Hutt River Space Agency

Scheduled for launch on the evening of June 17, 2001, from Launch Pad Mantra (Fortitude Valley Space Centre), HUTT RIVER SPACE AGENCY set the stage for spacewalks by veterans Greg Jenkins (endoPHONIC, cactusman), Andrew Kettle (label:KETTLE) and Michael Norris (Flew Creeking, Fugal Quease) to install an airlock bridging ambient electronica and improvised soundscapes.
Once installed, the airlock underwent a series of tests by ground controllers and station crewmembers using junk percussion, friction microphones and a cactus to verify that its environmental, communications and telemetry systems worked before Jenkins and Norris venture out for the first phase of a percussive mission.
During the second and third phases, Kettle used his electromagnetic induction rings to grapple and unberth two pressurized oxygen tanks from Mantra's cargo bay. He handed them, one by one, to Jenkins and Norris for installation on the new airlock.
The HUTT RIVER SPACE AGENCY was not expected to survive re-entry and burnt up harmlessly in the upper dub atmosphere.

Otherwise...

A 20 minute vocal, sound and poetry performance art with Andrew & Helen Kettle on the 3 August, 2001 at the Artbeat creative network, site launch and exhibition. Soapbox Gallery, 95 Brunswick St., Fortitude Valley.
Two figures slowly walked into the gallery space dressed in reflective white kaftans, stood facing eachother and then two large white sheets of paper where unrolled, on one the outline of Helen's body with charkra signs positioned down the anatomy, the other scroll contain the first two lines of 'The Emerald Tablet', an ancient alchemy text painted in large script.
The performance consisted of a spontanious collaboration between Andrew and Helen, each controlling the others vocal content. Which 'charkra symbol' Andrew stood on Helen would tone and which 'word' Helen stood on Andrew would slowly vocalise, during the performance positions where exchanged and concluded with rolling the large posters and leaving the space... the work explored controlled improvisation and non-verbal voice sounds.

Presenting New Material!

Performed in support with Francisco Lopez's Australian Tour at the Basement, Metro Arts, 109 Edward St., Brisbane. Of the instruments used, one was a large steel 'Bass-Beam', designed and built by Barry Schwartz, USA. The performance lasting an hour, included field recordings from the 'Remembering Demolished Buildings' Project, initial research material from the astro-nomy/ology score, and in general was composed of a 'pedestrian approach' to performance. Sett in darkness with a green light the circluar arrangement of audience around the 'stage'...

The Australian National Anthem

Another 10 minute vocal and digital poetry performance experiment exploring non-verbal vocal sounds with 'Buto'-esque facial expressions.
A statement after learning that Australia was employing tear gas in detention centres. Performed as part of the Pimmon Tour, The Orient, Brisbane on the 17 August, 2001. Supporting artists: Pimmon (Syd.), Conscience Quartet, pH3, Flugalguease.

The Static Laboratory

A 45 minute performance between Andrew & Helen Kettle divided into three movements, The first part was a 'speaker swinging' routine of a high-pitched drone, the second piece a non-verbal vocal work consisting of 'shower song' from Helen and a 'slow reading' of a book, the final segment was a collection of physical laboritory experiments with audio results employing dry ice, eletro-magnetic inductors, tightened wire and jacob's ladder.
Performed on the 24 November, 2001 as part of the Can of Worms, Brisbane Powerhouse, Turbine Hall. pther artists involved where: Topology, John Rodgers, Loops, Trevor Hart 4tet.

liquid papers

Liquid Crystal

Elektrosonic Interference