VJs are a core element in today’s music shows.
Wherever you will go to a show, you will see an assortment of screens with visuals on it. Unfortunately, the importance of the VJ is usually under appreciated.
For certain they yield big power: they can enhance or destroy a performance. Many times I have remained in awe gasping at a screen on a music show, and many times I wanted to yell “turn off the fucking screen”… Having being a “full time VJ” (that means, this being my main and only means of income) for about 8 years, and having curated many a VJ events and exhibitions in that time, I am pretty certain of what makes or break a good one and some times believe me, for the sake of conserving the good name of live visualists, it would be best to shut the screen off :P
The task is a complex one. In my view, the VJ is a bit of a “Swiss Army Knife” in the electronic music business. He or she has to have a grasp of visual aesthetics, obvious dominance of the video field (be it live motion video or animation), a bit of layout/design skills, music sense or, better, more advanced music knowledge and last, but not least, notions of scenography and stage setup, as well as all the tech know-how that makes each of these possible. They usually have to provide, as well, all the gear that makes their set possible, with no such thing as a “house backline” for VJs existing in many places (sometimes, venues will not even have a projector). It makes you think a lot each time you think that shoving images on-screen is an easy task.
I’ll cut the babble short now and present you with our first nominee in the Live Visuals Award. Hailing from Philly in the United States, he is a very regular VJ at the monthly Pulsewave events at NYC, as well as other events around the area and abroad. Frequent workshop lecturer and fine 6502 coder, please welcome him:
NO CARRIER
[Philadelphia, USA]
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/LQ1PBTsJ4lw" width="425" height="344" allowfullscreen="true" fvars="fs=1" /]Cow'p + No Carrier @ Blip Festival 2008
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/wY3kyAPn6u4" width="425" height="344" allowfullscreen="true" fvars="fs=1" /]
Wait… you used to VJ? How about starting up again and helping us out!
Oh… and…GO DON!
DOH! Just realized that AKIRA wrote this, not Peter! Yes, I KNOW you VJ and hope you do more shows as a VJ – we need more!
and… GO DON!
Used to?
Well, I VJed last year at Blipfest… Don’t you remember?
I used to be a FULL TIME VJ, but I don’t do that anymore.
To be honest, at this moment, I am tired of VJing. I did it since 2002. I am focusing on the audiovisual aspect of 8GB now which is more satisfying.
haha… “used to” because i thought it was peter writing this! once i realized it was YOU that comment made no sense. actually most of my comments make no sense – feel free to delete them except for … GO DON! haha.
oh… one more thing… GO 8GB!
Haha Paris you are MAXIMUM.
all respect to every participant, but for me, cow’p and no carrier was the best of the festival :)
WOOO GO DON!!!