brokenbulb.org

Sleepover in D.C.

2008-06-18T13:24:00Z

If you happen to be in the Washington D.C. area tomorrow night, consider dropping by the Third Coast International Audio Festival’s Listening Room session at the Silverdocs Documentary Festival. Gwen Macsai, the host of Re:sound, will be playing several stories about the awesome and awkward years of childhood, including my and Hillary Frank’s sleepover piece.

Here’s more from Silverdocs.

TCIAF curators will lead a free exchange with the audience, guide them through a selection of the best of the festival, and hold a discussion with producers from NPR and other public radio outlets. Among the stories: Sleepover!, in which one reporter covers a middle school boy’s sleepover while his fiancée covers a girl’s sleepover down the block; Dental Déjà vu, about the awkward, humiliating memories of social dancing evoked by host Gwen Macsai’s iconic dental appliance, the retainer; and Metal, with the obsessive rants of author Rick Moody as he looks back on his days of desperately trying to appear cool. These unforgettable gems prove that the ear is sometimes quicker than the eye. Come listen—and see—for yourself.

Tickets available here.

Why Technology is Never Obsolete

2008-06-06T14:39:00Z

I don’t read McSweeney’s much anymore. And yesterday I realized that it’s a little like the relationships with people in your life you don’t appreciate enough. They continue to be incredible and interesting and you forget about them because their greatness starts to seem normal and everyday.

Anyhow, this is being passed around a bit, but considering this space is supposed to be about sound, this account of a seeing a film for the first time in 1896 seems worth noting here. Particularly because his account is so concerned with the technology that’s not there. Sound and color.

“Last night I was in the Kingdom of Shadows.

If you only knew how strange it is to be there. It is a world without sound, without colour. Every thing there—the earth, the trees, the people, the water and the air—is dipped in monotonous grey. Grey rays of the sun across the grey sky, grey eyes in grey faces, and the leaves of the trees are ashen grey. It is not life but its shadow, It is not motion but its soundless spectre.”

Delivered via Walter Murch who’s relevance to radio has been noted before.

And as a reminder that no technology is ever obsolete, this morning, a friend called rather than emailed before forwarding this incredible video. I think just because his elation would never be properly conveyed in letters and punctuation.

Big Ideas (Don’t get any) from 1030 on Vimeo.

Also, I was in Chicago recently and saw the audio installation at Steppenwolf I mentioned here before that my wife produced in conjunction with the play Dead Man’s Cell Phone. The best fact is that it’s available via an actual phone number. Dial 847.280.1283 to hear it.

WNYC's Streetshots

2008-05-20T14:39:00Z

Radio raconteur Benjamen Walker’s old radio show Theory of Everything became a very different animal with the same name when it migrated over to WFMU. It’s like when they replaced Becky on Roseanne and expected that no one would notice. But Ben’s been busy with other things too. His new Street Shots project in conjunction with WNYC and Andrea Silenzi is a good reminder that Street Photography is about more than The Sartorialist.

The first feature on photographer Bruce Gilden is everything I love and hate about New York in four minutes.

Street Shots is inviting you to get in on the action too.

Broken Bulbs

2008-05-05T13:17:00Z

Over the weekend T Magazine had a little ode to one of my favorite items and this site’s namesake.

Of course, these gorgeous examples aren’t the ones wasting energy in the lamp on my nightstand. But I’m still going to be sad the day I say goodbye to those opaque little numbers.

Soapy Water and Pop Music

2008-04-24T15:39:00Z

Last night my nightly dishwashing duties were accompanied by the Pop Music episode of Radiolab. It arrived via podcast this week and it’s great—more Jad and co. playing around and letting you poke around inside their curious and busy brains.

But what really got me this time was the least science-y story. A tale by producer Gregory Warner that involves an Afghan pop star, a man doing intense crunches, and the song above played on an accordion. There are certainly more vivid ways to describe the story and pretty stunning YouTube video I’m tempted to post, but doing that would ruin all the narrative surprise. Just go listen.

Me and Gregory worked in the same building for a little more than a month before his itinerant lifestyle and a fellowship sent him off to Afghanistan. I thought he was still there a couple months ago when I felt someone’s presence behind me at work and turned around to see Gregory all clean-shaven and western looking in a sportcoat. And then, 20 minutes later he was on a bus out of town. That dude is like Indiana Jones. Except replace all the snarky asides with curiosity and good story telling skills.

Be sure to check out the newish Radiolab Blog and this interview with Jad Abumrad from Boldtype.