Bonobo - photos by Chris Allen
The celebration and recognition of Robert Moog, inventor and musical revolutionist, took place Halloween weekend in his hometown of Asheville, N.C. The festival, properly named Moogfest and formerly held in New York City, was a spectacle of creativity and inspiration as musicians and fans flowed in from all corners of the world, packing Asheville to the brim to witness this moving event organized by his daughter, Michelle Moog, and AC Entertainment, based out of Knoxville, Tenn.
The festival had everything. Nationally recognized artists who performed included Big Boi, Pretty Lights, Spongle, Dark Party and Thievery Corporation, and interactive workshops in the Moogaplex got eager participants’ creative juices flowing. Hundreds of people came through to play a theremin (a melodic, electronic instrument played by moving the right hand between two electrodes while the left hand controls dynamics and articulation), view photographs of Bob Moog donated from family and friends, and sit in on informative question-and-answer panels and demonstrations. Experiencing all this was impressive, but knowing that Michelle Moog was the only paid employee was nearly incomprehensible. Volunteers came from all over to bring this festival to life.
Michelle’s dedication to her job is obvious. “My daily work is Bob Moog,” she said with a pleased grin on her face. “I have a focused vision for the future generation to keep what my father did alive and continue to reiterate the importance of creativity and music in schools.”
She has done just that. Donating one dollar per Moogfest ticket to the Bob Moog Foundation, as well as all profits from merchandise and the custom-designed posters, the impact she and all those who worked it has had on all those who witnessed the festival was massive.
“People have been touched and have contributed greatly to the cause,” she continued. “Even at our Mini Moogseum we have seen a facelift. Mountain Gateway Museums has been so kind to donate their services to us and has enabled us to have our first professionally curated exhibit of the MiniMoog there, which we have been more than pleased with.”
Count MGMT among the many artists who use Moog synthesizers
Manya Whitney-Miller of AC Entertainment was the event coordinator for the Moogaplex, the venue that held the seminars, poster exhibit, demonstrations and late-night shows. She had plenty to say about the turnout, even before the first night was over.
“I have never had the pleasure of working in North Carolina before,” Manya said as we sat in the back circuit room of the Moogaplex. “The city of Asheville is great and its inhabitants are extremely cooperative. I could not ask for more.” She added that AC Entertainment’s major goal was to throw the best Halloween party the Southeast has ever seen while honoring the legacy of Bob Moog. Based on the scope, the attendance and the mood of the festival, this goal was attained.
“It is already a success, and for that I’m thankful,” she concluded. “You can sleep when you are dead. The harder a project is on the front end, the greater the sense of reward that follows once it is completed.”
Even Murfreesboro’s own Saul Zonana, a 20-year music industry veteran, made an appearance at the festival as the Moog Professional Moog E1 artist. He gave an extremely thorough demonstration of the endless possibilities and functions of the Moog guitar while expressing gratitude towards Bob Moog.
“I am a huge fan of the Moog legacy,” Zonana began. “I started getting into it very early. The first gift I can remember that offered huge impact was when I got a Moog synthesizer when I was 12 years old. But pertaining to the guitar itself, it offers something no other guitar can offer. It has all these functions, but ultimately it is all analog, which gives you a more personal bond between you and the instrument.”
Personal bond, inspiration, creativity and hard work seemed to be the theme being expressed by all who had a part in the success of Moogfest. It paid off in the biggest way possible, lighting up Asheville with pride and reminding everyone why they loved music so much in the beginning.
“It has taken almost four months for this whole thing to come to fruition,” Michelle Moog said, winding down our conversation. “It’s been tough, but this past week there are moments where I . . .” She trailed off, speechless. Sheer pride shown in her eyes and she started a new sentence, “There is just a massive amount of energy here. All components of the festival have really created a stunning tribute.”
View more photos from Moogfest 2010 here
Big Boi
