Invisible Scissors, Alice Cohen & Built by Scriabin
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Invisible Scissors:
Invisible Scissors is an experimental duo formed out of NYC's underground film community with previous projects in film, music, zines and expanded cinema performance.
Rachael Guma's practice stems from work in foley sound. She plays with amplified objects made of metal and wood, as well as a rotary phone, theremin and other electronics. Sarah Halpern sings and plays electric guitar, incorporating straight forward chord progressions as well as extended techniques based on ways of touching. Together they create a broad range of sounds rooted in physicality.
Alice Cohen:
Alice Cohen is a musician and visual artist based in Brooklyn, NY.
Starting out in Philly during the Sound of Philadelphia disco era, she began releasing music in the late 1970s after entering a local radio contest. In 1979 she had her first release with Philly funk band Fun City, “Save the Best for Last” (Chrysalis Records), and in 1982 wrote the song “Deetour” for Atlantic Records’ disco singer Karen Young. In the 80’s she was in the synth-pop band The Vels (Polygram Records), and in the 90’s she sang and played bass with grunge band Die Monster Die (Roadrunnner Records).
In recent years she has released a series of self-produced solo LPs on independent labels such as Olde English Spelling Bee, Sixteen Tambourines (Tokyo), and NNA Tapes. To date – Cohen has released 7 solo LPs, her 8th – “Archaeology” – comes out in October 2025.
In addition to her musical output, Cohen is also a visual artist known primarily for her work in stop motion collage animation. She has created numerous music videos, and her work has been shown in galleries and screenings worldwide.
Built by Scriabin:
Built by Scriabin brings together a group of long-time collaborators and friends channeling songwriter, Jim Strong’s instincts for noise, paranoid psychedelia, and surrealism into meticulously crafted full-band arrangements. Their sound has been described as "Leonora Carrington does the basement tapes" (Wire Magazine). The band features Jordan Burgis (Magnetic Dog, The furniture), Jacob Brunner (Strawberry Hands) and Gabe Romero (Trudy). After a series of false starts, first as a short-lived musical saw orchestra and then again as a tragically flawed children’s puppetry troupe, the project has evolved into a something strangely melodic—even catchy—seemingly far removed from the Himalayan foothills where the visionary composer Alexander Scriabin imagined immersive environments of sound and light as a means of accelerating human evolution bringing about the end of the world. Wait and see.
accessibility: two steps from street to venue.
Please note, entrance is via the side door on Arizona Street.
Invisible Scissors is an experimental duo formed out of NYC's underground film community with previous projects in film, music, zines and expanded cinema performance.
Rachael Guma's practice stems from work in foley sound. She plays with amplified objects made of metal and wood, as well as a rotary phone, theremin and other electronics. Sarah Halpern sings and plays electric guitar, incorporating straight forward chord progressions as well as extended techniques based on ways of touching. Together they create a broad range of sounds rooted in physicality.
Alice Cohen:
Alice Cohen is a musician and visual artist based in Brooklyn, NY.
Starting out in Philly during the Sound of Philadelphia disco era, she began releasing music in the late 1970s after entering a local radio contest. In 1979 she had her first release with Philly funk band Fun City, “Save the Best for Last” (Chrysalis Records), and in 1982 wrote the song “Deetour” for Atlantic Records’ disco singer Karen Young. In the 80’s she was in the synth-pop band The Vels (Polygram Records), and in the 90’s she sang and played bass with grunge band Die Monster Die (Roadrunnner Records).
In recent years she has released a series of self-produced solo LPs on independent labels such as Olde English Spelling Bee, Sixteen Tambourines (Tokyo), and NNA Tapes. To date – Cohen has released 7 solo LPs, her 8th – “Archaeology” – comes out in October 2025.
In addition to her musical output, Cohen is also a visual artist known primarily for her work in stop motion collage animation. She has created numerous music videos, and her work has been shown in galleries and screenings worldwide.
Built by Scriabin:
Built by Scriabin brings together a group of long-time collaborators and friends channeling songwriter, Jim Strong’s instincts for noise, paranoid psychedelia, and surrealism into meticulously crafted full-band arrangements. Their sound has been described as "Leonora Carrington does the basement tapes" (Wire Magazine). The band features Jordan Burgis (Magnetic Dog, The furniture), Jacob Brunner (Strawberry Hands) and Gabe Romero (Trudy). After a series of false starts, first as a short-lived musical saw orchestra and then again as a tragically flawed children’s puppetry troupe, the project has evolved into a something strangely melodic—even catchy—seemingly far removed from the Himalayan foothills where the visionary composer Alexander Scriabin imagined immersive environments of sound and light as a means of accelerating human evolution bringing about the end of the world. Wait and see.
accessibility: two steps from street to venue.
Please note, entrance is via the side door on Arizona Street.
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Where is it happening?
The Perch Music & Arts Community, 2321 Emerald St, Philadelphia, PA 19125-1503, United States
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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Host or PublisherFire Museum Presents