Americana Blues and Company Playlist 10.29.11

If you were up and going strong at 10 a.m. on Saturday, congratulations! Molly and Tenbrooks surely weren't. If you were interested in what was played, take a look:

Sierra Hull -- Don't Pick Me Up
The Honey Dewdrops -- Stomping Ground
Chris Pandolfi -- Wichita Stomp
Abigail Washburn -- City of Refuge
The Biscuit Burners -- Take Me Home
Sarah Jarosz -- My Muse
Chatham County Line -- Bacon in the Skillet
Chris Thile and Michael Daves -- Blue Night
Julie Elkins and David Thompson -- Carolina Is Gone
Bearfoot -- Midnight in Montana
David Rawlings Machine -- To Be Young (Is to Be Sad, Is to Be High)
Dom Flemons -- Po' Black Sheep,Gwine Dig A Hole
Norman Blake -- The Weathered Old Caboose Behind the Train
Samantha Crain -- The Last Stanchion Goes Belly Up
David Grier -- Impulsive
Cornmeal - Raging River

BREAK

Billy Bragg and Wilco -- Hot Rod Hotel
Gillian Welch -- Caleb Meyer
Black Lillies -- two Hearts Down
Drive By Truckers -- God Damn Lonely Love
Johnny cash -- Big River
Jerry Reed -- Aunt Maudie's Garden
Townes Van Zandt w/ Willie Nelson -- No Place to Fall
Chet Atkins -- A Taste of Honey
Muddy Waters -- Sugar Sweet
Son House -- Death Letter Blues
Howlin' Wolf -- California Blues
David Jacob-Strains -- Come On Im My Kitchen
Bob Dylan -- John Wesley Harding
Vince Gill -- The Strings That Tie You Down
The Everybodyfields - Medicine Girl
Loose Fur - The Ruling Class
Whiskeytown - 16 Days

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween! If you have any requests feel free to e-mail americana@wknc.org

EOT72 Sustainability Day 10/25/11

Pumpkin Seed Recipe- Chris brings us an easy and delectable way to prepare pumpkin seeds.

NC State GLBT Center Vandalism-  Jake delivers an editorial piece about the vandalism that took place at the GLBT Center on the NC State campus.

Community Calendar- Bri gives a rundown of what's going on around campus in the coming week.

Campus Sustainablility Day- Nick interviews David Dean from the Office of Sustainability about Campus Sustainability Day and the festivites associated with it.

English Premiere League Soccer News- In the second installment of this segment, Matt delivers the news of the soccer world.

This Week In History- Jake, filling in for Nick, and Dave, bring you historical events from this week in history.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT72_102511.mp3

First Listen: The Black Keys' "Lonely Boy"

The single for The Black Keys' next album El Camino has been released online by the band. The video features a very enthusiastic listener dancing along to the lyrics to the song, not unlike how many of us DJs at WKNC dance in the studio. El Camino is set for release Dec. 6.

Top 30—WKNC’s Top Albums of the Week, 10/25/11

1. I Break Horses - Hearts (Co-op)

2. Cant - Dreams Come True (Terrible)

3. Widowspeak - Widowspeak (Captured Tracks)

4. Alias - Fever Dream (Anticon)

5. Various Artists - GRPTPS vs. PTLCK (Grip Tapes)

6. Young Man - Ideas of Distance (Frenchkiss)

7. Soley - We Sink (Morr)

8. Sugarplum Fairies - The Images We Get (M-M)

9. Sleep Over - Forever (Hippos in Tanks)

10. Zola Jesus - Conatus (Sacred Bones)

11. Veronica Falls - Veronica Falls (Slumberland)

12. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy (4AD)

13. Weekend - Red (Slumberland)

14. Memoryhouse - The Years (Sub Pop-Arcade Sound)

15. Fool's Gold - Leave No Trace (Iamsound)

16. Megafaun - Megafaun (Hometapes)

17. Drums - Portamento (Frenchkiss)

18. Youth Lagoon - The Year of Hibernation (Fat Possum)

19. Wooden Shjips - West (Thrill Jockey)

20. Body Language - Social Studies (Om)

21. Wilco - The Whole Love (Anti)

22. Wild Flag - Wild Flag (Merge)

23. Patti Smith - Outside of Society (Columbia)

24. Wu Lyf - Go Tell Fire to the Mountain (LYF)

25. Blitzen Trapper - American Goldwing (Sub Pop)

26. Scott Solter - One River (Hidden Shoal)

27. Apparat - The Devil's Walk (Mute)

28. Pack A.D. - Unpersons (Mint)

29. Neon Indian - Era Extrana (Mom and Pop)

30. Exitmusic - From Silence (Secretly Canadian)

9th Wonder and Phonte with Median, Rapsody, The Away Team, HaLo and DJ Flash

On Oct. 23, Cat’s Cradle was the place to be for Triangle hip-hop fans. 9th Wonder and Phonte were performing in addition to The Away Team, Rapsody, HaLo, and Median. The night even featured a surprise performance by King Mez. Not performing, but seen, were Actual Proof and Nicolay, producer from The Foreign Exchange. It was an obvious N.C. family affair.

The first half of the night was DJ’ed by Justus League’s DJ Flash, who scratched over performances by HaLo, Median, and The Away Team. All performed some of their newest material. Sean Boog impressed the crowd with his dexterity and entertained them with his antics.

Rapsody was on stage next, and DJ Flash was replaced with 9th Wonder. Rapsody inundated the crowd with her motto, “culture over everything,” and thanked the crowd for supporting her newest album, Thank H.E.R. Now. Rapsody had a solid performance, rapping to both her composed tracks and off the dome on beats created by 9th Wonder. Jamla R&B singer Heather Victoria came out and helped with the performance.

Following her, and introduced with accompanying Star Wars music, was Phonte. He performed some of the tracks off of 9th Wonder’s The Wonder Years album; “Band Practice Pt. 2” was performed by both him and Median. This was later followed by “The Life of Kings,” with King Mez, toward the end of the show. “The Life Of Kings” was one of the few new tracks from Charity Starts At Home that he performed.

9th Wonder and Phonte are getting older, but have shown they can still put on a hell of a show. It’s nice to see that their music has matured along with them. During the show, Phonte took a moment to talk about their dramatic feud and mentioned how special it was that they were now performing together. Both have new albums out that are worth a listen.

