Independent Weekly releases Hopscotch Music Festival line-up

The Independent Weekly announced the line-up for its first Hopscotch Music Festival today.  The festival will take place in downtown Raleigh on September 9, 10 and 11 2010. Headlining the festival are Public Enemy, Panda Bear and Broken Social Scene. A plethora of local favorites will be playing as well.

Here's a list of the bands scheduled to play the festival, with more to be released April 12:

9th Wonder & Friends, Active Child, All Tiny Creatures, American Aquarium, Americans in France, Atlas Sound, Balmorhea, Bear in Heaven, Best Coast, Birds of Avalon, Black Congo NC, DJ George Brazil, Broken Social Scene, Brutal Knights, Richard Buckner, Burning Star Core, Cannabis Corpse, Caitlin Cary’s Small Ponds with Tres Chicas, Collections of Colonies of Bees, Cults, Greg Davis, Double Dagger, Double Negative, The Dynamite Brothers, EAR PWR, ExMonkeys, First Rate People, Followed by Static, Ben Frost, Fucked Up, Future Islands, Golden Boys, The Golden Filter, Goner, Gray Young, Ryan Gustafson, Hammer No More the Fingers, Harlem, Harvey Milk, Horseback, John Howie Jr. & The Rosewood Bluff, I Was Totally Destroying It, Javelin, Jeb Bishop Trio, Juan Huevos, Kill the Noise, The Kingsbury Manx, Kooley High, Kylesa, The Light Pines, Lonnie Walker, The Love Language, Lucero, Luego, Max Indian, Erin McKeown, Megafaun, Midtown Dickens, The Moaners, The Monologue Bombs, Motor Skills, Mountains, Jon Mueller, Marissa Nadler, No Age, Ocean, Old Bricks, Panda Bear, Pattern Is Movement, Pictureplane, Plague, Pontiak, Public Enemy, The Rosebuds, Schooner, Sightings, spcl gst, Spider Bags, Thien, Tigercity, Tortoise, Treasure Fingers, US Christmas, Sharon Van Etten, Veelee, Vincent Black Shadow, War on Drugs, Washed Out, Weedeater, Whatever Brains, Keith Fullerton Whitman, Yip-Yip.

Tickets go on sale April 1. For more information, check out this article from the Independent Weekly.

Cynic to release "Re-trace The Air"

Cynic will release a new EP titled Re-Traced on May 18 that I and I know many other prog fans have been looking forward to. Ever since the release of Traced In Air, we the fans have been eagerly awaiting to see what these masterminds have planned for us. While the EP will not consist of new work, it will have four of the best songs re-imagined by the band, as well as one new track. I got to hear this one track live, and I instantly fell in love with it. The song was "Wheels Within Wheels", and it is an epic spiraling song of beauty with guitars and drums woven together to make a tapestry you can lose yourself in. Cynic only seems to be getting better with each album, and they are turning out to be one of the most creative bands to tour and release music. They constantly evolve and don't let the idea of genre force them to write music they don't want to. I cannot wait for this EP to come out, and I certainly cannot wait for the new full length to come out. Let us just hope we don't have to wait another 15 years  for a new album. I have included  at the bottom, fan footage taken of their new song. I apologize for the sound quality, but thanks to MetalInjection.com for having a good version, because apparently mine is to big of a file size.

Cynic-\"Wheels Within Wheels\"

Holidays for Quince puts out free compilation

The excellent Chapel Hill music label Holidays For Quince Records, run by Heather McEntire, Jenks Miller, and Hannah Smith, has just released a free compilation for download. Titled Holidays For Quince Records, Compilation Vol. 1, it features 12 tracks, some new and/or previously unreleased, from the label's varied acts, including the riot-grrrl-meets-sixties-pop of Violet Vector and the Lovely Lovelies, doom metal guitar (and bass and drum) heroes Caltrop, the always ferocious Double Barrel Benefit vets Bellafea, and an epic 16-minute-long track from experimental metal group In The Year Of The Pig, among others. You can stream or download the compilation here and, if you like what you hear, head on over to the HFQ store, buy some records, and support one of the area's finest cultural institutions

Didn't make it to ULTRA? Neither did I...

After a 12-hour driving marathon from Raleigh to Miami, my heart was broken to find that due to forces beyond my control, I wasn't going to make it to Ultra. What is Ultra? Ultra is one of the biggest electronic music festivals in the world. Attracting huge names like Benny Benassi, Crystal Method, Infected Mushroom, Tiesto, Paul Oakenfold, ATB, Groove Armada, Eric Prydz, Orbital, LMFAO, and more. Needless to say, I was pretty bummed about not being able to go. Well, not for long...

You see, when you get hundreds of great DJs together in a city like Miami, something wonderful and magical happens in a certain place that you would normally never find me -- clubs. With these DJs in town, clubs suddenly have access to some of the best DJs around who play some of the greatest music you will ever hear. I've picked out a few shows that I really enjoyed and thought would be worth sharing.

One of the first shows I attended featured the duo of Armand Van Helden and A-Trak. Together, known as Duck Sauce. These guys complemented each other's style perfectly. Their set began with a solid beat that you could feel and easily move your body to. It featured the typical funky house music with a kick of groovy disco and just a dash of hard hitting bass. I felt like there was a little bit of back and forth between the two DJ's styles but the songs were mixed together so well it was hard to tell. The rest of the night kept the theme of electronic house with alternating DJ's. I enjoyed this show more than I thought I would considering I'm not the biggest house fan.

