adrienne

Appear to Me (aka A Pier to Me) mashes together the past and present itinerant denizens of the Delaware River’s piers. Filled with a dreamy troubadour spirit, rough songs and honest conversation swirl through these untold tales of the waterfront, narrated by feral cats channeling the hobo poet W. H. Davies, radical dock workers, Lenape boaters, cruisers, fishing teens, even talking litter, each simply seeking a moment of respite.

RangerIntroEppchez_01 - RangerIntroEppchez_07 [I found rangerintroeppchez01v3_master_v01.mp3]

01 Autofollows RangEppchez3. Play file once until track completes

"1. Parking Lot (and very top of 2. Feral Cat Colony)

Quick music transition (just a few seconds) out of Ranger intro ending with the sound of a cat approaching and purring. We get this line from Davies:

Well hello traveler. Please, just call me Davies.
I suppose you’re expecting some a guide of some sort.
Don’t know if I’m the one for the job… anyhow

And also the first line of section 2 for direction purposes:

Come visit our feral cat encampment over by the river? 
To the right we own the river bank 
from where the fencing starts 
all the way down to the end of the road. "

02 Autofollows 01 at timestamp 0:47 sec. Infinite loop until triggered to fade and stop; when first triggered fades up from 0 over 5 sec

04 Autofollows end of 01 after 4 sec Play file once until track completes

RangerStoryEppchez_02 - check this is not too close with real GPS

05b Autofollows 05a Play ONLY if GPS Trigger 4 has not been hit. If GPS Trigger 4 has been activated, this file never plays; if triggered play file once until track completes

06a Play once until track completes; this file will stack and play once whatever file is playing completes (05a or 05b)

06b Autofollows 06a. Play ONLY if GPS Trigger 6 has not been hit. If GPS Trigger 6 has been activated, this file never plays; if triggered play file once until track completes

08a Play once until track completes; this file will stack and play once 06a is finished

"I was a poet. When I was human. My verses were carried in pockets and book bags. Born and raised up in Wales though I spent decades hopping trains all around America’s countryside and graciously accepting the generosity of your fellow citizens."

08b Autofollows 08a Play ONLY if GPS Trigger 7 has not been hit. If GPS Trigger 7 has been activated, this file never plays; if triggered play file once until track completes

"My! how generous that America was.
In small towns you could go up to any well to do enough house,
knock the door and ask for food. There was always plenty to share.

In your America, only the cats are treated with such dignity.
Wouldn’t you say?"

07 Autofollows 08b Play once until track completes; this file will stack and play once whatever file is playing completes (06a or 06b) 

"You see the plastic bins?
That’s where our benefactors leave their tribute.
You want to lift the lid, don’t you…?
perhaps Australia Red or Philadelphia Slim will be chowing down in there."

09 Play once until track completes; this file will stack and play once whatever file is playing completes (08a or 08b)

"I just adore the View. Don’t you love it too? Let’s pause in our tracks a while Allow your eyes to find the rough beauty of the river.
Trees reaching out over the water. The ruins of piers whispering history. Camden’s mingling of industry and greenery."

10 Autofollows end of 09. Play once until track completes. Unlike many autofollow, this ALWAYS plays. Initiates a fade and stop of 02 over 5 sec.

"Poem 

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this is if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

I call that one “Leisure”."

11 Infinite loop until triggered to fade and stop; when first triggered fades up from 0 over 5 sec WIND AND WATER LOOP

14a Play once until track completes. Unlike many autofollow, this ALWAYS plays. Initiates a fade and stop of 11 over 5 sec.

"Sounds of Brad walking up over the embankment. His panting sells it pretty well but might also be worth adding a little tree rustling to indicate that he's coming up the hill through the bushes. Would love a little longer pause between ""to say on as keeper of the dead fleet."" and ""If the tide is way out low low low""   

Do you hear that?
Must be Ralph coming up the embankment...
His wandering spirit has gotten stuck to this place
—to stay on as keeper of the dead fleet.
If the tide is way out low low low,
and the vegetation is not too lush
you might be able to see them just down river;
The ghostly remains of three once-tall ships."