Minus the Bear's sold-out show at Lincoln Theatre, 10/25/11

I know why Minus the Bear is celebrating their Tenth Anniversary Tour: because they are amazing performers. Their show at Lincoln Theatre on Friday, Oct. 25, was incredible.

I arrived to the sold-out show with a few friends right before Minus the Bear started. Thanks to some skill we scurried our way to the front and waited in anticipation. Minus the Bear came out and started with a bang. In celebration of their tenth anniversary they played the entire Highly Refined Pirates album and a few new songs. Even though I was not familiar with this album, they did not disappoint. They had amazing stage presence and were all in sync with each other in a way that seemed effortless. In combination with their epic lights, I got that show “high” people talk about.

I was happy to be near the guitarist because his performance was just as admired as the lead singer. You can distinguish a Minus the Bear song by its signature guitar sound and the guitarist, Dave Knudson, was brilliant. But like I said, the entire band was brilliant. It’s safe to say that I am never missing a Minus the Bear show, if they come around again.

 

Exclusive: Mir.I.am interviews Whitney Houston at the 2011 Teen Summit

On Saturday, Oct. 8, I had the pleasure of attending the 2011 Teen Summit in Shelby, N.C. The Teen Summit is an annual event founded by Pat Houston with the purpose of helping "rebuild, restore and repair" the youth. I attended the powerful and much needed summit last year, but this year there was a special guest, the iconic and legendary Whitney Houston.


I had the opportunity to interview Houston briefly regarding her parenting style and the importance of being and having a mentor. I work in radio and was prepared to record the audio, but Houston and her team were uneasy about it and understandably so. Instead, I suggested doing it old-school with a paper and pen and all systems were a go.

_______________________

The interview:

On how proud she is of sister-in-law Pat Houston for the wonderful work she is doing for the teens:

"My brother was smart for choosing her. I know her as a woman of God, a mother, sister, a wife." Whitney also went on to explain how she had an instant connection with Pat and expressed how much she loves her and supports her in all of her endeavors.

On encouraging the youth if they go astray:

"I believe that young people will make mistakes and when they do, don't turn them away. We don't want them to go to others because you don't know what they might get from someone else."

On proactively parenting:

"Keep an open eye. Let them know they can always come home. Keep telling them about the dangers. Love can cover a multitude of sins."

When asked about those who may not have anyone to look up to:

"The FATHER I know didn't leave me and will send you a mentor."

She also went on to say that you are never too old to have a mentor and that if you need one, God will send one in your direction. She also elaborated that Kim Burrell was a God-sent mentor to her.

I told Houston that I see certain traits in Bobbi Kris that I also see in her including her zest for life, no nonsense attitude and spiritual nature. She smiled in agreement and insisted that she made sure to instill in her daughter "compassion, church, faith and hope."

Houston also discussed adopting a son, Nicholas, over five years ago and the struggles of single parenthood. She also stressed the importance of parents being parents to their kids and not just their friend. She believes that you must set firm boundaries and enforce them.

That was all the time that we had. It was short and sweet, but I do not think this is the last I have seen of Houston. We will meet again. What a privilege to have met and interviewed someone I hold in such high regard. It was one of the crowning achievements in my life.

Interview wrap up and overall thoughts of Whitney Houston:

I have to say that Houston was very gracious, polite, humble and down to earth. She didn't need a big fuss to be made about her. Her demeanor was quiet and unassuming, but her presence was strongly felt. She is very beautiful and her spirit is uplifting to be around. Anyone who is a fan of Whitney Houston knows that she is not a fan of interviews, but for her to say to me, "I don't want to disappoint you," while figuring out another way to conduct the interview instead of rejecting me altogether was very thoughtful.

-- Other Whitney tidbits--

• I told her that her fans are loyal and love and pray for her. I also told her to never feel like people don't care; she then looked at me, smiled and said, "Oh, I don't feel that way at all, I know."

• She is working on Sparkle, a movie loosely based on the story of the Supremes. She left the set in Detroit to come and had to return later that day.

 

Watch the video of Pat and Whitney Houston presenting Kim Burrell with the Ambassadors Award for her continued work with the Teen Summit.

Below is the extended audio of the above clip where Whitney and Pat introduce Kim Burrell. This also features Kim's speech and a live performance. Excellent quality.

KB.mp3

Special thanks to Nippy Inc., Lynne, Ulysses and Pat Houston

Check back for Part Two of the Teen Summit wrap up, which will summarize the event as a whole and also feature an exclusive interview with Quinton Aaron of The Blind Side. In case you missed my exclusive photos, click here.

Fridays on the Lawn is Back!

It's that wonderful time of year again. The leaves are changing, the temperature is dropping, and FREE music is played on Harris Field. That's right, Fridays on the Lawn has returned.  WKNC has again teamed up with our friends in the Union Activities Board and Student Government to bring some of the finest local bands to campus, totally free and complete with fringe benefits!

This year's show, like the dozen or so before it, will be held on Nov. 4 at 6:30 p.m. featuring none other than Skylar Gudasz and the Ugly Girls as well as Lizzy Ross Band. You may know Lizzy from her recent interview on The Local Beat.  Skylar and those ugly girls may seem familiar after the Arbor Ridge Studios Hopscotch Day Party.  If you missed those two awesome chances to hear them, you definitely shouldn't miss Fridays on the Lawn!



And how could we call it one of the best events on campus without FREE STUFF? Thanks to our super duper awesome sponsors at Chubby’s Tacos and Ultimate Entertainment, free tacos and trucker hats will be available for the reaping. Various other prizes like CDs, concert tickets, T-shirts, and more will also be up for grabs.

Any and all are welcome to this Friday of fun -- so grab your jacket, a quilt, and some friends and get your buttocks out to Friday on the Lawn!

Rebroadcast of 2009 Performance of War of the Worlds

On Halloween night, 8-9 p.m., WKNC will rebroadcast our adaptation of the Mercury Theatre production of H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds.  This performance was originally done live on the air Halloween night in 2009.

Damian Maddalena (aka: La Barba Rossa), host of WKNC's Saturday morning 60s and 70s program, Mystery Roach, formed the Two Cabbage Radio Players in 2009 in order to present this science fiction classic.  The Two Cabbage radio players adapted the original script, adding local flavor and some modern updates.

