WKNC's Guide to New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve is always a very important night. It signifies the end of one year and the beginning of the next. It's a huge responsibility to make sure that you end 2012 on a good note and bring in 2013 in the best way possible. So how do you do this sans Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve? Well WKNC is here to help you make the best decision. This New Year's Eve seems to have something for  everyone in the Triangle. From salsa to jazz, hip hop to indie rock; this New Year's Eve seems to cover all the bases. With so many great options, it's hard to go wrong.

The biggest event of this year is without a doubt New Year's Jazzin' Eve with Art of Cool at the Cotton Room. The headliner of this event is the incredible hip-hop duo The Foreign Exchange. The Foreign Exchange features Raleigh-native rapper Phonte (formerly of Little Brother) and famed Dutch producer Nicolay. This show also features some amazing jazz by the Al Strong Quintet, Marcus Anderson, and Yolanda Rabun along with special guest DJ Apple Juice Kid.  There will also be a special performance by Toon and The Real Laww who were most recently seen bringing down the house at Tir Na nOg for Local Band Local Beer several weeks back.  This event is complete with a chicken-and-waffles breakfast buffet.

If this event doesn't seem quite your speed, Kings Barcade and Neptune's Parlour in Raleigh are hosting New Year's Eve Double Decker Debauchery. This event features DJ sets by Jon Yu, Sean McKee and Michael Perros.  It also includes your customary champagne toast and countdown to midnight, followed by an anything but normal full band set from The Lollipops.  The Lollipops rocked like it was their last moments on earth at Local Band Local Beer's End of the World Party at Tir Na nOg and you can expect much of the same here.  If you haven't seen these guys yet, I can think of no better way to ring in the New Year.

Some other notable events around the Triangle include the Salsa Party at Cat's Cradle in Carrboro featuring Orquesta GarDel & DJ Keith Ward; the Dance Party at The Pinhook in Durham with DJs Shahzad, Treee City, Trademark, and Queen Plz; and the North Carolina Symphony in Meymandi Concert Hall in Raleigh conducted by Jeff Tyzik with special guest drummer Dave Mancini.

With so many great opportunities all around the Triangle, there is no bad way to spend New Year's Eve.  Whether you are rocking with The Lollipops at Kings or watching the acorn drop in City Plaza, you can be assured that you will have a great New Year's Eve.  Check out the full list of events in the Triangle below to find the best event for you.

Raleigh
Kings Barcade & Neptune's Parlour - The Lollipops & DJs Jon Yu, Sean McKee and Michael Perros
Meymandi Concert Hall - North Carolina Symphony conducted by Jeff Tyzik with Dave Mancini on drums
Tir Na Nog - U-Phonik & Wake & District Pipes & Drums
The Pour House Music Hall - Barefoot Manner & The Morning After
Berkley Cafe - GruvGlu LOOPED w/ MCLC, Matic, Special Blend, Severe & Outburst, AudioRush & Xander, Beastmode, Noisydrums, Andrew Cappaletti, Tyler Buck Vs. Bassik, Zom-B, Trizzak, Jordan Clark, SeanEboy & Shuhandz & Roudee
First Night (downtown) - Delta Rae, Jonathan Scales Fourchestra, Saints Apollo, and many more
Deep South the Bar - Hanks for the Memories w/ Hank Sinatra & Debonzo Brothers
Lincoln Theatre - Revolution Raleigh w/ DJ WOBBLE Factory / Vertical & DJ FM
Southland Ballroom - Cry Wolf & Unlimited Gravy

Durham
The Cotton Room - The Foreign Exchange, Al Strong Quintet, Marcus Anderson, Yolanda Rabun, DJ Apple Juice Kid, & Toon and The Real Laww
The Pinhook - Dance Party featuring DJs Shahzad, Treee City, Trademark, & Queen Plz with appearances by Toon and the Real Laww
Motorco Music Hall - The Wusses & The Pusses
Broad Street Cafe - Hog, B Side Project, Spiralfire, & JKutchma
Casbah - Peter Lamb and the Wolves & Kate McGarry

Chapel Hill/Carrboro
Cat's Cradle - Salsa Party with Orquesta GarDel & DJ Keith Ward

S. Gold to Visit 88.1FM WKNC Tonight at 9:30pm

Raleigh native, S. Gold, will be dropping by the studios of 88.1fm WKNC for an interview with Mir.I.am tonight, December 29th at 9:30 pm. S. Gold has been making waves in the rap industry since 2003 as part of LAZRSO Records and recently released a new mixtape, The Storm.

Check out the latest video off The Storm, 'Say Hey.'

Find out more about S. Gold:

Bandcamp | Twitter | Facebook | ReverbNation | Email| EargasmEntertainment | Youtube

WKNC DJs pick the best albums of 2012

Now that the year 2012 is coming to a close us here at WKNC look back at our top five albums of the year once again. Although we might not always agree on what is the most amazing, the love of great music not only kept us excited throughout 2012, but we look forward to the amazing music that it will bring as well. Take a gander at what are a few of the albums we loved throughout this year, as chosen by WKNC DJs. See you in 2013!