15 Autofollows RangerStoryEppchez_03 Play once until track completes Ralph entrance ("youse trying to scare them with that superstitious poppycock?") through scene with Davies, ends Davies hiss and Ralph telling listener to follow him back up the pier.

RangerStoryEppchez_03 Autofollows 14a after waiting 2 seconds Play once until track completes "Ranger Cue 

Now wait here a bit to hear what Ralph's got to tell you. I'll let you know when to get moving again.

[Note: Need to capture this] "

GPS 8 R1 (how to do 2s delay? need music to duck)

14b Infinite loop until triggered to fade and stop; when first triggered fades up from 0 over 3 sec Blustery grass loop

RangerStoryEppchez_04 Play once until track completes "Ranger Cue:

Aight, time to fire up those feet! Move it. Go!

[Note: we have this in the ""Go"" commands section of Ranger script"

22 Play once until track completes; this file will stack if files 16, 17, 18, 19, or 20 are playing and play after that file finishes; if 21 has not been triggered yet it is triggered here and fades up from 0 over 3 seconds ALSO triggering a fade out of 14b out over 5 seconds

"Start of 5. Pier 68 Cruising

Ralph intro of pier (and then exit with Ben). Ben should feel far in the distance when he's calling to Ben here. The laughter should be super short and tied to this track."

21 "Play ONLY if GPS Trigger 9 has not been hit. If GPS Trigger 9 has been activated, this file never plays

Infinite loop until triggered to fade and stop; when first triggered fades up from 0 over 3 sec; also triggers a fade and stop of 14b over 5 seconds" "Banjo and boat sounds loop

Short if the user has made it through all the above text. Could just a be Ralph reprising a little echo whistling once in a while"

RangerStoryEppchez_05 Autofollows 22 Play once until track completes; will ALWAYS play

"Ranger cue: 

Go right onto the pier or keep on walking. The journey is up to you, hunny."

23 Play once until track completes; this file will stack if 22 is playing and play after it; initiates a fade and stop of 21 over 5 seconds

"5. Cruising Estee scene 

Maybe some sounds of more people in the background add in to shift the space a little? Men's voices. Soft laughter. Some quiet talking. Happy sounding. More water since we're farther out on the pier? This should be a light touch. WAY in the background and can stay through the whole scene.Estee feels like she can move around the listener, ie she's moving around showing us parts of the pier. (I think the bench will be on the right)

Charlie should sound like he's coming from far away on his first entrance lines (starting ""Is Sweet Tooth here bothering you?""). For his second line ""If you're not interested..."" this should feel like a close whisper in the listener's ear. Ie. Charlie walking up behind the user in a creepy way.

Near the end of the scene when Charlie says ""I gotta catch my train"" let's have that sound like he's walking away into the distance."

21 Autofollows 23 Play ONLY if GPS Trigger 11 has not been hit. If GPS Trigger 11 has been activated, this file never plays here. Infinite loop until triggered to fade and stop. Banjo loop

24a Play once until track completes (or is triggered to stop); if either 21 or 23 is playing when GPS Trigger 11 is hit, this trigger will initiate a fade and stop of 21 or 23 over 3 seconds

"6. Near Confessional

A few seconds of purring up top to cover the fade out of the Cruising scene (5) if it's still playing when this is triggered. Then into the Davies monologue. 

I think we could do with a little bit of underscore, something that feels a little like a mysterious pirate adventure. Something with some mystery about to be revealed. A little old-timey. I imagine a stripped down version of something like this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCBeFzcjL1Q, from the music they use in Pirates of the Caribbean)."

24a - how to do 6s pre-wait before 1 s fade?

24b Play once until the end of the track Music for 24a text: 

"6. Near Confessional

A few seconds of purring up top to cover the fade out of the Cruising scene (5) if it's still playing when this is triggered. Then into the Davies monologue. 

I think we could do with a little bit of underscore, something that feels a little like a mysterious pirate adventure. Something with some mystery about to be revealed. A little old-timey. I imagine a stripped down version of something like this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCBeFzcjL1Q, from the music they use in Pirates of the Caribbean)."

