no.251 | Whatayear
PSO is a project sensitive to the cycles of the seasons. Recording outside, and often from the same perch in front of our house, offers new ways to note the passage of time. After so many years, the patches of grass that were worn to dirt by countless games of volleyball have nearly filled in or at least are covered by the leaves freshly fallen from the pecans. This week’s piece was recorded a couple days ago on a still and unseasonably warm evening. It’s always strange to hear the rustle of leaves on the ground in short sleeves.
This is often a time for reflection and projection, best ofs and bum steer awards. Mom loved Texas Monthly’s yearly call out of the worst things Texan. She would cackle at each entry. I miss that. Dad loved Christmas. I wish I could’ve spent more of them with him. All and all it was pretty hard year around here.
There were so many moments of support and care from family and many friends that made this tough slog bearable, and I am truly thankful for that. I am also thankful for yall who listen to these missives from the porch, read these words, and hopefully get a little lift or feel a sense of connection from PSO. Thank you!
There is lots to look forward to in the New Year, and I hope to hear from you or see you at one of our upcoming live events.
Also, a new PSO end of the year podcast just dropped!. See the feed below to listen!
This is often a time for reflection and projection, best ofs and bum steer awards. Mom loved Texas Monthly’s yearly call out of the worst things Texan. She would cackle at each entry. I miss that. Dad loved Christmas. I wish I could’ve spent more of them with him. All and all it was pretty hard year around here.
There were so many moments of support and care from family and many friends that made this tough slog bearable, and I am truly thankful for that. I am also thankful for yall who listen to these missives from the porch, read these words, and hopefully get a little lift or feel a sense of connection from PSO. Thank you!
There is lots to look forward to in the New Year, and I hope to hear from you or see you at one of our upcoming live events.
Also, a new PSO end of the year podcast just dropped!. See the feed below to listen!
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UPCOMING PSO EVENTS
Exhibit Closing Performance and Book + Cassette Release Saturday, January 31, Galveston Artist Residency. at 5pm. PSO will play an intimate show in the atrium of this storied artist residency located just around the corner from the Galveston Art Center, where my show Slow Bell is currently on view.The day of the performance will be the last day of my exhibit, which features visual works and a sound piece all made in Galveston. We will be celebrating with the release of a new 4-color Riso-printed catalog of the show printed by the inestimable Dan Schmahl from Rising Tide Projects. This (naturally) will be accompanied by a new cassette of the sound pieces created for the show.
Book Event + Performance Saturday, February 28, 6-8 pm, with a live performance at 7pm, Do Right Hall. Brought to you by the fine folks that run WRONG GALLERY in Marfa, Texas. Book your trip. Jason Reed and I will driving out west to stretch out our 58-foot accordion-fold book, BOOM AND DUST, in the gorg space built in 1886 that was the first church of Marfa. It is an all adobe structure. It’s super cool and the ideal place to reprise the soundtrack that PSO recorded for the book live.
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LETS'S MAKE SOMETHING TOGETHER
I love to collaborate, remotely or in person, but if you have a piece you would like to feature on PSO (without contributions by me), by all means, please reach out!Email us at info(at)porchswingorchestra.org
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ABOUT PSO
Porch Swing Orchestra is an art project begun by Barry Stone that explores the interplay between still images and sound.Photographs and musical improvisations build a framework for deep listening and visual contemplation. Barry Stone plays acoustic guitar with a Fahey-inspired picking style mixed in with electronic effects, like My Bloody Valentine for a campfire. The sounds of the outside—bird calls, stray conversations, passing cars—become part of the music.
Stone scrambles the code and layers images taken on-site to produce new imaginaries. We discover fresh ways to see and hear everything.
Since 2018, PSO has collaborated with dozens of musicians, artists, poets, writers, and activists to publish over 240 unique combinations of images and sounds.
Most PSO pieces are made on Stone’s front porch in Austin, Texas, but PSO has traveled to Spiral Jetty in Utah, the border town of Del Rio, Texas, Maine, the San Juan Islands, and performes live in unconventional venues such as the James Turrell Skyspace, The Color Inside as a part of The University of Texas Landmarks Songs in the Skyspace Program.
Each new piece displaces the last and is not archived on the site. Never miss a piece or performance by signing up for our FREE NEWSLETTER below.
To experience selected past pieces, listen to the PSO RADIO, or tune into our PODCAST, or stream us on SPOTIFY in the links below.
Releases can be purchased on BANDCAMP or at BARRYSTONE.COM
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PSO JUKEBOX
Listen and view a stream of randomly selected past PSO pieces!
Exclusively here at PSO HQ.
Click on the PSO JUKEBOX Icon to Start the Stream
Exclusively here at PSO HQ.
Click on the PSO JUKEBOX Icon to Start the Stream
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LISTEN TO THE PSO PODCAST
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Orchestra Players:
Gregory Brooks, Bob Warner, Emily Scarlet Kramer, Rainey Knudson, Ryan Lauderdale, Tamara Gonzales, Katy Chrisler, Gibson + Recoder, Paul Stautinger, Sarah Hennies, Eric Zimmerman, Matt Bauer, Sandy Carson, Ryan Rhodes, Rebecca Marino, Shannon Spurgeon, Aaron Winslow, Ivy Stone, Mark Menjivar, Gavin Watts, Ryan Sprott, Brad Tucker, Caleb Churchill, John Hunt, Audra Wolowiec, Lauren Grant, Bill McCullough, Henry Smith, Anthony Francis, Xavier Gilmore, Ana Treviño, Ariana Gomez, Jessica Mallios, Thomas Hooper, SKLOSS, The Reformers, Zuriel Waters, Joe Williams, Jason Reed, Adam Henry, Saumon Oboudiyat
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