Unsilent Night, 2011

Unsilent Night is an open procession of boomboxes simultaneously playing four tracks of Phil Kline’s composition Unsilent Night, creating a “mobile sound sculpture that is different from every listener’s perspective.” It started in NYC in 1992 but has spread to cities across the US and the world, and last night, we were lucky enough to catch it on its 45 minute journey from Washington Square Park through Greenwich Village and East Village to Tompkins Square Park.

While the boomboxes are loud and the streets are busy and boisterous with their own lives bouncing about (everyone not in-the-know asks “what is this?”), Unsilent Night is a relative cocoon that gives everyone time to simply enjoy the moment. The music carries everyone to Tompkins Square, where everyone enjoys the peace as the music slowly drifts to the end. And then we all clap and kiss, revel in the shared experience, and go our separate ways to create new experiences on our own.

Below are slices from Unsilent Night last night in images and sounds.

Unsilent Night, NYC, NY, Dec 2011

Unsilent Night (3) by [tdavidson][4]

Unsilent Night, NYC, NY, Dec 2011

Unsilent Night (4) by [tdavidson][4]

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It felt “John Cusack circa Say Anything”-esque throughout. Boomboxes on heads always do that.