September 30, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on HAGEN September 2006
After the high excitement of the gasometer, we retreat to show Xentos the wonders of the Ruhrgebiet
And we were treated to this rainbow on our arrival at the Aufermann Haus
The magnificent Tetraeder in Bottrop, a flexible steel monster swaying atop an enormous slag heap
September 29, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on OBERHAUSEN September 2006
A day of wonder, hard work and sublime joy. On behalf of the Dutch Art Institute and Resonance104.4fm in London, we run the KlangLangWelle event – an evening of sound designed for the Gasometer Oberhausen. At 117 meters high and 68 in diameter this space is one of the most extreme acoustic environments we could ever hope to tackle
John Heijmans, sound art expert from the Dutch Art Institute outside the gasometer
Members of the Dutch Art Institute Radio Orchestra beginning their multifarious set
Tonic Train and Xentos ‘Fray’ Bentos reveling in the exploration of terrifying acoustics. To hear the recording click here
John Butcher, mastering the enormous space with his highly trained lungs
The awesome Gasometer – we played in here!
September 28, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on ENSCHEDE September 2006
We teach a workshop and through it create the Dutch Art Institute Radio Orchestra. The students are asked to make audio to be broadcast to more than twenty large radios, which will also function as their performative instruments. We prepare them for a public performance as part of the KlangLangWelle event at the Gasometer Oberhausen on the 29th September 2006
With only three days to prepare all the audio pieces and workout the choreography, DAIRO rehearsals last late into the evenings
Sarah and her fantastic flipchart plan….
September 20, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on HAGEN September 2006
We stop off to catch our breath before heading to all-out action in Holland
September 17, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on VIENNA September 2006
We represent Resonance104.4fm at the Media-Space-Society conference in Vienna hosted by Radio Orange, which is the closing event of the Europe-wide radio art project radio.territories. Attended by fellow organizers and guests from many countires, there ensures a jolly celebration which includes talks, presentations, discussions and live sound and music. As part of the event we play a Tonic Train concert
14th – 17th September 2006 at Fluc in Vienna. Most of the participants are members of the radio art network Radia, who hold a meeting here to discuss future plans
September 10, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on BERLIN September 2006
Instead of holding onto a loose end, we nip over to Berlin to meet up with Lepke B and celebrate Knut’s birthday
Our host, the incredible Marcus Heesch supplies us daily with home-made ‘Jealastics’ and ice-cream
Our friends Pit Schultz and Diana McCarty treat us to a fabulous boatride to Potsdam and around Berlin. Sarah and Diana are flabbergasted by the Captain’s retractable cabin (essential for those low bridges)!
September 5, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on COPENHAGEN September 2006
We go to Denmark to play a gig, and talk about future projects
Our host Mikkel Meyer shows us his studio, bursting with self-built electronics and secret lives…..
Tonic Train at Plex, Copenhagen on the 5th September 2006. Knut also gives a talk about Resonance104.4fm
August 28, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on FJELLSTRAND August 2006
We have been yearning to visit our friend Børre Mølstad in Norway for quite some time. Finally we had an excuse to head north which allowed us to spend some relaxing days fishing, making jam from wild blueberries and helping to build a recording studio. Needless to say, it was a fantastic couple of weeks
How could we resist a visit to the home of the Jezuz 500, complete with Panic and Don’t Panic switches?
Luckily we could be of use helping set up the echo chamber in the basement cave
Pleased as a boy with a new reverb room…. the one that didn’t get away
We did a recording session with Børre on tuba and Roshwell the dog on squeaky toy
August 19, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on HAMBURG August 2006
We needed a place to stay on our journey northwards, luckily the inergalactic superstar Felix Kubin came to our rescue. We stayed in his studio in an artist’s complex, surrounded by old electronics we felt right at home. What he didn’t tell us was that there would be a non-stop 48 hour summer party aimed directly at our window…..
We see what’s going on at the local radio station FSK, and are invited to play live in the studio and be interviewed by Heiner Metzger on his show about improvised music
If you can’t beat them, join them! We played at the artist’s summer party, in a very long narrow space between two high buildings. It was fun to have give our electronics a strong blast, the only thing to be done. We were highly amused when the sound-reactive lights started playing one of our instruments
August 12, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on ROTTERDAM August 2006
We have few days spare, so at a whiff of an offer of accommodation from the dear Sasker Scheeder we decide to rush over to Rotterdam to hatch Gasometer dreams with Xentos
Local teenage troublemakers, Lukas Simonis and Xentos
More wonderous folks, our friend Juhee dropped by from Amsterdam to join Sasker, Martina, Knut and I for art and drinks…..
