NYC based label Modern Tapes will present a screening of their short documentary Between Sets in which experimental musicians, noise makers, and performance artists from all over the world share their thoughts on artistic identity, creative process, and community during the 2023 Ende Tymes Festival in New York City. Label tapes honcho Patrick Scott then peforms a live set with their project Closing followed by a solo set from Sarah Lutkenhaus and a duo of Theo Katsaounis + Kat Borderud. We’ll get things started at 8pm!

The final Elastro of 2024 will host three sets of electro-acoustic performance. Choir Siren is an experimental electro-acoustic duo from Louisville, KY, made up of TJ Cole (synthesizer & processed vocals) and Emily Ravenscraft (processed violin). Both classically trained, they mix improvisation with live processing to create unpredictable, immersive performances that break the rules of traditional music. Their sound pulls from a mix of avant-garde classical, ambient, and noise, but it’s always evolving, changing with each show depending on the space and the vibe.

Edward Breitweister will perform ‘Ecotonus For ARP-2500 synthesizer and computer’. Using the works of pioneering French composer Éliane Radigue (b. 1932) as a point of departure, Ecotonus draws from improvisations that he recorded on the ARP-2500 that was custom-built in 1971 for the Electronic Music & Recording Studio at Washington University. The 2500 was Radigue's primary instrument and is known for its uniquely noisy "matrix switch" design, which can result in quirky, unstable interaction between sounds. While improvising, Breitweister sought simple sounds that would behave unpredictably and evolve into unexpected complexity through the beauty of this rare machine.

In their new collaborative project, Liz Flood & Hunter Whitaker-Morrow use methods of radio and television scanning to create diffusion, slippage, and emergent signification.

We’ve had a wonderful year of CLEAT Series events and we’re wrapping up with a dynamic night of spatial audio work. Bakantez formed in 2022 as the solo electronic project of Chicago based experimental composer Hanna Elliott, former member of the industrial duo HOGG. The project sonically consists of electro-acoustic sampling, sequencing, synthesis, and processed vocals reminiscent of sound collage, minimal wave, and noise.

Kari Watson plays modular analog synthesizers with a customizable software they built in MaxMSP that allows them to perform with a variety of different spatial speaker arrays. The software also allows control several inputs from the modular with filtering effects, customizable algorithmic spatialization trajectories, and individualized amplitude control.

Brought up on the sonic transmissions of the underground, interdisciplinary artist, DJ, and producer PANTY (they/them) is happy to report that hardcore will never die. Enmeshing sonic landscapes from seemingly disparate ends of global bass & leftfield dance music into a cohesive and experimental whole, PANTY’s punk at heart performance antics are only enhanced by their anti-capitalist, DIY-or-die ethos, and a passion for carving out spaces for ecstatic release.

We’ll get started at 8pm!

An evening of powerful protest in song and dance, and an ensemble full of multicultural, cinematic grooves.

The final Pleiades Series of the year will include a solo cello and electronics set from series alum Erica Miller. We’ll then have multidisciplinary artist Ruby Que present light projection work with sound artist iph.

After the planned sets we’ll return to the classic Pleiades Open Jam where any/all femme/trans/nonbinary artists are invited to bring an instrument and get in on some improvisations

Elastic’s Africlassical Futures Series foregrounds the under-recognized achievements and challenges of African American composers and performers working in classical music.

In our final iteration of 2024, AfriClassical Futures will present H/ARBOR, a vocal project assembled by series co-curator olula negre in honor of the Black American Classical tradition of the Hush Harbor reflecting on grief, respite, and the renewal of our commitment to liberation for all of our people.

Artists:

olula negre
Paige Brown
Muso
Zahra
Kezia Waters

This is a matinee, so meet us here at 4:00pm for a beautiful Sunday gathering.

$15 / $10 w/ Student ID - Tickets Available at the Door

AfriClassical Futures is made possible in part by a generous grant from the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation.

FFFT returns for its third iteration of sound and movement collaborations for 2024! Freedom From and Freedom To is an exploration and celebration of artistic circumstance. Movement and sound improvisors from all around Chicago gather in front of a live audience, where they are grouped by chance. Each group performs an improvised set. We fuse diverse artistic backgrounds and practices to create unique and fleeting worlds. There will be a special opening set from musicians Paige Brown and Damon Locks alongside dancer Sara Zalek. Following we’ll have 6 x 15 minute sets from on-the-spot lottery chosen ensembles. Don’t miss this!

