APOLLO: For All Mankind

MEDIA RELEASE COURTESY OF: Icebreaker Apollo

“moving and sublime” – The Guardian

This September, pioneering ensemble Icebreaker and formidable pedal steel guitarist BJ Cole bring their critically acclaimed performance of Brian Eno's album Apollo to the Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank Centre, London. At the QEH, Icebreaker will also perform extracts from Michael Gordon's electrifying Trance [parts I & IV] and David Lang's Cheating Lying Stealing.

Widely regarded as Brian Eno's best and most influential ambient album, Apollo was written for Al Reinert's documentary on the Apollo space missions, For All Mankind. Music from the album also appeared in the films 28 Days Later, Traffic and Trainspotting. This show returns the music to its original conception - as a counterpart to NASA footage from the Apollo programme, which is projected on a big screen above the performers - matching the mesmerising beauty and tranquil mystery of the moon and earth, and the dizzying scale and humbling feat of engineering involved in taking people to the moon.

Musically arranged by Jun Lee (also known as kayip), who was selected for the task by Brian Eno, it is a rare opportunity to hear a live performance of what was orginally a studio album. It was first performed last year at London’s Science Museum, London to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the moon landings. John L Walters of The Guardian in his five star review said: “The score makes little attempt to follow the movie’s structure … in keeping with Eno’s aim to make music that works like perfume…. with the blown-up, grainy NASA footage and Icebreaker’s diligent musicianship, this “weightlessness” becomes moving and sublime. Apollo’s moonstruck ambience has aged gracefully, and [Jun] Lee’s spare, fiercely intelligent orchestration gave it the bloom of youth.”

Icebreaker is one of the most dynamic new music groups in the UK. Founded by James Poke and consisting of 12 musicians, the ensemble always plays amplified. Their repertoire encompasses some of the best known and most influential names in contemporary music today, such as Louis Andriessen, David Lang, Michael Gordon, Gavin Bryars, Michael Nyman and Philip Glass. Hard to pigeonhole in any musical sense, their performances appeal to contemporary classical, rock and alternative music audiences alike. Icebreaker have performed across the UK internationally and at most major contemporary music festivals. Further information at www.icebreaker.org

BJ Cole is a unique innovator on the Pedal Steel Guitar who has carved out a formidable reputation as a session musician, and established his own artistic identity with the release of five albums. He has recorded with many of the great names in popular music, such as Elton John, Marc Bolan, Scott Walker, Beck, Bjork, Sting, David Sylvian, Depeche Mode, The Verve and many others. In a career spanning four decades, BJ has been a pioneer in the British post-psychedelic scene, a fearless experimenter with leading artists in the avant garde and ambient field, and a tireless collaborator with many DJs. Further information at www.bjcole.co.uk

APOLLO: For All Mankind