Moogfest 2012 Day 2 Highlights

Divine Fits

The second night of Moogfest 2012 started in the arena with a rockin' solid set by Divine Fits, the new band started by Britt Daniels of Spoon and Dan Boeckner of Wolf Parade and Handsome Furs.  I was tempted to see them in NYC early in their tour but waiting made it all the more sweeter.  We jumped over to see The Magnetic Field's folky chamber ballads going on in the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium (TWA) before going back to the arena for Santigold.  Santi White was pleasantly surprised by all the early Halloween costumes in the crowd while she and her dancers went through their many costume changes. (There were no political costumes which I found strange for a swing state but plenty of Sesame Street characters, although no Big Bird. And note to self, in my next life come back as a Santigold dancer!)

I made sure to catch the beginning of the Thomas Dolby set back in the TWA to see the iconic synth entrepreneur receive the Moog Innovation Award of 2012.  As the third winner of the award (joining Brian Eno last year and Mark Mothersbaugh in 2010) Dolby received a custom Minimoog Voyager, revealed dramatically on stage from under wraps but then it was all about the music.  Dolby rolled out the hits as well as some new songs, saying with a sly smile how he likes to put out albums "every twenty years."

Next up, Electronic Dance Music pioneers Orbital took to the arena stage with their mega act of lights and pulsing beats spanning twenty two years.  Earlier in the day we caught the duo, Paul and Phil Hartnoll, discussing their career at a panel on "Shaping Hits with Moog Synths."  The two bantered like the brothers they are, finishing each other sentences with that British wit.  (There was even an impromtu jam with Chad Hugo of The Neptunes, video here.)  The headlining set pleased the packed crowd, thrilled to be dancing away during this only East Coast stop on the Orbital tour.  Four Tet represented the next generation back in the TWA to close out the night.

Now it's time to figure out a way home with Hurricane Sandy looming large... Crowd photos and video highlights on our Youtube channel here or below.

Peewee & Jambi checking their phones

View at the line at the concession stand

Bob Ross!

P with head Resident

Yip, Yip, Yip, Yip, Yip, Yip, Yip, Yip, family!

One of the many robots in the lobby

Gnomes with lighted hats dancing outside at the end of the night

Moog sign in front of venue