Video: South Africa's 'Silent Gig' Band
It goes without saying that the sound and experience of music is continually evolving and being enhanced thanks to technological advances. Enter TONIK, a South African band that explores concepts of innovative musical experiences through live performance. Comprised of musical savants Jann Krynauw and Ronan Skillen, TONIK specializes in “silent gigs in unconventional spaces.”
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The concept of a “silent gig” is mildly foreign, but gorgeously simple. Each member of the audience is equipped with a pair of state of the art AKG wireless headphones that allows them to tailor the sound to their own taste using personal volume control. A practically interactive but personal environment is what results, incredibly different from the same vibe thought to be created when an artist plays acoustic to an audience in an intimate space. A variety of musical instruments including the piano, accordion, the Australian didgeridoo and various percussions are played between Jann and Ronan, providing the foundation of the individual inception of a beautiful melody by each audience member.
TONIK has collaborated with many local and international artists including Freshlyground, Johnny Clegg, and Cherif Sisokho from Senegal. They also have a South African Music Award for Best Instrumental Album 2008 under their belts from a collaboration with Guy Collins. TONIK has also showcased repeatedly at the Bushfire Festival in Swaziland (2011 and 2012), and are geared for the Moving Poets in Berlin in August 2012.