AVIT Brighton 2003 is over
AVIT Brighton 2003 is over and it was - as usual - a lot of fun
Slowly returning my brain from the Brighton VJ conference. It was the meeting of the usual suspects with some new faces and some surprising guest. In general it was a great meet and great. The conference program was well layed out and the ShowNights had a good concept.
So no fun without bad and I think there were some problems with the choosen venue. The brighton center was just to corporate centric for me and I would have felt better in an abondoned building with some dirt. To put the MassJam/MultiRig in the convention hall was probably even a worse decission. No spirit in this building and throwing the visuals on the wall with every projector differently calibrated and not all beamer not straight and some pictures over doors and a much to bright room did make me really happy that I was not performing there. The DJ and the Soundsystem had again the centerstage in a event that was to promote the VJs. The VJs themself where caged in in the middle of the dancefloor. Downstairs was much better Audio and Visual Act on the same level, great beamer installation but the size of the venue was too large and there was simply not enough audience for a real joyfull evening. I do not want to start about the drug policies of that party. People come to Berlin to see what Partying is about :/
As for the saturday night I personally had a very joyfull gig with fRED and mo-greens in the TikiRik. Besides some problems with the rigging (Lucidhouse could not set his PCee into PAL mode -> get a mac please) and the resulting bluescreens and the late coming Robotfunk who was completely beside himself as he has not slept the night before - the evening was a little success in all. I love those small bar like clubs. But why in the hell do the bars close at 11pm when they are full and have lots of visitors that pay for drinks. :/
The later night went not so well. We tried to get into the Pressure Point and this other club whose name I forgot - this was around 12:00 pm and both clubs where full and noone was allowed in. We went back to the hotel to get drunk with Vodka. Quite frustrating to travel for 1400 km and not be allowed into the clubs even when you have performed in one of them for free.
I want to positively point out the LAPTOP JAM on Thursday. One of those occasions where you think that in general collaboration is the way to go. It is so extremely inspiring to see your own visuals mixed with others and have the music react live to them as the visuals to the music react live.... LOVELY also this was the only place where there was an open non egoistic atmosphere where you could actually talk about the work .... :7
In general I respect the hard work the organisers have put into that event. In general things have worked out. There was no police popping in, there was enough equipment for the conference panels enough beamers and a gaffaless installation at the massjam. But its all about the details and the event failed in about every detail for me. The only thing that made me cheer up were the brilliant talented people at this event. I had lots and lots of good person to person talks and would like to submit that the whole experience of AVIT is about meeting and for a next AVIT this should be the focus point (lounges during the day where you can relax with some music and chill with your fellow VJs, bar nights in preparation for the nightly gigs - one home relaxation center where you meet up, a SAY HELLO panel to open the conference etc etc..)
Clapping hands for the work done - but we have to evolve this!
As for a visuals critic. I just want to give the girls a BIG THUMBS UP. lara and nix from simplistic just stole the show from the guys with their ultra lovely visuals with social and political content.
For more discusssion about AVIT Brighton 2003 please visit:
http://www.vjforums.com/forumdisplay.php?s=2d752c0556a35f6caaf442304bc9d5cc&forumid=31