UNFINISHED BUSINESS

WRITE IT ON YOUR HAND

2012-02-10T06:26:00.000-08:00

You should all come to this show that I'm putting on with Maarten of Neo-Projects :

FEBRUARY 8

2012-01-29T10:59:00.000-08:00

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
HEY HEY HEY
TI FEMME has got a show at OT301 in Amsterdam on Feb. 8th!
She's opening for Al Scorch, a banjo picker by way of Chicago .
The show's been billed as 'experimental country' and promises to be full of the weird and wonderful

Show starts at 21:00
€8

IF YOU'RE IN DEN HAAG THIS FRIDAY

2012-01-25T02:36:00.000-08:00

DEFINITELY WORTH MAKING THE TRIP OUT TO DEN HAAG (the Hauge) THIS FRIDAY! :

LUC (aka PQ, aka SHHZHEX, aka the Original Geflipte Speelgoed Tovenaar, also of DAGORA) will be performing solo. Well, 'solo', if you believe that all the electronic creatures, noise boxes, and light-makers haven't already been imbibed with a life of their own late at night in Luc's workshop.
PAUL LABRECQUE of Sunburned Hand of the Man will also be performing solo, letting waves of guitar sounds and psychic overtones wash over you, and once you're relaxed and your mind is open, the space-jazz improv trio of RORO/EVERY BOLT RUMBLING/YEDO GIBSON will escort you on a journey far far beyond the Dutch Randstad area...

ECSTATIC ECZEMA

2012-01-18T03:37:00.000-08:00

A/V CLUB & NEO PROJECT IS TOTALLY STOKED TO PRESENT,
another special Sunday evening at the Occii in Amsterdam!
with :

BODY/HEAD (KIM GORDON & BILL NACE)

Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth) and Bill Nace (electric guitar wizard, Northampton Wools, Ceylon Mange, etc) have teamed up for only three european shows this winter, and this is one of them.

to listen to their track on the new Ultra Eczema compilation follow this link (where you can also listen to Vom Grill...)

VOM GRILL (DENNIS TYFUS)

Dennis Tyfus is the artist/musician/madman behind the label Ultra Eczema. Purveyor of free noises, throat singer, heir of the Nordic/Belgian outsider tradition, his performances might include a variety of animal noises, vocal grind, analogue synth shriek, more...Dennis Tyfus/Ultra Eczema

...+ more crazy films & videos screenings!

FEBRUARY 26TH
doors at 8:00
OCCII

More information as we get closer to the date (after all, it's still January, and there's a lot going on between now and then, including a Ti Femme show at OT301 in Amsterdam, plus
After the success of the last A/V Club night with High Wolf, we hope to make this one just as stimulating. Make it the one exception to your silly rules not to stay out late Sunday night, and just go into work hung over and tired/inspired.

SUNDAY

2012-01-05T08:55:00.000-08:00

THIS SUNDAY! THE FIRST SHOW OF THE NEW YEAR AT OCCII. MAARTEN ROHAAN OF NEO-PROJECTS & MYSELF ARE PUTTING ON THIS EVENT - WE'RE MAKING THE OCCII A COZY PLACE TO EASE THE HOLIDAY RECOVERY PROCESS, RUMOR HAS IT MAARTEN IS EVEN BAKING SNACKS. LET THE COSMIC SOUNDS WASH OVER YOU, ETC, ETC, SEE SOME GREAT MUSIC, WATCH SOME WEIRD SHORT FILMS, LAY BACK AND RELAX.

Neo-Project Room concerts & distro : http://neo-projects.blogspot.com/

ENSEMBLE ECONOMIQUE

HIGH WOLF

JE SUIS LE PETIT CHAVELIER

RORO & TI FEMME with SUNBURNED HAND OF THE MAN

2011-12-23T07:03:00.000-08:00

A bit of video from Den Haag and the State-X New Forms show. Had such a good time being part of it all.

A/V CLUB

2011-12-14T02:41:00.000-08:00

PUTTING ON THIS EVENT AT OCCII ALONG WITH MAARTEN OF NEO-PROJECTS :

 IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE THE PERFECT SUNDAY.

SUNDAY JAN 8th

doors open 19:00
starts 20:00
Entrance: €5.00


A/V Club: Movie Programm selected by Helena Sanders

(a series of short experimental films)

With live perfomances by:

ENSEMBLE ECONOMIQUE

HIGH WOLF

 LE PETIT CHEVALIER

////High Wolf
High Wolf makes music like no one else on the planet. He claims to be from
the Amazon and all his activities are shrouded in mystery. In either case
he conjours mystic tropical clouds of repetition and build that, while
complex, are never hard to listen to. The music seems to tap into a primal
frequency and demands listeners to dance. High Wolf uses loops, percussive
sounds, fuzzy keyboards and obscure sunken melodies to create a ritual
space that combines aspects of exotica, ethno-flux, drone and minimalism.
Records and tapes out on loads of hip labels like Not Not Fun ( Sun Araw,
Ducktails etc.), Group Tightener, Bathetic and his own Winged Sun imprint.
http://vimeo.com/24415990

////Ensemble Economique
Ensemble Economique’s the looping, drugged-out  amazing solo project of
Starving Weirdos’ Brian Pyle
Records released on labels like Not Not Fun, Krayon, Digitalis and Amish.
His new LP *Crossing the Path, By Torchlight* just came out on Dekorder
http://ensembleeconomique.tumblr.com/

////Je Suis Le Petit Chavelier
Visual and sound artist Felicia Atkinson, whose drawings and compositions
seem to come in the same stroke, has been making sublime waves this year
with album after album of playful, transportive, improvised sound collages
inspired by her worldly travels.
http://jesuislepetitchevalier.bandcamp.com/

WHAT YA DO WHEN YOU DO WHAT YA DO

2011-12-13T02:36:00.000-08:00

Exciting last-minute show addition - after some belgium beers and hanging out in a cozy bar with our friends from Sunburned, it was decided that both RORO and TI FEMME will be playing with SUNBURNED HAND OF THE MAN during the State X - New Forms Festival in Den Haag this Saturday (the 17th). If all things work out, expect a mind-twisting psychedelic freak-out to thin out the crowds of festival-goers. Maybe we'll see some of you there.

