TSC in Liverpool

On November 24, 2011. We played an event hosted by the Liverpool-based improv group, Frakture.
They’ve written an excellent post about the whole night but here’s what they said about us:

“We are introduced Combine as a first of a new platform combining music, sound and art which will consist of three acts. The first act is Takahashi’s Shellfish Concern who have set up in the corner of the room, Angela Guyton beckons the audience nearer or they’ll miss out. She and the audience are gathered around a blank canvas and she begins to mark the canvas. This action is accompanied by a roaring crushing sound it’s apparent that the canvas and Angelas herself has been transformed into an instrument. Of course associations with action painting spring to mind and Harold Rosenberg’s ascertain that art lies within its creation rather than with the final product.

What also comes to mind is the almost synesthetic nature of creating art, how the sound of pen scrapping across paper, brush across canvas even your own breathing become somehow part of the process. Takahashi’s Shellfish Concern have created a piece which amplifies these private moments into the public realm providing us the audience the opportunity to consider the creative process and the production of art.”

Tubers Music

There were the faint sounds of fireworks exploding in the background, and walls hundreds of years old are great places to see shadows moving.

Dave Birchall invited us [Takahashi’s Shellfish Concern] to perform at a Tubers Music event held on November 5th, 2011 at St. Margaret’s Church in Withington.

TSC, was just Rod and I for this performance. On these occasions, when he and I improvise one on one, we tend to invite more space and silence. It is a different dynamic. (Unfortunately, Anton wasn’t at this performance as he was recording an album with his big band, Beats & Pieces.)

 

TSC at Tubers Music

Cara B = Side B

This July we were invited to be a part of an exhibition event put together by the Blank Media Collective. (Fun Fact: Blank Media put on the first Takahashi show ever back in 2007!)

The way this event came together was a really great experience.  From the beginning, Mark Devereux (blank media’s director) really drove the point home that he wanted it to be artist-centric.  It was an exhibition showcasing our work, as well as that of Naomi Kendrick, and Barcelona-based group, Ephemeral Eggplant Intervention.  All artists that explored the merger of sound/music and visual art.  What was really great was that everyone’s input was welcomed at the ground level.  Those of us here in Manchester (TSC and Naomi) met several times before the event, and Mark acted as a conduit, communicating to us EEI’s ideas (and visa-versa) throughout the process. In the end, in addition to a static work exhibition, there were live events, a Q&A session, and a collaboration event with the improv organization The Noise Upstairs (which is run by Anton and Rod).

Opening night was really well attended. The place was packed.  It was a really good atmosphere to which local Spanish restaurant, Sandinista, contributed to by supplying free tapas! It was great seeing people stood looking and discussing my work.  This was the first time I exhibited any work in a gallery so and it was all a really satisfying experience.

Here’s a video made by Castles Built In Sand