Live Review - Vancouver Outer Limits

Jan 12, 2009
'Vancouver Outer Limits'
A Stunning Live Music & Visual Performance
Providing the Music: Anomalous Disturbances & Slowmobile
Providing the Visuals: VJ Mediavictm


Live Music & Live Video.

First off, I'll describe the scene. There are instruments set up on either side of the stage. In the middle, a large projection screen. Opening act Slowmobile is seated on my right side, setting up to perform. In the middle, VJ Mediavictm's workstation, with laptops and video equipment controlling what you see on the screen. He explains to me what each piece of gear does, and I watch him hand pick video clips, each of varying lengths, from his extensive library. He'll cue up video as the music progresses. A live art film. It's a mix of stock footage, like trees and animals, but there are also clips he filmed himself, like the lights of downtown Vancouver. It was really cool. Check out www.mediavictimlabs.com to see more of what this guy is about.

First up on the musical docket, Slowmobile.



3 guys, with bass, guitar, 2 laptops and lots of cool techniques. This is live ambient music at its finest. I noticed the bass player was also triggering a drum machine, but the sounds coming out weren't your average drumbeats. I caught up with bassist Rick and asked him about what he was doing.

"All the twiddling i was doing on the sampler was related to field recordings. I spent a week in Havana and recorded as much as I could: echoing voices in a near empty church, a lone trumpeter in a quiet plaza, a street band on stilts cranking out some funky rhythms with drums and a reed trumpet; i dangled my mic over the stairwell of my fifth floor room in the hotel sevilla and caught the surreal echo of flutes and percussion being struck from a hundred feet below; recorded a flamenco class in the gran theatro de havana; captured a kid on tape singing a dirty little tune after he bummed a smoke on the Malecon. These recordings were distilled down to short loops composed of clips that lasted anywhere from 2 to 15 seconds.

All of this stuff got woven into the set, much of it as ambient sound, much of it as a virtual rhythm section. the flamenco dancers, for example, became a clanking and thumping loop early on in the set to which i would then lay down a groove on the bass. Later, the street band's cacophony would take over then ebb away. These sounds would weave in and out of our set. a few of the loops were often playing at once.I'm hoping to use these recordings in a studio setting too, sculpting a piece of music together."

Not your average performance tonight at The Beaumont. I wondered if the band talked to the videographer beforehand to work out a theme for tonight's performance.

Rick says:
"Our concept for the Beaumont show was to have a "hot and cold" piece of music, in which a tundra soundscape would morph in and out of hotter, funkier sounds. Not sure the visuals reflected that--i wasn't looking, but i believe the 'cold' was predominant. This musical idea is something I hope to explore further regardless."


Hot & Cold. Cold & Hot. Whatever it was, I couldn't escape the music. If you are interested in winding, sinewy building soundscapes, check out: myspace.com/slowmobile







Next up, the headlining act, the first performance in more than a year by Anomalous Disturbances aka Terry O'Brien.

Terry's musical project combines all sorts of musical genres, instrumentation and inspiration. You never quite know what you'll get, so when a rare chance comes along to see Terry live, I take it! Tonight we weren't disappointed.

Terry's gear collection is as impressive as his musical abilities. His rack is taller than he is, his pedals cover a lot of real estate, and his 2 guitars are mint. The last time I saw Anomalous Disturbances, it was in a small-ish coffee shop, so it's a real treat to see him in a soft-seater theatre.

Here's the thing about Terry's music: it takes you places. It's not something you can just casually listen to. If you really immerse yourself in the sounds, your soul will pretty much escape your body through the top of your head and drift around the atmosphere with the notes from Terry's guitar and looping effects. I'm no gear head, so I try not to pay attention to what the man onstage is doing, I just sit back and listen. Normally I'd close my eyes and let my brain go for a walk, but tonight I can look at the screen and enjoy the whole show.

This isn't violent, thrashing, loud noise at all. Terry is a really gifted guitarist and his hushed chords bend and grow with each twist of a dial, every thrown switch. Sometimes it's looping one chord and manipulating it beyond the point of recognition. Sometimes there is so much going on, it's better not to try & understand it. Just enjoy it.


Ambient, experimental, alternative, mood-music, whatever you want to call it, it's beautiful stuff. I only hope we'll see another Anomalous Disturbances show soon. I urge you to check out www.myspace.com/anomalousdisturbances







OK, I know this show took place over a month ago, but I was hoping to add a little video, via the Vancouver City Limits Youtube Channel. I still haven't seen any footage from this show, but I really want to! Keep an eye on www.youtube.com./vancouvercitylimits for video from this and many other great performances.