Londoners pay attention! Sky Ear 4th May 2004 awaits your dedication and subsequent awe!

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http://www.haque.co.uk/skyear/information.html

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And I quote:

Sky Ear will be a one-night event in which a glowing "cloud" of mobile phones and helium balloons is released into the air so that people can dial into the cloud and listen to the sounds of the sky.

The cloud will be made of one thousand large helium balloons each responding to the electromagnetic environment (created by distant storms, mobile phones, police and ambulance radios, television broadcasts, etc.) with coloured blue, red and yellow lights.

The balloons will be enclosed in a carbon fibre and net structure 25m in diameter tethered to the ground by 6 cables and held aloft at a height of 60m where it will remain for several hours. Using mobile phones people will be able to listen to the actual sounds up high, the electromagnetic sounds of the sky as well as streams of "whistlers" and "spherics" (atmospheric electromagnetic phenomena that are the audible equivalent of the Northern Lights).

Of course, the action of calling the cloud changes the electromagnetic environment inside and causes the balloons to vary in brightness, colour and intensity.

We are all so fucking going to this...

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Monday, 12 April 2004 09:40 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm sceptical you will be able to hear anything, but it sure looks pretty

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 12 April 2004 10:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Look at what I found in the presskit:

I had never even seen a shooting star before. 25 years of rotations, passes through comets' paths, and travel, and to my memory I had never witnessed burning debris scratch across the night sky.

Indeed.

― LC, Monday, 12 April 2004 10:41 (twenty-one years ago)

i saw a shooting star last year much to my delight

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 12 April 2004 11:05 (twenty-one years ago)

i saw shooting stars on BBC2 a few times.

haha.

but yeah this thing sounds pretty cool. haha although at first i thought it was a huge balloon with loads of mobile phones so people can all phone up and listen to the collective ringtone from afar! but this is better.

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 12 April 2004 12:04 (twenty-one years ago)

it sounds like it might be pretty.

best thing in the night sky I've seen is either Mir or Hale-Bopp.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 12 April 2004 14:32 (twenty-one years ago)

To be honest, I don't really know exactly what they're planning in real terms, but it looks pretty (and) exciting, and now I've nixxed my antipodean holiday around that time i'm obliged to finde something else to fill the resulting emptiness inside. Plus, haven't been to Greenwich in ages.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Monday, 12 April 2004 15:00 (twenty-one years ago)

This is just down the road from me! I am totally going to this. And then ~~you can all come back to mine for a gigantic party~~ we can all go to the pub and I can WALK HOME FROM A FAP!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 12 April 2004 16:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Cor. May the 4th be with us.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 08:11 (twenty-one years ago)

i saw two shooting stars last night, i wished on them, but they were only satelittes...

this sounds rather fun i must say :)

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 08:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Is it wrong to wish on space hardware?

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 08:20 (twenty-one years ago)

also will dom joly be turning up with his big phone?

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 08:22 (twenty-one years ago)

I pity the poor sod up there answering all the phones.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 08:25 (twenty-one years ago)

ooh yeah, that's a point, who answers the phones?

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 08:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Presmumably they're hacked to autoanswer.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 08:28 (twenty-one years ago)

that's a shame, i would love to see a guy in the balloon answering all the calls, esp. if it's filled with helium. i hear Joe Pasquale's available.

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 09:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Pasquale's voice after inhaling helium? my mind is boggling

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 09:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Dudes, you can see shooting stars any night of the year. Find somewhere without too mcuh light pollution and stare at a section of the sky. It might take a few minutes, but you'll see some.

(this all sounds A Bit Wanky to me, but what do I know)

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 09:19 (twenty-one years ago)

do you think helium has any effect on Pasquale's voice or do they cancel each other out? this thought will fascinate me for the next 7 minutes.

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 09:20 (twenty-one years ago)

"only dogs could hear it"

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 09:21 (twenty-one years ago)

It will make it higher. Possibly high enough that only BATS can hear it.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 09:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Hrmmmm. I wonder if HSA will...

1) go on and on about how any old FULE can listen to the atmospheric interference with his Special Listening Device (i.e. an AM radio hooked up to a big antenna) and rant and rave about how this possibly infringes his work, copyright, etc. etc. why didn't he think of this blah blah blah

2) ask to borrow my mobile to listen in

3) Possibly both

― Super-Kate (kate), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 10:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Are they going to have 'phones from different networks up there? If they have one that's on mine I can listen for ages for freeeeeeee.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 10:13 (twenty-one years ago)

This sounds ace. Mrs Giraffe and I will be there for sure. I'm only sad that I was beaten to the punch on the Billy Bragg lyric-athon.

