In an exclusive photo diary, South London polymath Laura Misch depicts her unique and naturalistic ‘Slow Tour’.
laura misch
Touring is an enviable activity for any wannabe musician. It’s often represented hyperbolically through the rock n’ roll lens, Almost Famous-tinged; all bright lights, wild nights and free-wheeling hedonism. But in reality, hitting the road is perhaps the most challenging component of an artist’s job. You’re away from your family for weeks or months on end, without the comfort of your home or the direction of your routine.
In the case of South London-born saxophonist, singer-songwriter producer and field recordist Laura Misch, previous experiences of feeling burnt out and worn thin led her to, for her latest EU stint earlier this year, think about touring differently.
She labeled the run of shows as ‘Slow Tour’, and focused on intention, ecology and community. She walked and got the train, most of the time alone, spending extended periods in each city, unfazed by the frantic model that had proceeded her within her own career and the wider industry credo. “Following severe burn out and struggles with anxiety last year, I have been searching for ways to make it more sustainable, not just environmentally but also for my mind, body and soul,” she said on Instagram, announcing the tour. “Slow Tour hopes to reflect the lessons my body has taught me, about the need to ground and connect with each environment I play in and have more time to connect with all of you, who come and listen, around the shows.”
The result? Her best run of shows to date, with workshops sharing her practise and listening walks in nature in-between shows. The groundbreaking incentive culminated in a mesmerising performance at Glastonbury’s Tree Stage, where she gathered field recordings, using the land and her surrounding nature as a collaborator.
Reflecting on the enlightening experience, below Misch shares with Wonderland an exclusive photo diary documenting her time on ‘Slow Tour’.
Watch the tour diary visuals…
Take an look inside in a photo diary…
Paris, a Slow Tour pre-show ritual was going for a walk around this city. This time was around a rewilded former railway which snakes round Paris, I warmed up for the show by playing saxophone in the reverb of tunnels and recording the sounds of birds, wind rustling in leaves, intertwining with the bustling city above.
Paris, a show at Le Hasard Ludique, a venue which was an old railway station that sits above the rewilded railway. Both this and the previous picture I am wearing Johanna Parv. I love her designs because they are weather proof and chic, so you can go straight from field recording in the wild to performing on stage.
Amsterdam, a show at Bimhaus, a glass fronted venue that sits on the waterfront. We were traveling light on trains so using the architecture of each space as a backdrop, Philippa Neels (who produced the tour) was also doing lighting direction for this show, and had the idea to expose the unusual glass front, giving this mesmerising backdrop of glistening city lights and trains slowly drifting by.
Amsterdam, the first Returning: a workshop exploring sound in our inner and outer environments. Co-hosted with the artist Loradeniz, we began the session with a deep time listening journey where I had created a soundscape and narrated a journey back to the beginning of sound on earth, from the primordial sounds of the universe, to the first sounds of air, water and stone, before life on earth to now. It was inspired by a book I was reading called When The Earth Started To Sing by David Haskell.
Amsterdam, later on in the workshop when we went out to listen to the waterfront, thinking about ancient sounds such as the waves lapping and leaf rustle, combining with the modern sounds of the city, and Loradeniz led an exercise on listening and attention.
Utrecht, a show in Utrecht, during the song Portals as if by magic these cloud vortex portals emerged, which slowly swirled in and out of form.
Utrectht, sitting on the side of the stage and doing an ambient saxophone improvisation.
Berlin, warming up in the courtyard outside Silent Green in Berlin, a former crematorium which has an incredible dome roof and one of the most cosmic reverb chambers I have ever played in.
Berlin, breathing clouds of air.
Berlin, the audience during Widening Circles which is a lullaby, we ask everyone to sit or lay down and have a rest.
Berlin, during the Retuning Workshop at Morphine Raum in collaboration with the artist Alexandra Grubler, who held this exercise on vocal tuning whilst blocking outside noise, focussing on inner resonance.
Copenhagen, the last show of the tour, I had found this giant wind chime in a shop along the way and had incorporated it into the show, as an ending where I would duet with it, listening to the chimes playing the wind.
