625 Moons = 50 Years of From Scratch - Month of Concerts, Exhibition, Workshop Announced

Groundbreakers in Aotearoa experimental music / sound, From Scratch was founded in 1974 by intermedia art pioneer and Arts Foundation Laureate Phillip Dadson ONZM, following time he spent abroad playing with UK composer Cornelius Cardew’s Scratch Orchestra. Led by Dadson and active continuously over the past five decades, the ever-evolving project found widespread fame via the innovative use of customised PVC piping, deployed in their rhythmic, largely improvised live performances. From Scratch has released an extensive body of recorded work, including multiple long players via Flying Nun Records and Rattle. 

Tāmaki Makaurau's Audio Foundation are banging the drum about From Scratch's golden anniversary with the announcement of 625 Moons = 50 Years of From Scratch, "celebrating 50 years of maverick music making" with a suitably monumental variety of live performances, screenings, a rhythm workshop, accompanying exhibition and more — happening from 5th to 28th September. Scope out the smorgasbord of events below, including special guests from throughout Aotearoa's open-eared community. Head along and salute From Scratch's unparalleled sonic achievements at the following dates...

625 Moons = 50 Years of From Scratch

Thursday 5th September – From Scratch Exhibition opening
5.30pm Audio Foundation - Featuring instruments, videos and memorabilia of From Scratch

Friday 13th September – ‘ELEMENTAL’ - GALA OPENING CONCERT
7.30pm - Kahui St. Davids, Khyber Pass
We launch the concert series with a special ‘Gala Opening’ at the stunning music venue Kahui St. Davids. Internationally renowned percussionist Justin De Hart performs works by Phil Dadson, Reuben De Lautour, Alvin Lucier & Liza Lim, plus members of From Scratch perform selected works from the F.S repertoire.

Saturday 14th September – FROM SCRATCH RHYTHM WORKSHOP
Auckland Old Folks Association Hall, Gundry St.

Sunday 15th September – HOTWIRED #1 - Visitors
7.30pm, Auckland Old Folks Association Hall, Gundry St.
A rolling schedule of surprise guest soloists accompanied by From Scratch

Wednesday 18th September – COLLABORATIONS
8.00pm, Audio Foundation
From Scratch performs in collaboration with The New Telepathics, Drew McMillan, Karl Sölve Steven, Eve De Castro Robinson, Eric Renick & Jeff Henderson

Saturday 21st September - RICHARD FRANCIS / PHIL DADSON DUO
4pm, Audio Foundation

Thursday 26th September - HOTWIRED #2 – Moving Image
8.00pm, Audio Foundation
Live musical improvisation to moving image works by invited film makers Gabriel White & Stephen Bain, Michael Saup & Matevz Kolenc (Germany/Slovenia), Richard Von Sturmer, Phil Dadson & Florian Habicht

Saturday 28th September - From Scratch Finale
8.00pm, Audio Foundation
New & old From Scratch works plus collaborations with invited guests.

Invited collaborators include: Justin de Hart, James McCarthy, Tim Sutton, Hermione Johnson, Neil Feather, Rosie Langabeer, Ben Holmes, Rachel Shearer, Drew McMillan, John Kim, Geoff Chapple, Rachel Thomas, Torben Tilly, Rosy Parlane, Richard Francis, Anita Clark, Jeff Henderson, John Radford, Kevin Kim, plus more to be announced

Season passes & Elemental opening concert tickets on sale HERE via UTR
Further information: www.audiofoundation.org.nz
Thanks to the Chartwell Collection Trust

Experience a film version of From Scratch's Pacific 3,2,1, Zero (Part 1), directed by Gregor Nicholas and featuring Don McGlashan, Wayne Laird and Phil Dadson — "a work of protest against nuclear testing and waste dumping in Oceania / Te Moana nui a Kiwa"...

Press release:

New Zealand’s iconic and ground breaking music and performance group From Scratch celebrates 50 years of astounding work with a month of celebrations produced by the Audio Foundation.

Formed in 1974 by Phil Dadson after inspiration from British composer Cornelius Cardew’s seminal Scratch Orchestra, From Scratch has created astonishingly original music and perfomance over five decades and continues to this day.

To mark the milestone and to celebrate in style, From Scratch presents a month of concerts, an exhibition and a workshop which feature a huge array of performers and collaborations, including spontaneous improvisations, live music to film, classic From Scratch compositions and new works by New Zealand composers.