Be ‘in-spired’ by bridge music
WONDERLOOPER INSTRUMENTS WILL BE INSTALLED ALONG CITY’S NEW WEAR CROSSING
The new Northern Spire bridge will be closed to traffic on Sunday as it plays host to an interactive arts and music event.
To celebrate the opening of the new landmark crossing a host of musical instruments will be installed along the bridge for the day, giving ticket-holders the chance to “play” the bridge, using kaleidoscopic mirrors, motion sensors and soundscapes composed by musicians Architects of Rosslyn.
The Wonderlooper instruments have been created from leftover materials from the bridge and are the invention of artist Di Mainstone, who was commissioned to work with communities on both sides of the Wear on the In-spire project, which celebrates the opening of the new crossing.
Fourteen of the instruments will be installed on the bridge for visitors to interact with, meaning it will be closed to traffic from 11pm this Saturday to midnight on Sunday.
The instruments have been manufactured by FabLab Sunderland out of castoff plastic casings that cover the bridge’s huge steel cables.
Corinne Kilvington, producer for the event on behalf of Sunderland Culture, said: “For one day only our Wonderlooper event will give people a unique perspective of Northern Spire. People will be able to wander the bridge appreciating its scale and beauty and experiencing it as they’ll never be able to do so again.”
Those with tickets to Wonderloopers are advised to arrive 15 minutes before their allotted time.
Limited parking is available at Pallion Retail Park, on the south side of the river, and at Hylton Retail Park, on the north side.