<nettime> SRL LIVE IN TOKYO REPORT

["OKADA, Tomohiro" <tomohiro@coolstates.com>]

ARE THEY A HEADLINER FOR THE END OF FIRST MILLENNIUM IN TOKYO
The first act of Survival Research Laboratories (SRL) in Japan

reported by OKADA, Tomohiro  (tomohiro@coolstates.com)
translated by Mayumi Kaneko (shift.jp.org）

December 23, 1999  Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan

If you like to read this report with pictures,
please see a web site bellow,
http://coolstates.com/worldbeat/tyo/tyo.srl.e.htm

------------

In the streets of Tokyo hang huge posters where mechanical-looking robots
are jostling in raging flames. Rumors of what lie behind these posters
reach my ears here and there at the bar counter. It's a robot performance
never seen in Japan by the legendary group called Survival Research
Laboratories (SRL). The performance was finally held by NTT-ICC at a huge
stadium not far from Shibuya in an uproar for Millennium Christmas. Like a
boy in front of a special effects movie, I was looking forward to the
day... 


On December 23th, the last national holiday in the millennium for the
Emperor's Birthday, the street of Shibuya was filled with the shouts of
couples. Walking toward to Yoyogi Park, those crowds went out of sight and
people wearing strange costumes were walking in the opposite direction. In
the area, there was a notice saying 'SRL, Machine Circus at the end of
20th Century!!'. Going in the direction, Yoyogi National Stadium came into
sight.  The admission was free and thousands of people were lining up in
front of the entrance two hours before the doors opened. 

When the door opened, strange robots were standing silently, the smell of
oil inside. The iron-barred ring was specially prepared for this outdoor
event, and a huge tower made with cards and steel animals came into sight. 
Pop sound enhanced the emptiness like a deserted themepark. 

Survival Research Laboratories (SRL) based in San Francisco was founded by
Mark Pauline in November 1978. Their performances use huge handmade robots
made from scrap parts of industrial machines. The machines act and battle
themselves and shows us a destructive utopia of machines. It is said that
the audiences who restrain ourselves in high-tech society can get a
catalysis, by seeing this huge open space where the machines act as
machines themselves with our own eyes. This excites audiences more and
more. 

"Humans are present only as audience or operators" from SRL web site
www.srl.org

Since 1979, SRL has staged over 45 mechanized presentations in the United
States and Europe. For this first performance in Japan, robots, machinery
and materials weighing over 28 tons were packed into 40 containers. They
left the west coast on November 26th for Tokyo.  Their performance used to
use radio remote control, but this was first time for them to adopt an
operation system by ICP/IP remote control though ICC (InterCommunication
Center). 

"This performance involves loud sound, low frequency and blinking strong
light. If you feel bad, please request assistance from a person in
charge."  The stadium echoed with the announcement. Fire engines were
stationed outside of the fence and at the same time, the loud noises of
engines started to ring through from 'robots' mixed with the smell of oil.
Temporary lives were put into the machines for this show. The clock showed
between half past six to seven. 


Machines started to move silently. A robot that raised its head like a
dragon shot out fire, and another one that filled up a huge nunchaku swung
it about like a helicopter. A huge paper-island with rocks and grasses
went up in flames and was destroyed.  A TV reporter standing next to me
was shouting, 'Yeah, I'm happy to live at this moment!' A huge cannon
sniped at the island while a batting machine, aided by a laser sighting
device, smashed rectangular lumbers into its victim. It was bullying
rather than a battle... 

Nonresistant 'islands' were being destroyed... Robots destroyed and
destroyed without mercy... The 'island' kept on going ahead in silence. 
The next target was an animal robot looks like a dog or cat. Machines kept
watch on the animal robot that were going ahead in silence... Then it was
pierced with a rectangular piece of lumber, scooped out with a nunchaku,
burnt with a flamethrower and blown off its support by a cannon... 

Turning my eyes to a huge signboard called 'Pig Licker' were wriggling its
surface and a huge wheel called 'Woody Copter' covered in collage were
thrashing about. Those humorous robots without weapons were destroyed by
other brutal robots. After everything was destroyed, the tower behind the
huge field put together with huge cards started to move slowly and
silently.  It was just knocked down.  For about 45 minutes, everything was
destroyed. It was bitterly cold and everything felt into ruins. 

Machines with much destructive power attacked nonresistant machines. It's
naked violence. Did catalysis lodge in this destruction without pain? 

end

SRL in Tokyo (NTT/ICC official guide)
http://www.ntticc.or.jp/event/srl/index_e.html
SRL
http://www.srl.org

coolstates communications
http://coolstates.com






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