― Japanese Giraffe (Japanese Giraffe), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 11:11 (twenty-one years ago)

oiii sore ah sheew-ting starr larst niight, mutch to myyy durliiiight

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 11:14 (twenty-one years ago)

for years i thought he was a Brummie

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 11:15 (twenty-one years ago)

i hope this isn't going to crash loads of planes. i mean ONE mobile phone is enough to make my stereo/walkman etc. go "beep beepbeep beep" periodically.

and on a plane you're not even supposed to use ANY electronic equipments, and suddenly a jumbo 747 flies near 294823 nokias stuck to a helium balloon!!

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 11:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Ha ha, HSA finally found out about this. They are not ripping him off, they are ripping off his mate Janneck (I still have no idea how to spell his name) but that sound art was done in Minnesota or somewhere.

I just knew it... there are no original ideas, ever...

― Super-Kate (kate), Friday, 23 April 2004 08:33 (twenty-one years ago)

i don't care if it's original, if it's a nice night out it sounds fun. woo! i like hearing about strange things outside of my routine. keep them coming...

― colette (a2lette), Friday, 23 April 2004 10:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I didn't say I wasn't going... HSA just has "issues" about copyright infringement, especially in experimental art... don't get him started!

― Super-Kate (kate), Friday, 23 April 2004 10:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Weeeell, unless yr idea has been widely publicised/patented, it's just this thing innit. There has to be evidence for something to be intellectual property.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Friday, 23 April 2004 10:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Evidence like an album released on a fairly well known label, and a grant to go do exactly that at an arts centre in Minnesota?

Anyway, the whole "intellectual property" thing is HSA's bugbear, not mine, so I'm backing away from this.

― Super-Kate (kate), Friday, 23 April 2004 10:51 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm sure this is just gonna feel like a really pretentious flashmob on the night...

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Friday, 23 April 2004 10:52 (twenty-one years ago)

That would be evidence. Will there be a lawsuit?

I completely understand it being a bugbear. What, making art, me?

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Friday, 23 April 2004 10:53 (twenty-one years ago)

These things rarely go to lawsuits. Fortunately, or unfortunately, I'm not exactly sure which... though artists often threaten to sue each other, it's kind of like a Display Ritual or something (i.e. HSA and $c@nner threatening to sue each other every year when the spring comes and the sap surges and the deer break out in antlers...)

― Super-Kate (kate), Friday, 23 April 2004 10:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Clearly a riverside FAP at the Trafalgar is the right and proper thing to do.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 23 April 2004 11:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Except your link is to a pub called the Admiral Hardy!

If we go to this, I'm sure we'll be in Blackheath either before or after so FAPing is U&K!

― Super-Kate (kate), Friday, 23 April 2004 11:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Erk, that's the Admiral Hardy, although that is also a decent boozer. I actually mean the Trafalgar.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 23 April 2004 11:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Not the Cutty Sark? (A bit quieter, and host to innumberable Sinister memories.)

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Friday, 23 April 2004 11:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Cutty Sark is a bit of a walk though and not an especially nice one at that.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 23 April 2004 11:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Besides, isn't the Cutty Sark closed for being electroysised or something at the moment? (Though HSA's mum got pissed there the other night, so maybe it's still biz as usual, despite the electrolysis.)

― Super-Kate (kate), Friday, 23 April 2004 11:48 (twenty-one years ago)

How does one electrolyse a pub? What does this mean? Was HSA's mum recording it?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 23 April 2004 11:49 (twenty-one years ago)

HSA's mum wouldn't be recording things, she is not a sound artist, she's an archeologist!

The electolyisation... (I don't know what the actual word is) is some process whereby they are treating the timbers of the ship in order to stop them from decaying and stop the ship from leaking. I saw a programme about it on Time Team.

― Super-Kate (kate), Friday, 23 April 2004 11:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Thankfully, we're talking about the pub about ten minutes down the road and not the ship itself.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 23 April 2004 12:06 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm very confused now. HSA's mum went to a dinner party on the actual Cutty Sark, so I just kind of assumed it was also used as a pub occasionally. I didn't know it was also the name of a different pub.

― Super-Kate (kate), Friday, 23 April 2004 12:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Revive as it's today innit.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 09:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Ack, buggeration - I was kind of assuming this was tomorrow. Damnit. I have to go and see my old housemate do his acoustic Tim Buckleyesque thing at Oliver's in Greenwich from about 8.30-9.00 but was planning to go home first. I might come along and join you guys anyway though.

But its pissing with rain.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 09:12 (twenty-one years ago)

having plans in greenwich when this is in greenwich sounds pretty handy really.

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 09:27 (twenty-one years ago)

esp if one lives in greenwich, also.

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 09:28 (twenty-one years ago)

ok, so i haven't heard from people if they'll turn up even if it's raining.

also, if it is raining, and people don't want to turn up:
1. is this something that is actually happening in the future? something in the tone of the website made me think this is the first of several nights to see this.
2. alternative plans? (perhaps matt's friend's band?)

― colette (a2lette), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 10:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 10 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Aw mang, can someone do my shift at Sainzbry's? I don't want to work tonight.

― alix (alix), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 11:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Colette - should be fine... the King's Arms is probably the best place to meet as it' right on King William Walk, the street leading up to the park gates/Maritime Museum - ie you have to walk past it to get there.

It's not the best pub in the area BUT its pleasant enough and near to where we want to be, and we'll only be there for half an hour or so. I say we meet there at 6.30 or at the park gates at just before 7.00, weather permitting.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 11:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Also getting the DLR takes ages - anyone coming from town is much better off getting the overground from Charing Cross or London Bridge - it only takes about 10mins from London Bridge on the overground as opposed to over half an hour from Bank on the DLR. But the DLR is probably better for East Londoners.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 12:00 (twenty-one years ago)

omg i just realise i have only bus pass - is it the 188 that goes to greenwich?

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 12:01 (twenty-one years ago)

(xpost but on DLR you get to sit at the front through that futuristic multimedia tunnel that makes you feel like you're on star trek!!)

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 12:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I heart the 188. It goes from HSA's door practically to HSA's mum's door. (YOu just have to walk through the park.) Except it takes freaking HOURS.

― Super-Kate (kate), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 12:06 (twenty-one years ago)

(I nearly typoed HORUS there, but I've never seen any Egyptian deities on it. That I know of.)

― Super-Kate (kate), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 12:06 (twenty-one years ago)

188 yep. Can't vouch for how long it might take you though, buses being of course notoriously rubbish. I'd just buy a train ticket, really - its the best way.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 12:06 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah thetube.com journey planner says it takes an hour an a half from euston! i might just fork out on a ticket then in that case..

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 12:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, you cheap lousy bum.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 12:13 (twenty-one years ago)

(Where are the Pinefox and StevieT and Steady Mike and Julio and Dave B and Tim Hopkins when you need them, eh?)

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 12:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Perhaps they have better things to do?

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 12:16 (twenty-one years ago)

though this hypothesis may be somewhat far-fetched.

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 12:39 (twenty-one years ago)

wow it's thundering outside now - i'm hoping tonight i'm going to be able to phone up the balloon and hear what a mobile phone being struck by lightning sounds like.

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 12:40 (twenty-one years ago)

this thread makes me want to take a nap.

are we actually going to be able to see anything if it stays this cloudy?

― colette (a2lette), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 12:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Dude, it is hailing in Sarf London. Those mobiles are never going to work in hail!

― Super-Kate (kate), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 12:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I think the very idea of them launching this thing in the midst of a thunderstorm is very, very silly.

Oh well, I'm going to the pub in Greenwich anyway, no skin off my nose either way.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 12:44 (twenty-one years ago)

(It's also looking more and more like I'm going to have to work late tonight so I'm not going to be going anywhere.)

― Super-Kate (kate), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 12:44 (twenty-one years ago)

i think it should be ok! the website says the balloons will only be 60m above ground so hopefully that's below the clouds and lightning might actually make it even better with all the electricness that's there!

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 12:45 (twenty-one years ago)

it's a shame that it's so cloudy because i'd like to see the lunar eclipse. i'll probably be standing outside/near a window from 9-10 so i can try to see it in case the clouds clear up.

i'll probably decide a little closer to the time whether to go all the way out there.

― colette (a2lette), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 12:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Hello!

Yes, in this weather (immense BOOM of thunder in W1 just now) I can't help thinking tonight's event takes on a worryingly dangerous hue.