25a (and 25g) Autofollow 24a timestamp 2:09 Play once until track completes; when this cue is triggered, it will initiate a 10 sec fade and stop of 24b and a 1 sec fade and stop 24a after a 6 sec pre-wait

"7. Baggins and the epic ahead

The first ""Help"" hard cuts off Davies (and corollary underscore) wherever they are in the monologue (note this is per Eppchez's desire so no worries if we lose a lot of text). 

Obviously want to put some kind of effect on Baggins to make them sound like there are multiples of them. Also to play with feeling tiny and weak. Something chipmunk-esque? 

At the very top I think we want to especially exagerrate the feel that there are lots of tiny bags all over and close and far away. A good spot to use our binaural effect, for sure.

I was also thinking a gust of wind could help with this. Sound of bags flying around. Maybe we actually snag some of that crazy bag dance we tried out forever ago in the Drexel Black box? At the start maybe there are lots of these from many directions ""Help! (help! help! help!) swirling/echoing around from many directions.  My sense is we hit the effect heavy at the top of the scene and then quickly coalesce into a single voice that we can tolerate more long term.

Through this and the follow this effect is in place. Maybe also every once in a while some plastic bag flaps all around the listener

This track continues through Davies response and Baggins line through:

And now I would be stuck if you do not find me
and pluck me from my unlucky spot."

25g - Autofollow 24a timestamp 2:09 ; [Triggered at the same time as 25a] Infinite loop until triggered to fade and stop; when first triggered fades up over 1 sec Baggins wind loop

25a Check if music fades with this file if ahead in story

25g Autofollow 24a timestamp 2:09 ; [Triggered at the same time as 25a] Infinite loop until triggered to fade and stop; when first triggered fades up over 1 sec

Baggins wind loop

26 Play once until track completes; note this file will stack and play once whatever above narration file is playing completes (25a, b, c, d, e, or f). [Note 25g is playing under this and does not stop.]

"8. At the Temple

Maybe a little more of the Baggins effect returns as we are at the end of this chunk. 

Could be fun to play with some kind of celestial sound effect mixed with trash, the feeling of an echoey temple created from refuse. The sense of a ritual starting? I'm imagining  a bang of a metal trashcan, flap of bags, crunch of plastic clamshell and turning it into a slow beat with some chipmunk humming/droning?    :)"

27 Wait 3 seconds after trigger hit to play; Play once until track completes

"End of Scene 8

A rustle of bushes in the distance on the left side. Moans feel far away and never need to come close to us.  Before this is totally gone we hear purring approach us and head into Davies' line:

Why don’t we keep walking then...
There’s some more Baggins—um—along the trail ahead.
Can you find them?

Then a long tail for this track of scattered swirling binaural overlapping lines that carry us to the next GPS trigger:

Here I am!
Right over here.
Do you see me yet?
Tangled in the long grass...
Snagged along the fence.

See a proposed cut after this to the right ---->"

11 Infinite loop until triggered to fade and stop; when first triggered initiates a 5 sec fade up of 11 and a 9 sec fade and stop of 25g and 26 

The feeling that we're walking away from the trashcan as Baggins is still talking; this scene is fading away.

28 Play once until track completes; stacks and plays after 27 if it is still going.

"9. The Epic to Here

Start with this line (technically end of 8):

Oh! If you would my liege, it would be a miracle—
If you would fill me with myself,
or carry me in your pockets to the next temple.

Then continue on to:

Let me relay to you my saga
I implore you keep on the lookout for me as you make your way. "

30 Play once until track completes; initiates a 5 sec fade and stop of 29

"On user's right, far away, we hear a cat meow (I don't know that it has to be the one we recorded. I sort of hate that one, honestly). No music, just a meow. Then Baggin's instruction:

If that cat’s jaunty mewing makes you stray from my saga
I will catch your attention again soon enough my liege.
Follow the path through the fence at your own risk.
"

29 Autofollows 28 Play once until track completes Baggins music serves as interstitial walking track until next GPS trigger. I think this can feel less fully present in the listener's ear and more like a song carried on the wind. The plastic bag that flies around in the air. So much more like background music. I think it can really play up the harp background.

