Picture a bank of drum machines on stage, beats firing and lights blinking, and nobody touching them. No fingers on pads, no sticks, no hands on knobs. Just air.

That's the idea behind AIR, Roberto Maqueda's solo audiovisual show. It gets its UK premiere at Tramway on Friday 2 October as part of Sonica Glasgow 2026.

Percussion without a hit

Maqueda last appeared at Sonica in 2022 as part of reConvert. This time he returns alone with a project that, according to the festival, "reimagines percussion through air, pressure and automation."

The drum machines are "played" without direct contact, activated by air through custom solenoid valves. If you're new to the term, a solenoid valve is an electrically controlled gate. Send it a signal and it snaps open to release a burst of pressurised air, then snaps shut again. Time those bursts precisely and you have a mechanical performer that never tires and never touches the kit.

Sonica says the result "blurs the boundaries between performer, instrument and machine." Pro-audio readers will enjoy the irony. Drum machines were built to take the human out of rhythm, and Maqueda puts a physical, breathing process back between the composer and the sound. He developed the piece with engineer advisor Alejandro Rodriguez.

Beats you can see

The visuals come from new media studio Structurals. They take their cue from the way sound waves appear on an oscilloscope, the lab instrument that draws electrical signals as moving traces of light. According to Tramway, the visuals transform "every bass thump and hi-hat twitch into intricate webs of light."

The show is billed as highly visual with little or no text. It should work just as well for a curious newcomer as for a modular-synth obsessive.

AIR dates from 2024. It is produced by reConvert with support from the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia. It runs for around 40 minutes with no interval, so it's a compact, intense slice of the festival that fits neatly into a Friday night on the south side.

Need to know

  • What: Sonica: AIR, Roberto Maqueda and Structurals (UK premiere)
  • When: Friday 2 October 2026, 7pm start. Tramway lists 7pm to 7.45pm. Sonica gives a running time of 40 minutes with no interval. No doors time has been published, so it's worth arriving a little early.
  • Where: Tramway, 25 Albert Drive, Glasgow, G41 2PE
  • Tickets: £12, or £7 concession. Sonica Pass holders get 25% off. Sonica says carers get free tickets.
  • Booking: Online via tramway.org or by phone on 0141 276 0950. Transaction fees are £1.50 online and £1.75 by phone. Tramway's phone line is staffed Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 5pm (6pm on Saturdays), and later on performance nights.
  • Audience notes: Includes strobe effects, flashing lights, and loud or sudden noises.
  • Access: Highly visual, with little or no text. All public areas at Tramway are wheelchair accessible, with lift access to the mezzanine and first floor. There are accessible toilets on every public level, and assistance dogs are welcome. If you have specific requirements, contact Tramway before your visit.
  • Getting there: Pollokshields East station is about two minutes' walk, but it is not wheelchair accessible. Buses on Pollokshaws Road include the 3, 4, 38, 57 and 59. On-street parking only. There is no cloakroom or bag storage.