When we first asked Geert-Jan Hobijn to install some of his machines for LES CHANTS MÉCANIQUES, we just proposed him a huge place to invest. In fact an ancient hospital, built during the Middle Age and called "Hospice Comtesse", a part of which being known as "La Salle des Malades".  Ill he wasn't, but mad were the sounds he imagined for this place.  Or not, finally, because -even if it's not really the project he had on his mind, lack of time, but perhaps another year, dear Geert-Jan ?-, "Suck it Baby, A Lullaby in a Kitchen" has found its own place.

You need a visit ?
Some of the children standing in front of the eight beds were waiting for something to happen. "Could I be surprised ?"  Some of their parents were laughing -discreetly, of course-, searching in their memories where they could have left their last waterwhistles, "well, was it in my cupboard when I was nine ; but could it be music with these kinds of vacuum cleaners and odd whistles ? Was it a joke ?" Some of the musicians being used to play in such a festival were wondering about the relationship between those hospital beds and the complete range of perfect DJ's. "Could it be electronic music or just another strange sound-installation ?"

Not really. It was simply a concert. More precisely : several concerts, every half an hour, to alternate or to use combinations with "Pianoplayer" of LOGOS or "Cantan Huevo" of Peter BOSCH for a new noise symphony. Sometimes ambient music to emphasise Edith Piaf's voice, or techno beat with yelling birds, sometimes 'art brut' drum'n'bass with vacuum cleaners engines or music for blowing wind in fifty bottles. You'd better had to be back each hour to follow STAALPLAAT's exercises, and listen to the different musical waves.

And also to look at the smiles. When people get in the Hospice, they smiled because of their surprise, and when they were listening to the music with wide-opened eyes ("where does this sound comes from, will this little bird whistle when I look at it ? What's the use of this bottle with ten plastic toys ?"), it was because this music was really made for the ears and the eyes, with children's memories and also electronic. A joke. And not a joke. An hospital
sound that could cure us. For our pleasure. -- 11-11-02 - Emmanuel Vinchon.

Installation for 60 vacuumcleaners and 2 cement mixers, at the ENCI Cement factory
CEMENT festival Maatsricht 28 & 29 March 2003

Selectief luisteren
Wie zich het kan veroorloven zal zijn eigen huis ontvluchten wanneer daar gestofzuigd wordt.
Het geluid van een stofzuiger kan mensen tot razernij of tot passieve moedeloosheid brengen.
Wie alleen de aankondiging: “Concert voor 60 stofzuigers” leest zal zich dan ook afvragen of hij of zij zich daar aan moet wagen. Maar wie 28 en 29 maart de ENCI fabriek bezocht heeft in het kader van het cementfestival zal daar toch iets anders over gaan denken.
60 stofzuigers , in groepjes verspreid rondom het publiek, bliezen dat het een lieve lust was.
In eerste instantie ingezet als accentuering bij de door een dj gedraaide platen, namen de met fluitjes en fietsbanden getooide apparaten het bij wijlen over. Wat ondergetekende bij deze performance het meest opviel was dat zijn in vel jaren zorgvuldig opgebouwde agressie tegen de stofzuiger omsloeg in een sympathie. Het opvallendste was echter dat de motoren van de stofzuigers niet meer te horen waren. Als ik thuis nou ook zo selectief zou kunnen luisteren dan kan ik me mijn wekelijkse vlucht naar buiten besparen.
Johan Luijmes

Other Vacuum Cleaner shows

The flaming vacuum cleaners
staalplaat soundsystem with a new commissioned piece for 100 Vacuum Cleaners and 10 gas tanks, garage festival "playground" 08 August 02 Stralsund
Brandenburg music festival live show for 60 vacuum cleaners at the industrie museum 2 May 03 Brandenburg.
Jumpy Germanyness, conzert for brass orchestra and vacuum cleaners at garage festival, with Dick El demasiado, (IBW) 26 July 03 Stralsund
Night of the Unexpected -60 vacuum cleaners at the Gaudeamus Muziekweek 4 Sept-03 Paradiso Amsterdam.
Oorsmeer a sound installation with 60 vacuum cleaners for children
2 November 03 at Vooruit in Gent
7, 8 and 9 November 03 at the Arenbergschouwburg in Antwerp.

Related shows/ lullaby_in_kitchenland