Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Event Details

JOLT Arts Inc explores the history, aesthetics and influence of hallucinatory culture on Melbourne’s art culture in a concert program featuring three cutting edge sonic acts.

'Melbourne has had a close connection with hallucination culture since the gold rush and the city’s surge to international cultural prominence in the 1880’s. Underground culture and a vibrant arts community flourished and the indulgences, and other forms of escapism that became available through the opium dens and other forms of distraction, gave rise to an arts culture that came to define Melbourne. The influences of that time are still seen in Melbourne arts and culture today, says James Hullick, Artistic Director of JOLT.

'Land of the Poppy Eaters' is three acts featuring some of Australia’s most exciting and innovative sonic artists, international guests and James Hullick’s extraordinary music machines.

The Noise Scavengers are a teenage ensemble working with found sounds. Formed in 2008 under the guidance of James Hullick and the Cloverdale Community Centre, these artists make works that belong to a ‘found sound’ aesthetic and revel in the discovery of sounds from any materials they can get their hands on. For 'Land of the Poppy Eaters', the Scavengers will use objects from the 1880’s and objects of decadence.

The BOLT Ensemble will present 'Opium', a series of works that combine traditional Western instruments with James Hullick’s music machines and 1880’s music as source material. BOLT is an experimental chamber ensemble whose core members are internationally acclaimed. This concert will feature Peter Neville on percussion, Mary Doumany on harp, Belinda Woods on flutes and Andrea Keeble on violin.

Buggatronic, a sound art duo featuring Melbourne machine artist James Hullick and Swiss percussionist Daniel Buess, will work with surreal music machines and quirky percussive sounds in creating a William. S. Burroughs inspired sonic dreamscape.

''Land of the Poppy Eaters is the first concert in a series of three concerts by JOLT in 2009.

Further information for this event is available online at the event's website or by email to bookings@joltarts.org

Featured artists

• Performer Peter Neville
• Performer Mary Doumany
• Performer Belinda Woods
• Performer Andrea Keeble
• Performer James Hullick
• Performer Noise Scavengers