This is a noisy show.

Big percussion, live electronics, and amplified strings. A distortion pedal called the Ibanez Tube Screamer makes an appearance. It’s not going to be a meditative listening experience. Sometimes, we all just need to scream into a pillow.

Ben Nobuto’s work is utterly contemporary. His music assimilates and responds to the dizzying array of digital media that Generation Z have lived with since birth. His first language is the internet. On, off, and on again. Attention and fragmentation. Manchester Collective are proud to premiere ‘SERENITY 2.0’ – his brand-new work for strings, electronics and percussion.

Alongside work by British-Bulgarian composer Dobrinka Tabakova, Bryce Dessner (of The National), and Michael Gordon (founder of legendary new music outfit Bang on a Can), the Collective will also give the world premiere of a new work by Sebastian Gainsborough, aka Vessel. Seb’s compositions tend towards the heavy and intense, but this will be something else altogether.

With support from Orryx (Bristol) and Polly Virr (Birkenhead)

Tour Dates

3 December – London – Southbank Centre
5 December – Leeds – Howard Assembly Room
7 December – Bristol – Strange Brew
10 December – Salford – The White Hotel
11 December – Birkenhead – Future Yard

Check times and book tickets via the venue links

Setlist

Bryce Dessner Aheym
Dobrinka Tabakova Insight
Ben Nobuto SERENITY 2.0 – World Premiere
Michael Gordon Industry
Sebastian Gainsborough Squint – World Premiere

Line-up

Beibei Wang Percussion
Rakhi Singh Violin
Julian Azkoul Violin
Ruth Gibson Viola
Stephanie Tress Cello
Joe Reiser Live sound / electronics

Programme Notes →

Approximate run time: 75 minutes