Tim Hecker heard the driver say, “It sounded like being born anew, or cleansed of one’s sin,” when describing Nite Ride.
Hecker is one of the two artists who have put together pieces for Nite Ride, a luxury bus tour that incorporates audio works with the scenery of the Gatineau Hills.
Nite Ride was the brainchild of Ryan Stec, co-curator of Artengine, a non-profit artist-run organization for visual and media art.
Stec said he was driving around Northwestern Ontario at 3 a.m. while listening to Hecker’s work and wanted to capture that feeling along with the scenery of the mountains, trees and highway lights. With the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, Stec, along with co-curator Emily Falvey have seen Nite Ride from “conception to birth”.
Until Oct. 31, audiences can go to the Arts Court at 2 Daly Ave. for their own Nite Ride. It is $7 a ride for students and the shuttles depart from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily with interchanging rides on the hour.
Whether or not it is a feeling of rebirth, Nite Ride is a new experience.
Jillian Szacki, a first-year journalism student, said that it was “completely different . . . to see the art of scenery and art of music come together,” after Hecker’s ride.
This is a new way for audiences to listen to Hecker’s ambient, electronic music as well.
“You’re a self-willing, captive prisoner into a vessel that is driving somewhere you don’t know,” said Hecker, describing passengers engulfed by pieces he had recorded while living in Ottawa for four years.
Hecker said he used to demo his work along that route since it was free of distraction.
Marla Hlady is the other artist who offers her sounds to the touring audience.
Her ride is completely different as she departs from the concept and has eight separate sound installations in suitcases and a different route.
Passengers pass around suitcases with mercury switches that play different sound loops which change as you move them.
“There’s a bit of delight in the air,” said Hlady, describing how the audience embraced her pieces since they were both the viewer and the performer.
Hlady wanted to take the concept of driving and listening to the next level by recording while driving.
She said the air distortion created an “oral texture” as she used two shotgun microphones to pick up sounds, like a chirping bird, around the Ottawa area.
As one passenger held the suitcase, she said, “It’s like being in a movie. This is your soundtrack.”