The Futuresonic<02> Festival Launch Party opens at Cornerhouse with a profile of live performances featuring: Phil NiblockOne of the most celebrated sound and media artists in the USA, Niblock makes thick, loud drones of music, filled with microtones of instrumental timbres, whilst simultaneously presenting films and videos which look at the movement of people working, or computer driven abstract images floating through time.An installation by Maryanne AmacherDoyen of the New York avant-garde, Amacher has collaborated with John Cage and Merce Cunningham in the 1970s. She continues to inspire awe today with sound installations that combine ‘multidimensional immersive aural architectures’ with a keen sensitivity for the creative possibilities of telepresence and new media. Scalene by Battery Operated9 artists from Manchester, Melbourne and Montreal perform live a remix project in sound, video and graphics that explore the different escape-architecture of each international city.Bow by Automated Noise EnsembleA live music/noise performance by Rob Gawthrop and Bob Levene investigating heighten audio/visual perceptions. A complex drone is produced by the performers violining a continuous bow around the audience.Brooks (Mantis) first live Manchester performance takes place in the Cornerhouse Cafe alongside digital sound and image from Maroufleur, Wonderland Detour, Jayne Compton (Swicflicker Records) and DJ Love.Tickets £5.00, available from Box Office: 0161 200 1500Doors open at 7.30pm, first performance at 7.45pm