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Kakadu’s Aboriginal owners recognise a season in April after the wet and before the dry called Banggerreng or Knock em Down Storm Season. Plants are fruiting and animals are caring for their young when the knock em down winds arrive and flatten the spear grass. As the knock em downs retreat, the dragonflies appear, signalling the beginning of the dry season.
Knock-em-down Sound System explores how Darwin’s unique climate and culture and has shaped community music through a series of public workshops teaching DIY Speaker Building and DJ Tools and Techniques, live performances, interviews, and a VR experience with an innovative vibrotactile floor to enhance immersion and create a shared virtual environment.
First steps in October 2023 involve consultation with the Darwin Sound System community, the Darwin City Council, Bagot Community, creative and technical collaborators to inform the design of the public workshops culminating in an open access performance.
Subsequent activities in April/May involve performances and interviews with contemporary, emerging, and elder musicians, technicians, DJ’s and sound system operators will be filmed to produce a documentary hosted on the SST website https://sonic-street-technologies.com/
Knock-em-down Sound System is funded by the European Research Council through Goldsmiths University, London, and the University of Sydney
Tentative schedule
· October 12-20th I will consult with the community stakeholders, the Darwin City Council, Bagot Community, creative and technical collaborators to inform the design of the public workshops.
· April 5-15th 2024 the team will deliver the workshops and performances across the two weekends.
Meet the team.
Dr Andrew Belletty is a researcher, sound designer and artist who grew up in Darwin and as a founding member of both The Swamp Jockeys and Yothu Yindi shares a long history with the Darwin music and arts community. As project lead for the Knock-em-down Sound System, Belletty aims to activate community by designing maker spaces and sound system events which are responsive to Darwin’s unique people, climate and environment.
· Charly Templar, DJ and workshop facilitator.
· Speargrass Hi-Fi , Ward, and Clarence’s Jamaican inspired Sound System.
· Colin Simpson, musician, and sound engineer.
· Stuart Kellaway, Yothu Yindi founding member,King Stingray Manager.
· James Mangohig, Musician and Producer.
· Todd Williams, Artist, Musician, Producer and Director
Community support
· Charles Darwin University
· Bagot Community
· Happy Yess
Andrew Belletty 