Loud, Fun, and Colorful
Arts in Context dives deep into the Octopus Project
By Fernie Martinez, 3:20PM, Wed. Jul. 30, 2014
The Octopus Project's aesthetic has always been difficult to quantify. Experimental-electro-indie-pop-with-visual-flair is probably accurate, though the band’s founder Josh Lambert states it best, “When people don’t know our band, I usually say we’re loud, fun, and colorful.”
The band has been a fan favorite in Austin for years. Their eagerness to experiment in all things sight-and-sound makes their live performances a spectacle to behold. Onstage, the group’s music is often accompanied by trippy projected imagery. Lambert and his bandmate Toto Miranda have a background in filmmaking and animation and include their visual work as part of the overall experience.
As the focal point of the style-conscious four-piece, Yvonne Lambert helps contribute to the band’s overall sensory explosion with her mastery of all things electric. Though her musical arsenal includes samplers and keyboards, she is best known for her command of the theremin. Her ability to extract the eerie sounds of the instrument’s electronic vibrato is truly captivating.
Filmmaker Mario Troncoso captures some of the band's essence in “Let Me Tell You About the Octopus Project,” the latest episode of Troncoso's award-winning Arts in Context series for KLRU.
“Let Me Tell You About the Octopus Project” provides a behind-the-scenes look at the band and highlights the amalgamation of interests that the individual members of the band bring together. The film includes footage from the band’s SXSW showcase for the album Hexadecagon where the band orchestrated a multi-media performance of music and live-generated visuals. Troncoso also follows the band off-stage where their creative output continues to flow. From personalized CD packaging to cut-out zoetropes to View-Master disks, the band’s creativity for the physical delivery of their work remains unrivaled. Interviews with frequent collaborators and Austin stalwarts Wiley Wiggins and the Zellner Brothers round out the documentary.
“Let Me Tell You About the Octopus Project” premieres Thursday, July 31st at 7:30pm on KLRU.
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Monica Riese, April 24, 2013
Jan. 8, 2015
Oct. 31, 2014
Octopus Project, Mario Troncoso, Arts in Context, KLRU, Josh Lambert, Yvonne Lambert, Toto Miranda, Wiley Wiggins, Zellner Brothers
