Sigur Rós Show 2.18.06

Five months since Takk was released, Icelandic ambient rockers Sigur Rós are finishing up their North American tour, and by a stroke of luck I recently had the opportunity to check out their sold-out show at the intimate Calvin College Fine Arts Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

As a seasoned veteran concert-goer it takes quite an impressive show to make it into my personal top 5 shows of all time, but Sigur Rós easily secured their spot on that list last night, even despite the fact that their music has sometimes been a little too avant-garde for me to stomach for any prolonged length of time. Their music is beautiful, but it definitely fits in the category “mood music”.

That mood was set early on, driving up to the suburban campus in the middle of February, for the horrendous ice storm that just passed through had lain power lines to waste and covered barren trees thickly with ice as if crystal-coated, leading me to believe the Icelanders packed up the storm in their suitcases to unleash it on us for sheer effect. Fortunately the art center was warm with a thousand besweatered bodies anxious for the show.

But before the main act took stage, fans were met with an eclectic set by Amina, the all-female quartet that has been touring with Sigur Rós since 1999. Amina put on a 45 minute set, melding computer synths and rhythms with multi-dimensional string arrangements and low-tech instruments like wine glasses and glockenspiels. The variety was a pleasant surprise, but what really managed to win over the crowd was their second to last song where the spotlight instrument was a wood saw. With one end of the saw squeezed tightly between the young lady’s knees, she used her hand to bend it sideways into an arc and into the desired key while the other hand played the edge with a violin bow. The wobbly tin notes rose and fell while the other three had a heyday of their own with strings and synths. It was a transcendental experience that I will not soon forget, and a perfectly matched opening act.

After Amina finished, a white see-through cutrain was drawn shut while Sigur Rós took the stage. The crowd shuffled and cheered as bright, colored lights behind the stage cast the band’s shadows ten feet tall against the curtain.

Eventually the band unveiled themselves, Jón timidly hanging his head and scraping the violin bow across his guitar to make the haunting notes that have become the band’s signature. For nearly six minutes the undulating electronic beat and angelic vocals of Glósóli streamed peacefully through the auditorium until the dam finally gave way to unleash a cacophony of hard-hitting real drums.

As if their music wasn’t enough to convince us of the creative genius at hand, a combination of projected films and lights complimented the show, and even Amina got back in on the action, providing backup with their violins.

Sigur Rós consists of Jón þor (Jónsi) Birgisson (vocals, guitars), Kjartan (kjarri) Sveinsson (keyboards), Orri Páll Dýrason (drums) and Georg (Goggi) Holm (bass). Their names might be hard to pronounce, but from the time their two-hour set started with the droning beat of Glósóli until the very end of their intense encore performance of Untitled #8, the only word that came to mind over and over again was quite simple to pronounce: amazing.

Recordings do their live performance absolutely no justice, so even if you think their albums aren’t quite your speed, I suggest you catch their show anyway if they’re coming through your town. The remainder of the U.S. tour is as follows:

• feb 20 • murat theatre, indianapolis (in) • venue • tickets

• feb 21 • the pageant, st louis (mo) • venue • tickets

• feb 22 • uptown theatre, kansas city (mo) • venue • tickets

• feb 23 • paramount theatre, denver (co) • venue • sold out

• feb 25 • verizon wireless theater, houston (tx) • venue • tickets

• feb 26 • performing arts center, austin (tx) • venue • sold out

• feb 27 • bass performance hall, fort worth (tx) • venue • sold out

And remember: they’re much too humble and appreciative not to encore.

B. Robb

(Photos by Emily Matis)

An Introduction and the Process of Quantum Telecloning

Ahoy hoy. My name’s Trevor and I’ll be writing here from time to time. It could be a little quick newsfeed or life. Or even something that’s correlated from one event to another and back to politics and the worlds concious. Regardless, that’s enough rambling for one night. On to the science (use-to-be-but-isn’t-fiction-anymore non-fiction)!

