Music Programme Tickets Now On Sale

An adapted bagpipe with sympathy II, 1979. Photo © Phill Niblock

17.02.2012

MUSIC PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS

The Festival Music Programme runs from 1 – 28 March, a whole month of special concerts and new commissions, from time stretching to minimalism, to ambient and slow moving electronic music.

Don’t miss our Opening Weekend concerts, we’re especially excited to bring Yoshi Wadato the UK for the first time to create a giant sound installation plus two concerts. This major figure in Fluxus and minimalist music creates long drones based work with organ pipes, bagpipes and percussion.

Lament for John Cage is our unmissable major weekend concert at The Sage Gateshead, in addition to performances of John Cage work we’re excited about world premieres of new commissions by Phill Niblock for Rhodri Davies and Yoshi Wada’s new work for electric guitar, drums, reed organ and bagpipes, including two young players from the incredible City of Newcastle Pipeband.

One of the most extraordinary events in our Equinox Music Weekends is a Sleep Concertby Steven Stapleton. For the first time in the UK, and only forth time ever this major figure in industrial and electronic music, plays live in a 12-hour overnight concert to shape and colour your dreams. Inflatable beds, blankets and breakfast are provided!

Tickets are selling fast and many events are limited capacity so book now to avoid disappointment.

Lament for John Cage The Sage Gateshead Sat 3 March, 8–10.30pm The whole Festival is inspired by John Cage’s composition ASLSP (As SLow aS Possible), so we are delighted to celebrate the Cage 100 Anniversary year with six incredible performances by Rhodri Davies, Phill Niblock, Susan Stenger, Yoshi Wada plus readings by Alec Finley and Kenneth Goldsmith. This special evening includes UK premieres of new work inspired by Cage plus performances and readings of his work. Including work for solo harp, flute, contrabass, percussion, electric guitar, reed organ and highland bagpipes. Book here.

Phill Niblock The Sage Gateshead Fri 2 March, 7.45–10.15pm Inspired by Morton Feldman, La Monte Young and John Cale, Niblock’s work continues to influence a generation of musicians. In this special long durational concert, Niblock shows his music and films simultaneously. The films, made between 1973-1991, focus on labourers working in locations including Peru, Mexico, China and Japan. The evening includes Stosspeng, a guitar duet performed live by Susan Stenger and Robert Poss (Band of Susans). Watch a video of Phill talking about his work at 25 FPS Festival in 2010here.

Hanne Darboven: Requiem St Thomas the Martyr Church Sun 4 March, 8–10pm Requiem represents the entire 20th century as a musical composition. This is the UK premiere of this extraordinary work, based on the date of every day from 1 January 1900 to 31 December 1999. Alongside On Kawara and John Cage, Hanne Darboven is one of the major conceptual artists that inspired the theme of AV Festival 12: As Slow As Possible. Fully embracing ideas of duration and repetition both Hanne Darboven and On Kawara adopted the daily act of writing time. If you buy an advance ticket for the Lament for John Cage, you get £3 off Requiem. Bookhere.

Steven Stapleton Centre for Life Fri 23 and Sat 24 March, 9pm–9am The UK premiere and fourth ever Sleep Concert. Steven Stapleton performs live throughout the night manipulating and re-animating his own Nurse With Wound recordings in an avant-DJ somniloquy to shape and colour your dreams. Nurse with Wound has produced over 40 recordings since 1978, influenced by krautrock, ambient, easy listening, noise and musique concrete, Stapleton collaborators include David Tibet, James Thirlwell, Andrew McKenzie, Stereolab and William Bennett. A rare performance not to be missed, limited capacity and advance booking recommended. Beds will be provided.Book here.

Attila Csihar Tyne Bridge North Tower Sat 24 March and Sun 25 March Attila Csihar, the baritone voice of Sunn 0))) and Norwegian black metal pioneers Mayhem, creates his first ever intimate solo durational work in this incredible venue in the tower of the Tyne Bridge. Inspired by the theatre, science and ancient mythology of alchemy, he performs a specially created text in the Enochian language (the language of Angels) that will propel us all into the future. Attila will be spending a week in Lindisfarne at the spring Equinox to research the work and film new material. Limited capacity and advance booking recommended.

Wishful Thinking Tyneside Cinema Sat 17 March, 8pm–12am Peter 'Sleazy' Christopherson was best known as a founder member of Throbbing Gristle and Coil. In summer 2010, AV Festival commissioned him to compose a work for the 2012 spring Equinox. Christopherson died in his sleep at home in Thailand on 24 November 2010 before completing the work. This music, film and performance event is a celebratory remembrance of his life and work. It includes special guests Chris Carter and Cosey Fanni Tutti premiering live remixes from Throbbing Gristle’s nascent, and final, studio album: a 'cover' of Nico’s Desertshore, plus films and musical sketches of the original commission.Book here.