playing down the house.

Talking Heads front man, David Byrne, has one again struck me with his genius, and obviously whacky, creativity. His latest project is a sound installation downtown at the Battery Maritime Building, called "Playing the Building," where he turns the whole building into a giant musical instrument. The way this is done is by means of wind, vibration and striking through numbers of devices connected to the buildings metal beams and pillars, heating pipes and water pipes in order to create sound. The devices themselves are not what create the sound you will hear, but they allow the contents within the building to vibrate, ultimately creating sounds exactly like many instruments. Definitely check this out, I know I'm going to as soon as possible. Turning down a chance to see and hear something created within the mind of Byrne would just be silly if it's subway stop or two away. Plus, it's interactive (and free) so you will get to play the building yourself.

10 South Street, New York, NY 31 May – 10 August 2008 Open Friday, Saturday, Sunday: Noon – 6PM