M E D C O M
L A S E R J A M
L E V K A S
2 0 2 3
in a mild summer's night at a forgotten place illuminated by a rising full moon we create signal culture
Sunday, June 4th 2023 from 9:30 pm
C O N C E P T
In a live audio-visual concert-like performance we play with a signal-reactive real-time installation. With the signals of the instruments we modulate the plein air laser projection on the radio antenna dish. Thereby exploring a direct, non-symbolic and synesthetic relationship between sound, colors, form and moving images. Through the intentional use of media technologies, which are obsolete to the general public, we create a critical musical and oscillographic dialogue with the historical legacy of seeing and hearing by technical means.
MEDCOM 2023 / "Part I"
04.06.2023
MP4 / 5 min. 16 sec. / 20.8 MiB
MEDCOM 2023 / "Part II"
04.06.2023
MP4 / 10 min. 30 sec. / 55.9 MiB
MEDCOM 2022 / "Angelic"
09.10.2022
MP4 / 38 sec. / 24.3 MiB
MEDCOM 2022 / "Flauto Rehearsal"
09.10.2022
MP4 / 1:21 min. / 39.3 MiB
E N S E M B L E
The musical instrumentation originates from a dynamic combination of classical fragments, blues schematics, jazz-rock, intelligent dance music, electronica and noise. The laser light figures oscillating to the sounds invite you to enter an audio-visual immersive state, to experience a combination of spontaneous music with light art in the unique live dimension of LASERJAM.
ULLI FLISZT
chaotic synth
"Laserjam is an audio-visual trip without the need of taking mushrooms." -Ulli
The keyboarder of the legendary Krautrock group Amon Düül II inspires with his new project as a synthesizer player. The abundance of knobs and plugs borders on infinity and allow the creation of a warm analogue musical charm, that sets the heart of die-hard electro-synthesis fans aflutter. A new combination of retro-analogue and future-digital creates a soundscape with a unique feature set. From Classical through Blues to Techno – his compositions know no limits.
NICK SAFE
hypnotic string
By sensitively handling the moment, with his guitars and effects, he creates sculptable laminar structures to fall into. But he also scatters sharp edges to grind and cut the space. While he's not massaging our souls acoustically, he plays with the groups Liquid Brain Orchestra and Hobbington and tours through Germany.
„When I first saw my music in real-time intertwined with the laser-light figurines it took the shoes of my feet. Unfortunately I am now an addict and a rehab clinic for laser patients is yet to be founded!" -Nick
VAGOS P.Y.R.
cosmic bang
The "angel from heaven" is the driving force behind the beats who leads us straight into nirvana with his trance-like rhythms. His focus is on progressive electronic dance music that immediately drives our muscles. He is like the big bang that set the world swinging – Powering Your Reality. He joined the project unwittingly, following his intuition. During a super full moon he visited the summit of his local mountain, where he stumbled upon a lonesome laser freak shooting light pulses at abandoned buildings. It immediately went bang and the MEDCOM Laserjam Lefkada was born.
YXN1CK
blender jockey
The line artist, who excels in three-dimensional experimentation, brings his figures and forms to life like a necromancer. The models and animations – inspired by austronautics – dance to the sounds of the instruments like alien beings of light. The seemingly tangible objects standing in space blur into a spectacular frenzy of sound and light. In these visual worlds, created especially for LASERJAM, he combines his love of music and the cosmos of the spatial.
IASON
hallucinogenic light
With a custom-build interface Iason regulates the extent to which all the signals from the musical instruments and synthesizers are intertwined with the control voltages of the show laser. With the possibilities of using acoustic signals as modulators, he has brought everyone together and forms the aorta of the project. The evolution from a fragile academic experiment to the current state of a prototypical real-time performance system has been a long road of trial and error, leading us into unimagined sensory worlds.
L O C A T I O N
The "486L Mediterranean Communications System" – shortly: MEDCOM – was a radio network of the United States Air Force / NATO. The communications system was spanning the Mediterranean from Spain via Italy and Greece to Turkey in the east. England and Germany were also part of the system. The signals were forwarded in both directions through relay stations (repeaters). It was commissioned in 1966 and in use until 1995. When satellite radio finally took over and the technology of so-called tropospheric scatter radio became obsolete, the operation of all bases had been completely stopped. When the soldiers were withdrawn at short notice, many of the relay stations were abandoned to their fate. All the everyday objects were left behind. Valuable items and objects were dismantled and taken away by "thieves". Only the 25-metre radio dishes remained for several years. But here, too, many municipalities have lent a hand and sawed them off to remove them. Only a few stations still have them. Among them – gladly – our base "14B LEVKAS" on the island of Lefkada.
At first sight it strikes the eye how perfectly suited the dishes are for laser projection – like a huge screen these linger almost vertically in the landscape. They serve us here as a projection surface for the modulated laser pulses. Concave and large, abandoned and mysterious, they combine the history of signalling with a unique setting of a natural amphitheatre. The hills around the base shield light and at around 900m above sea level no noise from the surroundings can penetrate this mystical place. Utter silence. It is indeed a perfect venue for a music and light show. Not to forget: During the performances the full moon will rise behind the radio dishes and provide us with enough light for a breathtaking atmosphere.
The structures do not officially hold the status of a monument, even though they certainly qualify based on their special techno-historical significance. During our evening performances, the properties are not accessible or walkable due to immission control and collapse hazards. Sightseeing is possible at your own risk during the day and may be combined with a day trip to the village of Eglouvi, located in the mountain valley below the base, eastside.
Further information on 486L MEDCOM can be found on Gerrit Padberg's website at:
DRIVE & PARK
HOW TO GET THERE
With a normal car, the easiest way to get there from Lefkada (town) is the road coming from north. That route has the least slope, goes for about 22 km and takes about 30 minutes:
- From Lefkada (town) take the main road to KARYA
- ENTERING THE VILLAGE KARYA TURN RIGHT into the asphalt road going uphill (sign: "Αεροπορική Βάση 9 ➤")
- FOLLOW THE STREET all the way uphill
- On the way do not take the turn to the radar station (radome) or to the barracks – access is strictly forbidden!
- Continue further UNTIL YOU REACH THE ABANDONED BASE
With a moto cross or a 4x4 vehicle you may also reach there via the beautiful village Eglouvi or the road coming from the south. These ways have steeper passages or narrow serpentines.
Address for Google Maps: "Former Radar Station of Lefkada"
Address for OpenStreetMaps / OSMAnd: "Ammokampos"
Coordinates: 38.73605° N, 20.64051° E
PARKING SITUATION
- There is no dedicated parking lot directly at the venue
- Please park at the side of the road and continue on foot
- Please carefeully leave enough space for rescue vehicles and normal traffic to pass
- Please do not turn on high beams while parking
L A S E R J A M is a performance of the visual arts and music, a full moon live music concert and laser-show
