Napalm Death concert cancelled, fear of volume-related building damage

Famed grindcore band Napalm Death were slated to play a unique concert at the Victoria and Albert Museum on Friday night, but the museum cancelled the show fearing that "the high level of decibels generated by the performance would damage the historic fabric of the building." The group was to play through a sculptural ceramic sound system built by artist Keith Harrison. The sculpture was expected to crumble under the volume of the performance.

"Sound as a weapon - or a weapon of change - is a very interesting concept and I think that the whole process of our sound gradually degrading clay sculptures is captivating," Napalm Death vocalist Mark "Barney" Greenway said last week. "The noise element of music should never be understated and this exhibition at the V&A will hopefully demonstrate that music can do interesting things beyond the realms of clipped production techniques."

According to the V&A, the museum "is committed to an exciting programme of exhibitions and events but the safety of our visitors and building remains our priority at all times."

Above, Napalm Death's "Suffer the Children" from their 1990 album Harmony Corruption, the first album to feature Greenway on vocals.

(via BBC News)

• [Roose_Bolton]

  Throw horns…break priceless artifact…mosh.

• [Rick Lamoreaux]

  I guess there’s no chance of them booking “Disaster Area.”

  • [Paul Renault]

    Shakes fist………clicks ‘Like’.

  • [techbuzz]

    Came here for this. Leaving satisfied.

  • [Grahamers2002]

    I am stunned, saddened, and disappointed that this was not the first comment to the thread. BoingBoing, I don’t know you any more.

• [Christopher]

  Didn’t Spinal Tap perform there once? 

• [shutz]

  For all we know, the concert might actually improve some things.

  See: Disaster Area, band (fictional)
  and Kakrafoon Kappa, alien world (fictional)

• [Gilbert Wham]

  You could at least have posted ‘You Suffer’. A four-minute Napalm Death song is practically a prog-rock opera…

• [tempo]

  Did you hear about the Sunn)) concert, where they played in the basement of museum, for people on the top floor?  I’m curious if the vibrations had any effect on the walls/artwork after the concert.

• [doggo]

  I think Hawkwind said it best:

  “In the case of sonic attack survival means
  Every man for himself, himself, himself, himself, himself, himself
  Statistically more people survive if they think
  Only of themselves, only of themselves, only of themselves

  Do not attempt to rescue friends, relatives, loved ones
  You have only a few seconds to escape
  Use those seconds sensibly or you will inevitably die”

• [Cowicide]

  Quick!  Somebody give that singer a cookie before he hurts someone!

  http://i.imgur.com/BudaO9f.gif

• [noah django]

  alright, y’all–change of venue!  my house, friday night, BYOB.

• [Billy Roesener]

  Napalm death isn’t Grindcore.  Combatwoundedveteran is… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obxH-aVdTLI

• [Steve Krason]

  Napalm Death? Amateurs. Try My Bloody Valentine. Louder than a jet engine.

  • [noah django]

     heh, my buddy who saw ‘em in the early 90s said they finished the show by hitting the note that’s supposedly the most damaging to the human ear, cranking the amps and letting it reverb until the venue killed the power because “we hate it in america,” lolz

  • [Beanolini]

    Both amateurs. Einsturzende Neubauten took the stage in the ICA with the intention of drilling through the building and partially succeeded.

    • [Antinous / Moderator]

      Daytrippers. Nero fiddled while Rome burned.

      • [Beanolini]

        That was just coincidental. But Joshua’s trumpets brought down the walls of Jericho.

• [fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

  Is it a bad sign that the ‘targeted’ google ad for the Napalm Death video was for some hip-replacement-malpractice lawsuit law firm…

  Surely classic metal still has a few years of balding-with-children left in it?

• [Christa Joe]

  Seems like the organizers didn’t really care of knowing about the surroundings of the concert during the time they planned of bringing the Napalm Death.
  It shows an improper management and planning of organizers and describes that each and every parameter should be studies properly before executing any big plan.