Rewind/Forward

Rewind/Forward is a two-part photo and documentary exhibition calling attention to the hidden potential in Toronto’s soundsystem culture. It features portraits of five notable local selectors (DJs) and soundsystem owners. Rewind/Forward was conceptualized and developed by Caribbean-Canadian music artist, curator and researcher Alanna Stuart Now available online are the last 3 episodes of The Equiknoxx Hour, hosted by Alanna Stuart, featuring 3 Rewind Forward DJs/selectors: Tasha Rozez  Ace Dillinger  Heather “ Live Wire “ Clarke 📷 @jjjorian

It’s been a minute. We should catch up.  When I began @rew_fwd over six years ago, I had just visited Jamaica for the first time. 
I spent weeks at @jam_one_intl , soldering cables, sawing speakerbox wood, and stringing up systems, and proper vibes’ing to @celinedion blaring through @jamaicastonelove ’s classic system at Weddy Weddy.  
I was starting to overstand my roots. 
 I came back to Canada even more invested in Jamaican music culture, selfishly (and humbly) wanting to hail up the Jamaican *people* who do this like it’s regular.  And, so, Rewind/Forward was born.  
The lil art project was only supposed to last two months. But, over a year later…Rewind/Forward deh pon di road! 
> Sept. 10, 2022: a massive ass art show feat. @jjjorian photography
 > May. 2023: A national sound system research project w/ @afrosonicinnovationlab and @sonicstreettech > Sept. 27, 2023: a mixtape series with @nts_radio & @equiknoxxmusic 
 > Jan. 17-19, 2024: A specifically queer version in Jamaica at the ‘Beyond Homophobia conference More on all this (and more)  soon. For now, come through.  Link in bio to Rewind/Forward site–a living archive of Toronto’s bass music culture, told through the everyday brilliance of five toppa top local selectors:  Healther “Live Wire” Bubb-Clark @itstasharozez @yesyesninobrown Ace Dillinger  @bam_bii Video description in comments. Bless the best for making it happen: 
Curator & Director: Alanna Stuart Producers: Alanna Stuart & Simone Osundu (Somewhere Else Media) Photography: @jjjorian Accessibility Consultants: @criprave Camera Director: @royadelsol Camera Assistant: @gllnmpp Jamaica footage: @maytruong_photography Video Editors: @gramantics (Bonfire Productions) & @jadon_john Set Designer: @jjjjjjjoshua Sound Recordists: @post_opamp & Madeline Currie Hair & Makeup: @rahsthetics Stylist: Malik Kennedy Location: Mild Studios Featured sound system: @40hzsoundsystem 
 Thank you @canada.council and @torontoartscouncil for grant support.

An invitation… for bass music novices and heads alike. Rewind/Forward is a two-part docu-photo exhibition calling attention to the invisibility of Toronto’s soundsystem culture. It features monumental portraits of five notable local selectors (DJs) and soundsystem owners, taken by Jamaican-Canadian photographer @jjjorian . Witness: Heather "Live Wire" Bubb-Clarke, Tasha Rozez Bambii Ace Dillinger Nino Brown Their images printed large and loud. Mounted way up on high. Can’t miss them. Their presence parallels the magnitude of Jamaican music culture’s undeniable influence on Toronto’s identity. Part-retrospective, part-forecast – Rewind/Forward’s online home hosts video shorts, custom music mixes, and audio documentaries, –slowly released over time, with personal stories spanning pre-Independence Jamaica to Toronto rave futures. Rewind/Forward was made by @bonjaymusic ‘s Alanna Stuart as part of ArtworxTO: Toronto’s Year of Public Art. It happens at a fully accessible site in the historically Jamaican Annex neighbourhood; kiddie corner to Bathurst station, above the former home of One Love Vegetarian. There will be an artist pop-up and attendants present on launch day. DETAILS: Saturday, September 10, 2022 2-5pm 854 Bathurst St. (formerly @oneloveveg ) Free tickets + art series sign-up are available via link in bio TELL UR BREDREN! ID in comments.

MORPH Sound sessions will kick off the event this Saturday « Rewind/Forward: What I Learned as a Sound System Insider/Outsider » Music-based artist-scholar @_alannastuart_ (pka @pynesound ) will show-and-share what she learned producing the @rew_fwd project, a photo- and documentary- based, multidisciplinary public art show hailing up bass music and soundsystem culture in Toronto, Canada. Rewind/Forward is a moment to explore: Who is forwarding Toronto’s bass music culture? How are women and queer sound system owners challenging the culture’s problematics from within? What are the parallels and perpendiculars between Toronto’s and other queer and female diasporic sound system expressions? And what happens when those on the margins are placed at the centre of sonic geographies and their operations? « Sound System as a Boundary Object » For some, it is a creative laboratory; for others, a space of resistance, healing, or remembrance. Artist-researcher @sim_mtl presents the sound system as a boundary object — a connector that bridges across cultures, disciplines, and generations. « Innerbody; The Future of Music is Cyclical » From LFOs to cycle flows — what if the music industry moved with our rhythms instead of against them? This talk by @airhaert explores how menstrual awareness can reshape the way we create, perform, and build a new future for creative communities — one that empowers women, womb holders, and allies of every gender.

