From 2009 to 2012 the New York Consciousness Collective put on nights of live music by philosophers and cognitive scientists, culminating in Qualia Fest, an annual show the New York Times covered in 2012. Here is every show we did, with the video and recordings that survive.
How it all started
In the spring of 2006 a group of philosophers attending the CUNY Cognitive Science Speaker Series realized they all shared an interest in music. It was resolved that they would get together to jam, and so it came to pass that in the summer of 2006 these philosophers converged on a basement in Brooklyn, and history was made.
Originally known as the Neural Correlates of David Chalmers, or NC/DC, they remained underground until 2009, when they started hosting monthly jam sessions at the Parkside Lounge and then the Local 269 (16 in all) as the New York Consciousness Collective. They hosted three Qualia Fests, in 2010, 2011 and 2012, and several other events as well. (More in my 3:AM interview.)
The shows
- Parkside Lounge jam sessions · 2009–2011
- I Love Consciousness in the Fall · 2010
- Qualia Fest 2010
- Qualia Fest 2011
- Consciousness Offline · February 2012
- Funkomenological Overflow · April 2012
- Turing Freak Fest · June 2012
- Qualia Fest 2012
Parkside Lounge jam sessions · 2009–2011
The first open jam was held at the Parkside Lounge after the American Philosophical Association meeting in New York on December 28, 2009. For more than a year after that the New York Consciousness Collective held monthly jam sessions there for neuroscientists and philosophers.
- New York Consciousness Collective, “Quine on the Inverted Spectrum in 5/4” (recorded March 16, 2010)
I Love Consciousness in the Fall · 2010
A fall show on September 30, 2010, billed on the chalkboard as “10 PM: I Love Consciousness in the Fall.”
Qualia Fest 2010 · Parkside Lounge
The first Qualia Fest, Tuesday, December 14, 2010, with Quiet Karate Reflex, The Amygdaloids (led by NYU neuroscientist Joe LeDoux), and David Chalmers performing the Zombie Blues. Part of the night ended up in the Through the Wormhole segment on Chalmers.
- David Chalmers “sings” the Materialist Shombie Blues (Short)
- Richard Brown reacts to the Zombie Blues at the Qualia Fest
Qualia Fest 2011 · Local 269
The second Qualia Fest, Tuesday, December 6, 2011, moved to the Local 269 on the Lower East Side. Line-up: Mobile Wash Unit (Andy Snyder’s group), the Space Clamps, The Amygdaloids, Quiet Karate Reflex, the William James Trio, the Zombie Blues, and an open jam session.
That night, in the middle of the Occupy Wall Street months in New York, David Chalmers, introduced by Ben Abelson in a Doctor Who parody (“Dr. Who? Dr. Chalmers!”), sang the “Occupy Consciousness” version of the Zombie Blues (we, the zombies, are the 99 percent), backed by a band of philosophers and neuroscientists with Hakwan Lau (guitar and harmonica) and Gary Ostertag on guitar, Steve Fleming on organ, Pete Mandik on bass and Richard Brown on drums. He sang it again a few months later at the Tucson consciousness conference with a professional band, the Atomic Gadgets; that Tucson 2012 video is online, but the New York debut was never released. The full multitrack recording survives, and a proper mix is in the works.
Consciousness Offline · February 25, 2012 · Local 269
The live reception for the Fourth Online Consciousness Conference: the William James Trio (Hakwan Lau, Steve Fleming, Richard Brown) and the Space Clamps.
The Space Clamps released their set from the night as Live at The Local 269 on Bandcamp.
Funkomenological Overflow · April 3, 2012 · Local 269
Three bands, one drummer: the Space Clamps, the return of Quiet Karate Reflex, and the William James Trio. Jazz-funk, 8-bit experimental and psychedelic funk in one night.
Turing Freak Fest · June 23, 2012 · Local 269
A celebration of Alan Turing’s 100th birthday, which fell on Pride weekend: “let your freak flag fly in honor of Alan Turing.” Line-up: The Whims, the William James Trio (possibly its last show), Quiet Karate Reflex, the Space Clamps, and a late set by the P-Branes (David Pereplyotchick, Hakwan Lau, Richard Brown). (Original announcement.)
Qualia Fest 2012 · The Bowery Electric
Monday, December 10, 2012, at the Bowery Electric. Line-up: the Zombie Blues Band (David Chalmers with Gary Ostertag, Steve Fleming, Ross Otto and Richard Brown), The Amygdaloids, the Kit Fine Trio, Quiet Karate Reflex, the Space Clamps, The Whims, and Mary’s Roommate. (Full line-up.)
Live recordings from the night, on the New York Consciousness Collective’s Bandcamp:
More
- New York Consciousness Collective on Bandcamp, including the studio releases P-Branes and Bare Particulars
- Quiet Karate Reflex on Bandcamp: Everything’s Analytic (2012)
- Space Clamps on Bandcamp: Live at The Local 269, plus singles