Visible Light at The Golden Hour: A Night of Music in Nature
Photo by Mara Glubka.
We had a magical time performing at The Golden Hour last night! A huge thank-you to everyone who joined us for an unforgettable evening. The weather was perfect, the turnout was wonderful, and it was heartwarming to share the woods with such a supportive community of friends, family, and new faces.
Being outside added another layer to the experience. The setting enhanced each performance, with the natural soundscape of rustling leaves, birdsong, and shifting light blending effortlessly with the music. Each artist brought their unique energy and voice, creating a seamless flow throughout the evening.
STØLACE opened the event at 7:00 PM, and I was particularly eager to see this performance. Having followed Michael Tangen’s work for a while, I was curious to witness it live. This was his first public performance in years, but you wouldn’t know it from how gracefully he carried the set.
Michael invited the audience to close their eyes and let go of the day’s worries. His sound journey unfolded with waves of evolving melody, dreamlike arcs of sound, and an elegant improvisational flow. As the light shifted, his music turned introspective, resolving with a simple yet profound sentiment: “Go slow.” The audience was visibly moved by this transportive performance—a perfect introduction to the evening.
FRIPP & BUDD followed with their beautifully strange sonic language, a decade-long collaboration between Casey Deming and John Marks. Their set was a mesmerizing mix of modular synthesis, field recordings, and tape manipulation.
Casey deftly navigated his array of tape machines while John coaxed angelic tones and distorted textures from an intricate setup of cables and synthesizers. The music was otherworldly yet grounded, resonating with the natural environment. As I lay back, watching the dappled light shift through the trees, the sounds of the wind, insects, and birds wove themselves into the music—a perfect, balanced harmony.
Then it was time for us! VISIBLE LIGHT, our new duo project, made its debut at this event. Performing under our new name, Amy and I were thrilled to present two new pieces for synthesizer, flute, and cello.
Our first piece, “Bloom to Bloom,” was inspired by the journey of pollen. I opened on the Moog Sub25 and Hulusi rosewood flute, while Amy introduced a rhythmic, plucked cello motif to anchor the meditative composition. The melody folded back on itself, inviting deeper exploration.
Our second piece, “Purple Prairie,” opened with a light shruti drone, layered with the sound of buzzing bees. The warmth of my flute supported a melodic cello line from Amy, while drones gradually shifted into harmonic overtones across octaves. The set concluded just as the sun began to dip below the horizon—an unforgettable ending to the evening.
The entire event was captured on video and audio, and candid photographs were taken throughout the night.
A special thank-you to John Marks for his stellar sound engineering, and to everyone who made The Golden Hour a truly memorable experience.
Stay Connected
Keep an eye out for video highlights from The Golden Hour—I’ll be sharing these soon on my socials!
🌟 Exciting News: Our debut EP, Bloom to Bloom, will be arriving early next year. Stay tuned for updates!
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Thank you for supporting live music and the creative process. Let’s keep the inspiration flowing.
– M.
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