the PiNG presents I Have Eaten The City

["PiNG" <ping@theambientping.com>]

Please note that due to a family emergency, Building Castles Out 
Of Matchsticks has had to postpone their performance at this 
week's PiNG until a later date. Keep an eye on our future schedule 
for the return of Building Castles Out Of Matchsticks to the PiNG.
http://www.theambientping.com/eventsall.html#FUTURE 

Thanks to I Have Eaten The City who will fill the night with 
two sets of improv instead.  

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THE AMBiENT PiNG   http://www.theambientping.com
Tuesdays @ HACiENDA - 794 Bathurst Street at Bloor - Toronto 
(upstairs - directly across from the Bathurst subway station) 
Doors open at 9pm - 1st set at 9:30 - PayWhatYouCan 

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This Tuesday January 17th · I Have Eaten The City 
(Colin Fisher, Nick Storing and Brandon Valdivia) 

I Have Eaten The City formed in May of 2005. Comprising of Colin 
Fisher (guitar/ sax), Nick Storring (cello/ computer/ electronics) 
and Brandon Valdivia (drums/ percussion), they fuse free-jazz, 
contemporary classical, psychedelia, and various strains of 
abstract electronica. Sonic reference points include Faust, 
Alice Coltrane, electric Miles Davis, Supersilent, Mephista, 
Kaija Saariaho, Wolf Eyes, early Tangerine Dream, 
and Black Dice.

The group's unique sound recently provided the backdrop for 
former Can vocalist, Damo Suzuki for an acclaimed performance 
at the Starlight Club in Waterloo. Following that the trio played 
the 416 Creative Improviser's Festival.

Individually each member works in a variety of different contexts: 
Nick and Brandon both play in indie-rock group Picastro and with 
in the mutant cabaret troupe Dan Fournier and the Pill. Both are 
graduates of Wilfrid Laurier University's composition program. Nick 
currently composes for theatre and interdisciplinary projects and 
records electronic music under his own name and as Piège. 
Brandon performs marimba in Red Sky, a theatre& music production 
focusing on First Nations mythology, in a Javanese gamelan and 
in improvising duo with Kyle Brenders. Colin plays math-rock/ 
improv/ prog/ post-hardcore group Sing That Yell That Spell, 
avant-jazz group Chronic D. He was a member of Abstract with 
Maury Coles, with which he recorded with Joe McPee. He also 
played sax on the Constantines' "Shine A Light."

The group are proud members of the Association of Improvising 
Musicians, Toronto. http://www.myspace.com/aimtoronto

http://www.myspace.com/ihaveeatenthecity
Colin - http://www.geocities.com/albertaylerlovesyou/colinfisher.html
Brandon - http://www.myspace.com/brandonvaldivia
Nick - http://www.nickstorring.com

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Before Sets CD · Subduction Current by Subduction Current 
Coming to the PiNG for the Sweetheart Sessions on Feb. 14th, 
this is the premiere release by synth/guitar duo Catharine Tammaro 
and Phil Ogison from our friends at Worthy Records.
http://www.worthyrecords.com/releases.html

Between Sets CD · Borders and Barrens by Lammergeyer 
This week we feature a side project from Anthony Paul Kerby 
of The Circular Ruins. Read about it here in rik's *ping things* 
CD review below and hear it Tuesday @ the PiNG.
http://www.databloem.com/z_lammergeyer.htm

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Coming Tuesday January 24th · Reflectiostack and Worma

Reflectiostack's new album, "Music for Torching", explores what 
seems to be rapidly becoming a new genre: folktronica, post-folk, 
or whatever else you'd like to call it.  "The Stack" blend 
electronica with rhythmic guitars, moody violins, and haunting 
vocals; the result of a decade of musical exploration.  In a live 
context, these core elements are expanded through the addition 
of bass, synth, pedals, and a sampler/sequencer.  Reflectiostack's 
'AMBiENT PiNG' set will showcase songs from "Music for Torching", 
as well as some new material that delves further into the creation 
of dynamic soundscapes.
http://www.reflectiostack.com

Worma's soothing rhythms will transport your thoughts to distant 
dimensions. Her tranquil, yet dynamic melodies both soothe 
and arouse the savage breast. 
Prepare to be entranced.
http://www.worma.com

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rik maclean's *ping things* CD Reviews

"Borders and Barrens" by Lammergeyer (a side project from Anthony 
Paul Kerby of The Circular Ruins) is a lush and beautiful collection 
of work evoking new atmospheres and spaces.  A fine example of 
the wonders of environmental ambience, "Borders and Barrens" is
an excellent disc sure to inspire the imagination and the senses.

