NEWS: Coastal Explorations: Ex-Easter Island Head @ Playhouse Whitley Bay

Benjamin Duvall and his Ex-Easter Island Head outfit have been making intriguing, immersive, experimental music for over a decade now, often basing their performances and releases on using guitars as percussion instruments (expanding to the monumental-sounding 12 piece for their Large Electric Ensemble, for instance). On Wednesday 13^th July they arrive in Whitley Bay for one of their most intriguing projects yet. In conjunction with Hands Of – a charity that fosters creative access for kids – they’ll be presenting a new piece called Coastal Explorations.

The band have worked alongside children from three local schools (Norham, Marden and John Spence) who have created their own Aeolian (wind-played) instruments while investigating the geography and environment of the North East coast. The band have also worked with local GCSE music students to create a sonic journey from Holy Island to Newcastle city centre using brass, piano, guitar and percussion in a ten-piece ensemble. This ensemble will come together with the Aeolian flutes, harps and chimes and field recordings at Playhouse Whitley Bay for an evocative and experimental performance embracing location, experimentation and composition. As well as the Coastal Explorations premiere, there will be short sets from the music students and from Ex-Easter Island Head themselves.

Coastal Explorations is performed at Playhouse Whitley Bay on Wednesday 13^th July.