August 10, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on HAGEN August 2006
We drop by at Knut’s parents in Hagen so that we can make a meeting at the Gasometer Oberhausen to consolidate our upcoming project there with the Dutch Art Institute and Resonance 104.4FM
‘nuf said. Come and see our radio performance here on the 29th September!
July 28, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on MUNICH July 2006
Back in Munich at the energetic Yvonne’s to prepare for her house concert to end all house concerts
We played as Tonic Train in Yvonne Schwemer Scheddin’s garage. Also present are Gunter Pretzel on amplified viola in the super-resonant bathroom, and Judith Egger on objects, light and smoke in the garden shed. 70 well fed & watered guests sample the Experimental Garage-Bath-Shed Concert
Judith in rehearsals for the Shed-in
July 15, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on LINDAU July 2006
We go back to Lindau to be joined for a while by Sarah’s mum and then friends from the UK for a proper summer holiday. We make the water and peaks of Germany, Austria and Switzerland our playground
Knut steals the group photo bothered by Sarah, watched over coolly by John and Simon and with amusment by Svea and Kay. We spent a blissful afternoon at the river near Rheinklingen, googling at the people, boats, tyres and rafts flying down the river in the vigorous current. A bit of skinny dipping was called for in the beautiful warm water, seeing as some of us forgot our cossies. It was a swimming machine – keep trying just to stay still. We were also visited by enormous salmon trout
Picnic Alpenstyle
July 2, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on MUNICH July 2006
With nothing better to do in the early summer and a generous offer from our friend Yvonne, we decide to stay in Germany for the world cup
One of many beer garden football afternoons and evenings in Planegg
Yvonne on the loose… She takes us on a day trip to all her country friends, including cat and hairy coos
June 10, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on LINDAU June 2006
We spent some sunny and stormy weeks at the Bodensee (Lake Constance) visiting Knut’s friend Svea
The almost island of Lindau from one of our boat trips on the lake
May 29, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on MUNICH May 2006
We went Munich to take part in Anselm Caminada’s project Short Frites at the underpass venue ZKMax
The band: Anselm Caminada, Judith Egger, Børre Mølstad and Sarah Washington
The engineer & feedback meister Knut Aufermann
We took the opportunity to do a recording session at Plan Blue with our sometime collaborators Gunter Pretzel and Michael Feller. Happily, Børre Mølstad was able to join us before his flight back to Norway and…….
The Bosch Experience was born (I didn’t want to let Børre go to the airport!)
May 28, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on LONDON May 2007
We went to take part in some events at the Tate Modern. Sarah had a concert with Xentos ‘Fray’ Bentos and we both had radio live shows which broadcast from the museum on Resonance 104.4FM. Sarah’s radio show was part of her commission from the Tate to make a radio art series. The live show which she did with Julia Lee Barclay and Apocryphal Theatre was open to the public and took the form of a language game, with participation invited from the audience.
‘The Spiral’ record deck and vinyl cutter installation set up in the Tate by Mathieu Briand was the setting for some mayhem…..
Xentos ‘Fray’ Bentos and Sarah Washington amuse themselves and the audience in the Turbine Hall. Photograph Simon Lucas
The audience have to earn their place at our performance….
But they are so hard to get rid of when we are finished
Knut hosts a series of radio discussions called Shut Your Eyes to Art. The guests are Robin McGinley, Xper.Xr and Bob & Roberta Smith
The events at the Tate were part of The Long Weekend and we were delighted to catch up with many of our friends there. Left – AVVA in performance, Billy Roisz and Toshimaru Nakamura. Right – luckily for us Ed Baxter had booked John Giorno for a radio slot who gave an inspiring performance
Oscillatorial Binnage gave a sparkling performance of Dan Wilson’s Corrosion Suite
Another edition of Shut Your Eyes to Art with Kersten Glandien, Salome Voegelin and Sebastian Craig submitting to the blindfolds. The quality of the discussion was very different to a sighted one, softer somehow
May 19, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on LISBON May 2006
Void of abstract entertainment we rushed back to Lisbon for a gig hosted by Granular – the local sound performance scene, plus visting artists.
Noid + Vitor Joaquim, battling against an amusing karaoke act in the neighbouring building
May 15, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on PORTUGAL May 2006
We hired a car for a week of touring around rural Portugal, heading east from Lisbon and then to the far north of the country
One of our favourite places was the hilltop bolder village of Monsanto. Hovering above the unbelievable constructions of the cottages is the most wonderful ruined castle, empty during our visit, and a high enough vantage point above the plains for Knut to be knocked out by the sight of four eagles circling just below him.
