Some observations. No fancy youtube footage this time. Just my own memory.
Sonic Abuse
I kept a minimal setup ( 2 cassette players with prerecorded loops and a rusted file scraping against metal grate) and had a projection showing flashing images of collages that I've made as well as clips from S&M videos by Leather Domina. One long audio sample was used as the backbone of my set of CBT session with a prerecorded synth loop joining about halfway through. Live metal scraping added over top with delay pedal to accent agony of CBT subject. Very restrained and calculated set knowing that the rest of the night would be all out harsh noise assault!
Sensory Deprivation
Lately SD has been "breaking the third wall". Starting with sharp mic feedback ran through series of pedals and eventually handing mic to unsuspecting audience members. Very interactive which isn't the usual harsh noise experience. Usually you just stand there and watch, but this project allows for participation. There's charm in watching various people fumble with a contact mic. Some probably unaware what it is. But coincidentally adding to wall of piercing feedback of overall experience. You create your own hell.
Death Dedication
Always a pleasure seeing what type of new rig he has hooked up for each show. This time a found piece of a grill and some dismantled fencing from a newly remodeled park. All of which stationed on an old apple crate with, from what I saw, one piezo mic attached to it all. In typical DD fashion - short and aggressive. Real working man electronics. A frenzy of tape loops and raw grid iron butchery. New tape out on Property Solutions. Support blue collar.
Kakerlak
Started off with loops played from SP303. Raw and unprocessed metal scrap building on each other. There was moment of scrap loop bliss and then classic KAKERLAK crackle starts to seep in signaling the actual start of the set. A slow burn but once all of the pieces start unfolding, you're in for it. Contact mic abuse and custom built noise generator overlaps the once prominent metal loops from the intro. Carefully executed to end where he started like bringing a turbulent airplane in for a landing.
Unexamine
Duo of C Mumma and Danny Costa. Very barbaric start with Danny on raw oil barrel abuse with no pedals, just aggravation. Tiny bits of rust flying out of the barrel as well as crushed beer cans. Eventually CM charging in with super harsh loops of piercing feedback until eventually both elements culminate in supreme audial violence. Its like watching several car crashes on a speedway.
Tinnitustimulas
Had a table full of gear and sounded like he used all of it. Looked like he had one main sound source that was some sort of handmade handheld device with springs attached. Different tape loops too. Like a pile of them. Pretty berserker set going all out. Next stop for him is in Cleveland - definitely worth checking out if you're in the area.
Worsening
Final act and the most minimal by far. 2 tape loops with delay pedal. The subtle changes in overlapping tape loops and hearing how they "melt" into each other is something that I don't get to experience often live because usually things are always changing. But by him just letting the tapes do their thing and not interfering you can notice all the nuances. After such an intense night of harsh electronics, this stripped down tape loop arrangement was a bit of a palette cleanser. Set concluded with wall of merging tape loops with artist behind table holding his head in his palms, maybe reflective of the current quality of life. Current events. Election day. What is it all for? More of the same. The grinding of the tape loops continues and so do we.
