What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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wearers. "But we'll be talking about improv and interpretation, being in the moment, and how do you recognize that that is happening and how do you sort of be fully prepared and ready to respond to music and sound in this way." A big part of it will be training the performers to be open to whatever situation presents itself — being ready for the opportunities. Since their bodies will be concealed by these objects, they'll talk about the meaning behind it and how to project while wearing them — how to move into states of transformation. Cave says he hasn't worked with these particular performers, or even worked with his Soundsuits in this capacity before. "For all of us, it's so new, different and experimental, that's the beauty (of it)," he says. There's a big difference between Cave's sculptural Soundsuits, such as the ones on display in museums, and the ones you'll see through the crowds at FORMAT, he says. These are a series of 10 foot raffia and hair Soundsuits. Each suit takes weeks to construct with the aid of multiple assistants. Part is worn directly on the body, while the rest is a support on the person's shoulders that extends four to five feet above that. That portion that is weighty and determines to an extent who can wear it, since the ability to cart it around safely is something to consider. The 14 Soundsuit wearers will at times be interacting individually, in small groups and in some cases, all 14 will perform together. At one point, they will interface with the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff marching band's drum line. Some Soundsuit wearers will be on stage, some will be on ground level, and they intend to pull the audience in and interact with them, making memories and staying rooted in the primalness of the moment, Cave says. He's made a group of raffia puffs, each about 36 inches in length on the surface, for them to throw back and forth to each other. It's based on the same "ideas of morphing, playfulness of being transformed," he says. The Soundsuits are made in a way that allows that level of activity. In making the suits and puffs, Cave thought about distance, how far the viewer can see the objects and the visceralness of the fibers and the volume it makes as it and the performers move and become bigger and larger. "I've never done this before, having a group of performers throwing (these) back and forth, creating a mass of color traveling through space," Cave says. "The body finds its way into it, and that moment becomes something other. You are going to have these moments that it appears to be one thing and then transforms into something else." THE WAR ON DRUGS You can't just be a rock band these days. Musical genres are like shapeshifters. Once you think you've got a style pegged, along comes another band that calls itself "shoegaze" or "ethereal rock," and there you are on Google trying to figure out how 15 different bands fall under the same category. Which brings us to The War on Drugs, who picked their name because it didn't lend itself to one genre or another. At first listen, TWOD is just a FAQ FORMAT Festival: 'For Music + Art + Technology' WHAT — A three-day festival of music and art featuring both international musi- cal acts such as Rüfüs Du Sol and Phoenix, national touring acts such as The War on Drugs, Thundercat and Khruangbin as well as local music from Serrano-Torres, Amos Cochran, Kayln Fay, Auralai and The Phlegms. Art installations from locals such as Kat Wilson and Athen Brandon will also happen alongside Soundsuits by Nick Cave, a mirrored hot air balloon by Doug Aitken, and DomeRX by artist and designer Darren Romanelli/ DRx. Vendors, camping and more will be available on site. WHEN — Sept. 23-25 WHERE — Sugar Creek Airstrip, 3100 Price Coffee Road, Bentonville COST — $125-$2,500 INFO — format-festival.com COVER STORY SEPTEMBER 18-24, 2022 WHAT'S UP! 9 See FORMAT Page 38 FYI Streaming If you missed out on grabbing tickets to some of your desired performances at FORMAT Festi- val, catch main stage perfor- mances at the Momentary, where video and audio will be streamed live on the Tower's exterior for free. Bring a chair or blanket, grab a drink and enjoy the music, staff members encourage. Streaming starts at dusk each day. Streaming schedule: Sept. 23 7-8 p.m. — Nile Rodger & Chic 9-10:15 p.m. — Phoenix Sept. 24 9-10:15 p.m. — The Flaming Lips Free, no registration required. — Source: The Momentary The War on Drugs will perform at 8 p.m. Sept. 23 on the South of Oz stage during FORMAT Festival. Also playing Friday are Nile Rodgers & Chic, The Marias, Phoenix, Gouranga Clan, Leftover Salmon and more. Local acts Serrano-Torres and Honey Collective will also perform on Friday. (Courtesy Photo/Shawn Brackbill)