Performer
DRUMMER
Mark Chester
- guitar, vocal
Rupert Cheek - drums
Sam Stickland - bass
Photo of Rupert Cheek by Dhana Kaneshayogan, at the Cross Kings, London, 30 May 2009
"...a very English take on things
with a post-punk agit pop stance...Singer's got a touch of
Joe Strummer too... We like!"
(Bug Bear Bookings, as a 2 piece)
PAST GIGS (2009/10)
Fri 7th May, Powers, Kilburn
Fri 9 April 2010, Underbelly, Hoxton
17 March 2010, corporate St Patricks Day event, Liverpool St
Wed 18 Nov - Dublin
Castle, Camden
Sat 31st Oct, Monto Water Rats,
Kings Cross
11 Oct, Enterprise, Camden
- facebook
event
Sat 10 Oct, Liquid
Nation, Ladbroke Grove
Wed 30 Sept 09: Proud Galleries,
Camden
Fri 18 Sept,Hope
& Anchor, Islington
Sat 5 Sept, Bar Rumba, Shaftesbury Ave
Wed 9th Sept, Liquid
Nation, Ladbroke Grove
Tues 25 Aug, Comedy Pub,
Picadilly
Tues 21 July, Hope
& Anchor, Islington
Thurs 16 July @ Fighting
Cocks, Kingston
Fri 10 July - Bridge House 2, Canning
Town
Sat 27 June - Bar Rumba, Shaftesbury Ave
Thurs 11 June 09: Proud Galleries,
Camden
Sat 30 May - Cross Kings,
Kings Cross
Mon 18 May - Hope
& Anchor, Angel - 1st gig as a trio
Thurs 9 April 09: Proud Galleries,
Camden
Mon 30 March 09: Dublin
Castle, Camden
Mon 16 Feb 09: Hope
& Anchor, Angel
Thurs 5 Feb 09: Grey Horse,
Kingston
"If you like solid retro rock with a contemporary hard edge then you will love Mars Fortress. Using loud amps and drums, with thin edgy lyrics, Mars Fortress maintain an intense heavy, dark and sometimes psychedelic sound throughout the set. Drums are provided through the genius of Mr Cheek and his unparalleled rhythm section." (Mark Chester, as a 2 piece)
As a drummer I am influenced primarily by Queen/Roger Taylor/Brian May & Led Zep' as well as Metallica, Nirvana, Live, Limp Bizkit, Talking Heads/David Byrne, 10cc, Supertramp and jazz...
PIANIST
PianoTalent; Rupert Cheek / Transcontinental Poulencian Bazaar
Streamed piano improvisations using Qik / Nokia N95
I took part in BBC radio 3's London Pianothon on Sat 18th Oct
Recent improvisations (hosted at YouTube®)
Piano Improv 18 July 09
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Piano Improvisation May 09
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Piano Improvisation May 09
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Piano Improv 29 Oct 08
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Piano Improv 29 Oct 08
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Piano Improvisation 4
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Piano Improvisation 3
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Piano Improvisation 1
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Me on transit station ; "I found transit station Berlin 2005 really exciting because I met, listened to, viewed, experienced and worked with other international artists. It was especially rewarding to be asked by others if I would like to work with them in the future…"
transitstation copenhagen.blogspot.com / www.youtube.com - Transitstation evolving for 2010
facebook; group / event - artreview group - www.checkoutart.ca - transitstation copenhagen
I played piano in transit station at London, Berlin & Edinburgh.
© 2002 - 2010 transitstation
TRANSIT STATION COLLABORATIONS
I performed with Ricardo Wende (trumpet) in transit station Edinburgh
Sam Sweeting
I also performed with performance artist Sam
Sweeting. Her performance consisted of her ‘trying’
to eat an apple that was suspended from a ladder. This was also unplanned
until we met in Edinburgh. This ‘piece’ (Sweeting told me
what she would be doing) also combined two sources of audio-an alphabetical
list of apple varieties, read by Sweeting, and my improvisation.
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Photos of Sam Sweeting at transit station edinburgh 2006 © Jethro Collins
Merav Israel
During transit station Edinburgh, I collaborated (as accompanist) with
Merav Israel & her group of dancers/movement artists. I had not
met them until I got to Edinburgh (as with my collaboration with tanzmedia
for transit station Berlin), and I was honoured to be asked to perform
with them after she heard me improvising (on keyboard) with another
musician (Ricardo Wende, trumpet). There were perhaps three elements
to the piece; movement/dance, recording of train sounds, and my improvisation.
Tanzmedia
Above; "It's me Rick from the movement performance with the audience. We (Rick, Rebecca and Carsten) did have a real good time, also because of you joining in with us. I do hope that we will be able to work again." *Photo by K Jarbenski, © 2005 www.foreigner.de
Zsi (fine arts,
Kingston University)
After discussions in Edinburgh regarding some film work she was working
on, I agreed to make some music for some of her films. We met a few
times (at Kingston University) so that she could show me her work-in-progress.
Our working practise was for me to improvise music at a piano whilst
watching the silent films. For some of the films, we recorded a number
of different improvisations so that Zsi could choose which to use. She
shared with me her fascination for trees. We would like to perform/present
work like this at a future transit station, so that the music can be
improvised/performed/heard live. See more here; nature
I worked as accompanist at Sheen Mount School from Feb-July (2005).
I have played piano at weddings, christenings, The Rising Sun and The Monk Club
© Rupert Cheek 2010, unless otherwise stated, design by Rupert Cheek
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