Orbital Encounter at the Asheville Airport

Paul, Paul, Me & Phil

Back home après Sandy without power in CT for two days now.  But things could be much worse of course, as tales of loss of home, business and even life are recounted on the news.  Thankful for our neighbors with generators and one house at the other end of the road has electricity so I went there to finish my extensive Moogfest write up and get it off to PopMatters. 

La Guardia Airport is under water, so if we didn’t rent a car to drive back we’d still be in Charlotte.  We had tried to change our tickets to an earlier flight on Sunday when it looked like the hurricane would mess things up in NYC, but that would have thwarted our latest encounter at the Asheville Regional Airport.  This small hub never disappoints us after a weekend of Moogfest revelry.  Our first year we traveled with members of Neon Indian and last year we were asked to vouch for Brian Eno to help him through security. This time we sat down for some lunch in the one and only restaurant, and spied Phil and Paul Hartnoll of Orbital across the way with their own entourage. 

It always seems that Paul Seymour, being a musician, always says the right thing with a cool vibe.  I am “just a fan” and get very star struck, running at the mouth with stream of consciousness ramblings that rarely have anything to do with anything.  (For interviews I write all my questions down after careful research, so that experience doesn’t count!)  So I let Paul go over and say hello, as we’d probably be going to be on the same small plane later anyway.  I could tell the guys were smiling at each other and conversation flowed as Paul introduced himself and I tried not to stare.  Paul came back to report that indeed we’d be on going to the same gate and they’d be happy to take a photo with us there. 

At first I took a picture of Paul with Paul and Phil but then Phil called over one of their traveling buddies to take a photo of all four of us and I could hand over my phone as well.  Can hardly remember what I said but it was something about the great show the night before and how we went to the top row of back bleachers and could see that absolutely everyone in the packed arena was dancing along, including us. And how the impromptu jam during the "Shaping Hits With Moog Hits" panel earlier in the day was inspired fun (video below or on Youtube here).

As we were going through the line to show our boarding passes, they were both asked if they were “willing and able” to assist as they were seated in the emergency exit row.  Phil joked that he was hiding under a jacket but lifted it up and thrust his hips forward to show that he was ready for action.  When asked the same question, Paul said quietly how he was a good screamer, ah that wickedly good British wit. Our little plane went up into the heavy layer of black clouds buzzing big time with propellers working overtime.  I could see some rain drops coming down between bits of white flakes, as the mountains grew smaller and another adventure laid before us.  

Moogfest 2012 Day 2 Highlights

Divine Fits

The second night of Moogfest 2012 started in the arena with a rockin' solid set by Divine Fits, the new band started by Britt Daniels of Spoon and Dan Boeckner of Wolf Parade and Handsome Furs.  I was tempted to see them in NYC early in their tour but waiting made it all the more sweeter.  We jumped over to see The Magnetic Field's folky chamber ballads going on in the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium (TWA) before going back to the arena for Santigold.  Santi White was pleasantly surprised by all the early Halloween costumes in the crowd while she and her dancers went through their many costume changes. (There were no political costumes which I found strange for a swing state but plenty of Sesame Street characters, although no Big Bird. And note to self, in my next life come back as a Santigold dancer!)

I made sure to catch the beginning of the Thomas Dolby set back in the TWA to see the iconic synth entrepreneur receive the Moog Innovation Award of 2012.  As the third winner of the award (joining Brian Eno last year and Mark Mothersbaugh in 2010) Dolby received a custom Minimoog Voyager, revealed dramatically on stage from under wraps but then it was all about the music.  Dolby rolled out the hits as well as some new songs, saying with a sly smile how he likes to put out albums "every twenty years."

Next up, Electronic Dance Music pioneers Orbital took to the arena stage with their mega act of lights and pulsing beats spanning twenty two years.  Earlier in the day we caught the duo, Paul and Phil Hartnoll, discussing their career at a panel on "Shaping Hits with Moog Synths."  The two bantered like the brothers they are, finishing each other sentences with that British wit.  (There was even an impromtu jam with Chad Hugo of The Neptunes, video here.)  The headlining set pleased the packed crowd, thrilled to be dancing away during this only East Coast stop on the Orbital tour.  Four Tet represented the next generation back in the TWA to close out the night.

Now it's time to figure out a way home with Hurricane Sandy looming large... Crowd photos and video highlights on our Youtube channel here or below.

Peewee & Jambi checking their phones

View at the line at the concession stand

Bob Ross!

P with head Resident

Yip, Yip, Yip, Yip, Yip, Yip, Yip, Yip, family!

One of the many robots in the lobby

Gnomes with lighted hats dancing outside at the end of the night

Moog sign in front of venue

Moogfest 2012 Day 1 Highlights

Our night began with a walk downtown to find VIP Moogfest pals Terri and Will, a festival friendship rekindled annually.  We caught a bit of the experimental duo Buke & Gase at the Diana Wortham Theatre, but scooted out after few songs in order to catch the entire set of new fave band Bear In Heaven. (Anyone wondering why I'm so enamored with them can just listen their lyrics about dancing in the video highlights on Youtube here or after photos below.)