Dark Matter Resident Leah Lara has amazed us throughout their time in the Dark Matter Residency, bringing us into the magical realm of puppetry.

In the final presentation of their Residency, they continue their exploration of the archetype of the mermaid, Blackness, religious ritual, and the rise of a digital reality in:‘P.K.’ In Progress Interactive Showing.

Come make electronic music with the mystical sound-weaving theremin, and see props and puppets from past works Fish Sermon (developed in the Chicago Puppet Lab) and LightH0us3 ScreenSaver (debuted at Elastic Arts’ AfroFuturist Weekend 9). Also on view will be models and sketches from the overarching and in progress show P.K.

Let’s celebrate Leah’s Residency here at Elastic Arts and support them in developing what’s to come!

Doors at 7PM

$15/$10 w/ Student ID - Tickets Available at the Door

Welcoming back expatriate Akio Jeimus back from Japan with some old collaborators along with a set from some recent Chicago arrivals.

Shake Shook Shaken is a theater/movement workshop series produced by Julie Meckler. The series is designed for people to gently bring body awareness, allowing participants to open up, explore outside of their comfort zone, bond with each other, create and show. By playing with these concepts using our bodies, voices, words, and each other, we will explore our own awareness and sensitivity as artists and people. 

Shake Shook Shaken is a dream of what a safe space could allow. A vision of a place for everybody to gather, look at each other, play and create in a non judgmental, trauma-informed way. It’s an invitation, a journey within and out, a surprise. Each workshop is unique. This month we’ll have Sara Zalek and Julie leading on the topic of SPARK!

No prior dance or acting experience is necessary, just willingness to move and exhale. This workshop series is for anyone and everyone.

Tonight we host FPE Records as they present an album release party for Yea Big and Tatsu Aoki. The Hand and the Moon is the first duo recording from Yea Big and Tatsu Aoki, two improvised sets on their favorite instruments: bass clarinet (Yea Big), shamisen (Tatsu Aoki, Part One), and bass (Tatsu Aoki, Part Two). Its floating, nighttime vibes showcase a comfortable conversation between two musicians who are loving the process of getting acquainted.

HIPPY HOLY DAZE Music & Art Holiday Celebration returns for its 7th year featuring a night of standout performances by some of Chicago’s elite musicians and performers.

Curated by Poet, Rapper, and Performance Artist, Kao Ra Zen.

The Bridge, a transatlantic organization connecting jazz and creative musicians in Chicago and France, returns with a their group #2.11. The band includes Greg Ward, Nicolas Peoc’h, Hélène Labarrière, and Isaiah Spencer. They have organized a string of shows in Chicago and nearby midwest featuring the quartet, but also these 4 musicians collaborating with various other local musicians. Tonight ensemble member Hélène Labarrière represents from #2.11 in a trio with Ishmael Ali and Katinka Kleijn. Opening we’ll hear from a trio of Ernest Dawkins, Kioto Aoki, and a non-Bridge related French musician Jean-Luc Cappozzo who just so happens to be visiting at that time. We’ll kick things off at 8pm. Join us!

HEAVENSWARE is an audio//visual experience in Logan Square, Chicago, featuring the best in live hardware music.

○ ○ ○ ○ MUSIC:

✶ Cool Miles and the A.D.H.D.I.S.C.O.
✶ Cryym
✶ DJ Paradox
✶ God's Drugs (MN)
✶ La Spacer

VISUALS: ✧ Jace Inman v2v Oracle

$15 PRESALE / $20 DOORS 

HEAVENSWARE is an experience by Night Logistics and NFC Records, celebrating the diversity of machines used to produce and perform electronic music. Along with realtime audio performances, HEAVENSWARE features cutting edge live visuals to enhance and amplify the sounds. 21+ / BYOB

