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Spirits were high Saturday in Asheville as Moogfest peaked into an all-out party with some of the weekend’s most anticipated acts rocking the town from afternoon into late-night. Special events throughout the day included exclusive panels at the Moogaplex. The Ableton + Moog workshop discussed use of Moog synthesizers with Ableton Live for ultimate creativity in music. Ableton’s lead clinician and product specialist, Huston Singletary, and Moog Production Development Specialist Amos Gaynes provided workflow and production tricks to display how the tools can be used together.
In the Moogerfooger Mayhem workshop, Moog superstar Dan Deacon teamed up with Analog Suicide’s Tara Busch to demonstrate the mind-bending power and musical flexibility of the Moogerfooger effects pedals. A Sound Design panel featured moderator Eric Persing, with Diego Stocco, Richard Devine, and Scott Gershin offering exclusive insight into how they craft their unique sounds. Another panel paid tribute to Walter Sears, Bob Moog’s first sales representative, who had a tremendous impact on the growth of the Moog business.
As evening approached, many Moogers sported creative costumes and partied like the rock stars they came to see, beginning with The Naked & Famous at the Animoog Playground at 4:00. On his 77th birthday, Hans-Joachim Roedelius played his second set of the weekend—solo, this time—at the Diane Wortham Theatre while Dan Deacon, CANT, and SBTRKT all played rocking early-evening sets.
By the time Crystal Castles took the stage at the Animoog Playground at 7:00, festival-goers were fully pumped and warmed up for a memorable evening. During this set, a line of fans stretched far past the festival and local-favorite bar Arcade as eager attendees vied to get in close for The Flaming Lips set. With Wayne Coyne’s trademark mic-mount camera and the release of dozens of balloon balls into the jumping crowd, the Lips delivered an epic set.
As if that wasn’t enough excitement for one night, Amon Tobin lit up the Asheville Civic Center (ACC) with his perfectly outrageous beats and Tetris-like stage show and Cloudland Canyon, St. Vincent, and Suicide all exceeded expectations at venues across the city. STS9’s unique synth-heavy jams rocked the ACC, while experimental electro-rock band Battles impressed the crowded Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. Kode9 and Brandt, Brauer, Frick closed out the night with possibly two of the most talked about shows of the day at the Orange Peel and Asheville Music Hall, respectively.
Miss something? Check out a few show reviews from our staff and keep tuning inn, as we'll be posting full songs from many of the weekend's performances in the coming days.
Kelly Bocich on Hans-Joachim Roedelius
On his 77th birthday, Hans-Joachim Roedelius impressed a full house at the Diane Wortham Theatre on Night Two of Moogfest 2011. In front of a hushed and attentive crowd, the German krautrock legend played his unique mix of gentle keys and mixed synthesizer sounds.
Alternating between a piano and his synthesizer, Roedelius was a relaxing change of pace fron the mostly high-energy, pulse-pounding Moogfest shows. His face was mostly hidden on the dark stage, and his use of video imagery projected behind him was a perfect match to his cool, calm sound.
Roedelius is founder of krautrock groups Cluster and Harmonia and the ambient jazz outfit Aquarello. He also played Moogfest Friday night at the Diane Wortham Theatre with Tim Story as LunzProject.
James Kraft on Dan Deacon
It was a little chilly on Saturday for an outdoor gig, even with the sun shining, but once Dan Deacon started working his shtick it heated up fast enough. Deacon’s show is all about energy and engagement with the crowd, playing with the dynamic and MC’ing like he’s throwing a block party in Baltimore. Preferring to set up in the pit rather than on stage, his table was thronged around with eager fans kneeling on the ground or throwing their fists up or jumping up and down, as the Deacon instructed them. Sprinkled in between the “Simon says” routine were various musings and shout-outs, with support for Occupy Wall Street a popular theme with attendees. It was a great way to warm up for a day of shows with some loud crazy dancey music, although I think the folks at the Renaissance Hotel just behind the stage might have begged to differ with me on the timeliness of the 5:30 start.
