Order of the Illusive
Order of the Illusive creates modern, innovative live scores for films. Utilizing a wild array of instrumentation—17-string bass, a custom-made string instrument, guitar, electronics, and more—the outfit synthesizes the sounds of experimental music and ambient rock to reframe classic films in an entirely new way.
On the third night of Groundtone in the open air PS21 Pavilion Theater, they’ll take on The Adventures of Prince Achmed—the oldest feature length stop-motion film on record, celebrating its 100th birthday this year. A collection of vignettes from Arabian Nights directed by German filmmaker Lotte Reiniger, The Adventures of Prince Achmed uses animation fused with musical beats—a playground for reimagined live scores.
Groundtone is PS21’s annual weekend-long celebration of adventurous music by an eclectic selection of today’s most original voices. Dazzling performances and immersive experiences take place across the PS21 grounds with concerts in our theater, fields, installations, and barns.
This year’s Groundtone features Sō Percussion in collaboration with Grammy-nominated songwriter Becca Stevens, pathbreaking harpist Parker Ramsay, and a full slate of artists who defy categorization. On June 21, PS21 will usher the globally-renowned Make Music Day to Chatham for the first time, with a sunrise musical procession created by Phil Kline; and Annea Lockwood’s Home Ground, a new site specific work spanning the PS21 terrain.
Groundtone is four days of audacious music, unexpected collaboration, sound, and community in the PS21 landscape.
Order of the Illusive is Geoff Gersh on guitar and electronics, Bradford Reed on the pencilina (an instrument of his own design) and drums and Zach Layton on 17 string bass and effects.
Since 2012 we’ve created and performed live scores for dozens of films at venues in and around NYC including Nitehawk Cinema, Alamo Drafthouse, Film Noir Cinema as well as the Linda in Albany, TSL in Hudson, Tinker St. Cinema in Woodstock, Upstate Films in Saugerties and Proctors Theater in Schenectady. We’ve also worked with educators at NYU, Siena College, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Union College.
We have a modern approach to live scoring using the sounds of experimental and ambient rock (ie. Can, Mogwai, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Sunn 0))), Pink Floyd and Brian Eno) to bring the experience of silent film to contemporary audiences. Additionally, we have developed methods that allow us to be flexible and spontaneous with live scoring and are very open to expanding our repertoire as well as collaborating with filmmakers.
Films in our repertoire include: Metropolis, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligary, He Who Gets Slapped, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, Joan of Arc, The Unknown, Wings, The Navigator, The Little Fugitive, The Holy Mountain, Faust, Stalker, Broken Blossoms, Seven Chances, Beauty and the Beast, The Artist, One Week, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Epic of Everest, Vampyr, Nosfaratu, Fantastic Planet, A Page of Madness, Peter Pan, The Phantom of the Opera and The Cameraman.
