Updated 4 months ago
Fall & Winter
July 1997
July 3 Thursday
LIGHT, light…RIGHT?
© 2003 Mark Ainley
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Email: Markainley at gmail.com
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This is a report of what promised to be an incredible breakthrough in the trance scene: An Issey Miyake Fashion show, clothes designed by Organix, music played by Tsuyoshi, in Paris in 1997. It was submitted to Dream Creation at the time but not published.
Issey Miyake Fashion Show
Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris
July 3, 1997
Psychedelia in the real world
Since my introduction to the psychedelic trance scene, I have often wondered how it would break into other media and how it would be received. With 2 tracks by Juno Reactor in Hollywood movies and one by the Green Nuns on a VO5 commercial, it seems as though the infiltration is beginning. A truly stunning exhibition of sonic and visual psychedelic artistry took place in early July in Paris: the Issey Miyake men’s collection for Spring/Summer 1998 featured clothing prints by Organix (of Matsuri artwork fame) with the music for the runway show played by Tsuyoshi (of Matsuri music fame).
The Setting
The setting was the famous Institut du Monde Arabe: a large window-paned room and atrium on the 9th floor, overlooking a sunset behind the Notre Dame Basilica, proved to be a most ideal location. The windowed walls were lined with light-sensitive metal hexagon-shaped apertures, which were alluded to by the six-sided invitation, thereby cleverly planting a seed which blossomed once one arrived at the venue. The stunning invitation itself featured various layers unfolding like a lotus flower, revealing ever-more complex artwork and cut-out shapes, until one reached the gem inside – a special CD single of Geomantik. Ingenious!
Opening time
As the 8:30 starting time approached, a small crowd assembled outside the Insitut. In true French tradition, a swarm arrived at precisely 8:35. The organizers had intended to start one hour late to stir up excitement and allow Tsuyoshi to tease the crowd with ambient music. The real cause for excitement was the fact that doubt was cast as to whether all invitation holders would be allowed in, as the safety limit had apparently been reached.
Those with assigned seats were ushered in, while those with standing places were left outside wondering whether they would get in. Despite indications that only some would be allowed in, everyone was eventually permitted to enter, and we made our own modeling debuts as we walked down the runway to get to our places (with this writer’s geometric Space Tribe outfit eliciting noticeable responses).
The Show
Tsuyoshi was weaving a lovely laid-back vibe as an orange sun started its descent, and soon after, the show began. The theme of “LIGHT, light…right?” began as the models walked in silence down the runway in lightweight white clothes – silently, that is, until some prat, evidently oblivious of the intended effect, yelled “Music!” (as if Tsuyoshi was unaware that there was no sound!). Then the psychedelic infiltration began, as Tsuyoshi started to build musically while the clothes became more and more like the evocative settings that Matsuri fans have come to expect of Organix. While some were not explicitly psychedelic (they were not dissimilar to some of the louder designs in haute couture, notably Ferre and Versace), others were spacey in the extreme. The rainwear, featuring delicate, highly-refined prints, seemed to me to be a wonderful alternative to the bin-liner-chic look usually found at rainy outdoor parties. Some of the T-shirts featured psychedelic patchworks of tremendous detail and imagination, assimilating a wide variety of shapes, textures, colours, and dimensions. Breathtaking stuff.
Post mortem
As the setting sun disappeared behind the clouds, the 40-minute show drew to an end and a reception took place on an adjoining outdoor terrace. While the clothes and venue were successful beyond all expectations, the show itself was not at the same level. The models were all of the pouting-19-year-old-Narcissistic-hunk vintage, most of whom shuffled and slouched more than their hard-earned physiques ought to have allowed.
Musically, Tsuyoshi did not appear have the freedom one might have hoped for. The music seemed preselected, and he had to change tracks as the clothes changed, occasionally simply fading out of one track and into the other – hardly an opportunity for him to display his renowned technical and musical proficiency. While the music was never less than excellent (Ololiuqui and Manmademan were memorable), it was not explicitly psychedelic. That is, those who know psychedelic music would hear it as such, but those to whom the genre was unfamiliar might only hear it as regular techno. So much of the clothing was so digital and psychedelic that more digitally electronic, twisted (yet beautiful) tracks might have built a stronger bridge between the assaulted senses of sight and sound. Nevertheless, this was a marvelous branching out of psychedelic culture into a more traditional and high-profile arena, one which could have far-reaching implications. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for what will follow.
Postscript: The collection designed by Organix was in Miyake boutiques for a while, and other fashion shows of this variety followed in Tokyo (referred to in my other posting, “You never know…”). At an Issey Miyake retrospective event in Paris a couple of years later, there was not a trace of evidence that this collection had ever been designed – its absence was glaringly obvious in the section devoted to Miyake’s “cutting-edge” designs…Strange.
CIA Unveils New Ghetto Drugs For ’98
July 11 Saturday
Acid Phisixs presents Bible of Dreams at Marc Ballroom
Juno Reactor, DJs Phisixs and Marco
July 12-13
Keith Jones – The 1st Annual Texas Electronica Festival
At a New Jersey rave I was waiting outside Fantasia 3 with Laura Petersberger and Ethan Kokopelli and never got in.
