The Power of Creative Acts

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Thoughts on touring, shows, connections made and re-kindled and the power of creative acts..

How glorious.

Hosting :dead voices on air: at the Museum and the Museum AirBnB upstairs was one of those ‘full-circle’ moments that people talk about. I’d first met Mark Spybey in ’93 or ’94 at the old Invisible at 2024 S Wabash, releasing many dvoa albums, collaborating on S.P.A.S.M. (Spybey, Pounder, Atkins, Satan, Mackey), recording live to Albini’s 8 track tape machine to a small, invited audience, and touring together on the cataclysmic Lowest Of The Low Pigface tour.

So, it felt fitting that something that had grown under Invisible’s creative umbrella, would come to an end there, too (albeit at a new location). Mark had said that this short tour would be the last. We made shirts with the date to memorialize the day. Preparations were made upstairs, some vinyl added to the collection, a few more books, a bottle of whiskey for the travelers if needed, fruit and ‘upon arrival’ type touring comfort stuff, plus some more Wax Trax items hung in the room we call the typewriter room.

As often happens when we make merch for an event, we end up doing more with those screens (and a reason why you should start screen printing yourself!). We started to print a back drop for the event with alternating circle and cross logos. Somewhere downstairs, there are what I would call ‘lamp blanks,’ so of course I printed a few of those. Just a simple, quick thing, but it transformed the vibe onstage for the performance. We brought in some speakers and monitors and, hopefully, created a situation where the band felt loved, respected and able to flow.

The show, the sound, the vibe were all terrific – literally echoes of the original Invisible. In the moment, a 70 minute respite from all of the swirling shit in the world, followed by a great chat with band members and audience in the Museum and online created a sense of community? And the days after, a balm if you like; a reminder that creativity isn’t just about your creativity, it’s also about what it can trigger and unlock for others, too. Mark going on tour put us into full hospitality/enabler mode, and the music gave that back to us all tenfold. I love that we were able to also share with a livestream free to Patreon members! It feels like we are getting to another level of activity.

Wonderfully, at the end of the second show Mark confided in us that he is hopeful and inspired to do this again at some point in the future. What an amazing result.

On a personal level, it was great for me to see all of this unfold. The enormity on every level of the upcoming Extremities event has had me thinking sometimes that not doing anything might be a much easier path… Yes, it would but fuck. That. Shit.

G T H W Y D S (N H W Y D !)

Also, what a fantastic massive group effort on the weekend from Tom, Dylan, Sarah, Lorie, Becca, Julie, Maria, Katie, Jessie, Dani, Gram, Austin, and, we’re sure, more!! THANK YOU!

There’s a few Ultra VIPs for the Extremities event just added on Saturday 29th HERE

Some remaining DVOA event shirts HERE

The AirBnB at the Museum is HERE (if you are an artist traveling please send us a note for reduced rates).

And we will be putting a signed lamp up in an auction soon! Keep an eye out!