After a lot of hype and promotion and a lot of excitement over announced speakers NEoN fest finally got underway today. The festival is taking part over various venues in Dundee but the main talks are based at the new Dalhousie building at the University of Dundee. This was the first time I’d visited the building.

Chris van der Kuyl got the ball rolling and introduced the speakers throughout the day as well as delivering the Welcome introduction. It was the first time I’ve seen Chris talk, indeed today was the first time I’ve had the opportunity to meet him.

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It was the first of it’s kind in Scotland. A mass organised zombie walk through Kelvingrove Park in the West End of Glasgow. I made my way through for it with my camera to see how it unfolded. It was awesome.

In what must rank as one of the most surreal things I’ve ever seen I made my way to the park. For once it was a spectacularly nice late Autumn day. The sun was out and the air was crisp. The golden sun shining down casting its rays on unassuming couples walking hand in hand through the park. Families out with children enjoying the start to the weekend. Young lads out playing football on the pitches and tourists wandering around with cameras marvelling at the architecture of the surrounding museums and university.

But there was something in the air. A feeling of anxiousness and trepidation. The air was still, the sun low. Some people knew but the majority didn’t. In less than 30 minutes this part of the park would be infested by zombies of all shapes and sizes. From all walks of life.

I proceeded to walk to the farthest northerly entrance to the park, arming myself with my camera. Batteries, memory cards, lenses and other assorted weaponry. I could see a group of people standing looking upward toward the university. As I got closer I could see that they were all looking in one direction. Pointing. My gaze followed and what I saw will stay with me for the rest of my life. What could only be described as a zombie hoard, at least 200 strong, perhaps more, slowly but surely making there way toward the park where they would feast upon the unsuspecting civilians.

Photos after the jump.

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At one point, just before the market crashes which have brought the globe to a virtual stand still, people could walk around town freely and no matter where they they looked new buildings were being constructed. Everything from factories, supermarkets, housing developments and the odd mega structure there were no shortages of active building sites. Once completed these buildings begin to make history from the very first day they move into active use.

All Rights Reserved, Martino – NL.

However, for every new building there are others whose historical significance may be deemed as being more important not just for local history but for human. These buildings, once vacated, generally fall into disrepair or are removed from the landscape altogether. Those that are fortunate will find another use. For the majority of the general population these buildings are forgotten.

All Rights Reserved, Viola***.

What is troubling for historians and architectural enthusiasts is that some of these abandoned buildings are listed or protected… the councils of whom are charged with protecting them and the historical significance that they represent. One of the most popular examples of such listed buildings is St. Peters’ Seminary in Cardross, Scotland. A listed building and rated as one of Scotland’s most important and significant architectural pieces the building now lies in complete ruin, having suffered major fire damage and abandonment, neglected by its protectors.

All Rights Reserved, kj.

There is one group of people who are taking it into their own hands to document these buildings and they can be found in the majority of all major cities around the world. Carefully documenting buildings and sites through photography and reportage they ensure that these structures are not completely forgotten. But some might say that these urban explorers are nothing more than mere trespassers violating security restrictions and risking their own lives for a photograph.

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A couple of years ago I went to the Flash on the Beach conference in Brighton, a conference for Flash developers and other creatives. Anyway, I had the great privilege to meet a gentleman called Andre Michelle who has a love for programming and music.

Simple sinewave synthesizer triggered by an ordinary 16step sequencer. Each triggered step causes a force on the underlaying wave-map, which makes it more cute.

Based on the AudioTool engine thus no sources, I am sorry.

Press SPACE key to clear. Right-Click for Copy&Paste.

It’s absolutely fantastic and mesmerizing. In fact, I’ve got it playing a composition in the background while I write this blog post.

There’s more information about the ToneMatrix and AudioTool on Andre’s blog and on the aM Laboratory.

If you’re a graphic artist or designer and for some reason find you have the urge to create a masterpiece while in your local coffee shop, you can no do so, through a web browser, with the worlds first online vector drawing tool, Raven. Raven is just one of a variety of graphic related tools being developed as part of a collection of tools collectively called Aviary, in various stages of production. Quite exciting.

Did I mention it’s completely free?

In the centre of the ring, to the right of the referee, I stood with my hand raised. Over the din of the voices in the crowd and the thoughts in my head I heard the MC for the second time, “And a big hand for your runner up, from the Phraya Pichai Muay Thai club, Kieran McNairn!” I had lost my first fight, but I was happy. Happy with my performance, happy with my experience and most of all, happy that I would be able to walk out the ring safe in the knowledge that I had come through this experience relatively unhurt. The bruises I had gained from training and from fighting would eventually fade, the swelling would die down and my lip would stop bleeding and heal but the things I have gained from training and fighting will never leave me. Read the rest of this entry »

Every where one goes and in every city and town across the world there are buildings that have come and gone and which have existed functionally longer than a lifetime. There are even fewer which are less than 50 years old which can be described as a building of world significance and that is exactly how DOCOMOMO describe St. Peter’s Seminary in Cardross.

St. Peter’s Seminary is a Grade A listed building (originally a Grade B) which was designed by the architect firm Gillespie, Kidd and Coia and was completed in 1966 by which time it was already considered out of date by the Second Vatican Council of the Roman Catholic Church. Read the rest of this entry »

Part 1: You’ve never had it so good.

Think about why you want to release a record. Really think about it. I’m talking to you, local bands, young bands, bands just starting out with stars in your eyes and dreams of fame in your hearts. Maybe you’ve got a bit of a ‘following’ in your home town, a couple of thousand ‘friends’ on Myspace or Facebook. Perhaps the local press are calling you the ‘next big thing’. Perhaps you’ve pooled your resources and have decided that it’s time to head to the nearest studio, lay down your 10 best songs, then get 1000 CDs pressed up. Yeah! DIY! That’ll show ‘The Man’. Read the rest of this entry »