Hearsay

Testimonials from participants and things overheard...

"The Creek and Valley tour with Anne Percoco was eye-opening. It gave me a greater appreciation for found objects and how we find/create a spiritual or ritualistic aura for objects. Anne made me think a lot." -- Alison G., Manhattan

"Up until yesterday's Through the Cracks walk with Betsey Biggs, the most atmospheric, haunting spot up 'round Madison Square was Jaume Piensa's Echo, but our walk created an aural equivalent of that arresting piece of monumental sculpture. Tiptoeing up 6th Avenue, lingering mysteriously at corners to look at gum-stained sidewalks or stare down into rusted grating; brazenly breezing through the hipsters at the Ace Hotel – not once, but twice!; ambling across an empty parking lot, forward and back, just before our turn-around point, where we stood together on the edge of the curb, looking across 29th Street to a khaki cast-iron storefront to hear the echoes of out-of-tune honky tonk pianos, we entered that liminal zone between past and present which is always the most delicious habitat on any Gotham outing. Thanks Betsey!" -- Kevin D., Manhattan

"I enjoyed the walk with Betsey on Saturday. It was interesting to move through the streets at a slower pace and pay attention to the sounds in ways I wouldn't normally do. I liked Betsey's soundtrack, which was based on a recording of her walking the same route a few days before (plus the other layers of sound she added). It seemed like a successful demonstration of her interest in dual realities." -- Jim G., Brooklyn

"I took The Fragrance of Flavor walk at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden on May 24, 2011 and it far exceeded any expectations, and was a spectacular way to end a busy day. I loved that the walk was concentrated in one small area because that made it more intimate. Everyone on the walk was in the moment and most of the conversations I had were about scent, taste, food, gardening, cooking, and other pleasures. The fact that the rose garden was not in full bloom made it easier to smell one variety at a time, and also enticed me to return for another visit. Sarah was so knowledgable and her dedication to the garden was obvious. Thanks for a great time." -- Cyndee G., North Carolina

"My boyfriend and I went on Todd's Brighton Beach sound walk this past weekend. Having just moved from SF to NY it was the perfect way to experience a new area of the city, attuning ourselves to the environment in a completely fresh way. Our group was terrific too! Thanks Todd for the awesome experience, we'll definitely keep an "ear" out for future Elastic City events!" -- Stephanie P, Manhattan

"As a European tourist visiting the US, I find that the walks of Elastic City have quite an intimate connection with New York. I've come on several of the walks, including Todd Shalom's soundwalks, Niegel Smith's theatrical walks and Robert Mauksch's psychological explorations of the city. After having experienced it, I would strongly suggest them not only to New Yorkers but also to those who will be staying here for just a few days in order to discover something one wouldn't be exposed to regularly." -- Al S., Lithuania

"Navigating through a park with one’s eyes closed, using only the sense of sound, creates an adventure through a sea of squealing children and squeaking swings. Movement starts to feel vertiginous and unpredictable, directional orientation becomes an outright adventure. I can’t wait to try it again." -- Roddy Schrock, Brooklyn

"I will never forget Niegel's walk-- taking in downtown monuments critically, intimately, and tongue-in-cheek. We began as a group of strangers but by the end, we had broken down walls between each other and our surroundings which led us to create meaningful monuments of our own." -- Paige F., Montana

"Niegel Smith is a great leader. We all gelled as a group and got over our inhibitions to have a really fun and interesting and exhilarating evening. I saw parts of the city I'd never seen, and saw familiar parts in a new way. And we put a living heart on The New York Supreme Court! It was a blast." -- Jonathan Tindle

"Found my sound horizon in DUMBO while de-masking bridges w/ Daniel Neumann" -- @solidk (via twitter)

"Good on Neil Freeman for organizing such complex stuff: geometry, history, material flow… all in an interactive format, in real time and real space. Very cool." -- Fred Scharmen, Baltimore

Email us at: info@elastic-city.com with yours.