It’s been a while since Heaven 17 released their huge synth-pop record Temptation, but the band has never broken up and is playing big gigs this autumn.
Founder of the group (and The Human League for that matter) Martyn Ware isn’t just a musician though and he has joined forces with other artists to renivent Sir Norman Foster’s ‘wobbly’ London Millennium Bridge as a 3D sound system.
He is also the founder of Illustrious Company, a 3D soundscape installation company that works collaboratively with artists, museums, exhibitions, live events, dance and theatre.
Using his company’s 3D AudioScape surround-sound system, Ware has joined forces with the Greater London Authority, poet Mario Petrucci, and artistic director David Bickerstaff to turn London’s Millennium Bridge into a 3D sound system during the Olympics.
Created with the endorsement of The Noise Abatement Society, the Tales From The Bridge 3D soundscape will go live on the morning of the London 2012 opening ceremony on July 27th and will run every day during the Olympics from 8am to 10pm.
At the beginning of each hour, an invisible 3,746-voice choir from 73 countries will perform Water Night by Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir, composed by Grammy-winning composer Eric Whitacre, based on a short poem by Octavio Paz.
With more than four million visitors expected for the Olympics there is likely to be much ‘temptation’ to visit the Millennium Bridge but Heaven 17’s Ware is confident that it will be something that everybody will benefit from experiencing.
“Installing a 3D sound system on a bridge has its obvious challenges but we will be ready to go on the morning of the Olympic opening ceremony. We think we have created something special for locals and visitors that will inspire and entertain”, said Ware.
Monty Munford has more than 15 years' experience in mobile, digital media, web and journalism. He is the founder of Mob76, a company that helps tech companies raise money and exit. He speaks regularly at global media events with a focus on Africa, writes a weekly column for The Telegraph, is a regular contributor to The Economist, Wired, Mashable and speaks regularly on the BBC World Service.