The Two Cabbage Radio players are made up of former and current WKNC staff, as well as members of the local community.  Along with Damian Maddalena are WKNC staff members Alex Steinbaugh, Caitlin Cauley, Jacob Downey, Liz Cervantes, and Mike Gray, physics graduate student Dave Fallest, Magic Babies keyboardist Brandon Whitesell, AV Geek Skip Elsheimer, and Foley sounds by local musician Brian Donohoe.

The re-invasion will air at 8 p.m. on Oct. 31. Celebrate Halloween with the sounds of the Triangle's destruction, only on 88.1 FM or streaming online.

Click here to visit the Facebook event page.

Neon Indian makes weird coherent with their sophomore album

"This in no way a return to basics; it is an example of how to successfully tackle the complex."

If there was one thing Alan Palomo would have to answer to with his second album as Neon Indian, it would be the huge amount of hype and acclaim from his 2009 debut Psychic Chasms. The Texas-based musician, coming off of rave reviews and praise, also had the distinct problem of being grouped among a handful of musicians making similar, yet compelling music. All this combined did not necessarily make it easier for Palomo and company to make a successful second album.

With labeling and comparisons easy to make in a market of music that includes a wide range of rising musicians including Toro y Moi, Washed Out, and well-established artists like Caribou, they had to make an album that was different from an ever-growing crowd of talented musicians and grounded favorites, yet true to the essence of their sound.

In the face of this diversity, Neon Indian was able to answer with one of the most compelling synthpop albums of the year in Era Extraña.

The art of mixing layers of synthesizers is one of the distinguishing factors of this album. Delicately placed and perfectly timed, the ability that Neon Indian has in execution in an area that could have easily been cluttered is one of the more admirable qualities of the record. The expertise of placement lays in the fact that Neon Indian is able to get these really poppy, intricate patterns of synthesizer without being cluttered or ruining their sound.

The best example of how this execution works so masterfully comes within the track “Polish Girl.” The track is able to build upon itself, adding diversity and spouting with moments of colorful synthesizer that shoot from the heart of the track itself. On top of this includes subtle moments that add rhythmically and effectively to the overall track.

With all this in mind it’s also necessary to point out the amount of variation that Neon Indian goes through from track to track. From glittery synth tracks like “Polish Girl” to grittier, harder sounds like “The Blindside Kiss,” Neon Indian demonstrates how they are able to change up their sound while keeping the essence of their synthpop intact.

Much of the credit of this album is in response to how Palomo’s harmonic arrangements hold this collection of wild songs together. It is his effort as a singer that has the impact of charging this coherent sound forward.

Coherence is a big part of the story of this album. Though it is able to change, the album still holds onto its original focus. This not only keeps it compelling to listen to, but it gives the listener a sense of anticipation on how Neon Indian will go about making the next track different.

This in no way a return to basics; it is an example of how to successfully tackle the complex. At its core, it’s a rewarding, fun, electro-pop record that leaves much to the imagination, and demands its listeners to hold on for what is coming up next.

At 23 years of age, Palomo is creating complex musical arrangements at a level that seem way beyond his years. Throughout Neon Indian’s sophomore release, they are able to tackle the hype of their previous success, and leave the listener wondering what the boundaries of such a young act are.

-DJ Ones

Trampled By Turtles Concert, 10/20/11

I like turtles...

On Thursday, Oct. 20 at Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, These United States was the opening band for a packed house. They consist of a drummer, acoustic, two electric, and bass guitar (sometimes keys). They were a high energy alt-country band that kept the audience prepped and psyched for what everyone came to see: Trampled By Turtles.

TBT came out playing. Their insightful lyrics and skillful instrumentation across the band led to a truly awesome show. Trampled By Turtles cannot be exactly classified as a true bluegrass band but rather a mix of genres, incorporating indie, folk, and bluegrass. Their style of music is applicable to all audiences and was very evident in the eclectic nature of the crowd. The crowd especially responded to “Victory” and “Codeine” before they ended their set with “Wait So Long,” which was truly the climax of the show. The audience sang along with every word. After cancelling their show in Carrboro a year ago, this show was long-awaited and met all expectations.

EOT71 Occupy Raleigh 10/18/11

Occupy Raleigh- Mason Morris took a trip to downtown Raleigh to get the inside scoop on what the Occupy movement is all about and what it means for the people of Raleigh.

NC State Marching Band- Nick and Jay take a look at the Power Sound of the South to see what exactly makes this marching band stand out.

Changing of the Seasons- Jake expresses his feelings about the coming of fall, and how it is much more than just a different season.

Shakori Hills- Some of the WKNC staff had the opportunity to participate in Shakori Hills, a local grassroots festival and brought back some great clips.

English Premiere League Soccer News- Matt Gardner brings you all you need to know about Premiere League Soccer in the first broadcast of this new segment.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT71_101811.mp3

The Rosebuds Return to Triangle

Wednesday night, The Rosebuds return home to the triangle to play a show at Carrboro's Cat's Cradle, alongside recent Merge Records signee Hospitality and Mount Moriah front woman Heather McEntire.

I got to Cat's Cradle right before Hospitality started its set. The band has recently signed to Merge Records, with their debut album set to release January 31 of next year. I wasn't able to catch them at Hopscotch, so I was excited.  Amber Papini, one of the four members, led vocals. Despite saying she was from New York, her voice had some hints of British every now and then. Each song in the their set was a little better than the last. I can definitely see how they fit into the Merge family - I'm looking forward to hearing more from them in January.

The Rosebuds tried to make the show into somewhat of a theme party, posting this on Twitter earlier in the week:

Some of the fans got the memo, myself included, and were donned in glitter-fabulous homemade shirts. Others had made their own, sans glitter, consisting of hand-drawn rosebuds and a head shot of a "nice fox."

