One of the non-musical highlights of the quite marvelous Project X Presents 6 hour onmi-media performance marathon that took place in a warehouse in Digbeth on Saturday was my good friend Matt Murtagh’s Wings of Brum photo project used as a backdrop to post-rockers Einstellung’s acoustic set. Riffing off of Wim Wender’s film Wings of Desire, much loved by both Matt and Einstellung, they’re a collection of shots of an unseen “angel” wandering around and watching the city. Here’s four of my favourites.
They’re probably best viewed as a slideshow with music from Einstellung’s MySpace playing.
What I love about these is how it’s a well thought out project that, while inspired by a German movie, is inherently of Birmingham, not just in the landscape but in the “star”, a friend of Matt’s with incredible presence. They also bring out something I’ve always loved about Birmingham – that the architecture, while ostensibly ugly and brutal, can evoke a sense of peace and reflection if you let it.
I also like that having walked Birmingham with Matt on various Flickrmeets I know a lot of these places and always enjoy seeing how he interprets them.
Matt is selling prints – contact him on matthewmurtaghphotography (at) gmail.com – and is looking for somewhere to exhibit the photos around Xmas. I think the Library would be a perfect venue.
Inherently of Birmingham – Einstellung are drop tuned to D – just like Sabbath and their shared CV (Godflesh/Sally) is of industrial/metal bands who owe this city and its metal heritage a lot.
Peace and reflection – very much so. People often try to describe to me how one of the loudest bands (ugly and brutal perhaps not but extremely loud most definitely) in the city can induce states of hypnotic bliss through their use of repetition. Silence within noise … mesmerising beauty … “Lemmy jamming with Neu!â€? was a recent favourite!
As I remember the idea for this project grew from the sold out Das Land Ohne Musik at The Old Joint Stock Theatre in June and trying to work out how Einstellung could do something for Project X Presents that might remind the audience that although the environment they were in was something of a fantasy, it was all taking place in Birmingham.
I know the band is delighted with the way that they have come out and that Matt has had so much interest in the set. I’d like to think that the Wings Of Brum idea has only just taken flight…watch this space…or rather watch Einstellung’s myspace! This is very much what Project X Presents is all about. People pushing what it is that they do in a supportive environment. The whole is far greater than the sum of the parts and all that.
Whilst I’d agree that the tracks from the bands myspace are a perfect sound track I’d also point to the bands 28 minute single Sleep Easy Mr Parker (Bearos Records – BEAROS063) which will be on sale at the band’s gig with Acid Mothers Temple @ The Hare & Hounds on Friday night. Apparently it’s nearly sold out so get your tickets now – the single is also almost sold out as well come to mention it.
I’m also in the privileged position of having a copy of the soundtrack from the Das Land Ohne Musik show to listen to as the photos scroll by. Plans for releasing the recording will likely feature Matt’s work.
Matt did an amazing job with the photo’s! We’ve never played with anything other than ‘Wings of Desire’ projected behind us. I was was proud to have Matt’s pictures there and look forward to working with him in the future.