Roth Mobot to Speak at s.t.e.a.m. Conference

The Upward Bound Math and Science Program, in collaboration and sponsorship from the Chicago Teachers’ Center and Northeastern Illinois University, are hosting the 1st annual s.t.e.a.m student conference Saturday, May 21st, 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM, at Northeastern University.

The s.t.e.a.m (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art/Agriculture/Architecture,Mathematics) student conference is for middle and high school students who attend schools in the greater Chicago land area to foster science, technology, engineering, art/agriculture and mathematics learning through project-based and career-oriented workshop sessions.

Patrick McCarthy, half of the circuit bent duo Roth Mobot, has been invited to speak at this year's conference. His lecture / hands-on demonstration will focus on the intuitive accessibility of  technology, focusing on reclaiming discarded electronics and converting them into unique audio and video instruments.

New Workshop Series at Chicago's ESS

Chicago's Experimental Sound Studio has enlisted Patrick McCarthy — one half of the circuit-bent duo Roth Mobot, to teach a series of five affordable workshops over the course of the summer. Whether you want to drop in once to learn how to construct a contact microphone, or if you’d rather immerse yourself in a comprehensive curriculum of soldering and hardware hacking, we invite you to tailor your experience by enrolling in any combination of these classes. 

TRANSISTOR Performance

Photo by Bob

Roth Mobot was asked to perform a few of their strategically improvised recursive jazz pieces at TRANSISTOR in Chicago as the opening act for Tim Kaiser's "Numbers Station Test Pressing Tour." A huge "thank you" to audience member, Bob, for recording the performance with his iPhone. The piece is broken up into three main sections.

Cedar Rapids Eco Arts Festival 2011

Photo by BG

Roth Mobot was invited to conduct one of their circuit bending workshops in Cedar Rapids for the annual Eco Arts Festival.

The festival centers around the theme of reclaiming and re-using materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill somewhere. We represented the "electronics" contingency.

We arrived at the Cherry Building (a warehouse-sized space undergoing a creative renaissance) and were guided by our hosts to a room full of electronic toys donated by Stuff Etc. - an excellent local resale shop.

After five hours we had taught a bunch of adults and children how to "bend" toys, and were interviewed by the local news station.

Roth Mobot on TV!

Crowdsourced 1.0 @ The Empty Bottle

Sunday, April 10, 2011, 7:00 - 10:00 PM
The Empty Bottle, 1035 N Western Ave., Chicago, $3

Photo by Scott Rettberg

To the unfamiliar, "crowdsourced" means that the content that is the most popular "rises to the top" via votes--as in, the crowd chooses what's the most relevant. Threadless is a good example: only the designs that are voted hottest actually make it to production.

Electronic music fans and supporters were asked to vote on a number of submissions from Chicago artists to determine the lineup for a night of entertainment at the Empty Bottle. Approximately 600 online-votes later, the results were in, and the top four acts were picked, and will perform in order of the number of votes received.

Crowdsourced 1.0 Lineup:
dreamlogicc 9:15pm
Protman 8:30pm
Roth Mobot 7:45pm
Polyfuse 7:00pm

Tim Kaiser & Roth Mobot, Live @ TRANSISTOR

Photo by Tom Young

Friday, April 22, 8 PM
TRANSISTOR
5045 N. Clark St., Chicago
$5 suggested donationBYOB

TRANSISTOR presents experimental circuit bent performers Tim Kaiser and Roth Mobot. According to Art Tape, "Tim Kaiser not only creates compelling musical soundscapes, but he does it all with instruments he has built -- truly hand-made music for the atmospheric aficionado." Says Kaiser, “My music is atmospheric; I’m not as concerned with melody or rhythm as I am with texture and feeling… …perhaps I’m creating a kind of folk music from the future.” (Source: Theatre Intangible interview with Tim Kaiser). More of Tim's work at www.TimKaiser.org.

Photo by Tom Young

Roth Mobot's Patrick McCarthy and Tommy Stephenson have been transforming music composition from an activity of composition and "correct duplication" to exploration and "sonic discovery" with their strategically improvised "recursive jazz" performed on home made experimental and circuit bent devices since 2005. More at www.RothMobot.com.