VIA Festival 2011

  • Published
    Oct 21, 2011
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  • Pittsburgh's VIA Music and New Media Festival is quickly growing into its britches. Founded only one short year ago, VIA's second time around proved its staying power on the US festival circuit. Not only did it offer up a varied lineup with the likes of Four Tet, Ford & Lopatin and Underground Resistance as draw cards, but also provided modes of sound exploration that were more like social scientific experiments than live music. The VIA brand has taste worth championing and an ear towards boundary pushing and educational sonic journeys. Over the span of four days, the festival engulfed the city of Pittsburgh, and got its attendees dancing, learning and discovering. Wednesday The kickoff party was a smallish gathering of organizers, talent, press and the very dedicated dance music fans in Pittsburgh. Held at the Brillobox, a hip two-story bar located in the Lawrenceville neighborhood, the show started early with an A/V set by locals Pure Hype. They were followed by Trans Am who played their 1999 release, Futureworld, to an audience packed with geeked out fans in a space that was transformed by way of Thunder Horse Video's stage design and visuals. Brooklyn-based producer Brenmar kept the dance floor busy with his sexy R&B tinged sounds until 2 AM. Kate Magoc Thursday Thursday's offerings from VIA began on the campus of Pittsburgh's own Carnegie Mellon University with a lecture from one of the electronic music pioneers of the early '70s, David Borden—a man whose works have found new life with the resurrection of synth-heavy instrumental releases on labels like Editions Mego. His relaxed presentation weaved through topics such as his time as a composer and the experience of using and mastering early analog synths, later showing that time had not dulled his skills as a musician when joined by a group of synth artists (including Daniel Lopatin of Oneohtrix Point Never fame) for an improvisational performance on stage. With the academic side of the mind now enriched, it was time to let loose at the Rex Theater on Pittsburgh's South Side neighborhood, where a diverse lineup offered a little something for everyone. The melodic techno hooks of Kompakt-approved duo Walls and avant noise of Detroit's Wolf Eyes both made an appearance, eventually leading into the frenetic rock of Battles. The highlight of the evening had to be Four Tet's artistic set, which featured some incredibly immersive visuals by the Abstract Birds video duo, wherein ever-adapting veins of tinsel and wire leads pulsed and spun in rhythm to the music. The Englishman was in full command of his samplers, swinging the tempo wildly and transforming a single beat from techno to drum & bass and back down into hip-hop realms before mixing into his modern classic "Love Cry" to wrap things up. Mark Strauss Friday The festival relocated to Broad St., a vacant area in the developing East Liberty neighborhood of the city. The early evening began with psychedelic DC residents Protect U accompanied by the visuals of Aurora Halal. They were followed by the kitschy art commentary antics of Extreme Animals, who worked a pop culture pastiche into their set that involved metal and junk electronic beats. RVNG Intl. artists Pink Skull, with their indie-punk influences, wove together a unique breadth of dance music that was backed by the visuals of A. Bill Miller, after which Araabmuzik had the crowd at its energetic peak with his MPC dominance. The evening ended at just about sunrise with the RVNG Intl. showcase featuring Blondes and Tim Sweeney. Kate Magoc Saturday An open air stage in October in Pittsburgh is a risky proposition for the promoters of any festival, especially one in which loads of electronic music gear, much of it vintage, was to be bandied about. Fortunately, the weather gods smiled upon the VIA crew with a perfect sunny day, and the enclosed block of Broad Street was transformed successfully into one of the nicest and most charming (yes, charming) music venues I have seen in some time. The performances started with a similarly sunny vibe with heavy washes of analog synth waves delivered by Laurel Halo and Ford & Lopatin—both acts employing some surprisingly chunky beats to underscore their handiwork. Pittsburgh's own Zombi played one of the best sets of the day, playing bass, keyboards, and arpeggiated lines on a Sequential Circuits Pro-One (often all at the same time) without dropping a single note. By the time the sun had made its departure, Austra and her group of roving musicians stepped up and delivered a performance dipped in sorcery, with the most powerful moments all coming from her outstanding latest album Feel It Break. Finally, it was time for techno. The transition started off with Interstellar Fugitives, the much welcomed act from Detroit's Underground Resistance crew, who educated the crowd with a simple but ruthlessly effective set of classics. Then the party moved indoors where the Humanaut-produced after party began with Sutekh infusing his trademark cerebral artistry into a set of modern techno, getting people dancing on the subs to Oni Ayhun's OAR004 release. By the time Sutekh was getting ready to wrap things up and turn it over to Donato Dozzy and Nuel, the large open dance floor was full of happy faces and raised arms, proof of Pittsburgh's rapidly growing population of forward-thinking music fans. Once the two Italians had done their thing and 6 AM arrived at the tempo of 116 BPM, the 2011 edition of one of the US's finest young festivals saw a fitting end—one in which the organizers, various promotion crews, volunteers, performers, and fans could all look back with satisfaction on what was accomplished, and hopefully start planning for what's next. Mark Strauss
RA