Shambolica Presents: "CHAOS" - Super September Continues at 13th Note

Super September continues at A Little Bit of Theatre where Shambolica! Presents...CHAOS!

Following their frivolous antics at The Art School, Klaus and Baron a few days later made their way through the streets of Glasgow with their sparkle box of wonders down to the 13th Note on King Street.

Invited as part of Marta Adamowicz's scratch night A Little Bit of Theatre, Klaus and Baron came bashing through the doors of the famous vegan cafe like two gunslingers in a John Ford Western.

Due to the enormous nature of the wonder box Klaus and Baron were unable to perform in the downstairs performance basement so they had to make do with shedding their colour vibes in the cafe area unbeknownst to some of the polite eaters being catered for.

Tired and drained from being on the road for 367 days since they left their commune in Reykjavik and with Glasgow City Council continually on their tails, the duo were starting to fade.  To add to this they were both missing the colourtastic vibrant tones of Tertre Rouge who was colour meditating in the New Mexico desert with Mark Rylance.  However, the two clowns/charlatans of light soldiered (shambo'd) on by downing some whiskey, readjusting their face colours and channeling their Shambo-occular-vision.

Waiting in the bathroom beneath the cafe they heard their names called out. "KLAUS!", "BARON!". Their ears pricked up. A tingling of colour infused their eyes. "Baron! Tambourine!" Klaus grunted, "Klaus! Horn of the Gravy Train!" Baron gritted.  

They came pounding up the stairs. Klaus with his terrible rhythm, Baron with his catastrophic Shambo horn booming out.  

"COME COME SHAMBOLICA! COME COME SHAMBOLICA!" they wailed! 

The audience sitting there in awe of the box unsure whether to look forward or look behind. Klaus's voice bellowed out like a fog horn, Baron grabbed around flicking and kicking. With the audience stunned, Klaus fell into a stream of gibberish-cinema influenced pop culture banter whilst Baron pinged from audience member to audience member grinning like Jack Nicholson in The Shining.  Almost as if the box was speaking to them, guiding them; Klaus and Baron were in a trance that evoked all the spirits of the box.  They spewed out a myriad of creations which included songs, chanting, a brief drawing class and ranting as well as crazy vibes that were intimidating, insulating, pro-vacating, adulating, contemplating and best of all; Entertaining! 

One audience member was so in-tuned with the performance he sat there in his seat jumping and clapping like a school kid high on sweets.  Some were wide eyed and confused, others delighted, the rest in wondrous applause.  Klaus and Baron soon left as they arrived in a cataclysmic cauldron of boisterous sparkle magic!  

Shambolica Presents: "FIGHT NIGHT" - The Start of Super September

On the 10^th September 2012 Shambolica! launched "Super September" with a performance at The Art School as part of the Glasgow School of Art Fresher’s week. FIGHT NIGHT saw Klaus and Baron roll into town with their box of wonders to entertain the new art students.  Accompanying Klaus and Baron this time was Tilly the Temptress!

KLAUS THE STRONG MAN
Image by Robbie Bert

TILLY THE TEMPTRESS
Image by Robbie Bert

BARON PUNCH
Image by Robbie Bert

Klaus and Baron performed a twist on proceedings by conducting a painting masterclass for the young new artists! Led in by Tilly the Temptress and her rattling bell, Klaus and Baron were hooded and bound in front of the crowd before being disrobed, unshackled and unleashed on the unsuspecting audience! Baron with his garish stalking and Klaus with his now infamous “bounce!” jump threw themselves into a confrontation of Jackson Pollockesque swirls and twirls.  Klaus and Baron had fallen out a few weeks prior over their abilities as provocateurs of art and decided once and for all to settle their dispute.  With Tertre Rouge on holiday in Greece with Terrence Malick he had sent Tilly the Temptress a pounding soundtrack to settle the proceeding squabbles.  Gathering students up to the box they were encouraged by Klaus and Baron to PAINT! PAINT! PAINT!

Image by Robbie Bert

Tilly the Temptress allocated Klaus and Baron half the audience each to cheer them on and to pick on unsuspecting victims of SHAMBOLICA!

Image by Robbie Bert

Boom, crash, FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT! Paintbrushes drawn, paint bubbling in the cups, canvases eager for the splatter of the paint, Klaus and Baron went scrounging for Shamboites! Enthralling and disrespectful in equal measure Klaus and Baron goaded each other whilst harassing their chosen “student” to PAINT! PAINT! PAINT! More COLOUR! COLOUR! COLOUR! Occasionally running over to inspect their opponent’s work Klaus and Baron were imbued with a sense of hysteria courtesy of probably drinking too much paint over the years and their travels from Mongolia to East Kilbride.

