Ukulele envy

As a thereminist who performs live with robots, the only time I suffer ukulele envy is when I have to set up or strike a show. After years of arm ache and stress before gigs, I’m trying to adopt the carefree life of the ukulele player by re-engineering my equipment so it can be carried on the bus, wheeled onto the stage, plugged into a DI box and played. The life of the ukulele player doesn’t need to be the stuff of fantasy – that’s why I’ve thrown myself into this re-engineering task – a job that’s unglamorous but essential. Currently, you’ll find me obsessing about flight cases and castors and pouring over ebay pictures of old prams.

The first instrument to get the plug and play treatment is the Ealing Feeder, something I originally designed as an exhibition piece. I’m currently rebuilding it into a flightcase on wheels. If all goes well, I’ll be able to reinstate the responsive lighting effect I had in the original instrument – something I ditched long ago as it was so troublesome to take on the road.

A video of the original Ealing Feeder from Roger Spy.

I love performing live with the whole Spacedog trio and a van load of kit. But I hope these changes will mean I can also say ‘yes’ to more solo gigs. Here I am at the Double R Club cabaret in Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club, London, February (thanks to Sin Bozkurt for the lovely photos). There, I was flanked by the robots Hugo and Edgar Allan. Hopefully you’ll see me at more cabaret and festival gigs in the future.