To our further amazement we discovered the studio and museum of Radio Clube de Monsanto, and were given a tour by station director Dr. Joaquim Fonseca (pictured). Much better equiped than Resonance we thought, complete with a hugh antenna at the castle, how about a friendly takeover?
May 8, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on LISBON/TOKYO May 2006
Mobile Radio in Lisbon. We came here for a week-long Radia meeting – a network of like-minded independent radios from across Europe. One of the extracurricular events hosted by Radio Zero was a concert at ZDB, at which we played as Tonic Train vs Xentos. We were not in a hurry to leave Lisbon, luckily we had a few weeks before our next project.
Spot the alien. Warming up with Xentos ‘Fray’ Bentos
Tetsuo Kogawa asked us to give a live lecture via the internet to Tokyo Keizai University, which we decided to do as live radio show from the studio of Radio Zero in Lisbon. The combination of show and internet lecture wasn’t entirely successful due to technical hitches, Knut had to type the lecture in real time due to the voice connection failing, while I tried with slim success to keep the radio show alive….
However, the students in Tokyo much appreciated our live Tonic Train performance
We did another Tonic Train perfromance at a house concert for the radio rocket scientist Ricardo Reis. His unsuspecting friends proved to be enthusiastic about the strange visitors
Catharina keeps a smile on his face. A warm thanks to our marvelous host – the real Ricardo Reis
April 6, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on PARIS April 2006
We stop off for two nights to visit Knut’s old friend Matthias and to break the long train journey to Portugal.
Dinah and Jean Phillipe host a fantastic and hilarious radio meal
Much fun en route to Lisbon on the night train, including a wobbly ‘Dinner for One’ style waiter in the dining car. Portugal is green and gorgeous in the morning
April 2, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on LONDON April 2006
During our stay in London we played a house concert for John Wall and friends in John’s studio. The tiny room was completely full with the addition of eight audience members, who offered a welcoming and gentle atmosphere.
Making a mess on the studio floor……
John and Kay looking forward to the next crop
News travels fast in the Resonance studio – great to catch up with Richard, Tom and the rest of the gang
Knut enjoys playing in the London Improvisers Orchestra again. Terry Day was in full swing…
March 25, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on BATH March 2006
Knut was invited to perform at Bath Spa University in a concert designed to showcase various approaches to making music using feedback systems.
Knut’s solo performance for feedback
March 20, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on WEYMOUTH March 2006
We spent some time catching up with ourselves in Weymouth at Sarah’s family home.
Seagulls are always on the lookout for a spare chip
March 15, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on HAGEN March 2006
We stop off at the Aufermann family’s modernist house to break our long train journey from Bratislava to the U.K.
All of the family except Knut are extremely green-fingered
March 12, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on BRATISLAVA March 2006
We had a wonderful time sleeping in a boat on the Danube and getting the locals started off with circuit bending at a workshop which was run by Itchy Bit and funded by the British Council. Everyone in the workshop had a keen passion to develop their own electronic instruments and worked hard to create deivces to play at the closing concert.
Getting stuck in during four days of industrious activity
The concert poster was developed in the spirit of the workshop
Some of the Orkesta performing their new instruments. They almost didn’t stop playing…..
March 7, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on VIENNA March 2006
We stayed a few days in Vienna with our friends Billy and Dieter to play a concert and do some recording for a project with Billy.
Tonic Train concert at Raum 35, the former institute for transacoustic research.
March 4, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on BRNO March 2006
Thanks to our fantastic hosts Ivan and Anna we can stay for a night in Brno and surprise Phil Minton and Veryan Weston at their gig with 4 Walls in town.
Upgrading Ivan’s contact mic for his knitting machine.
March 2, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on PRAGUE March 2006
With only a few days left in Prague we finalize the design of a new circuit-bent instrument and spend a day with Lloyd and Kaoru in the beautiful surroundings of Prague.
The unfinished and yet unnamed new instrument.
Stream near Srbsko.
February 20, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on MUNICH February 2006
During our weekend break in Munich Sarah DJed at Knut’s sister’s 40th birthday party.
We also managed to meet up with our musical collaborators of Violet Cab.
