Saturday, 6/15
1-4pm
Sliding Scale: $60-100
*includes free entry to evening Gig (https://withfriends.co/event/20181851/coaxial_fundraiser_crayons_to_perfume_mattie_barber_ian_wellman_travis_johns)

For the first time in Los Angeles, the entities comprising the general creative catchall moniker of VauxFlores are happy to offer an extra special DIY electronics fundraising workshop to benefit the good folks at Coaxial Arts. Of course, considering this is the first time thing is happening in Los Angeles, most reading this are probably all “what’s a Vaux Flores?” so a quick intro may be in order. So hi, my
name is Travis and for the past decade or more I’ve been designing various flavors of experimental audio electronics – however, not being one to subscribe to the usual forms of capitalism, I prefer to share said designs through DIY workshops and the like in hopes that by doing so, the whole world of sound machines becomes somewhat more
approachable and who knows, maybe a couple folks will take this thing and run with it, ideally leading to a new generations of builders and whatnot. Or one can hope. To date, I’ve managed to lead a fair amount of workshops in such places as NY, San Francisco, Reykjavik, London and DC, among other places but as mentioned, this will be my first time doing this in LA. Still intrigued? Read on.

For this session, we’ll be building a little tabletop device called the CascaMesa. It’s probably best described as some sort of drum-and-drama machine that’s capable of experimental sounds, drones, jagged melodies and depending on the input, maybe even a funky beat or
two. Of course, such devices are fairly common in DIY circles, so this is how this one stands out – unlike others, this beast is passive. Well, sort of. It still requires various electrical inputs to function but is designed to only need a small trickle of voltage to do its thing – so no power supply – just an input or three to make things chirp. Even better, it doesn’t have to be much – so if you’re all about off-grid hydroelectric jams, this this is your ticket. Not to say that you can’t also just hook it up to your sequencer of slew
generator or whatever, but hey, you have options. For those who prefer a video of devices to help convince them to sign up, here’s one for your consideration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE5ap7MEjaE

https://vauxflores.com/electronics/
https://www.instagram.com/vauxflores/

Bio: VauxFlores is an audio electronics company that specializes in the design and manufacture of unique guitar effects and other unusual sound-makers. Inspired by a long-time fascination with analog electronics, as well as a good minute spent in the trenches of experimental music, we strive to create devices that tip the hat to the unheralded relics of the past – foregoing the main-stage recreations and instead focusing on the sounds of the underground – whether it be garage rock, tropicalia, space music, swamp blues, harsh-noise, field hollers, non-idiomatic western free-improvisation… well you get the drift. We’re not looking for the brown, green or blue sound, or the perfect approximation of a particular player’s aesthetics, and have absolutely no desire to produce a compelling clone of the commonplace. What we are after, is offering a decent selection of tools for unconventional musicians in search of something just far enough off the beaten path to be sonically interesting, yet still functionally useful – high-quality, yet rugged; complex, but still just a little raunchy at heart – all lovingly hand-built somewhere slightly outside of Ithaca, NY. Curious? Intrigued? Confused by what VauxFlores even means in the first place? Drop us a line and say hello. Regardless, it’s a pleasure to meet you.

*This workshop is limited to 10 seats. Sliding scale $60-$100, and includes free entry to the evening performances.
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Mask wearing is highly recommended indoors. N/95, KN/95, surgical masks suggested and provided.