Monday, August 22, 2016

Solo chorus

Arboretum is one of the small, well-curated festivals that have made Ottawa a more tolerable town for music fans, and if you like your listening diverse it might just be the best. My fest-going started out at St. Alban's on Thursday with a show headlined by Tim Hecker. The Montreal soundscape artist makes some of his music by manipulating pipe organ sounds, so where better than a church to perform. Arcade Fire's Jeremy Gara was already performing when I walked in (circumventing the maze of construction downtown meant I took a ridiculously long time to get there), and his modulations make a good match for the headliner.

Jeremy Gara at St. Alban's

Keyboard action!

Jeremy Gara at St. Alban's

Trails changed things up a bit from her usual performance - for this set she collaboarted with modular synthesist Space Clouds Filter.

Trails with Space Clouds Filter at St. Alban's

Modular action!

Trails with Space Clouds Filter at St. Alban's

The whole lot!

Trails with Space Clouds Filter at St. Alban's

Extra Ali!

Trails with Space Clouds Filter at St. Alban's

And so on!

Trails with Space Clouds Filter at St. Alban's

As for Hecker, they turned the lights down as low as they could go, so apart from what little light was coming from outdoors, the entryway where the bar was, emergency lighting and Hecker's own gear, there really wasn't much to photograph without turning the shutter speed way down ... so here you go!

Tim Hecker at St. Alban's

Well, it certainly sounded good.

No comments: