The Monument as a gig venue? Sounds bizarre, but the City of London's famous column will be transformed into London's thinnest performance space over the weekend.
For two days only, visitors will be treated to performances of Monument, a 15-minute piece written by composer Samuel Bordoli. Five performers will lurk in the four large alcoves and at the bottom of the stairs, and will repeat the piece at regular intervals.
The 62-metre landmark, once London's tallest structure, was designed by Robert Hooke and Christopher Wren as a memorial to the Great Fire of London. In its 340-year history, the Monument has acted as a site of scientific experiments (Messrs. Wren and Hooke again), a noted suicide spot (it may have killed more people than the fire it commemorates) and, always, a tourist attraction.
This is reportedly the first time music has been performed within the monument, although it has previously been used as a site of spectacle. In 1732, a sailor 'flew' from the top of the pillar to Gracechurch Street using a slide wire. (The incident will be familiar to fans of Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle.) In 1814, a Fishmonger's pony was led to the top and down again for purposes unknown.
Live Music Sculpture takes place at Monument on 1-2 October between 9.30am and 5.30pm. The performance is included with the ticket price, if you time it right (£3 adults, £1 child).
