Fancy playing with 100 guitarists?

[Panamonte]

Just spotted this. They're looking for 8 bass players to join 100 guitarists for the UK premiere of The Crimson Grail by Rhys Chatham in September. If you're interested, all the details are here:

[url="http://liverpoolbiennial.co.uk/about/opportunities/8/100-guitarists-and-8-bassists-needed-for-rhys-chathams-a-crimson-grail/"]http://liverpoolbiennial.co.uk/about/opportunities/8/100-guitarists-and-8-bassists-needed-for-rhys-chathams-a-crimson-grail/[/url]

I'll just sit back and wait for the inevitable jokes

[Gust0o]

Can I ask some questions?
[list]
[*]^That was my first one; assuming you've said "yes", let's progress,
[*]What the bollocks is this?
[*]Who is he? And,
[*]Why should we care?
[/list]
Do you know the answers to any of these?

it sounds awful, like when I made that porno with 8 fluffers and 100 guys. f***ing ruined my mam's carpet and I was grounded for a week.

[Panamonte]

According to the press release:

[size=3]Rhys Chatham is best-known for his large-scale guitar orchestras. He was Music Director of the celebrated Kitchen art centre in New York in the 70s. His work is heavily influenced by punk rock and he has worked with artists including Philip Glass, Sonic Youth and Robert Fripp of King Crimson.[/size]

[size=3][size=4][quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1342454652' post='1735364']
it sounds awful, like when I made that porno with 8 fluffers and 100 guys. f***ing ruined my mam's carpet and I was grounded for a week.
[/quote][/size][/size]
[size=3] [/size]
[size=3][size=4]Great DVD though - it was well worth it [/size][/size]
[size=3] [/size]
[size=3] [/size]

[size=3] [/size]

[mike257]

I've applied for a (please don't disown me, I'm still a bassist at heart) guitar playing spot on this. Apparently he debuted it in the Sacre Coeur in Paris with 400 guitarists, looks out and out nuts really. Should be fun!

The Anglican Cathedral is a stunning building, will be an amazing venue for something like this.

[lojo]

It sounds like the beginning of a later show

[RhysP]

I've got some Rhys Chatham stuff - I can recommend "Die Donnergötter".

I would think anybody wanting to take part in this would need to be a pretty good player, and also be able to sight read very well.

That's me out then.

[musophilr]

I reckon most bass players would think "playing with [i][u][b]one [/b][/u][/i]guitarist is bad enough" ...

[Panamonte]

[quote name='lojo' timestamp='1342456601' post='1735429']
It sounds like the beginning of a later show
[/quote]

Minus some tool playing boogie woogie piano.

[BottomE]

Sounds like one of my recurring nightmares

[Musky]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1342457415' post='1735453']
I would think anybody wanting to take part in this would need to be a pretty good player, and also be able to sight read very well.
[/quote]
You'd think so, but it's not really the case.

A mate played at the one they did at the Roundhouse a few years back. He's very much into experimental playing and his style reflects that, but he's not much of a reader and admitted to getting a bit lost at times during the gig. Being a tight rhythm player and being able to handle complex rhythms are far more important for this if his experience was anything to go by.

Oh, and it was a great gig BTW.

Edit: Actually that was a Glenn Branca gig. So perhaps not the same thing at all!

Edited July 16, 2012 by Musky

[Panamonte]

[quote name='Musky' timestamp='1342478979' post='1736040']
Actually that was a Glenn Branca gig. So perhaps not the same thing at all!
[/quote]

Probably not dissimilar - they've certainly worked together in the past.

[ahpook]

1 applied and got into a glen branca perfromance band a few years, but bottled it in the end...i really regret that.

i think that was 50 guitarists and 8 bass players.



if this was near me i'd go for it.

Edited July 16, 2012 by ahpook

[discreet]

What, no loot? Not even exes?

[Gust0o]

[quote name='Panamonte' timestamp='1342455043' post='1735375']
[size=3][size=4]Great DVD though - it was well worth it [/size][/size]
[/quote]

Yeah, can I have it back when you're done with it?

[discreet]

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1342518428' post='1736333']
Yeah, can I have it back when you're done with it?[/quote]

Me next, then him, then someone else, and so on.
Has it got a 'wipe-clean' case?

[steve-bbb]

sheeesh

100

can you imagine all the passive-aggressive ego flexing and posturing

[Big_Stu]

I still have bad dreams after watching footage of the "mass playing of Smoke On The Water"

Edited July 17, 2012 by Big_Stu

[Dood]

It reminds me that many years ago I was part of a world record breaking achievement. We had the most amount of guitarists playing the same song together for the longest time over two cities in the UK. No idea what happened to my certificate though!

And speaking of large collections of musicians together, congrats to those who were part of the Stick It To MS event. 800 drummers playing the same rhythms in the same place at the same time. That I bet is an incredible feat! Probably way more harmonious than a visit to the LBGS he he he he!

[Mornats]

Just goes to show, one bassist is worth 12.5 guitarists.

[mike257]

Old thread bump - did anyone else go in for this? Got my email this evening to confirm I've got one of the guitar slots so I'll be amongst the unwashed masses with my six-string. Be seeing any fellow BC'ers there?

Mike

[goblin]

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1342521259' post='1736412']
It reminds me that many years ago I was part of a world record breaking achievement. We had the most amount of guitarists playing the same song together for the longest time over two cities in the UK. No idea what happened to my certificate though!

And speaking of large collections of musicians together, congrats to those who were part of the Stick It To MS event. 800 drummers playing the same rhythms in the same place at the same time. That I bet is an incredible feat! Probably way more harmonious than a visit to the LBGS he he he he!
[/quote]

3 Friends of mine did that, they agreed it wasn't far short of disaster Over 800 mostly amateur drummers playing a simple pattern to a visual metronome is apparently impossible, and then where it comes to the "show off" bit, it was just an eruption of noise They agreed that it's better than 800 guitarists in one room though

[rogerstodge]

Ive played with more than that, ive depped for Showaddywaddy.

[mike257]

Wow. Just got home from playing this and I'm blown away by it. The Anglican Cathedral with its 15 second reverb was a perfect choice of venue and the sound of the whole ensemble together was breathtaking.

The sight reading wasn't very heavy at all, most of the score was information on cues and changes, the parts were generally very simple, with groups group of Soprano, Alto and Tenor guitarists each restrung for specific open tunings. The piece was all about the effect of these many small, simple parts coming together into one enormous wall of sound, and was structured at points so that chords literally spun around the room (the musicians surrounded the audience on three sides and were divided into four sections). I'd love to have been in the middle of the room hearing the full effect of it, but even from where I was sat it sounded incredible.

Really pleased to have been a part of it, it'll make my return to bog standard wedding gigs tomorrow feel like coming right down to earth with a bump. Will take something really special to top it! Some of the musicians had travelled from far flung corners of the USA, South America and across Europe, as well as from all over the UK, and all seemed completely overwhelmed by the experience. It brought together players from all different background and levels of ability too.

If any BC'ers get the chance to get involved in something like this, I'd say go for it, even if you're not a confident reader (I'm certainly no expert). You'll be glad you did.

An incredible night. I'm still on a high.

[BassTractor]

Lovely story. Thanks for sharing.
I think I'd have loved to be there.

best,
bert

[Panamonte]

Sounds fantastic Mike - good for you for taking the plunge.