Last Unsound performances. Held at Krakow Philharmonic - a large concert hall maybe 1 1/2 times the size of Adelaide town hall. First performance. A guy with some electronics and field recordings. Plus a pianist, violinist, tuned percussionist and tenor sax player I think. Field recordings play, giving a feeling of open space, maybe a forest, nothing distinct. Musicians creating dreamy textures. Dappled images of leaves or similar projected onto the back of the stage. I actually almost nod off at first but that's probably fall out from last night. I regain my focus and find it mesmerizing. The subtle interplay of electronic and "real" instruments works well.

Second performance. A guy with a guitar and some electronics. Plus a drummer with standard drum kit and a 12 piece string section. Guy with guitar starts making sounds. Drummer comes in with a light cymbal rhythm. The strings come in but indistinguishable as strings. Actually making sounds I've never heard before. Guy with guitar and drummer intensify. Turns into a full on jazz/rock improvisation but with electronic drones instead of electric guitar. Every now and then the strings come back in, but again with sounds unlike strings. Almost atonal. Pretty amazing, unlike anything I have ever heard. Not sure I liked it, but I really enjoyed the experience.

Leaving the hall it's the last time I'll see so many faces I have come to recognize, for people I have not come to know. Probably some really interesting people. I've lost the opportunity now. I'm very disappointed with myself.

Back at the apartment. One last tidy up before heading to bed. I have to be up earlyish to get to the airport.

Performance number 1 tonight was Pantha du Prince & The Bell Laboratory. The concert was in a hall at the engineering museum. The stage was set with all manner of tuned percussion, including a carillon.

20131020-191037.jpg

20131020-191049.jpg

The place was packed ... and boiling. When they started the 6 musicians came out bell ringing, dressed in what could be laboratory coats but not in a sterile or cheesy way, in an intentional and matter of fact way. They played a haunting melodic tune that floated over the audience. Then they retired to their positions on the stage.

As well as tuned percussion there was a full drum kit which I think was augmented with electronic beats. From the soft introduction they slowly built into a magnificent rhythm that was quite unexpected but really infectious. They played all of their various instruments to great effect and managed to whip the audience up into a gyrating mass.

Toward the end of their performance they returned to bell ringing and slowly walked off the stage and through the audience. You could hear the gentle ringing as the wove their way through the crowd. It was quite magical. They made it back to the stage to receive a massive applause. Obviously we clapped enough because they treated us to another energetic and rousing piece before finally ending their set.

It just happened to me again. A piece of music I know so well but for the first time I've heard some subtle detail I've never noticed before. This has been happening a lot over the last couple of days ... ever since the sleep concert. Surely not?

Final club night for Unsound back at Hotel Forum. Nap, good meal, caffeine and off I go. Three rooms. Two small ones and one massive room overlooking the castle with 4 massive screens showing live visuals. Brilliant sound, awesome music. Wander to the next room if you want a change. Recognize enough people to nod hello occasionally.

Dance dance dance wander dance dance oh wow dance dance wander dance dance dance little rest dance dance ah dance dance wander dance little rest dance dance is that the time all ready?

Sign by the road says 3.6 degrees! Warm in my coat though. Dragon breath. Stop for kebab on the way back.

Home 3:00 am. Happy. Not bad for an oldie.

I thought this afternoon was going to be a couple of hours of noise in a dreamy kind of chilled out way. It certainly started that way with Robert Piotrowicz sounding much better than he had in London. I don't know the name of the second artist as there was a late change. He picked up where Robert left off and turned the noise into some amazing beats ... I'd call them slightly a-rhythmic ... don't know if that makes sense though.

Then last was Pete Swanson (USA). He came out all guns blazing with this cacophony of beats and noise. Shortly after starting half the crowd came up onto the stage so they were madly dancing and jumping up and down all around him. It was infectious. Full on. I stood from the sidelines. That was close enough.

What a way to spend the afternoon.

I'm going to bed now for a nap. I intend to catch the final club night tonight so I need to recharge my batteries.