 

Sarahnade



1. Caspian - Waking Season
2. El Ten Eleven - Transitions
3. Spider Bags - Shake My Head
4. Pinback - Information Retrieved
5. Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits

 

C. Deuce



1. Yeasayer - Fragrant World
2. Alt-J - An Awesome Wave
3. Hundred Waters - Hundred Waters
4. Sweet Valley - Eternal Champ
5. Miike Snow - Happy to You

 

CMYK



1. Japandroids - Celebration Rock
2. Andrew Bird - Break It Yourself
3. Beach House - Bloom
4. The Mountain Goats - Transcendental Youth
5. Oceanics - Bright People

 

JKG


1. Dan Deacon - America
2. MAKE - Trephine
3. The Album Leaf - Forward/Return
4. Dads - American Radass (this is important)
4. El Ten Eleven - Transitions

 

Zaps



1. Father John Misty - Fear Fun
2. First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar
3. Bowerbirds - The Clearing
4. Lost In The Trees - A Church That Fits Our Needs
5. Jukebox the Ghost- Safe Travels

 

Seagull



1. DIIV - Oshin
2. Tame Impala - Lonerism
3. Ty Segall Band - Slaughterhouse
4. Mac Demarco - 2
5. Beach House - Bloom

 

DJ DiGiorno



1. Howler - America Give Up
2. Beach House - Bloom
3. Dirty Projectors - Swing Lo Magellan
4. Father John Misty- Fear Fun
5. Dr. Dog- Be The Void

 

DJ GRZA



1.  Flying Lotus - Until The Quiet Comes
2.  Andrew Bird - Break It Yourself
3.  Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
4.  Kendrick Lamar - good kid, M.A.D.D city
5.  Alt-J - An Awesome Wave

 

The Mattador



1. Grouplove - Never Trust a Happy Song (Released 2011)
2. Dr. Dog - Be the Void
3. Passion Pit - Gossamer
4. Cloud Nothings - Attack on Memory
5. Supreme Cuts - Whispers in the Dark

 

DJ Smitty



1. The Menzingers - On The Impossible Past
2. Red Collar - Welcome Home
3. Japandroids - Celebration Rock
4. Murder By Death - Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon
5. Hop Along - Get Disowned

 

DJ Ones



1. Andrew Bird - Break if Yourself
2. Tame Impala - Lonerism
3. Sharon Van Etten - Tramp
4. Dirty Projectors - Swing Lo Magellan
5. Grizzly Bear - Shields

 

DJ Salinger



1. The Avett Brothers - The Carpenter
2. Grimes - Visions
3. The XX - Coexist
4. Toro y Moi - June 2009
5. Oberhofer - Time Capsules II

 

Muta



1. GRiZ - Mad Liberation
2. Purity Ring - Shrines
3. Submotion Orchestra - Fragments
4. Badbadnotgood - BBNG2
5. XXYYXX - XXYYXX

 

May Day



1. Beach House - Bloom
2. Purity Ring - Shrines
3. The Walkmen - Heaven
4. The Helio Sequence - Negotiations
5. Oberhofer - Time Capsules II

 

Billy



1.Stripmines - Crimes of Dispassion
2. Oiltanker/No Tomorrow - Split LP
3. The Sword - Apogryphon
4. High On Fire - De Vermis Mysteriis
5. Mob Rules - The Donor

 

Walter-Ego



1. Dan Deacon - America
2. Death Grips - The Money Store
3. Spider Bags - Shake My Head
4. The Mountain Goats - Transcendental Youth
5. Dr. Dog - Be The Void

 

DJ Sweet D



1. Grimes - Visions
2. Purity Ring - Shrines
3. First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar
4. Andrew Bird - Break It Yourself
5. Grizzly Bear - Shields

 

Major Tom


1. Alt-J - An Awesome Wave
2. Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory
3. Tame Impala - Mind Mischief
4. The Shins - Port Of Morrow
5. Beach House - Bloom

 

DJ ACORN



1. Micachu & The Shapes - Never
2. Daughn Gibson - All Hell
3. The Music Tapes - Mary's Voice
4. Schoolboy Q - Habits & Contradictions
5. Murder by Death - Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon

 

Anastassia



1. Japandroids - Celebration Rock
2. Ty Segall Band - Slaughterhouse
3. DIIV - Oshin
4. Grass Widow - Internal Logic
5. Grimes - Visions

 

Spaceman Spiff



1.  Chromatics - Kill for Love
2.  Cloud Nothings - Attack on Memory
3.  Wild Nothing - Nocturne
4.  Grimes - Visions
5.  Divine Fits - A Thing Called Divine Fits

 

DJ CJ



1. Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Psychedelic Pill
2. Carolina Chocolate Drops - Leaving Eden
3. Steep Canyon Rangers - Nobody Knows You
4. Trampled By Turtles - Stars & Satellites
5. Old Crow Medicine Show - Carry Me Back To Virginia

 

ALASKA



1. Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra - Theatre is Evil
2. Sharon Van Etten - Tramp
3. White Lung - Sorry
4. Perfume Genius - Put Your Back N 2 It
5. La Sera - Sees the Light

 

DJ Mason



1. Lost in the Trees - A Church That Fits Our Needs
2. Beach House - Bloom
3. Death Grips - The Money Store
4. Grimes - Visions
5. Here We Go Magic - A Different Ship

 

EOT111 Best of 2012 12/11/12

This show took some time to showcase our best segments of the 2012 calendar year!