31 Play ONLY if GPS Trigger 17 has not been hit. If GPS Trigger 17 has been activated, this file never plays. Play once until track completes Final chorus of Baggins song.  (No intro text, just music into the song)

32 Play once until track completes; initiates a fade and stop of all other tracks playing EXCEPT 11; only plays one time. "13. Fish

Add a little water waves. Then spanish radio slowly coming closer. Hear some footsteps approaching to indicate Ale's entrance from behind. 

Over Bico's first line hear the radio switching stations and being turned off. 

After the ""You're stoopid Ale"" line and the Ale response ""Miro esto,"" we hear casting of a fishing line and the bait hit the water, a pause. Then we start the counting. On the ""siet-O!"" we hear a little splash, to indicate a fish and then reeling in of the line. 

On ""La cena"" the sound of something pulled out of the water and a fish flapping.

Under Ale's explanation of Yemaya, maybe a little echo of the song that comes at the end of the scene..."

RangerStoryEppchez_07 Play file once until track completes; the start of this file initiates a ducking of whatever is playing Ranger - If you wanna hear the rest of what these two have to say, hang here and look out at water for a bit.

33 Autofollows 32; if GPS Trigger 21 has been hit, this track does not play Play once until track completes "Music for Yemaya

I wonder if this whole thing can spread out a little. I'd love if density of parts can build a little more over time rather than come in full force at the start. Ie, I'd love to hear these parts more singly before they come in with the full super thick version

The bubbles, I think, should be super low level. The song itself I think can feel farther away, maybe mixed with water. Swirling around us, a place to use the binaural with the different melodies?  Maybe we're just left with the sound of water for a little bit at the end?"

37 Autofollows end of 33 after 1 minute if GPS trigger 21 has not been hit Play once until track completes; plays only if GPS trigger 21 has not been cued. If GPS trigger 21 has been hit, this track never plays. "End of Scene 13

A few beats of silence for the pier sounds to re-establish and then the sound of a cat ripping something apart before Davies say:

Just delicious!
Such a boon when fishers leave their fish guts lying around.
Oh! hello again. Mmm!
Ralph was just looking for you back on the main trail.
Don’t forget to check yourself for ticks."

38 Autofollows 37 as long as GPS trigger 21 has not been hit, in which case it does not play Infinite loop until triggered to fade and stop "intersitial music

I don't know if we need it since we've encountered so much, but perhaps a *super* light touch echo of the yemaya music for the listener as they walk the long walk back off the pier? Way in the distance?"

39 - should light map dot #6, check  

"Play once until track completes; triggers a 5 second fade out and stop of 31, 32, 33, 37 or 38, if any of these are playing

Note this may play directly after GPS Trigger 16a, a difference in the general rule of sequential order"

"14. Trespassing in public

Pretty straightforward delivery of the monologue through to the line: 

What about poor ol’Jacob’s safety?
Like I told ya, he died the next month..."

45 Play once until track completes; jumps the stack and takes precendence if 40, 41, or 42 are playing. The current track completes and the previous autofollows (41, 42, or 43) do not play. "15. Baggins’ Plea 
Baggins saying:

Traveler! Can you help me!? 
I’ve fallen in with this awful eddy.
Do you see the path off to the right?
If you choose to follow it you’ll find me 
by peering through all the brush to see the water.
"

46 Play once until track completes "15.5 Baggins’ Plea  (con)

Baggins says:

Oh, I fear myself too far beyond your reach 
Here in the corner of the pier.
Do you see me?

Continue with Ralph:
Psst! You going back to the trail?
You wouldn’t want to be caught trespassing would you...


"

47 Play once until track completes "16a. Seasons of Living Outside

Ralph monologue 

No one much comes poking around in the winter
So youse don’t gotta lie too low.
And once summer comes the greenery fills in real lush and thick-like.
That gives good cover so youse needn’t worry much about gettin’ bothered.
It’s springtime youse gunna wanna be careful bout.
When the grasses are laid real low from snow and ice.
That’s when kids start poking around.
And we all know how that ends...

