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Underwater Concert 'AQurld Waves' Promises Unique, Multi-Sensory Experience

(Courtesy HEARding Cats Collective)

In keeping with the mission to "keep St. Louis strange and wonderful," the HEARding Cats Collective is holding an underwater concert at the Webster University Student Center's Pool next Saturday.

Rich O'Donnell, artistic director of the HEARding Cats Collective, said the idea for an underwater concert came to him from floating in rivers and lakes," seeing through the lens of the water, seeing as the fish see."

"When you're in the water, you're completely focused on your senses," O'Donnell added. And the concert will give the audience plenty for their senses to experience.

There will be moving lights and images projected both on the water and on a screen above it, Tai Chi performances, recorded sounds of aquatic animals, instruments played underwater and synthesizers played above, all improvised in three acts.

Among the recorded aquatic animals to be played are the sounds of humpback whales. O'Donnell said the whales sound a lot like synthesizers at times, complete with the ability to hit very low and very high notes.

"The humpback whale has a thorax about the size of a vending machine," said O'Donnell. "And that's how you get those really low sounds."

The audience will have the option to watch from the side of the pool or float on the water. There will be different things to see and hear from each perspective, said O'Donnell. He encouraged people to wear their swimsuits to the concert and arrive early, as a limited number of people will be allowed in the pool for each act. There will be no reservations and admission is free.

Related Event

HEARding Cats Collective Presents "AQurld Waves"

Saturday, August 31, 2013 8:00 p.m.

Webster University Student Center's Pool, 175 Edgar Road

For more information, visit the HEARding Cats Collective website.

Cityscape is produced by Mary Edwards and Alex Heuer, hosted bySteve Potter and funded in part by the the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis, the Regional Arts Commission and the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.