The last 24 hours have been a bit of an emotional roller coaster. A good sleep has helped somewhat. But a couple of other things made the biggest difference. I listened to my iPod, to the music I most enjoy. I felt a noticeable shift in mood almost immediately. And today I went walking to take pictures of the key venues. Along the way were some really interesting sights that I paused to capture. Again, I noticed a definite shift in mood as soon as I engaged my critical eye.

So music and being creative. Two sure fire ways to lift my spirits. It should come as no surprise. I do forget from time to time though.

So as I haven't been taking photos at performances I wanted to at least photo the venues. First up was St Catherine's church where Thursday night's performances had been. Hopefully you can get an idea of how massive the interior was.

20131019-123023.jpg

20131019-123035.jpg

Next was the Tempel Synagogue where Wednesday night had been held. Unfortunately the austere outside gives no indication of the richly decorated interior, especially the elaborate ceilings.

20131019-123143.jpg

20131019-123152.jpg

Nearby was the engineering museum. I haven't been to a performance there yet, but there will be one tomorrow. They were in the process of covering up the windows and setting up audio inside.

20131019-123434.jpg

On the other side of the old town was Kijow Centrum, the cinema where last night's performances had been, including the incredible laser show. I retraced my steps today and I had been so close all along!

20131019-123607.jpg

You can't see it so well, but this is the Narodowy Stary Teatr where Dean Blunt performed last night.

20131019-123753.jpg

20131019-123800.jpg

Lastly, this is the entrance to the space where the artist talks have been.

20131019-123843.jpg

Along the way there were many interesting sights. Here are my favorites.

20131019-123926.jpg

20131019-123934.jpg

20131019-123942.jpg

20131019-123950.jpg

20131019-123958.jpg

20131019-124008.jpg

20131019-124021.jpg

And I took this as a personal sign for me.

20131019-124056.jpg

Despite having some grey moments, I still saw some really cool things yesterday. The weather was drizzly at first so I stayed inside in the morning. At midday I went to a presentation on technology and artist rights. It was a very well put together presentation and he drew some interesting parallels with different technological advances over the ages. But he didn't present an awful lot I wasn't already aware of and left a few things open ended. Curiously, he ended with a quote from Douglas Adams that went kind of like this:

Technology that exists when you are born is natural. Technology that comes along from birth until you're 35 is new and exciting. Technology that comes along after you're 35 is against the natural order of things.

It's an interesting quote and I think the principle can be applied to a few things. I know some people who appear to behave this way. But I know just as many people who don't.

First performance of the evening was Dean Blunt presents The Redeemer. I don't know much about Dean Blunt other than he is part of Hype Williams. The press indicated that this performance would be a departure from his usual work and it would be primarily a vocal/lyrical piece he wrote after the breakup of a relationship. The venue was a theatre in the old town. A couple from the UK sat beside me so I plucked the courage to chat with them a little. Before long the smoke machines had been engaged and the theatre was filled with a fog and the stage was darkly lit. It remained this way for most of the performance and he sang from the shadows on the stage. Musically I liked it. The music was very loud, which was great for the music but it did mean that I found most of the lyrics unintelligible. That was a shame.

Shortly afterwards there was another performance at a venue I hadn't been to yet. I gathered my bearings and worked out where I would have to go. It looked easy so I didn't take my phone or reading glasses. When I got to where I thought I needed to turn off, none of the street names were familiar and without my phone or glasses I struggled to work out where I was. I tried getting assistance from bystanders. A few didn't speak English. The two that did gave me completely contradictory directions and appeared to find it difficult to point out where we were on the map I had! By this time I was starting to feel really lost and worried that I would miss the first performance. Then, the last person I spoke to indicated that the venue was very close. I walked a very short way in the direction he pointed and there it was. It had been in sight all along! Doh!

After composing myself I settled in for the performances. The venue was a cinema with a massive screen and stage area in front. First was Dream Cargoes. I had attended the artist talk the previous day which helped. It was a visual project with live music being played on a combination of electronics and string quartet. The work was inspired by the story of the same name by J. G. Ballard. The artist talk allowed me to make some sense of the visuals but the ending came so abruptly I was a bit stumped. How did they get that out of what they explained the other day? Oh well, it was still great though.

