logo
Also in this section:
Music Production: The Unindicted Co-Conspirators
10/18/2003 The Unindicted Co-Conspirators: Drywall XX: Equinox/Stone

Announcement
Performance artist/accordionist extraordinaire Steve Pellegrino and I are at it again, this time as part of one of his performance pieces under the umbrella of the Loose Organization of Surreal Ethereal Realists (LOSER). This one's a parable of life, work, the cosmos, and our place in it all, and Steve and I will be working with a drummer for the live soundtrack (an expanded improvisation based on John Coltrane's "Equinox"). Rehearsals have been a lot of fun, so come on out.
PFMI Melwood Screening Room, 477 Melwood Avenue, North Oakland, Pittsburgh. See directions here.

Report
A fun, if cold, evening. Steve and his crew were built the set and props over the last few days, and had some finishing work to do Saturday morning. I had a lot of CD burning to do in anticipation of the next day's New York gig, so I had plenty with which to occupy myself. I also figured I should pick up some hearing protection, extra cables, and extra adapters for that show, and I took a detour to Pianos 'n' 'at, a stop for coffee, and was down at the performance site at 2:00.

Beyond an arc barrier of leaves was an expanse of white sand. Beyond that, a tall wood and metal structure holding some lighting and the winch for the concrete blocks. Beyond that, about 20 feet back, was where we were setting up. Steve was already there, of course, as was Mike the drummer. Frank, who was Steve's partner in working out the staging, was there spreading the sand, and was eager to talk to me--we're apparently living in the same aesthetic neighborhood. Sounds like some good potential collaboration.

I set up by Mike, with the PowerBook up on a stand of his (this had worked well at our rehearsal), next to the submixer. Since I'd be required to switch back and forth between my PowerBook channel and the clean channel (or the Line6 channel, as I'm sending each channel to a different send), I brought the Morely A/B switch. Very useful little device. One problem, however, is that I've been noticing some noise from the mic pres in our little Yamaha submixer from whichever channel I'm not plugged into, so I'd thought to use my M-Audio DMP3 for the pres...but there wasn't enough room on the stand, and I'd have to go noisy.

One disadvantage of the rehearsal was that the sun was a bit too bright to see any of the LEDs properly on my gear, but I'd manage. We ran through the tune a couple times, and it felt pretty good, although I kept feeling like I wasn't following the structure appropriately. At no point did I really build the tonal cloud to the complexity that I do solo, so I was feeling as though I wasn't following the structure closely enough. In reality, this was probably best so that I didn't overpower anyone else.

It took us a while to get the balance right, as there was no PA for us, and we were at least sixty feet from the audience. I heard myself way louder than I heard Steve, but it worked better out at the audience point if he turned down and I turned up. The overtones I was building were getting to me and were certainly affecting Steve, so I pulled out the hearing protectors. (Apparently I'd given him quite the headache after the last rehearsal. It's the extreme high tones that get you.)

We did another couple of run-throughs, and then worked with the actress and actor. She was our timekeeper, making a statement and then dragging a chair through the sand, orbiting the winch structure while the actor dragged concrete blocks painted with planetary symbols back to the winch. The actress would then sit, read another portion of the libretto (during which time we'd get quiet), and then resume dragging the chair. After the fifth speech, I was to do a glitch delay thing, and the actor would drop a screen in front of the winch structure as backlighting came on.

For the initial couple of speeches, I'd just be playing the chords of the tune (Coltrane's "Equinox"), once per measure, on a backbeat. When the actress was speaking, I'd back off on the volume and do pinky swells for that measure. Gradually, though, I'd build the overtone cloud, a process I'd have to take carefully, because with the slow delay, our tones would stick with us for quite some time. It was looking to be about a 20-minute piece, and then we'd play Steve's "Drop Four," which is a piece of constant, diabolical chord changes that all work well with C, so I could just hang out on the white keys, as it were, and could build drones around them. Cool.

We covered some equipment, packed up more valuable stuff, and I took the PowerBook with me. I made it back to the set at 7:00, and got ready. With the relative darkness, it was of course much easier to see all the LEDs and the PowerBook's screen. Setup was fairly easy at this point, so after tuning, there was little to do but hang out. Ryan from the SCLF came by, as did our friend Mary Ellen. We had a large crowd, actually, so the energy was good. Our only problem was that it was getting cold. Well, that, and the fact that at 8:00, the parking lot lights came on, subtracting some of the drama from our lighting setup. Not ideal, but then it turned out to work reasonably well for video, and we'd have to roll with it.