August 1997
August 3
August 9
Tsunami – Blue Room
Dino Psaras (Cydonia/Blue Room Released) Frank’E (Koxbox/Blue Room Released) Simon G (Blue Room Released) DJ (Intergalactic Federation) Backdrop & Visuals by Trance Art, London 9pm $22 Metropolitan Pavilion 110 West 19th Street http://’www.flash.demon.co.uk.www.ultronic.com Blue ROom in San Francisco: Aug 15
Tsuyoshi Suzuki on West Coast: Sept 6 CCC on East Coast: September 13 Flyer: Maya Designs
August 9-10
2600 – HOPE – Hackers on Planet Earth – Party for phreak Captain Crunch at the Hackers On Planet Earth Conference
John Draper Cap’n Crunch Interview
August 13
South Park First Episode
August 25-September 1
Burning Man: Fertility
August 29 Friday
Medicine Drum in Cleveland OH
First party: Sidetrakkt
September 1997
September 1997
Autotune developed
Wigstock ’97
September 6 Saturday
SUPERLOVE at Roseland
September 13 Saturday
Tsunami at the Metropolitan Pavilion
Ollie Wisdom (Spacetribe/Spirit Zone), Matthew Magic (Project Beyond), Douglas (CCC S.F.) Anon (Hunab-Ku S.F.)
September 17 Wednesday
Godspeed 97
A Collective Art Exhibit
Featuring works by Soigne Deluxe • Cameron Clark • Evolve Now Mau • Alex Arcadia • Walter John Cassidy for BooB, NYC • Feedbuck Galore • Xray Vyzn • Eva Mueller Maven Peck-Peck • DJ Usul • DJ Satamile • Stom
Show runs from Sept. 17 through Oct. 17, 1997, 1-6pm CBGB’s Gallery Annex 313 Bowery @ Bleeker St.
Opening: Wed. Sept. 17, 1997
Wine reception from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm
The opening will go late with sound stimulation by:
DJ Satamile (Satamile Records)
Evolve Now (www.iuma.com/bands/Evolve_Now/)
DJ Usul (Space Kadets Collective)
Curated by Cameron Clarke
September 26 Friday
Met Olga Von Karnig, a Wilhemina model at a Five Alive Party at Genimi Lounge uin Union Square hosted by Eric, Anthony, Cynthia, Sandrene. I took her to Pravda and showed her my site from my laptop, which was locally hosted but still looked impressive. She had a two year old child. We moved in together because she was living in a model apartment in SoHo and the child was in danger of falling out of their loft. It lasted about 6 months.
Sepember 27 Saturday
FAITH in CT
The guy who ran Nocturnal had a cane.
October 1997
October 4 Saturday
Acid Physicks Trance Productions (APTP) & Dream Creation
First Documented NYC Goa Trance Projection Gig: Matthew, Neuronautics Institute
APTP & Dream Creation: Antigravity UX Elysium Nick Taylor Amit Andrew Til Marco Projections: Neuronautics Institute Deco: Fluffy Kitten (UK) Flyer by Ethan Abramson
From Ethan: October 4: From:ethan@3dcreations.com (ethan) We just finished the flyer for a big (2000+ people) acid phisixs party on Saturday, October 4th. The location is still unfinalized, but it might be in an old airfield. Anyways, can you bring some brainmachine action? Of course, if you’d rather come and just hang out without the pressure of people all clamoring for mind-warping cortex charging, that’s understandable. Should be a blast…bigtime goa DJs from around the world will be doing live sets, lots of cute foreign girls synaestetizing their flouro tights off…heheh..-Ethan CALL 212-330-9104
From the projectionist: I’ve been involved with brainmachines since before teh first MEGABRAIN book came out and was very involved particularly through the 80’s with Micheal Hutchinson and that crowd (via charlie rush (inventor of the TRANQUILITE))
Tim Leary R A Wilson etcetcetc I also do psychedelic performance with computer and video at clubs raves parties trance events other events etc the last big gig i did was in portland OR with wavey gravey and some pranksters and the phurst church of phun
before that the boom! festival in Portugal big fun it was too – thew
I took Olga there and some production guy from Adweek. – Jeff
October 11 Saturday
Tsunami at the Metropolitan Pavilion (Psychedelic trance)
First Party: Anton Thabious Bryan
Astral Projection Release Party for Dancing Galaxy
Tsuyoshi Suzuki Brainmachines installation 9pm $22 Metropolitan Pavilion 110 West 19th Street
October 11 Saturday
Monkey Business at Roseland Ballroom
November 1997
November 2 Saturday
Beautiful™
(South Bronx) Joel and Jason threw a phat old school party that was intimate. A lighting guy named Harrison was absolutely psychotic, threatened to throw my brainmachine equipment out. I think someone dropped him on his head when he was little.
2020 Update: He was actually right. They can cause seizures with latent epileptics, but it’s rare.
November 2 Saturday
U.T.T.A. Chaos “1st Annual Gaja Festival,” Winston Salem NC
November 14 Friday
Chemical Brothers After SHow
December 1997
December 5 Saturday
Junior Vasquez at Twilo
December 31 Wednesday
Acid Physicks Trance Productions (APTP) – Liquid Eve
Liquid Eve (First Live U.S. Appearance) O.O.O.D. (Phantasm Records, Cabbeged Records, UK) DJ Axel (The Voov Experience, Hamburg, Germany) Shush (APTP, Israel) $30, Vinyl
Flyer by Severyn
in late 1997 or early 98 in the Sullivan St entrance to Life (the smaller basement area that was a Dragonfly records release party) some fucking amazing string art, ( L- shaped space) my crew was South African /Irish and we hung out at the ledge in the middle of the wall connecting between the speakers. At both of those parties there was this super tall Scando guy, with long straight hair, name something like Pell – Lori
Acid Physix did a few parties in the back room at Twilo that were full-on trance parties this had to be in 96-98.. I don’t recall exactly when, but Matthew at Neuronautics Institute worked at 2 of them I believe…….
