FW: [merzbow] so who else went to the USA show(s)?

Here's a review I sent to the Merzbow list of the show at the Knitting
Factory on Tuesday. In case you're not familiar with Merzbow (real name
Masami Akita), he's the reigning high priest of noise electronic music. used
to be analog but switched to laptops about 5 yrs ago. Has released a couple
of hundred (sic) albums over 20 years. Theres even a 50cd boxset(called
"Merzbox") that, for $500 will be delivered to your domicile by courier. Has
become somewhat more beat oriented in recent years (although not at this
show) actually has quite alot of variety over his many albums.

-----Original Message-----
From: Dante Rosati [mailto:dante@...]
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 2:08 PM
To: merzbow@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [merzbow] so who else went to the USA show(s)?

I wuz at NYC show @ Knitting Factory on Tuesday. "Unbelievably loud" is
certainly one way to describe it. It was like sitting on the beach in
Louisiana as the hurricane was making landfall... or maybe it was more like
the World Trade Center coming down on your head. No Merzbeats at all: more
like Scumtron, just pure blowtorch noise all across the spectrum. Acoustic
pressure waves blasting your body just as much as your ears. I had a book
with me which I held over my sternum to try and protect my heart from the
low frequency rumblings- it felt like it could mess with or stop your
heartbeat - but of course the waves are in your whole body. People started
leaving after about 10 minutes (just a few here and there). Masami Akita
sitting up there looking like a white skull with sunglasses and long black
hair between two Mac laptops, expressionless, yet oddly serene. The club
audience standing motionless, I imagine each of us basically holding on for
dear life.

Yes, it certainly was unbelievably loud- easily the loudest "music" (is that
even the right word?) I've ever heard/felt. Kinda existential, actually, in
that it makes you "be there" 110%. You ain't daydreaming about what to have
for lunch the next day, thats for sure. Just breathing into the sound,
fighting/resisting is what is uncomfortable. I'll never forget it but I cant
say I will ever want to repeat it either- like if I survived a plane crash I
doubt I would want to be in another! Not for the squeamish. 99.99% of the
population would run screaming from the room within minutes.

When you listen on stereo or ipod you can adjust volume so that its just as
loud as you want, but not too loud, also you can pause or turn it off
easily. Its a whole different story in a club with massive speaker arrays
and Masami Akita controlling the volume (sounded like it was just turned up
to "11" the whole time) as the minutes tick by slowly, slowly as the
unstoppable avalanche engulfs you with threatened annihilation. It really
was quite amazing, but I must admit I felt kinda ill the next day like I had
been beat up or something. Bizarro.

Dante

>-----Original Message-----
>From: merzbow@yahoogroups.com [mailto:merzbow@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf
>Of Anthony Saunders
>Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 12:26 AM
>To: merzbow@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [merzbow] so who else went to the USA show(s)?
>
>
>
>last night was crazy; merzbow's set was easily 80-90 minutes long.
>unbelievably loud as well. I got goosebumps a few times.
>
>A

i have found that loud music can also make me sick for days. and have become more and more convinced that it just ain't good for you.
loudness really seems like a cheap shot at this point of the game.
talk about redundant work.
i will say that branca never effected me this way

Dante Rosati wrote:

>Here's a review I sent to the Merzbow list of the show at the Knitting
>Factory on Tuesday. In case you're not familiar with Merzbow (real name
>Masami Akita), he's the reigning high priest of noise electronic music. used
>to be analog but switched to laptops about 5 yrs ago. Has released a couple
>of hundred (sic) albums over 20 years. Theres even a 50cd boxset(called
>"Merzbox") that, for $500 will be delivered to your domicile by courier. Has
>become somewhat more beat oriented in recent years (although not at this
>show) actually has quite alot of variety over his many albums.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Dante Rosati [mailto:dante@...]
>Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 2:08 PM
>To: merzbow@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: RE: [merzbow] so who else went to the USA show(s)?
>
>
>I wuz at NYC show @ Knitting Factory on Tuesday. "Unbelievably loud" is
>certainly one way to describe it. It was like sitting on the beach in
>Louisiana as the hurricane was making landfall... or maybe it was more like
>the World Trade Center coming down on your head. No Merzbeats at all: more
>like Scumtron, just pure blowtorch noise all across the spectrum. Acoustic
>pressure waves blasting your body just as much as your ears. I had a book
>with me which I held over my sternum to try and protect my heart from the
>low frequency rumblings- it felt like it could mess with or stop your
>heartbeat - but of course the waves are in your whole body. People started
>leaving after about 10 minutes (just a few here and there). Masami Akita
>sitting up there looking like a white skull with sunglasses and long black
>hair between two Mac laptops, expressionless, yet oddly serene. The club
>audience standing motionless, I imagine each of us basically holding on for
>dear life.
>
>Yes, it certainly was unbelievably loud- easily the loudest "music" (is that
>even the right word?) I've ever heard/felt. Kinda existential, actually, in
>that it makes you "be there" 110%. You ain't daydreaming about what to have
>for lunch the next day, thats for sure. Just breathing into the sound,
>fighting/resisting is what is uncomfortable. I'll never forget it but I cant
>say I will ever want to repeat it either- like if I survived a plane crash I
>doubt I would want to be in another! Not for the squeamish. 99.99% of the
>population would run screaming from the room within minutes.
>
>When you listen on stereo or ipod you can adjust volume so that its just as
>loud as you want, but not too loud, also you can pause or turn it off
>easily. Its a whole different story in a club with massive speaker arrays
>and Masami Akita controlling the volume (sounded like it was just turned up
>to "11" the whole time) as the minutes tick by slowly, slowly as the
>unstoppable avalanche engulfs you with threatened annihilation. It really
>was quite amazing, but I must admit I felt kinda ill the next day like I had
>been beat up or something. Bizarro.
>
>Dante
>
> >
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: merzbow@yahoogroups.com [mailto:merzbow@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf
>>Of Anthony Saunders
>>Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 12:26 AM
>>To: merzbow@yahoogroups.com
>>Subject: [merzbow] so who else went to the USA show(s)?
>>
>>
>>
>>last night was crazy; merzbow's set was easily 80-90 minutes long.
>>unbelievably loud as well. I got goosebumps a few times.
>>
>>A
>> >>
>
>
>
>Meta Tuning meta-info:
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>
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>
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> >
>
>
> >

--
Kraig Grady
North American Embassy of Anaphoria Island <http://anaphoria.com/>
The Wandering Medicine Show
KXLU <http://www.kxlu.com/main.html> 88.9 FM Wed 8-9 pm Los Angeles

it might shake loose blockages in yer chakra system. ;-)

Actually there was another band that nite i liked called "double leopards"
that was noise but seemed more organic, and though my ears were roaring
after their set i didn't feel ill, maybe it was cause they were analog and
merzbow is digital. Digital noise seems crueler.

