Line-up
Sean Noonan – drums / vocals
Alex Ward – clarinet / guitar
About
NOONWARD is the duo of Sean Noonan and Alex Ward, two composer/performers working at the intersections of rock, jazz, improvised music and contemporary classical composition. Their sound covers a wide and constantly surprising stylistic terrain, from explosive rock energy to subdued and evocative melodicism and bound together by the utter distinctiveness of the musicians’ instrumental approaches.
The pieces eschew head-solos-head predictability in favour of rich multi-part forms frequently carrying strong suggestions of an underlying narrative, to which Noonan’s vocal contributions on three pieces provide tantalisingly cryptic clues.
Alex Ward – Multi-instrumentalist British clarinet/guitarist (Thurston Moore Sonic Youth/Eugene Chadbourne/Derek Bailey)
Sean Noonan – “Rhythmic Storyteller” on drums/vocals (Noonan has performed and produced albums with many luminaries such as Marc Ribot, Malcolm Mooney (The Can), Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Abdoulaye Diabate, Ligeti Quartet, and Matthew Bourne)
“Independence might be the ruling concept of this drummer/leader’s career. It defines a common relationship not only among his hands, feet, and voice, but between his art and almost everything else in drumland”. Modern Drummer Magazine
COVID INFORMATION FOR AUDIENCE MEMBERS – PLEASE READ
Welcome to the Vortex. Although the government has relaxed its Covid restrictions the Vortex continues to operate measures to protect users of the premises.
Please note the following:
- We ask you not to attend gigs if you have or think you may have any Covid-19 symptoms. If you can’t make a gig because you have to self-isolate then just get in touch by filling out this form and we’ll give you a voucher for another gig.
- If you would like to sit by friends who have bought separate tickets, please email the club with details and we will make every effort to accommodate.
- We are cashless. We only accept cards for purchases at the bar (except American Express).
- We ask that everyone wears a mask when moving around inside the building.
- Automatic hand sanitiser stations are provided at various places within the building.
- Full details of the measures that we are taking to prevent transmission of Covid are set out in our risk assessment and management plan which can be found on our website.