Adventures in Modern Music

The Wire, one of Britain’s few forward-thinking and challenging music publications, frequently curates live events in support of the artists it features. This week brings its sixth annual Adventures in Modern Music festival to the Empty Bottle; stretching over five noise-filled days, the fest pools a fairly disparate collection of acts from across the globe.

The festivities begin Wednesday 10 with a performance by the extraordinary Japanese free-form improviser Keiji Haino; his bold tackling of the guitar reveals expansive, ferocious soundscapes that areoften reminiscent of the wilder moments of Sonny Sharrock and most likely will leave listeners either baffled or amazed. Preceding Haino’s set, the not-to-be-missed San Francisco quartet Tussle offers a tight, vibrant weave of genre-transcending sounds that fuse electronic, Krautrock and minimal techno influences into a propulsive, cohesive whole.

Following former Geraldine Fibbers singer Carla Bozulich’s excellent, cathartic new project Evangelista, Black Moth Super Rainbow headlines September 11 with lighthearted, robotic psychedelia. On September 12, L.A. tongue twister Busdriver throws some inventive, eccentric hip-hop into the mix and undoubtedly will be of interest to those who enjoy the wacky tomfoolery of anticon affiliates Doseone and Boom Bip.

On the poppier end of the spectrum, the September 13 bill presents the U.S. premiere of Japan’s Shugo Tokumaru and his beautiful music-box bossa-folk confections. John Olson (Wolf Eyes) and wife Tovah O’Rourke (Wooden Wand) manipulate tapes at blistering volumes as Dead Machines. Wrapping things up are acts such as Finnish folk trio Lau Nau and hip-hop producer Steve Ellison’s impressive solo venture Flying Lotus, a smart new addition to the Warp Records roster. Ellison’s turntable tricks are a grand illustration of the adventurous approach to music that this festival promotes.