ArcAttack

ArcAttack
Patrick "Parsec" Brown plays with lightning while protected by his Faraday suit
Background information
Origin	Austin, Texas, United States
Genres	Rock, Electronic rock
Years active	2005–present

ArcAttack is a performance art group that specializes in playing music through a combination of home made, high tech instruments, and more traditional instruments such as guitar and bass.

Background

The main attraction of their performance is the use of two custom built singing Tesla coils, which have been modified to play musical notes by modulating their spark output. The group also uses a robot drum kit, which is computer controlled via a custom micro controller, that has been programmed to interpret MIDI data and mechanically actuate its drum sticks accordingly.

Aside from the automated musical machines and live performers, ArcAttack also incorporates a stunt man, who MCs the show, and engages the Tesla Coils by walking through the electricity wearing a relatively thin chain mail Faraday suit.

History

In Austin, Texas, late 2005, Joe DiPrima and Oliver Greaves began developing the first generation of singing Tesla Coils with the help of Steve Ward, a veteran Tesla Coiler from Illinois. The design developed quickly, and after several iterations the instrument reached its present form. In 2007, Craig Newswanger of Resonance Studios provided the performance with another high tech gadget, a robotic drum kit. All the while, friends around the country were helping generate musical content for the new technology to play. In 2007, John DiPrima, the main contributor of original Tesla coil music, moved down from Chicago to help the process evolve further. In January 2008, ArcAttack was finally named. Tony Smith, an old friend of the DiPrima's and a guitarist who had been assisting the group since mid 2006, began helping write music. Later, the group would meet Patrick 'Parsec' Brown, their MC and Faraday Suit stunt man. Another songwriter and old friend, Andrew Mansberger, moved from Seattle to contribute with guitar and keyboards, completing the crew.

America's Got Talent

ArcAttack auditioned for the fifth season of America's Got Talent in Dallas, Texas, Sharon buzzed them in the audition because she felt it was too technical, but they were advanced to Vegas Week (the second round). For the Vegas auditions, performers were divided into groups A, B, and C, with all performers in Group C advancing directly to the Hollywood round without further auditions; ArcAttack was included in Group C. They are also featured often in the brief "Flashes" pre-episode that show some of the acts that have been seen that season. On August 3, 2010 ArcAttack performed in the top 48 where they performed the Black Sabbath song, Iron Man. Sharon Osborne quipped at the time, "The next time you do Iron Man, I know somebody who can sing it for you." The next day it was announced that ArcAttack was either 4th or 5th in the voting and judges Howie Mandel and Sharon Osbourne sent them through to the semi-finals. Their semifinal performance was highly praised by the three judges, but they acknowledged that viewers at home may not fully appreciate all that is seen on the live stage. Subsequently, ArcAttack was eliminated along with other three contestants, Kristina Young, Dan Sperry, and Future Funk.

External links

• Webpage with videos