So-called "laptop musicians" are redefining what it means to be an artist while sometimes blurring the line between DJ and musician. Technology has advanced to where it's rather easy and affordable for anyone to express their artistic vision, but to put on a fascinating live show often requires more than just a laptop for instrumentation, lest the DJ comparisons arise. November 17th's display of click-electronics at the Inferno smashed those comparisons with a ball peen hammer.
Samarah, one of the most well known downtempo and glitch-hop artists in the midwest, had a release party for her first full-length CD, Falling Away, on what turned out to be an unseasonably chilly November night, which unfortunately took its toll on the attendance. Those who braved the extreme elements were treated to one of the more creative shows to grace the local scene as of late.
Chicago's Justin McGrath kicked off the night with a downtempo set amongst a stage area glowing in a dim red light that had been spiced up with oriental decor, such as white bushes which would have died outside in 10 seconds had they been real. Also from Chicago, the Flashbulb promised only a DJ set but he surprised everyone by brandishing an electric guitar that worked in tandem with the noises emanating from his laptop. He used it to crank out bass riffs, sometimes glitches, sometimes wangy IDM beats, sometimes a piano; it even sounded like an electric guitar at some points. Samarah joined him for a live PA duel just before the start of her set.
Although Samarah's ambient music is so hauntingly downtempo at times that it needs its pulse checked, she gives the impression that she can drink you under the table and kick your ass in a bar fight. A typical show for her goes something like this: Play the keyboard, sing understated vocals, take a big gulp of beer, check the laptop, tap some more keys, inhale a cigarette, more keyboard, more beer, more smoke, repeat ad infinitum. Can you say "badass"? Her set ended with another brief PA battle, this time between her and Alan!, the DJ dujour.
It takes talent for laptop musicians to get patrons to shake their collective booty, and tonight's headliner, Sweden's lanky Andreas Tilliander, was up to the task with an uptempo glitch-techno set that had an old-school flavor. He used a pair of headphones as a microphone, a nifty engineering feat. He didn't hit the stage until about a half-hour before closing time, but we gave him Swedish weather (or perhaps he brought it with him) so he probably felt right at home and didn't mind coming all the way out here for the short set.
There was a raffle to raise money for the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice, but unfortunately, due mostly to the bitter cold, those who bought a ticket were virtually guaranteed to win something. Give them credit for trying. But those who did brave the harsh weather were offered a unique event that explored some of the freshest sounds springing from laptops around the world, from Sweden to Chicago to our own hometown.