The performance felt right--we got in the pocket and stayed there--but the pace of the overall structure was a lot quicker than we'd anticipated. I think the actress wasn't doing as many orbits as she had at rehearsal, leaving us less time for developing each section, and in ten minutes, it was over. I'd expected to do some delay glitches, but the only ones I'd had a chance to do were at the end; at no point did I have a chance to use the Line6 or do the multiple feedback loops. While my final glitches were fading, I reset the ring modulators to C, and we launched into "Drop Four." This, too, was over quickly, which was probably just as well because all our fingers were losing facility. I think Steve felt it most, because he had to do a chord change every beat. It went well, though, and we got a positive response from the audience.

The next forty minutes were spent breaking down the gear and the set, and soon Tom (a faithful audient of many of my shows) came forth; it turned out that he'd expected the show to be on typical delayed show time, and so missed the proceedings entirely. But hey--there were at least three video cameras, so I suspect there'll be some video format available sooner or later. There was an offer to hang out afterwards, but Patricia and I had to be up early, so we headed home to trip preparations and lots of CD burning.

Thanks to Steve, Frank Ferrarro, and the rest of the crew for making this happen, and to the PFMI for giving us the space to do it. It was great fun, and it looks like Steve, Mike, and I will be dropping into a studio sometime soon to record a longer version with some development.

Contact:

You can buy my music right now over the 'net at onezero music-- instant music at sensible prices. You can check out free samples before you buy, and there's a discount for buying full albums or EPs.

If you like shiny discs, CDRs are also available. Click below for details:
music at a distance 156
snwv: music at a distance 156
Buy online

music at a distance 155
snwv: music at a distance 155
Buy online

music at a distance 154
snwv: music at a distance 154
Buy online

music at a distance 153
snwv: music at a distance 153
Buy online

music at a distance 152
snwv: music at a distance 152
Buy online

music at a distance 151
snwv: music at a distance 151
Buy online

music at a distance 150
snwv: music at a distance 150
Buy online

music at a distance 149
snwv: music at a distance 149
Buy online

music at a distance 148
snwv: music at a distance 148
Buy online

music at a distance 147
snwv: music at a distance 147
Buy online

music at a distance 146
snwv: music at a distance 146
Buy online

music at a distance 145
snwv: music at a distance 145
Buy online

low-frequency filtered noise source
snwv: low-frequency filtered noise source
Buy online

music at a distance 144
snwv: music at a distance 144
Buy online

music at a distance 143
snwv: music at a distance 143
Buy online

music at a distance 142
snwv: music at a distance 142
Buy online

music at a distance 141
snwv: music at a distance 141
Buy online

music at a distance 140
snwv: music at a distance 140
Buy online

music at a distance 139
snwv: music at a distance 139
Buy online

music at a distance 138
snwv: music at a distance 138
Buy online

music at a distance 137
snwv: music at a distance 137
Buy online

ambience music festival, October 29, 2022
snwv: ambience music festival, October 29, 2022
Buy online

