Some call it avant-garde, some call it experimental and some just call it noise.
Whatever it is, it’s been happening at the Lacking Sound Festival (失聲祭) on a monthly basis for the past eight years. The aural extravaganza strives to explore sound as an art form through boundary-breaking, hybrid performances that involve cutting edge, non-traditional technology.
Now the event is celebrating its 100th edition by throwing celebratory parties tonight and on Jan. 22 at The Wall (這牆). Some of the country’s leading noise makers, sound wizards and electronic musicians will be lining up for the occasion, such as Fujui Wang (王福瑞), Lim Giong (林強), fish.the (real name Huang Kai–yu, 黃凱宇) and Dawang Yingfan Huang (黃大旺).
Photo courtesy of Lacking Sound Festival
Lacking Sound came about in 2007, around the time when Her-He Party, a series of free outdoor shindigs under Huazhong Bridge (華中橋) in Taipei came to a close. Co-founded by Lim in 2003, Her-He Party is said to have influenced many young participants with its liberal attitude and openness to music, setting itself apart from the rave scene at the time, which was besmirched with money and commercialism.
Among the inspired, Yao Chung-han (姚仲涵), then an art student at Taipei National University of the Arts, established Lacking Sound with several of his classmates, in the hope of creating a community of sound artists and fostering an audience, to whom the chances of seeing, let along discussing, works of sound art were few and far between, with the exception of occasional art festivals and exhibitions.
As a regular avenue dedicated to sonic performances, exhibitions and research, Lacking Sound not only organizes shows and forums by local and foreign artists, but has become increasingly dedicated to creating audio-visual documentation, articles and studies about its favorite subject in Taiwan.
Photo courtesy of Lacking Sound Festival
For its 100th edition, the festival teams up with Kandala Records (旃陀羅公社), a noise/avant-garde label set up by noise pundit Chang Yo-sheng (張又升) in 2009, to put forth what promises to be a memorable, two-night festivity. Tonight’s headliners include Lim and fish.the, both important figures in Taiwan’s electronic music scene and the brains behind Her-He Party. Electronic maestro fish.the, in particular, will spin bleeps and buzzes from his long overdue debut album Gong (宮). Multi-award winning composer and guitarist Blaire Ko (柯智豪) will also join in on the fun.
On Jan. 22, partygoers should make sure they have enough energy as the second celebration is a nine-hour audio-visual marathon. Kicking off the show is a collaboration by local new media artist Wang Chung-kun (王仲?) and GayBird (梁基爵) from Hong Kong, using air hoses as their musical instruments. Noise maker Dawang Yingfan Huang will put on his raw, boisterous and borderline trashy solo performance, while pioneering sound artist Fujui Wang will create a group show with his juniors, including Yao, Yeh Ting-hao (葉廷皓) and Lu Yi (盧藝).
Later that night, an electronica party is slated to take place and run till the break of dawn. The lineup features sound artist Betty Apple (鄭宜蘋), Ziet, EAOW! and electronic musician Al Burro from London.
Photo courtesy of Lacking Sound Festival
Photo courtesy of Lacking Sound Festival
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