Grant Buckner spent his spring break in Chicago, working with residents in some of Chicago’s poorest neighborhoods. Here is his report from the March 19th episode.

Liberty in North Korea is an advocacy group that travels the country on behalf of the oppressed people of North Korea. Here is Deondre’s story from March 27th.

The North Carolina State Rocketry team competed in a National competition to get a rocket one mile into the air. Some listeners might remember Nick Savage. Here is the conversation he had with the team from the April 10th episode.

In that period just after the peak of Summer, right before the hush of Fall creeps over campus, you can always count on the farmer’s market opening up for the first time. The first time you see it open, you know the school year has begun. Here’s Gene Zhirnov from August 28th.

Last August, the world lost a great pioneer in Neil Armstrong. Here from the August 28th episode, is Andrew Eichen’s reflection.

Last August, N.C. State tried to break a North Carolina record by donating one thousand, two hundred, and fifty pints of blood in honor of North Carolina state’s one hundred and twenty fifth anniversary. Although the university ultimately fell short of its goal, Jake decided to record the experience of giving blood for the first time.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT111_121112.mp3

Abuse. Winter Mini-Tour Write-Up

For three days I hit the road with Raleigh's own Abuse., a vicious hardcore act that plays brutal power violence with no time left between songs - just a stripped down, speedy hellstorm of chaos. Being one of my favorite Raleigh bands, I knew I had to hit the road with these dudes once they announced that they would be going on a 3-day mini-tour over winter break. The dates were announced: the dudes would first play in a basement in New Brunswick, New Jersey, another basement in West Philly, and a record store in DC by the name of Smash Records. After the out-of-town dates, they would play a homecoming show at The Berkeley Cafe.

The first day we woke up at around 8AM and filled up the van the guys had borrowed from a friend. After 2 1/2 hours of listening to nothing but black metal and hardcore, we were in Richmond. Richmond, being an awesome place for records, was a stop we had to make on the 9 hour trip to Jersey. After scoring a bunch of sick finds, we were back on the road.

Making hardly any stops, we took on the next 6 hours of the trip and landed ourselves in a residential area by a university in New Brunswick. The guy who lived at the house helped us bring in all the gear and get familiar with the house. The bands that played that night were Godswallower (NJ), Loose Ends (NJ), and Abuse. Moving between the merch table and the show room, I was able to catch most of the sets. Godswallower played a nice mix of blown-out grind and heavy doom. Not bad at all for a first show! Loose Ends was a local hardcore act that drew in a lot of local ragers. Abuse.'s set was super tight and brutal. Considering the show was in a basement, the sound was pretty good!

After the show in NJ, we went and got some of the most delicious (and cheapest!) Mexican food I've ever had with a friend who had been selling records out of his distro at the show. He was nice enough to let us stay at his swanky apartment and use his shower. He kindly sold me an awesome old Green Day EP. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time to flip through his extensive record collection - we had to get up early the next morning to go to New York City.

Although there were no Abuse. dates in NYC, we found it necessary to go since 2 of us had never been before. Driving in Jersey was difficult, but finally we made it to a small parking lot by the Newark train station where we could park for 12 dollars for the whole day. After much confusion, we managed to make it on the train to Brooklyn from Newark. Though cold and drizzly, we all managed to have a great time in NYC. We went to Generation Records, Trash and Vaudeville (some "punk" store we had heard about on TV that we wanted to visit for laughs), Times Square, and a whole bunch of other places in the city. Times Square was incredible - I found myself constantly taking pictures, not caring at all that I looked like the biggest tourist ever. We took a bunch of funny pictures, one being a picture of all of us in Times Square with the Marines. A friend commented on the picture when it was posted on Facebook: "The few, the proud... Abuse".

Abuse. , Me, and The Marines

This LED-flag in Times Square was SO bright that it sucked all the light out of the picture - this was taken outside in the middle of the day!

We made it out of the city at around 3:30 PM so that we could make it to the Philly show. Although we didn't see Fresh Prince, we did manage to have a great time at the show. It was in a basement with a bunch of awesome local bands: Callous, Congenital Death, and Bad Side. Callous played grimy sludge, Bad Side played fun hardcore punk, and Congenital Death had a great mix of crushing female screams and speedy fastcore. The crowd turnout and reaction were both GREAT and I can honestly say it was (crowd-wise) the best night of the tour. After the show everyone came up from the basement and danced to Funkadelic. I would definitely like to go to Philly again, especially since by the time we had arrived there that afternoon it was too dark to get a good look of the city.

