A wild, high-tech, rock-smashing journey to the Neolithic origins of mining
Rocks, beats and geological time: this is a violent, fun, loud and lyrical experience, with projection design from award-winning Limbic Cinema. Copper mining has fuelled the growth of human civilisation for the last 10,000 years.
In Megalith a silent physical performer and digital sound artist explore the ever-growing trajectory of mining and technological development, and what it means in the 21st century.
Playfully duetting to Deep-Time techno, metamorphic soundscapes and the Internet of Things, performers Charles Sandford and Xavier Velastin journey deep down to the origins of mining. Harnessing Neolithic tools to smash up to 250kg of rocks, Herald Angel winners MECHANIMAL explore the mysterious activity of bashing stone and getting metals.
‘Beautiful, contemplative … a remarkable and urgent show’Guardian (Vigil 2019)
Every piece of technology we own has come from rock.
But copper (the first metal to be mined) has a vital role right now. In transitioning from fossil fuels, global copper production (concentrated in Chile) must sky-rocket to make the batteries and cables for electrification. But does more extraction continue a questionable trajectory of more manufacture, more stuff, more economic growth… and thereby more inequality and waste? What of alternatives such as ‘urban mining’ (recycling of metals from tech waste)?
Rather than being an info-heavy show, Megalith views these issues through metaphor, creating a simple theatrical poem. The Neolithic culture that started mining also created stoneworks consisting of a single line leading into concentric circles (eg Stonehenge).
Megalith explores thisline-into-circleform: how might it offer a timely metaphor, when the need to shift from an extractive, linear relationship with Earth’s resources is ever more urgent?
The show was developed in collaboration with researchers from Bristol University and The Natural History Museum and made through research journeys to Neolithic copper mines and stone circles across the UK. All rocks, technology and other materials used in Megalith will be effectively and responsibly recycled.
MECHANIMAL’s Director, Tom Bailey, said ‘Copper is a vital but little-known part of the present energy and ecological crises, and even the Russia-Ukraine war. We look to find creative and fascinating ways of engaging people with this.’
‘Memorable, a requiem against a clock counting down’‘★★★★ Scotsman (Vigil 2019)
MECHANIMAL won a Herald Angel in 2018 for Zugunruhe. Bristol-based, the company’s work explores life on a changing planet. It tours performances (created with a range of artists and researchers) both nationally and internationally.
‘Extraordinary … moving and enlightening’New Scientist (Zugunruhe 2018)
Twin City Records are pleased to announce the forthcoming release of the debut EP from Edinburgh five piece The Indos.
The band – Michael Knowles (Guitar/Lead Vocals), Jamie Gilchrist (Guitar/Backing Vocals), Robbie Gilchrist (bass guitar), Dando Myrillas (guitar) and Greg Atkinson (drums) – all grew up together in North Edinburgh and got together through their mutual love of early 2000’s bands Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes. The local band also name The Yardbirds, The Kinks and The Who among their their influences.
Since forming, the band have been playing various venues throughout Glasgow and Edinburgh including Sneaky Pete’s, Cabaret Voltaire, Electric Circus, QMU & Ivory Blacks and they have caught the eye of several promoters.
‘Fifty Shades of Blue’ was written and composed by The Indos and recorded, mixed and mastered by Mark Morrow in his Edinburgh studio last month.
The EP will be available on CD from www.twincityrecords.com and to download from all good digital stores from 3 Novenmber. The EP will be launched at Edinburgh’s Cabaret Voltaire on Friday 31 October.
A top music engineer who worked with David Bowie, The Beatles and Pink Floyd to create some of the most iconic albums of all time visited Edinburgh College on Thursday to share his sound desk secrets with students.
Ken Scott, who produced Bowie albums including The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars and engineered The Beatles’ The White Album, visited the college to pass on some of his skills to HND Sound Production students.
Ken gave a talk about his incredible 50-year career and answered questions from students before conducting a stdio workshop to demonstrate how he mixed some of his classic tracks, using the college’s state-of-the-art equipment in the CRE:8 studio.
Ken was one of only five engineers to record The Beatles over their entire career, initially working with them as part of his first engineering job on the Liverpudlian beat wizards’ A Hard Day’s Night album. Since then, he has worked with Pink Floyd, Elton John, Duran Duran, Supertramp, Jeff Beck, Devo, Lou Reed and many more, and is still recording music.
In 2012, he released a memoir, Abbey Road to Ziggy Stardust: Off The Record with The Beatles, Elton & So Much More, which was crammed full of stories about his time working with some of the most legendary figures in music.
Jon Buglass, head of the Centre for Creative Industries at Edinburgh College, said: “Ken has been an integral part in creating some of the most groundbreaking and revered music of the last 50 years and it’s a privilege to have him here. Our students were delighted to get the chance to hear his trade secrets and learn from someone who really has seen and done it all.
“Sound engineers are crucial in allowing artists to achieve their vision in the studio and the likes of Bowie, Pink Floyd and all these other massive stars Ken’s worked with couldn’t have expressed themselves so fully if he hadn’t been in charge of the mixing desk.
“It’s a tricky job as you have to juggle the artists’ ambitions for their music, which can be pretty demanding, with the practicalities of actually getting it all to sound coherent. Ken is obviously a master of the technical side as well as the art of working with musicians so he’s a genuinely inspirational figure and the students learned a massive amount from him. It’s no exaggeration to call him a legend in the field.”
Ken said: “I was lucky enough to be a part of what I consider to be the best training ever, thanks to what is now known as Abbey Road Studios. If I can pass along one iota of what I learned then and subsequently throughout my career, I must try to do it. I cannot explain the feeling I get when a student approaches me after one of my talks to thank me for showing the passion and understanding for all they are going through and will continue to go through during their entire career.”
