live event archive
burst couch #1
scubar (manchester) - saturday 23rd february 2002
featured:
DISCO OPERATING SYSTEM
VILLA 21
ILLUMINATI
BESS KELOID
B-FAB UK
MILD MAN JAN
Burst couch #1 kicked off in an ambient mood with the electronic sounds of Gareth Bibby's Disco Operating System. Loops, tapes and voices impregnated the DOS trademark sound which was warmly received and a suitable introduction to the first burst couch event. Next up, Villa 21 greeted the audience to a controlled abstract digital sound experiment, layers of sound enveloping each other. Illuminati performed trademark abstract melodic electronics, featuring tracks from cdep1. Bess Keloid followed with live guitar improvisations and dada leanings. Gary Robert Kelly (aka Bess Keloid) is carving out a very individual musical path and always performs an unpredictable and interesting show. B-Fab UK, who are a 3 piece improvised lo-fi rock trio performed a selection of songs from their 3 inch cd releases out on the super volcano label. Best described as a stripped down skeletal sound comprising 2 guitars, bass guitar and vocals, their set and their music in general focuses on dynamics and interesting key arrangements. Mild Man Jan (Spencer Marsden) closed the first burst couch event with a sound conglomeration of beats, abrasive sounds and electronic signals. The show finished at 1.30am and everyone went home happy bunnies.
burst couch #2
scubar (manchester) - saturday 5th april 2002
featured:
ANDI CHAPPLE
MAGIC CITY
TRICLOPS
Q - CAR
TELE:FUNKEN
Burst couch #2 started at 10pm in sample heaven as Andi Chapple played a subtle and beautiful set, using many sources of sounds and apparent classical music samples. Fresh from a creative jazz orchestra tour, Andi's music captivated the audience. Within 10 minutes of the close of Andi's set, Magic City took the controls. In fact, he practically ate the controls in what can only be described as the loudest sound plunderphonics ever heard in a small venue. Switching channels on his mixer, Richard 'Magic City' Carman's music is a hypnotic, multi genre sampling experience - pure sound vertigo at extreme volume.....it's a good job the walls are thick and Manchester airport's flight path didn't cross the sonic interference path of Scubar that night. The audience spent 20 minutes clearing their ears before Triclops took them on another sonic journey from ambient church music to improvised electronic power trio sound. Q-Car completed the trio of noisy acts on the bill and produced a set of rock songs, albeit with energy, conviction and purpose. The audience appreciated the trio's sound and the band ended on a raptuous response. Tele:Funken closed the night to, unfortunately, a dwindling crowd, with a wonderful performance of inventive electronic music. Tom Fenn entertained the crowd with his guitar-keys and sound lab approach. The show finished at 1.00am and everyone went home very happy bunnies, but deaf.
burst couch #3
scubar (manchester) - saturday 15th june 2002
featured:
LEE PATTERSON
OPAQUE
FLOACH
VILLA 21 EXPERIENCE
+ Spike Jones musical interludes
THANKS TO SHANNY/FLOACH FOR HIS REVIEW :
Lee Patterson opened the night with a live rendition of his half of the 'HEATWORKS' c.d. Mini G-clamps, crocidile clips and contact microphones was the apparatus which he used to bring the sound of burning sparklers. The room was deadly silent whilst it was happening and Lee just kept on burning those sparklers. It was a kind of 'whooshing' sound that it made. As the last sparkler was fizzling out people were ready to applaud but Patterson gestured everybody to carry on listening. What followed was the sound of the metal sparkler rods cooling down thru' the contact mics. Cranking, clicking, popping and creaking. Superb!! Opaque stepped up after Lee and gave it hell. Swopping instruments and thrashing guitars like it ain't no thing. Although, a melodious side to te group can be heard at times it was a great set and are definatley a band to look out for. Floach was next up doing his mix of jazz, techno and modified tuntable guitar (dubbed the 'plattar') bashing anarchy. Finally Villa 21 Experience arrived. An unsubtle blend of ambience, broken mixers thru' broken FX peddles and mini disc dribble which culminates into the most awesome noise experience. Gradually inviting members of the other bands to join in the noise fest, a near hour of the most disgusting din you could ever
THANKS TO GRAHAM FOR HIS BRAINWASHED REVIEW :
