How I Met EYE (Patreon)

Boredoms have decisively been my favorite band since I was a teenager. I probably bring up the band with new questions every time I see my friend Hisham Bharoocha (Kill Alters Drummer) as he was also a touring member of the band for many years. Hisham organized the legendary BOADRUM events in Brooklyn. Massive shows with 77+ drummers. Though Boredoms are on hiatus, their leader Yamantaka EYE still performs ambitious music and art pieces.  I was elated when I was asked to come out to the next event a few days early to rehearse with EYE and a few other drummers. The only thing we knew was that EYE was going to use flashing colors through traffic cones rigged with interactive lights that cue 200 drummers each playing a set of cymbals. Our task was to work closely with EYE and interpret what he wanted.  

I arrived in The Hamptons 2 days early at The Watermill Center, a large farm with a dreamy facility featuring multiple art galleries, libraries and studios. In the field behind the facility, multiple stages were being prepared. 10+ intricate stages and installations being prepped for experimental theater, dance and performance art were scattered around the farm. I was immediately recruited to help place tree stumps in a spiral like formation surrounding a small circular stage for each of the 200 drummers to sit on. 

We held two long rehearsals over the next two nights learning the piece and lighting cues. Hisham translates as EYE demonstrates the lights/colors and audio accompaniment for us to play against. It was quite intuitive although many moments were still up for debate I.e. which color corresponded to which rhythm and section. EYE stopped me one night to talk to me about Machine Girl. He loved seeing us play in 2019. He said we were "very intense" which I thought was funny because he once destroyed a venue with a bulldozer during his set.

On the day of the show, the rest of the 200 drummers arrived in the early afternoon for one more rehearsal. Many of my friends, peers and seasoned members of the experimental music and art community in Brooklyn showed up excited and ready to rock (including Matt and Lucy!) Everyone was either assigned a tree stump or placed standing on the outside of the spiral. Hisham stood on the stage in the sun with a megaphone explaining the color cues. I was shocked at how easily it all came together. The vibes were exceptionally high. 

Around 9:20 PM the lights dimmed and a single traffic cone was set up on stage flashing blue and white lights as the cymbal players rolled and swelled to the changes we rehearsed. A few minutes later as we were bashing cymbals and reaching a climax, EYE emerged on stage and lifted the traffic cone up as it turned into a bright white light, signaling to the cymbal players to reach their maximum volume as EYE began chanting in a trance like state. EYE held 2 traffic cones and spun around slowly while chanting. For me the highlight was when the traffic cones flashed purple which was NEVER explained or demonstrated to us by EYE in ANY of the rehearsals. Me and the other cymbal leaders had no idea what to do but we all just followed the energy of EYE and the piece became something unexpected and extreme. It was absolutely beautiful and hilarious and LOUD. 

EYE stopped me on my way out to thank me and hug me. I'll be buzzing about this for years...

-Sean 

*I’ve attached a YouTube playlist of iconic footage/songs/mixes from Boredoms and adjacent projects. Enjoy :) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vjk01Wo-aEs&list=PLKFKW-P4QdvQ