2010 Listening Patterns

2010 has been an interesting year full of ups and downs. Here are some of the records that helped me through it

Drum Eyes - Gira Gira (Upset the Rhythm)
Horseback - The Invisible Mountain (Aurora Borealis)
Grails - Black Tar Prophecies Vol 4 (Important)
Squarepusher Presents Shobaleader One - d'Demonstrator (Warp)
Swans - My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky (Young God)
The Fall - Your Future Our Clutter (Domino) [Vinyl Version]
Zola Jesus - Stridulum II (Souterrain Transmissions)

Lanterns Video

I have made music video for Lanterns on the Lake's single Lungs Quicken.


They have recently been signed to Bella Union and will be opening at a special Xmas gig on Thursday 16th December in London. They will be playing alongside Peter Broderick, Alessi's Ark and Philip Selway. You can buy a ticket along with a special 10" EP, which the Lanterns feature on here

Lanterns on the Lake - Lungs Quicken from toby lloyd on Vimeo.

Super Sonic

I'm really excited about going to Super Sonic on Friday. Have been meaning to go for a couple of years now and the line up this year is too good to miss. Especially excited about seeing Nerco Deathmort, Godflesh, Devilman and King Midas Sound. There will also be screenings of a new Matthew Barney performance and Boredoms 77 Boa Drum documentary.

I saw Melt-Banana (who are also playing) in Newcastle on Monday and if that was anything to go by it will be a weekend to remember.

Sunderland Echo

Empty Shop got a nice write up in the Sunderland Echo last week. The photograph was taken at the Freebirds exhibition we had at Made in Newcastle.

You can read the full article here

The Greggs on Chillingham Road was recently refurbished, so it was good to know that there were another 3 outlets within walking distance.

David Blandy at Seventeen

I've just returned from a short trip to London where I saw another great exhibition at Seventeen Gallery, this time by David Blandy. I've seen a few pieces by Blandy at the Baltic and Workplace Gallery in Gateshead before and really like his work. The concept behind this exhibition is very interesting and really worth visiting if you're in London.

More information about the show can be found here.

David Blandy's website and Vimeo page
Just r

Lanterns Tour

I will be providing visuals for Lanterns on the Lake on a short tour starting Thursday 9th Septmeber in London at the Slaughtered Lamb. Then the End of the Road Festival at the weekend, and York on Monday 13th at City Screen Basement Bar.

Full details about the tour and music can be found on their Myspace

Cosmopoetics

As part of the Cosmopoetics Conference art exhibition I will be doing a live drawing-performance on Wednesday 8th September. The exhibition is in the Institute of Advanced Study, Cosins Hall, Palace Green, next to Durham Cathedral.

Here is a picture of the building taken from Google Street View.

The exhibition starts at 6pm and my performance will begin aprox 6:30pm. For more information please click here for the conference website

http://cosmopoetics.wordpress.com/

Leeds

I had a very nice time in Leeds on Saturday. Good company and excellent music. Brave Timbers set was really lush and I even got some nice compliments for the visuals. I hope to do more work with them in the near future.

I was excited to discover that the venue was the same room where That Fucking Tank recorded "A Docment of the First Set." Sad nerd fact, but it made me smile.

I also picked up the Drum Eyes album Gira Gira, from Jumbo Records. It's the new project from DJ Scotchegg and the drummer from the Boredoms. Definitely worth a listen.

I have been working on visuals for Sarah Kemp's (Lanterns on the Lake) new solo project, Brave Timbers. We are playing together in Leeds on Saturday 4th September, at the Cardigan Arms, 364 Kirkstall Road.

She has an album coming out soon on Second Language, and has contributed a track to there recent compilation Music and Migration, which also features Peter Broderick, Xela, Fieldhead and many more. The label puts a lot of effort into their packaging for the records and the results are really lush.

You can here some examples of her music on her Myspace and Blog

Public Opinion

I'm not convinced that this is actually the case, I wish articles like this would also state the benefits of the arts has and the long term impact cuts like this and more private money will have on the public.

Read the full article here

Mail Art One

Two of my drawings have been published in the recent issue of Mail Art One. Other members of the FreeBirds work is also in the magazine.

