This week our One Night Stand series cross-pollinates with Melbourne Music Week—resulting in some mind-widening sonic experiences at MPavilion. First up: Star Pavilion. Ufologists, astrophysicists, sci-fi buffs, moonrise howling choirs, Greek gods, sunset dancers and astrologers descend upon MPavilion for a dusk-’til-dawn celebration of starry nights and all things celestial in the MPavilion space and surrounding gardens.

The evening will be hosted by The Telepathy Project (Veronica Kent and Sean Peoples), and will feature their collaboraton with hypnotic chanteuse and multi-disciplinary performer Sophia Brous (following on from her participation in the Barbican Centre’s In Dreams: David Lynch Revisited). Brous will present a premiere work, (Space) Dream Triptych—an avant-garde space opera set in three parts, exploring the shifting dream states of the unconscious, longing and isolation in infinite space. (Space) Dream Triptych will be performed by Sophia Brous in a first-time collaboration with harpist Marshall McGuire and electronics-whizz Joel Stern.

Check out our Facebook gallery to relive all the night’s twinkly moments.

8–9pm: Sunset swing dancing
One of the Telepathy Project’s favourite memories is of stumbling upon a full-moon swing-dancing party on the beach in Barcelona. To celebrate sunset and kick off the Star Pavilion all-nighter, they’ll recreate this public outdoor dancing spectacle.

To help, they’ve invited Anna van Dijk and Chris Sutton from Swing Patrol to teach the Lindy Hop—a vintage partner dance to swing jazz music that originated in Harlem in 1927. The dance class will start at 8pm, with social dancing to follow.

9–9.15 pm: ‘Greek cosmology’ lecture
The Greek god Zeus will explain the beginnings of the universe.

9.15–9.45pm: ‘Astrophysics’ lecture
Dr Bart Pindor, research fellow in the astronomy group at the University of Melbourne, will present a lecture on astrophysics, titled ‘Should we be surprised to find ourselves here tonight?’.

9.45–10pm: Sophia Brous performance, Dream Triptych #1
Sophia Brous will perform the first part of her three-part premiere work (Space) Dream Triptych, an avant-guard space opera set in three parts, exploring the shifting dream states of the unconscious, longing and isolation in infinite space. Over the course of the Star Pavilion all-nighter, Sophia Brous will perform the three parts of (Space) Dream Triptych with harpist Marshall McGuire and electronics-whizz Joel Stern. 

All (Space) Dream Triptych performances will be recorded on the night, then played as a daily soundscape in MPavilion from Thursday 20 November to Sunday 23 November.

10–10.40pm: ‘Ufology-ology’ lecture
Dr Martin Plowman, author of The UFO Diaries, introduces us to the world of UFOs—via Fermi’s paradox and Jacques Lacan.

10.40–10.50pm: Sophia Brous performance, Dream Triptych #2
Sophia Brous will perform the second part of her three-part premiere work.

10.50–11.30pm: ‘Astrology’ lecture
Astrologer Julija Simas from the Cosmic Intelligence-Agency will give a lecture about what astrologers have being doing for millennia: finding meaning and portent in the Cosmos.

11.30–11.40pm: Sophia Brous performance, Dream Triptych #3
Sophia Brous will perform the third and final instalment of her three-part premiere work. (Remember to come down to MPavilion from Thursday to Sunday this week to hear the performance playing as a daily soundscape while you drink your coffee.)

11.40pm–12.10am: Reading of Mike Kelley’s  ‘On the Aesthetics of Ufology’
‘On the Aesthetics of Ufology’ is a seminal essay written in 1997 by the late American artist Mike Kelley. In it, he explores our almost-utopian fixation with the hi-tech image of the flying saucer, that we then pair with an alien being of monstrous form, or other abject elements.

12.10–12.30am: Interview ‘Raelian cosmology’ (video)
Sean Peoples interviews Raelian Alf de Hombre. An introduction to the UFO religion that was founded in 1974 by Claude Vorilhon.

12.30–1am: Elemental with Sean M Whelan and Isnod
Spoken word astronaut poetry.

Sean M Whelan & Isnod. Image courtesy of the artist.

1–1.10am: Star Wars intro
Star Assistant and Star Wars fan Stephanie Elkington will introduce Star Wars and share why she loves it so much.

Star Assistant Stephanie Elkington, who will be serving complimentary fragrant tea and popcorn throughout the night. Photo courtesy of The Telepathy Project.

1.10–3.30am: Star Wars screening
Settle down in a silver beanbag with a cup of tea and a bag of popcorn for a very late night screening of the ’70s classic, Star Wars.

3.30–3.40am: Moonrise howling choir group performance, led by Dog
Come howl at the moon!

3.40–5.30am: Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back screening
For those still awake, settle down even further into that silver beanbag for the next instalment in the Star Wars saga.

5.30–6am: Today’s horoscope with Sean and Veronica
Find out what the day ahead has in store for you!

6am: ‘Here Comes the Sun’ group performance
Celebrate the sunrise with a group sing-along of the Beatles’ classic ‘Here Comes The Sun’. Fact: Carl Sagan wanted to include this song on the Voyager Golden Record but EMI said no.

This schedule is subject to change.

This project has been funded as part of the VCA and MCM New Initiatives program, supported by the State Government through Arts Victoria.