Wow Moogfest 2010 was awesome. We are still coming down from all the excitement!
Playing with Bernie Worrell is always fun, and it was very special to have the youngest Moog endorsed artist (our daughter Eva) and the oldest, most important Moog artist EVER play together on the Orangepeel stage!
Here are a few great pics followed by a review of our set :
EVATRONIC
ANNA
BERNIE
NICK
The VPOsContinuing the Moog instrument and sound showcase of early Saturday evening, Volts Per Octave’s stage set up featured perhaps the most Moog instruments of any band I saw at MoogFest. The band is a family affair featuring husband and wife Nick and Anna and their 12-year old daughter Ava. All three of them play an array of Moog insturments including multiple synthesizers, a theremin, and some other odd gadgets that were just too confusing to understand. As if their technical set-up was not massive enough, the VPO family were joined by a very special guest for this performance: music legend Bernie Worrell.
Bernie Worrell, or Uncle Bernie as the VPO’s call him, is one of the all-time great keyboard and synthesizer players. He is a founding member of the Parliement-Funkadelic musical dynasty and was an unofficial member of Talking Heads for most of the 80’s. Playing with VPO is one of two performances Worrell would participate in at MoogFest 2010. The 66 year old keyboardist had a commanding stage presence, even though he was hidden behind his keyboard and synthesizer stack once seated.
Worrell lent the already funky Volts Per Octave a classic organ groove and occasional spaced-out effects while they tore through a set of originals and cover songs that showed off their impressive collection of Moogs. Papa Nick showed the widest range as he played a mean synthesizer, several theremin solos, and most impressively sung some freaky funkified vocals with a talk box. Watching this family and friend perform such unusual yet danceable music infected the crowd with positive attitude. It was all smiles as VPO brought more friends on-stage and hurried through their final number.