TRAVEL DIARY

A weblog regularly updated by Jodi Rose.

Monday, July 4, 2005

1:51 AM
Posted by jodi rose

thank god that's over.
can stay up late, watch strange french films on abc tv, sleep in, not worry about trying to make a bridge or play one. yay!
had to finally give in gracefully and accept that I wasn't going to make the bridge materially this time - so made it in sound and air.
need to recruit onto the team, a couple of model builders - maybe thomas in cardboard, and some architecture students for their skills - as well as the midi guru, surround sound experts and various other key bridge team operatives. at least I have a man on the golden gate lined up now, for the global symphony. very exciting.

this weekends festival is over, had a strange time last night - getting sick and very stressed, so was cranky and not really into talking - had great rant with the san fran boys, and lucas showed me his broken crystal as I'd missed the performance, wandering through the city with sumu and steph - also a great adventure, ran into alessio at troika, eventually found the supper inn and I couldn't eat there - too anxious.

apparently the evening ended with a techno party, I like the public office, but the vibe wasn't jumping when i was there - or maybe it was my vile mood.

tonight's concert sounded amazing - 10 channel 16 speaker diffusion system, with lovely subtle work from phil smartzis and alan lamb - almost blew the roof off at one point, and a poetic piece from myles and lawrence, kooky sounds by the french dudes (eric said hello from michael rusenberg and jacob k - last I heard he was off dancing tango in argentina, almost managed to get a tango going tonight, but then he claimed not to dance - I don't know, you're french I said, of course you dance!) from icehockey to extended brass instruments.

but I couldn't really enjoy any of them being so wracked with anxiety about my performance - didn't ever relax, it was horrific. terrifying.
had lots of fun playing with the diffusion system during sound check, and mapped out an intricate and complex conceptual arc for the sounds, but then all I could hear was the blood pounding in my head, and felt that I didn't quite pull it off. got about two/thirds there, made some good transitions and nice layers - but didn't quite make it to the level I was hoping for. oh well. sumu and steph said there were moments, and other people also complimentary but not effusive. - later discussions had comments that it was fragmented, and noticeable I was struggling with the technology - yet still graceful said ros. and keep doing it your own way!

maybe that's melbourne though. phil said he never gets feedback after gigs here - except on rare occasions like last week.
Everyone did a good job organising and running the festival, thanks for inviting me, and all your hard work and energy!
My one question was: where is the afterparty?
guess I've been spoiled by all these fabulous helsinki festivals, where you have a warm-up party, a couple of artist dinners, an after party at every event, and then a sauna chill-out.... those Finns really know how to have a good time. ah well, back to normality I guess. or as normal as life gets when you're a nomadic sonic artstar.

found to my surprise I was one of the headline acts, 'high profile international artist' - did I already mention that? it amuses me.
and the girls at the merch desk said lots of people came up and were saying (about my cd) buy this one, it's great. Nice to have unprovoked feedback like that. one person said they could hear that I was building a bridge in the performance tonight - but didn't get the full subtleties of the cables going wild, then collapsing under the bridge into a dark underworld, and being pulled back up into the light by angels with bells. yes a bridge with bells on. and it was a love song.