International Noise Conference Is Serious Business
By Sarah Cobarrubias in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 16, 2010 8:20PM
We attended the Chicago installment of the International Noise Conference at Mortville last night, unsure of what to expect. From our experience, noise shows have been hit or miss. They’re usually pretty exhausting - you sit through hours of drone and dissonance just to discover that one act that plays one three-minute song and completely blows you away. But it’s so worth it. And fortunately, INC has three simple yet important rules that cut the bullshit before it begins: No laptops. No Droning. No Mix boards.
From the outside, Mortville looks a little sketchy, nestled between an abandoned building and a deserted dirt lot littered with countless empty beer cans. But inside is an entirely different world - the third story loft-turned-venue is actually a huge indoor playground, built from found materials, complete with an oversized teeter-totter, swing set, sand box and - our childhood favorite - the merry-go-round.
Needless to say, we had a good time. Though, for much of the crowd the playground seemed to take precedence over the music, and often bands performed for tiny groups of listeners as others hogged the swings or mingled in the sand box. It’s no surprise the crowd lost interest at times; after all, there were 21 bands playing, each allotted a 15-minute set that added up to a show lasting over six hours. The lineup included mostly local experimental acts, like Piss Piss Piss Moan Moan Moan, Alex Barnett and Shattered Hymen. Chicago thrash band Disrobe managed to sneak their way onto the list and brought some much needed vigor, inciting a small mosh pit and boosting the energy for the rest of the night.
The night's big act was Laundry Room Squelchers, a Florida based noise band that creates music by way of playful spontaneity. They’ve got an insane energy and always look like they’re about to kick your ass. Too often we’ve seen noise acts that bury their heads in a heap of equipment, unaware that an audience even exists, but Squelchers engaged the crowd and even encouraged people to step up and try an instrument. Squelchers’ front man Frank Falestra (he goes by the name ‘Rat Bastard’) is the founder of INC, and it’s pretty clear this guy knows what he’s doing. The annual conference sounds like important business, but it actually strays from the serious and focuses more the on entertainment value of the genre, bringing together the most obscure, unusual noise acts for what one very drunk spectator called “a big old festival of fun.”