Image by Robbie Bert

The intensity increased to all out war when Klaus and Baron got the entire fresher’s crowd to come draw, paint, scrawl and doodle! Encouraging them all to come to the box to feed on its shambolic scent, colour and sparkle magic!  Klaus and Baron bouncing off their canvases like RP McMurphy and bellowing chants from the book of Shambolica! 

Then suddenly a ROAR! 

The Shambo Momma God appears waddling in like a drunken elephant chomping on her bottom lip.  “What’s going on here?” she bellows. Klaus and Baron hadn’t seen their momma since she popped out to get some milk 5 years previously. The Shambo Momma gave them a severe dressing down for their antics and Klaus and Baron agreed they didn’t want to fight no more and then, suddenly, they had an idea, an idea for a song…. 

SHAMBO GOD COMETH
Image by Robbie Bert

Images of FIGHT NIGHT can be found HERE!  Special thanks to Robbie Bert on fantastic photos.  The soundscape to accompany the fight night performance can be downloaded/streamed and listened to HERE! and the video of the performance can be watched HERE!

More info on super september to follow shortly!

THANKS FOR READING, remember, BE CREATIVE, BE SHAMBOLICA!

"SOMETHING SERIOUS BEGINS" at the MARKET GALLERY

Hot on the heels of the debut performance art experience at the Flying Duck, Shambolica! Presents... was back in Glasgow for another unique spellbinding performance.
This time titled: SHAMBOLICA! Presents "Something Serious Begins" as part of The Market Gallery Performance Night 2 on the 2nd of August 2012.  Part of an eclectic bill of performance artists at the gallery followed by a myriad of creators of weird and wonderful music, it was a truly fantastic evening of creative art.

Photograph & Copyright - Michael James 2012

Baron Punch and Claus the Strong Man were BACK in Glasgow, bringing with them their unique brand of light, colour, chaos and knowledge of contemporary art!  And let us not forget; THE BOX!  THE BOX OF WONDERS! and with that the return of the sparkly Tertre Rouge.  Whipping the beautiful audience of the market gallery into a whirl storm of interactive Glasgow art sculptures the trio of SHAMBO characters had their mighty shambo way and gave a performance like no other.

You can view the whole performance right HERE!  and Look at the lovely photos right HERE!

Photograph & Copyright - Micheal James 2012

A special thanks to all at the Market Gallery for putting us on and for being wonderful hosts and to all the other performers on the night, it was an honour and a pleasure to be part of the night.
Additional thanks to Michael James for the excellent photographs he took.

COMING SOON!
A new performance from SHAMBOLICA! Presents... coming soon at Glasgow School of Art Monday the 10th of September and followed by another original performance at the 13th Note, Glasgow on wednesday the 12th of September.  Please spread the word.  More details about each gig will be on the facebook page shortly, click HERE! and LIKE US!

"COMPANION" for North Light Dunbar Arts Festival 2012

At the start of the year a call out from North Light Dunbar found its way to the internet calling for submissions for an up and coming arts festival taking place this summer.
Shambolica artist Thomas F Newell submitted a proposal entitled "Companion" and after many months, once funding was raised and granted to put the festival on, the piece was accepted.



The proposal read as follows:

“Companion” is a shimmering, elegiac and reflective soundscape with connections to the life and work of John Muir that is to accompany members of the public as they walk/journey around specific places of Dunbar and its surrounding areas. Walking in nature, especially in East Lothian is a beautiful experience and one that I wish to heighten by providing a unique soundtrack that people from all walks of life can enjoy.  John Muir was a great and noble man and his ultimate past time was walking.  As members of the public walk around a specific location, the sonic landscape created will connect them with John Muir and further engage them with their surroundings.  As the landscape changes so will the music and in turn change the listener, creating new memories and emotions. Famous John Muir quotes (spoken by local voices) will bring him back to the land from which he came, people will have the chance to reflect on him, learn from him and remember him.   The music will combine electronic and acoustic instruments with field recordings of the area.  John Muir and the music together will become the perfect companion.

THE SOUNDSCAPE is now live and you can get it right HERE!Please share, download, listen, Enjoy!

North Light Dunbar Arts Festival is currently in full swing with numerous exhibitions, events, showcases, workshops and happenings.  Please check out HERE to visit the website and HERE for the FACEBOOK where there are continual updates and you can LIKE IT!  YAY!

A huge thank you to Susie Goodwin and the North Light Team for the commission and the opportunity to be part of this magical arts festival.

BE CREATIVE, BE SHAMBOLICA!

   

SHAMBOLICA! Presents SOMETHING PUNCHY! The Rise of *Tertre Rouge*!