Click here if you want to watch the full set from Philly!

After Philly, we had plans to stay at a friend's house in D.C. 2 1/2 hours later, we finally made it to D.C. and crashed immediately. We had plans to see a little bit of D.C. and take a look at the record stores in Baltimore the next morning. Waking up at about 10 AM, we headed straight to Sticky Fingers Bakery after having a nice chat with one of the dudes who lived at the house. I got myself a delicious quesadilla while the other dudes had some bagels. Sticky Fingers is definitely a must-stop in D.C. for vegeterians and vegans!

After getting a bite to eat, we made our way to Baltimore to check out Celebrated Summer Records. To say I was astounded by their selection in vinyl is a total understatement... From new releases to the rare record you always wanted but could never find, Celebrated Summer has it. Shout out to the owner for having the coolest record store ever and to the super nice employee for giving us the inside-scoop on the Baltimore music scene.

Spending most of the day in Baltimore, we tried our best to beat traffic so that we could make it to the D.C. show at Smash Records. On the bill was Vile Faith (a bunch of cool high school kids playing their first show) and raging hardcore act Human Shield. The turnout was great and we had the opportunity to check out the records. Alex, Abuse.'s vocalist, got a superb copy of Bathory's "The Return...", which I was (and still am) extremely jealous of. Human Shield's drummer got Morbid Angel's "Domination" - also an awesome find! Smash Records is definitely one of my favorite places to go to whenever I visit D.C., so I was glad to know that the show was there. The set Abuse. played at this show (music-wise) was definitely my favorite of the whole tour. It was nothing but pure, hateful hardcore. I shamelessly raged from behind the merch table. The dudes who lived at the house we had stayed at the night before were kind enough to let us stay the night again. After the show we got food and chilled.

The next morning we left bright and early at about 7AM because the vocalist had to make it to work by 2PM. In addition to that, Abuse. also had the homecoming show that night with touring bands Recide (TX), Breakout (TX), Manic (GA), and Desist (local ragers, first show!). The show that night was awesome! The touring bands were super nice guys. I missed Manic the last time they came through Raleigh... that was definitely a mistake. Recide, Breakout, and Manic were some of the best hardcore punk bands I've seen in a long time. Desist put on a great show as well. I can't wait to go to future shows with them on the bill.

To round things up, I had an incredibly fun time being sweaty in a van with 4 other guys for 3 days. Abuse. are the coolest guys ever and I am very thankful to have been their merch guy on this tour. Thanks to everyone who gave us a place to stay, the other bands that played, and of course the people who came out to the shows. We had the best time going up north and being treated with superb hospitality. Thank you so much.

-Possessed

Double Barrel Benefit 10 Artists Announcement Coming January 4

We here at WKNC are incredibly excited about the tenth anniversary to our Double Barrel Benefit series, our biggest fundraiser of the year. Each year, we ask artists from all over the area if they are available to help us by providing the triangle with two nights of amazing music. This year will be no different. Double Barrel Benefit is set to take place February 1 and 2 at the Pour House Music Hall in downtown Raleigh, and we would like to invite everyone to come, enjoy some amazing music, and help us stay afloat for another year.

For those anticipating who will be playing this year (get excited, I've seen the lineup, and it looks awesome), we will be doing an official rundown of all eight artists this year during the Local Lunch on January 4. Mark your calendars! Join us from Noon until 1 p.m. on January 4 to celebrate the awesome artists that are playing this year's event.

Afterhours Reunion Show 12/27

DJ Steve Brown and DJ Ben Thomas will be taking over the airways December 27 from 6pm to midnight to play techno, ambient, electro, IDM, and cinematic sounds capes. These two legendary DJs were the originators of Afterhours back in 1997. This year will be the 15th reunion show!

I had the pleasure of helping host the reunion show last year. These guys really have the radio and music experience to make an interesting and enjoyable show. If you want a break from the four-on-the-floor dance beats and want some cerebral electronic tracks, these six hours are for you!

Happy holidays,

Muta

Show Review: Local Band Local Beer - Toon & The Real Laww

Toon & The Real Laww

This week's Local Band Local Beer was an awesome yet insanely odd one.  First off, any time I get the chance to see live hip-hop I'm naturally going to jump all over it, it's just an incredible experience through and through...especially when you've got a live band joining in as well.  Toon & The Real Laww were joined by The Band (not that that The Band), comprised of members of LiLa's rhythm section and a keyboard player that was twerking like his life depended on it, the combination of a live band with the booming bass brought by DJ Shahzad was what made Thursday night at Tir Na Nog truly special.  While the crowd was filled with an abnormally large amount of bougie folks dressed to impress, that didn't stop the crowd from raging like nobody was watching.

