Raw Material History & Links
Story time
The Raw Material Experimental Electronic
Music and Light Festival started in 1989 simply as a community
social gathering for (New) Colorado City, Colorado. One single performer
playing his collection of synthesizers for his friends and family. The
performance lasted for about an hour. No lighting except daylight, just
sound. 10 years later, the performer opened a music lab for electronic
music but needed a way to get people interested in the business. "Ah",
he said, "I'll start up the electronic music show again and invite local
electronic music artists to perform. I'll construct a stage and have a
little light show with video, lights, and lasers" (actually we only
have one laser). The show was held for one night at a local avant-garde
media gallery and featured 6 acts. A wide range of electronic styles and
instruments...keyboard synths, guitar synths, a thermin, computers, and
other electronic devices. A Infra-Ultra spectrum of sound. After
the event, artists were asking , not IF, but WHEN was the
next festival was going to be. The founding performer didn't really consider
on having another show but decided "I'll have it the same time next
year".
Well... next year came around. The performer
now became the director by default and he decided "six acts in one night
is too much. I'll hold it for the weekend-Friday and Saturday. I'll have
even more light FXs and make illuminated structures." So he found
a local coffeehouse with a large patio and grass area. The director and
crew set-up for the festival the night before only to discover a streetlight,
that had out for months, had miraculous returned to life. This, in turn,
would flood out many of the lighting FXs. "Got a B-B gun?"
they cried (no, really...everyone involved said "Got a B-B gun?").
So a large umbrella was placed on a scaffolding to help to block to streetlight.
Seven acts were scheduled to perform, 3/4 per night. Friday night came
with a rain shower, delaying the first act. People still came and early
performers played in the rain and lighting. It was nicknamed "The Umbrella
Show". Saturday night was much better.
The director decided to hold it as an annual
event, set guidelines to keep the restrictions as a experimental music
festival, and assembled a committee to help with stage design, lighting,
promotion, logistics and other duties.
The year was 2001, same coffeehouse (except
for Thursday night was a local bar), but with a covered stage and three
times as many light FXs. Sixteen acts in four nights,and total exhaustion.
A "progressive rock night" was introduced as a Sunday show. Also, a weekly
Friday promotional series premiered at Barnes and Noble as well as CD displays
at Cheapo Disc record stores.
2002's event came in the from of a month-long exhibit at The Rebis. The exhibit was titled "In The Light Of Darkness". The artists would perform amongst the artwork. Because of the resent events of 2001/2002, the festival was kept at a low key as to be a 'Beta' version. We hope to bring the festival back up to speed in 2003...
Mission
The mission of the festival is to explore and exhibit science of sound and light. Think of it as a science fair of art, multimedia, and technology. A display of electronic media curiosity in a performance or exhibit type atmosphere.
Past Artist
Ancient Desert Ritual (founder), Sci-Fi Uterus, Vision Update,
Prophet X, One, EmptyHead, Dopamine Squeeze, Neil Haverstick (see EM
magazine Profile December 2001), Red, Evolutionary Trick, Land Speed
Record, Kelly Kendall, In AEther, Rasmussen, Page 27, Charles Brown/Mystics,
Twine, Mystery Sandbox Theater, Avokado Kabal, Ubergroover, Swans Reflecting Elephants, Impossible Objects, Numina, Quantum Source, Cuttlefish
Festival Titles
The event's name or title are a reflection of the previous
year. Show titles : In The Beginning
(1989), Rebirth (1999), Infra-Ultra
(2000), X-Y-Z Axis (2001), Dual
Half-life (beta) (2002)
Supporting Links
Larry Fast/Synergy
Johannes
Schmoelling (Former Tangerine Dream)
MarthWorks
Guidelines for festival
Main Menu
copyright Ancient Desert 2002
