What’s the definition of innovation?
If you’re Moby, it’s “an accidental bi-product of enthusiasm.”
The superstar singer-DJ was a headline panelist Thursday at the kickoff event of FILTER Magazine’s Culture Collide, a three-day celebration of international music, film, art, food, beverages and all-around global consciousness in Los Angeles’ trendy Echo Park neighborhood.
In its fourth year, Culture Collide features more than 25 international music acts, running the gamut from Denmark’s Raveonettes to Australia’s Miami Horror; from the UK’s Fuck Buttons to even some homegrown American talent, including Bleached, the Liars and Mystery Skulls.
Music festivals happen all the time, but a funny thing happened to Culture Collide after the event’s second edition back in 2011 — something that now sets the more intimate, bohemian festival apart from most of its contemporaries.
“A lot of bands were flying 10-15,000 miles to get here and they wanted to learn more about what was going on,” FILTER Magazine co-owner Alan Miller said. “They wanted an opportunity to see who was doing things in this country — who were the newest producers, how to get their music on the scene, how to get a record deal. So we created these different panels so they could learn.”
We were lucky enough to get a front row seat for the fanfare as Moby and renowned artist Sheperd Fairey — of Obama “Hope” fame — kicked off the festivities with an inside look at their perspectives on innovation, the creative process, and producing art that can change the world.
Next up — three days of artistic explosions all over the Echo Park scene, already acknowledged as one of L.A.’s hippiest neighborhoods and home to booming live music venues like Echoplex and The Echo. The festival runs through Sunday, Oct. 13.
Check out our video above as we talked to Miller, Hollywood music supervisor Linda Cohen (Argo) and two of the acts that brought the house down during Day 1 of Culture Collide.
Take a look at the full roster of talent at Culture Collide 2013!
And don’t miss our talk with Culture Collide attendee — and all-around interesting dude Casey Wright!
