Erik Ruin's Ominous Cloud Ensemble (PA)is an ever-evolving, collectively-improvising large ensemble for projections and music, led by visual artist Erik Ruin, lauded by the New York Times for his "spell-binding cut-paper animations." Erik manipulates intricate paper-cuts and painted films on overhead projectors to create abstract landscapes and fragmentary scenes that are nonetheless charged with meaning, merging with music that ranges from dark atmospherics to ecstatic peaks of dissonance. Members of the ensemble include a rotating cast of Philly's finest musicians including Dave Hotep (guitar), Tara Middleton (vocals), Myles Donovan (violin), Scott Verrastro (percussion), and Julius Masri (electronics/percussion) and Erik Ruin (visual projections).
Jon Campis a fingerstyle guitarist and composer from the DC region. He plays a unique stew of cerebral twang that draws from American Primitive Guitar, psych, country, etc. His set at Rhizome will be a rare ensemble show, with Jon being joined by Nick Arrivo on bass, Ryan Peterson on drums, Dave Jones (of The Caribbean) on guitar and keys, and Justin Hoy on guitar and percussion.
Pergola is the work of Baltimore-based fingerstyle guitarist Todd Shelar. His music is influenced by American Primitive Guitar players, impressionism, minimalism and various folk and world music traditions. Pergola's most recent album, 'So Long (not Goodbye)' was released in November 2015
