Kathalijne Van Zutphen blogs about a unique journey in music, imagery and silence with a musical collective called Tonik...
I'm in a dark place with just two tiny spotlights and no sound whatsoever. When my eyes have adjusted to my new surroundings I see two guys sitting up front, about 40 people in the middle and a girl and her computer in the back. On the wall up front there's a flow of images alternating between graphic design, film, photography and typography. Strangely enough everyone around me is wearing headphones, so when somebody hands me a wireless set as well things quickly start making sense.
The band performing tonight is
Tonik and the venue is ceramics studio
The Forge in Kalk Bay.
Tonik is the product of a musical friendship between
Ronan Skillen and Jann Krynauw. Originally Jann and Ronan got together simply to jam and have fun but quite quickly the music they were making started turning into songs telling different stories, and the idea of making an album was soon born. Tonik released its first album
‘Visitor’s Book’ in 2008 which won the SAMA ‘Best Instrumental Album’ award that same year.
Jann plays the keyboards and samples different sounds real-time, while Ronan handles the rhythm section playing the tabla, percussion and didgeridoo. He is also the MC for the evening, welcoming everybody, explaining what instruments he's playing and introducing the songs.
Tonik are known for their silent gigs in unconventional places. In fact, Tonik played their first official gig in a forest in Noordhoek, Western Cape early this year. This particular forest is where they wrote a large number of their tracks and is really the place where Tonik was conceived.
I ask Jann why they choose to play silent gigs and he explains:
“Listening to music in an isolated space is always a transporting experience. Details and frequencies that are often lost in conventional set ups can be more easily experienced at close range. And by introducing headphones for each individual audience member with personal volume control it provides a detailed and very personal atmosphere. However, because of the very ‘live’ environment and highly detailed microphone transmission, one is actually more part of the whole event than ever before. People are literally in control of their own sound. ‘’
I suppose that the music let's itself best be described as a film score to a movie that doesn't exist - or maybe it does because the music and the visuals go so perfectly together. Marcii weaves her tapestry real time responding to what the band is playing and to me her awesome visuals really add a lot of depth to the performance - they almost act as the words to the music. Because you are wearing headphones you are pulled into the music while the visuals in turn take you out of your own head and on a journey layed out by Tonik.
This combination of being in your own space while traveling through someone else's landscape is a wonderful experience.
As for
performing in unconventional places, Tonik has played in a
boxing ring, on the
roof of a 7-storey building, at a beach, inside a reservoir and on
sidecar motorcycles to name a few of their unusual performance locations. They even ask people on their
website to recommend places. According to Ronan, the environment does play a part in their performance which may be why this evening is especially laid back, intimate yet open and welcoming.
To describe a gig as welcoming may be a bit odd but that is what it feels like to me. I feel welcome in this space and welcome to join these three artists on their journey and can highly recommend checking them out soon.
For more information about Tonik and their silent gigs:
About Kathalijne
All images: Kathalijne van Zutphen. All rights reserved.
Kathalijne is a freelance photographer from Holland, currently based in Cape Town. She is available for photoshoots in the Western Cape (and further afield by arrangement). She specialises in shooting musicians and bands, and in portraiture.