My friend and I snagged a spot front and center. Kelly came on stage and shook some of the fans' hands before starting the set, which consisted of old songs from as early as "The Rosebuds Make Out" to their newest "Loud Planes Fly Low" released earlier this year. The band, who has been on tour since June, mentioned a few times how good it felt to be back in the triangle. I could see why - not only did the crowd show love for their hometown favorites and effortlessly sing along to every song, but fellow local bands came out as well to show their support. I saw members of Superchunk, Bowerbirds and Lonnie Walker enjoying themselves in the crowd. Ivan also pointed out his sister  mid-set and thanked her for coming out

to the show. The chemistry between the audience and The Rosebuds made the show amazing. If you've seen them before, you are aware that this band is one of the best out crowd interaction - encouraging clapping, singing, dancing, and even conversation. The last encore song, "Nice Fox," was significantly better live. Kelly told the story behind the song and the audience sang the hook ("and it don't mean nothing at all" ).

Trick or Treat!

WKNC has a Paranormal Activity 3 "Survival Kit" up for grabs (treat) but you have to do a little something (trick).

The survival kit includes a cauldron, batter-operated candle, Frightmare CD, bloody Mary mix, picture frame, and ouija board - a pretty awesome way to kick off your Halloween-inspired festivities after getting inspired by Paranormal Activity3.



But how do you enter?

Be on the lookout on our Facebook page - we're having a costume contest! When we ask for it, post on our Facebook wall your best "literal band name" costume.  Here are some examples of what we're looking for:







Then on Thursday, October 27 the picture with the most "likes" at 3pm will win! The two runners-up will win a Paranormal Activity 3 hat and movie poster.

Good luck and have fun!

 

Givers Give Fans a Night of Dancing

Monday night at Kings Barcade, Givers visited Raleigh with two special guests, hometown friends imagineIAM and Michigan-based Lord Huron.

imagineIAM has a very unique sound - big on drums and everything you can do with them. This was their first tour, so the crowd and other performers that night joined in on the excitement.

Lord Huron joined the stage next. They mixed indie pop with folk elements, creating an interesting sound. I hadn't heard of them before, but it's a band I would love to revisit. With ukuleles, guitars, shakers and drums, the band's last song was fitting - "When Will I See You Again."

Givers took the stage around 11p.m. Their first full-length studio album, "In Light," was released June 2011. I fell in love

 with the 51-minute album immediately. When I heard they were coming to Raleigh I couldn't wait. The indie pop band from Lafayette, Louisiana is a five-piece that plays about twice that number of instruments on stage. Tiffany Lamson banged on drums with a uke on her back and dabbling with a fringe-laced xylophone on some songs. Taylor Guarisco, the other main vocalist, danced spaztically around on stage, jumping, kicking, and shaking his booty. The band had great

 chemistry - they joked around with each other during and between their upbeat songs. Everything sounded just as good, if not better, than the recordings on the album. The vocals were amazing, and seeing how the music was made was something I wasn't expecting. Drummer and vocalist Kirby Campbell kept complex and interesting beats all night, Nick Stephan switched instruments every few songs (flute, saxophone, keyboard), and bassist and guitarist Josh LeBlanc danced around alternating between the two.

 

Phoenix Documentary Available to Stream

Out of all of the bands that had an excellent 2009, French songsters Phoenix had a breakout year with their album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. Now their 2009-10 world tour has become the subject of a new documentary chronicling the band's trip across the globe. That documentary, which is titled From a Mess to the Masses, is directed by Antione Wagner, who was also responsible for the music video of the single "Lisztomania." You can watch the entire documentary below.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/30586903[/vimeo]

The Road To Moog

On Oct. 28, Moogfest 2011 will officially begin in beautiful Asheville, N.C. The festival, now in its second year, brings together artists from across the electronic and experimental music spectrum to celebrate the legacy of synth pioneer and music technology visionary Bob Moog. From musical legends such as Suicide, Tangerine Dream, and Terry Riley to up-and-comers CANT, Oneohtrix Point Never, and araabMUZIK to Amon Tobin's elaborate and visually stunning ISAM show, the three-day festival truly provides something for every ear. In the days leading up to, during, and after the festival check back regularly to the WKNC Blog for various Road To Moog features, including interviews with artists playing the festival and reviews and photos from the festival.

Shakori Hills Fall 2011

“Shakori Hills Community Arts Center’s mission is to provide an environment for community building through arts and education.”

The weather could not have been better for a four day weekend of communal music and dance at the Shakori Hills Grassroots festival.  A diverse group of people gathered together all with one goal:  to climb festival mountain.  Festival mountain has many trail heads that all lead to the top.  Some may choose to go the dancing route, and find themselves encountering the “whitest dance” around town: clogging.  That’s right, ladies and gentleman, a clogging workshop was led by The Green Grass Cloggers on Sunday morning at the festival.  Shuffle steps, Indians, and chugs were some of the many individual dances taught. Along with the clogging workshop, a zydeco dance workshop, as well as, a country two-step workshop were put on at the festival.

Another primary trailhead was the wonderful trail of music. From Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings to Bela Fleck and the Flecktones to Locos Por Juana; the festival provided a very eclectic group of music that was sure to soothe even the savage beast.  Dancing, singing along, hula hooping, and going into hippie freak-outs were some of the many activities that went on during the outdoor concerts.

After climbing through the mountain for some time, a festival-goer may find themselves a bit famished.  You would be in luck, because the festival offered some finger-licking, slap-your-mama meals that were affordable and satiable.  One meal to highlight was “The Veggie Thing”.  This was a piece of art in itself.  A sandwich served on a white flour tortilla filled to the top with a variety of veggies and sauces, that was sure to leave your belly full, and your mind happy.  Thirsty? Hand squeezed lemonade and frozen cherry limeade were some of the many drinks served at the festival. The sweet, tart lemonade was shaken not stirred and served in Mason jars.  This drink option was sure to quench a festival goers thirst in the warm, afternoon sun.

When people think about festivals, they often think art, music, dance, and culture.  What is not often thought about is the function of the festival.  Is this an event that is just for pleasure and entertainment, or does it get deeper than that, and provide some sort of escape from reality? While camping in middle earth (the name of our camp site), it occurred to me that the sense of community was very shire-like.  Everyone getting along, enjoying ales and sing-alongs, lending a hand whenever a neighbor was in need…we were in hobbit world!  I even think I saw Gandalf several times, or maybe that was just a hippie…not sure. Regardless of what your background was, the festival did provide an escape from everyday life—which was nice.  If nothing else, the festival gave one a relaxing environment to be a part of something big.  It’s not everyday that you get to climb festival mountain…

With the festival closing, a feeling of reality crept back, and we began to descend off festival mountain.  Thankfully the mountain will open back up next spring for another four-day escape.  Hopefully we can use the philosophy of the Shakori Hills festival in our everyday life.  Meaning, I hope we can strive to be hobbit-like, regularly.  Let’s build communities through arts and education, y’all!

