Director Vincent Moon shines on ‘Blogotheque’
By Olivia Sacks
Published on Friday, July 18, 2008
I've always thought that my dream of life-as-a-musical -- complete with spontaneous, choreographed dancing in the streets -- would forever remain make-believe. But now, director Vincent Moon's "Take Away Shows" have truly made life in Paris a musical -- and made that life accessible, virtually speaking.
On the web site www.blogotheque.net/takeawayshows, Moon translates his love of art using music and the city of lights. Each week, Moon takes to the streets with a different band or musician and films their improvised arrangements, capturing the real-time magic of performance. He then posts the music videos, essentially unedited, on the weblog, titled "La Blogotheque," such that even across an ocean, the world can access the moments he captures.
So far, close to one hundred musicians have joined Moon's efforts, including acts such as Beirut, Bon Iver, The Shins, R.E.M, Andrew Bird and Arcade Fire -- all of whom have recorded "Take Away Shows."
Moon takes music to new heights by stripping it to bare bones -- no computers, no editing, no practice -- and in the process creates something entirely new, trendy and beautiful. During the performances, onlookers cruising the Paris streets crowd around, and the artists, with gleaming eyes, engage with the Paris scenery.
The result is a sound that is effortlessly genuine. Without the shininess of the digital world, emotion rushes through the musicians, and then to their instruments, to Moon and to the audience -- both spectators on the streets and those watching on the computer. Moon captures what it means to love art -- and Paris gains a live soundtrack in the process.
In one show, Noah and the Whale, a British folk band, ride the subway while singing one of their most heartfelt ballads. As they croon "There's no need to play with my heart," the train goes silent. It pulls into the station, they jam, and the passengers disperse with looks of joy, rejuvenated. And thus, Moon reminds us of one of the greatest parts of art -- to make people happy and take them away.