LOCAL! To experience one of Chuck Johnson’s pedal-steel-and-electronics performances is to go weightless, to sink into a bath of soft light and feel your whole self loosen and gleam. His music is deeply therapeutic, and if you have a chance to see him perform in this style (as of this writing he does so frequently in the Bay), I urge you to go. This is a great recording of a 2018 show, a continuous performance lasting 43:36, and it demonstrates the typical arc Johnson takes. He plays two songs from his divine album Balsams (~-35:00 to ~-27:00 is his song “Riga Black,” ~-7:00 to end is “Moonstone”), with long lead-ups and transitions. The whole thing moves very smoothly, with some sections that are minimal and explore gossmer contrails of sound, and others that are grand and gracefully cathartic.

It’s well worth playing this entire piece, but if you want to abridge it for your show, a good place to fade out is in the -27:00 to -22:00 range. Also look in the KZSU for Saariselka, his duo with Marielle Jakobsons, which is similar and also very beautiful. No words, no FCCs.