About Carya Amara

Introducing...

The long-running, low-profile electronic music project Carya Amara (est. 1980) makes music which may be melodic or atonal, discordant or beguiling. Various albums are available from Earthrid and there have been compilation appearances. The discography lists them.

Personnel and Related Projects

The only member of Carya Amara is Kevin Busby , who has also recorded as half of the collaborative duos Abominations of Yondo (with Cousin Silas), Audio Space Research (with Eve Thacker) and Rhythmicon (with Miss Hypnotique). Kevin's work in these and other roles connected with music releases (such as post-production, audio restoration and graphic work) are listed on Discogs.com.

Released Recordings

Please see the discography.

Gigs and other dates

Few gigs have ever been played by Carya Amara, and no more are likely. Past gigs are listed here, along with a selection of other dates of note or amusement.

Playback at ÉuCuE, University of Concordia, Canada, 13th November 1998

‘Phallusy’, a jolly piece of post-acousmatic cack-rock for toy guitar, was projected over a multi-speaker system as part of the ÉuCuE concert series. Carya Amara was not present but this was the first presentation of any of the music in any sort of "live" setting.

Live at Fingal’s Bar, Birmingham, UK, Sunday 21st March 1999

Carya Amara's first gig. A short set as part of the “Freak Bros.” evening, with an enthusiastic audience. A fun evening.

Live at Old Varsity Tavern, Birmingham, UK, Monday 7th June 1999

A 35-minute set as part of an evening of music and alternative arts in aid of Kosovan refugees. Other acts that night included Casiouxsie, Glis Blis, and Siouxsie & Arash. Carya Amara played in the “Freaky Basement” to a lively audience of about 80 and received a great response. Part of the performance was videotaped for Guild TV. See a scan of Carya Amara's flyer (small / large).

Playback: First Annual Portland International Electro-Acoustic Music Festival, Portland, Oregon, USA, 8th – 10th October 1999

‘Nietzsche is Dead’ was selected for inclusion in the listening booths. Carya Amara was not present at this event.

Live: Cog’s Bar, Birmingham, UK, Sunday 12th December 1999

The organisers didn’t publicise this one, so there was a disappointing turnout, but those who made it seemed to be having a good time! See a scan of Carya Amara's own flyer.

Live at Berlin’s Nightclub, Birmingham, UK, 22nd February 2000

About 130 people came to see a “Bands Night” evening featuring Carya Amara, Java Sumatra and others. Guest vocalist Nadja was very popular, as was the increased volume at this gig!

Live at CBSO Centre, Birmingham, UK, 1st June 2001

Live sound projection, by Carya Amara, of ‘Orthodox Sea’. This was presented as part of the first night of Portals, a series of concerts of electro-acoustic music.

Live at Barber Institute, Birmingham, UK, 6th December 2001

Live sound projection, by Carya Amara, of ‘Nietzsche is Dead’. This was presented via a multi-speaker sound system as part of a lunchtime concert of electroacoustic music. Only about 30 people were in the audience, but maybe that’s not bad for a weekday lunchtime!

Playback: File Sound Art, Birmingham, UK, 13th – 16th March 2002

“An exhibition of works by artists on the File CD series”, including Carya Amara’s ‘Wind versus Windscale: Part 2 – On the Beach’. Venue: City Space, 97-99 Corporation Street, Birmingham.

Live at Bristol Pear, Birmingham, 7th June 2002

There was a half-hour live set as part of the ‘TAPAS Free Summer Party’, an afternoon and an evening of music and other entertainments organised by The Alternative Performing Arts Society. The event was well-organised and went well. For the first time, visuals were used in a Carya Amara set: this was in the form of a simple but effective slide show linked to the themes of each piece of music. Other acts appearing included: Beatz n’ Pieces; Roi Kwabena; Zekascruise; Stasis; Paul Murphy; Stella Maris; Kampta Karran; The Graham Allcott Band.

Live: CBSO Centre, Birmingham, Saturday 8th March 2003

Multi-speaker sound projection by Carya Amara of ‘Nietzsche is Dead’ as part of the concert series 20/20 Re:Vision.

Live at The Custard Factory, Birmingham, Wednesday 6th October 2004

Carya Amara played in “The Kitchen” part of the Custard Factory, over the room’s dire speaker system, up against the likes of The Modified Toy Orchestra and Cylob on the main stage, who, of course, drew a somewhat bigger crowd. Nevertheless it was a fun event, new visuals were tried out and the audience was great.

Playback: ÉuCuE, University of Concordia, Canada, 17th November 2004

Carya Amara’s ‘Orthodox Sea’ was diffused over a 20-loudspeaker system as part of the 23rd ÉuCuE concert series. Carya Amara was not present.

Live at The Bristol Pear, Birmingham, Thursday 26th May 2005

Carya Amara played in a bill alongside Red Martian, Zog Welinski’s Day Off and DJs the Egg Plant and Yin. Everyone gave a great set. Alas, the publicity was delegated and not done, so almost nobody came.

Playback: 60×60 Dance in St Louis, Missouri, USA, 2nd October 2011

Choreography by Rachel Brady paired with Carya Amara’s ‘Breakthrough’, a track recorded for the Vox Novus project. Carya Amara was not present.

Live at Matthews Yard, Croydon, 3rd August 2013

A 15-minute set allocation which nevertheless involved lugging a fair amount of gear on a hot day. A literal-minded (and in places weirdly resentful) arts crowd was puzzled and distressed by the metaphorical slide show while Carya Amara played live over the world's most muffled PA. The off-desk recording sounded much better and has been released as an EP. Carya Amara's last gig. Gigs are drudgery to put on and audiences carry disease.

Guest composer: EMS Elektronmusikstudion, Stockholm, June 2014

Yes this was all behind closed doors, but the album Sensitivity came out of it, and we might as well end the list on a high.