Also, Ti Femme Weekend was a big success. Thanks again to Tessa who put on the shows at Occii and in de Onderbroek in Nijmegen. And thanks to everyone in Den Haag who made some great sounds. Back in Amsterdam with no time to recover, playing at Steim tonight!

HA-CHA

2011-12-08T02:54:00.001-08:00

So after you're done checking out all the other shows this weekend (see Above : UPCOMING SHOWS) then Tuesday you should come out to this show at STEIM and see a million wonderful folks trying out new projects and inventions and performances. I'll be there, as will a never-before-seen RORO//PQ//Anne La Berge trio!

The promoters want to make this Open Podium event a regularly occurring one, to foster a little more community and circulation between makers, musicians, and creators in Amsterdam. Keep an eye out if you're interested in performing as well!

LIVE RECORDINGS

2011-12-04T03:52:00.001-08:00

I just put up the live audio from the DAGORA // TI FEMME performance at Maarten Luther Kerk on the Unfinished Business Sound Cloud page. Did you know that existed? Well, it does, so have a little listen, it's pretty epic.

rearrange the room

2011-11-30T08:43:00.001-08:00

Alright, not that you can't figure it out for yourselves, but now all the upcoming & past shows are listed under the tab "UPCOMING SHOWS" above, along with all the extra information about performers, venues, etc you'll need to find where you're going and whatnot. But down here are some posters to look at for the UPCOMING WEEKEND OF TI FEMME SHOWS, thanks to Tess who's putting on the Bonfire Madigan shows, and Manuel who's doing the all-day Sunday show in Den Haag.
peep:

TI FEMME WEEK END

2011-11-21T08:03:00.001-08:00

TI FEMME has got a little weekend away coming up in December :

DEC 9th // Amsterdam, NL // @ Occii (Amstelveensweg 134) // opening for Bonfire Madigan

DEC 10th // Nijmegen, NL // @ de Onderbroek // opening for Bonfire Madigan

DEC 11th // Den Haag, NL // @ Stortenbekerstraat 207 // starts at 15:30 // This will be a special early & all afternoon/evening show put on by the man behind the label Silver Ghosts. I'll be playing a little set and also screening a number of experimental short films from across time & space. Special thanks to Ross Wilbanks for sending me some of his film gold to share.

ID M Theftable (Portland, ME)

Micht (Belgium)

...will be playing! and probably more
And, as Danny Wagner said, "I would like a full fast program with lots of things"
This will also include food.

EVIDENCE

2011-11-02T05:39:00.000-07:00

I WANTED TO INCLUDE TO PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE (THE AUDIO EVIDENCE SHOULD BE AVAILABLE ONCE LUC//PQ RETURNS FROM ATLANTA NEXT WEEK) SO CLICK THIS LINK AND LOOK AT SOME PHOTOGRAPHS OF OUR SPECIAL PERFORMANCE IN AMSTERDAM LAST WEDNESDAY EVENING:

PHOTOGRAPHS!

OVERWHELM

2011-10-25T04:56:00.000-07:00

While you should all be preparing for tomorrow's epic show (special DAGORA performance in a church of all places, with Helena Sanders/art/costumes/accordion, and two more musical guests sitting in PLUS a special performance from DAMU, which rumor has it, involves violins, vocals, clarinets and dancers) (all of this at Maarten Luther Kerk in Amsterdam tomorrow at 20:00)

you should also keep in mind that OCTOBER 31ST
TI FEMME will be opening for Jozef van Wissem (Dutch composer and lute player) (yes, I said 'lute')
at the SMART Project Space in Amsterdam
(http://www.dnk-amsterdam.com/)

LISTENING PLEASURE

2011-10-20T02:53:00.000-07:00

To set the mood for this SUNDAY//MONDAY MKM! @ OCCII (all info in the post below), here's a great broadcast to give you a taste of things to come from some of the artists performing and more...

Dj's Sjoerd & Sietse on RED LIGHT RADIO...

Radio MKM @ Red Light Radio 10-17-2011 by Red Light Radio

SUNDAY / MONDAY

2011-10-20T01:49:00.000-07:00

NO EXCUSES ABOUT WORK, COME TO OCCII THIS SUNDAY & MONDAY!
(TI FEMME performing Monday, RORO performing WITH Marshall Allen & James Harrar, et al)

MKM! PRESENTS :

(SUNDAY)

19.00 DOOR OPEN ->
19.30 ORPHAX -> Moving Furniture
20.15 CIAN NUGENT -> VHF Records
21.00 STEVE GUNN & JOHN TRUSCINSKI -> Three Lobed Recordings
22.00 CHARALAMBIDES -> Kranky
23.30 CINEMA SOLORIENS -> ft. Marshall Allen (SunRa Arkestra), James Harrar, Eric Thielemans, Alfredo Genovesi, Roro

Besides the performances there will also be a small music fair where you can buy records, cd’s, tapes, zines, shirts and more.
Door Open at 19:00 first performance at 19:30.
Entrance: 7 euro (if you also come Monday 24th both days are 10 euro)

(MONDAY)

19.00 DOOR OPEN
19.30 TI FEMME -> Unfinneshed Business
20.15 HEAD OF WANTASTIQUET -> Ecstatic Yod
21.30 TOM CARTER-> Wholly-Others
22.45 JAWS-> Hundebiss Records
23.30 DRACULA LEWIS -> No Fun Productions
00.30 DATNAPOKU [DJ] -> ToztizokZoundz

Besides the performances there will also be a small music fair where you can buy records, cd’s, tapes, zines, shirts and more.
Door Open at 19:00 first performance at 19:30.
Entrance: 6 euro (if you also come Sunday 23rd both days are 10 euro)

BESIDES PLAYING ON MONDAY, I WILL BE THERE SUNDAY AS WELL, CHECKING OUT THE KOSMIC SOUNDS, BAR TENDING, AND WITH A SELECTION OF UFB RELEASES FOR PURCHASE, SO COME BY!

