The first festival was held on May 18th, 2004 in B.B. Moogfest officially began in 2004 when one of Moog Music’s New York representatives wanted to have a music festival to celebrate the 50th anniversary of electronic music. After that, the sound of his machine gained popularity through the 1970’s and was used to create the sound of crucial albums of the 20th century, like the Beatles’ “Abbey Road.” While there were other synthesizers on the market at the time, Moog’s invention began to rapidly gain popularity after it was showcased at the International Pop Festival of 1967. Moog developed the first commercial voltage analog controlled synthesizer with Herbert Deutsch in 1964. You can get tickets by going to /tickets. The festival will be headlined by such artists as Grimes, Miike Snow, and ODESZA. Previously, this festival has been held in Asheville, North Carolina, where Moog spent the last 30 years of his life, but this year will be held from May 19th-22nd in downtown Durham, North Carolina in 17 various locations. Moogfest is an annual music, art, and technology festival held in May in honor of Robert Moog, inventor of the Moog synthesizer and pioneer of electronic music. – Mirtha Donastorg, former WKNC Co-Public Affairs Director You can find more information and a complete schedule at
This series promises to be one of the most interesting and human ones at Moogfest.Īnd who knows, maybe it’ll help you become the next Ira Glass. Innovation in audio is so much more than music it’s also in the ways that we communicate and learn, and radio is at the forefront. Listen and learn as Jesse Holter talks with two artists about their lives, their work, what makes them tick and what makes them cry in his longform interview. Saturday in the series begins with another live recording of a podcast, No Effects. Check out Sylvan Esso explaining how “Coffee” came to be. The acclaimed Song Exploder podcast sits down with artists and has them explain each bass line, each snare, each high hat, and all the odds and ends of a particular song. A good primer on her work is an episode of the first season of “The Heart,” when she explores the life of one of the first recipients of sex reassignment surgery, Lili Elbe.įriday afternoon, an audiophile’s dream becomes reality when Hrishikesh Hirway sits down with ODESZA to break down one of their songs.
Immediately following, a gathering of the most interesting minds in radio and podcasting are coming together to discuss how the traditions of radio have created the audio landscape we know today.Īn artist of note in this session: Kaitlin Prest, host of Radiotopia’s “The Heart.” Her work innovates not only audio storytelling, but how women and men talk about sex, love and everything in between.
The first day of the series will start with a Soundwalk, a chance for festival-goers to realize that the world around them is already full of interesting soundscapes not all innovative sound comes from a Moog synthesizer. With live podcast recordings and conversations with the movers and shakers reinventing radio, this series provides Moogfest attendees the chance to plumb the depths of new and exciting audio, away from Motorco Park.
From Ira Glass’ “This American Life” to Marc Maron’s interview with President Obama in a garage, radio is an important tool in the world of communications today. In “Radio & the Radiophonic,” the series taking place on May 20 and 21, the history and future of radio are the topics of conversation.
Music is really just one aspect of this festival billed as “the synthesis between music, art and technology.” It explores all types of audio, from performance to podcasts.
While performances by Grimes, ODESZA and Son Lux might be capturing the excitement of some festival-goers, this year’s Moogfest is promising to be much more.