Another show I attended featured Annie Mac and DJ Mehdi. Annie Mac has a show on BBC Radio 1 which makes her pretty much a big deal. The bar was set high, and she did not fail to disappoint. The mixes between songs and genres that she had in her set kept the audience thoroughly energized and entertained. She didn't leave a song on for too long or too little- she somehow always found the perfect balance that kept the movement of the entire set moving fluidly. Furthermore, she managed to get sounds from house to dub step to disco to mix together in a way that kept everything from getting boring or too repetitive. I think I love her.


Below is video of her dub step segment found on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTpESylHMwo

DJ Mehdi is a personal favorite of mine so I was pretty excited to see him live. His performance did not fail to disappoint me either. He ended up trading off between some other DJs throughout the night but when I did catch him tearing up the boards, it was typical Mehdi. He had the fantastic funky hip hop with some great clean sounding synths that kept an amazing upbeat feeling that I've grown so fond of.

Below is a video from youtube of a portion of his set:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOHYuSMS2Xs

Despite the fact that I didn't get to attend the almighty ULTRA Music Festival, I still was able to have an amazing time being blasted by electronic music from fantastic DJs. But most importantly, I was exposed to an entirely new atmosphere that you just can't get in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area. Seeing DJs of this caliber live is something that has to be done by an electronic fan at least once in their life. To see the energy that a good DJ can bring out of a crowd is amazing, to feel the 25 ft speaker bass humming through your body is face melting, and to be a part of the entire movement of energy that flows through the entire venue from DJ to music to audience back to DJ is almost spiritual.  That's something you just can't get from those white iPod ear-buds.

EOT25 SBP Debate

This week we share clips from the SBP Debate, Community Canvas covers the great Raleigh treasure hunt, and Jacob talks to a leader from NC Skate for WOW.

EOT25 SBP Debate 3/29/10

When EOT aired March 29, the past 24 hours had brought destruction to North Carolina and casualties in Moscow. Newscaster Evan Garris broke down those stories and more in News. Sports takes a look at the Wolfpack’s performance on the diamond, the editorial gave a look inside the Eye of the... storm . Student Media hosted a debate between top-tier Student Government candidates, Correspondent Jacob Downey talked to the co-president of N.C. Skate and Chris Cioffi got the story behind that infamous silver key.

NEWS

News correspondent Evan Garris gave the details of this week's top local, national and international headlines.

EF-1 tornado touches down in Person County

Two students in flood-induced accident

Homes throughout N.C., Va. damaged in storm

Moscow suidice bombings leave 38 dead, 60 wounded

Obama, in Afghanistan, congratulates Karzai on anti-Taliban campaign

Raleigh-Cary area ranks 49th, population-wise, in U.S. Census

SPORTS
Tyler Everett capped up this week in Wolfpack sports.

EDITORIAL

• Storm alerts interrupted programming, including the Duke game against Baylor. Twitter and local blogs erupted with complaints.  The alerts did, indeed, alert, but left fans and evening television watchers agitated.

• The FCC requires TV stations to relay weather warnings via the Emergency Alert system their broadcasting license.

• Despite the unplanned interruption and programming rollback, the alerts are essential and can -- and did -- help save lives.

If you have a response to this editorial or any part of tonight’s show, contact us on twitter at WKNCEOT, look for us on Facebook at Eye on the Triangle, or shoot an email to publicaffairs@wknc.org.

VIP

In lieu of Student Body Elections, which are causing, if not a stir, then a paper and sandwich board trail around campus. Student Media invited top-tier Student Government candidates—Student Body Treasurer, Student Senate President and Student Body President—to contribute their platforms and ideas on questions that moderators Mike Alston and Saja Hindi asked.

COMMUNITY CANVAS

Correspondent Chris Cioffi caught up with Lillian Jones to discuss how she develops ideas for the Raleigh Treasure Hunt in which she invited all of Raleigh to follow clues that lead to a silver key. Whoever found it won a prize from her jewelry store. Cioffi talked to Jones about the event and about her ideas for future hunts. He also spoke to her about the recent publicity the hunt has been receiving, like this story in the News and Observer.

Later, he sat down in the studio with this year's winner, Team Clueless. Solving the puzzle in one day, Team Clueless quickly snagged the newest pendant. Their quick solving methods shattered the reigning champ's time, almost three months. He spoke to them about their previous treasure hunt experiences, as well as their experience with The Raleigh Treasure Hunt. They spoke about channeling Ms. Jones's thinking process to get an edge on solving the clues, as well as how their individual talents came together to make the perfect solving force.

WOLFPACKER OF THE WEEK

Eye on the Triangle's Wolfpacker of the Week is a sophomore working on a degree in construction engineering and management and is also the co-president of the Skateboarding Club.  Correspondent Jacob Downey spoke to the Matt Brokaw, co-president of N.C. Skate, the University's skating club. As one of the club's founders, Brokaw has worked to help transition the club from a collective of enthusiasts and hobbyists into a competitive body able to represent the University at intercollegiate meets. An avid skater since getting his first board at 11 years old, Brokaw said he enjoys promoting skating through service projects like N.C. State's Habitat for Humanity Fundraiser, Shack-A-Thon, and hosting fundraisers for Grind for Life.  One of the things he enjoys about his involvement with the NCSU Club Sport is the mentor relationship between experienced skaters and beginners. For more information on the NCSU skateboarding club visit http://www.skatewall.com/ncstate/about.html or pop in at one of their biweekly meetings in Riddick Hall Room 339 at 8 p.m. The next one is April 7. You can also hang out with the skaters behind the Free Expression Tunnel as the group hosts the "H.O.R.S.E." inspired game of " S.T.A.T.E." on Saturday afternoon, April 10.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT25_032910.mp3

EOT preview: 3/29/10

Stay tuned to WKNC this Monday for the week's top headlines, an overview of Triangle sports, Evan's hair-raising editorial and interview clips with six of the seven candidates up for student body president.