(painting "Sunset" by Fredrik Soderberg)

TRASHWORM GREETS THE FUTURE WITH BOTH PAWS OUT

2011-09-27T20:56:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who's made the Ti Femme // Roro tour/vacation so memorable. Can't believe it's over. Like the last drunk at the party still dancing though all the lights in the living room are on, I'm down in Austin, TX for a week while Roro has already returned to Amsterdam and my hosts are trying to clean up the beer bottles and go to bed. It'll be a hot second before I have a chance to gather evidence of our time in the States and fully report on our comings and goings.

But , how about a quick look to the future? Because this Fall, well, it's bonkers.

First off, GONZO Circus magazine out of Belgium has just put out issue #105 which contains their Mind the Gap mix CD with a track from TI FEMME off the Planting By the Signs EP!!! Please pick it up and check it out!

From the track listing :
Ti Femme Funemployment
Planting By The Signs (Unfinished Business)
"De in Amsterdam woonachtige Amerikaanse Helena Sanders is een succesvol multi-talent: schilder, illustrator, performer, muzikant. Haar door accordeon en indringende stem gedragen folky pop is bovenal intens, zoals in het solo gebrachte ‘Funemployment'"

Here are some upcoming shows/installations/fests/cult rituals/book & zine trading coming up in the month of October:

OCTOBER 23rd & 24th!
TWO DAYS OF INSANITY / SHOWS / MUSIC FAIR / AMSTERDAM (@ OCCII)
(7 euro for day one, 6 euro for day two, or 10 euro for both)

(RORO PERFORMS WITH MARSHALL ALLEN & CINEMA SOLORIENS!!
Ti FEMME PERFORMS SOLO ON DAY 2)
ALONG WITH...

OCTOBER 26th

DAGORA & TI FEMME PRESENT:

AN EPIC EVENING AT THE MAARTHEN LUTHER KERK, AMSTERDAM

costumes and installation by Helena Sanders (aka Ti Femme)

and a collective improvised performance by DAGORA, TI FEMME, & GUESTS

OCTOBER 31st

DNK PRESENTS

at Smart Project Space Amsterdam

TI FEMME supporting JOZEF VAN WISSEM

HOMETOWNBOUND (UPDATED!)

2011-08-24T07:55:00.000-07:00

GETTING READY FOR THE USA
TI FEMME & RORO PLAYING A FEW SHOWS ON VACATION:

SEPT 4TH // BROOKLYN // Cafe Orwell (w/ Mike Gamble & Adam Schatz)

SEPT 5TH // BROOKLYN // Bar 4 (w/ Mike Gamble & Adam Schatz)

SEPT 11TH // NORTH HAMPTON, MASS // Feeding Tube Records (w/ John from Sunburned Hand of the Man & friends)

SEPT 19TH // WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA // house show (w/ Brian Lang on sax, $3 - $7 donation)

SEPT 22nd // CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA // the Nightlight (experimental jazz night w/ Rumplestiltsen & Special Guest Crowmeat Bob 9:30 PM :: $5 )

SEPT 23rd // CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA // @ Dialect Design (w/ Brian Roessler, Brent Bagwell, Great Architect, & friends)

SEPT 24TH // GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA // Greensboro Fest! at Empire Books (an early show) RORO plays with the legendary EUGENE CHADBOURNE

AND THEN SOME PHOTOS FROM THE INFLATABLE SPACES I MADE FOR LUC (PQ) AND CAE (MENUZUM) FOR THEIR PERFORMANCE AT OCCII LAST SATURDAY...THEY PLAYED INSIDE THE GIANT WHALE-LIKE ONE ON THE RIGHT

SHOWS

2011-08-08T04:40:00.000-07:00

YOU ARE ENCOURAGED (or we'll break yer knees) TO COME OUT TO THESE TWO EVENTS:

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16TH

@ FAT FORM

another roof top party in de Bijlmer, this time featuring RORO and DANNY WAGNER with a few surprises...........

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20

@ OCCII

the FCKN BSTRDS, with Death To Pigs, Srongs as Ten, and the first performance from Luc (aka PQ) and Cae as PQ & MENUZUM

Helena Sanders (aka Ti Femme) has been working with Luc & Cae on a special visual aspect for their performance, so come out and once again prepared to be surprised and ready for a night of chaos...

ALSO at the OCCII show, UNFINISHED BUSINESS will be there with distro so YOU CAN COME AND GET YOUR HOT LITTLE HANDS ON SOME OF THE NEWEST RELEASED FROM UFB, INCLUDING RORO'S NEW SOLO ALBUM AND THE UFB COMPILATION!

OH DON'T THAT SMELL SWEET

2011-08-05T16:15:00.000-07:00

YES, FINALLY, A RETROSPECTIVE AND SOME FRESH TRACKS SO THAT WE CAN PUT THE PAST BEHIND US AND LOOK FORWARD.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, HERE IS THE BRAND NEW :

UNFINISHED BUSINESS COMPILATION CD!