You realize you’re in my brother’s living room don’t ya?
So youse know to behave ya’self and not get inta some sticky kinda situation
With these sinkholes or falling in the river or what not. 
Just know where youse are is all. Who’s home youse in.

Then a rustling down below and Davies comes in with a meow and this line:
You coming back to the main path Ralphie?

And Ralph's response:
Yep. 
Just leaving some good will for my fellow squatters."

RangerStoryEppchez_06 Play once until track completes "Ragner cue that this area is off limits:

Yo, suga come on back. This is a no-no zone for this story."

50 Play once until track completes; triggers a 1 sec fade out and stop of 45, 46, or 47 after a 2 second prewait if any of these are playing "18. Trail Divide -> 20. Change on the River

Moving this from the pier to the main path. Hear Ben calling out to Ralph, sounding far away: 

Ralph! Over here. 

Then hear Ralph reply: 

Ben! 'Scuse me

REALLY hoping we can continue and make a clean break in Ralph's line: Could I interest youin a promenade?
 
Then go right into Ben and Ralph scene 20, starting with Ben's line ""You know how the bosses got the city to spend a whole ton of money 
Dredging up the river bottom to 35 ft depth?""

This continues through to the line:
No. 
Not in spite of them. 
In celebration of my own silly self.

"

51 Play once until track completes; initiates a 5 second fade and stop of 50 "10. Hobo Music/Cat Chorus

Begins with some stray cat noises then into the song"

52 Play once until track completes; initiates a five second fade and stop of 51 "19. On the Track

Do we want anything under this besides talking?

If the cattle shipment I was working
were to off-load in Philadelphia
and I want to get the lay things
The thing to do would be to follow the railroad inland
from this here Pennsylvania Railroad passenger platform.

Will you join me on the ruins of the platform?
Or Will you be on your way?
Who’s to say?

When I first arrive somewhere I find it best
to quickly establish the best routes to leave by."

53 Play ONLY if GPS Trigger 26 has not been hit. If GPS Trigger 26 has been activated, this file never plays. Play once until track completes "A train will usually have the destinatination
painted on the Engine

You don’t wanna get caught up in the freight yard.
You do well to find where the freight track meets up
with the passenger track.
That’s how you know you’re heading out of the city."

54 Autofollows 53 Play ONLY if GPS Trigger 26 has not been hit. If GPS Trigger 26 has been activated, this file never plays. Play once until track completes "Next, you’ll want to find good company.
I was a supertramp as I said before
So rarely would I show up in a place
not knowing anyone of the folks camping out."

55 Autofollows 54 Play ONLY if GPS Trigger 26 has not been hit. If GPS Trigger 26 has been activated, this file never plays. Play once until track completes "You may think it is strange because this country is so large
But you quickly learn how to judge character
And in that way find the friends
who will always be good to run across in a new town."

56 Autofollows 55 Play ONLY if GPS Trigger 26 has not been hit. If GPS Trigger 26 has been activated, this file never plays. Play once until track completes "Well, don’t know about you but
I’m getting rather peckish.
I’ll be off to the see what morsels I can find
in the garden just around the trail’s bend."

60 Play once until track completes; if 50 or 52 is playing initiates a 3 second fade and stop of it; if 53, 54, 55 or 56 is playing, the track finishes then plays 60. [Note 11 is still continuing) "22a. 

Cut top of this scene with Baggins. Hear some Davies purrs and then only these lines from the scene, cutting the line about the picket being along the fence near the river: 

Look at that! there’s a Picket today 
[[Along the fence that overlooking the river.]]     <--- CUT
Philadelphia, known around the world to working folk 
as a town that organizes fiercely.
They say the union that sings together wins together.

Then into crowd sounds. 

Note this can be a single cue with the following if that's more helpful."

GPS 26 (not sure about fade-out to GPS 28a)

RangerStoryJacobW_03c Play once to end of track; initiates duck in level of whatever else is playing Oops, not this path. Backtrack and snag the one on the right.

