WAR OF STRANGE

EPIC TOPIAS SONIC UNIVERSE

Presented by PBS 106.7FM, Beat Magazine and JOLT

NORIKO TADANO + JUSTINE ANDERSON + BOBBY SINGH + THE AMPLIFIED ELEPHANTS

with

STRANGE JAMES + THE BOLT ENSEMBLE

CAN YOU BE FREE OF FREEDOM?

Set in the near future, global nations fall into war. A lack of response to climate change has culled the global human population: the race for survival has hit full throttle. Our interdimensional alien friends have stepped in, assisting two remarkable humans who stand between the Destroyer of Worlds (Noriko Tadano) and liberation.

The action takes place on a battlefield and echoes ancient mythological tales – especially that of Krishna and Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita.

Inspired by the ridiculousness of military pageants, this production calls forth some of
the world’s great musicians and ensembles: Noriko Tadano (shamisen, vocalist); Bobby Singh (tabla); Justine Anderson (opera singer); The Amplified Elephants; and the BOLT Ensemble in an electrifying sonic tsunami, contemplating the true nature of humanity’s fatal attraction to the Epic Fail. And of course Strange James has a few things to say about that.

THE AMPLIFIED ELEPHANTS

Steven Hagiliassis

STEVEN HAGILIASSIS Sound Artist / Media Artist Steven Hagiliassis has been involved with JOLT for the last 6 months as part of the Sonic Adventurers Collective, but has been producing grand musical explorations for many years under his performance names,...

Teagan Connor

TEAGAN CONNOR voice / kaossillator / synthesisers / electronics / percussion author / visual artist Having joined The Amplified Elephants in 2013 and the Sonic Adventurers in 2023, Connor has rapidly developed her sonic talents locally and abroad. Connor’s work...

Jay Euesden

JAY EUESDEN synthesisers / electronics / percussion Along with Robyn McGrath and Kathryn Sutherland, Euesden is a founding member of The Amplified Elephants (2006-). Euesden’s practice is focused on minimalist sonic patterns, usually realising these ideas through...

Robyn McGrath

ROBYN MCGRATH synthesizers / electronics A founding member of The Amplified Elephants – a sound art ensemble – it was McGrath who originally thought of the name for the group. McGrath joined the Sonic Adventurers Collective in 2020. Sonically, McGrath primarily...

Daniel Munnery

DANIEL MUNNERY computer-based sound maker Joining The Amplified Elephants in 2012, Daniel has quickly developed an oeuvre as an electronic laptop-based sound artist. Mentored by JOLT director James Hullick and sound artist Steve Richards (aka Cleaning Lady), Daniel...

Kathryn Sutherland

KATHRYN SUTHERLAND voice / kaossillator / synthesisers / electronics / percussion A founding member of The Amplified Elephants (founded 2006), Kathryn explores the physicality of making creative sound. Kathryn is also a founding member of Sonic Adventurers...

Esther Tuddenham

ESTHER TUDDENHAM voice / synthesizers / electronic music / photography / poetry Esther is a sound artist, poet, photographer and intermedia creative mind. Esther explores human emotions and their utterance in her work. In 2021 Esther completed her book of...

Natalie Walters

NATALIE WALTERS sound artist Natalie Walters is an electronic music sound artist. Her practise is focused on computer-based creation, with a unique voice featuring luscious soundscapes and long-form ambient textures with pointillistic percussion. Walters released her...

STRANGE JAMES & THE BOLT ENSEMBLE

Akiko Nakayama

AKIKO NAKAYAMA visual artist Visual artist Akiko Nakayama creates installations, live performance and photographic works dealing with energy cycles, movement and colours. Employing a wide range of techniques, her unique approach to live painting results in melting...

James Hullick

JAMES HULLICK JOLT Director & CEO / Composer / Musician HULLICKSTUDIOS.COM James Hullick is an auditory creator like no other in Australia. Recently James’ artistic identity has been shifting from cutting-edge composer to that of an all out iconic...

Scarlet Bolcskey-Hullick

SCARLET BOLCSKEY-HULLICK sound artist / vocalist Scarlet Bolcskey-Hullick is daughter to James Hullick. She will debut alongside her sister, Astrid Bolcskey-Hullick, in the shows Le Scatterman and Strange Is The New Normal (as part of the video art content) and War of...

Stuart Fischer

STUART FISHER guitarist Stuart is a Melbourne-based ‘meta’ guitarist who is particularly concerned with performing new music on an ever widening range of plucked string instruments, including classical six and ten string guitar, electric and electric bass guitar,...

Ryan Monro

RYAN MONRO bassist Ryan Monro is an Australian bassist, known for playing with Australian ska/jazz band The Cat Empire. He has been bassist for The Cat Empire since its inception and also plays in jazz trio "The Genie", which includes fellow Cat Empire members, Ollie...

Hamish Upton

HAMISH UPTON percussionist Hamish Upton is a percussionist who thrives as a contemporary percussion collaborator and educator. He holds a Master of Music Research from Griffith University, where he used four case studies to explore the use of laptop-based sound...

Astrid Bolcskey-Hullick

ASTRID BOLCSKEY-HULLICK sound artist / vocalist Astrid Bolcskey-Hullick is daughter to James Hullick and has previously performed a theatre role in Disruptive Critters by the Duckworth Hullick Duo for Melbourne Music Week 2017 followed by a performance as Princess...

Peter Neville

PETER NEVILLE percussionist Peter Neville is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts and was appointed Head Of Percussion there in 2000. Whilst he works across the range of musical styles, he has a particular commitment to new music. As the percussionist of...

WAR OF STRANGE FEATURED ARTISTS

The Amplified Elephants

THE AMPLIFIED ELEPHANTS Sound Art Ensemble “they taught us all how to listen,” The Age Australia’s leading sound art ensemble featuring artists with neurodiversities. An award-winning surround sound music theatre performance (Best Avant Garde Work, Music Victoria...

Akiko Nakayama

Noriko Tadano

NORIKO TADANO shamisen / voice Noriko Tadano is an award-winning, virtuoso master of the Japanese shamisen (a 3-string, banjo-like instrument) and a traditional Japanese vocalist, who has performed all over the world. She has been playing shamisen since she was 6...

Scarlet Bolcskey-Hullick

Ryan Monro

Hamish Upton

Justine Anderson

JUSTINE ANDERSON singer Justine Anderson completed her Masters degree in voice at the Victorian College of the Arts in 2008 and completed a fellowship at Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) in 2015.She has had wide performance experience as both a soloist and...