12-HOUR DRONE

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As part of the Big Ears Festival, I put together a special, immersive program called the 12-Hour Drone, coupling musical and video artists for a durational experience. The intent was to create a long-form event, inspired by others like the 24-Hour Drone in Hudson, NY. Musicians would perform overlapped sets of ambient, drone, or atonal music to create a 12-hour thread of unbroken sound. From midnight to noon, artists exchanged places on stage, shifting and evolving the music, stitching a sort of audio quilt. This unique spin on a live show offered a chance for listeners to truly lose themselves in the music. We encouraged the audience to bring sleeping bags and pillows, snacks and drinks, and an openness to a non-traditional concert.

The first 12-Hour Drone could not have happened without the help and guidance of the incredible Melissa Auf der Maur, Bob van Heur, and Jessica Moss.

2018: All Night Flight: 12-Hour Drone
I handled: curation and booking, contracts, backline, advancing, artist relations, stage management, and settlement.
Musical Line Up: Anna RG, B|_ank, Ben Shemie (SUUNS), Brandon Beavers, Coupler, David Daniell, Debtors Prism, Dream Chambers, Duet For Theremin & Lap Steel, Eli Keszler, Eve Maret, Jessica Moss (A Silver Mt. Zion), Joseph Yarmush (SUUNS), Lambda Celsius, Palatheda, Steve Gunn, Susan Alcorn, The Black Twig Pickers, Travis Morgan, Walsh
Visual Line Up: Christopher Spurgin, Emily Bivens, John Kelley, Marcus Sisk

2019: All Night Flight: Dreams Of The Whirlwind
I handled: curation and booking, contracts, backline, advancing, artist relations, stage management, and settlement.
Musical Line Up: Abstract Black, Arc Welder, Ben Neill, Ben Shemie (SUUNS), Ben Townsend, Carl Stone, Clarice Jensen, Diatom Deli, Frou-Frou Foxes, Goo, Hanna Benn, Hyasynth House, Kara-Lis Coverdale, Kathryn Copeland, Lo Mismo, Mehdi Nassouli, Nief-Norf, Peni Candra Rini, PITA, Rafiq Bhatia w/ Hanna Benn & Nina Moffitt, Ross Gentry, Stephen O'Malley, members of This Is Not This Heat, William Wright
Visual Line Up: Andy Vinson, Jonathan Turner, Labrys Light Show, Marcus Sisk

Press & Media:
- Behind the Scenes at Big Ears: Ben Smith, Curator of the 12-Hour Drone
- "Big Ears 2018: Attendees gather for all-night concert at The Standard," by Maggie Jones -- Commercial Appeal
- " Twelve Hours Of Drone Is Just The Beginning: DiS Does Big Ears," by Erin Lyndal Martin -- Drowned In Sound
- "The Big Ears Festival Introduces Goers to New Concepts and New Paradigms," by Mark W Adams -- PopMatters
- "Jessica Moss performs at 2018 Big Ears Festival 12-Hour Drone," filmed by Doug Brumley
- "2018 Big Ears Festival 12-Hour Drone," filmed by Doug Brumley