Quantum Telecloning

The first experimental demonstration of quantum telecloning has been achieved by scientists at the University of Tokyo, the Japan Science and Technology Agency, and the University of York.

Telecloning combines cloning (or copying) with teleportation (i.e., disembodied transport).

The scientists have succeeded in making the first remote copies of beams of laser light, by combining quantum cloning with quantum teleportation into a single experimental step. Telecloning is more efficient than any combination of teleportation and local cloning because it relies on a new form of quantum entanglement – multipartite entanglement.

Professor Sam Braunstein, of the Department of Computer Science at York, said: “Quantum mechanics allows us to do things which we previously thought were impossible. In 1998, I was involved in an experiment in America which was one of the first for quantum teleportation in which we transmitted a beam of light without it crossing the physical medium in between.

“This new experiment is an extension of that work. Whether it will change the world for individuals or is just of use to governments or big companies is hard to say. Any new protocol is like a new-born baby and it has to develop, but we know this one could be used to tap cryptographic channels. Quantum cryptographic protocols are so secure that they can not only discover tapping but also where and how much information is leaking out. Now, using telecloning, the identity and location of the eavesdropper can be concealed…”

Saddam on Trial

First he said that he was boycotting his own trial. Now Saddam is on hunger strike in protest to the allegedly biased Kurdish judge who is overseeing the case. In these situations desparation is expected, but this jumps straight into the realm of the hilariously ludicrous. This man couldn’t possibly liken himself to Gandhi, could he? I’ll chalk this one up to him missing the memo on hunger strikes being reserved for the benevolent. I don’t suppose he could rally any more support by calling it a “hunger strike” than if he were to simply call it a diet. Be that as it may, this terrorist has moxie, and I like it. Hell, even his brother is getting in on the action and wearing his p.j.’s to trial.

What’s he on trial for again? Oh yes, how could I forget. For approving rewards for intelligence agents involved in the crackdown against residents of Dujail after a 1982 assassination attempt against him there, and the subsequent mass murder of nearly 150 Shiites. We can’t forget that they were Shiites. And Saddam’s a Sunni. That’s kind of like Baptists versus Catholics, right? Apparently it would be too little to say that they were simply Iraqis. Or better yet: people.

Saddam should unquestionably be held responsible for his actions, and the media is doing a great job covering the war and the trial. It makes perfect sense: the thousands of expended American lives and unfathomable resources exchanged for the service of justice to those 150 people murdered almost 25 years ago, and the dismantling of Iraq because of the imminent threat that it posed to the U.S. with its acme WMDs, covered with invisibility paint and sprinkled with pixie dust for good measure. Game over, we all get it. You convinced us years ago.

At first I was embarrassed at the whole ordeal, but one can only remain embarrassed for so long before you realize your lack of control over it and simply start finding the humor in it all.

I don’t know about you, but I will be tuned into the trial with popcorn and soda in hand. Michael Jackson, eat your heart out. The only dilemmas I foresee are those difficulties that will inevitably arise when it comes time to cast Saddam’s brother’s part in the major motion picture due out next spring.

B. Robb

Virgin Post

Southpaw Review is my experiment. At this point I’m not quite sure what kind of time I’ll have to put into this blog, but it is my intention to update as frequently as possible on topics ranging from social issues and politics to arts and entertainment. I’d like for it to eventually have enough steam for regular critiques and discussions on media coverage and politics, mixed with a nice helping of music and movie reviews. This may prove to be an overwhelming range of topics for myself to cover with any kind of depth, so contributions are encouraged. I’ll get the ball rolling, but if you feel you have something to share, or if you like the content of this blog and feel you’d like to be a regular contributor, by all means drop me a line. It is my hope to create a community of critical thought and creativity. Hopefully this blog can find that real voice that the news lacks, and grow healthy with thoughtfulness and participation. Thanks for stopping by, and check back often. Cheers!

B. Robb