Electronic Synthesist Ian Boddy Returns to Liverpool's Capstone Theatre, Performing Alongside Field Lines Cartographer and Sulk Rooms

With a legacy spanning over 45 years, Boddy takes audience on a continually morphing sonic journey using AJH Synth + Tone Science Chance Delay and Triple Cross Modules

06/09/2026

Liverpool, UK, June 9, 2026 — Since opening in 2010, Liverpool's Capstone Theatre, part of Liverpool Hope University, has hosted performances by many internationally acclaimed artists including Steve Howe, Robyn Hitchcock, Harold Budd and many more. On April 25th, Berlin School influenced electronic music innovator Ian Boddy - who is also founder of the electronic music label DiN Records - returned to the Capstone Theatre for the sixth time for an intimate performance alongside other 'leading lights' of the UK electronic music scene: Field Lines Cartographer and Sulk Rooms.

Each of the performers, including Boddy - whose electronic music performances are always different and never 'pre-scripted' - performed a 30-minute solo set before appearing together onstage for a 30-minute experimental jam session. The entire two-hour long Capstone Theatre performance will be released by DiN Records later this year as a double CD.

Modular synthesis in Liverpool
Boddy sees the Capstone Theatre as something of a jewel in Liverpool as evidenced by his repeat performances: "I've played there several times before; it's a very intimate, modern facility with lovely speakers." He also appreciates the venue's projection facilities, especially considering modular synthesis performances are rarely accompanied by dancing about the stage: "There is a massive screen behind the performer and they use movie-grade cameras to project what you’re doing so the audience get more of an insight into your performance."

The video projection provides a glimpse into Boddy's clean patching techniques, which enable him to spend more time shaping sounds and sticking to the performance: "When you play live, the last thing you want to do is get lost in a swamp of cables," he says. He says this is one thing he appreciates about the ergonomics of the AJH Synth family of Eurorack modules. "The modulation sources - inputs and outputs - are at the bottom, and the knobs and dials are at the top, making them much easier to use and perform with."

AJH Synth oscillators and filters
While he has a large Buchla modular system in his home studio, Boddy's live modular rig consists of a 7U Make Noise main case with three synth voices all running from a Hermod sequencer, as well as a smaller Roland case that handles sample playback via effects and a Triple Cross. The primary VCO's in his case include two AJH Synth MiniMod VCOs, which sit alongside a MiniMod VCF ladder filter and a Sonic XV Diode wave filter. He also uses a Roland 510 synth which he uses as a sub bass that he can fade in and out.

"I tend to use the AJH ladder filter for more solid, clamped down sounds, and the Sonic XV for more buzzy, high-pitched sounds," Boddy explains. Meanwhile, all three of his VCO's run through the MiniMod Ring SM, which he uses as a submixer and to ring modulate all three voices for an additional layer of tonality. "In the Eurorack domain, I love AJH oscillators and filters - they sound amazing," says Boddy. "I know what the filter is going to do before I set the knobs - it’s just going to sound great. Rich sounding, easy to program, easy to patch and also really versatile."

Triple Cross and Chance Delay: Creating a constantly changing soundscape
Boddy's live performances involve sweeping, morphing sounds as well as Berlin School sequencing techniques. Since his pieces are long-form and continual, two of the most important tools in his arsenal are the AJH Triple Cross and the Chance Delay - both of which he helped design alongside Allan Hall of AJH Synth. These tools allow him to shape the soundstage and his sequencing patterns without interruption, while ensuring a unique performance each and every time.

"I use the Triple Cross to create evolving soundscapes from pre-prepared string samples and sound effects triggered from the 1010 BitBox. One pair of sounds is crossfaded in channel 1 of the Triple Cross whilst another pair are treated similarly through channel 2. In turn, the outputs of both these are then morphed through channel 3 and as all the channels are controlled by non-synchronous LFOs, the resultant sound texture is constantly changing.”

Another foundational element in his Make Noise case are the pair of Chance Delays, which he uses in conjunction with his Hermod sequencer. "We all know one of the problems with Berlin School type sequencer lines is the endless repetition," he says. "The Chance Delay allows me to break this apart and I can bring in percentages of each sequence as the piece progresses. Then I can get interlocking sequencing lengths, sometimes combined with a gate delay for a nice offset. I will also use the length knob as well to get some beat dividing. So my sequences, although repetitive by themselves, can be constantly changing."

The Capstone Theatre performance is slated for release around November, 2026. For more information on Ian Boddy's catalog of music, or to follow upcoming performances, please visit: www.ianboddy.com. To learn more about DiN Records, please visit https://dinrecords.bandcamp.com/.

About AJH Synth
AJH Synth is headed up by Allan J Hall, who has been involved with synths, electronics and music for several decades. He started by building a guitar fuzz box at the tender age of 12 and his interest in synthesisers and electronic music soon followed, fuelled by an unhealthy overexposure to early Tangerine Dream, Pink Floyd, Vangelis and Kitaro. For the last 15 years he has been building and modding synth systems both for himself and other electronic musicians, as well as spending some time as a semi-pro musician playing keyboards in several rock and tribute bands. Allan spent five years as a service technician repairing and modifying Moog, Arp, Korg, Roland and other analogue synthesisers along with some Pro Audio design work, previous to this he spent two years designing and building "boutique" valve (tube) guitar amplifiers. AJH Synth are based near Durham, in the northeast of England, where this small but enthusiastic bunch of synth heads now indulge their passion for all things modular.