NAMM 2006 Show News

2005 Decibel Festival - Northwest Electronic Music Festival

Sunday, July 24, 2005

As the 2nd Annual Decibel Festival approaches one thing is eminently clear: electronic music has gained acceptance in the Northwest. The amount of producers, promoters, journalists, performers, visual artists, venues and fans exploring electronic music as an art form is staggering and growing exponentially. Seattle has given birth to a culture as diverse, creative, technological and ideological as the city itself and much of this second wave of electronic music is still boiling up under the surface.

Over the past 3 years the Decibel organization has worked to cultivate this influx of electronic music and art through education, multimedia performance and dozens of music events through out the Northwest. Last year the 2004 Decibel Festival was the culmination of this effort, casting much needed light onto this burgeoning electronic music culture. The 1st Annual Decibel Festival brought together over 90 acts, across 5 venues and transformed Seattle's Capitol Hill district into a Mecca of music technology, cutting edge art and performance. The ambitious inaugural festival was a complete success (over 2,600 tickets sold over 4 days) and solidified Decibel's presence in Seattle. Through out 2005, Decibel has followed up with several large scale electronic music events ranging from Detroit Techno Innovator Derrick May to the godfathers of experimental dance Autechre. Most recently, Decibel has been asked to curate an electronic music stage at the annual Capitol Hill Block Party, which is expected to draw 20,000 this year.

Decibel has also confirmed that techno demigod Richie Hawtin (a.k.a. Plastikman - M_nus/Plus 8 Records) will be performing at the next Decibel Benefit Show happening September 1st at the Showbox in Seattle.

The 2005 Decibel Festival will be happening September 22nd through the 25th, once again in Seattle's Capitol Hill district. Activities this year will include: audio clinics, panel discussions, product fair, film, art installations, laptop battle championship and over 75 electronic music performances spanning across 5 venues. Expect nothing less than the best in quality concert sound, electronic music performance, live visual art and comfortable venues.

2005 DECIBEL LINE UP

Decibel's goal is and has always been to create an environment where technology, art and music exist as one uniform body. Through the advent of digital media, electronic music and art have developed a symbiotic relationship involving new performance tools and technology that are just now being explored. This exploration is at the very heart of the Decibel Festival and the artists we select to perform at every event. Each Decibel artist, in their own unique way, is bridging the gap between production, composition, performance and interactive technology. The result is a more personal and entertaining approach to electronic music and performance. As for musical styles, the 2005 line up will be bringing together a multitude of electronic hybrids including ambient, experimental, techno, house, dub, hip hop, breakbeat, IDM and electro pop. These styles will be represented through various showcases that highlight specific labels, genres and even geographic similarities between the artists (check http://www.dbfestival.com/ for showcase descriptions and artist bios).

Confirmed 2005 Decibel artists include (many more to come):

INTERNATIONAL ACTS:

Isol: Germany (Playhouse, Classic)
Fennesz: Austria (Touch)
Thomas Fehlmann: Germany (member of the Orb Ë† Kompakt, Plug Research)
Akufen: Canada (Mutek, Musique RisquÃ©e, Perlon, Force Inc., Fabric)
Styrofoam: Belgium (Morr Music)
Deadbeat: Canada (member of Crackhaus - Mutek, Revolver, ~Scape)
Tim Hecker: Canada (Mille Plateaux, Alien8, Substractif)
Aeroc: Barcelona (a.k.a. Geoff White Ë† Force Inc., Ghostly/Spectral)
Loscil: Canada (Kranky)
Noah Pred: Canada (Sentient, Immigrant, Morris Audio)

NATIONAL ACTS:

Pan American: Virginia (member of Labradford Ë† Kranky, Vertical Form)
Machine Drum: Florida (Merck)
Her Space Holiday: California (Mush, Wichita)
Cepia: Minnesota (Ghostly)
Deru: California (Neo Ouija, Merck)
Proem: Texas (n5MD, Merck)
DJ Merck: Florida (Merck)

NORTHWEST ACTS:

Bruno Pronsato: Seattle (Orac, Telegraph, Philpot, Musique RisquÃ©e)
Lusine: Seattle (Ghostly, Hymen, Delikatessen)
Jeff Samuel: Seatte (Spectral, Trapez, Pokerflat)
Strategy: Portland (Orac, Omco, Kranky)
Jerry Abstract: Seattle (Shitkatapult, Semisexual, Flixelplix, Decibel)
Jacob London: Seattle (Squid, U-Freqs, Classic)
Deceptikon: Seattle (Merck)
Caro: Seattle (Orac)
Gel-Sol: Seattle (em:t)
Nudge: Portland (Kranky, Omco)
Nordic Soul: Seattle (Synth Club, Decibel)
Mercir: Seattle (Paste Music)
Hakea: Seattle (Click Pop)
Paul Edwards: Seattle (PG Series, Oscillate, Decibel)
DJ Recess: Seattle (Shameless)
Kristina Childs: Seattle (Plasmodium, Decibel)

TICKET INFO

Due to the limited capacity you must purchase a Full Access Decibel pass for guaranteed admission to all events, including the Experimental Showcase, Ambient Showcase, Music Technology Clinics and Panel Discussions taking place at the Broadway Performance Hall Saturday and Sunday (limited to 300 passes). Evening passes will also be available (all events except those taking place at the Broadway Performance Hall) as well as individual Showcase Tickets.

Pass and Ticket prices:

Full Access Pass = $50: 4 days and nights (clinics, panels, early/evening performances)
Evening Pass = $35: 4 nights (evening performances)
Showcase Tickets = $10 to $15 dollars per showcase

Full Access Passes, Evening Passes and Showcase Tickets will be available online at http://www.dbfestival.com/ and http://www.ticketwindowonline.com/index.php Passes will be sold exclusively through Ticket Window online and these Ticket Window outlets in the Seattle area:

Pike Place Market, Seattle
85 Pike St

Broadway Market, Seattle
401 Broadway Ave E. 2nd floor

Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue
11100 NE 6th St., suite 2

Individual tickets can also be purchased at:

Wall of Sound Records, Seattle
315 E Pine St.