Toon & The Real Laww have been building up quite the reputation for themselves, drawing a lot of attention from a heavily acclaimed Hopscotch set and various other local performances, the group is swiftly being mentioned with names like Kooley High, King Mez, and The Beat in terms of top local rap artists.  Toon's clever lyricism and wordplay bounce perfectly off of the precision and finesse of The Real Laww's flow.  Both have bukus of charisma, engaging in practically every audience member in arms reach, and often times a few more.  From free styling with the aid of a few words written by crowd members to the massive amounts of crowd participation, Toon & The Real Laww were an engaging and exciting act, a fantastic to spend a study-filled Thursday.  While the dance party continued on after the set, the dense crowd gave me no room to cook in so I unfortunately had to bounce.

 

Snyp Luciano to Visit 88.1FM WKNC Tonight at 9:30pm

Snyp Luciano will be dropping by the studios of 88.1fm WKNC for an interview with Mir.I.am tonight, December 8th at 9:30 pm. Snyp has been making waves in the rap industry since 2005 as part of Monopolie Records and recently released a new mixtape, The Worst Nightmare.



Find out more about Snyp:

Youtube | Twitter | Facebook | ReverbNation |

Email: Roundtablemusicgroup@gmail.com

Check out the latest video from Snyp, 'Carry Me Home,' off The Worst Nightmare.

EOT110 Human Trafficking 11/27/12

Nubian Message is the premier African American student newspaper here at NC State. And this year, it turns twenty! Jake recently sat down with the newspaper’s editor Kierra Leggett to discuss the newspaper’s history and future.

It’s always important to promote local music, and WKNC is particularly good at that. This week, Grant Buckner spoke with the local band, Eagledown.

Modern slavery is a topic that perhaps many don’t dwell on too often, but it is a problem. And not just abroad. If you know what to look for, you can sometimes find slavery right here in North Carolina. Gene Zhirnov has more.

We're at the height of flu season right now, and  as is often the case with large groups of people spending lots of time near each other, it can often be easy to get sick, and getting over an illness is not fun, as Deondre’ can attest to. It got him thinking, how can one safeguard against getting sick, or what should you do if you fall ill? With exams around the corner, that’s the last thing anybody needs.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT110_112712.mp3

Show Review: O'Brother bring an ear-ringing, bangover inducing show to Kings

It's been over three years since O'Brother played in Raleigh and two since I've seen the mind-blowing post-punk-rockers put on their dazzling live show.  In those past few years the band has been busy playing sold out shows with the likes of Manchester Orchestra and Thrice all over the continent, but alas the Georgia based group is finally making their way out on a headlining tour for the first time in what feels like ages.  Since my last encounter with the O'Bros the band had put out a highly acclaimed debut full-length and signed to Triple Crown Records, a wonderful feat for a band I once sat cross legged for along with fifteen or so others in my hometown of New Bern.  These years of busting their asses on the road and in the studio have clearly payed off though, the band practically up-ended their old style of melodic post rock to a far heavier end of the spectrum, turning what used to be subtle nuances towards a heavy influence has now morphed into a barrage of fast paced, in-your-face post-punk with the occasional yet breathtaking melodic break.  I was anxiously awaiting this show, and having last seen the band as they were beginning to play out with their Beneath Your Garden Window material , I wasn't quite sure of what to expect from this set.  Plus opening act Harvard (or their newer, vowel-less name HRVRD) has been a band on my radar for quite some time and was just coming off of the sold out opening spot for fun. at The Ritz this past Thursday, making this the perfect chance to check out a band that I may be becoming very familiar with soon.

The night started off with the Raleigh locals of Octopus Jones, a band whose work I'd skirted around before checking out the end of their set here at Kings.  While the band brings a fun and upbeat blend of psychedelic surf rock with punk rock undertones, the melodies and lyricism seemed a bit lacking and couldn't really hook in this listener.  Vocalist and guitar player Danny Martin was doing a great job of hamming it up on stage though, adding to the quirky and upbeat vibes given off by the bands self-described "spank-wave boogie".  I only got to catch the last four songs from Octopus Jones before it was onto HRVRD and one step closer to seeing the o'bros!

HRVRD

Before I delve into HRVRD I must admit that I've got a thing against bands without vowels in their name, and while I've embraced a select few thus far (SBTRKT and TNGHT being glaring standouts), I'm always a bit apprehensive to check a band out...especially if they used to have a name that didn't read like a sixth graders notebook cover.  Personal grudges aside, whatever changed about this band when they became HRVRD worked wonders for them, the Charlotte outfit used to give off a larger pop influence than the experimental and haunting tunes that were on display at Kings.  Thought vocalist Jesse Clasen was coughing throughout damn near every song and informed the crowd of his sickness, his vocals were still soaring through the invigorated crowd at Kings.  When I saw Clasen pull out a trumpet after already wowing me with the band's overwhelming live presence I became enamored in this act.  After I saw their use of vocal loops I was sold.  HRVRD combined elements of punk, pop, and experimental music to create a compelling product that's accessible by fans of Manchester Orchestra or Circa Survive alike.  And make no mistake, I've long grown out of the high pitched vocals and chuggy yet melodic guitar thing...the Circa Survive ship never came to port for this fella, but HRVRD have taken that sort of approach and turned it into an intriguing blend of styles that mesh together perfectly.