Next up was a new work, Lumiere, by Robert Henke. I was really looking forward to this. This is what the program said:

Lumiere is a radical sonic experience with a massive yet ephemeral visual counterpoint. Two powerful lasers draw shapes and ultra short pulses of light, whilst an autonomous audio engine creates rhythmic structures, grids of bass and spectral noise.

It was exactly that. Amazing! Jaw droppingly intense and hypnotic. Words just can't describe any more. The man is a genius.

There was another club night at Hotel Forum but I had already decided not to go. I needed a reasonably early night and I'll go to the Saturday night one instead.

So now I knew where I was I took the time to casually walk back to the apartment through the old town which was heaving with activity on a Friday night.

After the euphoria of "walking" home from the sleep concert the rest of the day, for me, was a bit of a mixed bag. I took my time getting organized in the morning. I wasn't all that sleepy, but I was ultra chilled. My first activity was to attend an artist talk for a performance coming up tonight. On one hand it was a bit odd listening to the artists explain something I knew nothing about, but on the other hand I think their explanations will help me make better sense of what I will see. I'll explain more tomorrow.

I'd intended to hang around for the next talk but felt the need for a quick nap to keep me going.

I returned a bit later to attend the artist talk from Robert Rich, master of the sleep concert. He was fascinating to listen to. His main area is sleep psychology ... music was more of a sideline, at least initially. He talked about the history behind the sleep concerts which he began in 1982 and elaborated a bit more on the intention behind last night's event. The real intent behind the concerts is to encourage people to listen closely to the music and focus on the tiny details. The only way Robert had been able to work out how to get people to sit and do that for long enough was to give them permission to sleep if they wanted ... hence the sleep concert.

The effect of having continuous aural stimulation for that long is that it prevents the listener from attaining deep sleep, but instead keeps them in the first stage of sleep where it's easier to recall details of the thoughts and images that appear in your head. I can attest to that with the details I was able to recall from my dreams.

While waiting to go in I chatted to a while with a chap from Holland. This is his third Unsound festival. I've been thinking that this probably won't be my last.

After some dinner I headed to the first evening event. It was a concert of two performances at a massive church, St Catherine's. The cavernous interior of the church was ideal for the styles of music being played tonight. Both involved heavy use of "loop pedal" technology to build up intricate evolving patterns and layers of vocals and instruments. I could appreciate the beauty of both artists. However, music created this way usually ends up being limited to a very narrow range of notes or chords, much like a round. This is partly a necessity due to the technology. For me, listening to piece after piece limited to such a narrow range of notes became monotonous. Strangely, earlier in the week I was really engaged in listening to "drone" music which was almost monotone. There is a difference but I can't quite put my finger on it yet. I left before the end of the second performance.

Afterwards was the first of what have been labelled the "club" nights back at the Hotel Forum. I decided to head there. The vibe was very different to the earlier night with heavy beats already pumping inside as the long queue patiently waited outside. I recognized many faces from events in the previous few days but it appeared we were to be joined by an equally large number of others, mostly younger.

I stayed to listen to two bands. Tralala Blip are from Australia and their brand of chaotic electro beats was really good. I loved their sound and aesthetic. They were followed by James Ferraro (USA) who's music was intense and dark with a lot of spoken voice lines repeated over thick bass lines and not so much rhythm. I liked it too. Forest Swords (UK) who I saw at Unsound London were next. I stayed to listen for a while but I wasn't really feeling it and I wasn't really enjoying the vibe of the place in general either. On reflection this morning I think maybe it was just tiredness but at the time the crowd felt a little aggressive to me so I decided to leave.

I've just floated back to the apartment after what must be the most incredible sensory experience of my life. Last night was the sleep concert. It began at midnight and continued through until 8:00 this morning. It was held in the main reception room of the Hotel Forum, an unused communist era hotel. We arrived in the dead of night with our sleeping bags, blankets, pillows and supplies. The room was softly lit. It was a large space and there would be 150 of us. We shuffled in and found our preferred spaces. I was there quite early so I found a great spot along one of the large windows. I could see the castle lit across the river. It would be a great scene to wake up to.

