INSTAGON #666

Instagon played it's 666th show this past weekend in Oakland,CA.   Oakland was determined the best place for a show of this magnitude of evil and so Oakland is where it happened...surprisingly, the venue IN Oakland was totally heavenly and nothing even remotely evil.  The LIFE CHANGING MINISTRY is probably our newest favorite place to play.  It is awesome there and we look forward to arranging many more shows in the future.. at least we hope so!!     Joining us for this show was LIVER CANCER, DELETIST, & NUX VOMICA(SF).   Vankmen was scheduled to play but was ill and not able to attend.  The Instagon session consisted of two parts, it was sort of a hybrid...starting with a Mixer Set.. and then evolving into a Live Band.. players for the Mixer portion were Lob, Alan Herrick (Nux Vomica), Sandy Sleeper (Demon Sleeper),  & Marc Schneider (Medicine Cabinet)..this was Sandy's first Instagon session.. and the first one that Marc had played in since April of 2008 when he was part of the "Scary City" session.  The live band players included Brandon Ameilo (Tao Tariki) on drums, Stephen A. Elliott on keyboards, Chad E. Williams on guitar (playing his 99th Instagon!), AND flying in from Philadelphia,PA JUST for this show.. Keith "Krash" Adams on Saxophone.  This was Keith's first Instagon show since Norcal Noisefest 2004!!

It was an amazing band, and from my personal point.. I wish we could have played longer.  The entire session , with both parts came in at around 45 mins..  The set was only a few songs.. and looks like it was right out of 2002. 

SET LIST:
Decent Into Thee Abyss>Invokation 666> Jazz for Satan, Space Walk, Thee Sickness, The Little Turtle

there is a dark video that was shot by Das of Big City Orchestra.  you can view there here:
http://vimeo.com/110115813

A 6 track ep is now posted at our bandcamp page and available for download.  A limited edition CD is planned and hopefully will be out before the end of the year.



A limited edition POSTER for this show was printed , numbered , and signed by Lob.  There are only 25 that were made.. and there are a few that remain available.   make contact if interested.

Instagon 666 STICKERS are also available .. see the bandcamp MERCH page..

Tshirts, bandanas, and other things can be found here on our spreadshirt pag

set lists/recap - October 2010 - Shows 548-551 Norcal Noisefest & more..

NFXIV logo

October was a fun month.. we had 4 shows lined up..all of them were pretty different.. and so it was gonna be a good time.. the month seemed to get away from me.. and so i neglected to get this blog updated.. but here I am now to do just that..  so.. October started with Instagon's annual appearance at Norcal Noisefest in Sacramento, CA.   Instagon has appeared at EVERY Norcal Noisefest.. this one was #14.  This year's Instagon set included  Lob playing with members of Fraud, Cast Iron Sinks, Smegma, (waning), Delayed Sleep, Dental Work, & also included hidden imported elements of Return of the Jedi.  The performance was to be a MIXER SET, one of a larger size than is normally done when Instagon does this sort of performance. We had a few quick technical problems..but they were just ignored and we were off.. the set was pretty awesome as far as noise sets go.. it was LOUD.. we were bombastic.. it was screaming with feedback.. and it was contained and creepy.. it was a pretty good noise set from instagon

INSTAGON #548
10-2-2010
Sol Collective, Sacramento, CA
NORCAL NOISFEST XIV


"Thee Return ov thee Loud Jedi's"

Instagon 548 was:
LOB
CHARLES ARDINGER
SEAN CAMPEAU
SUSAN HUNT
MATT KRETZMANN
PAT MABIE
JAY WATSON
DONKEY FLYBYE

photo by Yvette Lucas

Our next adventure in October happened the following weekend, when we played outside of a Log Cabin in Davis, CA and got to appear with a classic SF beat poet too!  It was the Annual Davis Jazz & Beat Festival..   Instagon appeared this year as a follow up to our debut appearance in this festival last year. This year we had a smaller ensemble, and we were asked to play some music behind the poetry of Beat poet David Meltzer.  Which was really cool and fun,  I we we had had a chance to chat. He arrived while we were playing, and he left while were were playing.. and I never had a chance to say give a proper hand shake and hello.
It was outside.. on ground.. no stage.. to a handful of awesome listeners.. (most of the Festival goers were at the OTHER stage across the street where Mike McClure and Ray Manzarek were playing.)  Instagon played about half an hour.. then David Meltzer joined us.. he finished and we closed with Echophobic.   This show had a new drummer that had not played with Instagon previously named Graham Roggli... we all had fun.. i did not force him to play Insta-gadda-da-vida.

