meshmass played at the opening of SABINE PORTELA'S exhibition of paintings. there was cake. there was wine. there was a mayor. there was no possible fire exit. there was meshmass, magic and music. not all at once, obviously. there was even dancing, on a floor made of weetabix. everything was painted white. in order to enter the room one has to duck through a sort of cupboard door halfway up the stairs, whereupon one enters a large space which is triangular in section and has a glass roof. this is where sabine makes pictures. (and very impressive they are too - these were mostly white - they have a surprising depth of surface and were collected under the theme of 'going in circles' - very suitable for meshmass, we thought.) meshmass played at about 8 p.m. after they had worked out how to make everything function outside its usual habitat. the electricity came from a single point spliced into the lighting circuit and there being no way out except through the aforementioned cupboard door richard (who is anyway extremely tall) seemed convinced that certain death was the likeliest outcome. however, we have all survived (unless this is some sort of cosmic joke played on the dead) and we are fairly content with our activity whilst alive in that place, of which we have a recording.