Mutek 2009 - in pics & review (part 3)

photos by Zach Dilgard, words by Edward Hagen

Happy Holidays! I take on more than I can handle. That results in a lot of unposted content. In the name of catching up, while also taking it easy during this final week of the year, here's some of that lost material.

If you're just joining us, catch up on the first two days of the festival before starting with Saturday, day three...

Saturday's Piknic Electronik (May 30th, 2009), the first of MUTEK's two daytime concerts at Jean Drapeau Park on St. Helen Island across from Montreal, was a gorgeous afternoon of music under the sun. The Mole (Wagon Repair) opened and closed the day with his deep disco-techno hybrid. Although well-known and highly-respected, he still managed to surprise and impress many folks and did his native Canada proud. Beat Pharmacist Brendon Moeller (Third Ear, Wave) and half-Orb Thomas Fehlmann (Kompakt, Plug Research) also played solid sets, but the beauty of the park and the novelty of an outdoor party for the first time for most peopel this season ruled overall.

Saturday night's Raster-Noton showcase at the SAT venue was a triumphant return for the label since performing at the first-ever MUTEK in 2000, and they brought out the big guns and sounds for the occasion. The evening began slowly with Cyclo, a collaboration between minimalist computer sound designers Ryoji Ikeda & Carsten Nicolai, and picked up intensity with ATOM™, an alias of Uwe Schmidt (aka Senor Coconut, etc.). Alva Noto and Byetone followed with powerful sets and single tracks synced to the three screens of visuals illuminating the dark room. Overall a raw and intense evening of electronic music, sounds and sights.

pictures from Day Three continued below...