At this Friday’s Elastro series Ále Campos presents a second iteration of a collaborative, live audio/visual performance project titled onto a skin, highly reflective. This iteration's collaborators include Bun Stout, Magnus, and Will Mitchell. onto a skin, highly reflective is an abstraction or rather a refraction of drag; it possesses a desire to free the drag persona from any one singular articulation. It muses over the multitudes of a projected psyche, the fluid range of emotional states experienced creating versions of the self, seeing oneself through the eyes of others, as well as the care inherent in holding and witnessing each other as queer agents. Performed in green screen suits, the performance incorporates a live stream of visually mediated bodies both in space but also video. This iteration will be set to a score of live sound by Will Mitchell and samples of original text written by me. ​ This project's first iteration was created for and performed at SITE/less and was crafted with the format of the SITE/less’ stage in mind. This iteration will adapt to and harness Elastic's 16 channel CLEAT system to bolster the poetics inherent in this project.

'a skin highly reflective, a surface with sharpened edge' 'a muse is a muse, is a muse, my muse, for us, for my my muse, only for you, for us, for them, a muse over muse'

Joining the evening will be performances from Ruby Que and Claire Staples x Hunter Whitaker-Morrow aka ASTROMETRICS.

2 Sets of improvised music welcoming Jean-Luc Capozzo from France paired with some Chicago favorites.

Meditations: Reflections on John Coltrane

Curated by Angelo Hart, piano

with

Greg Artry, drums
Sarah Clausen, saxophone/bass clarinet
Hunter Diamond,  electronics/sax
Marion Mallard,  bass

More info TBA

Join us this upcoming Monday for November’s Pleiades Series featuring the shredding rock trio Barbiefoot and a duo of computer synthesis/guitar from Hedra Rowan and Alex Maerbach.

After the planned sets we’ll return to the classic Pleiades Open Jam where any/all femme/trans/nonbinary artists are invited to bring an instrument and get in on some improvisations

Join Homeroom for an exciting evening at Elastic Arts as we premiere a documentary-style short film created by Rhizomes Films capturing the artistry of Spectralina (the audio-visual performance project of Dan Bitney and Selina Trepp), created with footage from Spectralina’s Homeroom Residency earlier this year.

The film features Spectralina collaborating with a range of special guests, including Ben LaMar Gay, Frederick Wells, Ayako Kato, Jason Roebke, Norman Long, Amalea Tshilds, Lia Kohl, Chér Jey, and Mabel Kwan.

Opening Sunday, November 17th, ‘𝒾𝓃𝓉𝒾𝓂𝒶𝒸𝒾𝑒𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝒶 𝒸𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓇’ brings together the intricate webs and weavings of Chicago-based multidisciplinary artist and sewist, Lee Miko Romero. Through drawings, quilts, and functional objects, Lee's works present a timeless story of their own, of slowing down and rest, of slow labor, of interconnectedness. Framed by moments of catching oneself getting lost in thought, or dreaming of a flourishing spring in the dead of winter, the show is meant to capture the feeling of a cunning fox prancing through moss covered rocks to find a gem long-lost in the thicket.

Join us for a soft opening reception for the visual gallery at Elastic Arts on Sunday, November 17th, from 2pm-5pm. Following a short discussion with the artist and curator, we will have light snacks and refreshments. We invite you to bring crafts to work on alongside viewing the exhibition.

We’ve got an exciting Elastro planned for November featuring the trio Garden Parties, a duo of Jack Langdon / Olivia Shortt, and a solo set from Nolan Chin.

An evening of experimental improvisation touching on chamber music, noise, collage, and even the sounds of silence. Featuring new acoustic trio The Good-by Number, and celebrating a new release by Derek Baron (NY) and Luke Martin (MN).

It's melodic and harmonic. It's percussive and smooth. It's old as hell, and sometimes, it's just furniture. We're talking about one of the most versatile instruments out there, the piano. Hosted by composer Sharon Udoh, a pianist of 40 years, the series "A Pianist and a Partner Perhaps" highlights 3 or 4 genre-spanning musicians for whom the piano has been a long-time love. Each pianist can choose to bring one additional musician in a duo offering, if they wish (thus, "a partner perhaps"), or, they can go at it solo. Piano players, lovers, and nerds everywhere, come join us as we celebrate this magnificent instrument! At this inaugural edition, we host Erez Dessel, Paige Brown, John Bitoy, Anaïs Maviel, and Mabel Kwan

Join us at the Music in the Garden Festival Season 3 at Elastic Arts Foundation!