The music began on the stroke of midnight after a brief introduction and explanation by the artist, Robert Rich. I'm not sure to what extent he was playing or mixing but essentially he would be creating a unique performance for that night ... for 8 hours! I guess you'd call the music new agey. On its own you might even call it cheesy, at least to start with, but the sound system was great and there was depth to the music. It wasn't loud but it wasn't soft either. Through the night the music morphed and changed, melody turned to drone and back, subtle sounds came and went. Sometimes identifiable like dripping water or waves, sometimes indistinguishable.

I drifted in and out of light sleep. The sleeping bag was perfect and I was warm and so comfortable. We had been warned that we probably wouldn't fall into deep sleep. The music was too present and constant to allow for that. So we were kept in a half sleep state all night long.

At some point I put on my eye mask to help focus on the music. That was a great move because, to my surprise, when I removed it after what felt like a short doze the morning had arrived and I could just see the castle through the mist outside and heavy condensation on the windows. The last half an hour of the concert I lay awake. I may not have slept deeply but I felt more relaxed and refreshed than I can remember feeling in the morning for ages. I even felt a little joyously teary for a moment as I reflected on the amazing experience this room of strangers had shared.

As for dreaming, I can't say to what extent the experience affected my consciousness, but here's what I do remember:

I am a set of keys and I'm running away from my owner. At first it's more like a game of cat and mouse. I'm good at it. Every time he nearly catches me I dart away and escape. It starts getting more serious. He is chasing me more intently and I have to work harder to get away. And I do. I manage to escape and get far ahead of him.

I hide in some bushes and watch him. He's getting upset now, even distraught. He staggers into a nearby police station. I laugh to myself. "He's going to tell them that his keys have run away but keys can't run. They'll think he's been drinking and turn him away". But they don't turn him away. They listen intently and console him. They lead him inside and I think they believe him. I start to feel worried.

20131017-090436.jpg

One night, two Unsound events. First was "Ripple Eecfft" (no typo). A more classical program performed in an amazingly beautiful synagogue.

The first artists, Kwadrofonik, consisted of 2 pianists and 2 percussionists. They began by playing a number of their compositions ... and I was in love. They reminded me of Kurr in style. The second half of their performance was a 20th century piece that, while technically demanding, didn't really resonate with me. But even so, the combination of their sounds in those amazing and ornate surroundings was still quite sublime.

Second artist at the same event was Stefan Wesolowski. If I thought I was in love before ... then I was mistaken. His band included piano, violin, trombone, tuba, cello and electronics incorporating field recordings. I'm a sucker for strings at the best of times but, combined with haunting soundscapes, this was intensely stirring. I couldn't help but sway to the implied beat of their music. The combination of instruments (and amazing audio) was perfectly balanced. And again the environment enhanced what was already incredible. Half of the time I was taken away with my eyes closed to another place. And then when I opened my eyes I would see the depth, richness, history, tragedy and significance of the place we were so privileged to share. Humble.

I will write about the other event in my next post.

Today there has been the constant gentle patter of rain all day. It's made it very easy to stay inside and chill out. I did step outside for a little bit though. Walking through the park that surrounds the old town there was still the constant floating of leaves as they fall from trees but this time accompanied by the drizzle making a slightly slushy mixture on the ground. That might sound awful but I thought it was just beautiful. First off tonight is another performance but this time at a nearby synagogue. The music will be a little bit more classically oriented so I'm looking forward to the contrast from the previous nights.

Then, at midnight, it's the sleep concert. This is what the program says about it:

Robert Rich's San Francisco "sleep concerts" of the 1990s were legendary affairs, lasting throughout the night, but he has not performed this way before a live audience since 1996. Rich will work his magic inside the main room of the communist era Hotel Forum, lulling a vast room full of people to sleep, affecting their consciousness with auditory stimuli throughout an entire night.

I tried my best to lay in again today after another late night. I don't do it so well. Today's big task was to procure a sleeping bag for the sleep concert tonight (Wednesday). There is a large shopping mall not far from here that I thought might contain a sports store or similar. To get there I would need to walk through the Jewish quarter which had been on my to-do list also. I took a couple of pictures along the way.

20131016-090212.jpg

20131016-090227.jpg

20131016-090239.jpg

For some reason, the house in the middle was the place for pigeons to hang out.

