Musician Stefen Robinson, who performs as Yea Big, is reviving his monthly music salon in a new location.
Yea Big’s Neuroplasticity debuts Saturday, Sept. 28, at Illinois Art Station, featuring improvised and experimental evenings from multi-instrumentalist Robinson and various local and visiting musicians.
The series repeats every fourth Saturday of the month, skipping December.
This month boasts an opening set by Robinson, followed by the duo of Ipek Eginli and Rob Magill, Chicago percussionist Tom Lowrey and local multi-disciplinarian RNotte, who will perform music with plants.
While his music is often labeled as experimental, one might argue the most unique aspect of Robinson’s music is his frequent improvisation. He hinted at another interesting element of his work in a previous WGLT interview.
“All through the free improvisation, the electro-acoustic process to music, all of the collaborations I’ve done over the years—I think there’s a throughline through all of it, but I’m not sure if I’m the one who can identify it,” Robinson said.
Robinson previously held court at cometogetherspace, a downtown Bloomington live-work art space and gallery in the former Salvation Army. Cometogetherspace has suspended live music while working to bring the building up to code for public gatherings; the frequent concert venue became unavailable shortly before the Coffeehouse in uptown Normal also ceased its live music offerings.
Illinois Art Station has filled the gap, a move executive director Hannah Johnson said was "by happenstance."
Last year, Robinson needed a last-minute venue for Ken Vandermark, Johnson said. “In just a matter of weeks we put together Illinois Art Station as that back-up venue and discovered that we’ve got beautiful acoustics in the space and it’s a really intimate environment for some cool, immersive, experimental musical performances.”
According to Johnson, the relationship between Robinson and the Art Station is mutually beneficial since the combination of both artforms and audiences allows the two to complement each other.
“This allows us to offer opportunities for artists of all ages and music appreciators of all ages," she said, "and reinterprets our space in a new way."
Yea Big's Neuroplasticity premieres at 7 p.m. Sept. 28 at Illinois Art Station, 101 E. Vernon Ave., Normal. Tickets are $10 at the door. Robinson will also appear at Reverberation Vinyl on Sept. 16.
