ABEND and Bug Incision Create Bliss With An Evening Focused on Drone

The crowd at A Drone Evening. Photo by Daman Singh @damaann_.

Have you ever been to a show and wondered how much better it would sound if you were laying down, eyes closed, completely letting the sound take over you? For its third instalment, ABEND did exactly that. For six hours, Church Street was drowned in a wall of ethereal sound and lighting. 

ABEND is a series of experimental shows in Calgary. Organized primarily by Hesam Ohadi, an Iranian-Canadian musician and visual artist, ABEND started as a prelude to SLED x SET — the collaborative project between Sled Island and SET, an experimental art festival from Tehran. “In Calgary, there aren't that many series that focus on instrumental music,” says Ohadi. This observation inspired Ohadi to start a show-series focused entirely on experimental music.

For the third iteration, ABEND was bigger than ever. Shaped by their discovery of the venue, the gymnasium of Central United Church, Ohadi curated a blissful environment, surrounding the audience with waves of sound and light. “I just thought that ‘Holy shit, this is like a really cool place’ because we, as you well, we're not in the best position when it comes to venues in Calgary.” From there, conversations sparked between Ohadi and Kasra Goodarznezhad (@cassraa) who designed the light show that accompanied the evening. Ohadi reflects that the venue “hinted” at placing the artist at the center which they had seen before in drone shows, particularly Max Richter’s performance of his eight and a half hour long project Sleep (2015) live. 

canadabasement (Mehraun Ehsani) and Maryam Sirvan (NUM). Photo by Daman Singh @damaann_.

The result of these conversations was brilliant. 

Surrounded by a quad-speaker setup creating a sound bubble and camping mats laid all around the floor, the evening started with an ambient set by DJ Curry. As people settled in, canadabasement (Mehraun Ehsani) and Maryam Sirvan (NUM) started the sets off with their soundscapes. The ethereal sounds of Ehsani’s guitars paired with Sirvan’s melancholic vocals set the stage for the night to come. Both artists brought their personal touches to a set that had never been played before, an exceptional display of their mastery of their craft. 

Following was Osmanthus, arguably one of my favourite finds of the evening. What started as a one-off performance in 2019, Laura Reid and Krzysztof Sujata have come a long way, Between Seasons (2024) is a celebration of their united efforts. Live, they brought out an improvised drone set spun on a classical twist with Reid playing the violin. A perfect blend of acoustic and electronic sounds that showcased how well the duo brings their skills together. 

Milad Bagheri took to the stage next. Hailing from Iran, now residing in Calgary, he performed sections from his debut album Galoba. As someone far from his hometown, Bagheri’s work has been toward exploring healing through sound. The electro acoustic pieces were a resounding experience of calm and tranquility. Bagheri’s set was a celebration of his identity and finding that through sound was simply exceptional. 

Allinesik. Photo by Daman Singh @damaann_.

My personal highlight of the evening, Allinesik from Regina followed next and oh boy, was it brilliant. Two CRT monitors at their side, Allinesik’s ambient noise sound is shaped by the experiences of their travels across the Trans-Canada Highway, becoming “one with the natural world”. The layered sounds of their harsh guitar and ambient synth were ecstatic bliss. The light show for this set couldn’t have been any better, including a moment of flashing strobes that elevated the experience to a whole new scale, 

The sun had already set and four sets in, everyone was comfortable on their mats—I recall seeing some blankets, even. The second last set of the night was Quiet Winter celebrating their new release, Soul Sleep. Their new record is an exploration of longing and loneliness, inducing a chill with every note. Quiet Winter performed improvised versions of tracks from the new release and their soothing discography. The night came to end with Microenvironment, a sound art project out of Mountain View County, Alberta. They improvised and composed a performance, titling it “Proprioception”, which is a beautiful reflection of their duo’s synergy. 

Throughout the night, the light show designed by Cassraa brought a brilliant wave of serenity to the experience. Whether it was the calming and serene blue that took over the entire room during Osmanthus or flashing strobes coming in right as Allinesik’s wall of sound reached its peak, the lights made the entire experience much more holistic. 

ABEND’s third iteration was one of a kind, a rare sight in the city. It was really one of those nights that made me say, you had to be there to get it.