In about an hour I will be jumping on a train to beautiful North Wales, where I am delighted to be creating a new installation on the Garth Pier in Bangor. This project is being done as part of Bangor Sound City, with the support of Datrys and northern bloc.

The Weather Gage will be comprised of a series of small propellors mounted on the pier which will turn in the wind. The speed of the wind will control the playing of a series of little glockenspiel notes hanging in one of the alcoves on the pier. The press release at northern bloc describes it much better than I do:

This installation harnesses the power of the wind to play a glockenspiel. A form of digital Aeolian harp, small propellors will generate tiny amounts of electricity, which will activate glockenspiel notes, creating polyphonic and polyrhythmic textures.

Here are a few photos from the preparation stages…

The wood for the glockenspiel notes is cherry from Mennonites in western Maryland, but that’s another story!

The name is derived from an older nautical term which refers to your position relative to the wind and your enemy. If you were upwind from the person you were trying to attack, you could bear down at will. Possibly the geekiest name for a sound installation ever?

Also on the pier will be an interactive installation by Adam Cooke and Elizabeth Edwards, which will involve a gigantic tea set. Fun stuff! Come on down anytime and say hello if you’re in the area. I will be installing it tomorrow starting bright and early, and it will be open to the public all week from 8:30am to 5:30pm. It closes on Sunday the 20th at noon.

I will also be playing a gig in Conwy on Friday night – I will post more about that later on in the week, right now I have to go catch my train!