The 188 was always a fair old slog but does drop you right at the gates of the NMM. Getting it in the other direction from North Greenwich tube is an option (there are other buses into Greenwich town centre from there but I can't remember what they are). NMM is equidistant from Maze Hill and Greenwich BR and very close to Cutty Sark DLR.

multi x-post

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 12:54 (twenty-one years ago)

IT'S SUNNY NOW!!

i'd completely forgotten about this...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 13:20 (twenty-one years ago)

WTF?! Bright blue sky out there now.

Come on people, its all rained out now... you know you want to.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 14:16 (twenty-one years ago)

it's gone all cloudy again, i'm not holding out much hope...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 14:20 (twenty-one years ago)

The BBC say it rain big.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 14:23 (twenty-one years ago)

woohoo that's the all clear we need.

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 14:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Right people, you have until 5.30pm to say whether you're coming or not. If no one is I'll head straight home and then go out to the gig at a more civilised time.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 14:25 (twenty-one years ago)

still haven't decided. if i do overground train, does it take me to just a general greenwich station, rather than the cutty sark? is that a long way away?

tempted to just have a nap tonight instead...

― colette (a2lette), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 14:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Overground train will take you to the same place as the DLR. Although the DLR will take you RIGHT to the Cutty Sark, the other station is only about five mins away.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 14:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, it's not actually raining now, although of course I can't vouch for a couple of hours' time. There's even brightness in the sky. However, I may just go and buy shoes. What do we think?

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 14:49 (twenty-one years ago)

buy shoes in greenwich.

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 14:50 (twenty-one years ago)

matt, i'm confused. don't you live near all this anyway?

i'm semi-leaning towards showing up at the pub at 6:30 or whatever, and have even printed out a map and stuff.

but if it is pouring when i leave, i'll probably skip it...

― colette (a2lette), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 14:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Ah what the hell, I could do with a pint. See you chaps in the pub.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 14:53 (twenty-one years ago)

i hope this pub has pool

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 14:54 (twenty-one years ago)

bah - was going to come but have dinner plans with my new toronto guest. if you folks go, enjoy!

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 14:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, well, looks like I'm working too late to make Greenwich in anything less than a mad rush. So, no go. At least it looks like it might be clear for the lunar eclipse.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 4 May 2004 15:47 (twenty-one years ago)

So what the heck happened with this? I was bad and went shoe-shopping instead, so call me a fickle woman.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Wednesday, 5 May 2004 09:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I was at work until 7 doing reports for the Americans, and I was in no fit mood to do anything except go home and watch Peter Pan - I fear even that was beyond my intellectual level at that point.

― Super-Kate (kate), Wednesday, 5 May 2004 09:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, if Matt DC's needlessly irate text was anything to go by, it was postponed due to lack of weather or something. I take no responsability for this, of course...

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 5 May 2004 09:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Ooooh, unhappy MDC. I didn't find any nice shoes though, so that's instant karma for you.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Wednesday, 5 May 2004 09:48 (twenty-one years ago)

I wasn't irate! I was amused more than anything - Greenwich was like a ghost town, I'm not used to seeing it without massive weekend crowds. Nah, it was okay for me... Ken and I sat in the pub for an hour or so and then I pissed off to the gig.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 5 May 2004 09:49 (twenty-one years ago)

if it was postponed due to weather, does that mean it's happening again?

― colette (a2lette), Wednesday, 5 May 2004 10:30 (twenty-one years ago)

only when there's enough!

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 5 May 2004 10:38 (twenty-one years ago)

So did I miss this or not? I spent most of last night weeping in SHEER AND UTTER PANIC and getting all swollen eyed so it's best I didn't venture out, I reckon.

(Liz, now you must talk of SHOE).

― Sarah in new job, Wednesday, 5 May 2004 12:33 (twenty-one years ago)

you missed it, but so did everyone else. according to matt, there was nothing to see. which he, interestingly, blamed on charlie.

how's the new job?

― colette (a2lette), Wednesday, 5 May 2004 13:15 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

SKY EAR

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 12:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Greenwich flight on September 15th! Rah!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 12:46 (twenty-one years ago)

What? Huh? What's going on?

― People love Gravity and Evolution! (kate), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 12:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, I see.

― People love Gravity and Evolution! (kate), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 12:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm holding out for sky mouth where thousands of balloons lift up electronically operated pipettes full of stuff like gravy or chocolate sauce and make tasty rain on the punters below.

― chris (chris), Wednesday, 23 June 2004 12:57 (twenty-one years ago)

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