Peace, Love and Swirl!

- Andrew, "The Cosmic Cowboy"

finalses_mixdown_small2

 

Arctic Monkeys return to Raleigh with Smith Westerns

English indie rock band Arctic Monkeys returned to Raleigh tonight, Oct. 12, and performed at Disco Rodeo. The band visited the venue April 2010, but this year brought along Smith Westerns to open.

Chicago-based Smith Westerns released their sophomore album earlier this year. Since then, they have played with TV on the Radio, Cults and Yeasayer,  in addition to international festivals including Austin City Limits Music Festival, Fyf Fest, Leeds Festival, Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo. The guys were dressed like they were straight out of "Dazed and Confused," and the smiley face-patterned banners behind them just reinforced this thought. They were fun - I sang along and danced. Their hair flew in their face as they strummed popular singles like "Weekend," "Smile" and "Still New."

During the 30-minute set change, I scanned the crowd. Unfortunately, this took away a lot from the show. I was behind a young fist-pumping boy and constantly trying to hold on to my standing room, only with mild success as chains of high schoolers tried to squeeze by. The musically-oblivious bystanders seemed to give more applause at times for the roadies doing soundcheck than the Smith Westerns received, but that may have been in my head.



 

A hooded figure in a golden mask finally came out on stage and hit notes on a keyboard to set the mood for the show. The lights reflected gold beams off the mask into the crowd. The rest of the band came out on stage and began their first song with a blast of energy and great reaction from the crowd. One thing I instantly picked up one is that an Arctic Monkeys show's core is the strobe light - which is amazing, unless you have epilepsy. Luckily I do not, so I could stay. A bit theatrical at times, the band performed with special effects like lights, flashes and smoke. One of my personal favorite moments is when they paired a past-picking guitar riff with an intense strobe-light-only light show. It created the illusion that electricity was coming from Alex Turner and his guitar and filling the room. The crowd went especially crazy for "Fluorescent Adolescent" and "Brick by Brick." At about 10:15, they played their "last song" and went off stage while the crowd chanted their name and screamed with approval of the show.

 

Thou, Make, and The Proselyte, 10/12/11

On Monday, Oct. 12 at King's Barcade, Make, The Proselyte and Thou played an excellent show. Put on by Primitive Ways this show was heavier than any other that has come through Raleigh in a while.

Show Flyer (L. Greenwood)

Make

Hailing from Chapel Hill, Make was a great opener for this show. Heavy, sludgy doom that had a bold psychedelic flavor; Make produces some very excellent metal. Support local music and check these guys out here: Make

Bass

Drums

Guitar

The Proselyte

A nice addition from Cambridge, Mass., The Proselyte bridged the psychedelic feel of the show to a strangely happy yet still dark feeling. These guys brought some great metal to Raleigh, and it was very enjoyable to watch. I've never seen a drummer sing and drum so quickly. A very excellent band; both of their releases have been highly rated (Sunshine (2011) and The Proselyte (2007)). Check them here: The Proselyte.

Bass

Drums, Guitar, Bass

Vocals, Drums, woaaahhh duuude.

Vocals, Guitar

Thou

Holy Dio. This is probably one of my favorite bands that I have seen in 2011. Coming up from Louisiana, these guys played on the floor and had one of the most energetic shows I've been to in awhile. I couldn't get many pictures so you're just going to have to regret not getting your eardrums covered in the sludgy, heavy goodness that is Thou. This five piece really blew me away with their show. I must admit two things helped; one, their excellent blog that allowed me to download their music and two, they played a kick-ass cover of Black Sabbaths Into the Void. Gnarly, dude.

Thou

Thou 2

Overall, as I have previously stated, this was and probably will be one of my favorite shows of 2011. It was heavy and covered in slimy, doom-y sludge. Good job to Primitive Ways for really knowing how to book a good lineup and to the bands, Make, The Proselyte and Thou, for giving Raleigh an excellent Monday night.

-It

Black Keys Announce New LP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_Q9fskIosM

The Black Keys are set to follow up their Grammy-winning album Brothers with El Camino, which will be released Dec. 6 in the United States.

However, their announcement was not without some hijinks. As originally posted by Rock it Out!, the Ohio duo released a video showcasing a van salesman; at the end of the video the release date, a website, and The Black Keys are all connected.

It does not stop there. The website wannabuyavan.com instructs you to call (330) 510-1206, which ultimately leads you to message recorded by drummer Pat Carney about the van he is trying to sell. Unfortunately, this line is almost always busy.

Update: Since this morning's original information was released, more details have come out about the new album including the cover art and the track listing, which is below. The first single of the new album is titled "Lonely Boy," and will be released on Oct. 26.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

El Camino:

01 Lonely Boy
02 Dead and Gone
03 Gold on the Ceiling
04 Little Black Submarines
05 Money Maker
06 Run Right Back
07 Sister
08 Hell of a Season
09 Stop Stop
10 Nova Baby
11 Mind Eraser

 

CMJ Loud Rock from WKNC’s Chainsaw 10/11

1. Absu - Abzu (Candlelight)

2. Anthrax - Worship Music (Megaforce)

3. Nachtbult - Antik (Napalm)

4. Mastodon - The Hunter (Reprise)

5. Thulcandra - Under a Frozen Sun (Napalm)

6. Machine Head - Unto the Locust (Roadrunner)

7. Warbringer - Worlds Torn Asunder (Century Media)

8. Chelsea Grin - My Damnation (Razor and Tie)

9. Hatesphere - The Great Bludgeoning (Napalm)

10. Chimaira - The Age of Hell (eOne)

The 45th Birthday Celebration of The Revolution

From the genesis of N.C. State's radio in 1922 to the first broadcast on WKNC 88.1 FM with a 10-watt transmitter to current day 25,000-watt WKNC, Raleigh has been privileged to have a radio station dedicated to providing an alternative to mainstream radio. Oct. 9 marked 45 years of WKNC and to celebrate we are giving you, fellow listeners, the chance to come out and party hardy with a FREE show on Friday, Oct. 14.

