Prepare for a musical blast off Saturday, Oct. 17 when David Hickey of Crystal Journey performs his crystal bowl and gong concert, Sounds of the Solar System, at the Adventure Centre.
"I am trying to introduce people to the sounds of space," said Hickey. "The frequencies of the gongs resonate to a particular planet and then I add in the bowls. The bowls are like an amplifier so they enhance the sound of the gong."
The Paiste Planet Gongs, known for their meditative and therapeutic qualities, are individually tuned according to the calculations of Swiss mathematician Hans Coustou to the resonant frequencies of the sun, moon and planets.
"I have 10 gongs with me and I have 16 crystal bowls and a vibraphone," said Hickey. "As powerful as the gongs are, they are also really respectful of the space they are in. The vibraphone kind of sounds like an organ, it's very melodic and probably the most musical part of the show. I truly believe the instruments are alive and very aware of what is going on."
Hickey said his music is all improvised with each show offering a different experience.
"The set up is the same every night, what changes is how it is orchestrated. It's all pure, there are no mics or amps.
"There is nothing wrong with musical manipulation, but my personal preference is I want to listen to pure sounds."
Hickey is self-taught and attributes his learning to intuition and the musical inspiration of the Grateful Dead.
"I first saw the Grateful Dead in 1990. I went to a concert not knowing anything about them and after that concert my life pretty much did a 180. I saw them 150 times before Jerry Garcia died," he said. "Musically, I love the Grateful Dead. The Grateful Dead was six different styles of music fused into one and that is kind of what I do, I take what I love musically: classical, reggae, John Lennon, and feel it in my performances."
Like many "Deadheads," Hickey said the demise of the band sent him reeling in a whole new direction that eventually brought him to his craft.
"My life was following that band, so when Jerry died, I was lost. There was about five years there that I tried to normalize, get a job, get a house but, in the spring of 2000, I sold my house and drove up to the Yukon, and that's when the bowls and the gongs appeared."
Hickey said he's looking forward to returning to Squamish's oceanside and mountainous scenery, and added he's excited to feel the "buzz" of the Olympics in the area.
"I have had really good turn outs in Squamish," he said. "With there being no lyrics, there is nothing to interpret but the sound. I think that promotes peace, and that's why I am doing this at the core."
The show takes lace Saturday, Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Adventure Centre. Tickets can be bought at the door for $15. Hickey invites people to bring yoga mats so that they can lie down but chairs will also be available for those that wish to sit.
