Dan Deacon’s app is irritating in a good way

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 16:58:00 +0000

Audience interaction is kind of Dan Deacon's thing. He likes to be down in the crowd instead of up onstage. He choreographs his audience through synchronized dances with unflagging enthusiasm. Now he's harnessing the irritating power of glowing displays with an app that syncs his music with your phone, turning it into “a coordinated light and sound spectacle.” (See the video.) It re-creates glow sticks’ bokeh swirl, without all the disposable plastic.

At first glance, it looks like just another gimmick to connect with phone-addicted fans. But Deacon's always been a thoughtful, innovative performer who takes risks and asks his fans to come along. This is the guy who orchestrated a dance-off at the Whitney, and he continues to work in museum gigs between festival dates, making it harder to distinguish between dance music and high art. In his “Take a Breath” composition, he orchestrates the audience through what the Village Voice called “a do-it-yourself clusterfuck of sound,” turning the chaotic background noise of crowds into a symphony of sorts. He's committed to involving the crowd in his performance on an intimate level, to disrupting the barrier between product and consumer.

Salon.com > Dan Deacon

Dan Deacon’s app is irritating in a good way