Ak’chamel, The Giver of Illness is an enigmatic duo from a border state. Fourth World Post-Colonial Cultural Cannibalists Circumcising The Foreskin of Enlightenment.Performing in homemade costumes and masks, they have played festivals in various cities around the U.S gaining international attention from Vice, The Wire, Tiny Mix Tapes, Consequence of Sound, and many more. They have amassed over 10 cassette albums and 1 VHS full length film.
An Ak’chamel set is something you can’t prepare for, you just dive in and see where the sounds of the experimental/noise act take you. Also, as we learned by chatting with the band after its set (they’re super nice, despite the daunting costumes they perform in), most Ak’chamel gigs don’t feature a lot of the band’s pre-recorded music. Ergo, no title for the show-closer which mesmerized us at a recent Big Top show. The low hum of the tune caused an ASMR reaction for this listener, who dopily enjoyed the scalp-tingling pyrotechnics Ak’chamel set off. (Houston press)
With opening set from Derek Monypeny. Born in the Arizona desert, a veteran of multiple explorations into the Sahara via Morocco and Western Sahara, and now a resident of the Mojave, Derek Monypeny sees his musical mission as adding to and expanding on what he calls the "desert continuum;" the psychedelic sirocco swirl of desert-based stringed instruments played with utter abandon by musicians the world over.
Derek is a former member of the bands Oaxacan (Oakland, CA), ALTO! (Portland, OR), and Sir Richard Bishop's Freak Of Araby Ensemble. In addition to his solo work, he has an ongoing duo project with Bryan Hillebrandt, OAE (Oakland Afternoon Ensemble). He has performed and toured with artists such as Bill Orcutt, Mike Watt, Jozef van Wissem, Lau Nau, Arrington de Dionyso, and many others.