2010 - The Year In Review

2010 was a pretty good year for Roth Mobot.
Below is a list of some of the year's highlights.

None of it would be possible without your support.
From both of us - Thank you.

• We were well received in Paris
• Landed our first Chicago Elementary School gig
• Were called to audition for a program on the History channel
• Auditioned for America's Got Talent
• Conducted over seventy workshops and have added new advanced classes
• Doubled our weekly eSymposium membership
• Added to our mailing list
• Received new commissions for bent devices including Marco Benevento, and New York's School of Rock
• Mixed our first studio recording ("Stations" -- soon to be on iTunes, etc.)
• Quadrupled our followers on SoundCloud, YouTube, and Twitter
• Increased our number of live performances including our first EarthDay Virtual Concert
• Presented to a sold out crowd at TEDx Windy City
• Won the Best Presentation Award at google's ORD Camp 2010
• Were nominated for a Prix Ars Electronica Award in Austria
• Had our five year anniversary
• We were included in, and designed graphics for, a new "net label" compilation, Delete Function Vol. 1
• Conducted multiple lectures, including Columbia College and the Chicago Rotary Club
• Were involved in a University of Chicago Master's Thesis on Sociology (it received an 'A')
• We made tons of new friends
• Successfully increased the level of interactivity at the annual MEECAS
• And finally had some much-needed dental work done

LIVE at the ESS

Chicago's Experimental Sound Studio invited Roth Mobot to one of their fundraisers to demonstrate their approach to music composition on home made experimental electronic devices and circuit bent toys.

The evening began with a set by Dan Mohr on keyboards, looper, and vocals, and Adam Vida on drums. (google them, they have multiple sites each).

After Intermission, Tommy and Patrick rolled out a 20 minute improvisation on some of the themes used in Smile, SReach Out (Disconnect), and Hamburger Drive Thru.

Alex Inglizian recorded the set. He did a stunning job of capturing our sound. Nothing has been altered from the original recording.

New Workshops

Introduction to Circuit Bending
Sunday, Nov. 28, 1:00 - 4:50
The Old Town School of Folk Music
4544 N Lincoln Ave
Register at 773-728-6000

Take apart your old toys and make a brand new musical instrument! Circuit bending is the art of modifying existing battery-powered electronics (like children's toys, guitar effects units, inexpensive battery-powered instruments, etc.) to create unique musical instruments by adding wires, knobs, and switches to control new connections within the device's pre-existing circuitry. Enjoy bizarre sounds, electronic loops, sampling, distortion, and other easy to create effects. At the end of this workshop you'll be able to identify and explore the basic components of a typical circuit board, install an output jack, switches, body contacts (and more!), and control a world of new sounds. No previous electronics experience is required! Tools and components will be provided. Students are required to bring one or two battery powered devices to the class.

How to Build A Simple Contact Microphone
Sunday Dec. 5, 1:00 - 2:50
The Old Town School of Folk Music
4544 N Lincoln Ave
Register at 773-728-6000

Contact mics are inexpensive, easy to build, and can be a source for fun and experimental ways of creating new sounds for recording, art installations or various live performances. In just two hours we will show you how to make a simple, effective contact microphone from surplus and discarded materials. Students are encouraged to bring random objects to amplify - sheet metal, cardboard boxes, acoustic instruments, slinkies, coat hangers, textured plastic objects, etc.
No previous electronics experience is required!

Experimental Sound Studio Fundraiser

Sunday, November 21, 2010
3:00 - 6:00 PM

Roth Mobot has been asked to play a fundraiser for the ESS. It's an "invitation only" event. So, maybe you can call them and get an invitation.

We'll tweat the afterparty.

Patrick McCarthy to Address the Rotary Club

Patrick has been invited to speak at the Rotary Club's weekly luncheon. Patrick has been striving for years towards a teaching career that focuses on eliminating technophobia in his students via Circuit Bending workshops and performances. He will be giving a brief impromptu performance, a short lecture on the Acquired Technology Arts, and its use in preparing students for high tech careers.

MEECAS 2010

". . . for electronics junkies it's like being in a candy store."

- The Onion

Saturday, November 13 :
Lizard's Liquid Lounge, 3058 W Irving Park Rd. (map)
The 3rd annual Midwestern Experimental Electronics Conference and Showcase (MEECAS) is a free, day-long symposium highlighting the past year's accomplishments in the areas of Musical Instrument Design, Performance, Circuit Bending, Data Hacking, and Video Art.

CONFERENCE : Noon - 3:00 PM
The MEECAS begins with a three-hour circuit bent open mic, and an open “horizontal lecture series” structured around a free hardware hacking workshop wherein all participants are both teacher and student. The conversation will focus on networking, hacking techniques, project demonstrations, and setting goals for the next year.

DINNER - 3:00 PM
Order some carry out, and continue the conversation and networking into the evening.

SHOWCASE : 8:00 PM - Midnight
The MEECAS continues into the evening with live performances featuring:

• Tim Kaiser, Duluth, MN
• Roth Mobot, Chicago, IL
• Welcome Tomerica, Chicago, IL
• Alex Inglizian, Chicago, IL
• Will Soderberg, Chicago, IL
• CMKT4, DeKalb, IL

VIDEO : 8:00 PM - Midnight
In addition to the live video mix work of The Machinist, the evening portion of the MEECAS will include pieces from some of the Midwest's (and Europe's) premier Glitch artists, featuring:

• (steven) Buck, Chicago, IL
• Spright Light Theater, Minneapolis, MN
• Hugo Paquete, Portugal

INTERACTIVE INSTALLATIONS : 7:00 PM - 1:00 AM
The MEECAS audience is encouraged to explore interactive electronic installations created by:

• Michel Una, Chicago, IL - LIFE Synth
• Sam Piro, Evanston, IL - Circle Machine, Jr.
• Kim Alpert, Chicago, IL - Stolen
• Patrick McCarthy, Chicago, IL - Graphite Synth
• Telekinetica, Chicago, IL - Plasma Ball Boom Box

MEECAS STORE : 7:00 PM - 1:00 AM
Exhibiting and performing artists will be selling recorded works, experimental musical instruments, electronics kits, and apparel to offset the cost of the show.

CALL FOR DEAD BATTERIES
	Please bring your dead batteries to the MEECAS and we will send them to a proper eWaste recycling center.

MEECAS 2010 LIVE WEBCAST : 8:00 PM - Midnight CST

SPECIAL THANKS :

• Créme Dementia, MEECAS 2010 Video Documentation
• Tom Young, MEECAS 2010 Photo Documentation
• (steven) Buck, MEECAS 2010 Audio Documentation
• Patrick McCarthy & (steven) Buck, MEECAS 2010 Staging and Lighting
• Carl Broman, MEECAS 2010 Webcast Documentation
• Ruth & Johnny, MEECAS 2010 Bartenders
• Lizard's Liquid Lounge, the Room
• Cody's on Albany, for their Convenient Location
• You, the MEECAS 2010 Audience

New Devices - August 2010

Hybrid Hacked Vocaid Incantor

Both Tommy and Patrick contributed custom circuitry to this device. There are two loop switches and three glitch switches, as well as pitch control. Tommy finished the exterior.

Untitled Dark Keyboard

Presented with a found keyboard, we installed a classic clock bend with three pitch electrodes.