Sounds and images

Press, 24 December 1986, Page 18

Sounds and images

A kaleidoscope of sound and image is the aim of Tinnitus, a group of people combining to stage a New Year’s Eve performance. The group has been around since July and grows to do live performances, says a founder member, Michael Hodgson. He began Tinnitus because he wanted to make and record his own sounds. The group has its own facilities to record music and has three tapes to its credit. “We have a music room at home where people can record. We sacrificed the lounge,” he said. At first Tinnitus was two or three people. For next week’s performance in the Mill Theatre in Wise Street, Addington it has expanded to 10. They will orchestrate a mix of sounds and images for two hours using videos, shadows, lights, paint and sound. • The performance grew from an idea to have an alternative to the usual

New Year’s Eve parties. The Tinnitus performance is set to begin at 11 p.m. A screening of a video, “Johnny Yes No,” will start at 10 p.m. and will be followed by some short clips of bands’ videos that use sound and image. The Tinnitus concert will run for two hours.

Michael Hodgson says the performers plan to surround and involve the audience. They will use hand held lights to create shadows and give people the opportunity to create their own shadows.

Several effects units will be used to overlay sounds. Video images on a 4 metre square screen

will be accompanied by sounds, some pre-re-corded, some played live. For part of the evening one person will be painting inside a plastic bubble, lit to give a translucent effect Mirrors will be placed in a corridor to produce images that cut into each other. In short the performance explores mixing sounds and pictures. Michael Hodgson says Tinnitus has limited the audience to 200. The performance will cost $lOOO to stage and an audience of 200 will bring in that sum. “We’re not interested in making money but in putting on the performance.” The tickets are available from Galaxy Records which also promotes the Tinnitus tapes, only one of which is at present available. Michael Hodgson says the Tinnitus name is available for anyone wanting to record. He wants it to become an entity separate from the people involved so that it can gather momentum.