Dear MV,

Zach Layton played at Experimental Intermedia last night. I think it was the first time I’ve seen him play solo. Have you?

Act One

First set was guitar. Three songs.

Zach’s first song: Power Chords with a Violin Bow.(Someone in the third row went and got tissue and distributed it for us to stuff our ears.)

Zach’s second song: Emo with a Loop Pedal. Zach finds his seat of wisdom and sings to us his feelings. (Where’s Lawrence? I wonder…)

Zach’s third song: Is he tuning? Or is this the song? He plays with the tuning keys, sliding. Oh… this isn’t the song.

Zach’s third song, take two: Feedback like Helicoptors (while he bows) Only the lull (while he plucks) Snap Crackle Pop Lullaby (he sends us off to sleep before intermission.)

Intermission!

(I’m remembering the GI Joe where they turn Duke into a slave with that mind control headband.)

 ACT TWO

Zach put on his magic headband, to help him transmit his brainwaves.

 “You’re in my mind, now!”

                                                   Wait! How is all of this lounge jazz coming out of Zach’s brain!?

There were several jazzy samples, presumably triggered by different brainwaves, sent to the four corners of the room.  Zack lifted up a dowsing rod and danced around it. Silent movie era physical comedy.

Can he really make drum rolls from that facial expression?!? |
| It looks like it. But I wish he would go further |
| How? |
| Do yoga? Make out? If he’s going to dance around, maybe he should like actually do ballet?

STOP

is that like when everything is stuck at the tip of your tongue? |

| I think it’s just when the transmitter fails… |

When he is completely rapt, he has the beatitude of a Borgia.

Zach moves around the room. Finishes with his dowsing rod and picks up a guitar. Plays us a tune. The lounge jazz of his mind never stops. Until he fades it out.

NOT THE END

“It’s always on,” Zach says, as he takes off his headband.
It’s always on… like eternal music.
“It never stops. It’s always on.”

So, that’s what Zach Layton is up to: broadcasting his brainwaves. And, what are you up to, MV? Are you playing at these LOXM shows this weekend?

love

Alexis