Festival organizers AC Entertainment have released the lineup for MoogFest 2010, a three-day festival “celebrating the vision of Robert Moog”, scheduled for Halloween weekend, October 29-31, in Asheville, NC.
The MoogFest 2010 lineup includes MGMT, Big Bo, RJD2, Massive Attack, Thievery Corporation, Hot Chip and others.
While the lineup is kicking the scale of the festival up a notch, it’s got some questioning whether the festival is selling out Bob Moog, rather than celebrating him.
Public Radio host John Dilberto (Echoes) has this to say about Moogfest 2010:
It’s clear that this is not a celebration of the Moog, its history and the music it spawned. It’s just another hipster alt-rock festival along the lines of the Pitchfork Music Festival, Bonaroo, Coachella, etc. Nothing wrong with that, and maybe I’m just an old electro-fart, but when you attach the name Moog to something, I think certain expectations apply.
1-I would expect it would have something to do with Moog synthesizers.
2-Realizing that could be limiting for a whole festival, I would expect it to at least be electronic.
MoogFest is a festival worth attending, but its scope is disappointingly limited and sadly bereft of the grand history of the Moog synthesizer and the music it helped produce.
Fairly scathing words – but earlier Moogfest events featured Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, Jan Hammer, Jordan Rudess, Erik Norlander, Thomas Dolby, Gershon Kingsley, Herb Deutsch and others heavily associated with Moog synths.
I’d like to see Moogfest 2010 be a huge success. But Dilberto is right – Moogfest should be Moog and it should be electric.
What do you think of the plans that have been announced for Moogfest 2010? Leave a comment with your thoughts!
I'm sure some bands will show up without any Moog synthesizers.
Ok so I can somewhat agree with point one but the second one makes me wonder how much of the bands listed have you really listened to? How can you say they "at least have to be electronic"? 95+% of these bands music are heavily based in electronics, synths and effects. Moog synths and effects have been influencing dance and rock for years. Come on. You know I always thought that Moog was about the future not constantly rehashing the past. Two cents.
http://moogfest.com/2010/moogfest-2010/overview/
If you read beyond the lineup you will see there is a lot more to it. Also, there are some great bands there that put on some amazing shows.
Yup John…you are an old electro-fart. I agree with the previous two posters.
Have to disagree with the other commenters –
No offense intended to the electronic acts in the linup – but there's nothing in the Moogfest lineup to suggest that this festival is celebrating Moog's legacy.
They either sold out or they thought that there isn't enough interest in electronic music to support a festival.
Next time – how about Goldfrapp as a headliner, Thomas Dolby, The Crystal Method, Moby or Gary Numan?
There are lots of artists, too, that aren't huge names but who would appeal to synth fans – people like Klaus Schulze, Jean-Jacques Perry or Jan Hammer.
the first problem is the "1-I would expect it would have something to do with Moog synthesizers." comment which id say means he doesnt even know what this festival is…
the music acts are not the only events, there are also 3 days worth of lectures, live demos and interactive exhibits of moog synths scattered around the city
anyways, about the bands.. i live in asheville.. so im pretty excited about it – we hardly get half this many 'big name' electronic acts in an average year – its is a pretty small town overall
im sure there is always an element of profiteering like any business.. but actually it still seems like a giant party at this point to me, a toast to moog at least
in any event the moog foundation is very active in the community in terms of charity work and has been for decades so to say they "sold out" is pretty ridiculous.. but ill admit it is funny to watch all the "industry insiders" hash it out in their elitist rants
It's like everyone saw MGMT were on the lineup and shat in their pants. Really, what's the problem? Pretty-much every single one of the acts on the lineup are really heavy on synth. It's pretty fallacious to say that artists like Klaus Schulze or Rick Wakeman should take precedence. Even back in Moog's heyday, there were bands from many different musical scenes using Moog synths that had nothing to do with the whole space-prog-rock phenomenon.
hipster bashing and moog-relevance aside, most of these acts are just not very good and overrated. but then, i'm an old electro-fart too (hello? where's DEVO in this lineup?). let the kids have their unenlightened, short-lived trend (remember electroclash?) loving, life-enjoying, sex-having, drug-doing fun! just please don't let it turn into coachella and have jay-z play… or red hot chili peppers… or madonna… or etc….
I think it would be best to reserve criticisms until we have a better idea as to how (if at all) artists are going to tailor their sets, and what else they do in Asheville beyond the 1+ hours they are actually on the stage…many of these individuals/groups are known more for their sound explorations than trying to crash the Billboard Top 40 or jump on some BS trend…not seeing too many electroclash artists on the bill…nor dubstep/bloghouse/whatever crap internet genre is hot right now either. I'm pegging Four Tet, DJ Spooky, and RJD2 to offer up some reverence…perhaps EL-P as well. Again – who knows how this will all play out? I guess I should buy tickets!!!