The disc opens with the sonically rich "Where the Sea Ends", a 
lovely track where tones rise and fall like the tides while voices 
play in the background overtop a drone that evokes fluid images 
of the ocean. "Leaving the Dark Earth" follows, a cascading drift
of sounds that vibrate and oscillate lightly, gently. There's a 
sense of tragedy to this track, a feeling of loss and sacrifice, 
a sadness that informs it's sound. Track three, "The Blue Path", 
features a percolating synth line and sweeping pads that slowly 
move the piece forward. It's a brighter track than the last, 
something a little more hopeful that balances the previous 
darkness. "Promise" follows, a subtle track where a steady
drone plays underneath a building phrase, tones drifting 
through the song, gaining in strength only long enough to 
be noticed and then disappearing into the ether. The sound 
of wind opens "Rainflower", a fine example of environmental 
ambience bringing to mind thoughts of lush green mountainsides 
and light showers. Track six, "Genesis", pulses with the sound 
of primal geothermal forces, a feeling of magma flowing deep 
beneath the earth's core. Very beautiful and very powerful. 
"We All Fall Down" is up next, a steadily growing drone 
rising to the fore overtop distant garbled voices while deep 
analog tones burble and tease. It's a beautifully enigmatic 
track, something mysterious and curious, a track to inspire the
imagination. "In Praise of Darkness" is a shorter piece, a lovely 
but brief dance along the edge of a field of stars and other 
heavenly bodies. "Absence" uses backwards loops to create an 
otherworldly environment, a landscape more akin to the moon 
than the earth. "Everything That Lives" is a slight glimpse into 
an alien culture, leading into the longer "Night Flight", a track 
that brings to mind the sound of traveling through the cosmos,
fully capturing both the danger and wonder inherent in that kind 
of journey. "Gyroscope" closes the disc, synth lines bubbling 
around each other, a deep blending of sounds and shapes. 
A lovely way to end.

Without doubt "Borders and Barrens" is a lovely example of how 
music and sound can transport the listener to new terrains and 
environments, creating atmospheres we may already be familiar 
with as well as others that we've never seen before. Kerby's 
mastery of the genre is clearly evident with this release, and 
one can only hope that the artistry found in "Borders and Barrens" 
will win him an even larger audience to enjoy his work. 
Highly recommended.

"Borders and Barrens" by Lammergeyer is available now at ping things!
http://www.pingthings.com/LAMMERGEYERborders.htm

rik maclean - rik@pingthings.com

http://www.pingthings.com = ambient + electronic + chill things 

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* Other Toronto area sonic/visual events of interest this week:

* Tuesday, January 17 · New Adventures in Sound Art and CKLN FM 
   (Toronto) are taking part for the first time in the annual Art's 
   Birthday Celebration - Broadcast Live on CKLN Radio 
   ( http://www.ckln.fm ) from 3 to 7 pm (Toronto time)
   Connecting with Kunstradio in Austria ( http://www.kunstradio.at ), 
   Western Front in Vancouver ( http://www.front.bc.ca ), 
   and the Ars Acustica group in the Czech Republic 
   ( http://www.rozhlas.cz/radiocustica/portal/ ).
   Featuring performance art, live electronic sound art, and live
   in-studio performances by Paul Dutton, Dave Dyment, Johanna
   Householder, Richard Windeyer, E. C. Woodley, Anna Friz, David 
   Ogborn, Barry Prophet, Rose Bolton, Catherine Thompson, 
   Matt Rogalsky, and many more.
   
* Thursday, January 19th · Improvisors' Pool
   Ralph Thornton Centre, 765 Queen Street East
   East of Broadview and west of De Grassi
   7:00-9:00

* Friday, January 20th · SCHEMA FACTOR with guest vocalist 
   madame HAIR and with STRANGE AS ANGELS and PULSE PLANT
   Smiling Buddha Bar, 961 College St., Toronto
   9 PM until "late" no cover 

* Friday, January 20th · OPEN HART CONCERT SERIES
   Live in Concert: CCMC and MAZINANI/VORVIS
   CCMC (Paul Dutton – oralizations; John Oswald – alto sax; 
   Michael Snow – piano, synthesizer) 
   MAZINANI/VORVIS (Mani Mazinani – piano; Jack Vorvis - drums)
   Music Room , Hart House, 7 Hart House Circle, University of Toronto 
(MAP)
   8:00pm FREE, all are welcome.

* Friday, January 20th · Leftover Daylight Series
   in association with Arraymusic and AIMT
   i - Lerner / Lutek w/ marilyn lerner - piano, peter lutek - bari-sax
   ii - Campbell / Keith / Sait / Sorbara w/ rod campbell - trumpet, 
   michael keith - guitar, david sait - guzheng, joe sorbara - drums
   iii - Obradek + Paul Newman w/ jim bailey - amplified objects, 
   michaelangelo iaffaldano - clarinet/guitar, andy yue - piano, 
   paul newman - tenor sax
   9:00pm ARRAYMUSIC Studio 60 Atlantic Avenue, Suite 218 $10/6

* Friday January 20th · The Ryan Driver Quartet
   Ryan Driver - piano, human voice, Martin Arnold - vox invader,
   Rob Clutton - bass, Jake Oelrichs - drums
   10:00pm at GRAFFITI'S PWYC

* Sunday, January 22nd · AIMToronto and the NOW Lounge 
   present the NOW SERIES creative jazz and improvised 
   music series. The NOW Series will be held every Sunday 
   afternoon from 4-7pm at the Now Lounge, 189 Church St 
   with a $6 cover charge. 
   This week curated by Paul Newman
   4:00 - Geordie Haley Trio w/ geordie haley - guitar, nick 
   fraser - drums, scott thomson - trombone
   5:00- Hansen / Krakowiak w/ mike hansen - turntables, 
   tomasz krakowiak - amplified objects
   6:00 - Clutton / Driver / Michelli w/ rob clutton - bass, 
   ryan driver - synth, anthony michelli - drums

* Monday, January 23rd · Coexistence Series #3
   A monthly series of duet collaborations, this month featuring:
   Victor Bateman - double bass and Colin Anthony - piano
   7:30pm Tranzac Club

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THE AMBiENT PiNG is a social sound/art event presenting live 
performances by Toronto's finest ambient, chillout, improv and 
experimental music artists plus performers from across the continent, 
every Tuesday evening at HACiENDA - 794 Bathurst Street at Bloor. 
http://www.theambientping.com 

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