Moogfest Celebrates the Culture of Synthesizers

For lovers of electronic music, synthesizers and technology, Moogfest is paradise on earth. The event is much more than a series of concerts, though, don’t get me wrong, the lineup of performances is stellar. What sets this festival apart is its daytime program, filled with creative workshops and artistic showcases that explore the intersection of music and technology.

The four-day event takes place in Durham, N.C., home to Moog headquarters, and the organizers invite some of the company’s biggest rivals to the party as well. Reverb, Universal Audio, Novation, Sunhouse and Keith McMillen Instruments are just some of the manufacturers showcasing products. Attendees also have the opportunity to play around with more synthesizers than one can dream of at the Modular Marketplace, a pop-up synth shop that encourages people to twist knobs and experiment to their heart’s content. It’s rare for this many boutique synth manufacturers to come together in one place, so be sure to check it out.

The festival is also eclectic when it comes to its performances. Dance music is a given for a synthesizer festival, but scanning through the lineup reminds one of how influential technology is. Almost every corner of the music world is represented, from hip-hop to rock to straight-up electronic. Some of the headliners include Flying Lotus, Animal Collective, Gotye, Talib Kweli, Derrick May and even the Syrian-internet sensation Omar Souleyman.

In defiance of North Carolina’s HB2 law, Thursday night’s main stage is officially dedicated as the Protest Stage, featuring artists that fight for social justice, both in their creative work and in the streets. Performers set to grace the Protest Stage include Pie Face Girls, NEW INC, MIT Open Doc Lab and BEARCAT, a British DJ/producer who represents New York’s Discwoman collective, a group of female-identifying electronic musicians fighting for more representation on the festival circuit.