Robert van Heumen Composer Improvisor Laptop-Instrumentalist Sound-Designer
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SKIF++ MiniTour in USA-EAST

In September & October 2007 SKIF++ toured NL, UK and the US Eastcoast. The schedule:

* Sept 18: concert @ STEIM / SuperCollider Symposium in Amsterdam NL
* Sept 23: lecture & concert @ Modulate / Sonic culture salon in Birmingham UK
* Oct 3: lecture @ Princeton University / concert @ ffmup (free form mash up) in Princeton, NJ, US
* Oct 4: concert @ Issue Project Room in Brooklyn, NY, US
* Oct 5: concert @ Pixilerations festival in Providence, RI, US
* Oct 7: concert @ Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH, US

SKIF++ is Jeff Carey on laptop (audio: SuperCollider), Robert van Heumen on laptop (audio: LiSa) and Bas van Koolwijk (visuals: MAX/Msp/Jitter). More info on SKIF++ on west28.nl.

The visit to the Modulate collective (5 people) in Birmingham was special: the collective is very tight, but also very isolated from other media culture in Birmingham. Their hospitality was amazing, and we were warmly received. Their Sonic culture salon takes place in an old warehouse, with a huge wall for projections and a great soundsystem. Modulate is also the home of Higher Intelligence Agency, a 90's IDM group making ambient in the Pete Namlook / Biosphere tradition. Proof of their extreme modesty was that we only found this out when we were leaving for Amsterdam...

One anecdote comes to mind: after the concert, this kind of highbrow experimental audio-visual art, we went to the pub at the corner for a beer. First thing I noticed was that after 11PM you still have to knock on the door to get in (a left-over from times when pubs had to close at 11PM I suppose). Then when we got our Guinesses, a guy with a mic and a guitar starts singing his heart out - real folkmusic I'd say, in the truest sense of the word. But very very surreal after our concert...

Princeton was very different: naturally a very academic environment, the SKIF++ instrumental electronics seemed far removed from the usual gigs at ffmup. We were received with open arms though - staying at the beautiful campus that was originally build in the 1700's.

The concert in Issue Project Room was a challenge: failing equipment and a tiny audience - probably due to the fact that the current IPR space is quite remote. You have to give it up to the people at IPR though: with the current politics in New York it is not easy to run an experimental music venue in the city that never sleeps...

In Providence it was like coming home. It was my third time there this year, and this time we were playing at the Pixilerations festival. The venue was a beautiful white gallery, the equipment was great, and there was a good audience. Staying there during the one day off was no punishment either - after a great party at Mark's, each of us practicing beat-matching while drinking whiskey, sleeping in, going for a heavy brunch with the friends we stayed with, and strolling along the shore.

Some quotes about the concert:

’As an example, Rovan points to SKIF++, a Dutch electronic-music group known for performing its own compositions using a combination of playful do-it-yourself instruments and computer-game joysticks. “In electronic-music circles, they’re kind of like rock stars,” Rovan says of the group, which will give a 10 p.m. concert at the Space at Alice gallery on Friday, Oct. 5. “The guys are all associated with the STEIM Institute, which is one of the biggest institutes in the world dedicated to developing new musical instruments.” ’
The Providence Journal

’So far, Pixilerations has included openings for gallery shows on Sept. 28, two concerts last weekend and a screening of short films Wednesday at the Cable Car Cinema. Electronic, audio-visual trio SKIF++ will perform tonight at the Space at Alice."They’re like rock stars in Amsterdam," Pletcher said. "All around Europe, too." ’
The Brown Daily Herald

Finally Dartmouth College. Playing a matinee in the recital hall was a little surreal - when we were done at 5pm it was almost as if it never happened.

All in all a great tour. During the rehearsals for it we revisited an older piece, and defined a new structure - more timide than the usual crackly thunderstorms, and especially the new piece was received very well. Bas added some color to the image (other than green that is) which worked very well. We're currently working on compiling a CDR/DVDR release.