Moe! Staiano is an experimental composer, drummer, percussionist, songwriter and multi-instrumental performance artist who has been at the forefront of the Bay Area improvisation scene for over a decade. He can play on just about anything he can get his hands on, and somehow make a compelling musical statement out of it. Moe! is conductor and composer for Moe!kestra!, a large-ensemble avant garde orchestra, which can feature over 30 musicians playing everything from violins, clarinets and cellos to drum kits, oscillators and electric guitars. Moe!kestra! performances are high-energy, electrifying experiences that create unique and memorable soundscapes that intrigue and beguile. Moe!'s innovative solo percussion shows feature prepared drum kit, found objects, audio looping and the inventive use of a "percussion guitar" woven in with performance art, which always gets the audience involved and eagerly expectant of what might happen next. He was a former member of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum and Mute Socialite, and currently fronts his latest project, Surplus 1980.