IT IS A LOOK BACK AND A LOOK FORWARD, AND AVAILABLE FOR 5 EURO OR FOR TRADE (dirtroadtechnologies@gmail.com)
AND IT'S GOT :
BRAND NEW TRACKS FROM RORO, TI FEMME, & LYA LYS
AND IT'S GOT
OLDER TRACKS AND UNRELEASED TRACKS FROM OLD SEED & VERBOTEN JONGEN
AND DON'T IT LOOK PURTY

SO LISTEN UP
AND COME FIND US ON TOUR THIS SEPTEMBER IN THE US of A
XOXO

UNFINISHED BUSINESS #003

2011-07-24T04:40:00.000-07:00

HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THE RELEASE OF UFB #003,

RORO / SIX NOTES OR MORE

the second solo release from Amsterdam's gekste drummer and improv madman!
full of hypnotic drumming and sweeping guitar and cello instrumentation, this release is a less "tik tik tik" and more a seamless journey proving once again that you can create entirely new worlds with even just 6 notes...

www.myspace.com/rorodrums

to get a copy of the record, email dirtroadtechnologies@gmail.com

or come find our distro at shows around the Netherlands and this Fall as we tour down the East Coast

FILL THE LAND WITH SMOKE

2011-07-02T09:14:00.000-07:00

The UNFINISHED BUSINESS COMPILATION CD is almost ready for release!

The UFB comp features a new recording of an unreleased TI FEMME track, two new tracks from RORO, plus a host of unreleased material and a smoking Minor Threat cover track from the sold out OLD SEED live cassette tape.

€5 // email dirtroadtechnologies@gmail for purchase/trade

------------------------

photo by Herman Stehouwer

TI FEMME just came back from playing a bizarre wedding party in Tilburg, NL at Gifrond
While the word "wedding" usually runs chills up my spine, it was a wonderful night of weird costumes, great performances from a few of the couple's many talented friends (the best disclaimer on a wedding invitation ever: "noise/drone friends: we love you but we know you have many other creative talents"), booze and more booze, karaoke (which always follows booze), inappropriate dancing, and a second Ti Femme set at 5:00 am which sounded like a record on the wrong speed.
As Neil Young once said, "playing wasted doesn't make you bad, it just makes you slow."

Bride and groom actually met at the groom's noise set at the Nightlight in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

-------------------------

Which reminds me - TI FEMME and RORO are embarking on a month-long vacation to the Land of Freedom and all that shit. In the midst of booking shows, but if you live on the East Coast of the USofA, get in touch and come out to a show!

THANK THE HATCHET MAN WHO FORKED MY TONGUE

2011-06-12T13:27:00.000-07:00

I am putting on a show at the end of this month which will satisfy your longings for old friends, whiskey drinking, loud noises, soft whispers, dancing, and bad western attire.

JUNE 30TH (Thursday)
gallop don't stroll.
OCCII (amstelveenseweg 134, amsterdam)

BLACK DIAMOND EXPRESS TRAIN TO HELL
(Mainz, DE)
...After we experience the Rapture and we're all being pursued by a rain of hell-fire, this band of will be leading the parade. Lead by a mountain lady from Upper Black Eddy who did the sacrilegious and brought banjos, slide guitar, whiskey drinking, and sweet harmonies into a German squatted wagonplatze...

TEMPLO DIEZ (Den Haag)
...a sweeping 6-piece of guitar, violin, accordion, drums, bass...with members from all over the continent, bringing you dark and slow molasses flavored alt-country)

BAD MOON RISING (Amsterdam/Den Haag/Utrecht)
...what is an evening without sweeping guitar, bowel-shaking drums,seizure-inducing electronics, and Creedence Clearwater references? From the people who brought you Dagora, Staathaat, and City Hands...

PLUS MANY SURPRISES.
20:00 doors // 20:30 show // 6 euro entrance, 4 euros if you dress like your favorite country star or favorite league bowler.

(Nikki of Black Diamond Express Train to Hell is also an old old friend who relocated to this side of the ocean long before I did and writes an excellent blog on all things free and found, both literally and in matters of heart - Click Clack Gorilla)

HORIZON LINE

2011-05-29T07:11:00.000-07:00

RORO // 6 notes or More // 2nd album released on Unfinished Business THIS JULY
(RORO's music HERE)

TI FEMME // recording a new full length album in the coming month, plus an unreleased track on the UNFINISHED BUSINESS compilation CD coming out this summer
(TI FEMME and Helena's other project on SoundCloud HERE)

more updates soon (photo from show under the old crane, ndsm)

WHERE EVER YOU ARE

2011-05-09T04:10:00.000-07:00

THE BROTHERS UNCONNECTED // ALAN & SIR RICHARD BISHOP PRESENT
a tribute to Charles Gocher and the Sun City Girls

with Chad Popple and a film screening of the experimental works of Charles Gocher
MAY 19 at de Occii (amstelveenseweg 143, amsterdam)

just finished up the poster

AND
just finished up the month-long installation at De Kortsluiting in Amsterdam
here's a sweet little review (in Dutch) about it as well:

De Weekkrant //

Kunstenaars en publiek moeten deelnemen in elkaars werelden

THERE IS NOTHING MORE SATISFYING THAN TELLING YOUR BOSS TO PISS OFF

2011-04-03T15:27:00.000-07:00

The opening show was a success -- a sunny slow day, hard to get people inside to watch the performers, but it was worth the rabbit-video-loop feeds of PQ, the soft waterfalls samples and sounds of Moemlien, and The Gentleman's noise-techno of Danny Wagner.

Below the photos, you can find a little statement from Helena/Ti Femme about her project inside the installation space. COME GET SOME FREE ART THIS MONTH!

