German record producer Marten Berger aims to tour the countries of Europe in a mobile recording studio, capturing performances by street musicians ‘from every corner of the continent’ for release on CD and as a double vinyl album. To achieve this, he has recruited the support of microphone manufacturer Shure to providd microphones and headphones for use in the converted Volkswagen ice-cream van that will serve as the studio.
With the year-long ‘Smells Like Van Spirit’ project set to begin in May 2017, Berger put the inspiration for the venture down to an experience he had two years ago, when he encountered street musician Christiaan Mauer in the Dutch city of Groningen, and was inspired to record him. He began thinking about all the musicians living on the streets throughout Europe, and how he could help the world to hear some of their musical talent, or, as he describes it, ‘secret beauty, hidden in the streets of our cities’.
Berger, who has been studying music recording and composition in the Dutch/German border town of Enschede for the past few years, imagined a crowdfunded, portable recording studio that would tour 30 countries in Europe, recording all the street musicians he could find and releasing the best on an album at the end of the project. Now, using affordable video and internet technology, he is shooting footage of the performers he meets and the music they create, and posting a series of vlogs on his website and via social media as his journey unfolds. His route will take him north to Scandinavia in summer 2017, and then south and into Eastern Europe as the year goes on. He plans to finish in summer 2018, depending on how his funding lasts. ‘I feel like a European citizen,’ he says. ‘I want to bring all these cultures and countries into this tiny van.’
With five successful trial runs to different parts of Europe, Berger has raised more than €7,000 and is now ready to begin his journey. Music and videos from trips to date – along with details of his itinerary, the project and how to donate to it – can be found on his crowdfunding page.
