An exhausting day yesterday, I grew to feel pressured to put on a show for Carol Forrester's book launch, which started as a simple and fun piece of entertainment but grew into something spectacularly over the top in ambition terms, and a great deal of work, but free and small events can be very useful. I tend to use "anything goes" shows as an experimental test of some sort. It's a perfect time to try new things, the audience can take what they are given. It's great freedom for a performer, everything succeeds, but, of course, I want it to showcase things at their best, so there is some balance. I drive myself crazy with the battle between this perfectionism and ersatz chaos.
In physical and mental terms this small event was huge; Two 800W amplifiers, mixer, 150W mic amp, two performance mics, digital piano, small synthesizer, projector, and heavyweight tripod were used, perhaps 200kg of equipment. It was the first performance to use the projector. In technical terms everything worked as planned. There were a few small hiccups. The lighting was difficult to get right; it needs to be dark for projection, yet performers need to be seen in front of it. As Marius, I stood on the projector remote and switched off the audio in mid song which made the audience gasp, almost the only reaction from the darkened hall (I could try it again!). I also overran as Marius by about 8 minutes, which I regretted doing, but this, only my second live vocal performance was good enough by my judgement, certainly better than at ArtsFest and destined to improve with practice and monitoring, as all skills are.
Overall, everything was a strain. Memorising the words to the five songs and the music to the seven Fall in Green parts was difficult. Connecting and working on the sound and light checking and keeping all of these settings in mind was difficult too; and my most disliked part, the physically carrying the equipment which takes at least 90 minutes at the start and end of nights like this, but keeping fit by carrying probably has more benefits than costs.
A busy day today too, monthly backups, preparation of the final ArtSwarm. Maggie sent in a video which was a bit too politically charged to risk in ArtSwarm; I've learned that people will associate me and the show with its output. It's a sad moment to see the show end, but it has come to a natural close, even moreso than ArtsLab. It became increasingly difficult to attract any submissions, and the learning experience of creating videos, for just about everyone of those who made things for the show, is complete. The transition from radio to video was worthwhile, useful and fruitful. Before ArtSwarm I'd made 95 videos between 2010 and 2017. I've made over 100 in the last two years alone (12 alone on Thursday!), and I'm certain that most contributors, Andrew, Deborah, have also made more than they would have without the programme. The transition from video to live performance might be even more fruitful, but I must try to record these. The ArtSwarm channel, the name and the experience, will continue.
