102620111 The Blue Banner

Logan Kelly ■ Contributing Photographer Last year, Moogfest featured acts like Caribou, above, and more. It was the first year Moogfest was held in Asheville. Fans, left, enjoyed the overall atmosphere, said Jeff Cuellar. Moogfest will continue to evolve and improve as it finds its permanent home in downtown Asheville, Cuellar said. Moogfest aims to change festival experience for fans

Auburn Petty [email protected] - A&F Editor music I really enjoy, so that is why I like "With a lot of these artists, they're breaking new it. I have become more of a techno/elec­ Moogfest coordinators plan to trans­ grounds, creating new soundscapes and just hav­ tronic listener over the years, and I have form downtown Asheville into a elec­ ing a reputation for putting on one hell followed bands that have performed at tronic music landscape this weekend, Moogfest.” said Jeff Cuellar, director of connec­ of a live show." This year, Moogfest won Mountain tivity with AC Entertainment. Express’ “Best of WNC” award for the ‘With a lot of these artists, they’re Jeff Cuellar best live local music event, according to breaking new grounds, creating new director of connectivity with AC Entertainment coordinators. To thank the community, soundscapes and just having a reputation Moog Music decided to do something for putting on one hell of a live show. special for Asheville residents. That’s really been kind of our goal. It Asheville locals received the opportu­ create Moogfest. The first year we came Our goal was to have a festival that the doesn’t have to be electronic. You don’t on board was last year. We had to talk nity for a discount on a weekend pass. city really embraced, and the community Instead of paying more than $180, res­ ^ven have to use Moog instruments,” about where to do it (and) how to do it, would get behind.” Cuellar said. “It’s not genre-focused; it’s and we decided, ultimately, Asheville idents could pick up tickets at the Ashe­ UNC Asheville freshman Monica El­ ville Civic Center for $149.50, accord­ innovation-focused.” was the place to be.” liot said she heard of Moogfest in Ashe­ Last year was the first year Moogfest Before last year, Moogfest was a one- ing to festival officials. ville before she even moved here for “Moog (Music) was really excited fook place in Asheville, Cuellar said. day event in New York, said Cuellar. He school. about getting the award for Moogfest “When we started having conversa­ said they chose Asheville as the new lo­ “I had just seen the line up from last tions being the top event in Asheville,” Cuel­ about Moogfest with Moog Mu- cation for many reasons. year and I thought it was awesome. I starting in about early 2003 or 2004, “Asheville is an amazing, picturesque lar said. “They recently just opened their thought they booked some really good factory in downtown, and this is just realized there was something here,” city, with a vibrant downtown that sup­ bands for the festival, and I was sur­ Cuellar said. “After a couple of years of ports the arts, and we just said, ‘This is kind of their way to say thank you for prised that Asheville held festivals as the support to local Asheville.” talking about it, we decided to move for- perfect,”’ Cuellar said. “We are able to big as Moogfest,” she said. “Moogfest t^'ard, and we struck up a partnership to create a festival setting in downtown. books a lot of bands that are in a genre of See MOOG on page 7