The Antlers
After jumping around in the freezing cold it was nice to relax in the warm and ethereal sound The Antlers had to offer. Peter Silberman’s angelic falsetto cautiously lures you closer until you find yourself immersed in the swell of amorphous, yet complimentary sounds radiating from the stage. You get the feeling that each song is a beast slowly awakened by Silberman then gradually lullabied back to sleep.
Childish Gambino
If you don’t know who Donald Glover (a.k.a. Childish Gambino) is, you might think you showed up at the wrong stage for a rap concert. After all, above-the-knee pleated shorts and a pastel Polo shirt are not the traditional rapper garb. The next thing to throw you off is that Donald likes to begin his shows with a little stand up comedy. Don’t be fooled about what’s in store. This television comedy writer/actor is taking on the music industry one critic at a time and I think it’s fair to say he’s winning. It’s easy to write off cross-over artists as merely dabbling in another field to fulfill their own curiosity or narcissism, but wait until after the show to judge. Donald Glover has talent. Lots of it. His songs are tight, his lyrics are introspective and clever, and his vocals sound great even without fifty gallons of Autotune poured on them.
Gold Panda
Gold Panda was the last show of the festival and it was an excellent show. Derwin, Gold Panda’s namesake, has taken an eclectic selection of samples and interwoven them as if they had always been together, which makes it difficult to file this artist under any one genre. There are smooth transitions of eastern influences compiled with house and electronica and each production taken as a whole yields an interesting and unique sound.
Moby
It’s Moby. You’re going to get a good show. However, I had hoped to hear something new and creative from a seasoned veteran like Moby rather than a show dominated by songs the mainstream outlets have beaten to death. My expectations might have been unrealistic – and to be fair – I’ve never been much of a fan. It shouldn’t take away from the fact that it was a polished performance that any fans of Moby would thoroughly enjoy.
M83 & Flying Lotus
I have two regrets for this year’s Moogfest: Missing M83 and Flying Lotus. I left the Civic Center during Moby with what I thought was ample time to catch Flying Lotus in the adjoining Thomas Wolfe Theater. I was devastated when the usher informed us the theater was already at capacity. Had I known I would have gladly skipped Moby. Then I missed M83 on Sunday when the car broke down en route to Asheville. Nevertheless, I feel obligated to showcase these two artists because they kick ass. Enjoy.
