Shut Up and Listen: A Festival without Stylistic Strings

December 4th 2007, by Tobias |

When we talked to Austrian Sound Artist Bernhard Gal this Summer, he told us about a small festival he ran, whose 2007-edition would focus on field recordings, phonography and soundscapes. Now, it has arrived. From today on and until the 6th of December, the “Shut Up and Listen!” festival will take place at the “raum35 “in Vienna and consist of lectures, discussions, installations and live performances. Bernhard Gal describes “Shut Up and Listen!” as follows: “I strive to present fine music in a comfortable environment that facilitates detailed listening and the sensual experience of high-quality sound.” Phonography and Field Recordings, to him and his co-organisor Ernst Reitermaier, are among the most interesting new directions in experimental music: “In the last years especially, many new artistic directions have crystalised, not least because of the rapid development of technology in the field of “mobile recording.” These positions, Gal and Reitermaier stress, are not the exclusive property of a single genre: “No stylistic strings attached” is the silent motto of “Shut Up and Listen!”

The roster of “Shut Up and Listen!” 2007 includes organisations such as Forum Klanglandschaft FKL (who are actively encouraging an open approach to listening), Gruenrekorder co-head Lasse-Marc Riek as well as an evening based around several compilations compiled by Seattle-based label and/OAR. Finally, the festival will present a very special project to its audience: Slavo Krekovic, Marek Piacek and Oliver Rehak have audio-mapped te city of Bratislava through sounds related to personal impressions and sensations. “An improvised audiogeographical journey across the Central-European cityscape.”, as the musicians like to call it.

Entrance to all three days of “Shut Up and Listen!” is free, with donations gladly accepted.

Homepage: Shut Up and Listen!