INSTAGON #549
10-9-2010
DAVIS JAZZ & BEAT FESTIVAL 2010,
Log Cabin Stage, Davis,CA

Invokation>
The Flux,
Spider,
Log Cabin Jam  [improv, fresh riff]
Buzzkill,
Jazz for Satan> (no vocal)
Orgone Collector,
We Own This Corner,
poems with David Meltzer**>
Echophobic


** poems by David Meltzer

INSTAGON 549 was:

LOB - bass, CHAD E. WILLIAMS - guitar, JAROBA - sax
GRAHAM ROGGLI - drums, -- special guest: DAVID MELTZER - poems*

Photo by Yvette Lucas

On the following weekend we somehow were able to pull off one of the wonders of being Instagon.. and we appeared inside the center of the Downtown Plaza Westfield Mall.. outside, under the dome..in the middle of the afternoon.. with a full sound system on a nice stage.. it was very very wonderful.. this show was for the Sacramento News & Review's 3rd Saturday Art & Fashion show .  Unfortunately someone forgot to explain that to the Fashion part... and they were a no show at the end of the day.  but there was some great art.. I even bought some. .. and we were allowed to play 2 sets and enjoy our selves greatly..  at some point during out set the mall manager asked the sound man to turn us down, and he had to explain to them that this was OUR volume on stage.. not his.. we attempted to play at a decent level.. i guess we were still probably a little too loud for some people. In the first set Thruster was really really sweet.. and the Simpsons was also something pretty special and different this time around.  The 2nd set opening "Trip23" had some great stuff and Cosmic was also very much so.

INSTAGON 550
10-16-2010
Downtown Plaza, Sacramento, CA
SN&R 3rd Saturday Art & Fashion Show

1. Invokation>Red Planet Landing>My Little Red Planet, Orgone Collector,
   Deamon's Tube, Spider, Echophobic, Thruster, Simpsons
   (42:00)
   
2. Trip 23, Forward, The Little Turtle, Cosmic, Thela*,
   Jazz for Satan (backawards remix)
   (38:00)

*last time played 2-16-08 (84 shows), riff by King Crimson

LOB - lead bass, vocals, CHAD E WILLIAMS - guitar,
JOHN KEELING - guitar, JON BAFUS - drums

photo by Yvette Lucas

Our last show of the month happened during the middle of the week in the East Bay city of Albany.. at a monthly happening called the HOOTANANNY. .. it is something organized by Suki O'Kane of the bay area.. and its a conjunction of musicians learning how to play and lounge together.. and is one of the funnest and most special happenings I have gotten to play at so far.. the line up I assembled for this set was comprised of member of OTHER projects that were already appearing that night at the Hootenanny. which was renamed the Shakenannny in tribute to the 20 anniversary of the bay area quake that damaged the bridge and stuff.   Instagon was an amazing line up of really fun and special people.. this grouping was a one off happening.. and that it was captured and can be re-visited is simple bliss..  Thee Sickness was amazing.. just fucking amazing..

INSTAGON #551
10-20-2010
Kingman's Ivy Room, Albany, CA


Invokation>
The Flux,
The Sickness,
Orgone Collector,
Deamon's Tube,
Cosmic

Instagon #551 was:
LOB- lead bass,
MOE STAIANO - drums,
DARYL SHAWN - guitar and loops
LUCIO MENEGON - guitar /effects,
PHILLIP GREENLIEF - saxophone
JIM KRULL - saxophone,
WHEELCHAIR RICKY - vocals

photo by Chad E. Williams

THIS SESSION NOW AVAILABLE FOR FREE STREAMING AND DOWNLOAD
http://www.archive.org/details/instagon2010-10-20.flac16

courtesy of Michael Zelner

set list - session 543 - August 12, 2010 - Luggage Store Gallery, San Francisco,CA

INSTAGON 543

August 12, 2010
OUTSOUND SERIES

Luggage Store Gallery
San Francisco, CA

Once again.. another MIXER SET!!
This was our 5th time back to play in San Francisco for the OUTSOUND SERIES that happens weekly at the Luggage Store Gallery on Market St.  This series is produced by Rent Romus from Edgetone Records and he does a great job of bringing in amazing eclectic jazz and experimental music every single week, and has for years and years now.. He deserves applaud where ever he goes!!
This time we were paired up with a guitarist from Paris,France named Richard Bonnet.  A few week prior to the show Mr.Bonnet contacted me and ask if he could possibly borrow a guitar!  I told him it was not a problem, and we arranged to have a guitar there for him to play.  He brought his own effects pedals and did a very soothing, yet kinda lengthy set of solo guitar work.. the best part of his set was some things he was doing with harmonics and noise towards the end.. he did this  while also running a small Slinky across the strings (which eventually became tangled).