"SHAMBO! Sh sh sh SHAMBO! SHAMBO! Sh sh sh SHAMBO!   JOIN US! OH COME AND JOIN US!"

Was the chant, the chorus, the song, the celebration that rang out across the grand City of Glasgow on the faithful night of Sunday the 1st of July 2012.  The words were conjured up by a super sparkly spirit who was created by the leaders of fantasy, creation and chaos: Claus - The Strong Man Clown & Baron Punch.  A couple of rag tag travellers who have trekked across the globe with the almighty SHAMBOLICA! BOX, dishing out their unique brand of art and creation; Shambolica!.  Whilst on their travels they found a lost, lonely and shadowed figure.  It had no words, no meaning, no light and no colour.  Then whilst in Glasgow, a transformation took place.  The lost soul was put into the box and the Gods of Shambo were summoned.  "O! O! O!..." Was chanted and called out by Claus and Baron and the assembled audience.  Then with a flurry the doors of the travelling box were flung open!

"HEY HEY!" "TERTRE ROUGE HERE!"

The dark lost soul was shambofied into a being of extraordinary colour, light and vigour!

Addressing its new world and its newly found audience, Tertre Rouge decided to treat everyone to play a game with him.  A member of the audience was assigned to pick one of three cards.  A lovely lady picked one, it read...

SHAMBOLIC ORCHESTRA!

What happened next really needed to be witnessed in person.  A myriad of activity, song, chant and interaction and fun ensued as Tertre Rouge led everyone to get involved in the Shambolic Orchestra, the greatest game ever!

Everyone was whipped into a frenzy of shambolic proportions and then...

THE SOUND OF THE GRAVY TRAIN HORN blared out!  Claus called an end to proceedings, the purveyors of light and chaos were rumbled, Glasgow City Council was on route to shut them down.  The pack was forced to flee, into the light and down rainbow road.

This premiere performance of Shambolica! Presents "Something Punchy" took place at The Flying Duck as part of the Three Chord Theatre which takes place every sunday.  More info HERE!

This realm of theatrical performance art is the latest venture for Shambolica! and one that is most fun and exciting.  The performance was received really well with lots of positive vibes.  We now push on with creating further story lines, themes, ideas and performances centred around our character creations and most importantly the BOX!

You can check out images HERE! and other info related to the event and upcoming work HERE on the facebook.

Massive thank you to Three Chord Theatre for letting us showcase, i think they enjoyed themselves, he he!  And big thanks to Flying Duck for their tech support and storage.  Most cool of them.

Incredible efforts should be afforded to Ali Quietsch for his amazing effort and skills of the creation of the box.  A truly monstrous creation and the catalyst for the "SOMETHING..." performance series.

Claus The Strong Man is Benjamin Newell

Baron Punch is Alistair Quietsch

Tertre Rouge is Thomas F Newell

One last thing the next performance is very soon!!!  Check HERE for details, if you are in Glasgow, COME AND PLAY, BE CREATIVE, BE SHAMBOLICA!

STREETLAND! "Crank Ensemble"

Streetland Community Festival, Glasgow, 4 & 5th May 2012 was the setting of the premiere performance of "Crank Ensemble".
In a back lane, the sound of the crank could be heard winding up a mystical, ramshackle group of music makers.
The crank provided the backbone to the never before heard orchestrations of sonic mischief.
The gathering was enchanted and bound by its haunting spell.
Caught up in the enthusiasm, the crank was hammered round and round.
Little notice was given to the warning, "YOU MIGHT BREAK THE BAND!"
The kids ran amok, the band was broken but not without leaving behind a musical experience that drifted out across the city.
A gift given life by the magic of the street and the CRANK!

Special thanks to the performers Alistair Quietsch, Lewis MacDonald, Robbie Burry and Neil Smith
and Streetland for the oppurtunity to perform.

You can watch the performances PART 1 HERE and PART 2 HERE, Enjoy!
You can see lots of wonderful images via fb HERE and via Streetland HERE.

Shambolica Presents...CRANK ENSEMBLE!

Shambolica! and Public Spaces is putting on a fantastic new interactive performance as part of "STREETLAND" for Glasgow International Festival 2012!

Saturday 5 May 2012
2.15pm-2.45pm
Westmoreland Street Lane (adjacent to Westmoreland Street Gardens), Glasgow.

The art collective Shambolica presents a one off spur-of-the-moment crank up band where families are invited to help power the band to play their own strange take on jazz and groove tunes. For all the family. Bring an "interactive audience mindset".

Please spread the beautiful word and get involved!
Check out the streetland website HERE! for more info.