I’m a sound system Aunty! Became the new caretaker of Heather “Live Wire” Bubb-Clarke’s sound system—said to be the first female-owned sound system in Canada. The Jamaican-born system was built and strung up by Live Wire’s late engineer father, Ground Wire.❤️🔊♥️ Her full sound story + @nts_radio mix in bio. #soundsystem #femmehall #archive

It's almost time... The Rewind/Forward in-person exhibition closes November 15th, 2022. Reach 854 Bathurst St (corner of Bathurst St + London St) to witness Jorian Charlton's truly powerful images of Heather "Live Wire" Clarke, Tasha Rozez, Ace Dillinger, Nino Brown, and Bambii. Rewind/Forward is free, outdoor, and wheelchair accessible. There are image descriptions on-site, as well. Across from Bathurst St. This is art for the public, so visit anytime. Wanna check it from home? Audio stories from the selectors, mini-docs on forwarding Toronto bass culture, and transcripts and descriptions via link in bio. Some very nice news coming, too. Keep watch...

Don't forget... * Rewind/Forward is up 'til November 15, 2022 * 854 Bathurst St. Visit any time * It's art for the public: outdoor, free, and accessible (image descriptions + wheelchair accessible) * Plenty, plenty on the website (audio + vid stories, transcripts, etc.) More soon. Stay tuned... ✌🏾 Image description in comments 📸: @colin.medley

Who’s helping or stopping Toronto’s soundsystem culture from moving ahead? Britney Spears vocals on a TikTok sample forwarding sounds, but Canadian municipal red tape killing the vibe. The selectors talk about the Toronto’s soundsystem future. Get their full stories via link in bio, or in-person (outdoor + free) at 854 Bathurst St (across from Bathurst subway station). Rewind/Forward runs until November 15, 2022.

𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 👧🏾⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ @rew_fwd ⁣ #rewindforward #dj #toronto #soundsystem #artexhibition #jamaicaninfluence #art

Who’s helped shape Toronto’s soundsystem culture? From @jambanafestival co-founder Denise Jones’s trailblazing legacy, to Much Music legends Master T and @sookyinleee , to Toronto soundclash pioneer, @djronnelson . The selectors rewind and pay rispek. Get their full stories via link in bio, or in-person (outdoor + free) at 854 Bathurst St (across from Bathurst subway station). Rewind/Forward runs until November 15, 2022. Video description in the comments. Director: Alanna Stuart Producers: Alanna Stuart & Simone Osundu (Somewherelse) Director of Photography: Roya Del Sol Camera Assistant: Gillian Mapp Jamaica footage: May Truong Video Editors: Graeme “DJ Gramera” Mathieson & Jadon J.B. Williams (Bonfire Originals) Set Designer: Joshua Rille Sound Recordists: Julia Little & Madeline Currie Hair & Makeup: Rahstetics Stylist: Malik Kennedy Location: Mild Studios Thank you Heather Bubb-Clarke

The on-site installation is located outside of 854 Bathurst St (formerly One Love Vegetarian). The closest accessible TTC station is the Line 2 Bloor-Danforth subway, Bathurst Station. The location is one block north once you exit the station. There are paid parking options along Bathurst St. The sidewalk in front of the building is made of concrete and has a ramp for access from the road. See you there!

Rewind/Forward spotlights soundsystem culture in Toronto. Ok, but what IS a soundsystem? Is it the tall stack of speakerboxes that pummel you with bass? Is it the technology–turntables or C-DJ’s–you run tunes with? Is it the body–the DJ–behind the decks? Or the bodies–the audience–that bruk out in front? How would *you* define a soundsystem? Maybe it’s all of those things. Here, featured Rewind/Forward artist and DJ/party thrower (low key legend), Bambii, offers a definition that invites any of us to consider ourselves a soundsystem. More insights from Bambii when Rewind/Forward opens September 10. Link in bio. Director: Alanna Stuart Producers: Alanna Stuart & Simone Osundu (Somewherelse) Director of Photography: Roya Del Sol Camera Assistant: Gillian Mapp Jamaica footage: May Truong Video Editors: Graeme “DJ Gramera” Mathieson & Jadon J.B. Williams (Bonfire Originals) Set Designer: Joshua Rille Sound Recordists: Julia Little & Madeline Currie Hair & Makeup: Rahstetics Stylist: Malik Kennedy Location: Mild Studios Thank you Heather Bubb-Clarke