Struggling down Walnut Street through the drizzle, I looked grimly around at the city, which seemed to angrily choke my car like kudzu. Subway steam and gridlocked traffic was everywhere, and the wind gusted fiercely up and down the block. A flash of a yellow cab over my left shoulder, slamming to a stop inches from my back bumper. Wonderful. Fall was settling back over Philadelphia, and the city reeked like a wet moldy basement. Thankfully, though, my destination was Gatherings number 63, where none of this would matter. Tonight's musical guide, Ian Boddy, had come from across the pond, armed with a brand-new album and a career that stretched back to even before I was born. Having soundtracked a stressful part of my life with his lovely albums Pure and Chiasmata, I was grateful for the chance to spend a few hours hearing what the man had to offer.

Into the church walked Ian and all the usual Gatherings crew, while Penn students with freshly scrubbed faces reeled up and down Locust Walk, shouting into their cell phones. Inside was an oasis of peace and quiet, ready to play host to another night of music. Up went a few banks of keyboards, a MIDI controller, and a PowerBook. Ian sipped on Red Bull (while saving a can for later) and looked over his handwritten notes as seven thirty quickly rolled around. A quick taste of his set came during sound check - the dark electro-ish thump "Stormfront," from the new album. Now the crowd tumbled through the vestibule, clutching throw pillows and beach chairs, chattering excitedly. Surprise guest of the night: Ben Cox from Lotuspike, with his wife and a little daughter who got her hand stamped with great solemnity.

The first forty-five minute set put Ian's new album, Elemental, through its paces. The opening "Never Forever" filled up the room with sweet, jewel-like melodies while the sanctuary whirled with red and blues, an amuse bouche for the ears. But it quickly faded, Ian guiding everyone through several different moods. Later came the dripping ambience of "If All the World Was Blue" and the buzzing "Flux" - a nicely varied set that never relinquished its overarching sense of vast open spaces. The rhythmic moments set Boddy apart from the pack, featuring rhythms and heavily edited breakbeats not too far removed from your average dance floor. There were touches of dub techno and IDM - labels like Toytronic, Warp, em:t and Skam came to mind as Ian rocked back and forth in his seat, playing lead melodies overtop of these beats.

But the best bit came in the second hour, when Ian launched into a new set composed only two weeks prior. This was the definite highlight, calling to mind very much his collaborative work with Mark Shreeve as ARC. First we were treated to a musical nosedive, engrossing, dapples of organic sound in the midst of a buzzing haze. It continued for what seemed a very long time. Where Ian had been bopping during the first set, head and shoulders twitching, now he sat still, only once kneading his fingertips over his forehead. The tension built, until in came a thrumming sequence, lighting the church up. I remembered Chuck van Zyl earlier in the evening confiding in me: "Hey, he sampled Shreeve's Moog for tonight." And now we got to have a listen - here were two rolling sequences snapping back and forth as the music began to stretch its legs. The second set really sounded more like one long piece, heavily Berlin-school influenced. Touches of rhythm came and went, with splashy claps and hi-hats that reminded me of Detroit techno. The sequencers were the main event, though, with Ian using all his gear to layer them over with bright atmospherics. The piece slid suddenly to a stop, and the bashful Ian got a standing ovation. He said, "I'll do one more!" and finished with the bombastically melodic title track from the new CD.

Slipping into the studios at WXPN just a couple hours later, the atmosphere was ramping up when I had expected it to be winding down. Chimay (a quality Belgium beer) was being poured to accompany warm slices of pizza and quiche. Shoes were kicked off and chairs were arranged for maximum lounging. People pinballed around the studio, tired and laughing. Tonight WXPN was as alive as any college get-together, buzzing with random conversation. One lady giggled, "I mean, the Midwest is just flat, flat, flat!" Van Zyl, over by the water cooler, was smiling as he said, "These guys make this thing called a Tire Rim Pot RoastÉ" Across the room, Ian enthused over the beer: "ItŐs like a cross, almost, between red wine and beer. Just lovely."

Finally, the party subsided when the clock clicked over to 2am. Ian sat down. "I'll try not to be crap," he joked. But there was no need to joke - his improvised hour turned out excellently, fitting right into the mood of the late hour with super-processed flourishes on his keyboards and warm, relaxing backdrops. Tweaking the effects dials on his keyboards to their utmost, Ian was clearly feeling things out as he went along, showing his years of experience well. A couple times those same fierce sequences were hinted at, but the hour for Star's End was played well off the cuff by Ian, suited to the mellow buzz permeating the station. As always, a couple of the audience members dozed happily in and out of sleep, while others sipped on Chimay and hot tea with plenty of sugar. Finishing with some tightly woven drones that faded out ever so slowly, Ian's third hour was followed by Chuck with a special one-hour mix of tunes from his own DiN label. It wasn't until after 4:30am that my drive home began, the rain, fog, steam, and wind gone now - all of them chased away by a night with a veteran performer on top of his game. Red Bull for the ears.

Scott Kelly (DJ Kel)

• Official Website: http://www.ianboddy.com
• DiN website: http://www.din.org.uk
• Ian Boddy STAR'S END Profile at: http://www.starsend.org/ianboddy.html
• Photos and Reviews of Ian Boddy live at The Gatherings Concert Series in Philadelphia: 6 May 2000
• Photos and Reviews of Ian Boddy live at The Gatherings Concert Series in Philadelphia: 20 March 2004
• Photos and Reviews of Arc live at The Gatherings Concert Series in Philadelphia: 14 November 2009
• Concert Announcement for Ian Boddy live at The Gatherings Concert Series in Philadelphia: 13 October 2012