For those of you attending or on the fence about attending an Autechre concert (tonight in Seattle or sometime the future), please look at this photo, read the photographer's comments, and then read my "How To" guide below:

In a staggering display of ego or -- or, perhaps, a woefully out-of-touch moment -- Autechre "performed" live and insisted that it be in complete and total darkness. Whether they were actually up there, twiddling knobs, flipping switches and pushing buttons we'll never know. Perhaps it was them. Perhaps it was an iPod. All I do know is that if I wanted to yawn uncontrollably and listen to music in the dark, I could have stayed home: I wouldn't have had to pay to get in, and the drinks are free. There was a fantastic split between the drugged-out hyped-up kids dancing like electrocuted chickens right next to people nodding off or just sitting on the floor, their faces a countenance of crushing boredom.

We walked out.

Did I actually take pictures at the supposed live performance of Autechre this past Saturday? Or did I simply whip up this "photo" in Photoshop? You'll never know, and you couldn't tell the difference anyway.

I feel for this guy because I was him for the past two shows I've seen them put on. I totally bad mouthed their live performances despite being a huge fan of their albums and had given up on ever seeing them live again.

I saw them perform this past Saturday in SF and have a totally new take on what they do.

This time around, I remembered a conversation with my good friend, Rich (aka Proem). Awhile back, I had asked him what his favorite electronic live performance was and of course he said Autechre. I said... "wow, I thought it was awful" and he said "no way, I thought it was great!" Knowing Rich, I didn't really need to ask why... the impenetrable nature of their show seems to fit well with his sensibilities (and his sense of humor).

I took Rich's mind set along with me this time and have crafted a set of tips that will help you get the most from the experience:

1. Don't use earplugs - If you do this, you will severely impede your ability to enjoy the music. Unlike other bands, I'd venture to say that most of what's interesting about Autechre's sound is in the mids and trebles. Using earplugs automatically takes out the good stuff and leaves you with an amorphous pile of bassy mush. (this applies to fancy earplugs as well)


2. Let go of your need to be visually stimulated - I'd venture to say that not having visuals at an Autechre show is a huge benefit. There is so much going on in auditorially that any visual approximation of it would be sure to cause a mental breakdown or a rift in the spacetime continuum. Your own internal visuals are the best for this kind of music.


3. STAND BACK - If the music venue you're going to is normally a rock/dance venue, they're going to be playing the music way too loud. There is absolutely no good reason to stand close to the front to see because there's nothing to see (refer back to the above photo). Thanks to that, you can move around the venue to find a "sweet spot" where you can comfortably listen to the music without earplugs. I chose an area over in the very back of Mezzanine by the sound board so I could still get the stereo effects and it was funny to see 3 others dudes who were there, presumably because they also knew "the rules."


4. Get comfortable - Listening to their music takes a lot of mental energy and can be slightly agitating. If you're already physically uncomfortable, feeling smushed by the crowd, already exhausted, etc... you wil not have fun. Find a place where you'll have room and make sure you've had enough sleep or gotten some caffeine in you.


5. Really LISTEN - This is the hardest part of the experience. Trying to focus on their music takes a meditative mind set... it's not like 4-4 techno where your unconscious mind can predict what's coming next. Almost every bar of music in their set is unlike the one preceding it... so it takes a great deal of concentration to even grasp what's coming at you. It's like trying to grab water, just when you think you've got it, it's changed its shape and falls out of your grasp.


6. Be entertained by the haters - Another benefit of standing back is that you can occasionally observe as people leave the show with looks of disgust, overwhelm, and disappointment. By the time Autechre's set was over, I'd estimate that a 1/3rd of the crowd had left. I'm not sure why, but apparently people still think Autechre 2008 sounds like Autechre 1993... or maybe their friend's told them "hey, come check out this cool techno band that Trent Reznor likes!" Whatever the reason, it is a sight to behold.


7. Feel free to move, but please, for the love of god, do not try to full-on dance - There are still ravers out there that think they can dance to this music (or maybe they're just high and don't know any better). There are certainly moments where a beat will form and you can get into the groove, but believe me, it won't last long. Maybe there is actually someone out there like David Elsewhere who can make this work, but I haven't seen it.

So, now you know what you're getting yourself into, hopefully you can sell your ticket or go into the show with the right mindset. Here's a video clip if you need further illustration...

Aside from a few rough spots where I made some of the mistakes listed above, I thought it was a great show. After making these adjustments, I really got lost in what they were doing and left with a total high. They've really managed to capture the sound of what I imagine the internet must sound like if it were an instrument and now I know what to do the next time I come across a show of this nature.

As for the "I can just listen to experimental music at home" argument... this is certainly true, but there is something about being in a large room, with other music nerds, and a huge sound system that just can't be recreated in my living room. Not to mention the "giving back to the artist" part of supporting touring acts so they get more money vs. the label... although, in this case, Warp is a good label to give money too.

Other thoughts:

The original reason I even got a ticket to this show was Rob Hall. He's probably my favorite DJ of the moment... I look forward to his mixes on the first of the month more than my paycheck.

He's especially on my favorite list after seeing him drop a total of 3 Boards of Canada songs into his live set... each placed expertly in the track progression with flawless mixing. It was hilarious to see the BoC fan boys shout in appreciation each time he did this, particularly I assume since it's the closest we'll ever get to an actual live BoC experience.

Definitely get to the venue early so you can hear his full set. Depending on how cool your club is with kicking people out after the headliner finishes, you may get a treat and hear him play some harder stuff after Autechre too... that is, if you've still stuck around :)