Instagon followed with a rather large grouping for the evening.. this was to be a 7 person mixer set.. it featured Mark Wilson of Conure, Amar Chaudhary from Reconnaissance Fly, Alan Herrick from Nux Vomica, Martin Irigoyen from Vernian Process, Blanahillary from Holy Sisters of GaGaDada, and SF friend and ally Lena Strayhorn!.. it was quite a group.. and we had a very wonderful time.. 

Everyone that came to play brought very interesting approaches to the Mixer Set.. for some it was their first Instagon experience.. for others it was their 2nd mixer set this year!.. and for Alan, it was his first Instagon appearance in 13 years!! 
As mentioned above this was a MIXER SET.. it was the longest Mixer set so far recorded..clocking in at around 35 minutes.  I had a lot of fun playing bass within this set.. 

i told the players we were going for a droney and creepy feeling with this performance and they came ready to bring it. One of the most interesting parts of the performance was the involvment from Blancahillary.. who brought a roll of aluminum foil to the gig, wrapped her self up in it as the show started.. and then clawed he way out and shared parts of the foil with the rest of the ensemble..it was something special for sure.

INSTAGON 543

August 12, 2010

Luggage Store Gallery, San Francisco,CA

(MIXER SET)

The Perplexity of a Shrinking Steering Wheel

LOB - bass guitar, effects & metal

MARK WILSON - electronics

AMAR CHAUDHARY - keyboard & cell  phone apps

ALAN HERRICK - laptop

LENA STRAYHORN - assorted acoustic items

MARTIN IRIGOYEN - guitar

BLANCAHILLARY - guitar,  & performance art

all photos by Yvette Lucas

original hand bill design by Lob

Set List - Session 542 - July 18, 2010 - The Hub Collective, Sacramento, CA

Instagon 542
July 18, 2010
The Hub Collective
Sacramento,CA

This show was something organized by Lob with the Norcal Noisefest Org. in preperation/promotions for the Norcal Noisefest happening in October. This is was the pre fest summer happening.  Instagon appeared first in the line up, so thanks to those that came out early.. the plan was the MIXER SET !..  this time around the players included Stefano Zeroli from INK ON SUIT, Chad E. Willams, and Ryan Tomasello from BLOOD INTO WATER, who drove up from San Jose area to play!

The plan was simple.. to keep it moody and droney.. and so we did.. it was an excellent configuration of the MIXER SET.. and a great warm up for the BIG mixer set we have planned for NFXIV in October.

The rest of the evening was just splendid.. it featured the return to performance of klowd from Sacramento... it was his first time out in over 2 years... and it was great to see him play live again..  also Lucio Menagon, now a resident of NYC was in the room and did a shredding set of solo antics on the guitar .. SMITE! mixed some 80's dance beat into audio goulash ...Peter J Woods brought BIG speakers and leveled high volume violin noise that was squeaky terror...INSURGENT THEATER left us stunned after an hour long 2 person play regarding the rape and torture of the people by the corporate empire...and in the end MUCKY THE DUCKY came to tear it up, and did not let anyone down, we who stayed know what we got to experience.. thanks guys!

INSTAGON  #542

July 18, 2010

The Hub Collective, Sacramento, CA

(mixer set)

"The Sickness ov Losing Friends Over Stupid Stuff On Facebook"
(30:00)

Instagon 542 was:
LOB (mixer contols/bass),
CHAD E. WILLIAMS (guitar),
STEFANO ZEROLI (synths)
RYAN TOMASELLO (laptop)

 

===================================================

all photos by Yvette Lucas

Set list - session 540 - June 25, 2010 -Terminal, Oakland, CA

Instagon #540
June 25, 2010
TERMINAL
Oakland, CA

this show marks that time of the year when Instagon begins to play NOSIE sets and gives some attention to that paradigm.. and this was the first show of that kind for 2010.. a great line up in a swell space with lots of history for great noise shows.  The plan was a 6 member Instagon MIXER set.. and that is just what happened.  It was one long flowing sound collage that was conducted by Lob via mixer.. and it was very nice and lo-fi driven.. droney and moody.. dark and playful..  that is the best description that can be given for this set   .. players included the one and only Dr. Oblivious, also Stefano Zeroli from INK ON SUIT,  returning offender Free Fargo.. and 2 of his band mates from the VERNIAN PROCESS.. Martin & Bryan.. it was a good time. 

INSTAGON #540
June 25, 2010

TERMINAL, Oakland, CA

" aboard thee early train to unknown locations "

performed by:

LOB, 

MARTIN IRIGOYEN 
BRIAN FIGEUROA,

FREE FARGO, 

STEFANO ZEROLI,

DR. OBLIVIOUS,