The sonic vibrations of The Orion Experience enter the San Antonio atmosphere on Dec. 13 at The Paper Tiger for the band’s “Magical Animals” tour.
Originally started in 2003, The Orion Experience has endured many trials and tribulations before releasing its recent “Magical Animals” album. Through it all, lead singer and creator Orion Simprini has attempted to remain his authentic self — citing ABBA, David Bowie and other artists as some of his muses.
“The music that has always inspired me is the one that takes you out of the world. My heroes are David Bowie and Marc Boland and Freddie Mercury and Kiss,” Simprini commented.
The Orion Experience’s frontman’s role models motivate him to embrace his abnormal side and keep him tethered to his humanity — or rather an authentic version of himself untampered by society.
“Seeing David Bowie just be this otherworldly thing, I was like, ‘Maybe I could be that too,’” Simprini said. “That’s what I hope that The Orion Experience is when people come and see the show. We kind of give permission to the audience to be like, ‘Hey, this is a safe space for us to be the freak that we are.’
“I use that word in the most positive and loving way. I just think that there’s just not enough freakitude in this world, and we need to bring it out.”
However, for Simprini, his art is not just a means of expression. He also acknowledges its role in resistance. As artificial intelligence and corporations redefine creative fields, Simprini believes that art remains the highlight of human success.
“If more people embraced the artistic nature of themselves, the world would be in a better place right now,” Simprini argued. “We celebrate material wealth as the pinnacle of success, and it’s just so f-cking backwards because it’s creative expression. That is the pinnacle of the human experience.”
According to Simprini, human music has a magical tune that pervades the physical world. Simprini views it as one of the reasons why artificial intelligence will never replace human concoction.
“It’s poetry set to vibration,” Simprini lamented. “There is magic in music that can’t be replicated by any other art form. It’s why AI music will never be able to replicate human-made music. It just won’t.”
Indulge in the illuminating musical arrangements of The Orion Experience, and engage in a human experience spanning generations at the Paper Tiger, located at 2410 N. St Mary’s St., on Dec. 13. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $29.20 if purchased online and are $32.61 at the door.
