On a clear Sydney evening on the first night of June, as part of AIM’s ongoing launch for its new campus in The Rocks, AIM hosted an exclusive industry event; the first in its ‘Handpicked’ series, welcoming over 100 music industry guests and students to a specially crafted installation of art, music and film that celebrates community and collaboration.
Curated for each activation by AIM’s industry friends, Handpicked curators are given the run of the campus to host a selection of their favourite emerging or unsigned musical talent. Part industry mixer, part unsigned showcase and part art installation, our opener was curated by Mark Poston’s inspirational Art Brut Management.
The night featured the Australian music premiere of the new long-form music video from Jonathon Zawada and Mark Pritchard in our auditorium (having replaced the chairs with beanbags to create just the right tone for this audio and visual stimulation) exploring “the sonic worlds” first encountered on Pritchard’s opus Under The Sun and The Four Worlds EP, as he again collaborated with acclaimed visual artist Jonathan Zawada whose artwork taps into a “dystopian intersection between electronic music and machine learning that’s somewhat explored on the record” in an incredible short film.
Sublime filmic atmospherics were followed – as the audience moved to our amphitheatre – by an incredible live electronic performance from The Deep Faith. Having played a hot-ticket sold-out Vivid event just days prior, TDF is in a purple patch also working with Genesis Owusu on the NFT and digital world for his new album and tour.
Their live set was bonkers-good. The experimental sounds and performance by collective Byron Spencer and Daniel Stricker ranged from hauntingly post-apocalyptic through high octane, underpinned by ambient vocals and pulsing beats delivered across live drums and keys, and completed with avatar video accompaniments and even a VR synth!
From there the night flowed up to AIM’s harbour-side rooftop where DJ Stereogamous spun up a mix of handbag house with live performances from the effervescent Jamaica Moana & Brendan Maclean on our rooftop, all unfolding to the backdrop of Vivid on the Opera House. Indeed, Stereogamous (Jonnie Seymour) came fresh from the role of musical director at AFW Fashion Week and knew exactly how to set a mood to match AIM’s halcyon surroundings.
All up, the night travelled across a special mix of art, film, and music and it was great to have so many leaders in the music industry lean in and for AIM students to have the opportunity to mingle with industry heavyweights.
Thanks to our awesome sponsors Curly Lewis, FELLR DRINKS, and Bonditony’s Burger Joint.