Dante

>-----Original Message-----
>From: metatuning@yahoogroups.com [mailto:metatuning@yahoogroups.com]On
>Behalf Of Kraig Grady
>Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 4:17 PM
>To: metatuning@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: Re: [metatuning] FW: [merzbow] so who else went to the USA
>show(s)?
>
>
>i have found that loud music can also make me sick for days. and have
>become more and more convinced that it just ain't good for you.
> loudness really seems like a cheap shot at this point of the game.
> talk about redundant work.
> i will say that branca never effected me this way
>
>Dante Rosati wrote:
>
>>Here's a review I sent to the Merzbow list of the show at the Knitting
>>Factory on Tuesday. In case you're not familiar with Merzbow (real name
>>Masami Akita), he's the reigning high priest of noise electronic
>music. used
>>to be analog but switched to laptops about 5 yrs ago. Has
>released a couple
>>of hundred (sic) albums over 20 years. Theres even a 50cd boxset(called
>>"Merzbox") that, for $500 will be delivered to your domicile by
>courier. Has
>>become somewhat more beat oriented in recent years (although not at this
>>show) actually has quite alot of variety over his many albums.
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Dante Rosati [mailto:dante@...]
>>Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 2:08 PM
>>To: merzbow@yahoogroups.com
>>Subject: RE: [merzbow] so who else went to the USA show(s)?
>>
>>
>>I wuz at NYC show @ Knitting Factory on Tuesday. "Unbelievably loud" is
>>certainly one way to describe it. It was like sitting on the beach in
>>Louisiana as the hurricane was making landfall... or maybe it was
>more like
>>the World Trade Center coming down on your head. No Merzbeats at all: more
>>like Scumtron, just pure blowtorch noise all across the spectrum. Acoustic
>>pressure waves blasting your body just as much as your ears. I had a book
>>with me which I held over my sternum to try and protect my heart from the
>>low frequency rumblings- it felt like it could mess with or stop your
>>heartbeat - but of course the waves are in your whole body. People started
>>leaving after about 10 minutes (just a few here and there). Masami Akita
>>sitting up there looking like a white skull with sunglasses and long black
>>hair between two Mac laptops, expressionless, yet oddly serene. The club
>>audience standing motionless, I imagine each of us basically
>holding on for
>>dear life.
>>
>>Yes, it certainly was unbelievably loud- easily the loudest
>"music" (is that
>>even the right word?) I've ever heard/felt. Kinda existential,
>actually, in
>>that it makes you "be there" 110%. You ain't daydreaming about
>what to have
>>for lunch the next day, thats for sure. Just breathing into the sound,
>>fighting/resisting is what is uncomfortable. I'll never forget it
>but I cant
>>say I will ever want to repeat it either- like if I survived a
>plane crash I
>>doubt I would want to be in another! Not for the squeamish. 99.99% of the
>>population would run screaming from the room within minutes.
>>
>>When you listen on stereo or ipod you can adjust volume so that
>its just as
>>loud as you want, but not too loud, also you can pause or turn it off
>>easily. Its a whole different story in a club with massive speaker arrays
>>and Masami Akita controlling the volume (sounded like it was just
>turned up
>>to "11" the whole time) as the minutes tick by slowly, slowly as the
>>unstoppable avalanche engulfs you with threatened annihilation. It really
>>was quite amazing, but I must admit I felt kinda ill the next day
>like I had
>>been beat up or something. Bizarro.
>>
>>Dante
>>
>>
>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: merzbow@yahoogroups.com [mailto:merzbow@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf
>>>Of Anthony Saunders
>>>Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 12:26 AM
>>>To: merzbow@yahoogroups.com
>>>Subject: [merzbow] so who else went to the USA show(s)?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>last night was crazy; merzbow's set was easily 80-90 minutes long.
>>>unbelievably loud as well. I got goosebumps a few times.
>>>
>>>A
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>Meta Tuning meta-info:
>>
>>To unsubscribe, send an email to:
>>metatuning-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>>
>>Web page is http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/metatuning/
>>
>>To post to the list, send to
>>metatuning@yahoogroups.com
>>
>>You don't have to be a member to post.
>>
>>
>>Yahoo! Groups Links
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>--
>Kraig Grady
>North American Embassy of Anaphoria Island <http://anaphoria.com/>
>The Wandering Medicine Show
>KXLU <http://www.kxlu.com/main.html> 88.9 FM Wed 8-9 pm Los Angeles
>
>
>
>Meta Tuning meta-info:
>
>To unsubscribe, send an email to:
>metatuning-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
>Web page is http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/metatuning/
>
>To post to the list, send to
>metatuning@yahoogroups.com
>
>You don't have to be a member to post.
>
>
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

> I wuz at NYC show @ Knitting Factory on Tuesday. "Unbelievably
> loud" is certainly one way to describe it. It was like sitting
> on the beach in Louisiana as the hurricane was making landfall...
> or maybe it was more like the World Trade Center coming down on
> your head. No Merzbeats at all: more like Scumtron, just pure
> blowtorch noise all across the spectrum. Acoustic pressure waves
> blasting your body just as much as your ears. I had a book with
> me which I held over my sternum to try and protect my heart from
> the low frequency rumblings- it felt like it could mess with or
> stop your heartbeat - but of course the waves are in your whole
> body. People started leaving after about 10 minutes (just a few
> here and there). Masami Akita sitting up there looking like a
> white skull with sunglasses and long black hair between two Mac
> laptops, expressionless, yet oddly serene. The club audience
> standing motionless, I imagine each of us basically holding on
> for dear life.