Danny Wagner, a Gentleman's noise artist.

The beautiful MKZ

Peter Quistgard and Rabbit

AS PART OF MY MONTH-LONG INSTALLATION AT
*DE KORTSLUITING* I WILL BE HOLDING "OFFICE HOURS" INSIDE MY INSTALLATION SPACE, MAKING *FREE ART* FOR YOU!!!

If you want to commission a free work of art////
Stop by de Kortsluiting during the “office hours” (see below).
//////////
On a slip of paper, write your name, the subject you would like your artwork to be of/about, and medium (painting, drawing, performance piece, etc).
//////////
Helena Sanders will give you a slip of paper with a time and date to pick up your completed work.
//////////
Pick up your artwork back at de Kortsluiting on the appointed time*
/////////
You can also make free art for yourself in any place or at any point in time. Despite what others may say, “linkse hobbies” are very rewarding.

*All commissions are open to interpretation by the artist. No apologies will be made if the portrait of your grandmother you wanted appears to be an abstract red blob with furry legs. On the other hand, you might receive the most beautiful, life-like rendering of her face you’ve ever seen. You might like the red blob better.
Don’t fret. For better or worse, Free Art is the smallest risk in your life you could possibly take.

Because art is too precious to be left in the hands of the Rich and Trendy alone.

SATURDAY APRIL 2 // post-Fools Day show

2011-03-25T03:46:00.000-07:00

Manic spring-time activities, busy as a beaver, etc.
And not to miss, a show this April 2nd at MKZ!
(MKZ is located on the street behind de Occii, Eerste Schinkelstraat 16, Amsterdam)
Opens at 17:00, some food if you want it, performances start around 18:00 so get there on time!
There is a suggested donation of 3 euros, which is a fucking bargain for a show and home-cooked food.

featuring a line-up of some usual suspects up to new and unusual activities --

Helena Sanders (aka Ti Femme) will actually be showing some new artwork instead of sitting behind an accordion. She'll have an installation up in the Kortsluiting as well as a bit of work in the MKZ space, she'll also be cooking some food and generally orchestrating the whole weird business of the evening

Danny Wagner (aka City Hands) uit Den Haag! is performing under this new name, with a new face. All he would tell me is that he's "gonna bring it" and the look of madness in his eyes was enough to chill an arctic fox

the always lovely Moemlien will also be performing, she's got an amazing new tape out on Silver Ghosts tape label, run by the above-mentioned madman. Delicate loops and samples and tapes

finally, Peter Quistgard will take us on his space ship, though this time expect some crazy visual to accompany the journey

A BUSY COUPLE WEEKS

2011-03-07T06:19:00.000-08:00

Just finished the flyer for this show. If you're in and around Amsterdam, come out come out. It just might melt your face off. RORO will be playing as well, in a new duo with experimental flutist, ANNE LA BERGE.

CIRCUS

2011-03-05T08:19:00.000-08:00

Back from tour, back in Amsterdam, with some more signal bending and cymbal throwing on the horizon. Here's a little video of Dagora live in Antwerpen, with a guest appearance of the vocal-processing elf, Ti Femme, who shows her face from behind the table at some point to turn knobs:

video of dagora with ti femme, antwerpen

Ti Femme's solo EP, Planting By the Signs just got a lovely review in this issue of Gonzo(circus) magazine. It's in Dutch, so ask your friends for a translation or try your hand at the always-awkward Google Translate.

(review from Gonzo, issue #101)

"Ti Femme, het klinkt als een uitspraak in het Cajun. Het is echter het alter ego van de Amerikaanse Helena Sanders. Ze is afkomstig uit het bosrijke hart van North Carolina en runt op haar eentje het Unfinished Business label. 'Planting by the Signs' is haar eerste werk voor zover we weten en hopelijk niet haar laaste. In de eerste song 'Funemployment' dwalen glooiende accordeonwalsen in het rond die gestaag bij elkar komen in uitgerekte klanktapijten die vervolgens geloopt worden. Met een diepe stem vol weemoed zingt Sanders; 'heaven is a sickness that must be cured and I've got nothing but time'. We horen de klok mee tikken, de hele sessie door. Het gelaagde accordeongeluid heeft iets van Pauline Oliveros' 'Accordion And Voice' album, maar dan op een toer van donkere folk en soundscapes zoals die niet vaak gehoord wordt. 'Dog Tired' bedient zich met dronende accordeonklanken en sirenezang alsof het zich tijdens de dichte mist afspeelt en je de rillingen over je rug voelt lopen. Een vermijzing naar Fursaxa zou iets te makkelijk zijn, maar komt niettemin dichtbij. In het volgende stuk worden accordeonlagen aangevuld met bijgeluiden en soundscapes, ruis en loops. 'Runoff' is het eindpunt, een ode aan een overzeese verhuizing. Helaas is na 25 mooie minuten de koek is op; we hadden graag nog meer van deze schone uitgestrekte composities willen horen. Het zaadje is geplant en zal weldra ontkiemen." (s.b.)

SPACE IS THE PLACE

2011-02-15T06:30:00.000-08:00

Photos, video, reports, and recordings from the epic BAG-ETTES AND FROM-AGE winter 2011 tour featuring DAGORA and TI FEMME will be up soon-ish. We're still in various states of recovery and re-acclimation from our 10 epic days on the road, our mental spaceship has still not landed.

THERE ARE OTHER WORLDS YOU DO NOT KNOW OF THEY WISH TO SPEAK TO YOU.

OFFICIAL TOUR SCHEDULE

2011-01-29T04:58:00.000-08:00

FEBRUARY // DAGORA // TI FEMME // TOUR TOUR TOUR

(** indicates shows with Ti Femme)

03 / den haag, NL / @ LOOS (w/ Peter van Bergen, sax)

04 / brussel, BE / @ La Compilotheque (**)

05 / paris, FR / @ Rigoletto

06 / off!

