Sculpting the Noise

Bill Nace/Chiara Giovando/Keir Neuringer/ Audrey Chen @ The Red Room, Baltimore, MD
January 5, 2008

Set One
Bill Nace: guitar - solo, then duo with
Chiara Giovando: electronics, voice

Set Two
Keir Neuringer: electronics, alto saxophone - solo, then duo with
Audrey Chen: cello, voice, electronics

With an extensive language of extended technique for molding a healthy electric signal (bordering on loud) Bill Nace brings a brute physicality to guitar playing that sculpts a sound that draws upon the physics of strings, amplification and relentlessly creative methods for attacking the instrument. His actions on the instrument in his lap alter his media substantially. Giving rise to the notion of sound creation as sculpture, with hammer and chisel ever present to chip away at the rough edges of the sonic slab. The ever changing soundscape was strange and engaging. The addition of Chiara Giovando to form a duo improvisation added yet more slabs of material.



Keir Neuringer has an ear for molding electronics in real time. Though I felt his performance begin to meander past missed opportunities before turning toward his solo alto saxophone playing - which is fascinating. In a brief solo performance he deftly applied a percussive approach to rapid-fire timbral changes built upon short gestalts. The addition of the always engaging Audrey Chen made for a compelling coda of sculpted sound masses.