outs and everything in between. Verrastro also plays in a guitar/drums duo with Chris Grier called Thee Ultimate VAG, often accompanies guitarist Jeff Barsky in Insect Factory, and has collaborated with saxophonists Paul Flaherty and John Dikeman, as well as multi-instrumentalists Mike Tamburo and Little Howlin' Wolf.


Mind Over Matter Music Over Mind

Bobby Hill â?? record players
Chris Downing â?? laptop, keyboards, samples
Thomas Stanley (a/k/a Bushmeat) â?? electronics

Our medium is sound. Sound generated. Sound borrowed and relocated. With this sound we create places and we create events. Some of these events are music. Many are not. To the extent that the places and events we create are extraordinary and the manner in which the events are allowed to occur within these places is extraordinary, our work product is extraordinary. This is the critical dimension of MOMMOM. The semantic dimension of the project is a bit more nuanced. First point of order: Our work is not a text. By intention, the sounds that we have generated, collected and brought into conjunction are not to be taken as a socially conditioned statement to be decoded or read, nor as an instance of personal or cultural expression to be felt. MOMMOM seeks to change minds not fiddle around with their contents. The political dimension of MOM2 is rooted in the distinction between these two approaches. Art can do many things. It need not be limited to making additions to the clutter of facts, beliefs, ideological warrants, and emotional tropes within which our attention flutters like debris in a strong wind. MIND OVER MATTER MUSIC OVER MIND is directed at the function of consciousness, not at its contents. For the mind, morphology is physiology and MOMMOM seeks to redraw the boundaries of mental health. This radical re-normalization of mental possibility is inherently political, challenging as it must, the most basic premises of social organization and order. It is only with new minds that we will first dream, and then build the new world that is implied by the tide of political frustration that has engulfed our age. Then MOM2 is a timely mental prosthesis, similar in quality if not degree to prosthetic agents found in the chemistry of certain plants and fungi, agents that have been employed for thousands of years to expand human consciousness beyond its personal and cultural containments. MIND OVER MATTER MUSIC OVER MIND is emancipating sonic medicine.

Some Clavius (and related) events this week:

Freak Out in a U.K. Daydream

Flashback to the heady daze of the '60s/'70s U.K. underground via the magick of rare video clips featuring the likes of vintage Bowie, Van Der Graaf Generator, Family, and others. Platform boots, 6 shooter bong, mandrax, and kaftans optional…FREE!!!!

Sunday, January 27
Velvet Lounge
915 U St NW WDC
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
202-462-3213
Free, films at 9pm, 21+

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A night of experimental improv, dance, multi-media performance art:

Monday, January 28
Velvet Lounge
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
202-462-3213
$7, doors 9pm, 21+

Projexorcism (audio/visual political pranksters from NC)
Ca$h $lave Clique w/ Ginger Wagg (DC improv duo with dance accompaniment)
Chic Nerve (mem. of Caution Curves/Gestures)
Drums Like Machine Guns (Philly noise duo)


Projexorcism
http://www.multiultramedia.com/projexorcism.htm

Formed in 1999, Projexorcism started life with the acquisition of two Bell & Howell 2592 auto-shred projectors and 200 educational films. Originally much time was spent making splice reels to accompany various musical projects. Lens manipulation and shuttling film back and forth through the projection gate were the hallmarks of the early days.

Early in 2003, Projexorcism made great advances in their unique flavor of experimental hyperactive expanded cinema and has since been pushing the boundaries of weirdness. Projexorcism began using a quad 16mm projector array suspended from a lighting pole – the projectors synchronized with a 4-channel sound-actuated variable speed lighting controller. The projected images are split, inverted, and bent using silver reflective CD-R's and plastic fresnel lenses. The optical audio is replayed directly from the internal projector speakers, though on occasion the audio is routed through effects and samplers. In May 2005, The Catawba Council for the Arts awarded Projexorcism an Innovative Project Grant to add a Film-to-Video Regurgitation Array to their quad 16mm setup. Unbound from the linearity of film, the 16mm setup is now augmented with real-time video capture, manipulation, and projection devices.

