Strange and beautiful sounds washed over the audience as sunlight spilled into the room, illuminating the musicians performing in some comfortable medium between playing instruments and operating complex equipment.
The audience didn’t know what to expect when each act took to the stage. The acts were unified only by how their sustained tones and obscure flourish radiated into the crowd. The sounds were heard with the ears as much as they were felt as vibrations throughout the entire body.
May 10 was the first occurrence of National Drone Day, a Weird Canada event that exposed music fans to experimental styles. The event took place in what amounted to little more than a big white room at Gallery 101, a small building in Hintonburg.
Local drone musician Jake Bornheimer spearheaded the event by tracking down the venue, the artists, and performing his own music under the name Heron’s Wake.
“Once we found the venue, it all just sort of fell into place. Most of the artists contacted me,” he said.
Bornheimer said drone music is an entry point to experimental music. “It’s an exploration of space in music,” Bornheimer said. “I find music with lyrics kind of tells too much.”
Pierre Richardson, a performer under the name Self Surgery and half of local record label Bruised Tongue, said drone music draws the listener in.
“You get lost in the noise,” Richardson explained. “I feel that when there’s a certain resonance in sound it affects your body in a particular way.”
There were a total of six performers, who each had their own take on the genre. Adam Saikaley started off with his electric organ, creating relatively minimal drones. Bosveld assembled a vivid soundscape using an acoustic guitar, a laptop, and a saxophone.
The Human Being Lawnmowers closed the event with the cello drone of Rachel Weldon supported by organ and synthesizer. Bornheimer said he hopes the event is recurring.
“Weird Canada absolutely wants to see drone day every year,” he said.
