The only "band" of the night, Lydian assembled a trio of players from Toronto's outsider noise and drone music scenes to perform a special set of noise worship.
With Aaron Dawson (Dirty Inputs) and Nyles Miszczyk (Jay Holy) respectively tending a synthesizer and a laptop on stage left, David Jones (Hexzuul) stood opposite, handling another synth while using what looked like an oscilloscope to manipulate the light emanating from a wiry, pill-shaped sculpture at the centre of the stage.
I'm not sure the Great Hall could go any louder than this if it tried (even the quieter parts rattled the seats on the balcony), and some found the sheer volume of it all too much to handle. They left, but those that hung around had all their darkest desires filled as the trio tapped into blankets of volume to transition seamlessly from doom-ridden ambient sections to harsh noise and hellish house music, synths chirping like crickets on amphetamines.
Even as they eased the audience back into a more socialization-permitting atmosphere, the set culminated in a series of shimmering volume swells that crackled as though arcing with excess charge. Note to self: bring earplugs to night two.
With Aaron Dawson (Dirty Inputs) and Nyles Miszczyk (Jay Holy) respectively tending a synthesizer and a laptop on stage left, David Jones (Hexzuul) stood opposite, handling another synth while using what looked like an oscilloscope to manipulate the light emanating from a wiry, pill-shaped sculpture at the centre of the stage.
I'm not sure the Great Hall could go any louder than this if it tried (even the quieter parts rattled the seats on the balcony), and some found the sheer volume of it all too much to handle. They left, but those that hung around had all their darkest desires filled as the trio tapped into blankets of volume to transition seamlessly from doom-ridden ambient sections to harsh noise and hellish house music, synths chirping like crickets on amphetamines.
Even as they eased the audience back into a more socialization-permitting atmosphere, the set culminated in a series of shimmering volume swells that crackled as though arcing with excess charge. Note to self: bring earplugs to night two.
