The game is on: Pioneer unveils the SVM-1000

Pioneer officially took the wraps off the SVM-1000, the first integrated 4-Channel audio and video DVJ mixer. Basically they took their DJM-800 mixer, broke it in half, stuck a huge color 11 inch touchscreen in the middle and welded the whole thing together. The SVM-1000 allows DJs to mix both audio and video elements into their performance in perfect sync.

Pioneer has answered the question that many DJs/VJs have posed since they introduced their revolutionary DVJ-X1s a couple of years ago. DJs and VJs had to use separate mixers to blend sound and vision. Now the SVM-1000 has the power and technology to change all that by working perfectly in both audio and AV set-ups. The MIDI assignable SVM-1000 is complete with LCD touch panel, an impressive range of effects and studio sound quality.

Features:
• World’s first mixer for 4-channel audio and video
• Multiple Video Blending Technology, allows the 4-channel mixer to sync audio and video mixing
• SVM-1000’s cross fader is capable of various effects such as FADE, WIPE and CHROMA-KEY
• AV Effects
• JPEG Viewer Function
• Beat sync’d text effects
• AV Touch Effects
• AV Beat Effects

8th Edition of Numero-Projecta Festival

We are once again clear to go to the next edition of Numero-Projecta-International Festival for Multimedia Arts, Cinema and Music.

Things are quite hectic at the moment, so the best thing to do is to visit the official website and/or myspace to keep informed about all the news. This year there will be only two (very strong!) days at Cinema S.Jorge, which we strongly suggest to all electronic music fans, VJs and DJs, clubbers, etc.

PROGRAM (AV Concerts only)

Wednesday, Nov 8th @ Centro Cultural O Século
23h00 Kemika Fields (live AV- PT)
23h45 Mista Jules (live - PT)
00h30 Plagia (live - PT)
01h00 Hedonic2 (DJ set - PT)

Friday, Nov 9th @ Cinema S.Jorge
21h00 Photonz (live AV - PT)
22h15 Rafael Toral (live AV - PT)
23h00 Cluster (live AV - DE)
00h15 Frank Bretschneider (live AV - DE)
01h00 No-domain (live AV - ES)

Saturday, Nov 10th @ Cinema S.Jorge
21h00 Atomic Tour Project (film-concert - PT) - ÚLTIMA HORA: CANCELADO!
22h15 Ikue Mori (film-concert "Maya Derren" - JP)
23h00 Oriol Rossell (live AV - ES)
00h15 D-Fuse (live AV - UK)
01h00 Sutekh (live AV - USA

Atomic Tour Project - back from Berlin

Going to Berlin to do this premiére was really an outstanding experience. We all knew Berlin, but everytime we go there the city seems to have gone through some kind of metamorphosis.

Places become different as they continually restore fassades and build new architectonic icons, art is proudly everywhere and youth people seem to have taken possession of the city.

We presented the film-concert "A Canção de Lisboa" at the EisZeit Kino, a small two-room cinema that welcomed during this last few days the Portuguese Festival. This was a great chance to show the most typical portuguese of all times in a completely new context.

The movie was reduced in about 30m and a whole new and original soundtrack was made by Pedro Gil (laptop/keyboards) and João Oliveira (guitar). The result was a 1h10 performance that weaved between the classical movie song and the beat-driven dance music (with real-time guitar riffs and keyboard solos). The movie was also altered real-time with background colors and vector animation. There was some flaws, of course, but this experience has showed us that this project is different and still has a long way to go.

The rest of the days we just wandered around Berlin.
Some good tips: the watergate disco (fantastic sound system with LED walls), the hidden Moebelfabrik (very nice ambient and also good music) and a different exhibition of a spanish artist and her Grumildos.

Check out some videos at the Atomic Tour Project @ MySpace

Gig at the Musicbox

Just a small photo from the saturday night gig at the MusicBox (downtown Lisboa), together with DJ Miguel Rendeiro.
A great place to perform, but definitely NOT in the DJ cabin. VJs don't perform sitting (at least I don't - my legs have to feel the beat!).
Anyway, the music was OK and there was an appearance from a girl with two lightbelts that brought in some action to the dance floor.

Outstanding....

...concert from Erik Truffaz 4tet yesterday at the Lux Jazz Sessions, where he presented the new album "Arkhangelsk". With Patrick Muller on piano/rhodes, Christophe Chambet on the bass and a very versatile Marc Erbetta on drums.

