The Storm was an immersive theatre, live art and clubbing experience set in a post apocalyptic storm shelter. The Storm was conceived, curated and produced by Mike Pony for IBT15: Bristol International Festival. Festival audiences experienced a clubnight punctuated by performance, digital art and immersive storytelling. The event melded DJs and dance music with live performance, immersive environments, visual art and a healthy dose of festival hedonism.
The core of the event was an hourly digital storm on the dancefloor; a heart-stopping hurricane of strobe, sound and light from digital artists Playmodes (Barcelona). The Storm played host to an array of late-night performance, live art, visual art and electronic music from David Hoyle, Antoni Maiovvi, FK Alexander, Adam Electric, The Rummage Orchestra, Alfie Ordinary, Vickie Fear, Dirtytalk, Horseplay, Joe Evans, Fat Butcher, and Prickimage Walkabout Projection.
Audiences attending The Storm were asked to dress as survivors of an apocalyptic storm. The legend of the storm was then revealed through an audio experience on entry to the venue. Once inside, audiences discovered the intricacies of the story through exploration of the site, bespoke visuals and character based story telling.
The Storm for IBT15 Festival Party was supported using public funding from Arts Council England and partners In Between Time, Mayfest, Crack Magazine, Theatre Bristol, The Island, Brothers Cider and Bristol 24/7.
“A tornado of pulsing music and flashing lights rages at the heart of the festival, along with showers of glitter and the occasional crash of thunder. Festival regulars are joined by hundreds of fabulously dressed party-goers, decked out as clouds, lightning bolts, poncho-clad stormchasers. It’s a real event. Peppering partying with art, it shows how this kind of work can connect with a wider local audience.”
Catherine Love, Exeunt Magazine
“The calm after The Storm… Still got the sounds from the lightshow spinning round my head! So many amazing performances and outstanding attention to detail. Great work.”
Lewes Cooper, Audience Member