Michael Feller, Knut, Sarah + Gunter Pretzel
February 10, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on PRAGUE February 2006
Back in Prague we collaborated with the Tape-Beatles, Martin Blazicek, Ondrej Vavrecka, Patricia Guerreiro, Milos Vojtechovsky and Pavel Sterec in an evening filling performance at the Skolska 28 gallery.
Still from a premiered Tape Beatles film.
February 5, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on BREMEN/NEW PLYMOUTH February 2006
We were invited for a short trip to Bremen to take part in a radio workshop, and to produce two shows for a five day FM broadcast called Schwankungen.
From our hotel room we played a short concert over the phone for a radio party at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery in New Plymouth, New Zealand that was organized by Tetsuo Kogawa.
January 25, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on PRAGUE January 2006
We have arrived in Prague to begin our two month residency at the Open
Studios in Dolni Pocernice. It took us a couple of days to catch up with
ourselves, after a lengthy yet fantastic journey through the alps. Now we can
take it all in Prague is inviting, enigmatic and energetic (in a slow way).
We have already been hunting for old and new electronics at the flea market,
and are beginning work on some new instruments. What a joy to have a big studio
room to work and live in.
Eating outdoors at minus 2 degrees – Flea market Prague style!
Our visits to the fleamarket were successful. The bending can begin…
As part of the January 2006 Arts Birthday Party events in Prague we played in our duo Tonic Train, and had the opportunity to collaborate with the Tape Beatles and Martin Blazicek on a sound and image performance. Along with telephone contributions from Jonathan Bohman in London and Svea Reiners in Germany we also took part the collaborative radio presentation Places/Anagram, an improvised radio play based on a game, which was streamed on Lemurie. In total there were 5 days of events, the highlight of which was the Mini Radio Burza Radiophonic Potlach which featured a fantastic programme of performances put together by Orange 94.0 in Vienna and Milos Vojtichovsky in Prague as part of the Radia network’s radio.territories project. Another great performance was made by z.b.: … , an all-singing all-dancing sound art act from Vienna. Details of the above events and performers can be found in the Arts Birthday Party programme.
Tonic Train meet the Tape Beatles
z.b.: in full swing
January 2, 2006 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on SIAT January 2006
We spent New Year with friends up in Siat, Switzerland at 4330ft. It is more beautiful than we could have imagined. A wolf was spotted in the village last year but we haven’t met one yet, just one of the local cats who loves to play in the snow.
Siat nestling in the deep snow.
Another view of the area, from a mountain walk to the next village.
December 25, 2005 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on BADEN December 2005
We spend christmas in the Swiss spa town of Baden, complete with a visit to the thermal baths and listening to late night bells ringing
A stroll up the local hill ended in an icy world.
December 18, 2005 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on MARSEILLE December 2005
Whilst taking part in the Engrenages Festival of Radio Grenouille in Marseille we heard the news that Resonance FM has been given a 5-year-licence to broadcast. Everybody is delighted.
Sarah and Knut with Tetsuo Kogawa and Jacques Foschia (foreground) , live at DATA in Marseille on the 18th Dec 05
December 14, 2005 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on ZURICH December 2005
We took a much needed break on the way to the next project in Marseille. This gave us a chance to chew over a few ideas with one of our close musical allies, and to think about the future.
Meeting with Responge friend Anselm Caminada, and Theres Jörger
Leaving too soon, but we’ll be back in Switzerland for Christmas and New Year.
December 11, 2005 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on BREMEN December 2005
Mobile Radio presented a Sonic Art Container at the Profile Intermedia Conference. Together with Simon Lucas and Xentos ‘Fray’ Bentos we gave 31 two-minute-long sound and image performances in the form of personality ‘readings’, which were documented as unique DVDs for each participant.
Wired for sound in our space – a chilly metal sea container.
Working hard on creating 31 individualized DVDs.
Menu image from the sampler DVD which we produced as final documentation.
November 22, 2005 by Mobile Radio | Comments Off on BERLIN November 2005
Sarah was the ‘recycler’ for the Polish-German art radio project Radio_Copernicus which broadcast in Berlin throughout November on 95.2 MHz. This involved making 12 one hour radio shows in two weeks. Crazy.
This is the staircase at the University of the Arts in Berlin, where we recorded a version of Alvin Lucier’s ‘I am sitting in a room’. We called it ‘Recyling a Radio Station’ and it was broadcast on Radio Copernicus on 20th November 2005 at 4pm Central European time.
A view of Karl-Marx-Allee from our Berlin flat.
The frequency we broadcast on in Berlin.
Two of our special guests on air: Axel Dörner and Alex Nowitz.
