Moogfest 2014 in Asheville adds Pet Shop Boys, M.I.A, Flying Lotus and Dillon Francis

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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moogfest_2014Here’s the press release:

Moogfest announces iconic electro-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, British rapper and self-declared “anti-popstar”M.I.A., experimental multi-genre music producer Flying Lotus, plus Mad Decent’s Dillon Francis as additional headliners in the already landmark lineup of musical acts led by three Kraftwerk 3D concerts and CHIC featuring music super producer Nile Rodgers.
Daytime programming expands to include musical pioneers Dan DeaconNick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Deerhunter’s Bradford Cox, plus Futurama creator and writer for The Simpsons David X.  Cohen, as well as Google’s creative masterminds who are designing the future of audio.
General Admission Ticket Pricing Announced at $299* 
Limited Quantities of Daytime Tickets at $249*
Limited Quantities of Nighttime Tickets at $199*
Moogfest is April 23-27 in Asheville, North Carolina.
With over 20 years of history under their belt, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe’s Pet Shop Boys have sold more than 50 million records worldwide and are six-time Grammy nominees, recognized as the most successful duo in UK music history by The Guinness Book of Records. Collaborating with theatre directors, architects, set and costume designers, Pet Shop Boys have built their performances into a technologically immersive and visually theatrical experience. With their celebrated history of striking and original tour productions, this year’s Moogfest performance promises to be nothing short of spectacular.
M.I.A. is renowned for her presentation of layered textures of instruments, electronics and unusual sound samples that shaped her acclaimed and distinctive avant-garde music style. From the beginning her music was always an explosion of color, light, and heat as she fearlessly incorporates a range of political, social, philosophical and cultural references into her music, combining her Sri Lankan roots with her urban present to create music that defies existing pop music conventions.
Flying Lotus is an expert at weaving together different worlds and styles to create music that defies genre classification. On his latest record,Until The Quiet Comes, Flying Lotus draws from hip hop, electronic music, and rock, to position himself in the center of a musical web that stretches far from the vibrant sprawl of his base in Los Angeles.
A pioneer in the moombahton genre, Dillon Francis lives between 105 and 112 BPM. An open format DJ, he sees no delineation between making music and playing it. Francis boasts releases on Diplo’s Mad Decent, Fool’s Gold, and Skrillex’s OWSLA, some of the most respected labels in electronic music.
The newly added nighttime programming speaks to Moogfest’s focus on innovation and breaking down barriers.  German heavyweight trioModerat, comprised of Modeselektor and Apparat, bring a passionate and enthusiastic approach to electronic music, while Ghostly’s Audionis the outlet for pop-music innovator Matthew Dear to exorcise his dance floor demons. Machinedrum will be performing his celebrated album Vapor City, where each of the songs leads you down a dark and twisting trail through different districts in a city (Vapor City) of his imagination. DFA’s UK-based Factory Floor will deliver one of their signature pummeling and exhilarating performances, and Black Dice, alumni of DFA themselves, bring their own brand of concise and concentrated catharsis to the mix.
Other Moogfest 2014 talent announced includes Tiga, the Sex Whiz of Sonic Parkour, RVNG Intl’s Holly HerndonEjecta, the Driftless Recordings project of Leanne Macomber, who also plays with Moogfest alumni Neon Indian, No. 19’s Louie Fresco, and Eric Volta of Claude Von Stroke’s Dirtybird Records.
The Windish Agency also joins the company of the nightly music showcase curators that includes experimental Record LabelsWarp RecordsDFAFool’s GoldGhostly InternationalNo. 19 Music’s Social ExperimentRVNG Intl., and Driftless RecordingsPlus Electronic Tastemakers Crew Love, Brooklyn-based Cultural Organization AFROPUNK, Detroit’s Movement FestivalNorth Carolina’s Hopscotch Festival, and Austin’s Switched On.
Joining Laurie Anderson and Giorgio Moroder as artists that bridge both the nightly music and daytime dialogue about music, technology and the future include Claire Evans, performing with YACHT and presenting the rebooted science magazine OMNI; Baltimore boundary pushing composer Dan Deacon; and LCD Soundsystem’s Gavin Russom performing with his band The Crystal Ark.

Among the artists, designers, inventors and futurists added to Moogfest’s daytime conference program is David X. Cohen, creator and Executive Producer of Futurama with three writers from Futurama and The Simpsons discussing the elaborate math and science secrets that mysteriously appear throughout these shows.

Additional discussions include five of Google’s innovators working in audio including visual artist and Google Data Arts’ Aaron Koblin, known for his work with Arcade Fire and The Johnny Cash Project; Willo Perron, stage designer for Kayne West, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Drake, and Lady Gaga; composer Nicolas Collins, author of Handmade Electronic Music: The Art of Hardware HackingJay Silver, founder of Makey Makey; hacker and inventor Tom ZimmermanKill Screen videogames founder Jamin Warren; human cyborg Neil Harbisson who hears colors; the Search of Extraterrestrial Intelligence’s Laurance Doyle and Doug Vakoch; astrophysicist William Kurth who records the sounds of space, and many more.

Beyond the landmark lineup, there are many notable additions to this year’s expanded Moogfest, including free programming for local residents. Synthesis, a tech expo and job fair co-sponsored by the North Carolina Technology Association (NCTA) is open to the public and will spotlight North Carolina companies pushing boundaries in technology and innovation. Much of the other daytime programming, including musical performances, will also be free in an effort to make Moogfest accessible to the entire community.  The goal is to give everyone, particularly young people, the opportunity to experience the intersection of art, music and innovative technology the festival celebrates.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON DAYTIME PRESENTERS GO HERE.
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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

  • 1

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