Tickets for Arse Elektronika 2008 now on sale

Image taken from stage right in a packed room at last year’s surprise opening performance; photo by the sweet sex/tech artist Matt Ganucheau.

Sex, technology, porn, sci-fi and the perviest (and nicest) futurists in the world are gearing up for this year’s Arse Elektronika 2008 — appropriately themed and titled, “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” It’s here very soon (!) in San Francisco from September 25-28, with the 25th being the opening night’s festivities. I’ll be at the opening and on one panel this year — the opening night also being the (er) release party for the book Arse Elektronika Anthology: “pr0nnovation?” (I have an essay in it, whee!) Opening night will also feature something I’m both frightened and irresistibly curious to see: the Prixxx Arse Elektronika 2008 Award Ceremony, “An unobjectionable award for sex machines, orgasmotrons and teledildonics.” At last year’s opening fest, there were sex machines and one hell of an unexpected female ejaculation (or two), along with many cool sex and tech art pieces partygoers could play with (or vice-versa). Should be fun.

This year’s schedule boasts a hell of a lineup of serious and respected (and controversial) speakers. I’m particularly looking forward to opening night; then September 26th has the 1pm Keynote address by Constance Penley, “Fuck Space: Slashing the Ocean”; later in the day I want to see “Avoiding the Emily Gould Effect” with Susan Mernit & Viviane at 5pm and the closer at 6pm, “Science Fucktion” with a pair I thought I’d never see share a stage, Johannes Grenzfurthner and Richard Kadrey. The panel I’m on is the 27th, closing the day’s events at 7pm called, “The Erotic of the Machine”. There are so many more, but I want to give a shout also to sharingisexy.org, 5pm on the 28th with “Radical Porn – Intercourse between fantasy and reality.”

Of course the prank-loving Monochrom is organizing it from behind (when the soap was dropped, I presume), as demonstrated in this insanely geeky video Arse Elektronika 2008 Theme Song: “Could It Be”.

Tickets are now on sale! They say,

Tickets can be obtained directly at the Arse Elektronika conference desk (at the door). But we offer the possibility to buy tickets in advance. Special conference discount for “pr0nnovation?” (Arse Elektronika Anthology) is available at the Arse Elektronika conference desk. Don’t forget: Arse Elektronika 2008 is a 21+ event. Bring identification. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us: office (at) monochrom.at And yes, journalist accreditation is available.

* Opening night ticket + free drink: US$ 8
* All 3 day conference pass (including opening night ticket): US$ 40
* Single day conference ticket: US$ 20
* At CELLspace: 2050 Bryant Street, San Francisco

Videos from last year are all over YouTube. Check ’em out. Especially qDot’s presentation. YouTube is down right now or I’d embed… yaaaawn.