Band in A Bubble - Regurgitator - Melbourne (2004)

Melbourne (2004)

Curtis developed the idea in 1999 as an art oriented recording project. It was conceptually stimulated by biospheres, the idiosyncratic way Regurgitator recorded albums, and by the idea of the insular artistic recording process, juxtaposed against the extroverted performer and how that might impact on the creative mindset. Curtis initially failed to convince Regurgitator of the merits of his idea, and it was set aside for a number of years. Quan Yeomans, the band's guitarist, noted that he became more open to the idea of being in a bubble after seeing David Blaine's magic stunt. Yeomans told The Age, "I happened to be there when David Blaine did his stunt over the Thames, and I just thought, 'wouldn't it be interesting if he was doing something creative, as opposed to just sitting around doing nothing?'"

With the band's interest now confirmed, Curtis approached a number of television and media outlets, eventually finalizing an agreement with Channel V Australia. The first Band in a Bubble was organized in Federation Square in Melbourne, Australia. Regurgitator holed up inside the glass bubble for a period of three weeks, during which they recorded the album Mish Mash! The staging began on August 31, 2004.

The activity inside the bubble could be viewed in several ways. In person, people could watch through the bubble's walls. Cameras positioned inside the bubble offered footage that was displayed on several large LCD screens in Federation Square and broadcast on a dedicated 24 hour digital channel on the pay-TV networks Foxtel and Austar, on digital channel 802. Channel V also carried a daily half-hour highlight show, hosted by VJ Jabba. After three weeks, the band emerged from the bubble and performed their new songs live to a large audience in Federation Square.

Yeomans' mother Lien, a popular Vietnamese cook and author, prepared food for the band during their stay. The food was delivered to the band through a hatch, which also served as a way for Curtis to communicate with them. An audio link-up was also located on the other side of the bubble so that visiting musicians and fans could talk to the band or record guest spots on the record.

Following the Melbourne event, the concept was licensed for development internationally by subsidiaries of Endemol, the television production company responsible for such shows as Big Brother (TV series) and Deal or No Deal. Plans were soon announced for Band in a Bubble" in the US and Europe.