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Synthesist and author (Patch & Tweak) Chris Meyer shared this live modular performance of Nightfall: Kyiv.

The performance was recorded at Citizen Vinyl in Asheville, North Carolina as part of a fundraising event for the Moogseum. It includes samples of the Moogseum’s vintage modular Moog synthesizer as part of the bass line.

What Meyer says about his performance:

“The idea for this piece came when Maks Histibe of Mask Movement in Kyiv, Ukraine contacted me. As part of the invasion of Ukraine, their power grid is often knocked offline, and he was looking to raise money for solar panels and batteries to keep his studio operating. To do this, he created a series of field recordings of the war and life during wartime in Ukraine, and crafted them into a virtual instrument called Swords to Ploughshares.

I gladly purchased it, and used it as the basis for this song, which flows from the realities of life during wartime to attempting to lead a normal, happy life…only for the war to intrude, and drag people back in. A version of this song will appear on my summer 2024 release: Finite Space.”

What Meyer shared about the technical details:

Chris Meyer: “Pandora’s Box” plus vintage Moog modular synthesizers, Ableton Live, Korg Wavestation, Frozen Plain Terracotta, Luftrum Bioscape, Soundiron Circle Bells, Synapse Audio Dune 3

Maks Histibe: field recordings of the war in Ukraine (courtesy of Soundiron/Swords to Ploughshares)

Cory Friesenhan & She Who Shall Not Be Named: vocal atmospheres (courtesy of Black Octopus Sound)

Special thanks to Daniel Liston Keller for the live video switching.

Today, Moog Music announced that it has closed the Moog Store in Asheville, NC.

For the last 13 years, the Moog factory and its store have been a sort of ‘Mecca for synthesists’. The location was a destination for electronic musicians, who could see and play Moog’s entire synth lineup there or go behind the scenes and take a tour of the factory.

Today’s announcement has been expected for a long time.

In June 2023, Moog was acquired by InMusic. Earlier this year, Moog announced that it was moving from its 160 Broadway Street location in Asheville, marking the end of an era.

Since then, Moog has moved much of its manufacturing overseas, and moved remaining US manufacturing to a smaller facility in NC. It’s also moved product design, development, and engineering to a new location in Asheville.

While the Broadway Street location doesn’t have the historical significance of some of Moog’s earlier locations, it is the location that many associate with the company. The building was the home of the company during its modern creative peak, where it introduced instruments like the Mother-32, Subharmonicon, DFAM, Grandmother, Matriarch, Animoog, the Claravox Centennial Theremin, their modular reissues and more.

Moog’s official statement:

“Since opening in 2011, the Moog Store has served as a public portal to the Moog factory, inviting passionate synthesists to come inside and experience the sonic capabilities of Moog first-hand, as well as have access to new electronic instruments and devices in person. Containing 60 years of revolutionary synthesizer technology, the Moog Store has been a destination for those who wish to create, explore, and be inspired.

As we prepare for the next chapter of Moog Music, the Moog Store will be closing its doors. Our factory will remain open, and our talented engineers will still be in there, hand-crafting the instruments that define us. Our shift away from brick-and-mortar sales allows us greater bandwidth to focus on researching and developing the next generation of synthesizers and support more classic Moog releases.

To those who have visited the store to explore our instruments, participate in our workshops and factory tours, and engage with our engineers and designers, we have the utmost gratitude.

We encourage everyone to visit the Moogseum in downtown Asheville at 56 Broadway Street where Bob Moog’s legacy is carried forward through education and archive preservation. We too are committed to his legacy of innovation and excellence and look forward to sharing the work we have been doing with you all soon.”