Norman Westberg - 13（中文下拉）

Today was Record Store Day, with record stores all across Melbourne holding gigs. I myself am a very big Swans and had saw that Sound Spaces and Room40 was bringing out Swans very own Guitarist Norman Westberg for a free gig at Monash University Museum of Art. As I sat down, I put in my earplugs in and the show was beginning.

The stage was very minimal, alongside his guitar stood two amplifier stacks and a tall white table for his pedals. Norman played a very beautiful set, filled with delay ridden drones and soundscapes. Using his guitar, Norman created loops that felt as if they were circulating around the room. The sound encaptured the entire audience- around 50 people, with many closing their eyes for the set.

After 25 minutes the show finished, leaving everyone wanting more. A few people stayed around to chat with Norman. I told him that last time Swans played Taipei was incredible, and they should come back again. He told me hopefully they might be back after their new album is released (17th June). He was very gentle and quiet, and let me take a photo saying hello to Taiwan. Also very cute, he told me he finished the gig early because the lights were too bright for his eyes- but he really liked todays sounds.

After we finished our conversation, I saw a cute older woman who was very amazed by his music. She didn't know who Norman or Swans were, but norman still hung out and thanked her, it was very sweet.

Norman Westberg - 13 （Here）

墨爾本是音樂之城，在今天尤其熱鬧，全城的唱片行都擠滿了許多的促銷活動和免費演出，這是一個樂迷和收藏家最喜歡的日子—Record Store Day。我捨棄了這個重大節慶，並前往離市區有段距離的蒙納市大學附設MUMA藝術中心，觀賞Norman Westberg（Swans的吉他手）的免費演出。

這是一個類似演講的小空間，舞台配置也很簡約，當我戴上耳塞的同時，Norman便開始演奏，他操控著那些效果器，不時著撥弄、彈奏吉他，一層層地堆疊這些聲音，而這些聲音在這小空間裡面遲緩地環繞著，非常大聲也非常漂亮。

Norman在彈奏時，會突然抬起頭，用眼神巡視觀眾，幾次被他盯著，讓我非常緊張，當我頭一撇望向周遭，我看見現場的觀眾，其實大多都是閉著眼睛的。我好幾次聽的出神，驚醒時望向台上，我發現其實Norman也是出神的。

約莫25分鐘演出結束後，我上前和Norman聊天，我告訴他Swans在台北的演出非常好看，希望他們能夠再來。Norman說：新專輯發行後，希望能夠再來台灣巡迴。並接著告訴我，今天這場即興演出，現場的聲音真好，其實我想要表演得更久一些，但天花板上的燈實在是太亮了，我的眼睛快睜不開了，只好提前結束了。

坦白說主動過去和他講話時非常緊張，結果沒想到Norman竟然講了這一段萌成這樣的話。

最後在離開前，發現到Norman在和一位老奶奶聊天。這位來看展覽的老奶奶，在聽完演出後，對他的音樂十分有興趣，於是這可愛的兩個人就在這飄著細雨的午後，一邊喝著啤酒一面悠哉的聊了起來。

Norman Westberg - 13

http://emporium.room40.org/produc…/559256-norman-westberg-13