Glenn Branca's HALLUCINATION CITY To Be Presented At Lincoln Center

Glenn Branca's Symphony No. 13 “Hallucination City” for 100 Electric Guitars will be presented at Lincoln Center on Friday, June 12, 2026, at David Geffen Hall, as part of Lincoln Center's Summer for the City.

The first New York performance since its premiere at the Twin Towers 25 years ago, the event is presented by Adam Shore and marks the late composer's Lincoln Center debut. Branca's widow, Reg Bloor, will conduct the performance, marking a new chapter in the presentation of his work.

In a homecoming for the New York avant-garde, the performance brings Symphony No. 13: "Hallucination City" back to the city nearly 25 years after its original presentation at the World Trade Center Plaza on June 13, 2001. The piece, which has only been performed in New York once before, will be led by Bloor, a longtime Branca collaborator and concertmaster, in her first time conducting the composer's orchestral work.

Branca, a composer associated with the no wave rock scene, created a body of work that merged elements of punk and minimalism. "In the right hall, with a tightly packed audience, the roar of his guitar symphonies could have an oddly unifying effect, as if the musicians, the room and the audience were vibrating to the same pulse," wrote Allan Kozinn in The New York Times obituary.

Bloor describes Hallucination City as “A swirling cauldron of consonance and dissonance; a giant swarm of bees trapped in a cyclone; a long, gradual build of dynamics, pitch, and tempo; a sound you feel in your body long after the piece is over.”

The symphony calls for 101 musicians, including 80 electric guitars, 20 electric basses, and one drummer, each performing through individual amplifiers. The approximately 70-minute work emphasizes volume, overtones, and layered sound to create a physical listening experience.

The roster of musicians will include performers from across New York's experimental and guitar music communities, including artists who previously performed in Branca's ensembles.

Rehearsals

Rehearsals for Symphony No. 13: "Hallucination City" will take place on June 10 and 11, 2026, at Boulevard Carroll (625 West 55th St). A limited number of press passes will be available for writers and photographers to attend rehearsals and interview participants.

The Legacy of Glenn Branca

Glenn Branca (1948–2018) was a composer whose work explored the possibilities of electric guitar ensembles, incorporating custom tunings and high-volume performance techniques. His work influenced musicians across genres, including members of Sonic Youth, Helmet, and Swans.

Event Details

What: Glenn Branca's Symphony No. 13: "Hallucination City" for 100 Electric Guitars; Reg Bloor, conductor; produced by Adam Shore
Run Time: Approximately 1 hour 10 minutes
When: June 12, 2026 at 7:30 PM
Where: David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center, New York, NY

Tickets