Electronic music fans get ready: the third annual Moogfest is upon us. This event featuring electronic and visionary music celebrates the innovative spirit of Bob Moog, who was founder of Moog Music and known as the creator of the Moog Synthesizer. He lived in Asheville for nearly 30 years.
The music festival bearing his name is October 26-27 and takes place at numerous venues around Asheville. Organizers say that Moogfest 2012 continues building on the exciting reinvention of the Moogfest concept and features its most distinctly invigorating lineup to date.
One headliner of the festival has is the 2012 winner of the Moog Innovation Award: Thomas Dolby, who is the third recipient and joins 2010 winner Devo and 2011 winner Brian Eno. The Moog Innovation Award celebrates pioneering artists whose genre-defying work exemplifies the bold, innovative spirit of Bob Moog. Moog officials say that Thomas Dolby’s quest for knowledge and desire to sculpt the world around him led him to the world of electronics, where he designed his own synths, founded his own software company, and charged through the world of pop music and into America’s consciousness. His set is 10-11:15 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium.
In addition to the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, additional Moogfest performances take place at The Orange Peel, Asheville Music Hall, Diana Wortham Theatre, and ExploreAsheville.com Arena. Comprised of a diverse yet synergistic group of inspired performers, the 2012 Moogfest lineup includes Primus 3D, Swedish electro-pop wonders Miike Snow, the electrifying Santigold as well as rare U.S. performances from some of electronic music’s most forward thinking artists including Orbital, Richie Hawtin, Squarepusher, Carl Craig and Pantha du Prince. Other notables include Nas, Explosions In The Sky, Divine Fits, Four Tet, The Magnetic Fields, Prefuse 73 with Teebs as well as some of the hottest newcomers to electronic music such as Actress, Disclosure, Juila Holter, and Blondes.
Moogfest doesn’t forget about local and regional acts either. Moogfest has arranged for pass holders to receive complimentary admission to the Emerald Lounge during Moogfest. The venue will showcase regional acts each night. Tickets for each night at the Emerald Lounge (112 North Lexington Avenue) will be $10 to the general public, and free for all Moogfest weekend pass holders. Single-day Moogfest ticket holders will receive complimentary admission to the Emerald Lounge for the same day they hold a Moogfest ticket only.
Festival attendees can delve deep into the sonic depths with Dr. Bob’s Interactive Sonic Experience, connecting with bays of synthesizers, Theremins, effects pedals, oscilloscopes, and more educational tools, by visiting the Bob Moog Foundation’s interactive setup in the lobby of the Diana Wortham Theatre. There will be a range of new innovations by other manufacturers to explore in addition to the Moog instruments.
To go along with the music, a number of panels are offered during Moogfest 2012. This year’s panels are highlighted by a special presentation from members of the Google engineering team who designed the now infamous Google Doodle, which was launched on May 23, Bob Moog’s birthday. This year, the Google doodle team is extensively involved in the festival in conjunction with AC Entertainment and Moog Music. The free panels will be held at Diana Wortham Theatre starting at noon on Saturday, Oct. 27 and are open to all Moogfest attendees and the general public. All seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
“More than anything, Google doodles are a celebration of creativity and innovation,” says Ryan Germick, the Google doodle team lead. “Naturally, Bob Moog, a great innovator in creativity, was a perfect fit for one of our special logos. It was a great joy to borrow a bit of Bob’s magic on our homepage, and we’re honored to be part of Moogfest as well.”
Ashley Capps, president of AC Entertainment, says, “Innovation was in Bob Moog’s DNA as it is with Google. And, you know, if you haven’t tried messing around with Google’s Moog Doodle, be careful. It’s totally addictive!”
The titles and schedule for the panels is as follows:
Creative Expression Through Interface, 12 – 1:15 p.m.
Synth Pioneer Morton Subotnick, Bob Moog collaborator Herb Deutsch, and modular guru and Nine Inch Nails keyboardist Alessandro Cortini discuss the interplay of hardware and software and how musical instrument interfaces affect the artist’s approach to creative expression.
Panel: Morton Subotnick, Herb Deutsch, Alessandro Cortini; Moderator: Marc Doty
Shaping Hits with Moog Synths, 1:30 – 2:45 p.m.
Orbital, Moogfest headliners and groundbreaking live electronic music performers and Chad Hugo, one half of Grammy award-winning super producers The Neptunes, discuss how to win at life while integrating analog gear into explosive live sets and hit studio productions.
Panel: Phil and Paul Hartnoll (Orbital), Chad Hugo (N.E.R.D., The Neptunes); Moderator: Amos Gaynes
The Bob Moog Google Doodle: How a Pioneering Legacy Inspire Modern Innovation, 3 – 4:15 p.m.
An intimate discussion exploring how Google engineers turned the most iconic synthesizer in the world into the most popular Google Doodle in history. Discover the process, the inspiration and the global implementation behind this worldwide sensation. Meet the Google Doodle team, Moog engineers & Marc Doty, Bob Moog Foundation Archive & Education Specialist.
Panel: Ryan Germick (Google head doodler), Joey Hurst (Google head engineer), Amos Gaynes (Moog Product Development Specialist); Moderator: Marc Doty
Moogfest is produced in conjunction with Moog Music and the City of Asheville and directly benefits the Bob Moog Foundation. For the full musical lineup and additional information, visit moogfest.com.