In which we go behind the scenes of the first installment of FORM, a new live performance platform curated by Hundred Waters. Download and listen.
We fall in love with songs because they’re more than audio. They are experience, and they are intention. The Internet is the world’s wall of sound. It’s also reduced recording to background noise: something we can plug into, and tune out to. It shouldn’t work that way.
Hundred Waters is a band that challenges how we hear stuff. Their upcoming album, The Moon Rang Like a Bell (OWSLA), out May 27, is about bringing music back to its core, and its intention. And to launch the record, they’re holding a three-day anti-festival Memorial Day weekend dedicated to creative workshops and performance.
Arcosanti is an “urban laboratory” located 70 miles outside of Phoenix. The brainchild of architect/philosopher Paolo Soleri, Arcosanti was established to demonstrate how urban conditions could be improved with minimal destructive impact on the earth. From May 23 – May 25, Hundred Waters will host a three day event, which includes daily workshops, hikes, parties, and musical performances from How to Dress Well, Majical Cloudz, ESKMO, Alvin Risk, Julie Byrne, Kodak to Graph, Suno Deko, and, of course, Hundred Waters. Admission and accommodations for the event are free; available in limited quantity via by signing up on the event’s website. This event is the first installment of FORM; an artist curated platform imagined by Hundred Waters & Family. FORM brings together artists of all mediums to perform, create, and collaborate at unique and inspiring locations around the globe.
The band will follow the release event with a full US tour, including headlining shows on both coasts and everywhere in between, in addition to coveted slots at Pitchfork Festival and Capitol Hill Block Party. More info here.
In collaboration with Hundred Waters, we’re releasing an exclusive first look at the festival: featuring seven tracks from performing artists, the band’s first album, remix EPs and much more. Live music is an art form. Let’s uphold it.
Arcosanti X BitTorrent Bundle
01 Hundred Waters: “Down From the Rafters” 02 Julie Byrne: “Prism Song” 03 Kodak to Graph: “Departure” 04 Eskmo: “Push And Pull” 05 Alvin Risk: “ZOOM” 06 Suno Deko: “Bluets” 07 Majical Cloudz: “Bugs Don_t Buzz” 08 Summer 2014 Hundred Waters Tour Poster 09 Hundred Waters: Self Titled First LP 10 Thistle Remix EP 11 Boreal Remix EP
Make Art That’s Unclassifiable: Words With Hundred Waters.
BitTorrent: You’ve been to Arcosanti in the past. As you release your record and begin a world tour on it, why was it important to go back to Arcosanti?
Hundred Waters: We just spent the past two years touring on our first record. The cycle of venue shows and festivals can get a bit monotonous and draining. We discovered this magical city in the desert during our recent travels and were really inspired by the place and the idea of doing something special out there. The concept of doing an album release show there just sort of came together serendipitously. The community of Arcosanti immediately embraced the idea, the dates made sense, and as we started telling our friends and fellow artists about it, everyone seemed to be as excited as we were to be a part of it. It’s pretty surreal that we now have some of our favorite artists performing alongside of us that weekend.
BitTorrent: Within the context of mega-events and wristband culture — the Brochella-ization of live music — you guys are effectively throwing a three-day listening party; the anti-festival. What’s behind this weekend?
Hundred Waters: We definitely didn’t make a concerted effort to put on “the anti-festival” per se. We knew that the spatial limitations of Arcosanti would restrict us to a small gathering of people, and that we wanted to share the weekend with people who felt the same way we do about the place and the artists performing. Ideally, every person at the event learns each other’s names, dances with each other, learns something from one another, and walks away feeling inspired to go home and create something beautiful. It’s gona be a super relaxed environment; people can go hiking, swimming, take a tour of the community, learn about bronze-bell casting, or just relax in the shade and read a book. We’ll have some incredible performances and visual installation at night and DJ sets that go into the wee hours of the night.
BitTorrent: In what ways do you see live music changing? For you, what is the relationship between performance, and art, when it comes to music?
Hundred Waters: Performance is an art form. The whole stage is a canvas; both sonically and visually. The way that the performers are positioned on the stage, interacting with one another, and with the audience, sets a tone for the concert as a whole. For us, we’re always searching for the perfect equilibrium between live performance and visuals so as not to distract from the human performance that takes place.
BitTorrent: With this download, you’re giving a window into Arcosanti. Why was that important to you?
Hundred Waters: The artists performing at Arcosanti are incredibly diverse. There is no singular theme to the weekend’s performances other than beauty. The playlist speaks for itself and only touches on a handful of the artists performing. There will be more than what’s in this mix.
BitTorrent: What do you want people to get out of Arcosanti?
Hundred Waters: Arcosanti itself speaks to that as it’s a city built to demonstrate how urban conditions could be improved. We want everyone to leave this weekend feeling inspired and to know that there’s always another way to go about doing things. Whether you’re making art, planning an event, or building a city, there’s always an alternative way to go about it. Make music that fits no genres. Make art that is unclassifiable. Be inspired.
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