by James Cassara
By most accounts the success of 2012’s edition of MoogFest was a mixed bag. While I enjoyed those acts I saw, my perspective — as one who doesn’t have to purchase a ticket and is awarded full access to all events — is admittedly different from that of the typical attendee.
While attendance was clearly down (by roughly 30% from the previous year according to released numbers) over the weekend of October 26 and 27 it still dominated the downtown landscape.
On the plus side, reducing the number of venues made it easier to navigate from one show to another. It also lessened to likelihood that one would have to choose between two essential offerings pitted one against the other. However, of the many attendees I spoke with, careful to not identify myself as member of the small press, few felt this years offerings were as strong as the previous two.
That of course is all a matter of taste. The opportunity to see The Magnetic Fields and Thomas Dolby in the same evening and at the same venue were for me a dream come true. I also managed to catch a few bands I knew more by reputation than acquaintance; the Brooklyn based Bear In Heaven introduced me to an act I was only passing familiar with, while Mike Snow was the among the highlights of the weekend. Primus were of course astounding, but, having seen them twice before, the sheer excitement was slightly muted. But only slightly!
A few days before I wrote this, it was announced that MoogFest was ending its relationship with AC Entertainment. The reasons for this are myriad and I doubt any of us will fully understand the complex relationship between both camps.
AC Entertainment has announced plans for its own 2013 Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit, promising “to build on the success of the past three years.” Meanwhile, Moog Industry president Michael Adams has reiterated that “there will be a 2103 MoogFest” with an emphasis on making it more reflective of Bob Moog and the town he adopted.
How that all shakes out is anyone’s guess but you can be certain Rapid River Magazine will keep you updated. For now let’s just enjoy the prospect of two electronic music events to look forward to, and rejoice in living in an area with such an abundance and variety of entertainment.
