Love Songs for Broken Machines

Love Songs for Broken Machines presented a series of new works for voice, live instruments and electronics at Kings Place, London in October of 2010. The performance was co-curated by Conall Gleeson, of ensemble Scratch the Surface and the experimental vocal trio, Juice. The performances explored the role of old and new technologies in the formation and expression of our private lives and in particular, the internet, as a forum where online communities are sought, social networks blossom, where future marital partners are sought and found and where sexual desires are fulfilled[1]. The evening sought to understand the complexity of interactions between new technology users, to understand such behaviour in relation to old technologies, and to enquire how interpersonal relationships exist within what may seem to be an impersonal global network of computers. The performance explored, through music, text, live performance and visuals, the concept of technology-mediated-relationships as first introduced by Merkle and Richardson in their paper Digital Dating and Virtual Relating[2]. In particular, the performance addressed issues of relationship formation and dissolution, notions of online infidelity, sexual and emotional, and the notion of self-disclosure. Composers were commissioned on the basis of their significant contribution to new music and their exploration of old and new technologies. Amongst those selected for commission were Gavin Bryars, Anna Meredith, Claudia Molitor, Micachu, E.laine, Errollyn Wallen and Jim Moray. Audiovisual performances were presented by Leon Mitchener, Sarah Nicolls, Aura Staz and the art collective Flat-e. The project was partially funded through the Arts Council and PRS Foundation. [1] Wysocki, D. K. (1998) Let your fingers do the talking: Sex on an adult chat- line. Sexualities, 1, 425-452. [2] Digital Dating and Virtual Relating: Conceptualizing Computer Mediated Romantic Relationships Erich R. Merkle and Rhonda A. Richardson Family Relations , Vol. 49, No. 2 (Apr., 2000), pp. 187-192