Two duos and a trio in Lewisham, London

Shift Register, Akira vs Tigersonic, Data Swamp
Lewisham Arthouse
London
December 13, 2025

Right from the moment the first audience member entered and sat down, there was an electric atmosphere in the room of the Lewisham Arthouse where three acts were to play. As the room filled up, an excited buzz was audible from the audience, some of whom had come along with friends who had recommended that they attend. For some of them, the presence of drummer Charles Hayward—one time founder member of the experimental rock band This Heat and Camberwell Now, but still as lively as ever—was an attraction. For other audience members, word of mouth about the other players was as much of an attraction...

Be that as it may, the evening began with the duo Shift Register which comprised Hayward on drums and David Bloor on electronics playing two new compositions they had composed together. Throughout their set they demonstrated that they are good together, with neither of them dominating but each of them leading occasionally when needed. They kept the audience transfixed from start to finish and received prolonged applause at the end of their set.

In an inspired act of programming, the next act on stage was another duo but one which was greatly different to Shift Register. Called Akira vs Tigersonic (actual names Ningrui Liu and Felix Macintosh) they are both female, not from London, and younger than the duo that preceded them. Akira is from China and has been in London since 2021, an artist working across sound, film, performance, dance and spoken word. Since arriving in London, she has become a member of Noisy Women Presents, a collective of experimental women which is well respected. Traces of Akira's interests were clear to see as some were projected on the wall during the duo's performance, without distracting from it. In addition to those items, the two women attracted the audience's attention by playing musical instruments—keyboard for Akira, bass for Tigerrsonic—which they also brandished as weapons as they had a mock duel, one appreciated by the audience who laughed and applauded at length.

The evening's entertainment was closed by a trio called Delta Swamp, comprising Pete McPartlan on electronics, Nathan Greywater on bass guitar and Robert Pratt on drums. Greywater is renowned for running the fortnightly Skronk gathering in Deptford, south London, at which anyone who wishes can play in a small group and improvise for five minutes, free. Pratt organises similar events, sometimes at a brewery on his home turf. All three members demonstrated their skills as free improvisers, listening to one another and reacting appropriately so that their music sounded planned even though it was not. As before, the audience applauded and cheered at length.

Some of the leaflets circulated before the concert had described it as 'An evening blend of electronics and performance.' As was obvious from the atmosphere as the audience left, that description was perfect, thanks to all who had performed.

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