FiLM: Tony Conrad: Completely in the Present (2016, 96m, EN) + MERTENS & STEENKISTE (BE)
Join @tableoftheelements and @occii_amsterdam as we present a screening of Tony Conrad: Completely In The Present followed by 3 live acts! First, solo guitar set by Marijn Filius. Second, a performance by Belgian duo Mertens & Steenkiste and last but not least British/Japanese duo CHELA (Kohhei Matsuda/Ajay Saggar).
This event is part of the relaunch of the Table of the Elements label through the joined organisation of screenings, talks, performances and live listening parties.
Film start 20:00 hr. Live music afterwards!
Tony Conrad: Completely in the Present
Tyler Hubby / 2016 / 96 minutes / United States
From performing in Jack Smith’s legendary Flaming Creatures to creating a series of groundbreaking experimental films to playing a pivotal role in the formation of The Velvet Underground, Tony Conrad: Completely in the Present, twenty-two years in the making, examines the pioneering life and work of artist, musician, and educator, Tony Conrad.
CHELA (JP/UK, Kohhei Matsuda & Ajay Saggar)
Self-entitled ‘Asian guitar army’ CHELA, made up of long-time friends slash collaborators Ajay Saggar (Bhajan Bhoy) and Kohhei Matsuda (Bo Ningen), borrows its name from the Hindi word for ‘disciple’ and the Japanese word for ‘claw’ – a nod to the two artists’ respective cultural backgrounds. On their 2023 debut, LP ‘Diagonal Drift’, the pair takes flight, weaving hypnotic melodies with drone-folk-like structures and crisp electronic takes. In a concert setting, the six otherworldly instrumental tracks soar further, as their guitars, synths, and pedals fill the airwaves with fantasy.
CHELA – WorshipMERTENS & STEENKISTE (BE)
the duo of Jef Mertens and Glen Steenkiste, plunge into the noise of 60’s style minimalism and 90’s drone wall heaviness with their combined efforts on the Japanese Taishōgoto and otherworldly Pythagorean harp. One way street into never-ending bliss and disorientation.
Marijn Filius
“A sole acoustic guitar. The fingerpicking starts gently but soon picks up slightly in speed and intensity. A melodic theme is introduced, a theme that reoccurs in different shapes and variations. The alternative tuning of the guitar is melancholic and beautiful but it’s not tuned to perfection. ...
..And while the playing is certainly inspired by both well known names and obscure artists in American Primitive and global folk music, Marijn Filius is an artist with both feet placed firmly in the now. In his own words ‘inspired by the ever evolving movements of time and place and learning through experience’ and with help from the edit work of Michiel Klein, he has produced an impressive document showcasing his off-the-cuff guitar playing. Improvisations in the form of two suites of highly memorable and re-playable instant compositions. ”
<a href="https://minorie.bandcamp.com/album/als-de-nachtwind-die-fluistert-door-de-spichtige-halmen-der-duingras">Als de nachtwind die fluistert door de spichtige halmen der duingras by Marijn Filius</a>
TABLE OF THE ELEMENTS is a curatorial network and interdisciplinary platform, live-event presenter, and fine-arts publisher of print, audio, and film, lauded by Pitchfork Media as “a national treasure.” Since its origin as a record label in 1993, T.o.t.E. has been dedicated to preserving, promoting, and promulgating works by international creators of experimental audio, electro acoustics, free-improvised performance, sonic sculpture, microtonality, and modern composition. The label’s 150-plus releases are a vital contemporary chronicle, a survey of meaningful eruptions across a broad horizon of sound and vision. Each project demonstrates how a publishing concern might romp wild, unbridled from the carousel of convention. www.tableoftheelements.co.uk
Presale/door prices adjusted: our events are set up by volunteers in favour of supporting DIY touring acts, but it is getting ever more risky to plan and book events – please support the community and buy your tickets early!
