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Jun 012016
 
Tony Youngblood's Blue Box Pod In Progress

Tony Youngblood’s Blue Box Pod In Progress

The wonderful Sara Lee Burd (who was just named Executive Director at Seed Space) interviewed me about Modular Art Pods for the June edition of Nashville Arts. Check it out here.

Modular Art Pods takes place at OZ Arts Nashville during their OZ Art Fest, June 21 through 25 with a special Thursday Night Things performance June 23 from 6 to 9 p.m. Learn more at ModularArtPods.com.

Jun 012016
 

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Leave it to FMRL Arts to book another music legend. On Monday, June 13th at American Legion Post 82, they’re hosting multi-instrumentalist Joe McPhee and The Omnipotent Egyptians.

The group is basically a combination of McPhee and The Universal Indians (John Dikeman, Johnny Runderstuk, Talsiman Oosterpark).

From Joe McPhee’s website bio:

Joe McPhee, born November 3,1939 in Miami, Florida, USA, is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, improviser, conceptualist and theoretician. He is currently the member of Trio X, Survival Unit III and has collaborated with Pauline Oliveros, Peter Brotzmann, Evan Parker, Raymond Boni, The Thing, Trespass Trio, and Universal Indians among many others. With a career spanning nearly 50 years and over 100 recordings, he continues to tour internationally, forge new connections and reach for music’s outer limits.

More info on the Facebook event page.

FMRL presents Joe McPhee & The Omnipotent Egyptians
Monday, June 13th, 9 p.m., $15-$20 sliding scale admission
@ American Legion Post 82, 3204 Gallatin Pike, Nashville, Tennessee 37216

Jun 012016
 

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Immersive art alert! abrasiveMedia always hosts innovated shows, and FOSSILS is no exception. The event takes place June 4, 2016 from 6 to 9 p.m. during the June Arts & Music @ Wedgewood / Houston.

From the press release:

Sarah Saturday is a performer and songwriter also known by the moniker of Gardening, Not Architecture. Celebrated for experimentation since her solo career began in 2007, her new collaboration, FOSSILS, with filmmakers Dycee Wildman, Jonathan Rogers, and Motke Dapp is no exception.

This feature length film collaboration made to accompany her album of the same title screened at her album release party in 2015 at The Crying Wolf to local acclaim and will be taking on a new life for June’s Art Crawl at abrasiveMedia on June 4th. The installation will include the series of paintings by L.A. Bachman (on loan from Rymer Gallery) that were commissioned for the film, as well as footage of the performance by contemporary dance company Numinous Flux that was choreographed to accompany the album. The result will be an immersive sensory experience designed to invite the viewer and listener to enter the world curated by Sarah and Dycee. Contributing artists include: Gardening, Not Architecture (Musician), Dycee Wildman (Filmmaker), Jonathan Rogers (Filmmaker), Motke Dapp (Filmmaker), Rachel Tolbert (Choreographer), Laura Valentine (Numinous Flux Choreographer), L.A. Bachman (Rymer Represented Artist). We invite you to join this unique event at abrasiveMedia.

More info on the Facebook event page.

FOSSILS: A 360 Degree Audio/Visual Experience
June 4, 2016,  6-9 p.m., free show, all ages
@ abrasiveMedia – 438 Houston Street, Suite 257, Nashville, TN

 

Apr 132016
 

CBBLanyard

Circuit Benders’ Ball is a biennial celebration of hardware hacking, free culture, art, and the creative spirit. I’ve been running the show since the festival’s inception in 2010. The three-day event at Fort Houston in 2014 was our biggest and best yet. We have a venue lined up for September 2016, and we’re preparing to send out calls for participants. There’s just one thing we need:

A new producer.

I’ve reached the unfortunate conclusion that with all the other things on my plate, most notably Modular Art Pods @ OZ, I won’t be able to devote the time necessary to put on CBB. I’d still like to pitch in, perhaps even finally perform at the fest, but I’m looking for someone else to take the reins. So, what would this involve?

The 2016 CBB producer would be responsible for:

  • Assembling the lineup of performers, visual artists, workshop teachers, and presenters.
  • Fundraising. Seeking money through sponsorships, funding drives, pre-sales, etc.
  • Building a team of volunteers to help with all aspects of the show.
  • Negotiating and fulfilling payment/travel expenses with the venue and artists.
  • Finding places for the touring artists to stay.
  • Promotion.

I won’t lie. The hardest part is the money. The organizing side of CBB has always been all-volunteer, from the producer to the visual art directors to the sound engineers to the ticket takers. After expenses, all of the funds have gone to the touring performers, although never as much as they deserve … and never enough to properly compensate the local performers. We’d love for that to change this year.

This would also mean that you, the incoming producer, would also be volunteering your time. You may be able to strategize ways to increase revenue and allow enough for a producer’s salary. If you can make that happen and still fairly compensate the performers, more power to you.

I would make myself available to answer any of your questions and help out in any way I can.  You would have free rein to run the festival as you see fit, except for the following core rules:

  • Performances must involve circuit bending, creative coding, instrument building, or modular rigs (especially if the modules are homemade or heavily-modded). In the past, we’ve also included music made with Gameboys because of the homebrew cartridges.
  • Producers must be committed to inclusivity. Producers should seek out a diverse lineup of performers that include women, people of color, people with disabilities, and people in the LGBT communities.
  • The Code of Conduct should reflect that spirit of inclusivity by fostering a safe environment for all guests.

The new producer will be chosen by me and group of past CBB staff. A producer that lives in or near Nashville, TN is heavily preferred. If selected, you will produce the 2016 edition, and if all goes well, you’ll have the option to produce future editions. Interested parties should e-mail me at tonyyoungblood@gmail.com.