Procedure Redux

I went to Local 16, a very cool lounge with a Mediterreanean menu (which I'm dying to try some time), last night to hear the audio stylings of "technicians" Richard Chartier, Mark Williams and Kyle Storm, collectively known as Procedure. As I mentioned in yesterday's post, they describe their sounds as:

Lost and forgotten music, low brow tunes, electronic ambiance, dark covers, b-sides, bloopy unusual-ness, general pretty noise, blatant obviousness, avant garde obscurities, bubblegum oddities, punky this and that, unintentional hits and very intentional misses...and other seemingly unrelated genre crossing nonchalantly sequenced.

I'm not sure their PR does the experience justice. Many of the sounds I heard were quite interesting; the combination of musics at various tempi and timbres to be thought-provoking; and the effect of the low acoustical sound wave forms to be soothing. But it felt very background to me. It was not an evening of music to be heard, but to be drunk to. (btw, the drinks I had were very good). Our technicians provided a very nice background environment for the intermittent conversations my friend and I shared. There were moments when I did pick up on what they were sculpting, as I think it is sometimes known. My friend, Tyler, a very sophisticated listener of alternative popular and rock genres, pointed out to me throughout the evening several musicians and DJs that I should also hear. (Note to Tyler: send a list, as I can't remember many of them now).

I think it is quite a talent to find the right blend of various types of music (controlled by Procedure's Macintosh computer). Perhaps it was the setup at Local 16, or maybe it was the nature of the experience, but I noticed that I have a hard time paying attention to music when there's not a live act playing or I'm in a studio concentrating (with or without headphones). Perhaps I just don't get the point of the experience--I know that many DJs and remix artists craft their own sonic compositions through the experience, but is it the totality of the evening set that is the point, or should we just chill and get into the mood and drink our martinis and veg? Maybe I just have too much German blood in me (along with classical training) to not look at what the music is about. I had a good time, and I thought the DJs provided a eclectic and hypnotic soundscape, in a minimalist type of way. Tuesday's audio event along with the good company left me quite happy for the Metro ride back.

Procedure gives their set lists on their website here. I want to explore more of this music, but more in an environment where the music is more of the point. Or did I just miss it? ;-)