NF01 November/December 2023

Bristol Beacon 43
calling the responding composer, Oliver Vibrans, who
takes Sinead’s core materials and explodes them out
of the orchestra and then sends them back to Sinead.
Like an endless echo loop.
it can be just about those things. But it
can also be something which reaches
out and embraces worlds of music
beyond the traditional orchestral.
At Paraorchestra, we’ve always been
excited to explore what you might
call the sweet spot between where an
acoustic instrument ends and Sinead
walks into the frame.
Sinead: There’s always a challenge
when an orchestra meets techno, that
it could sound a bit like ‘daddy at the
disco’, which would be so lame, right?
Nobody wants to see that.
Charles: It’s all thanks to Sinead’s
genius, but also the person we’re
And you’re also bringing the piece to life visually…
Charles: With Bristol’s Limbic Cinema. They’re leaders
in projection mapping, and Sinead’s music is the
perfect seedbed for it. In fact, they’re going to be
taking feeds directly from your instrument.
Sinead: We’re going to experiment with how we
generate dynamics in the visuals, and make them
completely at one with the music. But also fill the
space with orchestral instruments as well.
You said there isn't a more musical city than Bristol;
what else should we check out?
Sinead: Strange Brew. To be more specific, their Livity
Sound, Psychotherapy Sessions (PTS), and Accidental
Meetings club nights. There are also great festivals
like Machina Bristronica, Simple Things and En Masse,
and a cool new night from Dare to Club, which brings
the spirit of Berlin to Bristol with big names in techno.
Trip the Light Fantastic takes place on Thursday,
30 November, in the Beacon Hall nfld.io/triplight
Above Sinead
McMillan, AKA
Surgeons Girl,
pushing buttons
Right Fully kitted
out for live R&D
rehearsals
Photo: Paraorchestra
thenearfield.com