Starting this week, William Basinski and Art Assembly will be hosting their co-curated Arcadia series of events in venues across East London. Named after the studio and performance space that Basinski set up in Brooklyn in 1989, the series will feature music and art inspired by Arcadia, making for a mightily impressive line-up. Starting off, this Wednesday, March 12, see Swans man Michael Gira will be performing a solo set at St. John’s church in Hackney. As the Art Assembly’s website notes, "As with all Swans/M. Gira shows, this will be a one-off performance and won’t be anything like you’ve heard on an album or at a previous gig […] Expect to be wrung through the emotional mill. You won’t leave the same". Gira will be joined by Basinski himself, playing material from his new album Cascade, and Aino Tytti, performing his drone-based compositions.
Following, Arcadia regular and cello experimentalist Julia Kent will be playing the Ace Hotel in Shoreditch on March 18. Kent will also be making a guest appearance at Valgeir Sigurðsson, the composer, producer and Bedroom Community label head, and Liam Byrne’s set at Village Underground on March 19, while the day after, Charlemagne Palestine and Rhys Chatham will be continuing their long-running partnership at St. John’s, with Basinski performing ‘Vivian And Ondine’ and support from Liverpool guitar ensemble Ex-Easter Island Head. Interspersed between these dates, there’ll also be a range of other events, including sets by Paul Prudence, Aki Onda, Janek Schaefer, a screening of Melancholia, the short films Basinski made with James Elaine, an incredible performance of ‘10000 Peacock Feathers in Foaming Acid’ by Evelina Dominitch and Dmitry Gelfand, involving laser lights scanning soap bubble – have a watch here – and Basinski in conversation with Chatham.
A pass for the ticketed concerts – Gira, Kent, Sigurðsson & Byrne and Palestine & Chatham – is a steal at £35, and you can get hold of them here. However, we have a pair of passes to give away to one reader. To be in with a chance of winning, just send your answer to the following question to comps@thequietus.com, with ‘ARCADIA’ in the subject line.
Q: In which Brooklyn neighbourhood is Arcadia located?
A. Brooklyn Heights
B. Bushwick
C. Park Slope
D. Williamsburg
The competition closes at 5 pm on Tuesday 11 March. To read the Quietus Competition Terms & Conditions, click here.
