The Lab: June, 2022

Last month information about performances at The Lab was sufficiently sparse that I folded the content into two “busy weekend” articles. Things seem to be slightly picking up this month. The first event was folded into the “busy weekend” account for June 10–12. However, when I wrote that article, I was not (yet) aware that there would also be a performance on June 11. As of this writing, there now seem to be three events taking place this month; so I shall use this article to review them all.

For those unfamiliar with the venue, The Lab is located in the Mission at 2948 16th Street, 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:

Friday, June 10, 9 p.m.: This is the event that was included in the aforementioned “busy weekend” article. It will be a solo recital by Japanese multi-instrumentalist Eiko Ishibashi. She has produced numerous albums as a singer-songwriter. Her instrumental compositions have been created for film, television, theater, and exhibitions; and she is also an improviser.

Yosuke Fujita with two of the organs he has built (from the event page for his visit to The Lab)

Saturday, June 11, 9 p.m.: Yosuke Fujita is a sound artist, organist, and composer based in Japan. He tends to perform under the name Fuji||||||||||ta. HIs primary interest is the exploration, manipulation and presentation of unheard sounds and noises commonly found within nature, including the use of air, water and even the echolocation of bats. As can be seen in the above photograph, he has also built his own pipe organs with a limited number of pipes and no keyboard. HIs design is  variation on a harmonium, which requires the player to pump the air supply while performing at the keyboard. More recently, he has been working with synthesized water sounds based on multiple aquariums.

Saturday, June 18, 9 p.m.: MV Carbon is also a sound artist. Her live performances encompass sound, film, sculpture, painting, and multimedia installations. Her compositions focus on sonic feedback, sound spatialization, sound morphology, and the transformative and deconstructive interrelationship among sound, image, space, and place.