World Without End

Went to an excellent free exhibition of video art at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), at Fed Square. Some really inspiring work, including Hold: Vessel 1, by Lynette Wallworth. This installation involves down-projected images which appear in glass bowls held in the hands of the visitor. Marvellous. Well worth a look.

in praise of monitor engineers

Excellent article on Surviving in Monitorland at ProSoundWeb. The easily overlooked `second sound engineer' at big live gigs inhabits the space where some of the really creative audio operating can occur.

revised musical musings...

Last post was when I had just started listening to Over the Rhine's latest offering Drunkard's Prayer. My first impression was that it was not Ohio, but good. Now, having listened extensively over the last week, I think I can say `not Ohio' in a much more positive light. Drunkard's Prayer offers such powerful themes (in this case, of reconciliation in a marriage) and Karin's voice just melts off the page in such a way that perhaps this is a more mature album than Ohio. The quality of the recording is superb, the mixing tight yet spacious.

new music

More welcome mail today. Got the new release (personally signed) from Over the Rhine. On early listens Drunkard's Prayer doesn't leap out with beauty like the previous Ohio, but I think as I get into it it will become more of a friend. Nicely mixed, and great earthy instrument sounds.
The matched stereo pair of Oktava 012 mics finally arrived. Got the ones with the black finish and regular cardioid capsules. Looking forward to trying them out on drum overheads this week.