Singer-songwriter Anthonie Tonnon has spent the past few years increasingly excited by synthesizers and other electronica, at one time even making his own gear.
"A couple of years ago I was touring my EP Two Free Hands but was getting sick of lugging around all my gear, including a giant digital piano. Then I was introduced to the Wellington-made Deluge, a portable synthesizer, sampler and sequencer. A kind of updated hip-hop instrument but with way more buttons."
After a show in his former hometown of Dunedin — Tonnon now lives in, and loves, Whanganui — he was approached by Dr Ian Griffin, astronomer and director of Otago Museum.
"He wanted the museum's planetarium to be used more widely and although I didn't quite understand what he wanted I'm always interested in playing in different spaces so we got together."
When Tonnon visited the planetarium he discovered that it sat about 40 people in chairs angled at 40 degrees so occupants faced the ceiling. Not your normal sort of show, then.
"Once I got past how tiny the space was and that people were looking at the ceiling — and once I had a concept — it was great. A fly-through the known universe made great sense to me and made all the experimentation with new technology worthwhile.
"Having the Deluge meant I didn't need a guitar amp or wedge in an 88-key piano. I could plug it in to the surround-sound system — which meant I could hear what the audience was hearing. There was no stage lighting because that would ruin the effect of the projections but the projections gave me enough light to work by."
Now redeveloped as A Synthesized Universe for theatre spaces — there are only three suitable planetariums where it could be performed and then only to a handful of people at a time — the show comes to Tauranga next month for the biennial Arts Festival.
As well as Anthonie and his visual operator playing in real time, the show also features animations by Andrew Charlton (Otago Museum) and holographic-like techniques by mixed media artist Lady Lazerlight (Erica Sklenars).
"We found a way to control coloured lighting through the Deluge so we've been able to bring that into the show too," Tonnon says. "There's a very fluid boundary between song and story so the entire journey becomes one piece.
"It's an immersive, visual experience. I think we've created something just as compelling as going to a Radiohead concert."
Frustrated by "traditional" shows where the ticket says 8.30pm, the audience turns up at 9.30pm, the first band takes the stage at 10pm and the last at midnight, Tonnon says "the only thing longer is test cricket".
"Some of my favourite shows are still held at bars but I wanted to shake myself out of that format. If you play in a non-traditional space, like a gallery or theatre, and you put 8pm on the ticket that's when people turn up and that's when the show starts.
"Going to a show is a big time commitment so it's nice to let people have dinner first, or finish early enough that they can still do things with the rest of their evening. It's about honouring people for buying a ticket and turning up."
the fine print A Synthesized Universe is on October 26 at 8pm in the Carrus Crystal Palace (Baycourt lawn). Earlybird, including student earlybird, ticket prices end on September 13. See the full Tauranga Arts Festival programme at taurangafestival.co.nz. Tickets via the website or Baycourt box office.
