International Space Orchestra to support Sigur Rós at the Hollywood Bowl

The International Space Orchestra (ISO) – the world’s first orchestra composed of space scientists, will support Icelandic band Sigur Rós at the Hollywood Bowl on 24 September. The event will also mark the release of Nelly Ben Hayoun (NBH) Studio’s new film project, The Life, the Sea and the Space Viking.

ISO was set up by The Seti (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute designer of experiences Nelly Ben Hayoun, and for the event will perform covers of Sigur Rós songs and show animations inspired by the new film. This will include a 30-minute psychedelic animation “using footage from Nasa and Dr. David Gruber’s studies of fluorescent fish”.

Currently in research and development stage with Dartmouth Films, the upcoming project aims to “explore our biological archeology” by documenting an underwater expedition, and look at how to create life on another planet. It starts from “the deepest depths of a prehistoric sea and ends in the outermost reaches of a distant solar system”, Nelly says, and will feature leading scientists from Nasa and The Seti Institute.

The Life, the Sea and the Space Viking follows NBH Studios’ previous feature film, Disaster Playground, which premiered at SXSW 2015.

Nelly set up the ISO, which comprises scientists from Nasa Ames Research Center, Singularity University, International Space University and the Seti Institute and is based in California. In her truly unique style, Nelly explains: “The ISO is inspired by our desire to understand the universe, and to rocket-propel our souls to further galaxies, rocking up the universe above and beyond.”

The designer has released these teaser clips (below) exclusively with It’s Nice That, and will release the 30-minute animation on the 16 September.

Also to celebrate the concert announcement, NBH is running a competition to win one of 25 patches signed by Seti Institute scientists, Sigur Rós or Nelly Ben Hayoun.