07 / caen, FR / @  (**)

08 / nantes, FR / @  (**)

09 / rennes, FR / @ La Bascule (**)

10 / strassbourg, FR / @ La Mine

11 / offenbach, DE / @ Waggon (**)

12 / mainz, DE / @ Haus Mainusch (**)

13 / antwerpen, BE / @ Bar a Bas (**)

brushing up on my RAMBO quotes for the van

BORN TO RUN

2011-01-26T03:01:00.000-08:00

official tour poster by the unofficial tour manager Sjoerd.

2011-01-10T09:05:00.000-08:00

TI FEMME IS PLAYING A BENEFIT SHOW NEXT WEEK /// JAN 22ND
it's a benefit for CMS//Calais Migrant Solidarity
Ti Femme will be playing a pre-dinner show in de Bollox, followed by dinner at MKZ and discussions and information about CMS in de Bollox, followed by a righteous hip hop show in the Occii and dancing until we puke.

FOR ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SHOW, THE CAUSE, THE LOCATION

CLICK HERE

IF YOU CLICK THAT LINK, YOU'LL ALSO FIND THE INFORMATION ABOUT RORO'S UPCOMING SHOW WITH MARSHALL ALLEN OF SUN RA AND THE SUNBURNED HAND OF THE MAN!!!

WARM YOUR TOES AND FINGERS BY THE BLAZE OF A BURNING LAPTOP COMPUTER

2010-12-28T09:17:00.000-08:00

LOOKING FOR A JOB AND A NEW STUDIO SPACE, BUT I'VE STILL GOT A COZY APARTMENT LOOKING OUT INTO DE BAARSJES BUURT AND INTERESTING TIMES ON THE HORIZON.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS IS RELEASING A COMPILATION CD THIS JANUARY! KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED. SOME UNRELEASED MATERIAL FROM RORO AND TI FEMME, AS WELL AS SOME OLD HITS FROM THE SOLD OUT RELEASES OF 'YOR.

BLACK MASS

2010-12-08T11:41:00.000-08:00

TI FEMME//RORO SHOW THIS SUNDAY DECEMBER 12TH // DEN HAAG!

it's true, another Sunday afternoon show (when did this become a new trend?), this time in Den Haag.
While Roro isn't busy playing with his new epic band DAGORA, he and Ti Femme show their faces close to home. This time he's joined by fellow DAGORA drummer Stephan. Ti Femme stays solo and battles it out with a dying alarm clock.

(from Manuel/City Hands who's set up the show and printed the posters):

Roro. (NL)
Rogier is een drummer die na een roemrucht hc/punk verleden nu de vrijheid
opzoekt met solo percussie experimenten. Met soms alleen een snare-drum en een bekken weet hij spannende
improvisaties te creëren. Ook laat hij zich sturen door omgeving en akoestiek zodat elk optreden weer
een verassing zal zijn. Zijn eerste album is net uit op het Toztizok label.
http://www.myspace.com/rorodrums

Ti Femme (US)
Helena Sanders zingt, speelt harmonica en accordeon maar doet dit op een
frisse en originele manier. Uitgesponnen tonen krijgen de tijd om een eigen leven

te leiden, weten door elkaar zwevend te versmelten en een tijdloos maar aangrijpend verhaal te vertellen.
Behalve muzikant is Helena ook kunstenaar en runt ze het label Unfinished
Business.
http://helenasanders.com
http://dirtroadtech.blogspot.com

Zondag 12 December
15:00-18:00
C.W. Houtwijk
Grote zaal
Albert Schweitzerlaan
Den Haag

Wat is C.W. Houtwijk:
Centraal Wonen is een vorm van groepswonen. Bewoners, die met hun huishouden
een zelfstandige woning bewonen, delen bepaalde voorzieningen met elkaar en hebben gekozen daarvoor
gezamenlijk verantwoordelijk te zijn. Het project is door bewoners na jarenlange voorbereidingen en
onderhandelingen met gemeente en woningstichting gestart in 1985.
Centraal Wonen Houtwijk ligt op de hoek van de Escamplaan en de Albert
Schweitzerlaan aan een park in Den Haag Zuidwest.
http://www.cwhoutwijk.nl/

THIS SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY (afternoon)

2010-11-22T08:26:00.000-08:00

DANIEL HIGGS SHOW! (and unofficial EP release day for Ti Femme album!!! Come get a copy!)

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 28th
5 EURO – 15:00 – 19:00 – Buurtcentrum De Tulp – Postjeskade 200
with:

DANIEL HIGGS (usa)
“Daniel Higgs was born in 1964 in Baltimore, Maryland. parallel practices of art, music, poetry, and dance begun at various young ages and are even now continuing to converge on a single practice, which may be compared with or identified as one’s own experience of reality offered in reckless worship and sacrifice to the mystery deity hiding within us, around us, and, truly, occluded by our experience of it in our professed knowledge and ignorance.” – Guess Who

TI FEMME (nl/usa)
“Ti femme” is actually Helena Sanders. A musician and artist from the US who is currently residing in Amsterdam. Her solo shows are based around the accordeon but are very diverse. Sometimes more experimental and noisy, sometimes more towards a rough singer-songwriter atmosphere. Next to making music this lady is also a painter and is running the travelling music label “Unfinished Business”, on which her soon to be released solo cd will appear.

JASPER STADHOUDER + MARK MORSE (nl/usa)
Two Amsterdam-based guitarists who have involvement in experimental free / semi-structured improvised music, mostly based on creating sounds uncommon to the guitar, using effect pedals to process the sound, and using objects to prepare their guitar.

