The chill was surprising for an early Long Beach evening as I went ahead and traveled a few miles from home into downtown where this year's Soundwalk promised a carnival of invention. Little did I know was just how involving this whole thing is. The sheer volume of involved locals and visitors alike was a testament to the creative spirit, with many families involved as well as the atypical arsty/hipster crowd one would generally imagine. This was no stuffy free art exhibition, this was something altogether different. From the relaxed leaving of props, sculptures, installations and gear, this was a noise making free-for-all where the visitor was every bit as much of a participant as they were sightseeing. Stretching throughout seveal blocks of LB's East Village, the walk was alive with people, open to the chance at dropping artistic pretense, and exploring the possibilities. It was a humbling, happy experience to see so many kids here, and actually having a great time.


Among the performances I ran across...The most fascinating for me included the use of sound-activated machinery, loops, microphones, video &..most endearingly..flashlights. Taking traditional instruments into new areas has always been an angle close to my heart, so upon hearing these, my feet would immediately lead me straight toward them. The only tragedy this time came with me arriving so late, leaving me with little time to obtain a good copy of the map with details as to the artists participating, But among those that stood out were Machine Head with their absurdist headphone based display centered with an animatronic primate's head. The sounds in the phones changed as a dial was turned, covering the sillines that is our evolutionary scale. (ending in hilarious human talk of poo-flinging) Another great included the use of foam shapes stringed to the ceiling which were light sensitive and set off an array of sounds when hit with flashlight beams.

Overall, a wonderful night made greater due to a reunion with friends from what feels like a lifetime ago. Just another reminder of the treasures that are still to be found in this area, and an artistically resilient one at that.

As for giving readers some idea of the experience in a more raw form, here's some video covering the night's festivities..