When major events and prominent businesses pulled out of North Carolina citing HB2 last spring, Moogfest did the opposite.
Using the four-day global music and technology festival as a platform, speakers, organizers and musicians called for those opposed to the controversial bill to unite and collectively protest (in fact holding an open-mic protest). In their opinion, a bill that limits liberties for select populations goes against the very essence of Moogfest, a festival that promotes change, openness, creativity and collaboration between disparate industries and people.
The most prominent speaker of the event, serial entrepreneur, author and transhumanist Martine Rothblatt, congratulated the festival for “turning this into a protest festival against HB2” (excerpt below).
Though Protest will be a key theme, Moogfest is also revealing some other content categories today. Relevant to the startup community will be programming like The Future of Creativity, Hacking Systems, Transhumanism, Sci-Fi Wishes and Utopian Dreams and Techno-shamanism. Instrument Design and Spatial Sound may be most relevant to the music folks in the bunch. There will be programming for kids and families through The Joyful Noise of STEAM.
Confirmed daytime presenters include wearable tech instrument maker Nona Hendryx, the creators of the original score of the Netflix series Stranger Things, a Brooklyn record label known for its experimental and electronic artists and Portland’s Synth Library, which will host a synthesizer workshop specifically for women and non-binary (people who don’t identify with a specific gender) music enthusiasts.
New York musician Laraaji will follow up last year’s Sleep Concert with another eight hours of sound followed by his signature laughter meditation.
Moogfest promises weekly content updates and music downloads up till the festival begins mid-May. Expect the mix of presenters to be just as interesting, controversial and intriguing.
Festival passes range in price from $249 to $1,500. Buy them here.
