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Book Extract

Cathi Unsworth: Dirty Old Town

December 2009

Read an exclusive extract from The Not Knowing (Serpent's Tail 2005), Cathi Unsworth's debut novel, in which she evokes Gallon Drunk's Camden as referred to in her Epiphany

The Mire

Into The Vortex on Resonance FM

Edited highlights of The Wire 's Into The Vortex festival will be broadcast on Resonance FM between 10pm-1am GMT on 3 January 2010. The festival took place last October at East London's Vortex venue and featured live sets by Richard Youngs & Heather Leigh, Astral Social Club, Alexander Tucker, Alasdair Roberts & Gordon Ferries, Thomas Ankersmit, Broadcast, The Caretaker, The One Ensemble and The Band Of Holy Joy.

The Mire

Netmage

Bologna's Netmage festival has posted various film clips online of works by artists appearing at this year's event, including Cluster & Canedicoda , Carlos Casas , Rachida Ziani & Dewi de Vree and André Goncalves . They are worth a look, if yr interested in tracking current trends in AV culture, electronic arts, gallery films, etc.

The Mire

The Wire Review

Subtitled The Most Powerful Review Of The Most Powerful Magazine In Experimental Music , The Wire Review blog doesn't quite do what it says on the tin. Thankfully, what it does do is much funnier and more entertaining than that. We feel unable to comment further, other than noting that we are, of course, flattered once again by such close attention, and urging you to check it out...

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Black Metal Theory

A 6 hour Black Metal theory symposium, called "Hideous Gnosis: A gathering dedicated to the mutual blackening of metal and theory", happened 12 December in Brooklyn. Ben Ratliff, who wrote a Primer article on Tropicalia for us – recently reprinted in The Wire Primers book (Verso) – has this summary in New York Times. Meanwhile, Dominic Fox's Cold World, The Aesthetics Of Dejection and The Politics Of Militant Dysphoria, examining, among other things the music of Burzum and Xasthur, has just been released on Zero Books. Burzum's first new release in 11 years will be released in March 2010, called Belus. Varg "The Count" Vikernes, the group's leader, was released from Norwegian jail this summer after serving 16 years for murder. He now lives in rural Telemark, Norway.

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Sensational cover party (NYC)

Attention New York City crew. To celebrate Sensational's appearance on the cover of The Wire 310, the Wordsound people and Sens himself are throwing a bash in NYC tonight. Expect music, drinks and a bite to eat. Here's the details: Please join us as we celebrate Sensational’s December Wire Cover with drinks and hors d’ oeuvres. Wednesday, December 16th 6-8 PM (Open Bar) Planet Thai 30 W. 24th St. (near 6th Ave.) 212-727-7026 RSVP to wordsound@aol.com or 410-733-0566

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Parallel Voices: Carsten Nicolai

News just in that Raster Noton label boss Carsten Nicolai (aka Alva Noto) has been invited by the Siobhan Davies Dance studio in London to curate their 2010 edition of Parallel Voices. The event, subtitled "Missing Link" will feature talks, performances and installations, bringing together practitioners from the worlds of visual art, music, poetry, theatre, dance and science and will feature a new, large scale light installation by Nicolai. Further information will be released closer to the event, which is set to take place 17, 18 & 19 March 2010 at London's Siobhan Davies Studio space.

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Wave of the Wand

Word reaches me that [Wooden] Wand has just confirmed a fairly rare performance in London tomorrow. How's about that for short notice, spur of the moment gig news? (wooden) WAND (rare uk show) HUSH ARBORS RICK TOMLINSON (voice of the seven woods solo show) at THE BETSEY TROTWOOD, FARRINGDON DOORS 8PM, £5 ADM.