In Community Canvas, correspondent Chris Cioffi delved into the Raleigh Treasure Hunt. Established by Lillian Jones, the Hunt is an event held every equinox that leads contestants around Raleigh in search for a silver key. The first person to locate the key receives a handmade pendant made by  Jones herself. We talk to her about the hunt and what she does when she is not working on the event. We also spoke to the equinox's winner, who solved the puzzle in less than a day.

For more on last night's tornado watch and that perfect dose of international, national and local news you've been craving all week, take a listen tonight at 7 p.m.

Student Body President debate

Student Media hosted a Student Government debate on Thursday night, March 25, in the Talley Ballroom at 7:30 p.m. Saja Hindi and I served as moderators, and we heard from the following candidates:

Student Body Treasurer

Buddy Bryson

Kyle O'Donnell

Student Senate President

Michael Robinson

Stephen Kouba

Sarah Center

Student Body President

Scott Goldsmith

Matt Gromlich

Kelly Hook

Zach Lego

Ches McDowell

Matt Woodward

If you missed it, you can listen in in to the SBP debate below:

SBP Debate

Study body elections will take place Tuesday, April 6. Vote online at vote.ncsu.edu.

The Old Ceremony to hold poster contest

The Old Ceremony will be playing at Cat's Cradle on April 23. Instead of hiring one of the many talented poster designers in the area, however, they are giving fans, designers, and people who may just be in the mood for some poster-making the chance to design the official poster for the show.

The winner of the contest will, in addition to having their design put up all over the Triangle, win two tickets to the show.

Things that must be included in the design are:
The Old Ceremony
Doors @ 8:30 Show @ 9:30
$10 Advance $12 Day of show
Friday, April 23

You can drop the design off in person at Cat's Cradle, email a downloadable file to costellothomasj@gmail.com, or mail it to:

The Old Ceremony Poster Contest
Cat's Cradle
300 E. Main St.
Carrboro, NC 27510

The deadline is this coming Thursday, April 1, so get those designs in and may the best poster win.

Now Playing: 3/26/10

Here is a compilation of the latest new music we have received in the past week.

Free Energy- Stuck on Nothing



Sounding closer to Thin Lizzy and Cheap Trick, Free Energy emits a fun, upbeat, guitar heavy album.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7OE3W0VSZs

Drive-by Truckers- The Big To-Do



Probably the best southern rock album you'll listen to this year. Imagine Dinosaur Jr. with a country slant --if you haven't listened to one of their other nine excellent albums. Get out your lighters y'all.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un9jmeLNBqY

Love is All- Two Thousand and Ten Injuries



High energy Swedish pop. Eccentric album with a collage of traditional and not so traditional rock instruments, i.e. saxophone. The female vocals can get annoying at times but the excellent clash of sounds make up for that.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl1PqiluWic

Arctic Monkeys- My Propeller (single)



Solid B-sides that play of of the similar down tempo beats from Humbug. Although they don't do anything revolutionary for the band, they are still quite enjoyable for the fans.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5vZovv8cPk

She & Him- Volume Two



Pop favorite Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward are at it again with another charming album. This time it's more she than him. Really sweet and endearing, although after the first few tracks you start to lose your sugar high.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ3cTwI9bIw
Slow Club- Yeah So



This UK indie-duo has sweet lyrics, simple guitar melodies and interesting harmonies. They take turns with lead vocals and never disappoint. Every song is interesting, up-beat and give you that feeling of: I want more more more.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2dZSHToVGc

Pavement - Quarantine the Past: The Best of Pavement

Well, hot damn.  Listening to this compilation, it's remarkable to hear how genius Pavement's music is--their low-fi aesthetic perfectly melds with Stephen Malkmus's lazy, idiosyncratic wordplay .  This compilation is absolutely essential--it's sequencing is flawless and the track choice balances their singles with album gems.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoMdkyeZOqE

Jason Collett - Rat A Tat Tat



More good stuff from the Arts & Crafts Label.  Collet's tunes are impassioned with twang and swagger and his music walks the line between alt-country, 60s pop, and the more soulful dispositions of indie rock.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsQP_1U-sDg

One For The Team- Ghosts

Catchy, unpretentious, and unabashedly fun power pop.  It sounds like Mates of State with punk grit or the New Pornographers playing Something Corporate.  Lots of crunchy guitars and incessant harmonies.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_16ziKaaWc

Josiah Wolf- Jetlag

I really like this album! Here we have the solo album from the drummer of WHY? Seeing as I am not a huge fan of WHY? I was somewhat skeptical, however  I was totally wrong. I am really into this folky Paul Simon-esque experience.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjZHiYmbYGg&feature=related

Goldfrapp- Head First

You know I love this. Rocket might be the catchiest song ever. Think Xanadu meets David Bowie, a mixture of '80s glam rock and '70s disco.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjcTUmipxZY&feature=related

Drink Up Buttercup- Born and Thrown on a Hook

Psychedelic mixture of the Beatles and Man Man. A weird pop experience for sure.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRaLxVaD5Ic

