6.30pm (family-friendly session) 7.30pm 8.30pm

In a very special one-off collaboration between the Arlington Baths Club, the University of Glasgow's Institute of Gravitational Research  and modular synth aficionado Leon Trimble we are proud to present Swimming with Gravitational Waves!

Swimming with Gravitational Waves is an audio-visual performance with a difference.

First, it’s happening in our swimming pond with both underwater and overwater speakers to convey the musical performance to you, in the water!

Second, it uses the same technology that detects gravitational waves! The Gravity Synth makes music using Laser Interferometry – and you’ll find out from a Glasgow University astrophysicist just how that works before you get into the pool.

Tickets available on Eventbrite  £16.96/12.89 (special Arlington Member discount)

What you can expect:

To start each session Dr Andrew Spencer from Glasgow University’s Institute of Gravitational Research will give an intro to gravitational wave detection and the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO).

Then you’ll go through to the Arlington Baths pond for a 45-minute session in the water.

This starts with a full 30-minute live performance from modular synth aficionado Leon Trimble with his Gravity Synth that uses LIGO technology. An electronic music journey starting with some chill textures and gradually ramping up to a Birmingham school techno set!

That's followed by a 15-minute sonic journey from the man who developed the Wet Sounds system and which harnesses the power of underwater speakers perfectly!

Important information for attendees

Changing facilities

Please remember to bring swimming kit and a towel!

There are changing rooms at the poolside but you might want have your swimming kit on already and bring a robe (or similar) to keep you warm during the talk, so you can then get straight into the pool and maximise the full music session. 

Children and families

Children and families are encouraged to attend Session 1, the family-friendly session.

Children under the age of 6 months are not permitted in the pool. Children under the age of 8 years must be accompanied in the water by an adult. 

An adult can be responsible for: 

 A maximum of 2 children aged 4 years and over but under 8 years. 

 A maximum of 1 child aged under 4 years, except if the swimming activity is restricted to the shallow end of the pool where this ratio may be increased to 2 children under 4 years. 

 All attendees under the age of 18 must be accompanied into the club by an adult.

Photography

Please note that photographs may be taken by a professional photographer during sessions 2 and 3. These photographs will be taken from a distance with people in the water.

If you have any concerns or do not wish to be photographed, please speak to a member of the organising team before the pool session begins. If anyone under the age of 18 is attending session 2 or 3, please make them known to staff before the pool session to discuss photographic consent.

No photography will be permitted during the family friendly session 1.

Learn more about gravitational waves

See the research carried out at the Institute for Gravitational Waves, University of Glasgow, the largest research group for gravitational wave research in the UK.

Other resources about Gravitational Waves: 

LIGO website (US detectors): https://www.ligo.org/ 

Virgo website (Italian detector): http://www.virgo-gw.eu/ 

KAGRA website (Japanese cryogenic detector): https://gwcenter.icrr.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/ 

Einstein Telescope (future, next generation detector): http://www.et-gw.eu/ 

LISA (space-based detector): https://www.elisascience.org/ 

 LIGO Caltech website (lots of resources): https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/ 

 Humans of LIGO (learn about the people behind the science): https://humansofligo.blogspot.com/