Bent Matter
Founded in 1999 by Ben Reeder and his brother Matt, BentMatter was born from the brother’s common interests. Ben has been shooting and editing since he was twelve years old. When Matt’s fractal graphics met Ben’s camera and projector, the two put their talents together to mix live video for events. In 2000, BentMatter literally took on new life when Jonathan ‘Jonny’ Aiello joined the team. With his technical know how, they took to the stage and never looked back.
At their Vancouver production facility, Open Studios, BentMatter VJ’s continue to create a prolific portfolio of clips ready to turn any room into another world. With the developments in video mapping, the art of VJ’ing took a big leap forward. Bentmatter VJ’s embraced the technology and have been designing custom screens and shows since.
You can see some examples of BentMatter’s work here.
Some of the stages that they have played include: Shambhala Music Festival, Soundwave Music Festival, New Forms Festival, Summer Love, Winter Love, Pemberton Music Festival, Winter Olympics 2010, Code Live, Sonar Festival in Barcelona, Pop-Com Festival in Berlin, as well as the city’s infamous Watergate nightclub.
Notable artists they have performed alongside include: Richie Hawtin, Mathew Jonson, Cobblestone Jazz, Konrad Black, Thugfucker, Paul Woldford, Wolf & Lamb, Team Canada, The Mole, Stanton Warriors, Bassnectar, Skrillex, Freak Nasty, Mark Farina, and many more.
Ben Reeder
Ben Reeder is always shooting, and always has been. Since grade school, Ben’s been communicating through film, looking for new things to say and new ways to say it. Nothing’s changed–whether he’s in Berlin, Jamaica, or walking around Vancouver, he’s always looking through the lens for even fresher material. Ben produces and curates BentMatter’s content, shooting and editing to create the videos that BentMatter VJs plays with. And in the process defined BentMatter’s entirely unique style. When Ben’s not throwing the party, he’s fighting for Vancouver’s right to party—with strong connections in Vancouver’s underground scene, he’s doing all he can to make Vancouver a fun place to be, 24/7.
Jonny Aiello
Ask Ben to describe his partner, and he’ll give you just one word: Genius. His skills sharpened in Technical Art School, Jonny’s know-how enables BentMatter to map and technically produce it’s shows. With his background in video, music production and DJing, Jonny is a natural Live VJ. He understands the music and can layer and mix raw clips into a sharp, stylish form that is the personality of BentMatter.