The Summer Bummer Festival–Sound in Motion’s yearly adventurous music festival at Trix– celebrates its 10th edition with an extra festival day. In addition to challenging concerts and installations–for which the young curators of Oei! are contributing input for the first time–there is also an expo with the graphic work of the past 10 editions, a short film of Fire! Orchestra CBA Youth live at Summer Bummer 2024, a third festival magazine–with interviews and a handy timetable, the record fair–which has become a tradition, the catered stand with homemade slow food: rich flavors and pure ingredients that are lovingly and carefully prepared by the Summer Bummer crew, Radio Khiyaban‘s N.R.Safi will provide 3 days of superb tunes in between and after the shows,  of course there’s the mobile squad of Radio Centraal that provides the festival three days of live coverage, and to top it off you on Fri 29 and Sat 30/8 you can screen print your custom Summer Bummer T-Shirt on the spot with Rombus and Mojo Prints (29 & 30/8).

SUMMER BUMMER FESTIVAL DAY 1:
For pdf version of the program click the schedule below:

CRAIG LEON – CASSELL WEBB (US/UK)

Producer, composer, and performer Craig Leon is a seminal figure in music. He produced iconic albums for 1970s and ’80s New York underground rock bands like the Ramones, Blondie, Suicide, and Talking Heads, and also worked with classical superstars like Luciano Pavarotti. In 1979, with his partner Cassell Webb, Leon created his own masterpiece: ‘Nommos’, an album of progressive electronic music inspired by African Dogon rituals and krautrock. It was released on John Fahey’s Takoma label in 1981.

The album’s enduring relevance was affirmed by RVNG Intl.’s 2016 reissue, which, along with its sister recording ‘Visiting,’ was packaged as ‘Anthology Of Interplanetary Folk Music Vol. 1.’ ‘The Canon’, a second volume in the series, was released in 2019. Following their celebrated live set at Summer Bummer in 2018, Leon (electronics) and Webb (electronics, voice) return with a new audiovisual performance. The set includes a selection from the first two chapters and adds pieces from ‘Nyphos,’ the third installment in the ‘Anthology of Interplanetary Folk Music’ series. In 2026  vols 1,2,3 will be released in a box set, in vinyl and in Blu Ray Atmos, along with a booklet of visual material collated by noted esoteric art curator Stephen Ellcock.

STEVE BACZKOWSKI – BRANDON LOPEZ (US)

Steve Baczkowski is a saxophonist, improviser multi-instrumentalist and music director of Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center in Buffalo, N.Y. In addition to organising multiple ensembles, such as the Buffalo Improvisers Orchestra and Buffalo Suicide Prevention Unit, Baczkowski also performs with musicians such as Bill Nace, Paul Flaherty and Chris Corsano.

In recent years, he released several  albums in different constellations with Brandon Lopez, one of the most in-demand improvisers on the scene. The work of this composer and double bass player from New York City deals with improvisation and finding new sonic possibilities on his instrument. He has collaborated with the likes of Gerald Cleaver, John Zorn, Zeena Parkins and Ingrid Laubrock.

HxH (US):
CHRIS WILLIAMS – LESTER ST. LOUIS

HxH (pronounced H by H) is the improvisatory electro-acoustic duo of Lester St. Louis (cello/electronics) and Chris Williams (trumpet/electronics). HxH functions as a vehicle to bring together the mass of references and influences Chris and Lester share and create ways to crystalize those ideas in real, expanded time to an experience over minutes or hours.

Along with creating their own body of original music, the duo also work as sound and installation designers. They’ve collaborated with artist including jaimie ‘breezy’ branch, Rob Mazurek, Joe Morris, Sylvie Courvoisier, TAK ensemble Pink Siifu and Torkwase Dayson. In 2025, HxH released the debut album ‘STARK PHENOMENA’ on the OFNOT label earning praise from critics around the globe.

THE HANDOVER (BE/EG):
JONAS CAMBIEN – ALY EISSA – ANDREW NASSER

In The Handover, Aly Eissa (oud, compositions), Ayman Asfour (violin) and Jonas Cambien (Farfisa organ, synth) explore the common and uncommon senses of Egypt’s ritual music. Elegantly combining the delicacy of classical Arabic music, the raw expressiveness of Egypt’s countryside music, and the spontaneity of free improvisation, the trio carefully obliterates the artificial separation between acoustic and electronic instruments.

Despite the absence of percussion or drums, The Handover is an extremely groovy band, with an ability to slow down and accelerate the tempo in almost telepathic synchronization. Their critically acclaimed debut album was released by Sublime Frequencies in 2024. For the Summer Bummer concert Ayman Asfour will be replaced, by Andrew Nasser.