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In an exclusive photo diary, South London polymath Laura Misch depicts her unique and naturalistic ‘Slow Tour’.
laura misch
Touring is an enviable activity for any wannabe musician. It’s often represented hyperbolically through the rock n’ roll lens, Almost Famous-tinged; all bright lights, wild nights and free-wheeling hedonism. But in reality, hitting the road is perhaps the most challenging component of an artist’s job. You’re away from your family for weeks or months on end, without the comfort of your home or the direction of your routine.
In the case of South London-born saxophonist, singer-songwriter producer and field recordist Laura Misch, previous experiences of feeling burnt out and worn thin led her to, for her latest EU stint earlier this year, think about touring differently.
She labeled the run of shows as ‘Slow Tour’, and focused on intention, ecology and community. She walked and got the train, most of the time alone, spending extended periods in each city, unfazed by the frantic model that had proceeded her within her own career and the wider industry credo. “Following severe burn out and struggles with anxiety last year, I have been searching for ways to make it more sustainable, not just environmentally but also for my mind, body and soul,” she said on Instagram, announcing the tour. “Slow Tour hopes to reflect the lessons my body has taught me, about the need to ground and connect with each environment I play in and have more time to connect with all of you, who come and listen, around the shows.”
The result? Her best run of shows to date, with workshops sharing her practise and listening walks in nature in-between shows. The groundbreaking incentive culminated in a mesmerising performance at Glastonbury’s Tree Stage, where she gathered field recordings, using the land and her surrounding nature as a collaborator.
Reflecting on the enlightening experience, below Misch shares with Wonderland an exclusive photo diary documenting her time on ‘Slow Tour’.
Watch the tour diary visuals…
Take an look inside in a photo diary…
Paris, a Slow Tour pre-show ritual was going for a walk around this city. This time was around a rewilded former railway which snakes round Paris, I warmed up for the show by playing saxophone in the reverb of tunnels and recording the sounds of birds, wind rustling in leaves, intertwining with the bustling city above.
Paris, a show at Le Hasard Ludique, a venue which was an old railway station that sits above the rewilded railway. Both this and the previous picture I am wearing Johanna Parv. I love her designs because they are weather proof and chic, so you can go straight from field recording in the wild to performing on stage.
Amsterdam, a show at Bimhaus, a glass fronted venue that sits on the waterfront. We were traveling light on trains so using the architecture of each space as a backdrop, Philippa Neels (who produced the tour) was also doing lighting direction for this show, and had the idea to expose the unusual glass front, giving this mesmerising backdrop of glistening city lights and trains slowly drifting by.
Amsterdam, the first Returning: a workshop exploring sound in our inner and outer environments. Co-hosted with the artist Loradeniz, we began the session with a deep time listening journey where I had created a soundscape and narrated a journey back to the beginning of sound on earth, from the primordial sounds of the universe, to the first sounds of air, water and stone, before life on earth to now. It was inspired by a book I was reading called When The Earth Started To Sing by David Haskell.
Amsterdam, later on in the workshop when we went out to listen to the waterfront, thinking about ancient sounds such as the waves lapping and leaf rustle, combining with the modern sounds of the city, and Loradeniz led an exercise on listening and attention.
Utrecht, a show in Utrecht, during the song Portals as if by magic these cloud vortex portals emerged, which slowly swirled in and out of form.
Utrectht, sitting on the side of the stage and doing an ambient saxophone improvisation.
Berlin, warming up in the courtyard outside Silent Green in Berlin, a former crematorium which has an incredible dome roof and one of the most cosmic reverb chambers I have ever played in.
Berlin, breathing clouds of air.
Berlin, the audience during Widening Circles which is a lullaby, we ask everyone to sit or lay down and have a rest.
Berlin, during the Retuning Workshop at Morphine Raum in collaboration with the artist Alexandra Grubler, who held this exercise on vocal tuning whilst blocking outside noise, focussing on inner resonance.
Copenhagen, the last show of the tour, I had found this giant wind chime in a shop along the way and had incorporated it into the show, as an ending where I would duet with it, listening to the chimes playing the wind.
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