The Secret Life Of Hal McGee Transitions Art Gallery

improvised soundtrack to the first half of Hal McGee's 2-hour video movie

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The Secret Life Of Hal McGee (56:06)

Saturday, October 13, 2007 at Transitions Art Gallery, 4215 East Columbus Drive, Tampa, Florida

Listen in streaming audio for Broadband connection - Variable Bit Rate mp3

Download a Variable Bit Rate 73.7 MB mp3

Recording and mp3 created by Andrew Chadwick.

all photographs on this page by Jen Sandwich

special thanks to Matt Welch of Transitions Art Gallery

Hal McGee: Moog Etherwave Theremin, circuit bent Casio SK-1, shortwave radio, electroacoustics, Moog MF-104Z Analog Delay, voice
Andrew Chadwick (Ironing): mix, microcassettes, cassettes, contact microphone
Jay Peele (Fiver's Stereo): trumpet, cornet, flute, MegaMouth
K Paul Boyev (Otolathe): 3 dozen crickets, Alvarez acoustic guitar, Rode NT-5 microphone, Digitech Whammy Pedal, MF-102 Ring Mod Moogerfooger, MF-107 Freqbox Moogerfooger, Pigtronix Echolution Phi, Guyatone Tube Delay
Jesi Langdale: cassettes, shortwave, circuit bent Casio SK-1
Bobby Moseley: accordion, tapes, radio
Troy Turriate (Pairs): contact microphone, cardioid mic, variable filter pedal, ring modulator, Boss pedal effects, cassette player

The sounds from the movie were mixed with our live improvisational sounds. We performed in the balcony to the left and overlooking the stage while the 2-hour movie was projected onto a screen at the rear of the stage.

Bobby Moseley before the show. Hal plays theremin while Jesi looks on. Jesi and Troy play while Hal observes.

Andrew Chadwick and K Paul Boyev.

Jay Peele above.

Closeup shots by Jen of Bobby, Hal, Troy and Jesi.

Troy with cassette player, and K Paul releases the crickets after the show.

blog by K Paul Boyev (Otolathe) Sunday, October 14, 2007

A gig with 50 tiny performers.

Hal McGee sent me an e-mail before the screening here of his movie The Secret Life of Hal McGee. "Think: urban decay," he said in it, "rust, oxidization, mold, fungus, graffiti, spills, stains, ants, caterpillars, weeds, ditches, culverts. Keep it simple, keep it fun."

After a bit of reflection, I thought to myself "what could possibly be more fun than getting a bunch of crickets and sticking them into an acoustic guitar with a condenser mic shoved in the soundhole?" I could run the mic through a bunch of effects. Okay, maybe there are some things that are more fun than that, but not many, and not in MY world.

I did a dry run without crickets and it sounded like it was going to be great. I went to Petco and spent about $4 on crickets destined to be reptile food. Driving home, I noticed an ominous silence from the bag. I called Danny McGuire.

"Danny, I'm feeling pretty ridiculous with this bag of crickets for tonight. These must be the silent kind of crickets. These crickets Do Not Rock." He advised me to find a bait shop, and I found one on Hillsborough Ave.: quite a hike. I called first, to make sure they had the noisy kind of crickets. The guy on the other end thought I was nuts. On entering the store I could tell these were the ones. I texted Danny, "got me some champions now."

I had some problems with feedback but the crickets performed like the seasoned professionals they really were. I stiffed them on the money, though... they weren't exactly union. I set them all free after the performance and I think that they soon forgot about not getting paid scale for a two-hour gig, as now in the grass next to I-4 outside Transitions it is unlikely they will end up on a hook or in the belly of a fish. Now they and their progeny can perform every night outside that venue (some of their more unruly brethren escaped the soundhole and will no doubt take up residence INSIDE Transitions).

Click here to view all of Jen Sandwich's photos from The Secret Life Of Hal McGee and the after party!

The Secret Life Of Hal McGee

Transitions Art Gallery October 13, 2007