Enjoying "Synthesizers" at Curate with Will and Terri

Most of the night was then spent hopscotching between the adjoining Civic Center venues with the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium and Arena for Miike Snow, Nars, Primus, and Squarepusher.  We set out on a jaunt to the smaller Orange Peel venue for Black Moth Super Rainbow, thankfully bypassing the extremely long line outside with our press credentials.  On the way back to the hotel, we stopped by the Civic Center to check out Richie Hawtin and Explosions in the Sky.  Got that?  Round two tonight...

This year's wristbands

Miike Snow

Santigold & dancer

Moogfest 2012 Kicks Off

Reviewing the Moogfest handout at Early Girl Eatery

Hello from fantastically funky Asheville, NC for coverage of Moogfest 2012 -- our third venture in such devotion of new music to this weekend festival dedicated to the memory of synth pioneer Robert Moog.  It's sunny and warm here as people are arriving in town, although talk about the weather is all centered on hurricane Sandy churning up the coast.  Last year a freak snow storm hit our hometown, now we're trying not to worry about getting back on Sunday.

After an early arrival yesterday, we returned to Tupelo Honey Café for an all sides dinner of updated classic Southern fare.  Today I was able to keep up the grits every day mantra with lunch at Early Girls Eatery, before a press conference at the Moog Music Factory.  Representatives from Moog Music and AC Entertainment (charged with booking and producing the event) were there along with designers of the Google Doodle in honor of Bob Moog's birthday last May, which is one of the most popular ever.  I noticed lots more merch to shop there this year, always a bonus of a robust marketing effort and a fun way to shop in support of the place.

Paul by Moog Factory

Other changes: I have a festival app on my phone and online you can build a personal schedule to share (ours has lots of cross over, at least there are two of us!)  No more computer chip on wristbands and Paul is sporting an old school laminate to get into the photo pit... here we go!

Guys checking out Google Doodle

Panel at Press Conference

Another shopper...

of merch galore!

LOVE this quote...

New Artist Discovery: Sun Airway

Sun Airway (Photo via Dead Oceans)

Here's a simple rule -- when you hear that a new band is on tour with a group you already like, it's a wise move to check them out.  When I read that Sun Airway was traveling with M83, it made me want to delve deeper.  By embracing all things synths with a pop sensibility, M83 has moved on from their solid but small opening festival slot during last year's Moogfest into headlining bigger arenas, with like minded Sun Airway in tow.

Sun Airway's recent release Soft Fall was featured on MTV Hive with an interview with Jon Bauthmus, the Phili-based singer/songwriter who is behind these "electro-acoustic pop productions." As a graphic designer, Bauthmus approaches composition with an artistic eye for chopping up classical music samples. He records them live with the help of an arranger, Joshua Stamper, who would "try and rebuild them into sheet music" (according to Bauthmus). Quite the musical experiment, rendering an unusual sound structure for incorporating strings into the songs.

Take a listen on the MTV Hive webpage or in the mixtape from the Sun Airway Soundcloud page here.

Dan Croll's "From Nowhere" -- New Song for Next Playlist

Dan Croll's "From Nowhere" caught my ear a while back on KCRW's "Morning Becomes Eclectic" and I was instantly hooked.  From the opening Casio beat to the melodic, sweetly sung though buried vocals by Croll, it was destined for my next playlist -- opening track in fact.  This debut single from a Liverpudlian barely out of his teens is available on iTunes or other digital outlets.  It's also featured along with some remix treatments on Croll's soundcloud page here.

The official video below shows a group of serious musicians not really taking themselves that seriously, a playful introduction to the sound and the group (it was "captured and cut" by Jack Whiteley). "From Nowhere" makes me want to hear more from the guy, that's for sure.

Stereophonics Release Video for New Song "Violins and Tambourines"

There is something about Kelly Jones, lead vocalist and guitarist for the U.K. band Stereophonics.  His singing is both rough and warmly rustic, with a laid back delivery of lyrics yet confidently steadfast in regards to the melody.  I picked a favorite song, "Have a Nice Day," for opening up my Romantic Songs playlist (as a fun project for last Valentine's Day, check out a nice live version on YouTube).  It has such an easy, heartfelt delivery by Jones that captivates me every time.  

So I read with interest that Jones makes his directorial debut with a video for their new song from the upcoming album by the band (their eighth since 1992). "Violins and Tambourines," has an extremely slow build that might seem twice as long without a visual to keep your interest.  But Jones took to the project eagerly, saying how he's loved film and music ever since he was young.  "When I first started writing songs I realized they could paint pictures in your mind, which inevitably leads to telling stories," says Jones. "I've always wanted to combine them both."  Check out his vision and music below.