Let's Wrestle- In the Court of the Wrestling Let's

Scrappy British punk music. They are on Merge Records and have been getting a lot of press.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc5HnZP5v6s

Dum Dum Girls- I Will Be

This is sort of a mixture between '60s girl pop and shoegaze buzz garage rock. Sort of falling the trend of most of the bands out right now, but this one is surprisingly good.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bwck4XOp1vQ

Black Tambourine- Black Tambourine

This band has pretty much influenced every popular band out right now. Shoegaze pop that resembles A Sunny Day in Glasgow, but a lot darker.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wva074MGZi8

DJ Ones' Five Music Facts from the past week

1. Black Lips have released details about their follow-up to 2009's "200 Million Thousand." The album, which has yet to be titled, is set to release sometime during the summer. In talking about the next album, guitarist Ian Saint Pé stated, "I'm already digging what we've got. I've read reviews where people say we haven't changed, but, man, the wheel ain't broke, don't fix it." (via Billboard)

2. The New Pornographers have announced a new single, and a large, upcoming, North American tour in support of their next album entitled "Together." The single, is called "The Crash Years," and the band is planning to make a stop at Memorial Hall, on the campus of UNC, June 25. (via Pitchfork)

3. Saturday Night Live actor Fred Armisen has joined Joanna Newsom during her current tour. Armisen who helps open the show as German drumming expert Jens Hennemann, has joined Newsom during her shows in Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia. (via Pitchfork)

4. Concert promoter Live Nation has started testing new digital wristbands that would allow concert-goers the ability to purchase concessions and work as the ticket for a show or festival. The technology, which is used to help fight against touting, uses smart chip technology to track the audience. John Probyn from Live Nation UK states, "Your ticket won't be a paper ticket, it'll be a wristband unique to you." (via NME)

5. Beck has been joined by Liars, St. Vincent, and Sergio Dias of Os Mutantes to record INXS's 1987 album, "Kicks." The fourth album in Beck's project to cover entire records in one day, was recorded in approximately 12 hours. The song "Guns from the Sky" is available to listen to now. (via NME)

Local Beat Mini Exclusive: Drughorse One EP

You may or may not have heard of the local music collective that calls itself Drughorse. If you haven't, this may be due to the fact it is not one group, but rather a collaborative of several different local bands. Mount Moriah, The Love Language, Twelve Thousand Armies, Josh Moore, The Tomahawks, plus others all claim to be a part of this mysterious and secret gang of musicians. However, it seems the veil is slowly being lifted as a Drughorse EP is hits the streets tonight at the Local 506 in the form of an EP called Drughorse One.  Only three bands are presented on the EP, The Light Pines, Max Indian, and Ryan Gustafson.  It makes for an excellent Local Beat Mini Exclusive.

Carter Gaj of Max Indian and Tom Simpson of the Light Pines came in to chat with me about this new six-song EP as well as the Drughorse "Cartel." The guys played four covers of songs by 4 different Drughorse associated bands, which are free to download at the Local Beat ReverbNation page and you can listen to them to the right in the music player. Album artwork, the recording of the EP, and details to certain songs were all topics of conversation. I also spent a great deal trying to pry and gather details about this mysterious musical franchise from the fellas but didn't find out very much -- just that it seems to be a bunch of amazing musicians who hang out and share bands with each other. It is a seemingly exclusive club and begs interest and intrigue to all outsiders. The new EP is absolutely fabulous and will leave you begging for the new Drughorse related albums set to be released this coming year.

Take a listen to the interview:
Local Beat Mini Exclusive: Drughorse One

Be sure to head out to the Local 506 tonight. Doors are opening around 9 p.m. and it only costs $7!

WKNC's top 30 Daytime albums from the past week

Here are the top 30 albums played during our Daytime format over the past week, compiled by Daytime Music Director John Hubbard:







1. JJ - No. 3
2. Javelin  -No Más
3. Morning Benders- Big Echo
4. Strange Boys - Be Brave
5. Quasi - American Gong
6. Shearwater - The Golden Archipelago
7. Aloha - Home Acres
8. Fang Island - Fang Island
9. Gospel Gossip - Drift
10. Gigi - Maintenant
11. Efterklang -  Magic Chairs
12. Golden Triangle - Double Jointer
13. Dark Dark Dark - Bright Bright Bright
14. Local Natives - Gorilla Manor
15. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
16. Hot Chip - One Life Stand
17. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - The Brutalist Bricks
18. Spoon - Transference
19. Beach House - Teen Dream
20. Shout Out Louds - Work
21. Titus Andronicus - The Monitor
22. Frightened Rabbit - The Winter Of Mixed Drinks
23. Yeasayer - Odd Blood
24. Oh No Ono - Eggs
25. Four Tet - There Is Love In You
26. Splinters - Kick
27. Xiu Xiu - Dear God, I Hate Myself
28. Happy Birthday - Happy Birthday
29. Mumford and Sons - Sigh No More
30. Surfer Blood - Astro Coast

Local Beat preview 3/26/10

The Local Beat will be back tomorrow night for the first time in a month!  The show will be short, however, as our NC State Baseball team begins a three game series against Miami starting at 6:30 p.m., broadcasting beginning at 6:00 p.m.  Durham native Brett Harris will be joining me for the only hour of the show to chat about a new album that he is preparing to release.

Be sure to tune in at 5:00 p.m. for the Local Beat and Brett Harris!

