Fred Frith + Janet Feder at The Bug Theatre

After eight years, two of the world’s most inventive guitarists are reuniting in Colorado for a rare collaborative performance. Fred Frith, the legendary experimental musician who co-founded Henry Cow and member of John Zorn’s Naked City, has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what a guitar can do, joins forces once again with Colorado’s own Janet Feder, a master of prepared guitar techniques who transforms her instrument into an orchestra of unexpected sounds.

Both artists are unbound by traditional playing methods, creating music that’s simultaneously challenging and deeply beautiful. Feder applies small metal objects among other things to her guitar strings, producing shimmering, otherworldly tones that have earned international acclaim. Frith, known for countless innovations such as inserting chopsticks between frets and using unconventional techniques that “they don’t teach in school” (AllAboutJazz), brings decades of groundbreaking improvisation to the stage. Together, they create what critics call “flawless and intertwined music” (Exposé) with “profound musical empathy” (AllMusic)....

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After eight years, two of the world’s most inventive guitarists are reuniting in Colorado for a rare collaborative performance. Fred Frith, the legendary experimental musician who co-founded Henry Cow and member of John Zorn’s Naked City, has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what a guitar can do, joins forces once again with Colorado’s own Janet Feder, a master of prepared guitar techniques who transforms her instrument into an orchestra of unexpected sounds.

Both artists are unbound by traditional playing methods, creating music that’s simultaneously challenging and deeply beautiful. Feder applies small metal objects among other things to her guitar strings, producing shimmering, otherworldly tones that have earned international acclaim. Frith, known for countless innovations such as inserting chopsticks between frets and using unconventional techniques that “they don’t teach in school” (AllAboutJazz), brings decades of groundbreaking improvisation to the stage. Together, they create what critics call “flawless and intertwined music” (Exposé) with “profound musical empathy” (AllMusic).

Their collaboration on the album Ironic Universe showcased the perfect balance between experimental innovation and accessible beauty. Critics praised how the duo weaves avant-garde frameworks with folk-influenced melodies, creating “truly fascinating passages” (AllAboutJazz) and sounds that are “sometimes startling but always strangely beautiful” (AllMusic). The music incorporates traditional scales and tunings with extended techniques and effects, resulting in what one reviewer called “fluid and shimmering states” (Exposé) that convert even skeptics of experimental music.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to witness these two masters of guitar innovation reunite on stage for the first time in eight years. This concert promises an evening of organic, unorthodox, and sometimes unimaginable music that extends the very possibilities of the guitar – an experience that will leave you hearing the instrument in entirely new ways.

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