SOAPBOX 2026 - Probiotic Machines

Description

pakt bern Probiotic drinks behave very similarly to experimental music. When consumed in a healthy amount, they produce a very positive effect on the body. Noel Schmidlin and Michael Cina are well aware of this and therefore propose a Kombucha-/KeGir-/other tasting of a different kind. The audience enters a darkened room. Equipped with standing tables and seating areas, it resembles a bar more than a concert venue. Suddenly, rattling and crunching sounds come from all corners. In the hustle, two performers can be seen creating a soundscape using various electric motors, parts of a drum set, a violin, and other small instruments, which is difficult to categorize. Acoustic, archaic sounds meet MIDI-controlled electric motors, meet seemingly random rhythms from swinging objects and motor arms. As a listener, it is hard to tell which sound is controlled by whom. Throughout the performance, attendees are invited to try various drinks. A wide selection of fermented delicacies is pumped through transparent tubes by small pump motors and served in glasses for the audience to enjoy tasting. Fermentation is a very old process to preserve food or influence its taste or nutrient content using fungal cultures. The fermentation of different types of tea by various fungal cultures results in an almost infinite range of flavors. The process requires patience and joy in experimentation. Depending on the fermentation duration, the taste can change significantly, and the addition of extra ingredients can have a strong impact on the drink. There is thus a definite connection to the creative process of a musician. Patience, experimentation, small adjustments, trying out new materials, etc. And sometimes one willingly gives up a bit of control to get an unexpected result afterward. Probiotic Machines is intended to be a multidimensional performance for mouth, ear, and eye. A Kombucha-/KeGir tasting accompanied by machine-controlled experimental music. https://pakt-bern.ch/event