Boulder, CO
METTLE INSTITUTE PRESENTS; ITCHY-O's Söm-Sãptälahn
An immersive transcendental mind journey.
Itchy-O, Denver’s premiere primal-futurist percussive performance ensemble continues defying expectations with a brand-new brain-bending immersive experience. Known for their cathartic post-modern rites such as Hallowmass, the Intergalactic Masquerade, and their annual New Year’s extravaganzas, the band is breaking new ground in collaboration with the Fiske Planetarium. This new show is an epic exploration of the nature of reality, a mystical trip from the ground to the galaxy and beyond. Som Saptalahn blends ancient techniques with cutting-edge visual and sound art technology, utilizing pre-recorded musical elements optimized for the Fiske’s immersive 7:1 sound system. “We love pushing the limits of the possible,” the secretive ensemble’s spokesperson intimates from his Tokyo office. “This time we wanted to take full advantage of the unprecedented opportunity this special space provides.” The centerpiece of the event is the eponymous Som Saptalahn, a custom-built gong and metallophone percussion set based on a custom seven-tone scale, forged from six hundred pounds of locally reclaimed brass. Along with a partnership with Light Clinic, an artist driven, digital creative studio that specializes in therapeutic applications, this event blends seamlessly spectacular visuals with state-of-the-art surround sound technology. The show is designed to generate a mind-expanding experience beyond anything ever witnessed. If you crave a unique live entertainment offering on an epic scale, Sõm Säptälahn promises a transcendental experience.
Audience Role
Participants are invited on a journey that will open their senses and return them transformed.
Ages: All ages
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5
Events
3
Years on EI
About THEE ITCHY-O
Since 2009, this Colorado-based meta-mystical ensemble has been thrilling audiences across the U.S. and beyond. A battery of fourteen-plus power percussionists comprises the spine of the fifty-plus strong performance troupe whose orchestral arsenal of avant-instrumentation runs the gamut from guitars, gamelan, and synths to less conventional instruments including theremin and vocoders in concert with more experimental trance-inducing appurtenances. Itchy-O dismantles assumptions of traditional performance models to break down the barriers between audience and experience, administering a blast of ceremonial chaos; baptizing the audience—body, mind, and collective soul—in a spectacular, pan-sensorial sea of music, mystery, and transcendental spiritual spectacle. Itchy-O proudly served as a centerpiece at MONA’s world-renowned Dark MOFO fest in Tasmania in 2016 and is ecstatic to be invited back to perform, again in 2023. They have performed on stage with David Byrne & St. Vincent. JG Thirwell and Dan Deacon have opened for itchy-O and they have warmed up audiences for numerous legendary artists including DEVO, Beats Antique, Iggy Pop, Bad Religion, and Public Enemy. They have performed countless private engagements, including a legendary performance for Maynard Keenan’s Merkin Vineyards in 2019. Jello Biafra’s iconic underground record label, Alternative Tentacles has released three of their groundbreaking studio albums. Itchy-O is also committed to providing spontaneous free public performances in the spirit of upending the mundane and delivering mesmerizing art to the streets by providing impromptu musical encounters in non-traditional settings; delighting unsuspecting audiences with surprise ontological assaults on ordinary reality. www.itchyo.com