We look forward to next year. A bigger and more diverse event that will include new programming is already in the planning stages. Be on the look out for announcements.

A special thanks to Amy Eriksen and the Angels Gate Cultural Center team.

See you and hear you in 2019!

RSVP for soundpedro 2019! and subscribe to our mailing list.

Here are some highlights from soundpedro 2018.

Radio Machine Magazine

Each member of Radio Machine Magazine constructed his own sound station that consisted of sound effects pedals, home made pedals, tapes, tape loops, synths, various amps, speakers, amplified metal scrapes that were fed into light organs. They improvised to create a texture of sound that amplified the spirit of the surroundings. Performing on a old military bunker in front of a sacred Native American burial site with a view of the ocean provided energy that powered these artists.

Steven Speciale and Loyola High School

Steven Speciale's Loyola High School Music Appreciation students' presentation of Automaton Bricolage Cogitating at the 2018 soundpedro was the culmination of a year-long project. Starting with a free Craigslist piano, they performed George Maciunas' Piano Piece #13 in which they nailed down the keys of the piano. Then, after covering the instrument in a dada-inspired collage, they wrote Musique Concrete from the original piano sounds and broadcast them into the original instrument. They recorded the sympathetic vibrations inside the piano paired with reactive visuals to underscore the music. The piano was wired with solenoids to create the automaton they brought to soundpedro. It was so satisfying for him to see his students receive such wonderful validation from family, friends and participants at the festival. The gratitude from the parents and compliments from participants has inspires Speciale and his students and has motivated them to create something special for next year. Speciale was named to the new cohort of Art21 Educator for 2018-2019.

WikiGong

This year Dave and Jacob of wikiGong with their piece Aeolus Woke invoked the Greek keeper of the winds with six electric wind-harps and a ritual painting after dark. Fixed on a derelict fence overlooking the Korean Bell of Friendship, each harp swiveled like a weather-vane, funneling the Pacific wind over eight tuned nylon strings to give it voice. The resulting songs were combined, looped, and amplified throughout the evening using a conventional sound system. The twenty-four foot red circle at the center of the installation became the focus of live action late in the evening. A fanciful likeness of Aeolus emerged in black over the course of forty minutes. Interestingly, visitors by daylight had treated the otherwise-blank red canvas as a no-step zone; yet once a deity's face appeared, many chose instead to walk on, dance across, or even sit on the circle and dangle their legs into space. It may be that inhibitions dissolved as the evening wore on...but perhaps old gods are just so fated.

Brian and Ryan

soundpedro 2018 was Brian and Ryan's first time participating in a FLOOD sound art event. "We really enjoyed being a part of this sound-art event, and Angels Gate is an amazing space-perfect for this type of performance exhibit," said Brian and Ryan. They reported that the audience was eager to interact with them. They collected some incredible stories about San Pedro and the surrounding communities. The ocean wind also provided a unique ambient background sound to all the interviews. They ended up collecting about 20 stories in the short duration of the show.

This was their third recording of a cityscape for the "Sound Collection Helmets" in what will become an anthology of several cities across America. They plan to have the oral stories up on their web site at www.brianandryan.com this fall and they are looking forward to next year's event.

The Laptop Collective

The Laptop Collective presented "A Poem is a City of Poets," a sound/video installation performed by the ensemble with laptop interaction, live processing, electric guitar, and electric bass. Audiences witnessed the ensemble's creative encounter with 2 San Pedro artists: Charles Bukowski and the Minutemen. With spectacular vistas towards the Pacific horizon to the west and within earshot of the installations and performances to its south and east, the venue proved to be ideal for the work both sonically and visually.

"A Poem is a City of Poets" turned out to be a compelling encounter and treatment of materials by both Bukowski and the Minutemen within the broader idea of a collaborative artistic exploration of the geographies these artists inhabited, both physical (around San Pedro) and metaphysical. Audience members especially appreciated the level of sophistication and the multidisciplinarity demonstrated by the work and the performers.

SASSAS

Because the soundShoppe performance was one continuous piece that ran the entire length of the event, it was difficult for the performers to visit the other artists' installations. But Don Lewis reports he did take a break and walked around outside to clear his head. Along the way, he met a friend, had some good conversations conversation, then returned to the soundShoppe to continue the piece.

Synth Lab

SynthLab had some great performances. It was their first time in the Artillery Theater, and the quad PA system sounded great and they met so many interesting artists, and had lots of great conversations! Univac provided the wonderful lighting. You can watch videos of their soundpedro 2018 performances here. SynthLab will be putting a concert of drone music in surround, at CSULB, in the Danial Recital Hall on October 19th at 8:00 PM. The show is free, but there will be a fee for parking. They are looking forward to next year.

phog-masheeen

phog masheeen is playing at and producing their own event, Phogust, which will also be at Angels Gate Cultural Center in the Battery (round cement area) on August 18th. It features performers that Build, Bend or Appropriate the instruments that they perform with.

They will also be at the Norcal Noisefest in Sacramento on On October 5th and Wonder Valley Experimental #11 on March 30th 2019 at the Palms in Wonder Valley.

Other Related Events

While you are here we wanted to tell you about some other sound art events happening in Southern California

Michael Masaru Flora & RM Francis at OCCCA

Michael Masaru Flora & RM Francis West Coast Tour will stop at Orange County Center for Contemporary Art (OCCCA) on August 24th, 2018 at 8pm.

Michael Flora is a Minneapolis-based sound artist. His interest is in the exploration of sound via research and artistic practice. Working within the intersections of art, science, music, and mathematics, he creates pieces that examine sonic morphology, spatialization, and human perception. Composition is realized through a combination of various digital synthesis methods and processing of recorded sounds. Work is often presented in site-specific multi-channel installations and performances which reveal the unique sonic footprint of the space and allows for the choreography of sound through speaker placement and animation of movement. Flora’s practice has included recording, performance, installation, video, choreography, and curatorial projects. His work has been presented at Stanford University ’s Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA), St Cloud State University (Minnesota) as well as clubs, galleries, theaters, warehouses, and universities throughout North America. His latest recording “X i ” w as published by Minnesota-based label Sympathy Limited. michaelmasaruflora.com

RM Francis is an artist based in Seattle working with computer-generated sound via recordings, installations, and performances. His work is primarily informed by historical electroacoustic practices and posthumanist philosophy. He has presented his work at numerous festivals in the US, including Debacle in Seattle, 2 Day in Portland, Diffusion in Baltimore, and Human Festival in Philadelphia. His work has been released on DRAFT, Agents of Chaos, and atrium. His 2017 release Hyperplastic Other, a multimedia work utilizing chocolate and sound, is published by nada. Francis is also a member of Mesh Collaborative, a computer music ensemble employing network architecture to explore novel modes of collective authorship and human-machine interaction.
rmfrancis.net

Soundwave Fest

Soundwave Fest brings the audio component to the Santa Ana Artwalk in the Historic District on October 6th, 2018, from 6pm to 10pm. This one-night experimental sound event re-visions the concept of the legendary Long Beach SoundWalk, infusing the Santa Ana Artwalk with sound art, video projections and installations in expected and unexpected areas.