Short Story – Shadow Assembly

There was a sense of excitement once we were told to assemble. As it had been so long, we did not know what to expect, for the space had remained dormant for years. Entering the grand building, the procession began amid smoke and lights. Was this our savior? Centuries had passed with no conclusion, with hymns, songs, and sounds guiding us through refraction in the light.

Shadows filled the space. The time since the last gathering had allowed the souls who last performed to build a new story, while the alternate alter had lain dormant for years. As the building sang, we all fell under its charm, with shadows dancing on the ceiling, drawing us into their show.

Jesus, he did it! So soon? Glass shattered. Seriously, how? Maybe it was? Maybe it is? Is that the essence of the shadow?

We were told after our initial introduction to the shadows through our assembly that the world would make more sense. We focused so much on meeting them that it became a distraction from what is truly real. A trip under a bridge turns glass back into sand, then a tumble down the stairs shifts us into introspection and becomes a reflection.

Placing the shadows on a timeline so that we all can understand how and why they are there.
We began to learn how they exist in their varied spaces, how to understand where they have been, how they came to be, and why.

With this understanding, the building began to open more to the sounds it held. Its charisma burst through the beams, and their shadows began to take on a formless form, frantically finding space to unravel in. Building themselves into the technologies of our time.

Everyone’s eyes met with the past through the lens of the future. We now know more through engagement with the assembly halls and its lived experiences. With the lives of the shadows now existing in the circle of time, the euphoria that lies in the conclusion dawns on us and humbles the halls in the hope that they can witness our assembly again.

Review

London’s arts sector is world-renowned, and with hundreds of venues hosting events throughout the weeks, it can become oversaturated with quality offerings to attend. With your monthly Tate Late event’s setting precedence for music hosted in art spaces over the past 4-5 years, London establishments continue to embrace cross-collaboration, with Somerset House Studios rejoining their Assembly program.

The three-night, one-day event, which lay dormant for four years, was brought back to life with enthusiastic oddities. Attending the final day on a Saturday, as the sun glistened outside Somerset House Stuidios, Excelsior Ruth began the day with a magical performance, followed by Mark Leckey showcasing a film with obscure sound design.

Navigating the west wing with various performances, timings, and ticket types throughout the day was a bit tricky; we missed the performance on the staircase by Elaine Mitchener but heard it was an amazing performance, then we thoroughly enjoyed learning about the history of dub with Edward George in his intriguing manner.

Nighttime descended outside the halls, bringing with it spellbinding performances from Zein Majali and Dis Fig, followed by Lord Tusk’s short film and performance, and Choquimamani Condori concluding the four-day assembly with a goosebump-inducing keytar performance.

Assembly is a well-curated event that weaves together broad sparks of creativity, knowledge, and imagination. More venues across London are attempting to capture this essence, and the idea Assembly at Somerset House Studios returning as a yearly program is an exciting prospect that will further enrich London’s experimental music and arts scene.