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We're two days into the Sonic Circuits Festival and it's already been an interesting experience. We've seen bicycle pumps used as instruments (Twilight Memories of the Three Suns), a classically trained vocalist snort like a Beluga Whale (Thomas Buckner) and one of our anticipated picks (Odal) a no show due to missing equipment. We've also seen virtuosos make good on their acclaim (Elliot Sharp, 21st Century Ensemble) and discovered some local artists that we were embarrassed to have been missing all this time (Blue Sausage Infant). There's still four days more of hisses, squeals and mind-bending entertainment. Our preview and picks for the coming weekend can be found after the jump.
FRIDAY
Where: Pyramid Atlantic
When: 7:30 p.m.
Price: $15
Who: Evan Parker & Ned Rothenberg duo (saxophone duo)
Bicameral Mind (droney vocals and sampled sounds)
Janel and Anthony (experimental guitar and cello)
David Daniell (dream-like guitar)
Who we’re most excited to see: Evan Parker & Ned Rothenberg. Evan Parker can make some rather absurd noises come out of his saxophone but it's always captivating. David Daniell comes in close second, though since anyone who has played with a member of Tortoise automatically has our attention.
Who's most likely to make us reach for our earplugs: Bicameral Mind. Less because they're loud, more because the gurgling droning vocals might drive you crazy. The loudest act on the bill might also be Parker.
SATURDAY
Where: Velvet Lounge
When: ALL DAY! 2 p.m.-2 a.m.
Price: $20
Who: Jandek (acoustic guitar backed by improvised rock band)
Kotra (harsh noise)
Northern Machine (competing bass and synth)
Qfwfq Duo (digital sounds and accompanying visuals)
Ayyoko Confidential
(sensuous dream-like electronics with visual accompaniment)
Ige*Timer (double bass and hacking toys)
Jeff Carey (electro multi-instrumentalist)
Tim Hecker (ambient electronics)
Gunter Hampel European Trio w/Elliott Levin (saxophone led free jazz trio)
Blevin Blectum (costumed singer with avant-garde digital sounds)
Fckn Bstrds (loud electronics meets contents of trash can)
Soft Pieces (digital improv)
Olivia Block & (digital and acoustic noise compositions)
Pilesar (percussionist dabbling with effects pedals)
Ergo (melodic electronics)
Second Land (improvised audio-visual collective)
Sean Peoples (ambient and minimalist noise)
strong>Who We're Most Excited to See: Jandek. He (they?) rarely perform live and the intrigue factor is extraordinarily high. However, there are several other exciting artists on this bill. Tim Hecker's ambient meandering electronics is one of the prettier sounding acts on the bill. We’re also highly anticipating the free jazz trio led by Gunter Hampel.
Who's Most Likely to Make Us Reach for Our Earplugs: Fckn Bastards. Oh don’t get us wrong, we’re very much looking forward to seeing trash combined with electronics, but we don’t doubt that it’ll make our eardrums bleed. Other bands on this bill that will probably do some aural damage: Kotra and Northern Machine
SUNDAY
Where: Black Cat
When: 8 p.m.
Price: $15
Who: Faust (Krautrock pioneers)
Rat Bastard, Chris Grier, Ulrich Krieger (experimental rock with unconventional instrumentation)
HEALTH (LA noise rock)
Pekka Airaksinen (psychedelic noise)
Alexei Borisov & Anton Nikkila (laptop produced sound)
Who We're Most Excited to See: Faust. Rarely does the opportunity come to see a band who has directly or indirectly influenced so many of the bands we listen to and cover here. Radiohead? Sonic Youth? Animal Collective? All owe a debt to Faust.
Who's Most Likely to Make Us Reach For Our Earplugs: HEALTH. The incredible noise rock band thrives on absurd amounts of energy and screeching guitars and samples. It's not altogether rare for singer Jake Duszik to match that guitar screech vocally, either.
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U P D A T E
ODAL has been rescheduled and added to tonight's line-up at Pyramid Atlantic.
Pyramid Atlantic
8230 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring MD
Metro: Silver Spring - Red Line
Doors: 7:00 p.m.
Music: 7:30 p.m. sharp
$15.00