Music in the Garden presents a 2-day music festival with Chicago-based improvisers and creative musicians, featuring an art installation by Christina Sadovnikov inspired by the works of Moki Cherry and a feature film by Gabe Udofia.

Come enjoy a night of music and rest. This event is the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind, and feel a sense of community after the 2024 election season

Agenda

8pm Katinka Kleijn

9pm Special Effect
Sarah Clausen, Tyler Wagner

10pm Gabe Udofia Film Premiere
Gabe Udofia, Caroline Jesalva, Aaron Kaufman-Levine

10:30pm Najee Zaid-Searcy

Join us at the Music in the Garden Festival Season 3 at Elastic Arts Foundation!

Music in the Garden presents a 2-day music festival with Chicago-based improvisers and creative musicians, featuring an art installation by Christina Sadovnikov inspired by the works of Moki Cherry and a feature film by Gabe Udofia.

Come enjoy a night of music and rest. This event is the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind, and feel a sense of community after the 2024 election season.

Agenda

November 9th

8pm Counterfeit Madison

9pm Sarah Belle Reid

10pm The Mouth is the Beginning (improvising vocal ensemble)

Artists: Ben Zucker, Roberta Brenza, Paige Brown, Carol Genetti, Janna Lee, Julian Otis

The CLEAT Series has an incredibly special November edition planned with visiting artists Sarah Belle Reid + Ryan Gaston visiting Chicago and presenting new work for 16 channels. Reid and Gaston are presenting a structured improvisation for piccolo trumpet, MaxMSP, and homemade electronic instruments. The piece was developed over the course of the 2024, using the 16-channel CLEAT system. Much of the sound material explored in this work is created from very short bursts or grains of sound, which are strung or clustered together to form larger gestures. To accomplish this, they use a granular sample player built in MaxMSP, and a hardware-based pulsar synthesizer—a new instrument developed by Gaston specifically for use in this piece. The result is a dynamic, unpredictable soundscape that swings between sparse, delicate textures and frenetic swarms of noise.

Paige Alice Naylor and Haruhi Kobayashi are no strangers to the Elastic stage, but this will be the first time here presenting work as a duo. Each of them have written music for the CLEAT system in the past, often using voice as a central compositional tool. For this performance they will be remixing songs from their U.S. September tour using the CLEAT system, blending voices and electronics to create a more immersive, embodied experience.

Music at 8pm

Hugo Flores García (he/they) is a computer musician, improviser, programmer, and scientist whose creative practice spans improvised and composed music for guitars, sound objects and electronics, sound installations, bespoke digital musical instruments, and interactive art. He will perform solo. Teiku uses their Jewish-Ukrainian ancestors’ Passover songs as source material for expansive improvisation. The group weaves through an adventurous set that maintains its ritualistic origins while simultaneously venturing into the unknown.

At the second evening of the Chicago Asian American Jazz Festival, Joy Yang will be celebrating the release of her new record Live On. The album is a live concert recording dedicated to the life and memory of Joshua Bell (1996-2021). It consists of original compositions and arrangements of Jazz standards. Listeners are taken on a journey through time, space, rain and pain, emerging joyously in a dance that celebrates life. Special thanks to my trio partners, Ori and Mitch, without whom these compositions and performances would not be what you hear today.

AIRMW is proud to present the 29th Annual Chicago Asian American Jazz Festival. (Nov 1&2 at Elastic, Nov 4 at Greenline Performing Arts Center)

This critically acclaimed annual event is an essential cornerstone for highlighting and documenting the significant role that Asian Americans and their collaborators have in contributing to the city’s historic and vibrant musical landscape. Come and celebrate the 29th anniversary of the Chicago Asian American Jazz Festival (CAAJF). The CAAJF features the finest in contemporary Asian American music. Curated by Asian Improv aRts Midwest, national and internationally acclaimed Asian American artists and their collaborators weave together their collective flair to create an improvisational experience.

Kiroff/Spuzzillo Duo (Cleveland) will perform a round robin of improvised, micro-tonal songs infused with free jazz and electronics on microtonally altered Wurlitzer and fretless bass. Jacob Little Cloud Fawcett (Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Ojibwe) will be joined by fellow Chicago improvisors, Keefe Jackson and Ausberto Acevedo.