Simplifying Counterculture
For my blog post I wanted to discuss the idea of weirdness and abnormality in the pieces we have seen and discussed so far in the class. Additionally, I wanted to discuss whether it was possible to engage in the counterculture without an element of shock and awe. That is, without an element to set yourself apart from the culture you are trying to counter, is it possible to enter into a new counterculture? The artist I wanted to focus on first was Steve Reich. With the layout of the class we first went to the Steve Reich concert before learning about the history of his music and the counterculture he paved in the 60s’ and 70s’. At the concert listening to his performance I found it very beautiful and pleasing to listen to. However I didn’t find it to be extraordinarily weird or abnormal such as some of the pieces we had learned about from the first week done by artists such as Bruce Conner.
Example of the awe factor seen in Bruce Conner’s work
Source: http://www.magnoliaeditions.com/artworks/bombhead/
The opening piece where a song was performed entirely of clapping was certainly unorthodox but I saw it more as an introduction to his musical and rhythmic talents rather than an overtly abnormal musical piece. From there the rest of the performance I enjoyed very much. The sound to me seemed very cinematic with its gradual buildup and descension. However once again nothing stood out to me as being overly “counter” in his music. Using a standard orchestra and percussion to perform his compositions. For me, without having a particularly keen sense of the complexities of musical composition if there were abnormalities of the sort that set him apart musically they were subtle enough that I did not have the ear to pick up on them. Which is why I was surprised to hear that during the lecture the next day that Steve Reich was a pioneer of counterculture in the Bay Area during the 60s’. Finding his niche in between academic composition and the rock and roll that consumed the concert scene at the time.
Choosing to make the decision to forge a new path of music in between two existing cultures is what made him a member of the counterculture, creating music in professional environments that allowed for electronic creation and recording but without the academic criticism. As the lecture continued the professor gave examples of the earlier music that Reich had created. These included just recordings of various passengers from the time he worked as a cab driver. To me this music was extremely surprising to hear compared to the music that I heard the night before. This music seemed to have the awe factor from abnormality that his performance did not. The professor continued with the lecture and gave examples of his musical progression. As he continued to make music to me it began to sound more “normal.” Seeing his progression as a counter culture artist it made me curious as to where and how counter culture artists choose their awe factor. Is it that weirdness and awe is a necessary part of breaking into the scene? Or is it a coincidental progression of this specific artist? Or can the awe factor in fact lay in the subtle complexities of certain compositions that my amatuer lens cannot appreciate yet? This was a question I knew I had to ponder as the semester went on.
As I entered Zellerbach hall I made my way up to the very top of the balcony to find my seat. I peered out to the hundreds of excited and anxious spectators to enjoy the performance of which the main act I had never heard of. Sitting completely removed from the stage on the top of the balcony made it an interesting experience. I felt disconnected from the performance, simply peering in rather that being a part of the show. Not only that, it made it so that observing the audience was as much a part of the show as the actual performance. However, despite the disconnect, I remained open minded to what the performance may entail.
The introduction by Alvin Ailey peaked my curiosity, the way he talked about the pieces seemed so concrete, as if they were common knowledge. As well, he described them in such specific terms, terms that I would not immediately think of when imagining a dance performance. The only dance performance I had seen previously was the University of Montana’s rendition of the Nutcracker, a very traditional performance in terms of dance. As soon as the curtain raised up I could immediately tell that this was going to be nothing I was used to. A triangular light shone with three mysterious figures, harsh and unpredictable in their movements, making their way to the center of the stage to a heavy drum beat. I was intrigued yet confused. I wanted so badly to decipher the exact meaning behind the movement and the performers, yet each progression seemed to be more unpredictable than the last. Unpredictability seemed to be the only theme I could truly grasp, a heavy drum quickly shifting to a lone woman singing falsetto and back. With the dancers matching the unpredictability of the music with equally inconsistent and intriguing movements. With no clear progression within the pieces and ambiguous symbols and movements such as the large wall in the middle of the stage, I found myself left with more questions than I started. The big one being the meaning of all of this, framed by it falling in the middle of our unit on black nationalism I struggled to find the connection between the two. Nonetheless, my confusion and curiosity made the show very enjoyable.
It was not until during the guest lecture the next day at BAMPFA that I started to put together the meaning a bit more. The lecturer, who had created everything from books and visual arts, to poems and opinion pieces in the New York Times. His lecture made me realize that it is not directly what you say but simply the stance you take by saying it. For example his poem on Paul Ryan was simple and concise. Yet the meaning of it is derived from him taking on one of the most powerful politicians in the country. Which is where the dancing comes into place. I think the power in terms of black nationalism from the performance comes from simply countering the typical concepts of a dance performance Ailey’s pieces prove meaning as a proper counterculture.
As I reflect on these thoughts from throughout the semester I am forced to sit back and contemplate how it relates to the specific course. Going to the University of California, attending UC Berkeley, to this day a hub of resistance and counterculture, I must ask myself if I have a better understanding of the counterculture than when I started. I believe the answer is yes. With both of these two performances as well as most of the pieces that we discussed this semester a the thing that unites them is innovation and change. When I first entered the class the term counterculture carried a connotation of societal impact, resistance, revolution. While these things may be true, I believe at the heart of any counter culture is simply doing something that had not been done before. There doesn’t necessarily have to be a hidden meaning or waves of societal impact. However, by being brave enough to go against the grain and attempt something that had not been attempted it counters the stagnant culture that we often find ourselves in. This counter culture I believe is the driving force behind mankind’s greatest innovations, by having the courage to do what nobody else has done you allow mankind to take one small step forward with you.