THE ART ENSEMBLE OF BRUSSELS (BE/FR/KH/CU/GR):
LAZARA ROSELL ALBEAR – PETER JACQUEMYN – AUDREY LAURO – SOFIA KAKOURI -JAN PILLAERT – PIERRE MICHEL ZALESKI – EVA ROSE THYS – YIPOON CHIEM

The Art Ensemble of Brussels is a collective of improvisers living and working in Brussels. Having worked together these past 15 years, they have formed many different constellations over the course of different projects. The ensemble is built by very peculiar individuals with strong performative presence with the aim of exploring the convergence of the performing arts with the visual arts, noise, sound art and contemporary music in the creation of sensible and resonant spaces.

For Summer Bummer The Art Ensemble of Brussels consists of Lazara Rosell Albear, Peter Jacquemyn, Audrey Lauro, Sofia Kakouri, Jan Pillaert, Pierre Michel Zaleski, Eva Rose Thys and Yipoon Chiem.

TEIP TRIO (NO):
ARNE BREDESEN – JENS-JONAS FRANCIS ROBERTS – NICOLAS LEIRTRØ

From the vibrant improv-scene in Trondheim comes this remarkable young band. Arne Bredesen (electric guitar), Jens-Jonas Francis Roberts (clarinet) and Nicolas Leirtrø (baritone guitar) have been playing in trio formation for many years and have released two albums on Sonic Transmissions as Teip Trio.

The unconventional lineup of two heavily processed guitars and a clarinet contributes to tension and distinctiveness in their consolidated sound, exploring different musical rooms in and between dissonance and harmony, always attentive and rich in timbre.

KATARIIN RASKA – VILLEM JAHU (EE) Oei!

Katariin Raska is a multi-instrumentalist and improviser based in Tallinn, Estonia. She is active in both contemporary electroacoustic experimental music and the traditional music scene, where she performs centuries-old music on the jaw harp and bagpipes. Villem Jahu is an Estonian sound artist, synthesist, free improviser, and cultural organizer who works with abstract electronic sounds in live performances, sound installations, and sound design for exhibitions and dance pieces.

Together, Raska and Jahu bounce soundwaves and weave timbres into a charmingly irritating soundscape.

INSTALLATIONS/PERFORMANCES:

BART VAN DONGEN & ANTOON VERSTEEGDE (NL):
ELECTRIC GRAND

Electric Grand is a collaborative project by Dutch visual artist Antoon Versteegde and composer Bart van Dongen. They magnify the sound of a prepared piano by giving each note its own speaker. Known for his bamboo art, Versteegde has created unique installations for each location since the project’s inception in 2021. For the 10th Summer Bummer edition, he designed bamboo pyramids for the speakers that fit perfectly in Trix’s garden. The installation’s electronics were refined together with Edwin van den Oetelaar and Kristiyan Angelov. Using the prepared piano, Van Dongen makes the randomly placed pyramids with speakers resonate through improvisation. The participation of guest musicians in one of the performances is a possibility.

Bart van Dongen is a composer, musician, and conceptual artist known for his relentless search for new sounds, effortlessly connecting seemingly opposing forces. He keeps his finger on the pulse of contemporary music as the founder and co-director of the Paviljoen Ongehoorde Muziek in Eindhoven. Recently, he received international acclaim for his work with bassist Gonçalo Almeida under the name Tabula Sonorum.

Antoon Versteegde is a visual artist renowned for his large-scale bamboo installations. These temporary constructions, made from materials like bamboo poles, flags, rope, and elastic, are both artworks and interactive experiences. He has completed over 500 interactive projects worldwide. While the installations often disappear after a few days, weeks, or months, the shared memory lives on as a lasting part of the experience.

JOKE CAIMO (BE) Oei!:
HUMAN ORGAN CONCERTO

In the audio-visual installation ‘Human Organ Concerto’ the undisciplined artivist, media artist, and inventor Joke Caimo invites the audience to ‘perform’ the piece. The organ’s sound is controlled by the breathing patterns of the participants, captured through wireless devices. These devices translate each breath into four electric pulses, triggering different tones on a pipe organ.

Caimo’s work lies at the intersection of performance, music, product design, installation, and the digital world. With their objects and instruments, they explore ‘the collective’ versus ‘the inner self’, inviting the viewer to become part of their work. They develop measuring instruments and platforms that help us better understand unconscious patterns and mechanisms in co-creation processes. The underlying theme is investigating, stimulating, and visualizing the energies between people as a collective. Additionally, Caimo is a co-initiator of Samenschool and hosts their own residency and workspace for artists, friends, and neighbors.

DJ:

RADIO KHIYABAN DJ (AF/US)

N.R. Safi is an Afghan-American musician who runs Radio Khiyaban, an internationalist sound platform based in the Netherlands highlighting the blurry intersection between traditional artforms and contemporary experimentation with a particular focus on south/west Asia. Safi will provide the perfect soundtrack for Summer Bummer 2025 in between and after the concerts.

+ RECORD FAIR – FILM – EXPO – SCREEN PRINTING (29 & 30/8) – SNACKS & BITES