Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Moogfest 2011 still being rehashed. Here’s some of it:
yesweekly.com‘s recap:
One needn’t be among the electronic music faithful to take away positive feelings toward Moogfest, Asheville’s yearly electronic mecca. Since migrating from a single-night event in New York City to what was arguably the cradle of electronic music innovation after being settled by Robert Moog, Moogfest has been as edifying as it is entertaining. Few festivals defy their attendees to completely reassess how they listen to music in the way that a weekend at Moogfest does. The gray matter-frying, booty-shaking synth jams raged until early morning all across downtown Asheville, but oftentimes the lessons in musical futurology were just as fulfilling.
NPR.org’s recap:
This past weekend, a remarkably gifted group of electronic and experimental rock artists gathered to celebrate Moog’s genius in Asheville, N.C., for the annual Moogfest. All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen and NPR Music reporter Jacob Ganz were there and, on this week’s show, report back with some of their favorite discoveries, including music from Amon Tobin, The Field, Tangerine Dream and Tim Hecker.
NPR.org on Brian Eno as the mayor of Moogfest:
But the centerpiece of Eno’s talk was about the need for balance — in art and in life — between two poles: control and surrender. Commonly, he said, we consider the relationships between musicians and listeners to embody those two poles. Composing or performing music is an act of will; listening is the act of giving in to someone else’s will. But the music that inspired Eno, like Riley’s In C or Reich’s “It’s Gonna Rain,” as well as some of his own most famous ambient pieces, like Music for Airports, incorporate an element of randomness. That randomness requires that the composer gives up some of his control over the work. When that randomness makes the music difficult to follow, “your brain fills in the gaps.”
Consequence of Sound promises a recap.
