Experience Tonalism
Tonalism is an all night ambient happening partly inspired by La Monte Young’s Dream House and the happenings of the 50s and 60s by artists such as Terry Riley, John Cage and Yoko Ono. Visitors are encouraged to bring pillows, cushions, and sleeping bags, lay down and listen. The event features live performances and DJ sets in an environment transformed by projections, installations and various multimedia elements. The night flows seamlessly with quiet and harmonious sounds providing a transformative and contemplative experience.
05.09.22
Tonalism 2022
This year Tonalism is back in Los Angeles!!! After two consecutive years of Tonalism taking place at Bonnaroo Festival in Manchester, Tennessee, and an online edition due to the pandemic, dublab is happy to announce the return of the beloved ambient happening to its hometown. Presented in partnership with Descanso Gardens, Tonalism brings a stellar line up of artists that will transform the grounds of Descanso Gardens for four consecutive days with a sound exhibit and a live event.
From May 9th-12th, garden visitors will be able to experience a quadraphonic sound exhibit at Descanso Gardens. The exhibit will take place during regular visiting hours and will include pre- recorded works by various artists that will play on rotation through a specially designed sound system that will allow the public to immerse in a sonic experience while enjoying their surroundings
On Saturday, June 11, Tonalism will go live! From 6pm to 1am the public will be able to enjoy live performances, DJ sets and video art in the Rose Garden. Visitors are encouraged to bring pillows, cushions, and sleeping bags to lay down, listen and watch for an extended period of time.
The diverse line up of live performers and DJs include Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Drum & Lace, Colloboh, Diva, Matthewdavid, Indradeep Gosh, Neelamjit Dhillon & Chris Votek, Grace Oh, Nanny Cantaloupe, Barbarelle, Hoseh, Rona Rapadas, Mark “Frosty” McNeil, No Translation, Jimmy Tamborello, Chris Kissel, Alex Pelly, Carole Kim, Alise Spinella, Alicia Gorecki, Theo Rasmussen, Eli Rosenkim, with dancers Oguri, Roxanne Steinberg & Michelle Shiu-Lin Lai.
Tonalism 2022
This year Tonalism is back in Los Angeles!!! After two consecutive years of Tonalism taking place at Bonnaroo Festival in Manchester, Tennessee, and an online edition due to the pandemic, dublab is happy to announce the return of the beloved ambient happening to its hometown. Presented in partnership with Descanso Gardens, Tonalism brings a stellar line up of artists that will transform the grounds of Descanso Gardens for four consecutive days with a sound exhibit and a live event.
From May 9th-12th, garden visitors will be able to experience a quadraphonic sound exhibit at Descanso Gardens. The exhibit will take place during regular visiting hours and will include pre- recorded works by various artists that will play on rotation through a specially designed sound system that will allow the public to immerse in a sonic experience while enjoying their surroundings
On Saturday, June 11, Tonalism will go live! From 6pm to 1am the public will be able to enjoy live performances, DJ sets and video art in the Rose Garden. Visitors are encouraged to bring pillows, cushions, and sleeping bags to lay down, listen and watch for an extended period of time.
The diverse line up of live performers and DJs include Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Drum & Lace, Colloboh, Diva, Matthewdavid, Indradeep Gosh, Neelamjit Dhillon & Chris Votek, Grace Oh, Nanny Cantaloupe, Barbarelle, Hoseh, Rona Rapadas, Mark “Frosty” McNeil, No Translation, Jimmy Tamborello, Chris Kissel, Alex Pelly, Carole Kim, Alise Spinella, Alicia Gorecki, Theo Rasmussen, Eli Rosenkim, with dancers Oguri, Roxanne Steinberg & Michelle Shiu-Lin Lai.
︎ Audio / Visuals
10.30.20
Tonalism 2020
Normally taking place in a physical setting, in 2020 we offered an online edition of Tonalism to be enjoyed from home. Over 24 hours of ambient sets, starting with an 8 hour drone by Tim Shaw, live from his studio in Switzerland, and followed by never before aired sets from Tonalism at Bonnaroo Festival in 2019 and Sonos Studio in 2016 – plus sets and surprises from dublab friends. This daylong broadcast provided the opportunity to meditate, contemplate, sleep, and simply go about our day to day lives in our homes.
︎ Audio / Visuals
05.13.19—05.16.19
Tonalism at Bonnaroo 2019
Our second year dublab returns to Bonnaroo presenting Tonalism under trees and under the stars in “The Grove” area of the festival grounds. A stellar line up will fill the night (and days) with harmonious sounds, DJ sets, live performances and pre-recorded installations. Ki Oni/Chuck Soo-Hoo, DJ Tottie, Sharkiface, Cafe Ale, DJJJS, Kisber, Kranky Ltd, Eucalyptus, Geographic North, Lyonnais, Sage Caswell, Bennett Shaeffer, Julianna Barwick, Arthur King, Daniel Avery, Nanny Cantaloupe
︎ Audio / Visuals
06.07.18—06.11.18
Tonalism at Bonnaroo 2018
Tonalism brought peace and tranquility to Tennessee’s Bonnaroo festival this year, featuring nightly ambient music with visual accompaniments, stretching from nightfall until early morning. Festival goers enjoyed performances by Nanny Cantaloupe, Hoseh, Lucky Dragons, Ale, Matthewdavid, Geographic North, Timonium, Llark, Jimmy Tamborelllo, Sana Shenai, Aura T-09, Zøraya, Steph Russ, Timonium, Lyonnais, Ann Sensing, The Institute of Art & Olfaction, Diva Dompe Alex Pelly, Andrew Ohlmann.
