Burton C. Bell (formerly of Fear Factory) reveals North American spoken-word shows

In honour of the 30th anniversary of the band’s “Obsolete” album, former Fear Factory singer Burton C. Bell has announced “Obsolete By Word Of Mouth,” a unique and intensely personal spoken-word event that will give listeners a chance to hear the backstory of the historic record straight from the artist whose voice, lyrics, and vision helped define it, as per Blabbermouth. San Diego, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas will host three special events in October. It’s not a concert. “Obsolete By Word Of Mouth” is a small-scale social experiment that revolves around the narrative of “Obsolete” as well as how it would be perceived and perpetuated.

“By Word Of Mouth” is more than just a presentation. The experience is intended to transport visitors back to a period before the widespread use of social media, cell phones, and the Internet, when people were momentarily fully present and stories about what they saw spread from person to person. The audience will be urged to put away their phones and stay in the room during the presentation so they may focus on the story’s meaning, history, and emotion without being distracted by screens, filming, posting, or recording the event.

What transpires within the room remains with the fifty individuals who witnessed it. Like in the past, those visitors would then spread the news about what happened to them by telling their friends and allies about it in their own words. Social media cannot replicate the intimate experience. “Obsolete By Word Of Mouth” eliminates the conventional barriers between artist and audience, allowing Bell to revisit the concepts, narratives, and creative process behind one of the most important albums of his career. Each event is limited to 50 attendees.

Bell will read his original synopsis written during the album’s production, offer anecdotes from the album’s creation, and tell the tale of “Obsolete” as a performative movement without a microphone during the hour-long presentation. The outcome is purposefully distinct from a traditional live performance in that it is told by the artist who was present, made it, and lived it. It is a combination of storytelling, oral history, introspection, and social experiment. Additionally, Bell will spend time with each visitor both prior to and following the presentation, making every evening a special one. This is a genuinely VIP experience because there is no traditional separation between the artist and the crowd due to the 50-person attendance cap.

Additionally, each guest will get a unique, individually personalised commemorative program designed especially for “Obsolete By Word Of Mouth” that includes actual handwritten and typed manuscripts from Bell’s collection, providing participants with a tangible piece of “Obsolete” history.

During the lecture, visitors will be asked to turn off and put away their cell phones. Filming or recording will not be allowed. The cost of tickets is $50. There won’t be a screen separating the audience from the event, and there won’t be a social media feed that can replicate what transpired in the room. The only way the experience spreads beyond those fifty individuals is through word-of-mouth, just like stories used to.