Note: Buurthuis De Tulp was formerly known as the Arminiuskerk and is located at the Postjeskade 200 (Rembrandtpark) in Amsterdam-west (De Baarsjes)

The Show starts at 16:00!!

the show is presented by Le Club Suburbia
and we expect to see all your shining faces there, or else

RECORDING RECORDING

2010-11-05T06:03:00.000-07:00

New TI FEMME album is finished! A tiny EP (Planting By The Signs) almost ready to go out and face the world! accordion/vocals/harmonica/tape
Recorded by the illustrious RORO at his hideout in Amsterdam. The recording will be available on CD or tape cassette in a couple weeks. Come out and see Ti Femme on the 28th of November opening for Daniel Higgs and get a copy for yourself.

Salt and Plantains (guest drumming by Roro)

Salt and Plantains by Unfinished Business

COLD HANDS WARM HEART

2010-10-19T09:36:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Roro release show Friday. Wow. Everyone played their pants off and the Coziest Farmhouse Bar in the World was packed tight full of wonderful people. DAGORA might be my new favorite Amsterdam band, personal bias aside, and US GIRLS continues to reign unchallenged as my favorite noise pop hit maker, mutual Springsteen obsession aside.

Despite the rain and foul weather, two bakfiets full of gear (amps, heads, two drum kits and one of the biggest bass drums you've ever seen, suitcases of gear, etc) made it to the magical Buurtboerderij and back again (despite quantities of local beer). The Dutch roll hardcore. The night ended with only a couple of us left standing, bewildered and grinning and a bit misty-eyed at an undisclosed neighborhood bar. Shameless optimism and enthusiasm abound.

LOOKING FORWARD!
while the Charlie Parr show at the newly renovated Occii has been canceled due to Mr. Parr having severe difficulties with his arm, TI FEMME is going to be playing later on in the month with the increasingly-mystical DANIEL HIGGS. Appropriately enough, at De Tulp; an old church on the edges of a park in de Baarsjes neighborhood of Amsterdam.

TROUBLE IN THE WEST

2010-09-10T04:48:00.000-07:00

WITH THE DUTCH GOVERNMENT PASSING THE ANTI-SQUATTING LAW AND TALKS OF AN ETHNIC REGISTRATION POLICY, NOW MORE THAN EVER WE NEED TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER AS MUSICIANS/ARTISTS/ACTIVISTS/NEIGHBORS. IT'S A SMALL PART OF THE BIGGER PICTURE, BUT HELPING EACH OTHER IN OUR PROJECTS AND PLANS IS ONE MORE WAY TO WORK TO BUILD HEALTHY COMMUNITIES AND COUNTER THE FASCIST AND SUSPICIOUS ENVIRONMENT GROWING AROUND US.

Kraken gaat door.

THE FINE INSTITUTION DE OCCII PRESENTS:

THE RORO RELEASE SHOW

ON OCTOBER 15TH
20:00 (it's free too!)

with guests:
US GIRLS /// Chicago, USA /// lo-fi tape and brain manipulation
TI FEMME /// A'dam /// Helena with accordion/alarm clock/harmonica/voice
DAGORA /// A'dam /// new, heavy trio with two vintage drum kits, wall of bass, and rewired toys
CITY HANDS /// Den Haag /// silver ghosts and tapesssssssssssssss
THALE /// Utrecht /// the kind of guitar playing you wish you heard more often

LOCATED AT THE BUURTBOERDERIJ, Spaarndammerdijk 319 (an amazing community vegetable farm located just on the edge of Westerpark)

new Lya Lys track preview!

2010-08-27T06:52:00.001-07:00

Lya Lys new track

recording with Ross Wilbanks as LYA LYS this summer in North Carolina
(guitar, harmonica, tape)
full length forthcoming on Unfinished Business

preparation is everything/nothing

2010-08-21T06:13:00.000-07:00

WHAT HAPPENED TO DIRT ROAD TECHNOLOGIES?/NAME CHANGE

2010-07-31T13:27:00.000-07:00

FOR THE NEW SEASON, A NEW NAME!

Dirt Road Technologies has served us proud for a long time. But after much hemming and hawing, I felt it was time to start fresh...

DIRT ROAD TECHNOLOGIES was a DIY tape/CDr label which released the musical experiments of a handful of friends and partners back in North Carolina and Illinois. We have all scattered across the globe, started new projects, new labels, and DRT was left to the ether. DRT went through a few half-hearted revivals, so in the advent of this most recent and full-on facial reconstruction, I felt it was time to start fresh and christen this thing right. Smash a bottle of cheap champagne over your laptops folks:

UNFINISHED BUSINESS is now the DIY label with both feet firmly planted in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Fostering the musical endeavors of friends and people we admire...

more on the folks releasing music on UNFINISHED BUSINESS soon, plus some MP3s from new recordings. if you're interested in anything previously released on DRT, get in touch - there are still MP3 downloads posted and physical copies of some albums available for trade or purchase. you can still email me at: dirtroadtechnologies@gmail.com

UNFINISHED BUSINESS, FOR THE KNOCKOUT

2010-07-12T06:56:00.000-07:00

Summer, 2010
The boiling heat brings the scum to the top you say? Well, we'll see about that.

