Many new star additions to Ether

MEDIA RELEASE COURTESY OF: ETHER

Superstar DJs Andrew Weatherall and Tom Middleton, To Rococo Rot, Tanya Tagaq and a second night of Gil Scott-Heron have been added to the Southbank Centre's Ether festival running from Friday 16 to Sunday 25 April 2010.

Ether, Southbank Centre’s annual music festival of innovation, art, technology and cross-arts experimentation, returns from 16 – 25 April 2010. Mixing rock iconoclasts, proto-rap legends, audiovisual experimenters and contemporary-classical innovators, highlights of this year’s festival include Lou Reed's Metal Machine Trio, Gil Scott-Heron, Chris Cunningham, Stereo MCs + The Bays and the complete works of musique concrète pioneer Edgard Varèse.

Just added to the Ether 2010 line-up is an Experimental Girls Night headlined by Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq with support from London-based singer, musician and DJ Bishi, also featuring Manchester group The Sisters of Transistors – 808 States Graham Massey’s new project, including four ladies each armed with a vintage transistor organ over juggernaut disco and transcendent rock work outs (Queen Elizabeth Hall & The Front Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall 24 April).

Also confirmed is a cutting-edge bill of Berlin’s underground music scene, including the debut performance of Speculation, the much awaited new album from minimalist rock-trio To Rococo Rot, plus special performances by Thomas Fehlmann, founder of the Berlin/Detroit techno movement; Gudrun Gut of 80s punk group, Malaria!, with sound poet Antje Greie (AGF), and Vladislav Delay (Queen Elizabeth Hall, 23 April). The evening is presented by trouble tune in association with Southbank Centre.

Superstar DJ Andrew Weatherall has been added to the HEALTH and Chrome Hoof night of genre-trashing music and spectacular visuals in the Queen Elizabeth Hall auditorium and Front Room, with tropical rockers Zun Zun Egui making a welcome return to the Festival as support act that night (22 April).

DJ Tom Middleton has been confirmed as part of the Stereo MCs + The Bays + The Herbaliser night (16 April) and Tom Jenkinson will present a special post-Chris Cunningham show DJ set (23 April).

Southbank Centre Artist in Residence, cellist Oliver Coates, will present an informal event featuring acoustic songs composed by Emily Hall and others, followed by a DJ set by Micachu (Royal Festival Hall, St Paul’s Roof Pavilion, 25 April).

Ether talks

Ether 2010 will also feature a talks programme with ‘in-conversations’ and themed events exploring how sound, surveillance, society and space relate to art and aesthetics. Panellists and speakers include: Founder of record label Hyperdub, Steve Goodman exploring the 'Sonic Warfare' of everyday life (16 April); Gil Scott-Heron in conversation (19 April); sound-artist Will Montgomery presenting his work and talking to Owen Hatherley, author of Militant Modernism (21 April) and Anna Minton, author of Ground Control – Fear and Happiness in the Twenty-First-Century City discussing how surveillance and CCTV control the way we live in the contemporary city and she is joined by John McGrath, Director of National Theatre Wales (22 April).

Ether Film

17 April sees the screening of John S. Robertson’s 1921 silent film version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic horror story Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde with a new score presented by British electronic artist Robin Rimbaud, aka Scanner. For this new interpretation, Scanner has resampled Varèse’s archive towards a new sound track. Varèse himself appeared in Robertson’s film in the role of police officer.

Ether free events

For the first time at Ether, the Royal Festival Hall’s public spaces will be transformed into an interactive environment that brings the Festival to life for all its visitors. Enter the Ether celebrates the sonic adventures of musicians, instrument makers and other artists, with an associated events programme that includes a series of demonstrations, performances and film.

There’ll be a special focus on composer Edgard Varèse and a day dedicated to the mysterious and magical Theremin, headlined by Lydia Kavina. Artist Felix Thorn will be based in Spirit Level throughout the Festival, working on and writing for his music-making machines, also revealing a new creation by Felix’s Machines. Plus free lunchtime, pre- and post-show performances, including the Martin Johnson Trio (23 April), Polar Bear (23 April) and PianoCircus (17 April).

For further information about Ether events, please visit the South Bank Centre ticket office here.