Tankian’s ‘Elect the Dead Symphony’ in a Theater Near You

BY NANORE BARSOUMIAN

BOSTON, Mass. (A.W.)–On March 16, 2009, Serj Tankian and New Zealand’s 70-piece Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra took the stage at the Auckland Town Hall in New Zealand and delivered an exhilarating and unique performance of Tankian’s latest solo album, “Elect the Dead.”

Six cameras were set up to capture the performance in HD, and the resulting product is the impressive “Elect the Dead Symphony” CD/DVD set, due to be released on March 9, 2010.

Tankian, Reprise Records, and Cinema Purgatorio have been working together towards worldwide movie screenings of the “Elect the Dead Symphony” starting in February (confirmed screening dates and locations are listed below). Many of the show locations are being requested by fans and are being organized together with the Armenian American community, including the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“We are actively accepting suggestions for venues around the world,” announced Cinema Purgatorio. “These can be movie theaters, rock clubs, barns, bars, classrooms with video projectors, Armenian émigré cultural centers, and other assorted locations around the world. Suggest a screening, and we’ll see what we can do.” To make a screening suggestion, visit http://cinemapurgatorio.com/forms/etdss.

Aside from the orchestral performance of the tracks on the album, the “Elect the Dead Symphony” includes two bonus, never-before-heard songs, “Gate 21” and “The Charade,” interviews with Tankian and members of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, as well as backstage footage.

What’s next for Tankian? It has been reported that his next album project, “Music Without Borders,” will most likely be released this summer. “It’s a new genre of music in some ways,” Tankian told Billboard.com. “It’s electro orchestra jazz-rock. It’s basically a full orchestra, full, heavy electronic beats, live instrumentation and resampling… You name it, it’s there. It’s a huge wall of sound.” Meanwhile, Tankian has been collaborating with writer and lyricist Steven Sater and Harvard University’s American Repertory Theatre’s Diane Paulus, toward a musical adaptation of Aescchylus’ tragedy, “Prometheus Bound.”

Confirmed screening dates:
Note: These are movie screenings, not live performances. As of now, Tankian is not personally scheduled to attend any screening.

North America
Portland, Ore.: Feb. 19 at The Hollywood
Indianapolis, Ind.: Feb. 19 at Republic Theatres
Bloomington, Ind.: Feb. 19-20 at The Ryder at the Fine Arts
New Concord, Ohio: Feb. 19-21 at Muskingum University
Iowa City, Iowa: Feb. 19-21 at The Bijou
Providence, R.I.: Feb. 20 at The Cable Car
Seattle, Wash.: Feb. 20 at Northwest Film Forum
San Antonio, Texas: Feb. 21 at Alamo Drafthouse Westlakes
New York, N.Y.: Feb. 21 at The Leonard Nimoy Theatre at Symphony Space
Brookline, Mass.: Feb. 22 at The Coolidge Corner
Mount Pleasant, S.C.: Feb. 25 at Cinebarre
Salt Lake City, Utah: Feb. 26-27 at The Tower
New Haven, Conn.: Feb. 27 at Criterion Cinemas
Syracuse, N.Y.: March 4 at The Palace Theatre
Tempe, Ariz.: March 4 at Madcap Theaters
Shreveport, La.: March 6 at Robinson Film Center
Olympia, Wash.: March 6-11 at Olympia Film Society
Chicago, Ill.: March 7 at Lincoln Hall