62 Wait 5 seconds and then play file once until track completes; Initiates a 20 sec fade out 60 if it is still playing "21. Noble Wobbly

Pretty strightforward listening to this text. 

If we want, we could go back to the general background talking (as if Ben is at the picket) but not needed"

63a Wait 6 seconds then play once until track completes; initiates a 10 sec fade of any other tracks (60 or 62) AND fades  11over 30 seconds "23. Washington St. Pier

Propose a re-ordering, moving the soundscape to after beach direction so that if they choose not to go on the beach they have something to listen to:

Traveler, you are nearing the end of our time together.
Do not let this final pier fly by you.
Take your time on it.
I find the beach to the right
Just lovely to sit and dream up poems.
If only I still had human hands for writing.
If you find yourself caught by a detail in the brush
Wondering if it is a bit of Baggins or art;
Let it be art. Why not?
Listen.
Listen to all that has happened in this place."

64 Play once until track completes; also initiates a 5 second fade and stop of 63b "24. Beach

Sounds of paddling to start. Voices far away. Maybe a little shimmery?

Let's chat about this scene. I feel like it could stay really simple, but also wonder about adding some of the music we use for Jacob C's story under it. Just so that it isn't SO didactic.

Or maybe we return to the big swirly soundscape? Let's chat about what is gonna feel good here."

63b Autofollows 62 Infinite loop until triggered to fade and stop; "THEN the huge soundscape, as described in the script:

The sound score is a cacophony of layered sonic moments in time/history.
Perhaps reprising sounds and motifs from the scenes that have come before.
Over 1 min of audio the layers of history strip away
Bustle and train whistles, dock workers and shipbuilders.
Revealing more subtle sounds of quieter times.
An active riparian area of fishing birds, turtles and fish.

I feel like the end of the previous cue could start a build and then this is something that could loop infinitely?"

11 Inifinite loop until triggered to fade and stop; when triggered fades up over 5 seconds

GPS 30.1/31 (this is duplicate of loop in background; need to remove one, but where??)

65 "Davies intro to song:

Nice to see Estée out. That’s her, he’s straight ahead on the path!?
Oh, and isn’t that Alé to the right out on the pilon
—they must be bringing offerings for Yemayá.
You may have seen either, or both of them along the trail."

66a Play once until track completes; iniates a fade and stop of 02; if GPS Trigger 33a triggers first, it nulls GPS Trigger 33b and 66b will never play Estee intro into Estee music verse end

GPS 33a (02 is supposed to be faded out by this? when did 02 start)

66b Play once until track completes; iniates a fade and stop of 02; if GPS Trigger 33b triggers first, it nulls GPS Trigger 33a and 66a will never play Ale intro into Ale music verse end

67 Autofollows 66b at timestamp 00:53.59 Play once until track completes Estee and Ale chorus together to end

Audio 12 Play ONLY if GPS Trigger 8 has not been hit. If GPS Trigger 8 has been activated, this file never plays; if triggered play file once until track completes

Eppchez ! (Ep-chez Yes) is a Quaker, gender expansive, Cuban & Jewish theater maker, musician, and designer. In 2012 Eppchez started up Alma's Engine, a process focused production company/creative ministry developing eir new work across a variety of genre and medium, spreading whimsical and earnest dis-ease. Ey also collaborates with several other Philly theater companies as a performer, deviser, choreographer and writer. Eppchez is also the founder of Darb Garb, making soft wearable sculptures for gender adventuring bodies in need of other lumps.

Appear To Me

67 ECHOES

adrienne

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The Echoes

GPS 1

GPS 1.1

GPS 1.2 Wind and water with banjo

GPS 1.3

GPS 2

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Appear To Me

room 67 ECHOES

adrienne

DOWNLOAD OUR APP TO DISCOVER THIS TOUR AND MANY OTHERS.

The Echoes

GPS 1

GPS 1.1

GPS 1.2 Wind and water with banjo

GPS 1.3

GPS 2

Discover more geolocated content in our apps.

Are you a creator?

Get in touch

Echoes creative apps

Echoes labs

About us

67 ECHOES