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VJing Uncovered

Visual jockey, video performance artist, audio-visual performer… titles abound for the practitioners of the various disciplines of graphical jiggery-pokery and the definitions of each strain are hotly contested by their followers. To the layperson though, the distinctions are less important than the similarities; each involves the manipulation or synthesis of visuals or video which are shown on light displays, screens or projected for the benefit of an audience. Short of the occasional artistic offering in the Arnolfini or Spike Island, your most likely point of access to this world is via a VJ at a club or festival.

The term “VJ” is often attributed to Merrill Aldighieri’s early ‘80s work in New York nightclub Hurrah. Having been asked to screen her experimental video in the club, she wanted to avoid severing the evening’s otherwise solely musical ambience and devised a process of splicing between two video decks, live camera footage and film loops to compliment the DJ’s music. The experiment was such a success that she named herself a “video jockey” and continued to push the concept in clubs, apparently inspiring the founders of MTV to follow her lead and launch the entire music industry on a collision course with music promo videos.

In the UK, the group Hexstatic defined the AV genre in the nineties. Their award winning video ‘Timber’, created collaboratively with boundary-pushing musicians Coldcut, set the pace for the symbiosis of music and video in a single experience. Hexstatic would go on to play a pivotal role in developing what are now the tools of the trade in the VJ community.

Nowadays VJ equipment and techniques vary hugely from one artist to the next. Some VJs simply use a computer and their chosen software program while others re-wire video equipment, play with cutting-edge hologram generators and 3D environments, vision mixers and DVD turntables able to “scratch” and “tempo-synchronise” video. Some VJs have also started to create interactive visual environments which encourage the audience to take a hands-on role in the process of creating visuals in various ways. The boundaries are always being pushed.

The real question you need answering is “where can I see this stuff going on?” and the answer is, well, everywhere really but if you want to see something at the higher end of the spectrum I suggest you look out for Cuisine’s monthly nights at Timbuk2. Some of the most organised promoters in Bristol, they always place visual elements on a par with that of the music, supporting their own high class VJs (the nationally renown AntiVJ amongst others) and regularly import artists from around the world at the cutting edge of the scene, with captivating results. You should also look out for the FrameButchers, a new Bristol VJ crew who design their own animations to compliment whatever music it is they’re accompanying. Another highlight is Bristol’s Christmas time light extravaganza on College Green - an absolute must. And look out for full on AV performances where visuals and music are fused into a single show – such as DJ Yoda.