Sunday, May 1, 2022 - 8:00pm

PROOF OF VACCINATION & MASKS REQUIRED. SEATING IS LIMITED FOR PURPOSES OF DISTANCING, ADVANCED TICKETS ARE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.

Astroturf Noise:

Astroturf Noise exists at the intersection of free improvisation, effects-heavy noise music, and American roots music.

The group’s sound marries the propulsive rhythmic drive of bluegrass with the snarl of Downtown agitators such as the Lounge Lizards, Arto Lindsay, and James Chance along with textural flavors touching on glitch music, dub, doom metal, and Ornette Coleman. A broad melange to be sure, but one anchored by the group’s energetic drive and idiosyncratic improvisational language. This is the synthetic counterpoint to Bill Monroe’s “Bluegrass Boys”.

Astroturf Noise was formed by Sam Day Harmet (mandolin/fx) and Sana Nagano (violin/fx) in 2016 after meeting at Karl Berger’s Creative Music Studio and discovering a shared affinity for high-energy free improv and American folk traditions. After a period of developing as a duo, they added versatile bassist Zach Swanson in 2018. Their debut self-titled album features guest contributions from genre-defying artists Billy Martin (percussion) and Sarah Bernstein (violin).

Space Whale Orchestra:

Space Whale Orchestra is an improvisational chamber music ensemble sown and grown in Philadelphia, PA. Drawn together over a love of collective improvisation and sonic experimentation, the group continues to explore the borders of music and the meaning of freedom, always striving to keep their sound new and evolving.

A decade of improvising and researching together has created an unparalleled sensitivity and musical empathy amongst the core members of the group. SWO continues to strive for a cohesive and ever-changing sound that candidly highlights the unique personalities and varied musical influences of each individual player.

Christina Gesualdi/Jesse Kudler duo:

Christina Gesualdi is a dancer and choreographer who is an artist in residence at Mascher Space Co-op. She makes experiential work that researches a certain softness and imaginative off-ness in the body. Jesse Kudler is a musician, composer, performer, and sound artist using improvisation, collaboration, and site-specificity to examine modes and practices of listening. Their duo explores the inter-dependence of sound and movement, with the boundaries between dancer and accompanist deliberately troubled.