2006
The 2006 Lines of Flight was the biggest yet, with five shows spread over four days. Arc Café was the venue for two shows, but two new venues were used for the first time – the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, and the Port Chalmers Masonic Lodge. These two spaces would become regular parts of future festivals.
Thursday 5 October, 7.30pm, Arc Cafe
- Rory Storm and the Invaders
- Crude
- Dave Black
- The Stumps
Friday 6 October, 7.30pm, DPAG
- Sam Hamilton
- Gate
- Greg Malcolm
- Birchville Cat Motel
Saturday 7 October, 1.30pm, Port Chalmers Masonic Lodge
- isyd
- Lovely Midget
- Eye
Saturday 7 October, 7.30pm, DPAG
- Ray Off
- Alastair Galbraith/Maxine Funke/Dino Karlis
- Richard Francis
- A Handful of Dust
Sunday 8 October, 1.30pm, Arc Cafe
- Omit
- Adam Willetts
- Audible 3
The musical offerings were starting to change, reflecting what was happening in the experimental music community. Alongside the usual mix of improvisation, electro-acoustic, musique concrete, free jazz, electronic, and noise rock, several performers used laptops to create soundscapes of drones and loops.
The Dunedin Public Art Gallery shows took place in a large, high-ceilinged room, enabling huge film projections behind the performers. The comparative formality of the DPAG with its art connotations contrasted with the more traditional rock music atmosphere of Arc. The Masonic Lodge out at Port Chalmers was something else again. Run by Hector Hazard (later of Chicks Hotel fame), it was one of the historic buildings of the town – externally it was clad in rough stone, and internally the main space was dominated by a high gabled roof/ceiling, with a high, small blue-glass window as the only source of external light. The acoustics were excellent, and Hector’s film-making background meant there was a large projection screen hanging on the rear wall.
The festival was a marathon, with most acts doing 45 minute sets. The final afternoon set at Arc had Omit, Adam Willetts, and Audible 3 competing with a beautiful sunny day – many people seemed to spend as much time outside on the footpath as inside the dark venue, as good as the music was. Peter and I had mixed feelings about the duration, and finally decided that five shows was a bit too many – from now on four shows would be the norm.
Zoe Drayton had recently set up the Audio Foundation, an Auckland-based organisation dedicated to experimental music – initially providing space for musicians to perform, and establishing a hub for the local community. The Audio Foundation secured additional funding in later years to tour international acts under the Altmusic banner, and this helped strengthen inter-city ties. Zoe also played music under the moniker isyd, and her delicate electronic soundscapes were perfect for the Saturday afternoon show.
Greg Malcolm played at the DPAG. An idiosyncratic guitarist, he played one guitar “conventionally”, two more guitars with his feet on the ground in front of him, and used a collection of springs and toys to complete his palette. He did a captivating set, playing experimental compositions and Steve Lacy covers.
Stephen Clover was down from Wellington to play in the Stumps, and penned this entertaining and comprehensive 2 part review for the Foxydigitalis website:
