Asteroid EKosystem, March 21, 21 Shepherd St -The Living Room Theatre in Marrickville
Asteroid EKosystem turned the night into a one-way voyage through uncharted sonic galaxies with loud, protean, and free jazz-rock improvisation.
This crossover project blends modern and acoustic jazz elements with rock and blues influences, creating something that keeps evolving. Driven by pianist and composer Alister Spence, the quartet features his long-running Alister Spence Trio- the formidable rhythmic base of double bassist Lloyd Swanton (The Necks, The Catholics) and drummer Toby Hall (associated with Mike Nock’s projects)—plus legendary guitarist Ed Kuepper one of Australia’s most versatile guitarists. This performance promotes the new album Sounds Have Dreams, which evolved from improvisational sketches by Kuepper which were layered into live arrangements by Spence. Spence describes during the set that compositional briefs are minimal: loosely based in a starting key with the dictum to ‘see where it goes’.
The concert opener, “Storm Advance”, erupted with Ed Kuepper’s guitar unleashing a low, menacing feedback growl—a sustained, distorted rumble evolving into layered looping segments that built tension via droning textures: ringing open strings, controlled feedback sustains, and shimmering harmonics. Alister Spence’s piano assumed the leading melodic role, offering exploratory lines that added complexity and tension, while Toby Hall’s drums and Lloyd Swanton’s bass leaned percussive—sharp attacks, polyrhythmic accents, and textural punctuation.
The first set’s highlight was “Blue Drift”, hovering just beyond familiar song structure. Kuepper’s stripped-down guitar leaned into a familiar chord progression reminiscent of his compositions for The Laughing Clowns. Spence’s piano wove gracefully through the rhythm section’s groove—Swanton’s resonant bass pulses and Hall’s crisp, propulsive drumming—its lightness providing elegant counterpoint to the underlying guitar drone. The piano’s delicate, buoyant lines taper into a spacious, dreamlike suspension.
The first set closed with “Off Axis”, where Spence led the ‘fortissimo’, and the core trio displayed remarkable tightness and control, precise yet fluid, forming a disciplined foundation, allowing Kuepper’s guitar to soar freely overhead, carving an expansive sonic space.
The second set opened with “Open To” highlighting the group’s dynamic range and restraint, Swanton had the annotation on his set list, “very calm, long space”. Lightly sketched motifs unfolded slowly, inviting listeners to stop and absorb individual elements building out the melody. Swanton’s arco bow technique produced deep, resonant tones that swelled and lingered like drawn-out breaths. Hall’s brushes and hand technique deliver whisper-soft textures building into sweeping patterns, while reminiscent of the early Necks’ hypnotic minimalism.
Toward the end of the second set, Ed Kuepper lifted his gaze from the guitar neck, flashing a broad, beaming smile. In that instant, he seemed to shake off the inherent pressure of improvisation (“will it work?”) and settle into a deeply satisfying sense of freedom.
The set closed with “Sun Spiral”, a descent into a musical black hole. The players show they can also generate howling friction. Kuepper’s angular guitar layers grinding against Spence’s piano chords, Swanton rapid tuning strings mid-flow, Hall switching rhythms—creating the visceral sensation of entropy, the musicians dragging something immense and unseen along with them until it suddenly collapsed in on itself.
I want to congratulate Michelle and The Living Room Theatre for supporting this event and for providing a home for artists (theatre, contemporary art and music) to produce and celebrate new contemporary work.
(Alistair Spence website and the Author’s capture from the night)
