a one-man band compu-rock musical project using custom hardware and software running on a wearable computer

Ars Electronica 2023. Photo by Tom Mesic
ZKM Karlsruhe 2023. Photo by Felix Grünschloß
Fleischmarkthalle in the Alte Schlachthof, Karlsruhe 2022
Jubez, Karlsruhe 2018
New Hazlett Theater, Pittsburgh PA 2013. Photo by Renee Rosensteel

robotcowboy is a wearable computing platform to explore new types of man-machine music & artistic performance. Embedded computing, custom open-source software, and audio electronics are utilized to build portable, self contained systems which both embed and embody the computation on the performer. This cyborg approach is both empowering and compromising as new sonic capability & movement are offset by the need for electrical energy: elements of tension between human and system. robotcowboy shows are always live and contain aspects of improvisation, feedback with the audience, and an inherent capability of failure.

robotcowboy's first 2006-2007 incarnation melded rock with realtime algorithmic composition tools into a dynamic live show. The second incarnation followed the story of the first human on Mars with spacesuit as portable music machine in 2013. The ongoing third incarnation explores themes of trajectories, radiation, and space travel. The future is bright, do you have room to wiggle?

For details, see:

Manifesto: "10 Tenets of robotcowboy"

Media

robotcowboy playlist on youtube

robotcowboy gallery on flickr

Shows

Mar 21st 2024 @ ZKM Non-Conference intro performance, Kalrsruhe DE

Dec 31st 2023 New Years party @ the Funk Institut, Kolberg DE (SE of Berlin)

Nov 19th 2023 16:30 iterative ßpace #2 @ ßpace, Fritz-Erler-Str. 7, Karlsuhe DE
special "input sessions" performance, appearing with Ralt144MI & members of TOPLAP Karlsruhe

Sep 9th 2023 @ the Ars Electronica Festival, Linz AT
appearing in support of the Oribotics instruments research project by artist Matthew Gardiner,
presented at the Ars Electronica Festival 2023's Open Futurelab

Aug 5th 2023 20:10 @ ZKM KAMUNA, Lichthof 8, Karlsruhe DE
special "PolyCloud" sound piece performance

Jun 21st 2023 19:00 @ Trifels-Hub Theaterstr. 10 as part of the Féte de la Musique 2023, Landau DE for the Landauer Leerstandinitiative

Jun 16th & 17th 2023 @ P8 / Schauenburg as part of the Kulturdose 01 Festival, Karlsruhe DE
16.06.2023 Fri: mini-performances @ 18:45 & 19:45
17.06.2023 Sat: full set @ 21:00
special performances and actions from the "theater bus"

Nov 19th 2022 @ Østre as part of the Piksel 22 open-source art festival, Bergen NO

Aug 14th 2022 @ Wandern mit dem Kopf exhibition opening, Fleischmarkthalle in the Alte Schlachthof, Karlsruhe DE
with special performance: "Wobble"

Aug 6th 2022 @ ZKM KAMUNA, ZKM (Vorplatz), Karlsruhe DE

Apr 30th 2022 @ Yasha's, Karlsruhe DE (live album & video)

Jan 6th 2022 @ Tag der offenen Tür | Open House, ZKM, Karlsruhe DE (livestream video replay)

Aug 28th 2021 @ A-dela? | Is it working? festival, CD Club, Ljubljana SL (livestream from ZKM)

Sep 8th 2018 @ exhibition closing, Jubez (Vorplatz), Karlsruhe DE

Jun 7th 2018 @ NIME 2018, Blacksburg VA

May 18th 2018 @ KV Letschenbach, (Durlach) Karlsruhe DE

Nov 25th 2017 @ the Giga-Hertz 2017 afterparty, ZKM, Karlsruhe DE

Nov 17th-20th 2016 @ PdCon16~, New York City

Oct 7th 2016 @ AutumnLEAF 2016, Lafayette CO w/ Oynx Ashanti, SUE-C, & Normal Ones

...many previous dates back to 2006 to be added...

Contact

info [at] robotcowboy [dot] com

Press Info

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Previous Incarnations