Just the idea of being committed to anything for 10 years feels overwhelming enough for some folks. (I’m speaking hypothetically, of course.) But Christopher Alexander is not only up for the challenge, next Friday, March 30, he’s going to show his progress thus far with his latest show, en oceanus shreveporticus.
In case you’re scratching your head, here’s the backstory: For those familiar with Shreveport’s live music scene, Alexander aka Mr. Christopher, has been a fixture for more than 20 years and is known for his fun, folksy, acoustic performances. Well, in 2007, he decided to create an instrumental album in which he records a new song every New Year’s Eve for a decade so that, by 2017, he would have a complete DVD of songs and performances.
“It’s not traditional electronic music. It’s more folk-oriented. I used computers to generate the sounds, but I also play other folk music instruments like the Japanese Suzuki harp… It’s very different,” Mr. Christopher said.
During this period, Mr. Christopher also has been honing his video skills and that’s the inspiration behind his show, en oceanous shreveporticus, or “in the ocean of Shreveport.” The show is described as one that “integrates computer technology, live acoustical and electrical instrumentation and mind-expanding fantastical visuals.”
Mr. Christopher describes en oceanous shreveporticus as a music diary of his skills, one that he eventually hopes to take on the road. So, if you’re planning to check it out, you might want to be on time. “If you show up to this one late, you’re going to miss a lot, because I’m not going to do this one here again for quite some time,” he said.
Expect a big multimedia production, including two projections units that will display his videos on two screens. The videos will play opposite a floor-to-ceiling wall mirror, giving the illusion of three video screens. The videos will play as Mr. Christopher performs some of the songs from his project. Some of the videos are already available on Youtube. The show will also feature additional musicians and music by his deejay cousin, 5double0 of Dallas.
“When people see it, they don’t realize that I’ve been living and breathing this for a year. The video part of it is very extensive. The music that the video is being put to… Some of it is eight years old. So this has been a lot of work,” he said. “But it’s a labor of love and I’m glad to be doing it.”
This is for ages 21 and older. Admission is $5-$10 at the door.
Check out one of the videos from Mr. Christopher’s en oceanus shreveporticus here:
Photo note: The main image used in this post is handious fingerious by Mr. Christopher and has been used for purposes of promoting this event. If you own this image and would like it to be removed, please contact Donecia Pea at dpea@sbctb.org.
