U P C O M I N G   E V E N T S

At the moment we are continuing to work towards arranging an SRL event for fall 1999. The Kentucky deal for an event at the Knob Creek Range on October 14th, which was mentioned earlier on this page, is now cancelled. After much work by the producer and SRL to close the deal, the owner of the Knob Creek range would not sign the contract we had prepared because it required him to allot space to SRL for setup and staging that he felt would interfere with his machine gun shoot. He requested a small SRL event instead. SRL refused that request. We are now continuing to look into staging a major event in the Bay area for fall 99. Anyone who owns, or is is aware of, a suitable location for an event, should contact Mark Pauline immediately at markp@srl.org.

Numerous other attempts at setting up SRL events over the past nine months have come to naught due primarily to the safety concerns of potential promoters, or a promoters desire to commercialize an SRL event. Due to SRL'S firm policy of refusing to perform washed out or commercialized versions of its events, we lose many offers. We feel this is more of a service to fans of our events, even though it results in SRL doing far fewer shows. Stay tuned to this site for details. SRL always prevails.

NOTE REGARDING SRL TOUR 2000: Thanks to all the SRL diehards who responded to our request for assistance in setting up a US tour. Of the responses received, we narrowed down one, the SRL invitation to participate in the Knob Creek Shootout, that may result in an event. As staging a major event by fall 99 is the current priority, we have focused our attention on this offer. The SRL production manager is on the road again in June 99. Note the times an places in the updated Tour 2000 page on the SRL website. If you have a serious offer regarding the hosting of an SRL event, we would like to meet you in person to discuss details.

Several new machines are in the works. One of which is arguably the most dangerous machine ever fabricated at SRL. Going by the innocuous title of the Pitching Machine, this device launches 6 foot 2” by 4”s at a velocity of 120 m.p.h.. This provides a calculated range of 800 ft. It is equipped with an automatic loading system holding 20 boards and is powered by a 200 hp V-8 engine.

The SRL policy of making ever more dangerous machines seems a fitting response to those who would have SRL perform safer events. See the SRL New Machines section for a pictorial guide to the final assembly and testing of the Pitching Machine. Also under construction is an all aluminum remote -controlled Hovercraft, and the Wheelocopter.

Wheelocopter

R E C E N T   S H O W S

SRL staged the “What is Real” show in connection with the Web 98 conference in San Francisco on June 25 th 1998 for an audience of 3000. The location was the lot under Highway 101 between Perry and Stillman Streets. (SRL staged another event at the same location in 1989, “Illusions of Shameless Abundance”). This was the stinkiest event SRL ever produced and that’s saying something. Thanks to the tireless efforts of Scott Ficus and Kimric, members of the audience and some of the SRL crew lost their digestive composure, adding to the extensive cleanup after the show. Lots of really weird props: glass office cages populated by animatronic figures, 8ft tall animated mud wrestling men, tormented white collar workers being blown to bits by the Big Shockwave Cannon, Steve Hecks 40 ft. tall tumbling water filed towers, a 12 ft. long rotating baby chair screw device, etc. All of which was summarily destroyed by the Hand-o-God, the Subjugator, the Air Launcher, the Inchworm, and the Triangle Machine. All of which was accompanied by the beat of relentless blasts from the Shockwave Cannon and genuine GX soundtrack. A fun little event in hometown SF. In the days leading up to the main event SRL staged three internet based machine control events. In the first, the Keynote presentation took place in Moscone center with presentations by Natalie Jeremejenko, Eduardo Kac, Eric Paulos, and Mark Pauline. To illustrate the operation of lethal machinery over the internet, the Air Launcher (located at the SRL yard), was aimed through an on screen control panel and fired incendiary projectiles at an assortment of props in the SRL yard from Moscone center during the presentation . In the second event, a jet engine powered flame-thrower mounted on the SRL flatbed pulled up to a location in the South of Market area and was connected to a wireless I0 megabit network. It was then operated remotely from Moscone center and incinerated a flailing multiarmed robot for an audience on several hundred puzzled bystanders, including one extremely irate local businessman who kept attempting ( unsuccessfully) to grab the laptops being used to operate the devices for the event. The third event took place on Market street and involved the Track Robot a one armed tracked robot similar to police bomb removal robots. It was operated teleroboticallyi by several random persons who stopped by the SRL booth at Moscone center. Generally, it was used to harass passerby and stop traffic on Market street for two hours.

R E C E N T   V I D E O   A C T I V I T Y

SRL recently had its first extensive screening of all 11 videotapes at the ICC museum in Tokyo, Japan. This occurred every Friday at the Museum screening room from Feb 25 th to April 28 th 1999. Work is proceeding on an edit of the “What is Real” show. A pre-release version of :”Mysteries of SRL” assembled by Cassandra Marshall, was screened at Cell on Feb 25th. This tape is intended to be an in depth look at the devices used in SRL events.