You know it makes Sensoria: Sheffield’s celebration of film, music and digital returns

Exposed’s resident film reviewer Mark Perkins previews the upcoming Sensoria Festival…

There’s something reassuring about the annual return of Sensoria to the roster of Sheffield festivals. Jo Wingate and her team have always curated some memorable events, despite all the difficulties inherent in organising festivals. Sensoria runs this year from September 30th to October 8th, and will be its 15th incarnation, as it celebrates film, music and digital arts. I’ll run through a few highlights as I see them, but be sure to check out online updates to the programme as the festival approaches.

As a preview, before the festival proper gets underway, the Fly Tower at the Abbeydale Picture House is staging a screening of Mija, a film about the difficulties faced by two Mexican girls trying to make it in the music industry. The venue has been having difficulties of its own recently with its roof, but the stage area, now dubbed the fly Tower, is a surprisingly flexible space, and I’ve seen several films there recently.

I’ve already had someone come up to me saying, ‘Are you going to this one?’ On Saturday 8th October, in the Drama Studio, ‘The Subharchord – The Future That Never Happened’ is being shown. The Subharchord was a very early music synthesiser, developed in the German Democratic Republic in around 1960, as the East Germans researched and developed making music from electronic sources. Some historians maintain that they were the first to record music made entirely electronically, but whatever the truth, this is the story of its rediscovery and reappraisal. Filmmaker Ina Pillat found one in Norway, where it has survived after being smuggled there. It consists of a keyboard, and the ability to generate and manipulate sounds, much as synthesisers do today, so this looks to be a fascinating slice of electronic music history.

Later the same evening, comes the world premiere of a truly unique performance: Quadros. No two performances of Quadros will ever be the same, as they will be influenced by random selections determined on the night. It’s an update of an event, staged by Tristram Cary in 1971, called Trios. He and two other musicians, with the help of an EMS VC3 synthesiser and two record decks, performed experimental music, shaped by the roll of a dice. In its updated Sensoria incarnation there will be four performers, playing eight analogue synths, over a randomly selected rhythm track, which is produced from specially pressed vinyl records. All this will be hosted by Dimitri, and live mixed by DJ Rosie.

At the start of the festival, South Street Kitchen will be hosting a night of music and food, to discover whether ‘sonic seasoning’ can enhance the taste of your meal. Over 6-courses of a tasting menu, specially selected sounds will hopefully enhance your eating experience. Diners will hopefully discover sounds, frequencies and dishes that were made for each other. Booking is essential for this one, as numbers will inevitably be limited.

Sensoria often puts on an exhibition, and this year’s will run from October 1st to the 8th in the Access Space at Event Central. It’s called Stroboscopic, an exhibition by Tracey Welch and Rich Westley. Admission is free, and it attempts to recreate the work of photographer Gjon Mili who pioneered the art of stroboscopic photography. He created astonishing images of the likes of Alfred Hitchcock, Ella Fitzgerald, Pablo Picasso, Billie Holliday and Lester Young. This inspired Sheffield drummer Rich Westley to invite photographer Tracey Welch to join him in exploring the stroboscopic process and to attempt to recreate those pictures using modern techniques. Also involved is Sheffield producer and musician Dean Honer, who has used a theremin to enhance the images and explore the relationship between musician and instrument. The exhibition will feature musicians from across the musical spectrum and their bonds with their instruments, each other and their audiences.

Now we all like a good t-shirt, but sometimes you might want yours to make a statement. Maximum Impact is a wearable art workshop, which aims to help you create exactly the impact you’re looking for. To make the event unique, a special font will be released on the day for use on your designs. Take your own shirt, or if you want, they’ll provide one, but booking will be essential.

Films are always at the heart of the Sensoria festival, and this year there are some essential movies you might well kick yourself if you miss.

‘Patti Smith – Electric Poet’ is an attempt to document the 50 year career and life of an enigmatic artist, who’s never compromised or given in to the norms of society.

‘The Computer Accent’ looks to be a fascinating film, documenting the story of the group Yacht, as they hand over the reins of the entire creative process to Artificial Intelligence.

‘Other, Like Me: The Oral History of Coum Transmissions and Throbbing Gristle’ is a film all about the artistic concept that is the industrial noise band, Throbbing Gristle. Coming out of Hull, they confronted all the social norms and taboos of the time, and were once called ‘the wreckers of civilisation’… by a Tory politician.

The major highlight of the film programme must be the chance to see ‘A Film About Studio Electrophonique’. If you read our Exposed Docfest round-up, you’ll know about this film. It received its world premiere there, and it tells the almost forgotten story of Ken Patten and his Handsworth council house studio. It was used by Sheffield bands over the years, all of them unknown at the time, to record demos and early pieces of music, before some of them went on to national and even international success. ABC, Human League, Clock DVA and Pulp all contribute to the film to ensure that memories of Ken and his pioneering work are not forgotten. The film will have a special live music event following the screening.

Two events familiar to regular Sensoria watchers will be back: the SensoriaPro Day and their annual link up with Synthfest. For Pro Day, industry professionals gather for a day of talks, events, discussions and general networking in the Showroom Cinema. Synthfest is now an established Sheffield event, and where better than here to celebrate, promote and exhibit the latest electronic wonders, alongside being able to marvel at some vintage pieces of kit.

Tickets, updates and late additions can be found on the Sensoria website, or head over to socials here.