RECORDING!:

TI FEMME: new solo project from Helena Sanders, accordion/vocals/harmonica/tape loops/fx. (out late summer)
LYA LYS: collaboration between Charlotte, NC's favorite experimental film maker and noise(y) dude of Moenda fame, Ross Wilbanks, plus Helena. chants/screeches/accordion/feedback/samples/frankenstein'ed guitars. (out late summer)
Listen to a rough demo here: http://www.mediafire.com/?2jjeaeouzt0

LIVE!:

TI FEMME AND RORO, the UK late summer, tba

RORO: Amsterdam's own. After a long stint in drumming for bands like Staathaat/Betercore/Kriegstanz, etc, Rogier's launched himself into the world of experimental and improvisational percussion work. cymbal/snare drum/soundbowls/bells
self-titled LP out now on Toztizok Zoundz,
recorded with guest musicians Arnold de Boer/the Ex, Thale/Staathaat, and Den Haag's City Hands

The making of "The Fitzgerald Passage" by Franz Fjödor (Wouter Jaspers)

2010-07-10T07:18:00.000-07:00

ISN'T IT GREAT TO HAVE KILLED OUR CHILDREN?

2010-03-31T09:05:00.000-07:00

SPRING.
FINALLY.

Thanks for being patient with the lack of listening material.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

2010-01-12T13:08:00.000-08:00

WINTER UPDATE

Not a DRT Release, but...FRANZ FJORDOR "Glorious Days" album out now and available through Wouter Jasper's website. Wouter's year plus of work and recording has paid off in a big way. Check out DRT's guest accordion appearance on the epic 2nd track and be sure to catch Wouter on tour this winter.

LYA LYS, new cross-continental collaboration between Ross Wilbanks (Charlotte, NC) and Helena Sanders (Amsterdam, NL) looms on the horizon. Welcome back to the beautiful age of cassette tape and snail mail.

A few VACATION tour 7" have been unearthed and will be available for purchase/trade! Short-lived, but ever-fiery. Interested? dirtroadtechnologies@gmail.com

Projects in a constant state of looming must one day go over the brink and be finished. This includes a few re-releases, a dance party/performance event in Tilburg, NL, and new Amsterdam-based music projects with the locals.

A Children's Story

2009-09-15T11:46:00.000-07:00

Finally, movie/music collaboration:

"A Children's Story" -- Baloos No. 10

Children's Story from Ross Wilbanks on Vimeo.

filmed one night in a warehouse in Concord, North Carolina in the heat of summer.

direction, camera operation, feedback: Ross Wilbanks

vocals, page pulling: Helena Sanders

text: Moominpappa At Sea

About Balooooooooos: "Baloos is an ongoing series of short films (b/t 1-20 minutes) showcasing a bucketfull of visual styles strewn by the whimsy of storytelling."

For more of Ross' moving images, CLICK THE FUCK HERE

a worthy way to spend some time.

BALOOS!

2009-07-20T09:19:00.000-07:00

Hello from across the ocean. DirtRoadTechnologies has moved with a skip and jump and is now peering from a window overlooking an abandoned church in the De Baarsjes neighborhood of Amsterdam, NL.

DRT threw all it could into a couple suitcases and crossed its fingers. While you may have to wait a bit longer than intended, the wait for the Southern Holiday compilation and "the Lost Soundtracks" tape will be worth it. In the meantime, if Ross Wilbanks agrees, there will be a short film for you to view. It is called Children's Story and is a collaboration between Mr.Wilbanks and M.HelenaSanders shot in Concord, NC one late humid evening. It is Baloos #10 out of a series crafted by the crafty R.Wilbanks which you should pester him about screening.

PS. I will trade tapes for Dutch lessons.

Window Blinds

2009-06-02T10:36:00.000-07:00

After a long winter, DRT rears it's sleepy head and crawls out of the cave. Expect more new music posts soon, some field recordings from a 24 hour event called Southern Holiday, some new faces.

Verboten Jongen - Western Privilege

2008-11-09T18:32:00.001-08:00

Hello all! Here is the Verboten Jongen album. Verboten Jongen is Helena Sanders, Dan Kaufman. Recorded on analogs gears, with mesh ears, AT THE PALACE OF HONKING CARS. Chicago, 2008.
Instruments and IMPLEMENTS:
Accordion
Voice
Tapes
FX

Download here: LINK

CLIFTON, DAN - BEFORE THE SNOW

2008-11-09T18:26:00.000-08:00

Newest Recordings!
Clifton: Acoustic Guitar
Dan: Electronix
Some short songs, under grey skies.
Download here: LINK

Miso Skitzo: Songs for the model town of Pullman

2008-09-18T15:33:00.000-07:00

I made this response to reading about the history/visiting the model town of Pullman, located in south Chicago. It was a company town ran by a capitalist thug. The truck system was firmly in place, as it is now. Eventually the 1/4 of the town nearly starved to death including women and children workers.

One of the workers declared,

We are born in a Pullman house, fed from the Pullman shop, taught in the Pullman school, catechized in the Pullman church, and when we die we shall be buried in the Pullman cemetery and go to the Pullman Hell.^[3]

There were riots, fires, over 700 rail cars were burned. The town was released from the Pullman Corporation in 1904. Pullman died soon after. He was buried beneath ten feet of concrete and steal girders. He was worried that someone would desecrate his grave.

What a fucking monster.

Read more about the strike/model town of Pullman: link

Download album here: Link

Dirt Road Technologies #6

2008-07-05T20:35:00.000-07:00

Hey all. This is our sixth release. The band is called Verboten Jongen. Which is DUTCH for forbidden boys(children). The album is called Throwing Up in Zero Gravity. The album was recorded in an undisclosed warehouse in North Carolina. Heaps of noise with drums, vocals. This recording: messy and dirty. Prepare to shred speakers at high volumes.
Songs:

1. Raccoon in a boot
2. Plowing the fields
3. This is our fig tree
4. Too many choices is no choices
5. Ink Ling
6. Okra
7. The decline
8. Nutria
9. Treason
10. For M. Dixon
11. Dingy's Tundra pt. II
12. Light Pollution in the GATE CITY

Click here for link.