20131016-090333.jpg

I've noticed a number of buildings with these types of designs on the facade.

20131016-090419.jpg

My journey took me further by the river. The view on the other side was quite beautiful.

20131016-090508.jpg

When unexpectedly I came across an upside down pig on the river! I assume it was an artwork but there was no signage.

20131016-090609.jpg

When I got to the mall there was one shop that did sell sleeping bags. They are more designed for outside camping so I'm a little worried that I might boil, but at least it should be comfortable.

20131016-090732.jpg

That took a lot of the day so when I got back I had another nap to try and get myself ready for another night of Unsound. Today there were some artist talks on in the late afternoon and I decided to go. While trying to find the room where the talks were I got talking to an older lady who is from Krakow but lives in Sydney now. She comes back every year. The first artist talk was by a photographer who has an installation as part of Unsound. The lady wasn't here for Unsound but was interested in the installation. Anyway, we got chatting about stuff but when her friend arrived I offered my seat and moved away. I'm kind of glad. She finished up being quite vocal and actually interrupted the artist with some odd questions. When actual question time arrived she almost criticised the artist for not satisfying her agenda. It was a bit awkward. Which is a pity because he and his work were fascinating. His name is Richard Mosse and the installation is a moving picture work on the ongoing violence in the Congo. It was really interesting to hear his techniques and the people (war lords) he managed to meet with. Ben Frost was involved also and put together the sound track. I'll visit the installation later in the week.

The second artist talk was from a musician Jenny Hval who was performing that evening. She was also very interesting for completely different reasons. It was quite intriguing hearing someone who appeared quite unassuming speak about her music when you have no idea yet what the music is like. I was really looking forward to her performance later on.

After a little dinner I headed to Manggha once again for yet another night of contrasts. First up was Jenny Hval (Norway). Musically she was more conventional than anything I've seen at Unsoud so far but that doesn't mean she was mainstream - far from it. Her music was a kind of pop/rock/punk mix and she sang. Her latest album title is "Innocence is Kinky" so I was a little disappointed I couldn't make out more of the lyrics - I suspect she'd have quite a bit to say. I think I'll check out more of her music online. Anyway, I really enjoyed her performance and the way she interacted with the audience. The crowd obviously loved her too.

Next was Innode (Austria?), two drummers and a guy "playing" electronic rhythms. Their music was entirely rhythmic and pretty much atonal. Quite a contrast from the previous artist. It was good though, I was able to really get into a couple of their pieces.

Last up was Fire! (Sweden) and their artist profile hadn't inspired me so I wasn't sure if I'd hang around. Their music was hard to describe but you could hear elements of psychedelia, jazz, punk, metal all in there working with and against each other. None of those are elements I'm particularly fond of but I'm discovering that the quality of the musicians, sound systems and venues is making a huge difference and I've found myself getting into music I wouldn't usually. So, I quite enjoyed these guys up until the very end when they got into a drawn out jazz improv that for me just became a bit self indulgent so I left.

So musically, each night has been quite different and I've enjoyed each for different reasons. It's just so wonderful to be able to get to evening and rock up at a venue to see what is in store for you, knowing that it's most likely unlike anything you've heard before.

When I left Manggha to walk back to the apartment there were still so many people out and about but a beautiful misty fog had fallen on the city. The castle looked magical as it's towers peered through. As Unsound is a no-photo event I didn't have my camera with me, but even if I'd had it I don't think I would have been able to capture that image faithfully.

After the very late opening night (or rather early morning), yesterday got off to a very slow start. I didn't wake up until around 9 which is extremely rare for me. Even then I was feeling pretty washed out. Luckily there was nothing major on my to-do list for the day. I have realized that my time in Krakow will probably be more evening/night orientated, so I shouldn't beat myself up if I don't fit much into the days as well. After a late breakfast and journal writing I eventually stepped out to a local shopping centre to get a few things. The weather was overcast and cool. I was feeling a little delirious from lack of sleep which made the journey a little challenging, but that feeling wasn't altogether unpleasant.

I didn't take any photos yesterday - a first for my trip so far.

Late afternoon I had a nap to try and restore my energy levels for the evening's performances.

