The Lab: March, 2022

After a relatively dry spell, The Lab will be offering a variety of different approaches to making music during the coming month. Most likely the schedule will be “subject to change without notice;” but this site will do its best to keep up with the current state of affairs. Also, as of the present, masks will be required for entry, as will either proof of vaccination or the results of a COVID-19 test taken within 48 hours.

For those who do not already know, The Lab is in the Mission at 2948 16th Street. This is a short walk from the corner of Mission Street. The location is particularly good for those using public transportation, since that corner provides bus stops for both north-south and east-west travel as well as a BART station. Doors open half an hour before the concert is scheduled to begin; and, back before the pandemic, it was usually the case that a long line had accumulated prior to the opening. Specific information, including when the performance begins and a hyperlink to the event page that provides both background material and hyperlinks for ticket purchases, is as follows:

Tuesday, March 1, 7:30 p.m.: Senyawa is the duo of vocalist Rully Shabara and Wukir Suryadi, who creates his own instruments based on the traditional music of Indonesia. The result is a genre of experimental music informed by Indonesian traditions. The group is based in Yogyakarta, a major tourist attraction for the ancient temple structures at both Borobudur and Prambanan. The duo released its latest album, Alkisah, during the pandemic. Three of their recordings are available through their Bandcamp Web page.

Saturday, March 12, 8 p.m.: This will be a two-set evening of performances that, like those given by Senyawa, build on traditional sources with intense contemporary rhetoric. Duma is the duo of Martin Khanja (who has performed as Lord Spike Heart) and Sam Karugu. Both of them were part of the underground metal scene in Nairobi, performing with Lust of a Dying Breed and Seeds of Datura. In Duma Karugu provides guitar accompaniment for vocals by Khanja. The other set will be taken by Kush Arara, performing as Only Now. His compositions involve a synthesis of tradition percussion with industrial field recordings and electronic synthesis based on physical modeling software.

Tuesday, March 29, 8:30 p.m.: The month will conclude with another two-set evening, this time presenting two solo performances. Fennesz creates lush soundscapes based on electronic synthesis techniques that process the sounds of his electric guitar. The other set will be taken by KMRU, born in Nairobi and currently based in Berlin. He is pursuing a Master’s degree in Sound Studies and Sonic Arts are the Universität der Künste Berlin. His creative techniques involve field recordings, improvisation, noise, machine learning, radio art, and drones.