Sunday, we caught Dan Deacon in a more intimate setting at a “secret gig” at Moog Music. Perhaps inspired by his surroundings, Deacon played a much more cerebral, trippy set for the small crowd (half of whom were filming). Deep shuddering bass rolled through with whiny reverb highs punctuating. Not so much the kind of thing to make you move your feet, but it was awesome to get to hear an awesome operator on such an incredible system.
James Kraft on Twin Shadow
By 8 o’clock on day 2 of Moogfest, a guitar-oriented rock set was a welcome change from the more abstract work of most of the other acts, and the Orange Peel was the perfect venue for it. Twin Shadow’s shades of New Wave and Shoegaze, dashed with R&B and artful lyrics, was danceable and emotionally engaging. George Lewis’ vocals were very strong, matched with funky bass lines and extremely energetic drumming. Despite the fact that Twin Shadow wasn’t the night’s primary draw (many of the fans in the crowd I spoke to were at the Peel early in order not to miss Toro y Moi), the crowd response was massive as the highly danceable set got going. A gorgeous synth player (female) and bass player (male), plus excellent visuals on the projectors and George’s heartfelt stage presence, kept everyone’s head up. Twin Shadow pushed all the right buttons for me, despite having fewer of them on stage than most in the Moogfest lineup.
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James Kraft on The Flaming Lips
One of the most (if not THE most) eagerly anticipated shows at Moogfest 2011, the Flaming Lips did not disappoint, with an awe-inspiring stage show and the mind and heart melting jams for which they are famous. The crowd braved the low 40s weather (with icy gusts of death thrown in for good measure) to rock out to a show that featured a laser light show, video, gigantic “party popper” pyrotechnics, and, for good measure, a giant gong. With one song dedicated to “anyone who’s hallucinating right now,” it was clear the band knew right where we were all at.
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Kelly Bocich on Amon Tobin
In one of the weekend’s most anticipated shows, Amon Tobin’s 10:15 show at the Asheville Civic Center had the packed arena completely enraptured with his one-of-a-kind aesthetics. Except for a few brief peeks through a translucent cube, Tobin remained hidden from view, letting his beats and incredible light show take main stage.
The show was projected onto a series of Tetris-like cubes, slowly building into moments of body-breaking bass. The love and respect for Moogers for Tobin was palpable before, during and after the show, which in addition to abstract designs and light patterns also included imagery of spaceships and weather elements. Consider Amon Tobin sensory overload in the best possible way.[[wysiwyg_imageupload:92:]]
Diana Friedman on Cloudland Canyon
The trio of Cloudland Canyon brought their heavy electronic sound to a dedicated crowd at the Asheville Music Hall. The rhythmic sounds of synths and keyboards, punctuated with loud drums made for music to get lost in. The crowd was nodding, their attention captured, when the band suddenly broke out into more of a dance beat and some people in the crowd started moving, bouncing, and swaying. Others stayed still, just taking in the music in the dark room, where it was almost hard to see the artists on stage. For an exclusive look at the Cloudland set, check back at The Tuned Inn for video soon!
James Kraft on Brandt Brauer Frick
Now call me old fashioned but I occasionally want to, you know, dance to some of this electronic music – you know, in sort of a sexy way? Few of the acts so far have really accommodated that strange desire of mine, but Brandt Brauer Frick frickin’ threw down. The group combines a tight stage presence (matching black shirts and grey ties, neat-o input devices that allow them to play the rhythm track live with sticks and tap out bass lines without having to keep their heads down all the time like a bunch of NASA engineers) with good old fashioned Chicago house “crowd sense.” It felt like the after party for day 2 of Moogfest – and, indeed, I heard they’re playing the ACTUAL Moogfest after party Sunday at the Moogogallery. If you’re feeling like, you know, dancing a little, maybe come check that out...
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