Deerhunter puts on an interactive show at the Cradle

As Bradford Cox took the stage to set up his equipment Sunday night cheers roared from a packed house. Cox's grins spread from ear to ear.  Deerhunter headlined the Cat's Cradle Sunday night as a side show from their current tour with Spoon. They used this occasion to explore some new songs, play some older ones, and generally just have fun.

Deerhunter opened up with Cryptograms from their 2007 album of the same title.  This was followed by two new songs, one of which was sung by lead guitarist Lockett Pundt.  Overall, the band played well.  They fed off the excited crowds energy for uppers like Hazel St. and Nothing Ever Happened, then eventually winded down gracefully for Calvary Scars.

The highlight of the show was in the final song of the set.  Halfway through Agoraphobia, Cox grabbed a youngster from the audience and brought him on stage to play to tambourine with the band.  This began what would probably be one of the most memorable shows this fan will ever have.  From playing with the band, to being carried on Pundt's shoulders to being paid a hundred bucks by Cox to pull down Pundt's pants on stage, this kid did it all.

As we left the venue Cox waited by to door to thank each and everyone individually for coming to the show.  The final touch on an intimate, memorable performance.

Set list:

• Cryptograms


• New


• New (sung by lead guitarist)


• Never Stops


• Hazel St.


• Little Kids


• New (Revival)


• Nothing Ever Happened


• Microcastle


• Operation


• Calvary Scars II/Aux Out


• Cover Me > Agoraphobia


• Encore: Fluorescent Grey

EOT24 Sunshine Week 3/22/10

Eye on the Triangle returned this week after a week off for N.C. State's spring break, but this week's episode was shorter than usual, giving you a preview of what the EOT team had in store for you in the week ahead. Read below to find out more. This week's EOT covered the international (elections in Iraq) and the national (Health care) before zeroing in on the N.C. State campus (sports, Student Government elections and the Save Technician effort). Read more below.

NEWS
Newscaster Evan Garris  gave us the rundown of this week's news from Obama's health care plan to a California senator's arrest. For these stories and more, check out the links below.


Obama aims at health insurance companies
Anti-gay rights California senator leaves gay bar, arrested for drunk driving
Biden visits Gaza
Despite terror against citizens, 62% of Iraqis head to the polls
Soldiers in Nigeria quell sectarian violence


SPORTS
As always, Tyler Everett gave us a breakdown of what happened in N.C. State sports this week.

EDITORIAL

Correspondent Evan Garris gave his opinion on the passed Health Care Reform bill.

Here are some of the points Evan made in his editorial:
The U.S. is the only industrialized nation in the world that doesn’t provide health care to its citizens.
Roughly 45 million Americans do not have health insurance.
Medical bills cause half of all bankruptcies.  Three-quarters of those filings are from people with health insurance.
The U.S. spends about $2 trillion on health care in a year—more than any other nation in the world.
Cubans have a lower infant mortality rate than Americans, and according to the U.N. Human Development Report, a longer average lifespan.

Send us your own thoughts about the issue to publicaffairs@wknc.org.

VIP
The candidates running for positions within Student Government have been campaigning their way toward the Tuesday, April 6 election. Eye on the Triangle is gathering these candidates together for a panel Thursday in the Talley Ballroom. The event will be broadcast live on WKNC and Wolf-TV. Make sure to check back for the full podcast.

If you've been checking the local news, whether online, on television or on paper, you may have come across stories detailing the fall of NCSU's student paper, Technician. The paper, which has lacked an editor-in-chief since February, has suffered from staffing loss, overworked editors and tensions with their adviser, and budget cuts that have escalated over the years. Technician has been the student paper of NCSU since 1920, but has been produced daily since 2001. Former editor-in-chief (now public affairs director for WKNC) Saja Hindi was charged with creating a committee to detail out recommendations to the Student Media Board for the future of the newspaper and its search for an editor. In an effort to solicit feedback from staff members, students and alumni, project  "Save Technician" was formed.

Vice President of the Society for Collegiate Journalists N.C. State chapter May Chung and member Lucia Moser discussed Sunshine Week, a week dedicated to increasing awareness about open records laws, and the activities the NCSU chapter is hosting.

As always, e-mail us with comments, suggestions and gripes to publicaffairs@wknc.org, and keep nominating your friends for Wolfpacker of the Week!

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT24_032210.mp3

Colossus interview this Thursday, 3/25!

Two members of Raleigh's metal mastermind Colossus will be in -- and hopefully not pillaging -- the studio this Thursday at 11 a.m. for an interview with yours truly.  And, yes,  that is 11 a.m. -- a little shot of Chainsaw at lunch time never hurt anyone.  The band will be promoting their new EP, as well as their show at The Pour House Thursday night.



I have never seen Colossus live, but if you're lucky enough to come out on Thursday (as I will be), I strongly recommend you bring a large bowl because when it's all said and done, your face will probably melt off.

EOT24 Sunshine Week

In this abbreviated version of EOT, Saja interviews Lucia and May about SCJ's plans for the upcoming Sunshine week on NC State's campus.

Top 10 Afterhours albums on WKNC last week

Here are the top ten albums played during WKNC's Afterhours format during the past week, compiled by Afterhours Music Director Joseph Brookes.

1. Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
2. Pretty Light -  Making Up A Changing Mind EP
3. Pantha Du Prince - Black Noise
4. Telephoned  - Telephoned EP
5. Rusko - Woo-Boost EP
6. Funckarma - Dubstoned 3 EP
7. RJD2 - Colossus
8. Kraddy - Android Porn Remixes EP
9. Heyoka - Marklar
10. MiM0SA - Psychedelic Stereo EP

Great giveaways at WKNC

Listen in for your chances to win some great tickets this week at WKNC! You can tune in or stream live to win. Here are the great shows that WKNC is giving away tickets to that are happening this week:

Thursday, March 25:

Colossus w/ Black Skies & Lo-Pan @ The Pour House

for fans of Metal/Rock/Crunk/Psychedelic



Friday, March 26:

The Dirty Little Heaters w/ The Loners, The Moaners & The Big Death Scene @ The Pour House
*CD Release Party*

for fans of Rock/Psychedelic/Garage/Experimental/Folk 







You can always check out all the local shows happening in your area by visiting WKNC's Rock Report.

musicSPARK 2010 on the hunt for local talent

musicSPARK, an element of Raleigh's annual SPARKcon arts festival, is taking applications from local musiciians for for participation in this year's event.

Last year, musicSPARK involved 94 musicians in 14 venues, and it hasn't stopped expanding yet. SparkCON will take place September 16 to 19, 2010. Those interested in applying to participate in musicSPARK can access the application here.

For general information about the 2010 SparkCON festival, check out the Web site. You can allow follow SparkCON on Twitter.

Black Lips storm the Cradle

If you've never seen Black Lips live, you owe it to yourself to do so the next time they are in town. This being my third time seeing them at the Cat's Cradle this weekend, I can say with 100 percent certainty that they put on one of the best rock shows out of any touring band playing now.

After a mediocre opening set by the band Box Elders (think Black Lips minus any hooks), the Lips took the stage at full throttle and never let up. "O Katrina" and "Short Fuse," two of my favorite Black Lips songs, popped up early in the set, along with Beatles-esque crowd-pleaser "Dirty Hands."

One of the most entertaining parts of a Black Lips show is watching guitarist and singer Cole Alexander flail around the stage. While I'd seen him pull the spit-straight-up-and-catch-it move before, he had a new trick this time which involved spitting on the back of his guitar and raising it up to catch the drip. All this while never missing a note.

A lively crowd who bounced the whole show and a light mosh pit only served to add to the energy being exuded from the stage.

Black Lips are truly the definition of a great live rock show.

Wolfpack women advance to NCAA tournament

Kellie Harper's first season as head coach of the women's basketball team will continue into the postseason as N.C. State was selected as the 9-seed in the Kansas City regional Monday night.

Read more at TechnicianOnline.com and catch the game against UCLA Sunday, March 21 at 9:30 p.m. on 88.1 FM. As always, non-sports fans can continue the great indie rock on our sports-free Web stream at wknc.org.

Spankin' new MGMT

Here we go again. Hype-juggernauts MGMT are back with a new track entitled "Flash Delirium." It's a bit chaotic for my tastes, but I'll let you make your own decision on that. Without further ado I give you...

MGMT - Flash Delirium

Fix still not filled?

Check out these videos from a secret show the duo played at the Mercury Lounge in NY for a sneak-preview of their upcoming LP, Congratulations, due out April 13th.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hekGKvIfaV4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll7Z3vsZnM4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3cXYrhRtoo&feature=related

March Madness

March doesn't mean just a plethora of basketball games. For the rest of this month, WKNC will be giving away tickets to three main acts presented by Live Nation. Take a look and see who's dropping by:

Ben Folds and A Piano: The Fillmore Charlotte - March 19, 2010



This Friday, the Winston-Salem native will be performing at the Fillmore Charlotte. The Ben Folds Five trio was known as a novelty with its guitar-less sound during the grunge era and Folds' aggressive piano style. Folds was first introduced to the piano at age nine when his carpenter father brought home a piano from a customer in a barter trade. With the constant desire to make up songs, his skills on the piano greatly improved. Today, Folds continues to make music, perform, and expand on his solo career. In 2008, Ben Folds released his third solo album Way t0 Normal, which continues the strong thread of the chaotic piano-pounding sound that has become synonymous with Folds.  For the rest of this week, WKNC deejays will be asking various trivia questions about Folds' life and musical background. Answer correctly and you and a friend will be scoring tickets to the show. Tickets are also available for purchase at Live Nation.

Minus the Bear: The Fillmore Charlotte - May 9, 2010



If you've ever listened to Minus the Bear then you've probably found yourself enthralled in their echoing, spacey sound mixed with soft yet powerful lyrics. What's equally mesmerizing is the band's sense of humor. The Highly Refined Pirates album boasted the likes of lengthy and silly titles like, "Hey, Wanna Throw Up?" and "Get Me Naked 2: The Electric Boogaloo."  First emerging on Seattle's music scene in 2001, they released their six-song EP This Is What I Know About Being Gigantic. Now on their fourth full-length album, OMNI, many have noted the evolution of Minus the Bear's sound. With OMNI in 2008, the band teamed up with producer Joe Chiccarelli (My Morning Jacket, The White Stripes, The Shins) to fine tune their sound. Minus the Bear will be performing at the Fillmore Charlotte in May, so be sure to tune in this month to win tickets. Click the banner to purchase tickets through Live Nation online.

Kings of Leon: Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion - September 13, 2010



The Followill brothers are sons of a preacher man, who were raised in the south and traveled from various Pentecostal churches across the states. Who would have expected them to become one of today's most popular rock and roll acts? After their father's divorce in 1997, the two eldest brothers moved to Nashville, igniting their dreams of getting into the music industry. With the help of Angelo Petraglia, the members of Kings of Leon were introduced into secular music such as the Rolling Stones and Johnny Cash. The group's highly anticipated second album, Aha Shake Heartbreak, came out in 2005, debuting at number three on the British charts. The band's greatest success to date came with the release of their fourth album, Only by the Night, along with the singles "Sex on Fire" and "Use Somebody", which have become extremely radio friendly here in the United States.

