Croniamantal will be joining poets Buck Downs, Mel Nichols, Tom Raworth in a special tribute to their bard called "Rod Smith: A Circus." This special event is produced by the Alexandria Performing Arts Association and Yockadot Poetics Theatre Project. Rod Smith: A Circus will include readings, theatre, lectures and music circling and celebrating the work of leading experimental poet Rod Smith.

Croniamantal--Named for the anti-hero of Guillaume Apollinaire's surrealist novel The Poet Assasinated, El Possible's first electro-acoustic free improvisation laboratory project gathers a set of local free improvisors and one avant garde poet to create some exciting new sounds. Current members include Pat Gillis (TL0741) on analog synthesizers; Amber Dunleavy (Echolalia) on theremin; Paolo Vallodolid on cello; Layne Garrett (Cutest Puppy in the World) on guitar and found stuff; Michelle Marcoccia (Ms. Conception) on didjeridoo and flute; and Jeff Bagato (Tone Ghosting) on cheesy keyboard & springamajig. Their bard for this incarnation will be legendary DC avant garde poet Rod Smith, long holding it down as editor of Aerial/Edge magazine; his new book Deed was issued by University of Iowa Press. Rod was voted "DC's Best Poet" for 2008 by Washington City Paper. Check out some of his work here.

Rod Smith: A Circus, featuring Croniamantal
Sunday, Nov 16 4-9pm
FREE! event--Donations accepted
location:
Lyceum
201 S. Washington St.
Alexandria, VA

info: 703-505-0700 or 703-549-1421

Dec 7--Guitarrorism Special! Alan Licht & Aki Onda Duo + The Plums + Field Shaman + Anthony Pirog

Alan Licht & Aki Onda Duo--Alan Licht and Aki Onda's combined history connects artists straddling the pop and experimental worlds, including Fennesz, Loren Connors, Takemura Nobukazu, Lee Ranaldo, and Toriko Nujiko. In the past decade their montage-inspired solo work--Licht's permutational guitar and tape pieces on Rabbi Sky  and A New York Minute, Onda's field recording recontextualizations on Bon Voyage! and Ancient & Modern--has co-existed with their experimental sound/visual projects Text of Light (Licht) and Cinemage (Onda). After numerous performances during the past five years, the duo released their first recorded collaboration, Everydays, on Family Vineyard this past spring. "Exploring the limitations of an instrument can be more enlightening than obsessing about perfect tone or versatility. On Everydays, Onda and Lict use the button noise and trashcan fidelity of cassettes as a tool rather than a handicap. The results range from bucolic chatter to full on noise assault."--Matthew Spencer, Brainwashed.com

The Plums--Forged in the crucible (2001) of the cut-throat Arlington basement improv/indie/freakrock scene, The Plums got laptop, guitars, bass, drums and etc. Featuring members of Hat City Intuitive, Spaceships Panic Orbit, etc, The Plums' 2 guitar attack  brings the noise & makes the de rigeur "rock" instruments scream again with real life. 

Field Shaman--DC sonic explorers Rich Sheehe and Doug Stailey find new ways to present guitar and cello in exciting duo music that somehow finds common ground between avant classical, rock, noise, and folk.

Anthony Pirog--Solo guitar excursions slipping between whatever cracks are leftover between avant jazz, avant rock and avant noise. One half acclaimed duo Janel and Anthony.