Just noticed Matmos on the bill – THAT should be interesting…
I appreciate what Moog is trying to do with the community in general and just made a donation to the Moog Foundation. Seems like a bit of a tightrope to walk to grow the movement and maintain the legacy. Last year they canceled the event, so regardless of the lineup, I'm really glad they have an event this year even though I can't make it.
+1 on the previous commont on "where's DEVO"?
The problem is the people that work at Moog aren't really into 'electronic music' per se. They have more varied tastes, like piano, jazz, rock, indie, etc… They're a bunch of hipsters that love fad bands like Animal Collective.
Pretty ridiculous to say that only Klaus Schulze and others like him are the only ways Moog instrument should be used or heard, or at a festival like this. I'm one who prefers that Moog instruments and synths like them be heard and used in the space-classic synth age music, but I am aware that there is room enough for everybody and especially instruments like the Minimoog were used more so in other music than just the Electronic genre.
Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, Jan Hammer, Jordan Rudess, Erik Norlander, Thomas Dolby, Gershon Kingsley, Herb Deutsch are the reason I never went to any of the other events.
I will go to this one.
I am not a hater or anything. I met Rick Wakeman and he was a lot of fun to hang out with. Very funny guy.
Okay, so much of what I feel on the subject has already been stated above, but I will add a couple of points:
1. I can name many a rock/metal/blues/reggae/jazz (etc.) band that uses Moog synths and effect pedals to create their music. To limit Bog's inspiration to only electronic music would be greatly understating his influence. The fact that his "legacy" is being embraced by many different genres is something to celebrate.
2. As a musician and fan of electronic music, I have to say that there is plenty on the ticket to rouse my interest. I am planing to go for the entire weekend.
I live in Asheville and am friends with people that work there and for the Foundation, so I know, first hand, that they are as excited about the line up as the swarm of people that will be purchasing tickets on Friday.
Mark – I have to agree.
While Dilberto brings up a valid point, and it would be great to see some classic Moog artists on the bill – this is going to be a festival that will draw a much bigger audience than any previous Moogfest.
LOL. okay, i am a musician, circuit-builder and synth lover, and i think it's funny how hot and bothered people get about these things.
it's true that this lineup is not exactly "traditional" electronic music, but more of a melding of synth heavy electronic music and lots of other types of music. most likely, a large portion of these artists were influenced by many of the people being mentioned (thomas dolby, jordan rudess, rick wakeman)…but they have other influences and ideas too. i don't see what is wrong with that. i'm pretty sure that robert moog was supportive of experimentation and change! of course, i would very much like to see devo there…..or maybe laurie anderson.
also, for you purists, matmos is about as pure as you will get for classic electronic music plus experimentation. be sure to check him out.
anyhoo, say what you will, but i have seen a few of these artists before and they put on a great show, and most of them definitely seem to have moogy roots!
bitch bitch moan moan.
it's a music festival.
I guess some of you spoke too soon. 😉 Devo IS coming along with The Disco Biscuits, Clare and The Reasons, Bonobo and more.
You never know what tricks Moog has up the sleeve.
http://moogfest.com/2010/artists/schedule/
"The problem is the people that work at Moog aren't really into 'electronic music' per se."
– you are so off base. Moog employees include a drum&bass/electro DJ, a psy trancer, one synthfunk/breaks producer, one psy/ambient producer (both of the latter play live) at least one experimental ambient electronic synthesist… a couple more who are so deep into electronic music that they could trace its history for you from Thaddeus Cahill's Electronium up to the present day. There might only be one or two hipsters in the place. 🙂 Oh also – MGMT prominently play a Moog synth. They are as legit as anybody to play a Moogfest.
This is going to be awesome. What is a hipster ? Aren’t we all hip. Imean come on right.
just came from moogfest 011, and it was a truly great event……i think i saw a few “hipsters” there, but there was a broad diversity of ages, sizes, shapes, etc……and PLENTY to celebrate MOOG……workshops and presentations, factory tours, acts with deep MOOG history, etc…..MOOG is evolving and diversifying, just as the music is, and this IS the vision of Dr. Robert……and…..Asheville is the perfect host city for the even….very walkable, and filled with eclectic characters, artists, and art lovers,….and…..placing it on Halloween weekend is just icing on the cake…..genius……a world-class event……
The Moog Factory is over run by hipsters! As is Ashevile NC! The Coffee shop next to the Moog Factory has more Hipsters per square foot than Brooklyn! I personally don’t sport a Beard or Man bun ponytail so I couldn’t wait to get out of there!
Hey Hipsters . . . if you were really so cool you wouldn’t all look identical and hang around in pretenious coffee shops staring at your Macbooks