Artist of the Week |
Dharma Labby Bill Mahoney |
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Why you should know who they are: Dharma Lab became something of a sensation in Buffalo’s electronic music scene when the duo formed locally three years ago. Elevating the practice of a traditional DJ to an art form, the duo add invigorating live and improvised sound to the experience. The Oracle (Christian Kuczkowski, pictured left) pounds out energetic tracks as the duo’s turntabilist and the Puppet Master (Chris Battaglia, pictured right) astounds with maniacal skill on keyboard. Sometimes he acts the part of a pseudo-DJ himself, performing familiar piano snippets by artists as diverse as Faith No More and Beethoven. It’s not surprising that Dharma Lab stands as one of the city’s most successful electronic music exports, regularly headlining popular festivals and events throughout Southern Ontario.
Upcoming gigs: This Friday at Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Clifton Hall from 6-10pm. Other appearances include November 11 in London, Ontario, at Quadrant; November 12 in Toronto, Ontario, at Funhaus Nightclub and November 19 at Off The Wall in Buffalo for a Compass House Benefit.
Day jobs: Christian is a computer programmer. Chris is working toward his M.D. at the University of Buffalo School of Medicine.
Where did the inspiration for “Puppet Master” come from? Chris: The fact that I was a bit of a Metallica fan helped. Also, playing the drums on the keyboards really gives the impression of a marionette controlling things.
What about “The Oracle”? Christian: “There’s a temple, an oracle at Delphi for the god Apollo. There are two inscriptions above the doorway; the first is “Know Thyself” and the second is “Nothing In Excess.” These have always been personal mantras.”
Why did you originally come together to form Dharma Lab? Christian: “I wanted to do more than just DJ, I wanted to involve more than just music. I really wanted to incorporate my beliefs into my musical expression. I knew I couldn’t do it on my own. Only after we started playing together did it crystallize, that was happening.”
How did you come up with your group name? Chris: “Dharma are the teachings of Buddha. It also represents the artistic/philosophical side of us. It’s also largely an experiment each time we play. Science meets art, basically. When it comes down to it, two minds working together. A Buddhist and a medical student—it has worked better than we ever thought it would. I see what he plays and try to come up with something and work my way into it.”
Christian: “Not only have I never seen anybody do some of the stuff Chris has done, I have never heard it! I don’t know anyone who is doing live percussion on a keyboard. This kid is ten fingers into it. Incredible!”
Describe the visual element of Dharma Lab. Chris: “One of the most remarkable things about Dharma Lab is the incredible array of artists we work with. There are people who paint for us, drawing on the back of our lab coats. People who are into us look forward to not just hearing us but also seeing us. It makes for more of an experience.”
So local electronic group gets adopted by Canadian raver hippies... Christian: “...and come up with something magical! None of that is inaccurate. You’re on the right track. In Toronto, there’s a bigger population that sees electronic music as a way of life, which is why we’ve had a good deal of success.”
Chris: “Some of the people in Ontario believe techno should be available to all. We entered the scene through the grass-roots end, through some free electronic music festivals.”
What has been the craziest moment of the Dharma Lab experience? Chris: “The time we’re playing on a big system at Evolution nightclub in Amherst. We’re pumping psy-trance, things are rocking. Then, out of nowhere I hear “My Little Buttercup” sung by the Three Amigos. I look behind at Christian, I give him a look like, ‘What am I supposed to do with this?’ He just give me a ‘You’re on your own’ type of look.”
Christian: “Some of the border stories are really fun. The border guys look in the truck, ‘OK, you are coming to Canada. You’ve got camping gear, tents, tiki torches, blacklights, lab coats, speakers, stick figures for the speaker stands, welding goggles ... Wait a second!’”
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