Circuit Circus

The Electro-Music Festival brings musicians of all stripes together for three days of concerts, discussions and demos

by Shaun Brady

	print	email	reply	rss feed

Published: May 30, 2007

electronic music

INSIDE JOB: Expect guitars, laptops and an audience full of musicians at this weekend's Electro-Music Festival. (CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VERSION)

It doesn't worry Howard Moscovitz that most of the audience that turns up for the annual Electro-Music Festival are not, strictly speaking, audience, but fellow musicians.

"Back in the early days of Impressionist art in France," Moscovitz points out, "the only people that showed up to Impressionist art shows were other Impressionist artists. Van Gogh never sold a single painting but the other artists really thought his work was fantastic, and I think that's where we're at right now."

Moscovitz founded electro-music.com to be an online community for electronic musicians of all stripes, from hobbyists to performers, circuit-benders to synth-builders, classical to techno to noise. Now in its third year, the festival brings that community together in the flesh for three days of concerts, discussions and demos.

Electronic music, says Moscovitz, is "the folk music of today. It's not folk music with banjos and guitars and wood flutes, but people today who are doing music for fun are doing electronic music."

The current lineup lists a few dozen performers slated to perform at the event, which draws attendees not only from across the country but from Canada, Europe and Australia, as well. As one highlight, Moscovitz points to Florida composer Jack Tamul, presenting the world premiere of a new piece about the destruction of the Everglades, featuring baritone John Boehr of the Santa Fe Opera.

Conspicuous by their absence are members of the local experimental scene centered around the Bowerbird collective. When this year's festival was announced in January, a flurry of e-mails appeared on a local music newsgroup decrying the fact that performers are required to purchase tickets.

Moscovitz shrugs off the controversy. "Our philosophy is, this is a community event and everybody supports it. We each contribute to keep the event going, and most people who are enthusiastic supporters of the electro-music community don't mind buying a ticket."

(s_brady@citypaper.net)

Fri.-Sun., June 11-3, noon-midnight, $25 per day, $60 three-day pass, Cheltenham Art Center, 439 Ashbourne Road, Cheltenham, 215-379-4660, www.electro-music.com.

All reader comments are subject to our Terms of Use. By clicking Post Comment, you acknowledge that you have reviewed and agree to these Terms.

Name	please enter your name
Email (will not be published)	please enter a valid email
Comment	please enter a comment
Enter the security code on the right in the textbox below.
Security Code	please enter the code
	Join the City Paper Mailing List

Soundadvice
Bjork
Beauty and the Beat
Highway to Hellmouth
Podcast Aspersions
Big Sandy and Los Straitjackets
Lavender Diamond
Jozef van Wissem