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The Triple Door: Slow Music w/ The Humans

January 20th, 2014

humans14cSlow Music was formed in 2005 as a way to create live ambient/textural/environmental music in a live context. Rieflin describes how, “openness and stillness become a part of the musical vocabulary, as well as density and activity. It can be both beautiful and surprisingly intense. And, being improvisational in nature, you never know what will happen next, which makes it all the more exciting.” Innovators to the core, Slow Music has no website, no band photos, nor commercially available music. The best way to listen is to show up. It’ll be worth it.

Featuring: Bill Rieflin keyboards & percussion (Bill has played drums w/ R.E.M., Swans, and is a member of the newly reformed King Crimson); Robert Fripp guitar, guitar-like things, soundscapes (Robert’s guitaring is legendary, and is a founder of King Crimson): Peter Buck guitar and things (Peter’s guitaring in R.E.M. is singular; he’ll probably play some of these shows with a butter knife); Matt Chamberlain drums and drum-like things (Matt has played with almost everyone in the world, such as Pearl Jam, Edie Brickell, Critters Buggin, SNL house band; look him up – it’s impressive); Fred Chalenor upright bass (Fred is at home with both Hughscore & Hans Eisler).

The Humans making their first ever west coast performances!

The Humans are: Toyah Willcox – voice, voice loops; Chris Wong – bass, and occasional guitar; Bill Rieflin – bass, and loopy percussion stuff.

Toyah – a hugely successful English pop singer, film & stage actress, and writer – formed The Humans in 2007 after being invited by the Estonian ambassador to tour Estonia and to perform for the president. With both a strong pop sensibility and playful experimental streak, this creative formation marked a radical departure for Toyah. Eschewing the conventional rock band line-up, the core of The Humans focuses on her voice flanked by two bass players. Although the records & live shows include a wider range of instrumentation, Humans music centers around singing and bass. Their third CD, to be released later this year, is the most catchy and danceable record yet.

Monday April 14, Tuesday April 15: 7.30pm. Tickets: $25 advance // $30 day of.

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