Dominick Gray’s project, Telesonic 9000, is a collection of visual and auditory nostalgia—rounded out with a percussive prowess that’s impossible to miss. His multimedia experience is curated in a way that ties the past to the future, and subtly taps into various parts of the mind all at once.
Around the World
A 2008 graduate of Toledo School for the Arts, Gray subsequently moved to Chicago and worked with the Blue Man Group for several years. In 2014, he relocated to Berlin, where he’s an active freelance musician and music teacher. “I’ve been drumming with different bands here, and occasionally giving lessons for about the last two and a half years,” he said.
Before venturing overseas, he sought opportunities; “I knew some people living here, plus there’s a Blue Man Group out here, so I knew I’d be able to rub elbows with them. It seemed to be the most opportune place to go,” he explains. One of his main projects in Germany is drumming with the folk-pop group Alright Gandhi.
Version 2.0
Last December he performed at The FARM (formerly Bozarts). This year he’ll be back to deliver a new version of his musical vision on December 22nd at the Glass Pavilion.
Though he’s a percussionist first, he presents more than a display of technical ability.
“I do all the research and video editing,” he says. “About 60 percent of the music is mine and the rest is from people I’ve worked with. One is a remix from a band I used to play with, another is from a hip hop record I produced, so I’ve had a creative hand in all of it.”
Multiple Interests
Dominick explains, Telesonic 9000 is “a mix of everything I’m into. I’ve always had an interest in film and film-making, so I’ve put together a show that works whether people want to dance to it or sit and stare at it.”
And his sound as a solo artist continues to evolve. “This year, I’ll be taking it further with the videos, exploring some new visual and thematic concepts,” he says. “I’m still using the public domain archive films, so there’s still the retro-futuristic aesthetic. But this time around there will quite a bit of new material, and I’m experimenting with a different percussion setup.”
Dominick Gray will perform live at the Toledo Museum of Art’s GlasSalon
6:30-9pm. Thursday, December 22
2445 Monroe St.
419-255-8000 | toledomuseum.org
Free