music at a distance 136
snwv: music at a distance 136
Buy online

music at a distance 135
snwv: music at a distance 135
Buy online

music at a distance 134
snwv: music at a distance 134
Buy online

music at a distance 133
snwv: music at a distance 133
Buy online

music at a distance 132
snwv: music at a distance 132
Buy online

music at a distance 131
snwv: music at a distance 131
Buy online

music at a distance 130
snwv: music at a distance 130
Buy online

music at a distance 129
snwv: music at a distance 129
Buy online

music at a distance 128
snwv: music at a distance 128
Buy online

music at a distance 127
snwv: music at a distance 127
Buy online

music at a distance 126
snwv: music at a distance 126
Buy online

music at a distance 125
snwv: music at a distance 125
Buy online

music at a distance 124
snwv: music at a distance 124
Buy online

music at a distance 123
snwv: music at a distance 123
Buy online

music at a distance 122
snwv: music at a distance 122
Buy online

music at a distance 121
snwv: music at a distance 121
Buy online

music at a distance 120
snwv: music at a distance 120
Buy online

music at a distance 119
snwv: music at a distance 119
Buy online

music at a distance 118
snwv: music at a distance 118
Buy online

music at a distance 117
snwv: music at a distance 117
Buy online

music at a distance 116
snwv: music at a distance 116
Buy online

music at a distance 115
snwv: music at a distance 115
Buy online

music at a distance 114
snwv: music at a distance 114
Buy online

music at a distance 113
snwv: music at a distance 113
Buy online

music at a distance 112
snwv: music at a distance 112
Buy online

music at a distance 111
snwv: music at a distance 111
Buy online

music at a distance 110
snwv: music at a distance 110
Buy online

music at a distance 109
snwv: music at a distance 109
Buy online

music at a distance 108
snwv: music at a distance 108
Buy online

music at a distance 107
snwv: music at a distance 107
Buy online

music at a distance 106
snwv: music at a distance 106
Buy online

music at a distance 105
snwv: music at a distance 105
Buy online

music at a distance 104
snwv: music at a distance 104
Buy online

music at a distance 103
snwv: music at a distance 103
Buy online

music at a distance 102
snwv: music at a distance 102
Buy online

music at a distance 101
snwv: music at a distance 101
Buy online

virtual thundersnow 2022
snwv: virtual thundersnow 2022
Buy online

music at a distance 100
snwv: music at a distance 100
Buy online

music at a distance 99
snwv: music at a distance 99
Buy online

music at a distance 98
snwv: music at a distance 98
Buy online

music at a distance 97
snwv: music at a distance 97
Buy online

music at a distance 96
snwv: music at a distance 96
Buy online

music at a distance 95
snwv: music at a distance 95
Buy online

music at a distance 94
snwv: music at a distance 94
Buy online

music at a distance 93
snwv: music at a distance 93
Buy online

music at a distance 92
snwv: music at a distance 92
Buy online

music at a distance 91
snwv: music at a distance 91
Buy online

music at a distance 90
snwv: music at a distance 90
Buy online

music at a distance 89
snwv: music at a distance 89
Buy online

music at a distance 88
snwv: music at a distance 88
Buy online

music at a distance 87
snwv: music at a distance 87
Buy online

music at a distance 86
snwv: music at a distance 86
Buy online

music at a distance 85
snwv: music at a distance 85
Buy online

music at a distance 84
snwv: music at a distance 84
Buy online

music at a distance 83
snwv: music at a distance 83
Buy online

music at a distance 82
snwv: music at a distance 82
Buy online

music at a distance 81
snwv: music at a distance 81
Buy online

music at a distance 80
snwv: music at a distance 80
Buy online

music at a distance 79
snwv: music at a distance 79
Buy online

music at a distance 78
snwv: music at a distance 78
Buy online

music at a distance 77
snwv: music at a distance 77
Buy online

music at a distance 76
snwv: music at a distance 76
Buy online

music at a distance 75
snwv: music at a distance 75
Buy online

music at a distance 74
snwv: music at a distance 74
Buy online

music at a distance 73
snwv: music at a distance 73
Buy online

music at a distance 72
snwv: music at a distance 72
Buy online

music at a distance 71
snwv: music at a distance 71
Buy online

music at a distance 70
snwv: music at a distance 70
Buy online

music at a distance 69
snwv: music at a distance 69
Buy online

PRFBBQ 2021
snwv: PRFBBQ 2021
Buy online

music at a distance 68
snwv: music at a distance 68
Buy online

music at a distance 67
snwv: music at a distance 67
Buy online

music at a distance 66
snwv: music at a distance 66
Buy online

music at a distance 65
snwv: music at a distance 65
Buy online

music at a distance 64
snwv: music at a distance 64
Buy online

music at a distance 63
snwv: music at a distance 63
Buy online

music at a distance 62
