It Ain't Over
January 23, 2007
Hey folks,
I am still mulling over Art's Birthday events and have made notes for more post-part(y)um blogging. I missed video feeds from the various parties. I like being able to have a visual sense of parties going on all over the world. Even if the images aren't synched with the sounds, it still gives us a sense of where the sound is coming from. I crave the voyeuristic thrill of seeing other people's parties. We received a video feed from Austria on Sunday that was very satisfying, if somewhat static. Even amidst all this technology, it is the sensory experience I crave. I want to see the bodies across the ocean, and I want to experience what they are experiencing. I'm curious about the physicality of the sound. Where does it come from? What does the instrument look and feel like?
When performers are in a room, we like to know who is creating the stream of sounds we're hearing. My natural instinct is to separate out the sounds so I can see how they fit together. I have to fight the impulse to deconstruct the sound puzzle and then allow my brain to synthesize it again. Sometimes even the performers get confused where the sounds are coming from! That becomes part of the experimentation.
As I wasn't able to attend all the events, I would have liked to have watched and listened to the feed at home. For some reason, video feed didn't seem to be a priority in this year's festival. I really missed it. It's comforting to see groups of people performing and celebrating. For me, the link between body and sound is an essential part of this festival. The visual image helps me to put a face to a voice. I'm curious if anyone else feels this way. Is any body out there?