Acting-Mayor Wrongbrain Wilson's Piccadilly Fountain Coup was typically smarmy and bloodless. Outside Ryderclone Robots mopped up the last disciples of Joy Davidson and carted them off to Madchester Theme Park Quiz Show retraining camps to be drilled with the poetic mantra, "Used to strangle kittens, now yer clever!" Dodging the potato headed E-pushers and pissed up summerlove flushpuppies on Oxford Rd and diving into the cellar of Scubar, the monthly Burst Couch was found to be quite literally igniting. A hush descended and all eyes and ears were trained on flickering flash and haunting hiss. Lee Patterson had close-miked some sparklers and the sound they made as they burnt was an eerie one indeed. When would the last jolt judder? Cartoon black and white 1920s movie intermissions and recorded howls of canned laughter bridged a gap with Opaque trio at the other end. They'd travelled down from Glasgow to kick up an exuberant free rock racket. Swapping guitar, bass and drums between bursts of killer riff splatter, they made quite an impression (and not just that ol' Sonic Youth comparison). Their 'Go Now New' 7" single, split with the overdoom metal of Wuzor, formed a short reflection of their performance which petered down to a solo bass noiseblast after the drums had been more or less trashed and used as oversized guitar plectrums. Acid Al could be seen at the bar flashing yellow vinyls and muttering curses upon Czech goat herders, but it wasn't long before Floach hooked up his beat gadgets and bastardised the can-can in a way that would seem right at home on the Hot Air label. He played a bit of bass guitar to root his choppy rhythms, which freshly skirted around (h)electro cliche. The Villa 21 Experience was a big noise jammer to see the party off with a bang. Spinning around the stroppy no-input mixer feedback of Villa 21 were his guests Lord Pendro on bass and Disco Operating System on guitar (retiring early). Floach and Bess Keloid shouted irreverent obscenities into the mikes and various drunken audients picked up stray discarded instruments to have a bash. A chaotic onslaught ensued, ending with Keloid at the Opaque drum kit and Pendro's bass burping as Villa 21 jumped on the table to trash his effects pedals with a mad glint in his eye.
burst couch #4
scubar (manchester) - saturday 17th august 2002
featured:
DANIEL WEAVER
nCr
JOHN THOMAS
3D TANX
MARK PILKINGTON - THOUGHT UNIVERSE
Burst couch #4 started at 10pm with minidisc/turntable eclectic DJ- ing from Daniel Weaver. Throughout the evening between the other acts, Daniel presented music ranging from Ornette Coleman to Northern Soul with a touch of control trickery involved. nCr started their set with a fake video link to their friends performing in nearby Offerton. Following this, they mulched, melted down and tripped the audience out on a mixture of ambient songs, noisy rock out (smoke on the water) and mangled rap (21 seconds to go). Next up, John Thomas (Tom Sudall) took the controls and presented an interesting 30 minute journey through abstract electronics, treated vocals and irregular beats. At 11.45pm, 3D Tanx hit the rock switch and blasted the place into psych-out progressive pop song territory. The band, from Lancaster, offer an interesting mix of 60's, 70's and Krautrock influence and are entertaining to watch live. Mark Pilkington closed the evening with his trademark electronic sounds from the Thought Universe label. Inventive beats, bleeps and keyboard parts make up his music. The show finished at 1.30am and everyone went home drunken bunnies.
burst couch #5
green room (manchester) - thursday 14th november 2002
featured:
ILLUMINATI
DISCO OPERATING SYSTEM
BEAT SCIENCE
TRICLOPS
+ films by HOLLOWSPHERE
apologies - STAHLGREN & FERGUSON
Burst couch #5 started at 9pm with minidisc/radio/high-low frequencies from Illuminati, including a cut up Brel tribute amongst others. Next up, Disco Operating System took the controls and presented an interesting 30 minute journey through abstract electronics and surveillance film soundtrack. At 10.40pm, Beat Science presented a set of cover versions with a difference - including Warm Leatherette and These Boots Were Made For Walking....top stuff indeed. Triclops closed the evening with trademark electronic soup racket sampling in an analogue salad mix.....my ears are still recovering. Throughout the evening, Hollowsphere presented films for each act,,,,,nice job Adie. The show finished at 12.30am and everyone went home deaf bunnies.
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