German musicians tap driveways for Steinways

End of Life Vehicles, a huge scrapyard in north London, is where cars go to die. Christian von Richthofen stands amid its neat piles of vehicles as a forklift truck plucks one out and deposits it in front of him. "Ah," he says, giving the bonnet a big thump, "this place is full of Steinways."

Over the next few weeks, Von Richthofen will get through 20 or so of these cars, as part of his show AutoAuto!, opening on Wednesday in London. With co-performers Frank Valet and Rolf Clausen, he will destroy one car per evening - by using it as a drumkit.

"This is great, this is the bass drum," says Von Richthofen, punching his way around the windows, listening out for any specially resonant spots. "Then this is more like the snare."