Sickness aside HRVRD could have easily stolen the show if it weren't for me being such a fanboy of O'Brother.  As soon as the band took the stage I drew myself uncomfortably close despite their live shows being notoriously loud and known to induce "bangovers" by many attended.  Well consider me a bangover statistic, because when the band opened with an old favorite, "Ascension" I was thrust right back into my high school days of losing myself in the same ambient yet ear rattlingly heavy anthem.  The band smoothly transitioned into "Lay Down", the track that marked the beginning of a heavier phase of O'Brother, filled with throaty shouts and heavily distorted guitars but juxtaposed with softer, melodic bridges.

O'Brother

The rest of the show can only be described as painfully awesome, the band was so loud that it was hard to discern much of Tanner Merritt's vocals, even when he was screaming into the microphone.  This volume issue can be a bit of a draw back with a band like this, while their live presence lies heavily in the physicality of their music (you can pretty much feel the bass in your chest, it's fantastic!) the band's lyricism is arguably just as strong.  With a separate floor tom to add depth to the band's already powerful rhythms along with their DIY lighting setup consisting of string lights run over all of their equipment, the on-stage ambience is an equally compelling aspect of the band's performance.  To summarize it, it's all great.  While the mixing at these shows could be a bit better to bring out Tanner's vocals, it's hard to nitpick at a show that leaves the listeners so speechless.  While I miss the melodic side of O'Brother, this band has tread into new territory with their latest releases and their intensity and talent conveys just as strongly through shouts in spurts as it did through their tamer releases.  O'Brother is an absolute powerhouse of an act both on stage and in-studio, but nothing compares to seeing these gentlemen perform live, and Sunday proved just that.

 

 

Insect Minute - Social Insects

Our resident entomology expert Heather Campbell brings us another Insect Minute. This week's topic: social insects.

If you would like to find out more about social insects visit the museum’s website at insectmuseum.org where you also find information about our museum and read our blog where we talk about interesting stuff going on in the world of entomology.

http://interviews.wknc.org/InsectMin11_SocialInsect.mp3

Show Review: Ponderosa brings their southern psychedelia to Kings

Ponderosa

I've only recent caught on to the wonderful music that Ponderosa is putting out.  Based out of Atlanta, Ponderosa aren't afraid of wearing their influences on their sleeves and adding subtle twists to their sounds to create something that's unique in its own sense, but still straddling close to home base.  It'd be easy to say that they're a My Morning Jacket/Band of Horses knock-off because quite frankly they've got astounding amounts of similarity, guitars that are laden with delay and reverb and equally ethereal vocal melodies driven home by powerful harmonies.  However, if your only drawback is sounding too much like another stellar band then my opinion is that you're doing something right.  Studio recordings can warrant these comparisons, but when it comes to live shows Ponderosa brings an intensity that supersedes these expectations.

The show kicked off with a local act, The Cousins.  I went into this show blind to their music and not knowing what to expect, and while the band was incredibly tight for it being one of their first shows together, the tunes just weren't really up to par for the kind of night I was expecting at Kings.  While I'm not saying lineups need to be cookie-cutter and a band should sound like their headliner, I certainly wasn't expecting a Diet Drive By Truckers.  The Cousins combined the grit and intensity of southern driven indie rock tunes with classic rock sentiments of clean electric leads that glide in and out with the rise and fall of their mostly static melodies.  While they certainly filled the room with energy and excitement, I just couldn't get into their music.  They did it in for me when they pulled out their Merle Haggard, "Long Black Veil" cover...and maybe that's just because I've been spoiled to a personal treat of watching Mandolin Orange cover the tune with Josh Oliver and Josh Moore, but their modern-classic rock take on the country classic just did nothing for me.  There's definitely promise within the band, but the songwriting and composition needs a bit of improvement before I go singing any praises.

Ponderosa

Ponderosa on the other hand provided exactly what I'd hoped for from their live performance.  Their full length, Pool Party has been my morning soundtrack for the past few months and I must say that they're a band that puts it all into their live performance.  While their studio recordings are equally dynamic, still capable of evoking strong emotion and nostalgia, their live show exudes a sense of dedication and passion that can only be felt inside of a venue.  Ponderosa delicately lays out beautiful southern imagery through an echoed indie rock lens that makes for a joyous listening experience.  Tracks like "Pool Party" draw on teenage experiences of fading memories, taking the listener back to the humid summer nights that make up the life of southern youth.  "Find a bed and never sleep/Awake at night and steal the sheets", Ponderosa's simplicity is oftentimes the reason that you can connect so deeply with this band, they've taken away all of the filters that can be found within a songwriter's approach and the result is a beautifully honest and relatable record.