Last night's shows were at the same venue, Manggha, so I knew how to get there and how long it would take. I felt a lot more at ease than when I had arrived the previous night - partly because the surroundings were now familiar and partly because my sleep deprived state has made me really chilled out (which is a good thing).

All three artists last night played instruments that were then treated and distorted to create unique sounds whereas Sunday had been more sample and synth based.

When I chose not to go to the last night of Unsound London I missed out on seeing Stara Rzeka (Poland) so I was glad to have the opportunity last night. He made heavy use of loop pedals to turn his guitar and vocal sounds into incredible textures that grew and erupted. The program dubbed his style as "magical brutalism" which was apt.

Nate Young (USA) was next and from the sample on his artist profile I hadn't rated him highly on my "to see" list. I decided to sit at the edge of the floor space instead of standing for this one. It's hard to describe his performance. I know I've probably made everything sound like noise, but that's a really big element of most of these artists. This one created big heavy dirty noise sounds and then morphed them and shaped them. I found it unexpectedly hypnotic and was really glad I'd chosen to sit. When he started I was sitting against the wall while most people were standing in front of me and through most of the performance I had my eyes shut. At one stage I opened my eyes to see many of the people in front of me had chosen to sit too and appeared to be in a similar meditative state.

Last was B/B/S which I think was a collaboration of separate artists. There was a guitar, bass guitar and drummer/percussionist. Their performance consisted of what appeared to be one long piece that rose and fell, twisted and turned. They started by using bows to sound cymbals, guitars, everything which created wistful sounds and the performance ended in the same way. In between there was some great rhythms from the drummer and layers of sound and noise from the other players. Some amazing earth shattering bass too - the kind that makes you feel like you just had a full body massage.

Three great performances that I really enjoyed. I was exhausted by the end though. I hope I'm going to make it though this week!

Note: I was unable to put links to the profiles for these artists today. I think the Unsound website might be down. If you're interested in learning of hearing any of the artists visit the www.unsound.pl/en website, click on the Unsound Krakow link at the top of the page and then click on the Artists link.

Last night was the opening night of the Unsound Festival and it was awesome. Two of the three events I attended in London were musically OK but failed to induce the feeling and atmosphere I experienced at Unsound Adelaide, but last night well and truly did. The performances were at Manggha, a theatre that is the Japanese centre of art and technology on the river. This is a picture I took during the day yesterday.

20131014-101425.jpg

First up was Anna Varadny (Poland). I saw her in London but last nights performance and the ambience of the space far eclipsed London. Her music consists of carefully and intricately layered drones and noise that create subtle beating and incredible textures. At the end of her performance as she peeled back those layers I recognized the sensation of coming out of a meditative state! She had taken me on a journey and it was brilliant.

After a short break the next artist was Mika Vaino (Finland). From his artist profile I was really looking forward to hearing him. As the program put it, he "combines force and restrain in his music to form a frightening unity". He was amazing, creating dense rhythms out of industrial scale noise punctuated with unexpected stabs and silence that delighted. The sound system rumbled with deep tones that resonated all through my body. Exactly the sensations I recalled and enjoyed in Adelaide. Definitely the standout of the night for me.

The final act was Tropic of Cancer (USA) and as much as I tried I couldn't get into them. They were much more mellow with massive reverb washed vocals. Not really my thing so I didn't stay to the end. The opening party at a club called Pauza had already started so I decided to go there instead. It was about 10:30 at this stage so I dropped by the apartment on the way for a quick pick me up coffee.

At Pauza there was a succession of artists and DJs playing. The club itself is downstairs and is like a catacomb of brick vaulted ceiling-ed rooms. It was already packed. The first couple of DJs were interesting but I had a feeling I wouldn't be staying long. That was until Philip Sherburne (USA) started. The best techno I have danced to in a long time. Every time I thought my time was up he pulled me in with another hook that got me dancing again. At the end I retired to one of the smaller rooms exhausted and finished up chatting to a guy from Finland in much the same situation as me, on his own. It was great to be able to debrief the evening with some one.

I finally called it a night (morning) at 3:30, grabbing a massive kebab on the walk back to the apartment! Needless to say I'm feeling a little shady today. I'm glad I did so much sightseeing yesterday, it takes the pressure off today.

