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Showtime – Concerts go Visual

For some musical spectacles, you won't want to forget your own spectacles. Even classical performances are taking a visual cue from rock shows, and producer Moby has updated the old planetarium laser show for the digital age.

New York's Hayden planetarium is now home to SonicVision, a music & image show scored by star producer/DJ Moby, with animation directed by Chris Harvey. The 35-minute movie, which debuted in fall of 2003, is projected onto the 68-foot-tall dome while 23 speakers wash the audience from all directions.

Reviewers have had mixed feelings about this digital update of the psychedelic light shows of the late 1960s and the laser shows of the 1970s. The New York Times' John Rockwell finds it "mind-blowing," but misses the old communal spirit (dancing vs. sitting in uncomfortable chairs). He applauds the choice of largely abstract images, which doesn't overly constrain individual freedom of imagination, but believes that the visuals dominate the music.

Rockwell's colleague Jon Pareles overcame his vertigo (lots of illusions of motion) and enjoyed the show, a few "silly moments" aside. He noted Moby's aspirations to send a spiritual message but declared it "eye candy above all."

In WIRED magazine, Moby declared "I'm a geek who grew up obsessed with outer space... The only problem was, I wasn't bright enough to be a scientist." Nonetheless, SonicVision has turned him into a cosmic tour guide for the fans who attend the popular weekend night shows.

Visit Moby's official site

Read Jon Pareles' review at the New York Times or John Rockwell's review [fee required]

Visit the Hayden Planetarium

Read the WIRED article [w/pictures] and short feature

The New York Times also reported (Nov. 19, 2003) about the increasing use of projected visuals in classical settings, citing recent performances by the EOS Orchestra, Kronos Quartet, and Ensemble Sospeso.

Visit visual concertizers Eos Orchestra, the Kronos Quartet and Ensemble Sospeso

Read the New York Times article [fee required]