While they made a bold leap from the blues driven tunes found in their debut, the new loud/soft/loud psychedelic sound that they've adopted fits them perfectly.  Vocalist Kalen Nash is capable of soft spoken melodies that sweetly fill the airwaves or a startling shout that matches the sudden intensity of tracks like "Navajo'", which boasts a booming chorus and low-key verses.  Ponderosa left my floored, they're a stellar band that has truly re-invisioned themselves between releases, something that was made evident when they came out for an encore of older tunes.  While the tracks were far more blues driven, they contained equal amounts of intensity and honesty.  Ponderosa is a band that can package themselves however they wish, but the passion and talent will always bleed through no matter what.  And that's what makes the mark of a fantastic live band, a title that Ponderosa can proudly wear upon their chests.

Show Review: Conor Oberst at the Warner Theatre

Sitting just three blocks from the White House in downtown D.C. is the extravagant and elegant Warner Theatre. Never had I imagined getting the chance to see the notable Conor Oberst, let alone at such a remarkable venue. This had to be one of the most memorable Thursday nights I have experienced in quite a while, which made the four and a half hour journey to get there all the more worth it.

Opening up for Conor Oberst was Daniel Johnston, a legend himself. A shaky performance by the well-known artist was much appreciated by the entire crowd. He ended his set with the great “True Love Will Find You in the End.”
Although best known for his band, Bright Eyes, Conor Oberst’s music career also includes Monsters of Folk, Desaparecidos, and Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band. Even though on a solo tour, Conor played songs from almost every one of these bands. One might think that the lack of variety in instruments and voices that normally accompany him would take away from the overall quality of the show; however, none of these were really missed and it’s what made for a truly special performance. His emotional vocals filled the entire theatre as the audience sat and listened to songs such as “Milk Thistle,” “Land Locked Blues,” “June On The West Coast,” “Map Of The World,” and of course “Lua.” He would stop once in a while to explain how he wrote the preceding song when he was fifteen years old and how it made him feel slightly embarrassed. This made me remember an interview where he stated that he does not usually play these old songs, which made this particular performance even better.

Conor Oberst on stage

He also played a couple new songs. One he dedicated to his brother’s second child and the other told the story of an old friend. It was these personal connections and his lyrical improvisations that kept the crowd captivated creating a truly memorable night. His two-hour performance was all I had expected and more.

The good news is that everyone in the triangle can experience some Conor Oberst magic for them selves in February when he stops by the Cat’s Cradle on the 17th with his band, Desaparecidos.

Desaparecidos

WKNC Afterhours’ RPM Charts and Adds – Nov. 26

Each week, WKNC compiles a list of charts and adds.

TOP TEN:

1 SUBMOTION ORCHESTRA Fragments Exceptional

2 LUKID Lonely At The Top Werkdiscs

3 BLACKBURNER Planet Earth Attack Cleopatra

4 3:33 In The Middle Of Infinity Alpha Pup-Parallel Thought

5 SOUNTRACK Halo 4 The End

6 BOYS NOIZE  Out Of The Black Boysnoize

7 BASTINADO The Hard Six

8 TWO FINGERS Stunt Rhythms Big Dada

9 MADEON Madeon [EP] Columbia

10 VITALIC Rave Age Pias

Adds:

1 ETIENNE DE CRECY Essentials Pixadelic

2 STEVE BUG Noir Poker Flat

3 DIAMOND VERSION EP 1 + EP 2 Mute

4 SATURDAY, MONDAY "Headshake" [Single] Despotz

WKNC’s Charts and Top 5 Adds – Nov. 27

Each week, the WKNC music directors tally up spins for new releases and submit their top charts to CMJ.

Top 5 Adds:

1 TYVEK On Triple Beams In The Red

2 MOGWAI A Wrenched Virile Lore Sub Pop

3 DEVOTCHKA DeVotchKa Live With The Colorado Symphony Cicero

4 DIAMOND VERSION EP 1 + EP 2 Mute

5 DARWIN DEEZ "Free (The Editorial Me)" [Single] Lucky Number

Top 200: 

1 BABIES Our House On The Hill Woodsist

2 TAMARYN Tender New Signs Mexican Summer

3 MELODY'S ECHO CHAMBER Melody's Echo Chamber Fat Possum

4 BLACK MOTH SUPER RAINBOW Cobra Juicy Rad Cult

5 TY SEGALL Twins Drag City

6 IO ECHO IO Echo Iamsound

7 SIC ALPS Sic Alps Drag City

8 TAME IMPALA Lonerism Modular

9 BAT FOR LASHES The Haunted Man EMI

10 BARBARAS 2006-2008 Goner

11 TAKEN BY TREES Other Worlds Secretly Canadian

12 PRINCE RAMA Top Ten Hits Of The End Of The World Paw Tracks

13 WHY? Mumps, Etc Anticon

14 TITUS ANDRONICUS Local Business XL

15 EL PERRO DEL MAR The Pale Fire Control Group

16 MOUNTAIN GOATS Transcendental Youth Merge

17 CHAD VALLEY Young Hunger Cascine

18 DUM DUM GIRLS End Of Daze SUB POP

19 CORIN TUCKER BAND Kill My Blues Kill Rock Stars

20 SUN AIRWAY Soft Fall Dead Oceans

21 ALT-J An Awesome Wave Canvasback

22 METZ Metz SUB POP

23 PEOPLE GET READY People Get Ready Brassland

24 CHILD ACTOR Victory Fake Four

25 HAMMOCK Departure Songs Self-Released

26 SUFJAN STEVENS Silver And Gold Asthmatic Kitty

27 LUYAS Animator Dead Oceans

28 FLUME Flume Future Classic

29 NIGHT MOVES Colored Emotions Domino

30 SOLID GOLD Eat Your Young Totally Gross National Product

Help Get WKNC an Encore on mtvU!

