Phogg Masheeen and BiRdOrGaN

Phog masheeen is a sound art/video collective from Costa Mesa, California that focuses on using aerophones, idiophones and electronics for performance and sound design. Audio portions are accompanied by live mixed video. William Almas and Mark Soden Jr. constitute the phog masheeen core performers. Home-brew instruments, common objects and extended techniques involving dry ice are common features of phog masheeen performances. The works of phog masheeen have been presented at the Boise Creative and… Show more Improvised Music Festival, Boise ID; Sonic Circuits, Washington DC; Electro-Music, Philadelphia, PA; Santa Ana Noise Festival, Santa Ana CA; Norcal Noisefest, Sacramento, CA; Wonder Valley Experimental Festival III, Wonder Valley, CA; Spring Reverb, San Diego, CA: Outsound New Music Summit, Palm Springs Museum of Art, Palm Springs, CA, San Francisco, CA; 8 Bit noise art @ Leadway, Chicago, Il; Zoom 2, Torrance, CA; Jawbone Canyon IV, Mojave, CA, Dung Mummy VI, Apple Valley, CA and The Soundwalk, Long Beach, CA.

BiRdOrGaN, while we have the basic elements of any pop or rock band, is a group of sound artists utilizing a great array of audio and visual components to create immersive, ambient, and cacophonic melees. The sound ranges from Kraut rock and psychedelia to garage beats and blues. Audience comments have ranged from “you’re really in tune with what your instruments are capable of”, “I don’t know where to look, there’s just so much stuff going on”, to “upended all my expectations and altered my consciousness.”

Shenanigans include costumes, unconventional sound sources, and outright silliness. We do what we find entertaining.

BiRdOrGaN has shared its spotlight with audio and literal luminaries Greg Kowalski, Steve Norton, Walter Wright, and others.

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