On Saturday and Sunday, July 19 & 20, Tilted Axes: Music for Mobile Electric Guitars took the North Lawn of the Detroit Institute of Arts at around 7:30 pm for their Detroit premiere. The following day at 6 pm, they returned as part of a second procession. Both performances were part of the festival’s free outdoor lineup.

From the first step onto the lush museum grounds, the ensemble’s processional format—a dozen-plus electric guitarists wearing portable mini-amps and backed by percussionists—redefined ambient performance. Rather than anchored in one static stage spot, the group moved en masse throughout the lawn, weaving soundscapes into the evening air, activating the environment as their stage.

Tilted Axes stood out visually as a kinetic ensemble. Each guitarist wore a shoulder‑strapped mini‑amp, creating a blend of function and performance art as they navigated the lawn in choreographed procession. The movement was fluid, organic, and ritual-like—simultaneously theatrical and seamlessly integrated into the festival’s open space ethos.

Their setup felt democratic: no spotlight hoggers, just a collective flow of musicians and rhythm. The ensemble, led by composer‑director Patrick Grant, included guest premieres from Elisa Corona Aguilar, Sarah Metivier, Angela Babin, and Maggie McCabe—a clear nod toward geographic and creative diversity. The group’s choreography was created by Christopher Caines.

The sonic terrain Tilted Axes traversed on both evenings was rich, layered, and exploratory. Their set included Detroit premieres—including work by McCabe—and world premieres by Babin and others, weaving local and global voices into the sonic architecture.

Musically, they blurred boundaries between ambient, post‑rock, and ritualistic drone. The guitars wove in melodic gestures and atmospheric washes, anchored by percussion and bass. The procession’s multi-instrument choreography allowed for shifts in dynamics, creating peaks of intensity and moments of hush, giving the audience a breathing, immersive sound journey.

While existing studio recordings showcase their tight compositional vision, the live ensemble offered a more spatial and ritual context—music as landscape, not just song. It felt both meditative and propulsive—at times cosmic, at others tactile.

Audiences gathered around, moving with the procession, often walking alongside or pausing as the ensemble passed. The experience fostered a community dynamic: spectators became part of the performance, moving through the sound art in real time.

In Detroit—a city known for carrying musical legacy forward—the combination of premieres by local Detroit composer McCabe and others provided a resonant sense of place. It reflected the festival’s ethos: global voices speaking through a locally rooted musical event.

If there was a single minor caveat, it’s that the mobile format occasionally made it hard for all attendees to hear the full balance of instruments—depending on where you stood. Those “off-axis” might occasionally lose sonic detail.

Tilted Axes at the Concert of Colors on July 19–20, 2025 reimagined what outdoor performance can be. Drawing on ritual, movement, and electric energy, the ensemble turned the DIA lawns into a walking concert hall. The premieres—both local and global—felt fresh and purposeful. Visually striking and sonically compelling, Tilted Axes offered Detroit audiences an experimental, communal, and deeply musical experience that stayed with you long after the amps were turned off.

— Brenda Tipton

Note: On 7/19 Tilted Axes opened for the band Yo Lo Tengo and on 7/20 they opened for the legendary 70s band WAR. Full schedule of events at Concert of Colors.