Pitchfork: Blixa Bargeld, Jarboe Attempt to Destroy the Universe

Blixa Bargeld, Jarboe Attempt to Destroy the Universe

It's something we've no doubt all wondered, whilst frolicking in the prairies of our youth: how do you destroy the universe? While widespread pollution, nuclear warfare, and Jack Johnson are all good ideas, Mobilization Records is banking on a bunch of industrial-punk pioneers to do the deed.

The fifth installment of the "How to Destroy the Universe" festival tour begins tonight in San Diego and winds its way up the west coast of North America into Canada. On board for the extravaganza are Einst�rzende Neubauten lead man and one-time Bad Seed Blixa Bargeld, ex-Swans shriekwoman Jarboe (or "the Living Jarboe", as she is being billed), F-Space (who call themselves "the Led Zeppelin of Noise"), and a host of others, all intent on pushing music-centric performance art to the brink. And, for one night and one night only, industrial legends Savage Republic will make a rare live appearance. Just ask them to play "Truly, Madly, Deeply", we dare you.

"The primary goal of the festival," says founder Ethan Port in a press release, "is to bring together seemingly disparate artists and elements, to challenge and tear down mainstream assumptions about what is culture, and to build unique events that are greater than their individual parts." Wow, just like dada.

Furthermore, festival attendees can expect to be treated to "psychoacoustic/video works by multi-media noize artist Scott Arford...where projected visual noize patterns reminiscent of the meditative Dream Machines built in the 1950s by William S. Burroughs and Brian Gysin are synchronized and translated into an intense and physical sonic event." Yep. There are also plans for a festival CD featuring exclusive tracks from the participants.

Destroy everything you touch:

01-26 San Diego, CA - The Casbah *#^
01-27 Los Angeles, CA - The Echo *^%&
01-28 San Francisco, CA - Studio Z *^$@
01-29 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill #!
01-29 San Francisco, CA - Studio Z (afterparty) $@
02-01 Portland, OR - Sabala's ^$
02-02 Portland, OR - The Old Church *#@
02-03 Seattle, WA - Triple Door *#^$
02-04 Vancouver, British Columbia - Richard's on Richards *#
02-04 Seattle, WA - TBA ^$
02-05 Calgary, Alberta - The Uptown Stage & Screen *

* with Blixa Bargeld
# with the Living Jarboe
^ with Sixteens
% with Savage Republic
& with the Centimeters
$ with F-Space
@ with Soriah
! with Red Sparowes, Subarachnoid Space

Finally, the Living Jarboe (as opposed to the dead one?) has few non-festival dates of her own, supporting her latest record, The Men Album.

Behold:

01-27 Los Angeles, CA - The Knitting Factory *
02-01 Boise, ID - Neurolux
02-05 Seattle, WA - El Corazon @
02-06 Olympia, WA - Capitol Theatre (Backstage) !#
02-07 Portland, OR - Dante's %
02-10 San Francisco, CA - Onsixgallery ~#
03-03 Seville, Spain - Lope de Vega Theater (Spoken Word Festival)

* with Red Sparowes
@ with Suffering and the Hideous Thieves, Soriah
! with King Cobra
# with Redbird
% with the Prids, Snakes
~ with Ludicra, Amber Asylum