snwv: music at a distance 62
Buy online

music at a distance 61
snwv: music at a distance 61
Buy online

music at a distance 60
snwv: music at a distance 60
Buy online

music at a distance 59
snwv: music at a distance 59
Buy online

music at a distance 58
snwv: music at a distance 58
Buy online

music at a distance 57
snwv: music at a distance 57
Buy online

music at a distance 56
snwv: music at a distance 56
Buy online

music at a distance 55
snwv: music at a distance 55
Buy online

music at a distance 54
snwv: music at a distance 54
Buy online

Memphis Concrete 2021
snwv: Memphis Concrete 2021
Buy online

music at a distance 53
snwv: music at a distance 53
Buy online

music at a distance 52
snwv: music at a distance 52
Buy online

music at a distance 51
snwv: music at a distance 51
Buy online

music at a distance 50
snwv: music at a distance 50
Buy online

Thundersnow 2021
snwv: Thundersnow 2021
Buy online

music at a distance 49
snwv: music at a distance 49
Buy online

music at a distance 48
snwv: music at a distance 48
Buy online

music at a distance 47
snwv: music at a distance 47
Buy online

music at a distance 46
snwv: music at a distance 46
Buy online

music at a distance 45
snwv: music at a distance 45
Buy online

music at a distance 44
snwv: music at a distance 44
Buy online

music at a distance 43
snwv: music at a distance 43
Buy online

This Shore
snwv: This Shore
Buy online

music at a distance 42
snwv: music at a distance 42
Buy online

music at a distance 41
snwv: music at a distance 41
Buy online

music at a distance 40
snwv: music at a distance 40
Buy online

music at a distance 39
snwv: music at a distance 39
Buy online

music at a distance 38
snwv: music at a distance 38
Buy online

music at a distance 37
snwv: music at a distance 37
Buy online

music at a distance 36
snwv: music at a distance 36
Buy online

music at a distance 35
snwv: music at a distance 35
Buy online

music at a distance 34
snwv: music at a distance 34
Buy online

music at a distance 33
snwv: music at a distance 33
Buy online

music at a distance 32
snwv: music at a distance 32
Buy online

music at a distance 31
snwv: music at a distance 31
Buy online

music at a distance 30
snwv: music at a distance 30
Buy online

music at a distance 29
snwv: music at a distance 29
Buy online

music at a distance 28
snwv: music at a distance 28
Buy online

music at a distance 27
snwv: music at a distance 27
Buy online

music at a distance 26
snwv: music at a distance 26
Buy online

music at a distance 25
snwv: music at a distance 25
Buy online

music at a distance 24
snwv: music at a distance 24
Buy online

music at a distance 23
snwv: music at a distance 23
Buy online

music at a distance 22
snwv: music at a distance 22
Buy online

music at a distance 21
snwv: music at a distance 21
Buy online

music at a distance 20
snwv: music at a distance 20
Buy online

music at a distance 19
snwv: music at a distance 19
Buy online

music at a distance 18
snwv: music at a distance 18
Buy online

music at a distance 17
snwv: music at a distance 17
Buy online

music at a distance 16
snwv: music at a distance 16
Buy online

music at a distance 15
snwv: music at a distance 15
Buy online

music at a distance 14
snwv: music at a distance 14
Buy online

music at a distance 11
snwv: music at a distance 11
Buy online

music at a distance 10
snwv: music at a distance 10
Buy online

music at a distance 11
snwv: music at a distance 11
Buy online

music at a distance 10
snwv: music at a distance 10
Buy online

music at a distance 9
snwv: music at a distance 9
Buy online

music at a distance 8
snwv: music at a distance 8
Buy online

music at a distance 7
snwv: music at a distance 7
Buy online

music at a distance 6
snwv: music at a distance 6
Buy online

music at a distance 5
snwv: music at a distance 5
Buy online

music at a distance 4
snwv: music at a distance 4
Buy online

music at a distance 3
snwv: music at a distance 3
Buy online

music at a distance 2
snwv: music at a distance 2
Buy online

music at a distance 1
snwv: music at a distance 1
Buy online

Live at Thundersnow 2020
snwv: Live at Thundersnow 2020
Buy online

improvisations for guitar and delays
snwv: improvisations for guitar and delays
Buy online

80 84 88 92 Hz
snwv: 80 84 88 92 Hz
Buy online

Live at Garfield Artworks, February 14, 2011
The Bureau of Nonstandards: Live at Garfield Artworks, February 14, 2011
Buy online

Live at the Three Rivers Arts Festival, June 4, 2010
The Bureau of Nonstandards: Live at the Three Rivers Arts Festival, June 4, 2010
Buy online

Live at Garfield Artworks, November 30, 2010
The Bureau of Nonstandards: Live at Garfield Artworks, November 30, 2010
Buy online

Live at Garfield Artworks, October 27, 2010
The Bureau of Nonstandards: Live at Garfield Artworks, October 27, 2010
Buy online

Live on WRCT, March 23, 2009
The Bureau of Nonstandards: Live on WRCT, March 23, 2009
Buy online

