GMO: Gabriola Microsynth Orchestra (30 min)

For Festival Passes ($40) click here.

GMO - The Gabriola Microsynth Orchestra was formed in 2018, as a collaboration between Alex Varty, Dinah Dee, Andreas Kahre and Trevor Gear— four seasoned performers with a soft spot for the intimate sonic world of embodied electronics; noise generators, crackle boxes, samplers and synthesizers controlled by human gestures, bananas and other edible objects.

Renowned not only for its sonic ardour, but for the visual splendour of its stage apparell created by Gabriola artist Heather Cameron, the orchestra specializes in creating a caleidoscopic array of sonic textures, and rhythms. GMO first performed in public as the musical feature act of the 2019 Poetry Gabriola ORBITS festival, in a collaboration with the iconic Canadian poet bill bissett (please see the enclosed brief video excerpt).

Individually, the members of GMO are accomplished musicians, improvisers, performers and sonic curators, with experiences ranging from composing for contemporary Gamelan to leading Canada’s premier children’s entertainers the Kerplunks, from free jazz drumming and a highly accomplished level of clowning and physical performance to roadhouse gigs with the Animal Slaves.

In the past year, GMO has appeared at the Roxy on Gabriola and has collaborated with noted Canadian sound artist Ben Rogalsky, while continuing to develop its repertoire and stage craft. Gabriolan to the core, GMO is also fiercely transnational in its commitment to build on more than a hundred years of electronic music, and while the whole orchestra fits on a single table (under normal circumstances), its sonic range can only be described as boundless.

Kind Of Performance:

GMO is difficult to classify. Is it spontaneous composition inspired by the likes of Brian Eno, Lamonte Young and contemporary Noise Art? Is it a delicate explorations of the exquisite lyricism of pre-digital ambiences? Is it bald-faced sonic anarchy? As out motto states, GMO is definitely on the spectrum.

How do Couch Fest concerts work?

Artists receive 100% of profits and donations from Couch Fest!

Once you buy your individual tickets or festival pass, you'll receive an email confirmation, with the links to the livestream(s).

Couch Fest will happen on Zoom videoconferencing. Each concert happens in a different "room", so you'll use different links for each show.

We want to create that intimate concert vibe that Gabriolans know and love from live events. A concert host will be on-hand to introduce the musicians and host a short post-show with the performers.

We encourage you to make an event of it! Put a blanket out on the lawn, connect some good speakers, order takeout from one of great Gabriola restaurants, and serve up some special drinks.

We also ask you to not share the links with others who haven't bought a ticket.

Why Couch Fest?

Couch Fest is an initiative of the Gabriola Chamber of Commerce, supported by Gabriola Songs, to help support artists who have lost work due to COVID-19. We recognize how important performers are to our island culture and economy.