Be sure to check the blog every week with updates on upcoming shows and ticket giveaways. Listen only on 88.1FM or streaming online.

DJ Ones' Five Music Facts from the past week

1. Japandroids are set to re-release two five-song EPs that were recorded before the band's breakout album "Post Nothing." The songs from both the "All Lies" and "Lullaby Death Jams" EPs are going to be compiled to form "No Singles." The album is set to release May 11th, courtesy of Polyvinyl. (via Pitchfork)

2. Last fall, after playing a set of shows for the first time since 1994, Sunny Day Real Estate is set to release new material for the first time in 15 years. Although no recording time-line has been scheduled just yet, the band is hard at work at creating new songs. (via Billboard)

3. After the release of her acclaimed "IRM", Charlotte Gainsbourg is scheduled to complete a two week North American tour. Although (sadly) there are no shows planned for North Carolina, she does plan on playing Coachella (for all you summer festival junkies). (via Pitchfork)

4. In a recent article in The Chicago Tribune, The Strokes have announce that they will be headlining Lollapalooza this year. Alongside that information, frontman Julian Casablancas has contemplated that “I think it’ll (the new album)be out in September."(via Chicago Tribute)

5. Radiohead has confirmed that an email that had been circulated by a large number of fans, was a hoax. The email in question detailed that the next release from Radiohead would be called "Tehrangles." A spokesman for Radiohead said to NME, "Most of it is made up and there is no album or album title." (via NME)

Dex Romweber and WKNC's Laurie Lu

Our very own Laurie Lu (host of the Rockabilly Hour, Sundays 2-4pm) got on the horn for an interview this past week with the legendary Dex Romweber  of the Dex Romweber Duo (formerly of the Flat Duo Jets).  The Duo will be embarking on a European tour in April, and are playing The Pour House in Raleigh this Saturday, March 13th.  Enjoy!

Dex Romweber interview

Giveaways at WKNC!

Here are the fantastic shows that are taking place this week that WKNC is giving away tickets to! Be sure to tune into 88.1 FM or stream live for your chance to win!

Tuesday, March 16
Kool Keith w/Juan Huevos @ Cat's Cradle



Thursday, March 18
Black Lips w/ Box Elders @ Cat's Cradle



Saturday, March 20
The Rosebuds w/ Mount Weather @ Cat's Cradle



As always, check out the Rock Report for a complete list of local shows!

WKNC's top 30 Daytime albums from the past week

Here are the top 30 albums played in WKNC’S Daytime format over the past week, compiled by Daytime Music Director John Hubbard:







1. Shearwater - The Golden Archipelago
2. Quasi - American Gong
3. Mumford and Sons - Sigh No More
4. Toro y Moi - Causers of This
5. Gigi - Maintenant
6. Surfer Blood - Astro Coast
7. Efterklang - Magic Chairs
8. Javelin - No Mas
9. Local Natives - Gorilla Manor
10. Golden Triangle - Double Jointer
11. Via Audio - Animalore
12. Angelo Spencer - Angelo Spencer Et Les Hauts Sommets
13. Gospel Gossip - Drift
14. Laarks - An Exaltation of Laarks
15. Donora - Donora
16. Dinosaur Feathers - Fantasy Memorial
17. Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me
18. Shout Out Louds - Work
19. Beach House - Teen Dream
20. Hot Chip - One Life Stand
21. Titus Andronicus- The Monitor
22. Strange Boys - Be Brave
23. Pantha Du Prince - Black Noise
24. Happy Birthday - Happy Birthday
25. Carolina Chocolate Drops - Genuine Negro Jig
26. These New Puritans- Hidden
27. Electric President - The Violent Blue
28. Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt - I Love You! I Love You! I Love You And I'm In Love With You! Have An Awesome Day! Have The Best Day Of Your Life!
29. Solid Gold - Synchronize
30. Yeasayer -Odd Blood

Five fun facts about DJ Ones

As you should know from exploring WKNC's blog, the station is in the running for the Independent Weekly's Best of the Triangle once again. This year, the  WKNC staff voted to determine who it considered to be the best DJ, resulting in a nomination for DJ Ones from the Daytime format. What better way to get to know our favorite DJ than to read some fun facts about him each week. While you're at it, check out DJ Ones' Five Music Facts of the Week blog.

Five Fun Facts about DJ Ones

1. DJ Ones' family owns around two dozen chickens.
2. DJ Ones has a fake tooth -- unfortunately, it is not gold.
3. DJ Ones has a voice! He had a solo in the fourth grade singing The Nutcracker. When you call in for requests, ask to hear his sweet, sultry voice. It's worth it.
4. DJ Ones was his high school's valedictorian.
5. DJ Ones has had the same cell phone since 2005. It would be safe to say that he practically has a 5-year-old child.

Well, there you have it folks! WKNC's favorite DJ, DJ Ones, is a Renaissance man. Just look at that visionary face.

Click here to put in your vote for Best Radio Station in the Triangle and Best DJ. Polls close April 15.

Benji Hughes interview Friday at 1 p.m.

If you've listened to the station recently, you probably know that WKNC is presenting Benji Hughes and Skullbuckle at the Pour House Music Hall tomorrow night.