The film is "PJ'd" using various techniques to create new contradictory action sequences and soundtracks in real-time in the found sound/plunderphonic tradition – without splicing. Films are chosen to reflect relevant, and at times irreverent, themes. Some of our recent themes include presidential politics, African-American history, math, water, chemicals, Middle-Eastern war, spiders, gila monsters, voting, and "Do androids dream of electric sheep at xmas?", a mixture of pro and anti-consumer film and Charles Dickens' "Christmas Carol."

You never know what to expect at a Projexorcism show. Film often breaks or passes through the projection gate in a manner inconsistent with film preservation, much to the dismay of Jedi film preservationists. The kinetic swinging and shaking of the projecto-tree will warp reels and pool hundreds of feet of film all over the floor – CDs and lenses fall to the ground – the shriek of optical sound feedback as dust clogs the sound bulb, the randomly choreographed accidents of brilliance and stupidity, the audience turned projection screen, the audience on the projection screen.

Projexorcism is often joined by a rotating cast of musicians and frequently collaborates with other artists (see the live show archive). 2005 has Projexorcism touring with a melange of experimental noise musicians and collaborations with the likes of Michael Thomas Jackson, Jabberwocky, Former Yugoslavia, Khate, Feralcatscan, Hellblinki, and more.


Ca$h $lave Clique
http://www.soundsfromthepocket.com/csc.htm

CASH $LAVE CLIQUE, hailing from DC, have debut release on the Sounds From the Pocket label brand, Let There Be Cash. LE CLIQUE feature Fantasti (a living, plush, singing hamster) as coordinator of sonic suicide bombings – and we cannot forget to namedrop either that this group holds in its ranks ex-members of organizations like SHEER TERROR, 36, NIMROD, SIKHARA, STEVE MACKAY & THE RADON ENSEMBLE, ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE, NIK TURNER, SPACESHIPS PANIC ORBIT.

Ginger Wagg is a dance artist focused primarily on improvisation. She performs with two DC-based companies: Sharon Mansur/mansurdance and Daniel Burkholder/The Playground. She has performed with Shua Group (NYC), Amber Kendrick (DC), Marcy Schlissel (NYC), and Havana Select (DC) among others. She received her BFA in Dance from George Mason University, VA and has studied extensively at various improvisation workshops and festivals.


Chic Nerve
http://www.thecautioncurves.com/

Rebecca Mills is a sound artist based in Washington, DC who uses found sounds and samples of live instrumentation to create laptop compositions under the name Chic Nerve. She comprises one-third of the avant-rock band The Caution Curves, described by The Sound Projector as "a single-minded trip into mild dementia that is totally engaging". The band's unique approach to sound has garnered critical recognition by sources such as The Wire and The Washington Post. Rebecca also plays clarinet in the avant-jazz horn-and-percussion ensemble Gestures, and documents aural experiments and oddities through the label Initiated Eye Recordings. Recently she collaborated with dancers Jane Jerardi and Ginger Wagg on the performance installation piece Façade, and composed a live mix from an original score by Audrey Chen for performances of Daniel Burkholder's piece Together/Apart.


Drums Like Machine Guns
http://www.iwanttobeloved.com/
http://www.myspace.com/drumslikemachineguns

Drums Like Machine Guns, masters of the seven-minute sonic set, reign supreme as visionaries of all things aural. They will urge you to "Get Radical," and get radical you will.

An occurrence: when you hear them, you will think you've heard them before. This is not uncommon. In the darkness of your subconscious, in the subconscious of us all, there lives a common spectre which hums their assault into our collective memory.

Some will say they are from the future. They will say "We are not, for there is no future." Enjoy them now before the present comes to an end and the great wall comes crashing down upon us, wrenching bodies and twisting pure flesh into shapes unnatural.

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Tuesday, January 29
Black Cat
1811 14th St NW WDC
http://www.blackcatdc.com
202-667-7960
$8, doors at 9pm, all ages

Knyfe Hyts (NYC psych-metal, mem. of Ex-Models)
Double Dagger (Baltimore noise-rock)
Stymphalian Birds & White Stags (solo electric bass excursions, accompanied by Kohoutek's Scott Verrastro on percussion, think OM/Lightning Bolt/Thrones)

from the Washington City Paper:

