The electric guitar quartet Dither is currently planning our fifth annual Dither Extravaganza! – a raucous festival of creative music and art. The Extravaganza showcases a cross-section of New York’s diverse experimental music scene, including artists whose backgrounds span jazz, classical, metal, pop, electronica and the avant garde. Past extravaganzas have been dubbed an “official concert on the edge” (The New Yorker) and ”the here and now of New York’s postclassical music scene” (Time Out NY). The event has taken place at The Invisible Dog Art Center in Cobble Hill, and at The Gowanus Loft. It has been supported by The Brooklyn Arts Council and Sponsored by Brooklyn Brewery.

The Extravaganza is set up as an all-evening concert and gathering, with wildly contrasting musical acts throughout the night. The audience is allowed to come and go as they please, and to socialize and enjoy a beverage between acts. There are no fixed seating arrangements, though chairs are available for those who need them. We set the admission at the lowest possible price ($8 in previous years) and aim to create a welcoming and explorative atmosphere.

Dither appears in various formations  throughout the night, alongside a wide array of emerging and established performers. We seek artists who perform their own work, as well as ensembles who collaborate with composers. We are also interested in artists who build their own instruments, and compositions which use visual, theatrical, and conceptual elements.

Highlights from the first two extravaganzas include: Fred Frith’s Stick Figures, performed by two players upon six table-top guitars; Paula Matthusen’s Portable, a choreographed composition for home-made suitcase radios; Improvisers Ikue Mori (electronics) and Zeena Parkins (harp) performing as Phantom Orchard; So Percussion and Grey McMurray offering original compositions from their multimedia project where (we) live; Reknowned guitarist Marc Ribot performing his transcriptions of the music of John Cage; JACK quaret performing John Zorn’s twisted Necronomicon; TILT Brass performing Lois V. Vierk’s enthralling Jagged Mesa;  and a twenty piece Guitar Orchestra perfoming Phill Niblocks microtonal epic 2 Lips.

The next Dither Extravaganza will take place in Fall 2014, tentatively scheduled for October 4. The line-up will be announced in the Summer. Here is a complete list of past performers!

Blarvuster                                              Object Collection
Eric km Clark’s Deprivation Music               Phantom Orchard: Ikue Mori & Zeena Parkins
Anthony Coleman & Ashley Paul            Preshish Moments
Corey Dargel                                          Probosci: Gyan Riley & Timba Harris
Dither                                                    R We Who R We: Ted Hearne & Philip White
Peter Evans                                           Redhooker
Lesley Flanigan                                     Marc Ribot
Dan Friel                                               Elliott Sharp
Fred Frith’s Stick Figures                                Ches Smith & These Arches
Florent Ghys                                          So Percussion
Mary Halvorson & Jessica Pavone         Kathleen Supové & Nick Didkovsky
JACK Quartet                                         
Nathan Koci                                          TILT Brass
Loud Objects                                         Weasel Walter
Mantra Percussion                                Victoire
Paul Matthusen’s Portable                      Vomit Fist
Phill Niblock’s Two Lips