Project Memories

For the Interim Review we are asked to present a A5 booklet that displayed all the research that had been compiled to date. The booklet I produced contained all of the images that have previously displayed on this blog, and the text was edited down. The only new addition was a series of quick conceptual images that displayed some ideas for music and performance in the city.


This is a simplified image highlighting the key busking sites on the "golden z" of Sauchiehall, Buchanan and Argyle Street.

This image shows the potential of using existing structures along the Clyde to hold open air performances. Again illustrating the reusing of existing structures for performance, this time a Festival, the staging area on top of the Paddy's Market railway arches with the crowd in the car park.


The Briggait along the Clyde river could lend itself to being adapted to suit the administrative side of the industry alone with performance.

Site Location

As mentioned previously, mapping the city musical has lead to a decision on a choice of site.
The site is to the north east of the city centre between the Clyde river and Arglye Street, Stockwell Street and Saltmartket. The initial concept is to use the open car park as some form of festival site, with potentially building a Music Venue on the perimeter. Currently there are no Purposed built music venues in the city. The surrounding structures, the Briggait alone the river, Kings Court and Paddy's Market under the railway and potentioanly the railway itself will be adapted to serve differnt functions, retail, recording and practise, mangement and marketing and possibly production.

Week 5 - Project Memories

A requirement of the project is to present a "Project Memories" booklet highlighting all the research compiled to date. The booklet is to be A5 format and to be presented at the interim review on Friday.

I have completed the Icons for mapping the city along with the individual maps.



The Icons have been designed similarly to the Green Maps Icons, each one shows a simple diagrammatic image that symbolises the facility it represents.

Week 4 - Mapping music in the City.

Having looked at busking, the first stage of performance in the city I decided to have a look at other forms of music in the city. Where is music played, performed, practised, recorded and bought from. I spent the week mapping the city under a number of headings.


Venues



Recording and Rehearsal Studios



Musical Instrument and Equipment Shops



Record and CD Shops



Clubs



I'm currently mapping out smaller venues. The majority of pubs and now even cafes have some form of live music. I am looking for the more prominent venues before I compile a map. I hope to create a series of easily identifiable symbols for each group, similar to Green Map icons I used in earlier projects.

The Exhibition

The Exhibition took Place yesterday at 2.00pm. Each of us had an opportunity to present our work verbally, speak about the process, how we completed our installations and how we intended to continue.






Here are the other presentations that made up the exhibition.

Box - Busking

Unfortunately the presentation exhibition was scheduled for Friday 13th so I we had to test the Busk-Box mid week. We went out Wednesday evening, starting in on Buchanan St were we tried 2 locations. We then moved to Byres Rd and finally Sauchiehall St. All in all we had a good response. Most people thought it was a good idea, and we performed 6 songs.

The Set List

We tried to create a varied set list that would cater for most tastes. The set list was put on display so that the public can see what songs the busker can preform.

Week 3 - The Box

The design for the first prototype is made up of 3 parts. The display, a board covered with a sheet of perspex to display the set list. This will be at an angle to make it more readable, held in place with threaded bar. The collection box, constructed from timber battens and hardboard, will be hinged so it can be folded away for transportation. This is all attached to a chipboard base.

The Installation

The idea is simple, a combination of busking and a jukebox. The music should be controlled by the public. they should be able to chose what they want to hear, when they wan to hear, if they want to hear it!





As part of the installation I wanted to create a stand for the busker to display their set list and also some means of collecting and keeping donations. I wanted something portable and lightweight so it can be easily carried and moved.

Busking

Busking seems to have different rules than other forms of music. every other form of music is controllable by the audience, whether its a radio station, songs on your Ipod or performers you see you have a choice whether or not you want to listen. Buskers are an exception. Buskers play what they want, where they want, when they want. Consideration for the public does not come into the equation. Natural they choose crowded places, in the hope they will appeal to more people in turn gaining more cash. The public have limited control over the busker. Complaints are quite regular from shops and offices in the same vicinity, the noise or the repetition interfering with work. In Glasgow there are dozens locations for busking, Arglye St, Buchanan St and Sauchiehall St housing most of these, here are the more popular locations.

The Idea

Looking at music today it is obvious that it is fundamental to living. It is everywhere we go, at home at work, in the cafes, bars and shops we visit. It has become more accessible than ever before. Technology has create an environment where everybody has access to there music through there phone or mp3 player. In the past to discover a new band you would more than likely have to pay, either for a gig or a record, now you can listen to whole albums on-line, preview songs, watch live performances all without spending a penny. Indeed, stealing music is now easier than ever with an abundance of illegal downloading sites.

The way in which music is made is still the same. There are many musical talents, and many directions a musician can take. Here |I have examined one route, that of a singer-songwriter. Inevitably all musicians start the same, learning at home or in school. Technology helps musicians spread there art with sites like My Space. Records are recorded, produced, mastered and distributed from bedrooms rather than studios. The musician will spend his time working his way up the ladder, playing for bigger crowds trying to get his talent recognized, from busking to open-mic night, to support gigs to festivals to, hopefully touring.





The first opportunity for public performance, and probably the most interesting is street busking. There are different types of buskers, some do it as a career, some for practise, some to road test new material, so to beg. Some put time and effort into there shows while others just put out a hat and hope for the best.

Music and the City

My immediate response was to investigate music and how it interacts with the city at every level, weather it is a busker on the corner, or a stadium gig at Hamden Park. I First set about walking the city, finding venues that existed, looking for venues that where no longer used, and finding places that could potentially be used as a venue. Music can be performed at any scale, to just one, or to hundreds, and now through technology millions. Music too has become more and more accessible. In the past, if you wanted to listen to a musician or band you would have to pay, either for a record or admission to a gig. Now with the internet, sites like Youtube, Myspace and Itunes you can watch listen and buy at your own digression. I decided to start to explore how music, particularly a musician or band, evolve in a city, where do they play or practise, how do they get there music heard, how can they promote or sell records.






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Week 2 - Part One: The Act

This project will be guided by the notion of an Urban Playground. To start, we are to carry out some sort of act/event in real time. This will act as an instigator for the design process. The Installation must be linked to topics addressed by the 4 micro-cities and should interact and engage with citizens and the urban surroundings. The Installation is to be presented at the end of week 3 in the form of an exhibition.