In anticipation of the show, I'll be interviewing the man himself at 1 p.m. sharp. Greg from Skullbuckle will also be in to talk about the band's album and the show.

If you have any questions you have to hear answered, comment on this post and let me know!

See you on the airwaves.

IWTDI song featured in Brazilian phone ad

Local band, I Was Totally Destroying It, has a song featured in a Brazilian cell phone service provider's advertisement. The band announced on their blog yesterday that the "Come Out, Come Out" off of their latest album "Horro Vacui" was the song featured.

In response to the song featured in the commercial, the band posted, "I have to say, as a musician, it's a very flattering thing to have a large company believe that a piece of material that you wrote can help them sell their product. Fun stuff!"

Vivo, the company that features the Chapel Hill band's song, has both a full ad and a 30 second edit below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSM_2ZQx7fQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN8T5a7zVQo&feature=player_embedded

EOT23 Derby Days 3/8/10

VIP focuses on Derby Days, Community Canvas covers the NC Symphony, and our WoW is Travis Hargett.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT23_030810.mp3

Reviews of two new reggae albums

Indubious - Cosmic Seed

Portland, Oregon's Indubious is a trio of conscious musicians bringing funky, spaced out rhythms with a roots raggamuffin lyrical style that are similar to pacific rock bands such as The Black Seeds crossed with dancehall artists much like Damian Marley. Cosmic Seed, their second album, shows a notable progression from their debut, Fresh Leaves, which in itself was a fine album. Spanning from straight up reggae tracks like Be Kind to more Hip-Hop influenced ones such as Golden Tongue, which, by the way, is a collaboration with fellow dancehall heavyweight Prezident Brown, this album has something that anyone could appreciate. The variety of styles does not take from the flow of the album though as all of the songs are untited by a common message of peace and rightousness.

Alborosie - Escape From Babylon To The Kingdom Of Zion

I am not usually fond of VP releases, but I have to say this is an exception. Contrary to most VP records Alborosie's  Escape From Babylon To The Kingdom Of Zion boasts excellent production. While this in no way roots reggae, my preference, this unmistakeably dance hall record hits all the way through. Plenty of dub style reverb and effects mixed with horns, plenty of bass, and hot lyrics makes this a catchy album with plenty of great tracks. Perhaps what makes this release different from other VP releases is that Alborosie is a multi-instrumental artists playing every part on many of his songs.  A few of my favorite tracks were Kingston Town, Money, and Kingdom of Zion.

Miniature Tigers Interview Friday, 3/12 at 3 p.m.

Indie rock/pop band Miniature Tigers will swing by the WKNC studios this Friday for an interview with Dr. J and DJ Audity. The group joins Acrylics as support for The Morning Benders that evening at Local 506 in Chapel Hill before they head down to Austin to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day at the South by Southwest music conference and festival.

Miniature Tigers released their first full-length album Tell it to the Volcano in 2008. MusicRemedy reports the band will release its second full-length album, FORTRESS, June 1 on Modern Art Records.

The attack of "Aealo"

Aealo is a Greek word meaning thrashing, catastrophe, or destruction. That is exactly what Rotting Christ's latest album does -- it destroys.  However, it does so in a beautiful way. It may crush you and pummel you, but it will find a way to lift you up with its guitar melodies.

I have always been a fan of Rotting Christ, and I enjoy all of their albums. Though the band may be as old as I am, this hasn't stopped them from progressing and defining itself with each new album. "Aealo" is no exception to that rule.

Every song on the album is an entity of its own, bringing in so many elements from past albums as well as adding new elements at the same time.  It's hard to pick just one song on this album because each one is that good, able to stand on its own. You could randomly pick any song on the album and you would still leave it on repeat.  What makes this album really standout is that it incorporates Mediterranean influences into the songs, such as Greek chants, and Greek melodies played on guitars. I want to pick out songs for someone interested to listen to, but I cannot, because they are all equally as impressive.  If I had to rate this album, I couldn't because it is that well done. Sakis has written some of his best riffs to date, and Themis performs some of his best drumming on this album.

To use a quote I saw from Sakis in an interview with blistering.com, "This album is Hellenic, it is Greek." And maybe that is what makes this album so amazing.  There is no question -- I believe I have already found my album of the year, maybe even of the decade.  I cannot tell you how much I recommend this album to anybody who enjoys metal, or who wishes to expand their music library and tastes.  From the opening chants to the closing riffs,  you will be blown away by this album. The members of Rotting Christ are true defenders of metal, and keep the banner of not only the left hand path raised high, but also the banner of metal, and this album shows that.

Sessions@KNC: Aminal

No, not Animal: Aminal. You may have heard the Fight EPs (A Will to Fight EP and A Face to Fight EP), and they rock.  Since then, Aminal has come up with some extremely energetic new material, and it is time to share.

Photo by Eric Scholz

Aminal has two nearby shows coming up: March 13 at Jack Sprat and March 16 at the Pour House!

Be sure to download all of the killer tracks below; this session was probably one of the more hilarious, yet packed with great tunes.

Lead singer Patrick was kind enough to grace us with a brief solo acoustic set too, so here's a "naked" version of the title track to the A Will to Fight EP:

A Will to Fight Acoustic

Photo by Eric Scholz

A Face to Fight128.mp3

Sheltering the Sharp Mind.mp3

Loud It's You.mp3

Hopeless to Ignore.mp3

Family Affair.mp3

Crumble Release Stumble Repeat.mp3

A Will to Fight Acoustic.mp3