Live at Morning Glory Coffeehouse, March 6, 2009
The Bureau of Nonstandards: Live at Morning Glory Coffeehouse, March 6, 2009
Buy online

The Furbies of Tibet: Live on WPTS, February 18, 2009
The Bureau of Nonstandards: The Furbies of Tibet: Live on WPTS, February 18, 2009
Buy online

The Bureau of Nonstandards
The Bureau of Nonstandards: The Bureau of Nonstandards
Buy online

piece for wave-field array
snwv: piece for wave-field array
Buy online

Thundersnow 2019
snwv: Thundersnow 2019
Buy online

With Guitar
snwv: With Guitar
Buy online

Live at the Black Forge, April 9, 2018
snwv: Live at the Black Forge, April 9, 2018
Buy online

Exorcism Meditation
snwv: Exorcism Meditation
Buy online

40 Hz for One Hour
snwv: 40 Hz for One Hour
Buy online

Day of Arcane Light
snwv: Day of Arcane Light
Buy online

Live Broadcast Series 4, Oct 5, 2017
snwv: Live Broadcast Series 4, Oct 5, 2017
Buy online

Live Broadcast Series 3, August 17, 2017
snwv: Live Broadcast Series 3, August 17, 2017
Buy online

Live broadcast series 2, July 20, 2017
snwv: Live broadcast series 2, July 20, 2017
Buy online

Live broadcast series 1, July 6, 2017
snwv: Live broadcast series 1, July 6, 2017
Buy online

for Memphis Concrète
snwv: for Memphis Concrète
Buy online

Live at Oscillate: Pittsburgh 2017
snwv: Live at Oscillate: Pittsburgh 2017
Buy online

Live at Thundersnow 2017
snwv: Live at Thundersnow 2017
Buy online

Live, January 28, 2017
snwv: Live, January 28, 2017
Buy online

Interstellar Radio
snwv: Interstellar Radio
Buy online

Howlers
snwv: Howlers
Buy online

Live at Black Forge, January 2, 2016
snwv: Live at Black Forge, January 2, 2016
Buy online

Output
snwv: Output
Buy online

Live, November 5, 2015
snwv: Live, November 5, 2015
Buy online

live at the Garfield Artworks, July 27, 2014
snwv: live at the Garfield Artworks, July 27, 2014
Buy online

Troy
snwv: Troy
Buy online

impulse
snwv: impulse
Buy online

Live at the Thunderbird Cafe, November 9, 2011
Maurice Rickard: Live at the Thunderbird Cafe, November 9, 2011
Buy online

Wave Space, Cleveland OH, September 16, 2011 4?:?34 PM?-?5?:?37 PM
snwv: Wave Space, Cleveland OH, September 16, 2011 4?:?34 PM?-?5?:?37 PM
Buy online

snwv
snwv: snwv
Buy online

Music for Dance
Maurice Rickard: Music for Dance
Buy online

Tell Ya One Thing And Then Some
Maurice Rickard: Tell Ya One Thing And Then Some
$5.00 US; $7.00 World.

Death Pig (Live, July 2, 2003)
Death Pig: Death Pig (Live, July 2, 2003)
$5.00 US; $7.00 World.

Circuits of Steel Tour 2003: Chicago, St. Louis, Muncie
Maurice Rickard: Circuits of Steel Tour 2003: Chicago, St. Louis, Muncie
$5.00 US; $7.00 World.

Guitar Clouds
Maurice Rickard: Guitar Clouds
$5.00 US; $7.00 World.

Lady of Pain: Live, June 2, 2003
The Unindicted Co-conspirators: Lady of Pain: Live, June 2, 2003
$5.00 US; $7.00 World.

Live at the Quiet Storm, November 2, 2002
The Stem Cell Liberation Front: Live at the Quiet Storm, November 2, 2002
$5.00 US; $7.00 World.

Blast
The Stem Cell Liberation Front: Blast
$4.00 US; $6.00 World.

Tell Ya One Thing
Maurice Rickard: Tell Ya One Thing
$3.00 US; $5.00 World.

How to get this music? Head on over to onezero music and get your hands on some downloads.

If you prefer CDRs, multiply the price listed above by the quantity of each CDR you want. You can email the funds to me using PayPal, by clicking on the link below. At the moment, I'm not taking credit cards. Put the following in your email:

Your name
Your mailing address
The quantity of each CDR. (Multiply by the prices above for your total.)

Click here to order.