Kings Barcade and Diggup Tapes will host the big event where Stu McLamb from The Love Language, Lonnie Walker, Juan Huevos, and Hidden Cat will fill your sound holes with pleasing and body moving vibes. Stu McLamb will be opening with a solo cover song performance and YOU can help choose the songs. Check out the Facebook Event and leave suggestions in the comment portion.

The early bird gets the worm at this event as WKNC will be giving away party favors to the first 20 guests! The cake is also not a lie at this birthday bash as it will be ready and waiting for your consumption as well as screen printed T-shirts for purchase.

All the cool kids are going to this happenin' soiree, so be cool and come celebrate WKNC's 45th birthday!

Minus Sound Research Opening Reception, 10/7/11

On Friday, Oct. 7, I made my way up to Motorco Music Hall in Durham for the opening reception of Minus Sound Research. I’ve never been to MSR or Motorco before (actually, this was my first show for WKNC, hooray!) so I had no idea what to expect. MSR is an annual art exhibition featuring artwork by local musicians. It started in 2006, and different artists are featured every year. The art shown is specifically created for MSR, so each year is a unique experience.



After making my way through the parking lot that was I-40, I finally got to the show. People were milling around outside drinking beer, playing foosball, and eating food from the food trucks outside. Inside the building, which looks like it used to be a car garage, people were checking out the artwork on the walls and watching two women perform some sort of slow-motion body art. It was interesting, and received a few skeptical looks from the crowd.



Unfortunately, I got to the show so late that I completely missed Inspector 22, the first singer to perform. Birds and Arrows started playing at about 7:30 p.m., and although the acoustics weren’t that great, people were really enjoying their music. The lead singer, Andrea Connolly, had a voice that could sing softly in one line and powerfully in the next. Her husband (who I could totally tell was her husband, even before she introduced him to the crowd, because they had such great chemistry on stage), Pete Connolly, joined in for backups and harmony. What really made them stand out was the cello player, Josh Starmer, who added a lot of depth to their music. Throughout their set Andrea made eye contact with the audience and was all smiles; you could tell they loved being on stage.



There were other artists performing afterward, but I unfortunately had to leave early.

The MSR exhibit runs until Dec. 3, and even though it’s a small collection, I would check it out if you’re in Durham.

Shakori Hills Grassroots Music Festival

WKNC DJs were on the scene for Shakori Hills Music Festival, a rollicking four days of music, art, and family-filled fun on the euphoric hills of Chatham County.

Das Racist, Danny Brown, Despot at Lincoln Theatre, 10/4/11

The night started off slowly at Lincoln Theatre on Tuesday, Oct. 4. Greeted by the musical stylings of Insane Clown Posse and a technicolor beach scene emblazoned with the mandate “RELAX,” the pockets of young folk scattered throughout the venue seemed unsure of how to proceed. From the chatter, I gleaned that most knew at least one of the acts was but few knew all three, myself included.



A fairly short, red-headed man with a wholly acceptable beard took the stage in the form of Despot just after 9 p.m. to the crowd’s mild interest. People pushed forward a bit. There were some heads nodding and a few brave souls mouthed lyrics but everyone else was still waiting for the show to start.

I had never seen Despot perform before and I thought he had a good presence on stage. He came across as a little spaced out at times, but his delivery was clean and he was genuinely funny between songs. At one point he set his mic down and attempted to lead the crowd in some light aerobics, which I felt was a refreshing change of pace from the usual hands-in-the-air nonsense. Near the end of his set he announced: “This next song was written in a remote cabin in your state during a schizophrenic freak out. You should be proud!”

Danny Brown was clearly more of a crowd favorite. He and rapper friend/acting hype-man Dopehead (who seemed to be doing his level best to eat the microphone while he was rapping) got those proverbial hands in the air with nonchalant delivery and more bass than the audience knew what to do with. Brown himself was all swinging arms and shrugging shoulders bound up in the best exotic fish Hawaiian shirt I’ve seen in a while. He was obviously enjoying himself, so I had no problem following suit.



Next up: Das Racist. The joke rap/weed rap/whatever rap trio was obviously who everyone was waiting for. Suddenly Lincoln Theatre seemed a lot more crowded. Maybe not Hopscotch crowded, but space was definitely at a premium within spitting distance of the stage.



Heems started off by claiming that they were Skrillex and introducing almost every song as “another dubstep banger.” Their set drew pretty heavily from the group’s first non-mixtape release, Relax, but there were quite a few classics sprinkled in (notably, “You Oughta Know,” “Rapping 2 U,” and "Who's That? Brooown!"). Lakutis, who had been DJing/cuing music and samples via laptop for all three acts, even took up a mic to perform a song from his own upcoming release.



 

At one point the audience was asked to throw any old non-smart phones they had onto the stage. Someone actually threw an old flip phone up and Kool A.D. proceeded to call that person’s mother and rap his verse to her in the next song.

Danny Brown and Despot came back out for an all-star rendition of “Power” near the end of the set. Kool A.D. took a few stage dives. Lakutis triggered that air horn sample (you know the one) a few hundred more times. It was a fun set. I caught up with Dapwell after the show for a few minutes in which I told him that Atlanta was a 30-hour flight from Raleigh and he told me about a new auto-tune pedal they’re going to work into the set. I borrowed Heems’ charger when my phone died and he didn’t really mind.

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tUnE-yArDs and Pat Jordache at Cat's Cradle, 10/5/2011

On Oct. 5 I had the pleasure—nay, the honor—of seeing the amazingly eccentric and talented experimental freak folk band tUnE-yArDs with opening act Pat Jordache at Cat’s Cradle. I was so excited about this show that I got there an hour and a half early with fellow DJ Salt Water Jaffee and ran to the stage to post up front and center so I could be as close as possible to my queen, my goddess, Merrill Garbus.



