Somewhere up there

A week or so after catching the ENchanters I headed back to House of Targ for some electronic action at its regular "Switched On Synths" night. First up was Hay Montagne Mystique, who I caught at another SoS back in 2017 facing off with label-mate Me Float. Here's HMM1



More keyboard action!



Vocal action!



Next up, some modular action from the excellent Paraphonique1



And so on!



Spacecloudsfilter wrapped things up with a killer set.



Vocal action!



Adjusting action!



And so on!



Another fine installment.

Around the world

In mid-September I walked over to the House of Targ for some Switched On Synths action, headlined by Berlin's Nina, aided and abetted by Toronto's Parallels, with an opening set from local synthwave newcomer Frame Perfects. Here's FP!



And so on!



Parallels (a.k.a. Holly Dodson) performed next, with her usual fine mid-1980s synth-pop style.



More Holly!



Keyboard action with Radiowolf!



Holly looks on!



Zing!



Keyboard action!



Gesticulating action!



Nina performed next, she was accompanied by fellow electronic artist Laura Fares (drummer and Aztec Records head), for some Trans-Atlantic action (Nina's from Berlin, Laura's from Buenos Aires, they're based in London)!



Singalong action!



Nina reaches out!



Laura hits!



Gripping action!



More Laura!



Keyboard action!



More singalong action!



Fun stuff all around.

All that's left

Back in mid-March I slogged over to the House of Targ for yet another edition of Switched On Synths, their Legends edition. Indeed, headliners Radical Youth and Attrition have been soldiering in the fields of synth for decades. Opener Subterranea, who also does backing vocals for Attrition, started things off.



The other side of Subterranea!



And so on!



On to Rational Youth ... I think this must be the third (fourth?) time Ive seen them in recent years. Here's Tracy, making a point!



Kilted action!



Keyboard action with Gaenor!



Rational action!



Singalong action!



Darkwave and industrial Martin Bowes is one of those musical lifers, in addition to producing a slew of Attrition albums over the years (with and without other members), he also teaches music tech, produces and masters work by other artists (including Rational Youth). He sounded pretty good during this duo performance; here he is with some handheld smoke-producing gear.



Singalong action!



And so on!



Keyboard action!



More Subterranea!



More incense!



More keyboard!



Cool stuff all around.

Mechanical men

Mid-December I toddled over to the House of Targ for their final edition of Switched on Synths for 2018. It was a somewhat local affair with Hard Science, Infinity's Astrum and Ki joined by Paraphonique, who kicked things off.



Wired action!



And now on to another bloke staring intently at a lot of electronical thingamajiggery with Nick of Infinity's Astrum!



Analog action!



Adjusting action!



Next up, Ki, one of the many pseudonyms of international electronica star Paul Anthony.



More adjusting!



And so on!



Hard Science finished the night off. Here's Arturo!



More Arturo!



Really solid sets from everyone!