From the moment I tightened the clasp of my wristband, I was impressed. Entering its 12th year, Moogfest invaded downtown Durham with its synthesis of music, art and technology. The four-day festival embodies the creative and innovative spirit of the late Bob Moog, a pioneer of the electronic music industry with his synthesizers. The Moog Modular Synthesizer first appeared on records in the late ‘60s, a sound that many unknowingly hear today.
Moogfest left little room for boredom; people of all ages enjoyed the many concerts, conversations, installations and films. Those who didn’t buy a ticket could indulge in free performances by the likes of comedian McQueen Adams, DJ Lance Rock and Michael Winslow.
While Moogfest was unquestionably navigable, there’s no doubt it could be perceived as overwhelming. Naturally, there were plenty of staff, volunteers and resources available to assist those who strayed off the beaten path. Yet festivals are one of the few scenarios in which it’s worth it to get lost; you would either locate what you’re looking for or stumble on a venue of equal caliber.
Food trucks peppered the streets, filling the air with hints of everything from flaky pastries to maple syrup. Stationed on the curb, festival goers chowed on foods from around the world. Yet others could be seen scarfing the delicacies in fear of missing an opportunity to catch a good view. Whether you ate from the food trucks or not, it was difficult to ignore the infectious enthusiasm of the personalities leaning over the counters.
The music was equally captivating and pervasive; when Moogfest swept across downtown, one can assume only traces of silence were unbroken. Bold art and sculptures were subject to social media posts, and served as reference points for the easily lost.
My breakdown below is only a taste of the wealth of talent that threaded through Durham last week:
Pye Corner Audio
Martin Jenkins’ worldly melodies drew a crowd at Pinhook that was one of the hardest to weave through. Jenkins characteristically draws from classic synth soundtracks and libraries and is known for his haunting, experimental sounds.The overall tone was melancholic, but as far as electronic music goes, I found it accessible. The majority of the performances at Moogfest had stage visuals, but those of Jenkins’ were unforgettably eccentric and made me feel as if I was transported to a different realm. The screen on the stage projected psychedelic visuals that were both disorienting and soothing.
SURVIVE
With an avalanche of media hype thanks to Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” SURVIVE was thrown into the limelight — and for good reason. SURVIVE shook The Armory with an atmospheric performance featuring tracks that are both cohesive and nightmare inducing. Its unrelenting riffs and rolling bass makes for a sound that is as nostalgic as it is futuristic.
Animal Collective and John Mills-Cockell of Syrinx
Standup comedian Hannibal Buress moderated the conversation as a part of his live podcast. Syrinx was a short-lived Canadian progressive electronic group formed in 1970 of keyboardist Mills-Cockell, saxophonist Doug Pringle and percussionist Alan Wells. Promoting last year’s anthology release, Syrinx reunited (minus the late Wells) for a performance for first time in 45 years at Moogfest.
Animal Collective, an Avant-pop trio, expectedly talked about sampling and the obscurity of their lyrics. But the conversation took a turn when Brian Weltz mentioned he went to a Jimmy Buffett concert thanks to his employment at a parrot shop. Tangential to the discussion, enthralling parrot stories occupied a good chunk of time. For this reason alone, it’s worth it to visit the podcast.
Colin Wolfe
The conversation with Colin Wolfe that was co-presented by the UNC School of Arts was definitely my favorite part of Moogfest. The virtuoso mainly talked about co-producing the “Chronic” album with Dr. Dre and his many musical influences. As far as the “Chronic” goes, for Wolfe, Parliament-Funkadelic was the only act that influenced the album.
“Parliament-Funkadelic was considered psychedelic funk — you know what I mean,” Wolfe said. “And when we worked on our s—, we were going to do something funky, but wanted it to be crazy, different and out there. And that was it; their sound was it. That’s how we got to the Moog because that’s what they used.”
Among Wolfe’s talented collaborators are Michael Jackson, Madonna, Aretha Franklin, George Clinton, TLC, N.W.A., the Black Eyed Peas and Snoop Dogg. He continued to explain the recording process, performed a live bass demonstration and talked about how the music industry is changing. According to Wolfe, nowadays, festivals, tours and merchandise are where the money is rather than record sales.
KING
The trio, dressed in white, angelically belted alternative R&B music with vocal harmonies as smooth as silk. In March, they made their official debut with “We Are King,” which they wrote and produced on their own record label. Five years ago, KING performed its EP “The Story” with Prince, who endorsed the band.
Mykki Blanco
As the audience at Motorco Park anticipated the presence of rapper and activist Blanco, his voice was quickly received in the mix. Blanco sported a wig, a lacy dress and electric blue eye-shadow. Forming a circle around him, the audience nodded to the both edgy and theatrical performance. I felt something damp touch my arm and realized he was whooshing through the crowd flailing his wig. Nearing the end of his set, the Knightdale, North Carolina native addressed the need for stronger communities, urging the audience to “bring together people who may not go together, but have hidden connections.”
Omar Souleyman
The 50-year-old wedding singer from Syria has garnered an unlikely following among Western youth. His music echoes psychedelic funk and soul, accompanied by rapidly spit verses. Souleyman donned his signature aviators and routinely encouraged the audience to clap with him. Souleyman is currently promoting his new album, “To Syria, With Love,” which is set to release June 2.
Pharmakon
For the first few minutes I felt like I was at an exorcism instead of a concert. I was unaware of her performance style in which she would unexpectedly wade through the crowd. It was a powerful, emotional show that was terrifying in the best way possible. Pharmakon is not for the faint of heart. Her latest album, “Bestial Burden” tackles topics such as the separation between mind and body, and death.
Simian Mobile Disco
Jas Shaw and James Ford have experimented with everything from guitar-based rock to underground club music. The duo always seems to be one step ahead and have carved a genre of its own. The 2014 album, “Whorl,” was recorded at a live show in a desert town without the use of computers, abandoning past methodologies. Although an enjoyable performance overall, some songs remained indistinguishable.
DJ Premier
DJ Premier had a grandiose stage presence, and effortlessly engaged all ages of the crowd with flair.
Simian Mobile Disco performs at the Armory on Friday, May 19 during Moogfest. The four-day festival featured performances as well as workshops and conversations across several downtown Durham venues from May 18-21.