So what has the title of this post got to do with all this? Well, being at the older end of the age scale of the audience, being solo and not knowing anyone, being an English speaker in a largely foreign speaking crowd ... all these things had made me feel very conspicuous when I arrived at the venue. But somewhere in the evening it dawned on me that all these same attributes also allow me to be anonymous, and that can be a really liberating feeling if I choose to let it be. So I resolved to embrace my anonymity this week.

And I totally agree with the comments regarding Lustmord. http://www.junodownload.com/plus/2013/10/07/unsound-london-in-review/

I came across this interesting article about the Krakow festival. There are also a couple of photos that I assume are from previous years. http://secretthirteen.org/unsound-festival-the-ticking-bomb-of-modern-sound-in-historic-surroundings/

If you're interested in a more eloquent review of some of the Unsound performances, here's a review from The Guardian. http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2013/sep/30/unsound-festival-london-2013-music

It's been a big weekend, so I'm a little behind in my posts. I'll catch up again soon. Saturday I decided to visit the Tate Modern to see what was on. Aside from the exhibits it's a really great space to visit and was another opportunity to soak up the London skyline.

20131001-071347.jpg

20131001-071357.jpg

20131001-071407.jpg

In the evening was Unsound London Night 3 at a small club near Elephant and Castle under the overhead railroad tracks. It was an early start for this type of venue and very "intimate". The first artist played mainly atonal noise soundscapes which weren't really my thing but were interesting to watch.

Robert Piotrowicz

Next up we're the Durian Brothers. By this time the venue was getting packed ... a little too packed for my liking, but I guess that's London. They were quite a contrast after the previous artist with their rolling rhythm and occasional melodic riffs. I really enjoyed them.

Durian Brothers

Last was the band I was most interested in seeing Forest Swords. Their music was something different again mixing great soundscapes, sometimes etherial and sometimes heavy, and even throwing the occasional dub step beats in.

Forest Swords

There was an after party at the same venue but I suspect the music would have been quite hard and I decided I was in the mood for something a bit lighter so I made my way to Vauxhall to "gay" things up a bit. I was intending to check out a bar I planned to visit Sunday but it had started to rain so I popped into the closest bar, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, instead. Once again, it was a packed venue, more than any I can remember visiting. But the crowd were very friendly and clearly having a great night. There was a bit of a floorshow happening at the time which was quite a laugh. A bit of a quiz show with three contestants on the stage competing with the audience. Last question was a blindfolded cake taste test ... how English.

Once the music started it was a bit of an eclectic mix but fun. Every now and then they played a crowd favourite ... with just about the whole place singing along! It was a great night. Lot's of fun and not like anything I've experienced in a long time.

Yesterday was a quiet day due to the late night before. Apart from a midday walk I lazed around the apartment. It was nice to not have an agenda. In the evening was Unsound London night 2 at LSO St Luke's. The first artist was Pianohooligan. The guy is from Poland and played a treated grand piano. Well, "played" isn't really the right word he more "danced" all over it getting all sorts of sounds from it. It was quite mesmerizing.

Pianohooligan

Next up was Lustmord who I saw at Adelaide Unsound. I wasn't that keen when I saw him then so I wasn't sure what to expect this time. Once the sound system kicked in though it was intense. I thought the sound quality in Adelaide was good but the bass last night was incredible - floor shakingly incredible.

Lustmord

Before the show there was a Q&A with Lustmord and it was great to learn about the technology he uses and some of his creative process.

Biggest surprise of the night was bumping into a friend Adam. It shouldn't have been a surprise as he's heavily involved in arts festivals and he introduced me to one of the Unsound co-curators.

Last night was the first night of Unsound London. It was a little daunting as I know no-one going to the events. I did my very best to chat to a few people though. Last night was Demdike Stare and Anna Zaradny. I saw Demdike Stare in Adelaide and recognized some of the performance but it was the first time I've seen Anna Zaradny. Both were wonderful and hypnotic. Afterwards I went to the after party downstairs in a small club in north London. Met a few people and had a good dance before finding my way home. All in all a good start to Unsound. It was a late night so having a very slow morning today though. Anna Zaradny