I was a little apprehensive when the first person to come on stage for Pat Jordache was a man who was all ribs and muscle in nothing but a pair of overalls and gold chains: no shirt or shoes. He sat down behind the 10+ drum set and began playing. His talent and obvious passion for banging stuff blew my mind. A few seconds later the second drummer came out and began beating the crap out of a tom tom and a snare. Then out came the guitarist, crutching along with a hurt foot. Jordache, front man/bassist/keyboard extraordinaire with a haircut not grown in the U.S., was the last to appear and began to serenade us with his deep, throaty cooing against heavily present bass, brain rattling drums, and airy guitar. The band is kind of New Wave, somewhere between Joy Division and Fleet Foxes.

Jordache was the perfect warm-up act for the insanity that arose when Garbus stepped on stage with her painted cronies in color blocked clothing.




If you’ve never heard of tUnE-yArDs, you’re missing out. It is everything I’ve ever asked for from the music gods: powerful, loud, tribal, catchy, sexual, dance-y, eccentric, and a downright good time. The band is most famous for live vocal and percussion looping, strong melodies, and Garbus’ insanely African-influenced singing style and inhumanly wide vocal range. I melted into the monitor I was leaning against out of sheer amazement when she hit her high notes in the song “Powa.” Such a loud and powerful sound is strange coming from Garbus, the close-to-five-feet-tall howling singer with half of her head shaved and colorful paint on her face. She was constant smiles and giggles with a few funny faces thrown in.

One of the most enjoyable parts of the show was not how much fun I and the rest of the audience were having as we “worked it out on the dance floor” (Garbus herself commented on how insane the crowd was), but how much fun the band was having. While Garbus was cheerily strumming on her be-stickered ukulele, the two saxophone players jumped around banging pots and pans and danced like hunchbacks at a disco. The bassist was the epitome of cool on the opposite side of the stage, bopping along and slapping his bass. But when he stepped up to the microphone for a bit of a vocal solo, the crowd went nuts, which shows the love the fans hold for tUnE-yArDs is not just rooted in the front woman, as is commonly the case, but in every single member that contributes to the masterpieces that are every song they release.





Throughout the show I noticed that almost all of my fellow audience members new the words to every song she played. It wasn’t a case of everyone knowing the words to “Gangsta” or “Bizness” but not “You Ves You” or “My Country.” I can honestly say that this is the first show I’ve been to where the people that were there truly wanted to be there more than anything else in the world. I’m sure they will agree with me when I say that this concert was not just another show; it was a spiritual experience.

~Hurricane Julia

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Top 30—WKNC’s Top Albums of the Week 10/4

1. Various Artists - GRPTPS vs. PTLCK (Grip Tapes)

2. Cant - Dreams Come True (Terrible)

3. Mogwai - Earth Division (Sub Pop)

4. Sleep Over - Forever (Hippos in Tanks)

5. Veronica Falls - Veronica Falls (Slumberland)

6. Megafaun - Megafaun (Hometapes)

7. Drums - Portamento (Frenchkiss)

8. Weekend - Red (Slumberland)

9. Memoryhouse - The Years (Sub Pop-Arcade Sound)

10. St. Vincent - Strange Mercy (4AD)

11. Wilco - The Whole Love (Anti)

12. Blitzen Trapper - American Goldwing (Sub Pop)

13. Apparat - The Devil's Walk (Mute)

14. Toro y Moi - Freaking Out (Carpark)

15. Neon Indian - Era Extrana (Mom and Pop)

16. Wu Lyf - Go Tell Fire To the Mountain (L Y F)

17. Wild Flag - Wild Flag (Merge)

18. Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Mirror Traffic (Matador)

19. Blood Orange - Coastal Grooves (Domino)

20. CSS - La Liberacion (V2-Downtown-Cooperative)

21. Tasseomancy - Ulalume (Out Of This Spark)

22. Wooden Shjips - West (Thrill Jockey)

23. I Break Horses - Hearts (Co-op)

24. Iceage - New Brigade (Dais-What's Your Rupture)

25. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Hysterical (Self-Released)

26. Hella - Tripper (Sargent House)

27. Jens Lekman - An Argument With Myself (Secretly Canadian)

28. Pepper Rabbit - Red Velvet Snowball (Kanine)

29. Jacuzzi Boys - Glazin' (Hardly Art)

30. Mister Heavenly - Out of Love (Sub Pop)

EOT 70 Raleigh Elections 10/4/11

This episode, we provide coverage on the Raleigh elections taking place on October 11th, including interviews with two of the three mayoral candidates, and a school board candidate from district 8.  We discuss the two bonds also up for approval next week and the Occupy Raleigh movement.  We also got some elections-related soundbytes from around campus, and as always, the weather.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT70_100411.mp3

Update: Local Bands In Studio This Week

Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, Des Ark will be postponing the band's in-studio performance on Oct. 5 to a future date.

No worries though, as the band will still be performing at Shakori Hills this upcoming weekend (Oct. 6-9)!

Moogfest 2011 - Get entered to win!

North Carolina is on point with fall music festivals - in September, Raleigh hosted Hopscotch Music Festival. This weekend, Pittsboro will have Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival. At the end of the month, Moogfest will reign in Asheville.



Moogfest, named for Bob Moog, the inventor of the Moog synthesizer who was a research professor at UNC-Asheville, is back for its annual music festival during the weekend of October 28 – 30.  Different venues across Asheville's downtown will host The Flaming Lips, STS9, Passion Pit, TV on the Radio and many more.  In addition to a packed lineup, there will also be artists in panel discussions, question and answer sessions, and workshops.  One thing I'm particularly excited about is the opportunity, in honor of Moog himself, to try out a variety of Moog instruments. There will also be visual art exhibitions, installations, and film screenings.

WKNC has two pairs of weekend passes to give away for this event - but it will take a little luck! Each day until October 21, one WKNC DJ will do a giveaway to get a listener put into a drawing the tickets. During Local Lunch on October 21, DJ Kligz will do the drawing live on-air and announce the recipients of the weekend passes.

 

Go ahead and put our studio lines on speed dial so when the WKNC DJ asks for it, you'll be ready to win!

(919) 860-0881 or (919) 515-2400

Male Bonding rock the Brudenell Social Club

Consider this an introduction, partly because many of you may have never visited nor even heard of the lovely Brudenell Social Club. The main reason for this is because it is in Leeds, England, where I, DJ Ones, am currently stationed for my year on exchange. I found myself looking for great music clubs in this fine city and stumbled across the Brudenell Social Club, where I learned that KNC favorite  Megafaun had played a handful of days before my arrival in the U.K. When I heard that Male Bonding would be playing a couple of days later on Oct. 1, I grabbed a new friend with a funny accent and headed over to the Brudenell.

