Last year’s blockbuster release of Nicholas Cage’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice featured the phenomena of musical Tesla coils. The spectacular scene when the male lead wows the female lead with his musical Tesla coils catapulted the concept into the mind of the masses. The audio modulation of the output sparks from solid Tesla coils has been an alternative musical phenomena since 2005 when performance art group ArcAttack debuted their custom musical Tesla coils. The coils fire at such a high frequency that they create sound waves though the air. The band’s concerts have left audiences in awe and mesmerised by the combination of electricity and music.
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Mythbusters‘ Adam Savage decided to give cage dancing a try at this year’s arts, crafts, engineering, science project exhibition, Maker Faire in San Francisco. In this YouTube video, Savage dances and attempts to conduct some Tesla coils to the iconic theme song from Britain’s longest running television show Doctor Who. All the geeks in the audience can barely contain themselves.
Below is ArcAttack’s original electrifying (pun indended) Doctor Who performance.
ArcAttack is not the only band that seems to have perfected musical Tesla coils. Tesla Orchestra is a Cleveland-based “high-voltage performance group,” that specialises in musical lightning bolts, singing Tesla coils, and “high-voltage stunts”. The group’s most popular offering so far is a remix of Lady Gaga’s Poker Face.
