The Pyramid Club, in Taranaki Street continues a long Wellington tradition of venues catering for those with slightly off the radar musical tastes. ‘The Space’, in Newtown was an early example, followed by Jeff Henderson’s ‘Happy’ and, situated in an old church, was ‘The Frederick St. Sound & Light Exploration Society’, more commonly known as ‘Fred’s’.

Featuring artists exploring a wide musical spectrum encompassing sound art, avant-jazz, improv, noise, experimental electronica, free folk, post-rock and so forth into realms far removed from the limitations of genre constraints, and also offering a performance and gallery space, these venues have helped foster a community of fiercely creative artists and musicians, and continue to do so.

‘The Pyramid Club’ holds an annual festival of experimental music, usually taking place over a few days at various venues. The 2014 event – ‘Pyramid Power’ took place just a few weeks ago, in December, and featured around 30 acts performing over four nights to a rapt audience. Highlights abounded and, with no intention to tease, I can only say “you really had to be there”!

Fortunately, Jo Contag, guitarist for The Golden Awesome, was thoughtful enough to post a clip online of his festival performance as one half of ‘Crude Oil Paintings’, a project he created alongside the turntablist/electronic maestro of The All Seeing Hand, Alphabethead. The framing for this project being the samples Jo uses and the records that Alphabethead employs are exclusively sourced from the world of classical music. What results is an intoxicating journey into a strangely beautiful avant ambient world helped along by visuals from Erica Sklenars aka Lady Lazer Light……

Crude Oil Paintings – Debut performance at the Pyramid Club from Johannes Contag on Vimeo.