The music of Knyfe Hyts may not be heavy metal in the traditional sense, but that doesnâ??t mean that the Brooklyn band couldnâ??t have burst forth from one of Cliff Burtonâ??s paranoid delusions. Sharing members with beloved spaz-rock outfit Ex-Models, Knyfe Hyts mines a similar shrill and fuzzy vibe. But where Ex-Models skitters through songs like an epileptic Pokémon, Knyfe Hyts locks into extended trance jams that are skunkier than the glass on your college roommateâ??s vaporizer. Songs such as â??Exalted Tonesâ? hammer metal riffs down to their barest, most basic essence, resulting in head spinning pysch-rock thatâ??s more claustrophobic than the music video for â??Sweating Bullets.â? Let the war inside your head commence. (Aaron Leitko)

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Saturday, February 2
Velvet Lounge
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
202-462-3213
$8, doors 9pm, 18+

A Sunny Day in Glasgow
Screen Vinyl Image
The Offering
Twin Earth

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Tuesday, February 5
Velvet Lounge
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
202-462-3213
$8, doors 9pm, 21+

Tetuzi Akiyama (solo experimental guitar, from Japan)
Josef van Wissem (solo experimental lute, from Holland)
Kuschty Rye Ergot (DC improv psych, ex-Redeemers/Ca$h $lave Clique, mem. of Kohoutek/Insect Factory)
Max Ochs (legendary MD acoustic fingerpicker, featured on the first Takoma compilation)


Tetuzi Akiyama
http://www.japanimprov.com/takiyama/

Tetuzi Akiyama is a highly unique and experimental guitarist heavily applying free improvisation and noise. Besides guitar, he also plays electronics, viola, and self-made instruments. Akiyama became an enthusiastic hard rock fan when he was eleven years old, and started playing electric guitar at the age of thirteen. Later, he also came to be very interested in free improvisation and classical music. He formed the improvised music band Madhar in 1987. He also started playing classical viola, and formed the Hikyo String Quintet in 1994. The band, which played avant-garde improvised classical music, consisted of a viola, two cello, and two violin players, and included Taku Sugimoto on cello. Sugimoto soon left the band, which thus became a quartet. Later that year, Akiyama and Sugimoto launched their guitar duo, Akiyama-Sugimoto. They played gigs in New York in 1995, and in the Midwest (including Chicago and Detroit) in '96. For about a year
starting in early 1994, Akiyama was also a member of Nijiumu, one of guitarist Keiji Haino's bands.


Josef van Wissem
http://www.josefvanwissem.com

Jozef van Wissem probably plays and composes for the most unlikely instruments in the world of contemporary improvised music: the Renaissance and Baroque lute. He has accomplished the strange feat of bridging the idiom of seventeenth century lute literature and twenty-first century free improv of the silent type. Although Van Wissem uses subtle electronic sound manipulation, he has largely stayed faithful to the particular timbre, resonance and playing technique of the lute. Van Wissem first came to be noticed a few years ago because of his radical conceptual approach to Renaissance lute music: he deconstructed existing compositions, for instance by playing them backwards. He also composed his own pieces for lute, using palindromes and mirrored structures. His music therefore does not have a traditional linear progression, nor leads to a climax, it rather stays on the same level of intensity. His music is quiet and not so much demands concentrated listening, as it will bring the listener in a state of concentrated listening – an aspect that makes Van Wissem a natural ally of the current post-reductionist improvising musicians. Van Wissem also runs the Incunabulum label, and performs regularly around the world in duo with guitar-wizard of Captain Beefheart-fame,
Gary Lucas. He also works with M.B./Maurizio Bianchi, Tetuzi Akiyama, and Elliot Sharp.

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Saturday, February 9
Velvet Lounge
915 U St NW WDC
http://www.velvetloungedc.com
202-462-3213

No Wave book release party w/ performances by Kohoutek and surprise guests, plus DJ sets by Mark C. (Live Skull)

More info coming soon…

"Tuesday 2/5: Tetuzi Akiyama (Japan, solo experimental guitar)/Josef van Wissem (Netherlands, solo experimental lute)/Max Ochs $8, doors at 9pm, 21+"

Approximate set times for this? How late do you think it'll go?

snailhook, can you please bring Carla Bozulich to Velvet Lounge? :)

Approximate set times for this? How late do you think it'll go?

max ochs will go on first at 9:30. tetuzi and josef will play from 10:15-11:15ish. kuschty rye ergot will end the show. it'll go by pretty quick since three of the acts are solo acoustic.