<MASS>

Hey everyone. It's been a while, I know.

I'll spare you the apologetics (but still give a heartfelt thanks for still reading this, if you are): seems like everyone just finding how to hang in by skin of their teeth, and (aside from having this here thing), i'm no different. i actually wrote a couple posts after the last one, but couldn't seem to finish them out.

What the fuck do you say? It's all far, far too much. Pick your poison. To take in, to explain, to even attempt to make sense of. There's precious little sense to be found.

I'm still in that spot, to some extent. Only this time, i seem to have an answer:

nothing, that's what you say.

On purpose and with everything you got.

Not forever. Just for a few hours.

It's called <MASS>. It's going to happen once a month here in Minneapolis, and the first one happens JULY 18 (7-9:30 pm) hosted by the very cool crew at MOTH ODDITIES (13 5th st NE) who have a really wonderful basement space).

It's free to attend (and volunteer/ donation based: nobody's making $, here, TRUST ME): the "price of admission" is that you 1) try not to talk 2) shut off your phone and 3) don't screw it up for the people around you.

Different set of sound makers/ musicians collaborating each time, trying to hold something together (collaboratively, in real time) for a couple hours.

No one needs more practice losing their minds these days. Or more and better opportunities to improve at panicking (thanks internet), or feeling helpless and alone in the face of it all.

It's something I've been thinking about/ cooking up for (far too many, really) years now, mostly due to my attendance/ involvement in Minneapolis' annual Drone Not Drone event (more about that below*), and what happens there. Community, collaboration, sound, constructing a (temporary) place that's a respite and a place to (however temporarily) detox from this civilizational level shit show. That happens at Drone Not Drones, but just once a year and for 28 hours. Not a place to ignore it or pretend its not happening (there's plenty of places for that, and most of them are bullshit), or for someone or thing to convince you of the how or why and provide you with answers. You can't escape it, but you need to figure out a way to deal with it: it's all too clear that and constant panic (however justified)...isn't the answer.

I need what more of what happens in that 28 hours. And i'm 100% certain other people do, as well (whether they know it or not). Once a month, once a week, whatever. Show up, shut up, turn off. Not by yourself, but with other people. In the same physical space, in real life. Try to calm down (because calming down is really fucking difficult). There needs to be a place for that, and a place to practice that AND NOTHING ELSE.

And sound is a great tool to get there. Always has been. It's pretty difficult to describe with words; you just have to do it. There's something way more universal that occurs when there's no....words, and it has nothing to do with any particular genre or style of sound making– drone, sound bath, ambient, noise, metal, afrobeat, EDM, pop, etc etc. I truly, truly do not give a shit about any of that, or what anyone cares to call it. I care about what happens, and how to try to get there, for anyone and everyone that wants to give it a shot.

But I can't think of a single person who couldn't benefit from practicing being quiet and listening to what's going on around you (in real life), getting off your phone, and sitting with other folks who have the same objective in mind. Like an AA meeting for...where we're all at. Calm down. Get your shit together, just for a while. Then get back to it (but maybe a little better).

28 hours is an incredibly heavy lift, both in setting it up and committing to attending. <MASS> is; can we get that in a shorter period of time, and more regularly?

Probably will announce who the musicians/ sound folks are at some point, but really trying to establish going there for THE THING, rather than who specifically is making it happen. Also it'll be different every month. The bus has no driver, but these are the general marching orders:

There will (before long) be a site where it's documented (see? No reason to pull out your phone, WE GOT YOU COVERED) and with other info (and some of these cool prints for sale, among other stuff to help raise $ to keep it going), and i'll share that when we got it. Won't be the same as being there (obviously a central tenet here is ACTUAL PEOPLE gathering IN REAL LIFE), but maybe you can get a sense of what it is and how it works, while we figure it out.

We've got a grip of pretty amazing artists on board for these. Some you might know, some you likely don't (on purpose). It's not a show and they are not performing: everyone is here for the same thing, and everyones a participant in making it happen.

I am going to resist writing too much about this right now (And believe me: I could and I have done exactly that: there will be a place to read and see some of it, sooner than later). There will be more about it soon, and more to say and share.

I am well aware of the unfortunate irony of having to let people know about this via social media, but regardless we're on Instagram if you follow such things:

@mass.sound

My awesome pals Meghan and Matt are invaluably helping rope this into shape, as are the group of sound making folks that have signed on (for this first one and the next couple).

But if you're here in Minneapolis– maybe mark your calendar for July 18, in the awesome basement of (the equally awesome folks at) MOTH ODDITIES and set aside a few hours.

Thanks, all. Hang in there.

--zak

*Hopefully this is unspoken, but if not, i'm speaking it: <MASS> is deeply inspired by and (hopefully) an extension of the awesomeness of Drone Not Drones, and the amazing ongoing efforts, care and dedication of Luke (who started it) and Alex/ IOSIS (the powerhouse that keeps the ship moving). I love those guys, and Drone Not Drones, and hope to keep participating and being a part of it forever.

<MASS> is in no way competition or contrary to that event, or what happens there. It's just a different (but related, like family) iteration, a different channel for the same frequency.

I mean, i'd feel like a real fucking asshole if it WAS exactly the same.