This June sees the launch of Brainstorms: A Great Gig in the Sky, presented by the UK’s largest immersive art experience Frameless. A complete takeover of the iconic venue, the never-before-seen show blends music and art with the latest neuroscience and technology, in an exploration of how our minds respond to music.
The powerful, immersive experience, running on select Friday and Saturday evenings in June 2024 for over 18s only, comes from Brainstorms, a joint venture between San Francisco-based creative studio Pollen Music Group and Richard Wright Music Limited. It brings to life the results of a research project titled ‘Brainstorms’ that took place last year.
Driven by a mutual admiration for the beautiful and haunting simplicity of Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright’s songwriting and singer Clare Torry’s vocal composition, the Brainstorms team has themed the experience around the concept behind the iconic Pink Floyd track ‘The Great Gig in the Sky’. A music experience like no other, visitors will travel through the four main Frameless galleries which each feature stunning sky-themed creative visualisations of the human brain’s response to music, from mesmerising cloud formations and mystical auroras to starling murmurations and an eclipse. The whole experience has been designed to communicate how people respond to music, while enhancing the listening experience by enveloping individuals inside the songs like never before.
To create the visuals for the centrepiece experience, 125 individuals had their brain activity recorded while listening in unparalleled clarity and depth through immersive sound Dolby Atmos to 1973 Pink Floyd classic, ‘The Great Gig in the Sky’ from the highly celebrated album ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’. The instrumental track, which was the creation of Richard Wright, features Clare Torry’s voice as an instrument in place of lyrics so was deemed a perfect piece for the largest data collection of its kind. The EEG readings of brain activity, which will be showcased within the experience, were captured at Dolby by the neuroscience experts within the Pollen Music Group team and reflect the participant’s excitement, interest, relaxation and stress felt whilst listening to the track.
Pioneering musician Imogen Heap and her nine-year-old daughter, who took part in the initial brain data capture, will have their pre-recorded brainwaves visualised in the ‘Murmurations’ Gallery, set to her ambient track Cumulus in surround sound. Developed in Unreal, the projected images of swooping and swirling birds will show how the pair’s data sets align as the flocks mirror how the same music can affect different people.
The award-winning Frameless team has provided the perfect real-world stage for the Brainstorms vision, resulting in a world-first, unique immersive experience for the public. Visitors will witness first-hand music’s extraordinary impact on the brain and its power to affect the way we feel by harnessing the technological capabilities of its galleries.
Gala Wright, curator and Artistic director at Brainstorms and daughter of Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright, says, “The visual representation of brain data provides an accessible and intuitive way to see how a piece of music can be a deeply personal yet also powerfully shared experience. Questioning how this is true for my father’s compositions is a key motivation for me bringing this concept to life with Pollen. The added benefit of bringing awareness to his musicality through the Brainstorms project serves to augment his legacy.”
Richard Warp, Pollen composer and Artistic & Technical director at Brainstorms, adds, “Music has a uniquely powerful impact on our mental state, affecting us all in a myriad of ways. Brainstorms: A Great Gig in the Sky seeks to celebrate this while shining a light on the hugely complex physiological processes in our brains as we listen to music.”
A limited number of VIP places will be available to book a unique 15-minute EEG brain capture experience, powered by technology provided by AMD, Supermicro and Emotiv, where they will feel more from the music than ever before as they go on an intense and emotional journey as they listen to five minutes of ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ in immersive sound Dolby Atmos via headphones. Participants will then be able to see their brain activity visualised into stunning large-scale cloud formations, projected into Frameless’ re-imagined ‘Cloud’ Gallery. Each participant will also receive a personalised memento based on their individual brain’s reaction to the piece.
Located in a 30,000 square-feet venue in the heart of Marble Arch, Frameless is the UK’s largest immersive art experience. Alongside the four immersive galleries, Frameless includes an art-inspired Café Bar and a Gift Shop where official merchandise from the experience will be available to buy.
Cathy Wells, Head of Brand at Frameless Creative, says, “At Frameless, we are committed to supporting world-class innovation within the immersive arena that truly pushes the boundaries. Helping people to connect more with their emotions and feel more through the global language of music, art and culture is at the heart of what we do. We can’t wait to welcome the Brainstorms residency to our galleries, where the public will get to witness first-hand music’s extraordinary impact on the brain and its power to affect the way we feel.”
Tickets to Brainstorms: A Great Gig in the Sky are priced from £30 and are available to book now. To buy tickets or to find out more visit www.frameless.com.
Check the official Instagram, X and Facebook accounts for further information and announcements: @framelessLDN