After the doors opened at 7:30 p.m. and four local bands played with mixed reactions from the crowd, Male Bonding finally took the stage in this modestly-sized baseball field-shaped club.

Coming off of the release of their new, cleaner sounding album Endless Now I wondered how their new material would translate to the scruffy sound of their live shows. The show itself highlighted the best of this relatively new band's already impressive two albums. A mixture of sounds from their previous two records leaned towards the fulfilling and more abrasive rock sound of their debut Nothing Hurts. This combined with the scrappy tracks of their debut produced a cohesive and enjoyable rock experience.

About halfway through the set I realized what was at the heart of some of their best material: the percussion section. From the visceral bass introduction to songs like "Weird Feelings" to the faster drums of "Year's Not Long," the sound came across with both style and substance. Fast-paced, upbeat, and to the point, Male Bonding put on one hell of a live show filled with few breaks and constant excitement.

It was with the last song, "Year's Not Long," that ended the night on a high note. Male Bonding provided a set full of controlled chaos: a fine balance of frantic instrumentals and cohesive songwriting. The sound in the Brudenell was great, Male Bonding was a bottle of energy, and their set was satisfying and memorable as a first for myself in the U.K.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/12024458[/vimeo]

 

The Joy Formidable & Fang Island at Cat's Cradle, 9/28/11

The poetic guitar riffs of Fang Island resonated through the air and walls of Cat’s Cradle as we (Da Bear, Hot Tamale, MayDay, and Sarahnade) rolled up to the club. The energy of Fang Island was contagious, as the crowd danced and continuously banged their heads. Fang Island consists of three electric guitar players, a drummer, and bassist. Their skill on guitar was evident as they passed the lead lines from player to player, each player equally capable of shredding on guitar at incredible rates. The crowd responded most vehemently when the band broke out into their song “Daisy.” They were a great opening band to prepare the crowd for The Joy Formidable.

The Joy Formidable, hailing from Wales, contains only three members but their stage presence and performance was not indicative of this basic setup. The front woman, lead vocal, and electric guitar, Ritzy Bryan, was seemingly innocent and coy when not playing but turned into a fierce and erratic musician upon the start of the first song. With wide eyes she communicated intensity to the crowd. Their music was surprisingly thick and layered for a three-person band. It was all encompassing but not overwhelming.

The largest reaction from the crowd came during “The Greatest Light is the Greatest Shade.” They continuously made strong efforts to connect with the audience and were very appreciative of the support given. The concert gained momentum throughout and finally climaxed during the last song in a whirl of energy including thrown drum sticks, distorted guitars, and a semi-destroyed stage. The crowd brought them back on for an incredible encore of one last 10-minute song. When finished the band and crowd seemed truly exhausted and satisfied by the inconceivable performance.


Da Bear, Hot Tamale

My Whole Love of Wilco

First, Nick Lowe is cool.  As Jeff Tweedy said when Lowe came out to accompany Wilco for two songs (including one of his own), "It's okay to like Nick Lowe."  He was a perfect opener.  He played solo, just him and his pretty, old Hummingbird.  Sure, this is the guy that people mostly (if not only) know for "Cruel to Be Kind," and that seemed to be the main criticism of him I was hearing.  But I scoffed at these doubters - these fools would doubt anyone that Wilco choose to play with them.  His guitaring was smooth, his lyrics were smart, and he was cool.  Supreme.

Now, Wilco.  "Who's your favorite band" can be a pesky question if you don't have a ready answer.  Wilco's been mine since early high school.  This span of favoritism has included weeks without their music and days of listening only to them, but even when I'm not listening to Wilco I know that I'd like to be.  With 75 of their songs on my iTunes, adding up to more than five hours and 19 albums (and EPs, Singles, Compilations, etc.), they surely outnumber any other artist.  (This doesn't even include Loose Fur or any other side projects.)  Plenty of their 4+ minute songs have over 30 plays, and the star ratings... plentiful.  I love them.

So, hooray for Raleigh.  We hosted Wilco's new album (The Whole Love) release party, and we got a shout-out for housing their merchandiser, Kung Fu Nation. Many of my Wilco-friends thought The Whole Love has restored their faith in the band, and it's their favorite album since (blablabla yadayadayada), etc.  Yes, the new album kicks ass, but for me, so do the old albums--all of them.  Songs from their Wilco album already feel like classics, and hell, so do half the songs from their newest album.  They proved their range of greatness with a killer set and a magnificent encore.  There's nothing like knowing every song.  This is their set list as recorded by me (comment corrections if necessary):

1. Art of Almost

2. I Might

3. Rising Red Lung

4. Ashes of American Flags

5. Bull Black Nova

6. I Am Trying To Break Your Heart

7. One Wing

8. Dawned On Me

9. Born Alone

10. Impossible Germany

11. Say You Miss Me

12. Whole Love

13. Pot Kettle Black

14. Handshake Drugs

15. War on War

16. Black Moon

17. One Sunday Morning

Encore

Shot In The Arm

Jesus, Etc.

36 Inches High (Song by Nick Lowe, with Nick Lowe)

I Love My Label (with Nick Lowe)

Red-Eyed and Blue

Walkin'

I'm The Man Who Loves You

One hell of a night.  Tweedy called it out himself.  Honestly, though... it could've been a little louder (and I had great, close seats).  I'll be glad to see them as many times as I can.  They produce a poster for every single concert they put on.  If that's not some indication for how much they care about their shows, I'm not sure what is.  You can always count on bits of Tweedy's character in between songs. This evening was not filled with rants between each song, but there were a few gems to prove how personable he can be (plAAAtinum).

Local Bands in Studio This Week

With Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival going down this upcoming weekend, two local bands playing at the festival will be coming into the studio for a chat before the fun!

Peter Lamb and the Wolves will be at WKNC this Monday, Oct. 3 from 11-12 p.m. to chat before the Local Lunch and Des Ark will be in studio on Wednesday, Oct. 5 from 2-3 p.m. Expect some live performances in each interview and insight on what makes Shakori Hills the event that it is.