by rick grant rickgrant01@comcast.net
Erik DeLuca’s one-man electronica band called The Sounds Trains Make performed on the sidewalk outside the London Bridge Pub. Simultaneously, Derek Desislets performed a freestyle art project on a large canvas. This avant garde performance art was part of the Wednesday ArtWalk happening around the city.
When I arrived at this beatnik be-in, Erik was just setting up his keyboard and effects devices. He also plays guitar with the orchestration he sets up on his sampling keyboard. The music includes overlaid narration of a woman telling a story. It’s somewhat reminiscent of Frank Zappa’s famous album Uncle Meat.
Yes, it’s out-there but mesmerizing, especially watching Derek paint his art piece inspired by the music. Although the music sounds like random doodling, it does have a loose structure on which Erik can improvise. He uses overlaid loops on which he injects his guitar excursions and other sounds, creating music that sounds like it could be the soundtrack for some serious dramatic film scenario.
The large group of young people who had gathered around Erik and Derek’s performance were very curious about my presence there. They were asking me many questions about how I heard about this event, implying why someone of my vintage would be there. But what they don’t realize is anything that today’s young people can conjure up as new, has been done before. In the Late 1960s and early 1970s this type of experimental music was being played in Central Park in New York City and San Francisco’s many parks that hosted the hippie scene. The impromptu gatherings were called be-ins or happenings. They didn’t have today’s modern electronic keyboards, but they used electric guitars and other instruments as well as percussion.
As a senior journalist and former music producer, I’ve always encouraged young people to go outside consensus reality to experiment with new forms and structures either in art or music. Of course, Brian Eno and Philip Glass are the icons of this genre and they have been influencing the purveyors of this music for many years.
Erik is an UNF student studying video production. Derek is also an UNF student. They both do this type of avant-garde performance art any chance they can get. It was perfect for the ArtWalk crowd who made the London Bridge Pub their last stop to have a few beers and enjoy the music and performance art on the sidewalk.
Around town, there were many hip happenings where art was displayed and music was heard. The main venues were the Library where the Junior League presented the Festival of Trees and Lights. The Bryan Building Loft Gallery was presented by the Hemming Plaza Jewelers with over 30 artists displaying works in the Loft Gallery above the store. Then, Downtown 101 was a one-hour course on Downtown Jacksonville’s history beginning outside the Main Library. At 9:00 pm was the official ArtWalk After Party at the Twisted Martini, sponsored by Gala Rouge Wine. And of course, simultaneously at 9:00 pm, the informal party at the London Bridge Pub, which was the last stop for many of the walkers in this unique event.
The First Wednesday ArtWalk was a smashing success and I witnessed many people on the streets participating. For a weekday night in Jacksonville, which is normally dead as dirt, that was a remarkable accomplishment and tribute to the organizers’ promotional efforts. This event and other citywide entertainment happenings will help promote the inner-city as a safe and hip place to go for nightlife. There are new and exciting venues where cool things are happening. Go to www.DowntownJacksonville.org to find out more about the rise of downtown as the hip place to party and live.
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