Take a glimpse into the three-day music and technology festival with WKNC’s stand on Moogfest.
Yvonne Chazal
Former Program Director
For an event as big as Moogfest to move right into our backyard is incredible. The variety and quality of the acts brought to Durham was astounding, and while we know that the Triangle is certainly worthy of this kind of attention, it is very exciting that the nation is starting to recognize it.
I realized the significance of this convergence of artists and innovators from all over the world after completing a map of where each artist was from. About a quarter of the artists are from abroad, and over two-thirds of the national artists are from out-of-state. However, our phenomenal locals were certainly not left off the bill. Some of North Carolina’s best acts held their own on the same stages as international big names, which left me feeling very proud of the artistry and talent coming from my home state.
I had a fantastic time watching Grimes and her dancers, hearing truly gifted artists work within the astounding acoustics of the First Presbyterian Church and putting my dance crew experience to good use in the many brilliant hip-hop venues. Some of my favorite aspects of Moogfest were the panel discussions. “The Hidden Figures” and “Can You Remember the Future?” conversations were some of the most engaging discussions I’ve ever sat in on. Janelle Monae and Allison Schroeder discussed their upcoming movie “Hidden Figures,” based on the story of Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson and other black female mathematicians that were instrumental in sending the United States into space. The discussion dug into the dynamics of being a woman and a black woman in STEM, as well as in the arts and the intersectionality at play, a conversation in which I am deeply invested.
“Can You Remember the Future?” featured Janelle Monae, Reggie Watts, the Christian Rich Brothers and Hieroglyphic Being in an enlightening discussion of the term “Afrofuturism,” used to describe many of the artists at Moogfest. The opinions ranged from viewing it as a strong marker of identity to a label contributing to the segregation of artists. Personally, I give high praise to Moogfest for providing the space for what I believe are some of the most important discussions we can have, and I hope to see more of this in the future.
Marissa Jerden
Co-Public Affairs Director
I am so glad I was able to go to Moogfest this year! I think it will be one of my top memories from summer 2016. Overall, I liked everything about the festival. The panels and conversations were intriguing and thought provoking, the artist performances were fantastic, the venues were close to each other and I was able to explore a lot of Durham that I never had before. The only negative I would say is that the festival was exhausting. That has to be expected, but since it was my first multi-venue, multi-day festival, it hit me like a train. I’m still recovering.
My favorite part of Moogfest had to be seeing Moses Sumney perform. I would describe his style as indie-soul or coffee house. He is an incredibly talented musician; he created his music with only an electric guitar, his voice and his body. In order to create his music and harmonies, Sumney would create beats by clapping his hands, snapping, tapping the microphone, layering his vocals and then looping the sounds. It was fantastic!
Overall, I wish I had been a little more prepared for the festival, but that’s on me. I guess everyone has a learning experience at their first big festival. Next festival I hope it doesn’t rain!
Charles Morse
Underground Music Director
This was my virgin voyage for Moogfest, and I was impressed. The artist lineup was superbly curated and scheduled. As a person who is not one hundred percent into electronic music, I found a lot of new (to me) artists that fit into my tastes, as well as seeing artists that I know and love. For instance, I never knew about Zombi or Health, and now I’ve been listening to their music non-stop. I also loved how Moogfest put our local artists side-by-side with major entities.
The only thing I didn’t like about Moogfest was one soul event, “Beats & Star Wars Demo.” This was probably the most self-impressed and useless UNC-Chapel Hill product that I’ve ever seen in my life. They took the most commonly used practice of recording sounds to use in beat-making, and attempted to make it seem special by bringing this practice to developing countries. For a school that prides itself for its creative prowess, this was the most uncreative thing I’ve seen in my life, and shame on Moogfest for giving it an audience. There is a lot cooler and more meaningful stuff happening in the music scene in the Triangle than that.
Besides my annoyance with UNC-Chapel Hill, Moogfest was awesome. Friday night was the best thing in local hip-hop that I’ve seen in a long time. Professor Toon and Well$ killed the stage at Motorco Music Hall, and they set the pace for a night that didn’t stop going hard until GZA finished his last song at about 2 a.m. Not to mention, GZA invited me onstage to perform “Triumph” with him, making it so I can die a happy man.
Ian Grice
Co-Public Affairs Director
My favorite performance overall was definitely Julia Holter at Carolina Theatre’s Fletcher Hall where I was able to get a front-row seat directly in front of her. She performed with a live band, including a violinist and cellist, which made the hall feel overflowing. The performance was very intimate, and the visuals behind the band were incredible. My favorite was the ocean churning while she sang off her 2015 album, “Have You In My Wilderness.”
I was also able to see a variety of other artists including GZA, Empress Of, Reggie Watts, Grimes, Blood Orange, YACHT, Miike Snow, ODESZA, Tory Lanez, Lunice, Made of Oak, Professor Toon, Well$ and Dawn of Midi, among various others.
It was unfortunate that Mykki Blanco, who now lives in Raleigh, was unable to perform because I was looking forward to the show and lecture. Moogfest was exhausting, but if I get the chance, I’ll go back next year, and Hopscotch is just around the corner.
Grimes performs at Motorco Park during Moogfest Friday evening. Her dynamic set featured multiple dancers and intense lighting changes. The festival was held at multiple venues across downtown Durham from May 19-22.
