shlo.co.uk

is my art worth as much as yours

Had a hectic day yesterday, felt like the first day back at school after a break from working in January.

We went to see Simon Hughes MP, a senior Liberal Democrat. He came to the anti-knife crime gig and it seems he was really moved by the cause. He has a plan to help us out which is exciting. I’ll keep you posted.

Then it was over to the Tate Britain, an amazing building, where Cape Farewell were hosting a night time arts event. Really I should have been looking to forward to it, some great artists were performing including Ian McEwan, KT Tunstall and Robyn Hitchock, plus an opportunity to hang out with some of the crew from the voyage. But I think because it was the first time I’d performed for nearly two months, I was dreading it, surrounded by a familiar performance anxiety that I usually push away with adrenaline…. I just felt like I had nothing new to say or do.

The gallery were being quite tight on volume levels. Fair enough, they didn’t want to damage the art on the walls…. but what about my art i thought? beatboxing needs to be LOUD. Or at least audible to more than the front two rows.

I think I might be through with solo looping shows… I recognised quite a few faces in the audience who I knew would have come down after hearing about the event on this site, and I knew they were all about to see something they have seen before, some of them many times. And I have done it over and over… I’ve tried to work out new stuff on my own but i’m starting to think i was born to collaborate.. i like bringing stuff out of other people.

Luckily there was no problem with the Russian Art Terrorists that have been plaguing the Late at Tate nights recently… apparently they like to take their clothes off and dance on stage (doesn’t sound too bad) and then slash paintings (not so cool).

No related posts.

  • Stuart

    Hi Shlo

    I’ve been to a fair few of your shows now and I must say I could never get bored of your solo loops. Don’t get me wrong the collaborations you do are phenomenal but unless you show the solo side of things it is harder to appreciate the individual skills involved.

    E.g. The Yoda gig at QEH. I think there was a large section of the crowd who came because of DJ Yoda. After your solo set however, the cheers were louder for you. The crowd then got to enjoy two masters at work.

    I think your collaborations can only help to improve and influence your solo sets and I hope to see more of both in future :o )