AV Festival 08: Staalplaat Soundsystem: Yokomono live

Staalplaat Soundsystem presented a live performance version of their Yokomono installation, following the AV Festival 08 opening gala performance of John Cage’s Variations VII. The Yokomono installation was presented at during the Festival. The installation was inspired by the experience of driving a car close to the Funkturm (Radio and TV Tower) in Berlin, passing quickly in and out of different radio signals. Yokomono consists of four toy car record players and a corresponding set of FM radios. The cars, known as vinyl killers, have been customized with wireless FM transmitters. As they spin around the vinyl, they transmit their signal to the radios, which are tuned to a special Yokomono frequency. By arranging the radios in groups it is possible to explore the architectural dimensions of the gallery space. An unstable sonic space is created as the vinyl killers run on batteries that will slow down during the installation, but not necessarily at the same rate. Described as an “eclectic mix of techno culture and sound art installation“, Staalplaat Soundsystem use radio technology in a playful way to create a unique and adventurous installation. Credit Live performance produced by AV Festival 08