For more information and a downloadable copy click here

Up by the Roots

I have recently made a music video for D_rradio. The track is from their excellent new album Parts, which was released on Distraction Records at the beginning of August.

Obscene Baby Auction

A full history of Obscene Baby Auction Records, including gig posters, band profiles and most importantly: free digital downloads of most of the back catalogue, has been put online. Interesting reading and some excellent music, especially Kill Yourself.

The label was run by members of That Fucking Tank and friends in Leeds, putting on gigs and releasing records with a DIY ethic.

Drummond's First Time

Bill Drummond was the guest on BBC 6 Music's "the First Time." He discussed and played important records from his career and his lifetime. A good introduction if you don't know much about him and an opportunity to listen to "Doctorin' the Tardis" on the Radio.

Listen to the show on BBC iplayer
Podcast




His work continues to be an inspiration to me. I recently read his new book "For Sale: £20,000" which is about what he decides to do with a Richard Long photograph he bought. The story behind the book is really interesting but I would only recommend reading it after you have read"45". It is a much better book and more accessible. If you are only going to read one book by Drummond (or anyone else) I would go for "17." One of the most enjoyable reads I have ever had.


Bill Drummond's Website

New Camera

I have recently bought a second hand Hasselblad medium format camera and am looking forward to taking some photographs.

Listening Habits

I recently discovered Noveller's music after listening to David Sims's (Bass player from Jesus Lizard) new solo project unFact. They are both ambient/drone/soundscape type deals, made with guitar (bass in David's case), loop station and other pedals.

It's not music to jump around your bedroom to, but really lush when you're spending a lot of time at home, in front of the computer writing proposals like I am at the moment.

I have been saving my vinyl copy of Down for a couple months now and decided to play it in full after returning from town. I was blown away.

Kupferstichkabinett: Between Thought and Action

I recently visited White Cube, Hoxton Square and really enjoyed their current exhibition of drawings of unrealised and works in progress. There is some excellent stuff in the show by people I have never heard of and some of my favorite artists.

More information here

Exhibition at Made In Newcastle

The FreeBirds have an exhibition at the Made In Newcastle Shop on Nun Street (a couple of doors down from Wilkinsons, Click here for Map), featuring work by:

James Adair
Abigail Barlow
Tricia Green
Toby Lloyd
Susan Mortimer
Paul Raymond
Carlo Viglianisi
Meinir Wyn Jones

The Preview is on Thursday 19th August, 6 - 9pm


I will be making a new drawing in the space for the show. You can see my work from the last show and examples of the other FreeBirds work here. This show will have new work and more artists exhibiting than the last.

Hope to see you there.

More information about Made In Newcastle can be found here

Empty Shop Opening

Durham's Empty Shop have their 2nd opening tomorrow night featuring two exhibitions: the FreeBirds studio showcase and Beermat Show.

I have new work in the FreeBirds showcase and will be making a new drawing as a performance for the preview around 9pm.

I have also contributed a couple of pieces to the Beermat Show.

The opening co-insides with the preview at the DLI. More information about all these exhibitions can be found here

New Studio - Work in Progress

I have recently moved into a new studio space in Durham's EmptyShop and have started working on new work.

I am developing the work I started during my residency at 25 Stratford Grove by back projecting onto tracing paper and drawing around the footage in real time.

Redroom Dance 1

Redroom Dance 2

April 8, 1994 - Where Were You?

Although these are the first attempts, I am quite pleased with the results. They do remind me of Idris Khan's work a little too much though. More about him later.

Enjoying the new MASS cd.

Hear them here

Paint by Number / Versions of the Fifth

This is a still from a new video piece that I will be showing at Star and Shadow in Newcastle on Saturday 19th June. It is part of a group show called Versions of the Fifth which will run along side Paint by Numbers, a gig featuring my favorite local band Mass. See below for details.

Kymeera:Cultural Remixes is a newly established organisation that aims primarily to curate unorthodox events and collaborations which fuse live music, performance, visual art and literature. This first outing sees Ged collaborate with Andrew Cleaver – awesome stuff. The official breakdown is this:

An eclectic night featuring visual art and performances from bands representing various genres and style, all followed by DJ sets from a number of individuals to end the night with your dance shoes well worn…

The night kicks off at 6 o’clock with Versions of the Fifth, a group show presenting the art and writings of Toby Lloyd, Steven Walker, Carlo Viglianisi, Mary Quinn, Andrew Donaghy, Christos Worsely, Eilis Hanson and Robbie Hudson. This will form part of the debut event from Kymeera: Cultural Remixes.

Following this will be a night of music brought to you by the following bands and DJ’s:

MASS
Tyne and Wear Agro Prog – www.myspace.com/massmassmass

CARPUS TRIO
Intense jazz/industrial hardcore – www.myspace.com/carpustrio

GRANDFATHER BIRDS
Chilled/intelligent/indie – www.myspace.com/grandfatherbirds

LUNA LOUNGE
Spaced out instrumental improvised noise – www.myspace.com/lunaloungeband

DJ’s:

Syncut

El Toro

PRMNNT dj’s

Venue: Star and Shadow, Newcastle

Kick off: 18:00

Price: £5

Facebook event page – click here

Reflective Observation

I have been helping Hannah with her work for this exhibition and some of my photographs will be part of the show.

Exhibition Information:

Durham based artist Hannah Marsden’s new body of work explores a personal conflict between her introverted instincts and extroverted interests. For this exhibition Marsden explores the symbolic potential of the umbrella as a symbol of protection and distinction. Incorporating sculpture, performance and film, Marsden performs undercover research in and around Durham to explore the interconnectivity of humanity and the idea of a universal human nature.

Marsden is a graduate from Newcastle University and has exhibited work at Allenheads Contemporary Arts and Gallery Glue.

Details
Date: Friday, 11 June 2010
Time: 18:00 – 20:00
Location: The DLI Museum and Durham Art Gallery

For more info try these links:

Umbrella of Humanity Blog

DLI and Durham Art Gallery

Two trips to the cinema in one week

Your Future Our Clutter

I can highly recommend the new Fall album, I have been enjoying a lot. No return to form here, the last album was amazing as well.

Seance

Seance is a video piece I made last year with Steve Walker (50ft Long Horse) for the Shock of the Used. It came from a common interest in obsolete technology and similar memories of watching VHS cassettes in our youth.

It is currently being hosted on the Empty Shop website. You can also watch it in the embedded window below.

Seance from toby lloyd on Vimeo.

I will be providing visuals for Lanterns on the Lake at the Cumberland Arms on Saturday 10th April.

Last Harbour and Nev Clay are also playing on the night.

More information about the event can be found on Facebook here.

RE:ROLL

Here are some installation images of my recent exhibition at Empty Shop in Durham.

BURN OUT FADE AWAY

I can highly recommend Graham Dolphin's current exhibition at SEVENTEEN gallery in London which is on until the end of March.

More information:
http://www.grahamdolphin.co.uk/
http://www.seventeengallery.com/index.php?p=3&id=53

RE:ROLL at Empty Shop

My exhibition RE:ROLL is currently running at Empty Shop in Durham. Their HQ grand opening was on Friday and was a fantastic success and had over 300 people through the doors on the night.

To view the show and the rest of the work in the building you can make an appointment here

The Empty Shop boys have also been interviewed by the BBC and been photographed infront of some of my work.

BBC Interview

New Work at Empty Shop

Here I am busy making some brand new work which will be exhibited at the Empty Shop HQ Opening in Durham.

The Opening event is on Friday 19th Feb, 6-9pm.

For more information please follow the links:

Empty Shop Website

Opening Event Facebook Page

See you there hopefully

Just rediscovered Tate Modern's Talks podcasts. Lots of good stuff there, too much to listen to, but worth a look.

http://www.tate.org.uk/onlineevents/podcast/feed.xml

I am really enjoying Bad Vibes by Luke Haines at the moment so much that I look forward to my commute to and from work and even look for more opportunities to use public transport.

Also, his latest double album 21st Century Man / Achtung Mutha is getting heavy air play at home as well.

I highly recommend both.