On October 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th 50 live looping artists from several countries and all around the US performed at the largest event of its kind in history: the Y2K4 INTERNATIONAL LIVE LOOPING FESTIVAL in San Francisco and Santa Cruz, California. ETHERIC NETWORKS of Santa Cruz provided the internet connection to simulcast the entire two day main festival.

Featuring artists from as far away as Japan (Sunao Inami, Japan's most prominent live looper), Switzerland (promising newcomer, guitarist Bernhard Wagner), and Iceland (sound artist and instrument builder Kitundu) the festival featured the creme de la creme of this burgeoning international musical movement (there were 20 live looping festivals in 11 countries in the last 12 months and Looper's Delight (www.loopersdelight.com), the mecca website of the movement averages about 900'000 page views per month). There were also several proprietary live looping technologies that had their debut at this year's festival.

The live looping movement has no musical style or genre that defines it. Indeed, there were performances by solo guitarists, percussionists, multi-reed and brass musicians, vocalists, circuit bending artists, found sound artists, as well as avante garde electronic musicians. It is defined by the technology that allows the musicians to digitally clone themselves while playing live in front of an audience.

Along with headliner Sunao Inami (Kobe, Japan), the festival presented featured performers Michael Klobuchar (guitarist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), Bernhard Wagner (guitarist from Zurich, Switzerland), Ted Killian (guitarist from Medford, Oregon), and Kid Beyond (beat boxer from San Francisco, California), Kitundu (sound artist and instrument builder from Iceland).

The main festival occured on Saturday and Sunday the 9th and 10th in Santa Cruz where all 50 loopers performed on two stages with continuous music from noon to midnight but kicked off in Santa Cruz with a free concert on Friday night, October 8th with individual concert performances by Sunao Inami, Bernhard Wagner and Michael Klobuchar. The night before, the Inami/Walker/Wagner International Looping Trio (with festival organizer Rick Walker on found sound, percussion and electronics) performed at the prestigious new music venue, Luggage Store in San Francisco.

Rick says, "We have had really great festivals in the last few years here in Santa Cruz, but this event tops them all in its scope and the sheer number of musicians who played at it. It was wonderful to have the eyes of the whole international looping community on us for this weekend.

Headliner Sunao Inami and featured artist Bernhard Wagner were on air Oct. 9th 2004 at KZSC Radio 88.1FM, Santa Cruz discussing electronic music, live looping and the Y2K4 Live Looping Festival. (pictures).

There's a review of the festival by Cat Hebel of Santa Cruz Live.