Wednesday 17 October 2012

Review: Jason Lescalleet + Stephan Mathieu + Valerio Tricoli

Ausland on Lychener Straße is one of the last remaining cultural spaces in Prenzlauer Berg. Alright, there is still the Duncker Club, Wabe and the more touristy locations around Eberswalder Straße. Nevertheless, Ausland is a place with history, opened in the early 90s as Lychi 60 and renamed to Ausland in 2003, specialising in experimental music since the beginning. I think I saw The Flying Luttenbachers 3 times there. Always fun.

Last Thursday a big line-up in dark ambient / drone was on their program. This could be good or really bad. I hate to watch some dudes behind their laptops (checking e-mails) pretening to play live music and not just pressing Play. Well, this night was different. We got something to see. 

Berlin-based Valerio Tricoli started, operating a reel-to-reel tape recorder. Crackling, fragmented sounds mixed with low frequencies. Someone said afterwards it sounded like a horror movie. I guess he was right. 

Stephan Mathieu was next, playing a composition by Japanese composer Yoshi Wada. A piece originally written for 2 celli was now performed by him with a zither and 6 E-bows. A very challenging gig with slowly changing drones. To be honest, I was more concentrating on his shaking hands than on the music. I think it was pretty good. 

Jason Lescalleet from the States got my attention just recently by releasing an awesome record with Aaron Dilloway. He played last on a massive table with keyboards, a tape recorder, effects and much more. Very impressive and his sound was much noisier than the other ones before. A dark soundtrack to a late evening. He ended his (maybe 15 minutes too long) set with a creepy slowed version Q Lazzarus' Goodbye Horses.



We left Ausland tired and exhausted, but happy and promised to return soon. 

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