Dear Big Sur SoundShift Musicians,
Thank you very much for participating in SoundShift 04. We are really excited about the diversity of talent that make up this year's event, and the addition of The Anais Nin Video & Film Diary Festival (which will be taking place on Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th after the sun sets). We hope that this is an awesome experience for everybody involved, as both participant and spectator.
I want to personally check-in with everyone with the updated logistics below that are crucial in making this event a collective success for us all. I apologize for the length and formality of this email, but if the logistics and methodology of this event are not understood by each participant the results will be disappointing and a headache. A large scale collaboration of this nature is dependent on personal responsibility and thoughtfulness. In order to understand this event and make it work, IT IS CRUCIAL FOR EVERYONE IN THE EVENT TO READ AND DIGEST THE CONTENT OF THIS EMAIL. If you have any questions please email us itzat@earthlink.net or mattdavignon@sbcglobal.net or call us at 415.386.6909.
In no particular order, here are the major topics:
1. PLAYING METHODOLOGY. There are no aesthetic limits on performances. As individuals in a group experience, I hope we traverse the outer limits of music. However, I do want to make three strong suggestions about the nature of contributions:
a.) VOLUME - it is very important to be aware of your volume and how it's effecting other players' experience of the event. This doesn't mean you have to "hold back," but just be conscious of the modulation.
b.) STYLES OF MUSIC - Different people bring different approaches to the table, so it is likely your music may mix with forms of music you may not relate to and/or appreciate. My hope is that people will take this as a challenge to create some "third" thing they can relate to out of the disparate elements, a montage of sorts.
c.) Focus - to focus on and control your contribution and avoid being distracted by the size of or lack of crowd, musicians setting up, beautiful blowing trees, spiraling grass, kalaidescopic clouds, bellowing birds, etc.
Most importantly, the concept is that we are collectively creating two large compositions. Each day consists of a 7 hour single "piece" (subsets that create an ongoing larger piece). This doesn't imply a need for a homogenous structure/texture, but it does mean you need to be AWARE of the ongoing flow of the piece, entrances and exists, etc. Your playing is a contribution in service to this huge glorious artwork.
2. WHEN TO ARRIVE. First, PLEASE be on time, because lateness will throw the whole thing off and create tension all around. PLEASE check-in with either one of us: Matt, Ernesto, Marcos or Scott. We'll be either be at the mixing desk or on
stage somewhere. PLEASE check and print the most recent version of the on-line
schedule at
http://www.paxrecordings.com/img/SoundShift04Day1.bmp
http://www.paxrecordings.com/img/SoundShift04Day2.bmp
http://www.paxrecordings.com/img/SoundShift04byName.bmp
I suggest arriving at least thirty + minutes before your shift starts to load in and setup (see sound checks and parking below). When you leave, it is possible to leave equipment inside the Henry Miller Library (storage room), if it isn't huge, till the end of the day or festival. It's been a safe place for us in the previous years, but we can't take responsibility for its safety.
3. SOUND CHECKS. There are none(!), due to the continuos flowing nature of the piece. This is the most difficult aspect of the process. You need to be familiar with your set up before you arrive (or have sound checked it elsewhere), that you are ready to go, more or less. For people with intricate/new/chaotic setups, you will need to take your chances and/or have a simpler backup. Forethought and a lot of preparation will go a long way to making this go smoothly. If you can soundcheck with headphones, great.
4. LOADING IN AND PARKING. Because the event is in the middle of nowhere off a scenic highway 1, parking can be a challenge. To get in (you should check-in with us first at the mixing board table), you will need to drive into the the gated second entrance, not the main entrance, there should be a staff member at the gate or near the backstage to assist you (or if your gear is light, park near on the side of the road) and then load in. There may be a few people helping with loading in, but basically you are on your own finding some parking up the road or so. Please don't permanantly park in front of the library. We want to reserve these spaces for paying attendees. There are several turnoffs within 100 yards or so, to be used for musician parking.
5. AVAILABLE EQUIPMENT AND SETUP. The stage is a wooden platform 16 x 20 feet. We will provide the following: a stereo all-in-one PA with 2 large speakers, a few mics with stands, and 2 (only 2) direct boxes for electronic musicians. WE ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF MORE DIRECT BOXES. If you can provide some with long (50') cords, it will be immensely helpful. Please let us know at mattdavignon@sbcglobal.net. Currently, all electronic musicians must have a mono output. We don't have enough direct boxes for stereo.
Please bring your own: instruments (including drum kits), tables/keyboard stands,
chairs (we only have a couple), power strips cords/cables.
Bringing your own amp is a good idea, both so you can control your own sound and have better separation. You need to bring all your own cords, etc. YOU NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR SETUP AND EQUIPMENT AND FOR DIVIDING UP THE EXISTING EQUIPMENT ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS--ie. we won't be able to help you much with those issues.
6. MISCELLANEOUS. The space is an intimate outdoor venue that can comfortably accommodate 250 people with the acoustics nestled in a redwood-lined canyon. We will also have a dry erase board with an ever changing "now playing" text where you should please write your name and then erase it when you leave. We'll have a couple clocks visible from the stage. Please be aware of your start and stop time. There will be plenty of space to socialize on the lawn, so please leave the stage and become a member of the audience when your shift is over.
8. VOLUNTEERS. Our staffing coordinator, Andre Custodio custodio2@comcast.net, is assembling a schedule for the people who have already volunteered. As you can imagine, putting on this event is a lot of work and long hours. Frankly we'd like some chances to relax and interact with people while we're there too. If you'd be willing to help us out, we'd really appreciate it. Please contact Andre custodio2@comcast.net or talk to one of us at the show.
9. TRAVEL & LODGING ARRANGEMENTS. Those who have made camping arrangements with Marina Lazzara marinapoet@yahoo.com will receive an email from her shortly regarding where and how to check in. We assume everyone else has taken care of their accomodations on their own. Again, The Henry Miller Library is located in Big Sur on highway 1 (45 minutes south of Carmel/Monterey), a quarter mile south of Nepenthe Restaurant, (a quarter mile north of Deetjen's Big Sur Inn) in a redwood grove on the mountain side of the road. (Sorry, addresses along Highway 1 don't really have address #'s. If you're looking at a map, it's just south of Pfieffer Big Sur State Park.) It is easy just drive, enjoy the incredible vistas, you will not miss us...PLease remember it's a 3+ hour drive south from San Francisco. From LA, going north, the total drive time is about 6 1/2 hours.
10. EXPECT TO HAVE FUN AND MAKE AMAZING MUSIC. With the right attitude and consciousness going into this, this should be a blast. I'm very much looking forward to meeting those of you I don't already know.
...
That's it. If you have a problem with anything in this email, call me at 415.386.6909--We're in the last stages of setup and I'll also be checking my email regularly at itzat@earthlink.net.
In case any of you forgot, this event is a benefit for the Henry Miller Memorial Library. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION!!!!
Abrazos,
Ernesto and BSXMF04 Crew.
http://www.paxrecordings.com/News_events/soundshiftbigsur.html
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