Brett Bolton^US

Brett Bolton is an audiovisual artist specialized in crafting immersive experiences both live and virtual. Before settling in Los Angeles, Bolton grew up in Las Vegas, where he played drums for a number of Pop-punk and Emo bands. After studying Economics, he found work as a sound designer, mainly creating music for slot machines. He simultaneously trained in animated design and learned the ins and outs of bedroom production by experimenting with every piece of hardware he could get his hands on and recording himself. Soon, his relentless training and drive to make music gave birth to Indie-electro duo Kid Meets Cougar. The band, one of the most unique on the Las Vegas scene, opened doors for Bolton, namely by allowing him to combine his own music with his own visuals, but also leading him to apply his art to a number of larger commercial projects. In the past few years, Bolton has moved on to virtual stages and augmented reality. Musically inspired by The Notwist, Rival Consoles and Ratatat, and visually by Nonotak, Max Cooper and Daito Manabe, Bolton wields projected light, custom-built musical instruments and real-time visual software as his primary tools. His work aims to transform flat physical surfaces into dynamic interactive environments and AV performances. His recent work includes a projection-mapped drum and percussion performance titled Radii, as well as an interactive musical environment/installation titled Potential Energy. Along with his own personal shows, Bolton also created concert visuals and real-time AV systems for the likes of Billie Eilish, Bruno Mars, U2, Katy Perry, Harry Styles and the Rolling Stones.

In Phases, his latest AV performance, Brett Bolton explores the various phases of matter by gradually transforming the surface of a custom-made drum projection instrument into its solid, gaseous, liquid and plasma states. Each hit or gesture of the (ostensibly magic) drumstick triggers an immediate musical and visual reaction, constantly changing based on the current state of matter.