Instal links

I'm writing up some of last weekend's Instal festival for Plan B, so I'll keep my powder dry for now. However, I have come across a few Instal related links that are of interest, as well as my preview of the festival for The List. Hey, it's my blog, a bit of shameless self-promotion is par for the course.

Taking part in Phil Minton's Feral Choir was an amazing, liberating experience. Minton begins by chuckling and chortling. You find yourself joining in and then he's got you. All inhibitions are lifted and before long you're wailing, shrieking and slobbering with the best of them. Some splendid person has posted edited highlights of the Feral Choir on youtube. This is the first recording I've heard, so it's interesting to compare how it sounds from the audience as opposed to within the choir. Powerful and dense. Go team! There are a few more video clips from the festival. Steve McCafferty's dazzling sound poetry is especially worth a look. If anyone objects to me posting these up just drop me a line and I'll remove them.

Couple of blog posts on Instal. David Keenan didn't see anything he truly loved this year, but he's absolutely right to praise the organisers for their achievements. He seems agnostic about the Feral Choir, but his analysis of how sound poetry has infected the underground is timely and perceptive. I have to confess that most of the ultra-minimalist stuff didn't do it for me, so it's interesting to see what a fan of this music made of it all. Enter Richard Pinnell at Watchful Ear.

Beard radio's post-Instal peyote bass party!

A post Instal peyote bass party from Beard Radio!

Grails - Reincarnation Blues, Doomsayer's Holiday (Temporary Residence)
The Raincoats - Shouting Out Loud, Odyshape (Rough Trade)
Kode 9 & The Spaceape - Kingstown, Memories Of The Future (Hyperdub)
Pocahaunted - Track 3, Chains (Tear Drop)
Lucky Dragons - Wooden Cave Loop, Dream Island Laughing Language (Upset The Rhythm)
MADVILLAIN - Rainbown, Madvillainy (Stones Throw)
Pocahaunted - Track 2, Chains (Tear Drop)
Deradoorian - High Road (Lovepump United)
Royal Trux - Lightning Boxer, Royal Trux (Drag City)
Hawkwind - Master Of The Universe, In Search Of Space (Liberty)

Beard radio on 106.6 FM 16.3.09

Our last FM show (don't worry, you can still catch us online!) and the second of our Instal previews, featuring highlights from the festival, past and present and an interview with Barry Esson of curators Arika.

The Monks - Love Comes Tumbling Down, Black Monk Time (Light In The Attic)
Cobalt - Gin, Gin (Profound Lore)
Seymour Wright - In The Wright Place At The Wright Time (www.arika.org.uk)
Hermann Nitzch - Die Geburt (www.arika.org.uk)
Giant Sand - Center Of The Universe, Center Of The Universe (Restless)
Charlemagne Palestine - Duo Strumming For Two Harps, Strumming Music (Robi Droli/New Tone)
Jerome Noettinger w/ Metamkine - Kill Your Timid Notion 2004 excerpt (www.arika.org.uk)
Arington De Dionyso - Bird Shadow, Breath Of Fire (K Records)
Gorilla Biscuits - Degradation, Start Today (Revelation Records)
These Are Powers - Parallel Shores, All Aboard The Future (Dead Oceans)
Nels Cline, Wally Shoup, Chris Corsano - Lake Of Fire Memories, Immolation/Immersion (Strange Attractors Audio House)

Beard Radio 106.6 FM - 9 March

Steve McCaffery and friend do their thang


Good show this week. Well, I enjoyed it at least!

We start off with some cracked Middle-Eastern avant-rock from Sun City Girls, followed by one of the stars of their label Sublime Frequencies' European tour, Omar Souleyman, with an awesome Syrian party banger.

In anticipation of Glasgow's amazing Instal festival (20-22 March) we bring you Steve McCaffery's incredible sound poetry, Phil Minton's 100 strong Feral Choir, and Joan La Barabara singing the birds who live in her head. Vocal experimentation is one of the strands running through the programming, so we pay tribute to that with some other artists who explore the potential of the human voice. There's playful sing-song from Afrirampo, hirsute balladry from Bonnie 'Prince' Billie, and sublime soul from the great James Carr. Finishing it all off, we bring you a tripped out masterwork from Sun Ra, whose title is a tribute to festivals like Instal and anyone opening minds and ears to new sounds.

Sun City Girls - Space Prophet Dogon, Torch of The Mystics (Cargo)
Omar Souleyman - Leh Jani, Highway To Hassake: Folk and Pop Sounds of Syria (Sublime Frequencies)
Steve McCaffery - Carnival (excerpt) www.arika.org.uk
Afrirampo, Want You, Kore Ga Mayaku Da(Tzadik)
Phil Minton - Feral Choir (Vicenza) www.arika.org.uk
Bonnie 'Prince' Billie - My Life's Work, Beware (Domino)
Joan La Barbara - Les Oiseaux Qui Chantent Dans Ma Tete www.arika.org.uk
James Carr - Pouring Water On A Drowning Man (Goldwax)
Sun Ra - There Are Other Worlds (They Have Not Told You Of), Lanquidity (Evidence)
This week's background music: Meco - Star Wars Theme!

Take a chance and find DESTRUCTION!!!

Beard radio goes Italo, goes grime, goes jungle, goes jazz, goes radiophonic...
and finds time to dedicate a couple of romantic numbers to our lovely friends Mark and Xime, who are getting married on Friday. Enjoy!

Mr Flagio - Take A Chance (Squish)
Astral Social Club - Caustic Roe, Octuplex (VHF)
Durrty Goodz - Destruction, Ultrasound, (Awkward Music)
LTJ Bukem - Atlantis (Good Looking)
Miles Davis Rated X, Get Up With It (Columbia)
Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrel - You're All I Need To Get By (Tamla Motown)
Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers - Important In Your Life (Bezerkley)
The Advisory Circle - Frozen Ponds/ Celebrate Michaelmass Now!, Other Channels (Ghost Box)
Jesus Lizard - Mouth Breather, Goat (Touch & Go)
This week's background music: Hammond Dance Party! by Big Jim "H". A charity shop classic!