Check out Squarepusher, who has been doing this for years, but using an actual bass guitar with MIDIfied pickups to drive the stack of synths (in addition to being a sound source in its own right). Or if you want total eye candy, Jean Michelle-Jarre likes to control a wall of synths with a laser harp.<p>That said, I have no problem with keyboardists or knob-twiddling...perhaps because I'm not especially moved by stage theatrics or arena-size performance.