︎ Audio / Visuals
11.19.16
TONALISM AT LACE
An immersive multimedia event, with live performances and sets at Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions in Hollywood. Live performers and DJs included Sage Caswell, Hoseh, frosty, Jimmy Tamborello, Victoria O’Hanlon, Richard Chartier, Ale, and Farbod Kokabi & Farzad Moghaddam.
︎ Audio / Visuals
12.12.15
TONALISM AT 356 MISSION
A free event held at 365 Mission, with both ambient music and visual performances from sunset to sunrise. Live DJ sets and performances by: Klang Association feat. Anna Homler, Jorge Martin and Jeff Schwartz, Hoseh, Miles Cooper Seaton & Heather McIntosh, Drip City, Avey Tare, Geologist, Deaken, Brian Degraw, $3.33, Angela Seo, George Jensen. Music was accompanied by visual projections by: Alexandra Pelly, Carole Kim and Jesse Gilbert, with live drawing by Moses Hacmon, Alicia Gorecki, Kio Griffith, Regine Verougstraete and Valerie Daval.
03.10.12
Tonalism at El Cosmico
in Marfa Texas
In 2011 we brought our ambient and drone roster to El Cosmico in Marfa, Texas. Featuring sets by Sun Araw, JD Emmauel, Common Synth (Nicolas Miller & Anthony DeSimone), David Hollander and Daniel Chamberlin — as well as a teepee visual installation by Adam Bork. The event was broadcast live on Marfa Public Radio.
︎ Audio / Visuals
06.09.11
Tonalism at Music Gallery
Toronto
In 2011 we brought Tonalism to Toronto’s Music Gallery. It served as the Season Closing Fundraising Event for the Music Gallery and transformed St. George the Martyr Church into an immersive, multi-media experience. Julia Holter, Matthewdavid, Suzanne Kraft, Teebs, Dntel and frosty provided music while Alex Pelly created the live visual projections.
Thanks to David Dacks and Jonny Bunce for making this event happen in Toronto! The original audio recording was lost in deep space but thankfully the event was broadcast live on CIUT Radio so we were able to rescue the recordings thanks to their help. Unfortunately Dntel and frosty’s sets seem to still be floating out there with the satellites. We hope you enjoy the rest of the archive.
︎ Audio / Visuals
03.06.2010
TONALISM AT REED COLLEGE
For Reed College’s Art Week, we took our overnight experience to Portland, OR where students brought sleeping bags and pillows to the Student Union and enjoyed live performances by Grouper, Golden Hits, Pharaohs, and Golden Retriever, in addition to DJ sets by frosty, Ale, Nanny Cantaloupe, Katie Byron, Jimmy Tamborello, Ben Knight, Jeff Yarbrough, Sam Cooper, Lavenders, and Suzanne Kraft.
︎ Audio / Visuals
05.28.2009
Tonalism at the Henry Miller
Library, Big Sur
2009 event at the Henry Miller Library (Big Sur) in association with Kranky Records, where visitors were encouraged to spend the night outside — with complimentary tea served for the duration. By the glow of a fire pit under the canopy of big pines listeners heard sets by Windy and Carl, Pharaohs, Matt Baldwin, Inner Beauty, Lyonnais, White Rainbow, Nudge, Obrian System, frosty, Jimmy Tamborello, Michael Stock, Andy Ca, Mia Doi Todd, Carlos Niño & Jesse Peterson, The Nick Rosen/Brian Green Duo, Golden Hits, DJ Cool Chris of Groove Merchant, GB, and Life On Earth!
Mix 001 — Live at Tonalism in Big Sur (Dntel Remix)
︎ Audio / Visuals
07.19.2008
TONALISM AT THE SANTA MONICA PIER
The 2008 Tonalism event took place oceanside as listeners, performers, and DJs met at the historic carousel on the Santa Monica pier for a night of music and visuals as part of the Santa Monica Glow Festival. The night featured live performances by Albert Ortega, Steve Roden, Unrecognizable Now, and White Rainbow along with DJ sets by frosty, Carlos Nino, Hoseh, Jimmy Tamborello, Sam Cooper, Katie Byron, Ale and Michael Stock. The music was played alongside visual projections by Jessica Bronson, Cal Crawford, Carole Kim, and Matt Sheridan.
︎ Audio / Visuals
08.04.2007
TONALISM AT FARMLAB
Farmlab in Downtown Los Angeles hosted our 2007 event, which included live performance and visual projections as well as live nature sound duets, curated by Carlos Nino. DJ sets by Hoseh, Morpho, frosty, Ale, MatthewDavid, Michael Stock, J.Mendez, Farzad Moghaddam and Farbod Kokabi. Live sets by Dntel, Languis, Tropic of Cancer, smgsap, and Adventure time. Visuals were provided by Carolina Chaves and Ben Loiz, the Labrat Matinee, and the Masses.