Wonderful. Get out of there, I say. I hope to god you were
wearing earplugs.

> Yes, it certainly was unbelievably loud- easily the loudest
> "music" (is that even the right word?) I've ever heard/felt.
> Kinda existential, actually, in that it makes you "be there"
> 110%.

Cheap-ass way to achieve that, if you ask me.

-Carl

Hi Carl-

I didnt see any point in actually going to the show if i was going to wear
earplugs- I mean its like wearing sunglasses to go to the movies.

It was kinda like the polar opposite of Cage's 4'33", and, like that
"piece", its probably worth experiencing once, I cant deny that it expanded
my perception of sound and its parameters. Ironically, there has been items
in the news recently about military-developed sonic lasers for crowd
control- so even though Merzbow is into dolphins and vegetarianism (one of
his laptops had a sticker "meat is murder" on the cover) hes actually
deploying sound in a way similar to military police! The only difference is
I PAID to be subjected to it. hehe.

Dante

>-----Original Message-----
>From: metatuning@yahoogroups.com [mailto:metatuning@yahoogroups.com]On
>Behalf Of Carl Lumma
>Sent: Friday, September 09, 2005 2:10 PM
>To: metatuning@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [metatuning] Re: FW: [merzbow] so who else went to the USA
>show(s)?
>
>
>> I wuz at NYC show @ Knitting Factory on Tuesday. "Unbelievably
>> loud" is certainly one way to describe it. It was like sitting
>> on the beach in Louisiana as the hurricane was making landfall...
>> or maybe it was more like the World Trade Center coming down on
>> your head. No Merzbeats at all: more like Scumtron, just pure
>> blowtorch noise all across the spectrum. Acoustic pressure waves
>> blasting your body just as much as your ears. I had a book with
>> me which I held over my sternum to try and protect my heart from
>> the low frequency rumblings- it felt like it could mess with or
>> stop your heartbeat - but of course the waves are in your whole
>> body. People started leaving after about 10 minutes (just a few
>> here and there). Masami Akita sitting up there looking like a
>> white skull with sunglasses and long black hair between two Mac
>> laptops, expressionless, yet oddly serene. The club audience
>> standing motionless, I imagine each of us basically holding on
>> for dear life.
>
>Wonderful. Get out of there, I say. I hope to god you were
>wearing earplugs.
>
>> Yes, it certainly was unbelievably loud- easily the loudest
>> "music" (is that even the right word?) I've ever heard/felt.
>> Kinda existential, actually, in that it makes you "be there"
>> 110%.
>
>Cheap-ass way to achieve that, if you ask me.
>
>-Carl
>
>
>
>
>
>Meta Tuning meta-info:
>
>To unsubscribe, send an email to:
>metatuning-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
>Web page is http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/metatuning/
>
>To post to the list, send to
>metatuning@yahoogroups.com
>
>You don't have to be a member to post.
>
>
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

--- In metatuning@yahoogroups.com, "Dante Rosati" <dante@i...> wrote:
> Hi Carl-
>
> I didnt see any point in actually going to the show if i was going
> to wear earplugs- I mean its like wearing sunglasses to go to the
> movies.

I wear earplugs to normal rock concerts. And funny you should
mention it, (in some of the newer theaters) the movies. Hearing
damage is cumulative... I hope to be able to enjoy conversation
in my 60s.

> It was kinda like the polar opposite of Cage's 4'33", and, like
> that "piece", its probably worth experiencing once, I cant deny
> that it expanded my perception of sound and its parameters.

I went to a few concerts of incredibly loud soundscapes in SF...
the artist's tables prominently provided free earplugs in all
cases.

But if you felt it was worth it, I can't argue with that.

-Carl