Moogfest to welcome Massive Attack, Mgmt

Oct. 17, 2010

Moogfest to Welcome Massive Attack, MGMT
The inaugural Moogfest, an event put together to celebrate the life and accomplishments of the legendary Robert Moog (the inventor of the influential Moog synthesizer), is set to take place October 29th through the 31st in Asheville, North Carolina this year. Mr. Moog was well-known for crafting a line of the synth instruments that have been used by everyone from Kraftwerk and Daft Punk to Radiohead. Massive Attack, Thievery Corporation, MGMT, Hot Chip, and Sigur Ros frontman Jonsi are among the acts that will pay homage to Moog at the event, which will include live performances as well as workshops, panels, art exhibitions, and film screenings; go to moogfest.com for more info...
Beatles manager Brian Epstein was recently honored with a plaque at 13 Monmouth Street in Seven Dials, the site of Epstein’s first London-based office. Liverpool singer Cilla Black - who was also managed by Epstein - unveiled the plaque at a special ceremony. In addition to his work with The Beatles and Black, Epstein ran a full roster of acts in the mid-60s at a pivotal time for the music business; he also served as godfather to John and Cynthia Lennon’s son, Julian. The influential manager passed away in 1967 at the age of 32 due to what’s been termed an accidental drug overdose...
The story of Grateful Dead leader Jerry Garcia is heading to the big screen, via director Amir Bar-Lev, who will work to turn Robert Greenfield’s Garcia biography Dark Star into a movie. The film is set to focus on Garcia’s early life, before he became best known for working with the legendary jam band; it takes on the period when Garcia was working in coffeehouses and playing bluegrass music, showcasing the formative influences that led him to the big-stage performer he became...
LCD Soundsystem and the aforementioned Hot Chip are in the middle of the fall tour that they teamed up for, making one big road dance party for LCD and Chip fans; LCD are currently promoting their latest album, This is Happening, through these live shows, including a stop at the Coachella fest earlier this year. Stops left on the pair’s schedule include Salt Lake City (10/19), Milwaukee WI (10/22), and a quartet of UK dates that find the tour wrapping up on 11/15...

MODERN ROCK LINK OF THE WEEK:
Legendary singer-songwriter Elvis Costello is set to release his latest album, National Ransom, on November 2nd, and he’s spiffed up his online presence, to boot; revisit this influential performer via his new disc and his groovy official site at www.elviscostello.com...

MINI BUZZ:
Afghan Whigs/Twilight Singers indie rocker Greg Dulli is embarking on a long-overdue solo tour, An Evening with Greg Dulli, that will take him through NYC (10/19) and Philly (10/20), plus a solid dozen dates in Western Europe.. Next year’s T in the Park Festival is getting a jump on pre-sale tickets for the 2011 summer event; snag yours early at www.tinthepark.com...
Beck revealed in a recent Pitchfork interview that he’s pondering releasing a new album that he recorded back in the fall of 2008; the musician is currently without a record label, as his contract with Interscope Records recently ended... Universal Music and MTV are apparantly still feuding, with licensing talks at a stall and Universal artists’ videos being pulled from airing on the MTV channels...
Miniature pop phenom Justin Bieber has been tapped as the newest celeb spokesperson for skin care brand Proactiv... And if you’re looking to, er, scent-enhance your punk look, team up those Doc Martens and mohawks with the new Etat Libre D’Orange, a signature Sex Pistols perfume (yes, you read that correctly) that will offer a fragrant mix of “black pepper, heliotrope, and leather”...
And here are a few of this week’s new releases to enhance your CD collection... Apache Beat’s Last Chants... New Collisions’ The Optimist... Idlewild’s Post Electric Blues... and Clinic’s Bubblegum... and that’s the buzz for this week’s Modern Rock.
Questions, comments, rants, raves, suggestions on this column or your favorite musicians? Send ‘em to Kristi at modernrocker@gmail.com