Video-graffiti from Australia

I just got to know Cindi Drennan as one important visual artist from Australia. In her website I found these beautiful photos from her participation in the 2006 edition of "Sculpture in the Vineyards" art meeting, where she presented her new work - Voice of Light created especially for St Michaels Catholic Church.

Cindi fuses projection, illustration and painting to enlighten - combining projected images with live light painting, she will transform and embellish the church. Imagery fuses illumination drawing on ancient medieval iconography, with contemporary theosophical nuances. St Michaels is situated in Wollombi, somewhere in the giant Australia...

Video installation in Sagres

Well, I couldn't just come back to Lisbon from my vacation is Sagres without taking out all the video gear and do something with it...

So, the last night, with a notorious shortage of money on my pocket, I decided to install a free video ambiance at the mainstream bar "Água Salgada".
The proposal was well received (of course!) and I just had guaranteed my vodkas mixed with natural apple juice for the rest of the night.

Took me about an hour to set up the thulle screens and the two beamers.
The plasma TV was to be shut off and the lighting reduced to the minimum.
I then put one of my pre-recorded DVD's with either warm colors or black/white contrast imagery, and so it went for as long as 3 hours. The so called auto-pilot enhancement.

The effect was really great, hopefully gave them some ideas to bring artistic video to the place (and not only surf videos on the plasma screen!) and the customers were happy. I got happily drunk that night :-)

Performing with D-Generation and Samanta Ray

On my way to Algarve, on vacation, I get this phone call from DJ China, a well known DJ southern Portugal, asking me if I was available to do a gig with his new project in Albufeira Town Square. "Hell yes, man, I sent you and Samanta an e-mail teasing you about this a few weeks ago!". Well, we met so that I could hear the new sounds coming up in the new CD and prepare some stuff.

A week after that I headed to Albufeira and had the chance to meet DJ Tom, who developed the project together with China, and some of their friends that came out that night to help out in the performance.
Tó Neto, one of the early portuguese electronic musicians, and his wife, as well as Samanta Ray, a beautiful australian singer/performer with a serious talent, that I met by chance one month before on myspace and to whom I sent the teasing e-mail...

The stage was mounted on the middle of the town square, the entrance was free, the place was almost packed and we had a great time.

Two nights before, by the way, DJ China invited me also to perform at Capitulo V, in Praia da Oura, which reminded me the violence of 6h long clubbing during vacations time. My mind, I must confess, was somewhere else that night!

I really liked the new D-Generation Project tracks and I am sure it will be a success among music lovers. I must get the reference to post here...

Azure Festival - Super spot, great people

The 3 days we spent in Terceira, Azores, were awesome. The weather was ok, the place of the festival was great and the organization was really fantastic (Miguel, Paulo, Bruno e Rui). When we got there we met a local girlfriend who introduced us to the whole festival people. We were at home (thanks Natacha!).

We didn't take any beamers with us, so the empty projection surface at the chill out area was to stay that way until the end of the festival. And what a shame, as the spot was unique, the music great (20h/day?) and the only thing missing was a nice visual on the surrounding forest. Well, next time...

The main stage welcomed a couple of new local bands, from rock-covers to metal originals. We only performed when the DJs took place, normally around midnight. We had a 6x4 screen next to the stage and a 5.000L beamer. If we have the chance next year, this is definetely something to upgrade (beamers location, stage design and light vs video interaction).
Great concerts to remark: the voice of Starr Faithfull, the beautiful sound of Rosa Negra (mixing Fado with ethnic rhythms), the energy of Kussondulola, the good taste of Goma and the power of Tara Perdida.
As far as the DJs are concerned, I must point out the quality of all local DJs that hanged mainly in the Chill Out zone, especially DJ Psytoon, Lino and João Luis. The lisbon trio Elektrofighterz (Dj Alif, DJ Triboli and DJ Dresh) made a show-off during the days of the festival, also swinging between stages and always putting everyone's feet to dance. Jesus del Campo music was just like his appearance - it came and went very swiftly but with a remarkable presence...

Finally, let me point out the very good company of some Kussondulola musicians, the warm water of Azores, the beautiful women with great spirit and energy, the grilled "lapas" and all crew members from the Festival, especially Soraia.
We hope to be there again next year. We made a lot of new friends, the environment is unique and the festival is really set to grow...

On Vacations and working on new projects

Just returned from Cuba, I am currently on half-vacations (a foot here, a foot there!).
Preparing the Numero-Projecta'07 Festival to take place in November
Preparing new stuff to take to the Azure Festival mid August
Preparing new AV project for September
Setting up the new studio