Back in September you may have seen WKNC featured for a week on mtvU's College Radio Countdown. We had some of our wonderful staff put together a video and more, that can be found here. mtvU shared on Twitter that they would be having an encore feature of the most loved college radio station (who we think is us, duh).

But we need your help!



 

 

 

So, if you'd like to see WKNC featured again, tell the Twitter world! Make sure you use the hashtag #CRC to get your vote in.

Thanks everyone!

 

 

Show Review: A Very Sufjan Christmas!

Sufjan Stevens

Throughout the past decade Sufjan Stevens has cemented himself as one of the most talented and unique artists of our generation, with a diverse array of talents ranging from classically inspired folk pop to the aural adventures of the past few years with Age of Adz and BQE, it's a toss up as to what direction any new music from Stevens is going to take.  When he announced his most recent release, Silver & Gold: Songs for Christmas, Vols. 6-10, I wasn't too sure of what to expect...especially with the lead-off single of "Christmas Unicorn".  The track was as bizarre as it was insightful and infectious (especially the seamless transition into Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart"), which can pretty accurately describe the three plus hours of Christmas inspired material on Silver & Gold.  Shortly after the album announcement came news of the "Surfjohn Stevens Christmas Sing-A-Long: Season Affective Disorder Yuletide Pageant On Ice" tour, a string of shows which would feature good ol' "Sufjy Pants" spreading Christmas cheer by way of his modern takes on Christmas classics as well as his incredible new holiday inspired originals.

While some of the Christmas inspired material is brief and zany, like "Happy Family Christmas" a jaunting yet melodic track wishing that "Just this once for Christmas I want us all to be like one great big happy family", and while the holiday is exactly a month away, Sunday at Haw River Ballroom felt like a gigantic family Christmas gathering.  With hundreds of concertgoers decked out in festive sweaters and unicorn horns, Sunday provided one of the most unique and magical show experiences one could ever wish for.  While opener Sheila Sapputo (better known as singer-songwriter Rosie Thomas) donned a Santa suit for a quirky Portlandia-esque bit of dry comedy, the highlight of the show could be nothing other than the marvelous display put on by Sufjan and company.

The show was broken up into bits of Sufjan originals and highly enjoyable breaks for Christmas classics from the Wheel!Of!Christmas!, a Price Is Right style spin-wheel designed to randomize the carols we've all grown to know and love.  Upon entrance we were all given a songbook, endearingly referred to by Sufjan as our "book of hymnals", and these carols provided for some of the most memorable concert moments in recent memory.  While Sufjan originals like "Sister Winter" and the aforementioned "Christmas Unicorn" stood out amongst the set, the true highlights came from the innovative takes on old classics.  An electronically driven version of "Do You Hear What I Hear?" was a show-stopping performance, featuring vocoded Sufjan vocals and spastic electronic melodies that excellently juxtapose the calm and soothing stylings of the original.  After the Wheel of Christmas selected "Joy to the World" early on in the set, Sufjan brilliantly transitioned into a refrain from "Impossible Soul", a track from Age of Adz, inducing shouts of approval from the crowd.

Sufjan himself described the show as, "running the gamut of Christmas from the profane to the insane", and with inflatable unicorns being thrown out at the same show as inflatable Santa's I'd say it's a pretty accurate description.  The end of Sufjan's set was haltered by the second fire alarm of the evening, but the band took it all in stride and led the crowd in an a cappella rendition of "Silent Night" divided between males and females in the first two verses followed by a harmonious ending as monitors blasted back to life and the set came to a beautiful end.  A roaring ovation from one of the most dense crowds I've seen at Haw River resulted in a three song encore of Sufjan originals from Illinois and Michigan.  Starting off his encore with a beautiful take on "Concerning The UFO Sightings Near Highland, Illinois", the crowds anticipation was rapidly rising and greeted with "For The Widows of Paradise" which started as a solo banjo track and blossomed into a full band performance.  Closing with fan-favorite, "Chicago", Sufjan thanked the crowd for being so wonderful and patient, but all thanks is graciously pointed towards Sufjan, the band, and the fine folks of Haw River Ballroom for housing such a beautiful show.  It's very rare to build a sense of community within a single show, but the "Surfjohn Stephenopolous Sing-A-Long" certainly achieved just that.

Tonight: Blow Me, Sandy at The Pour House

For everyone still drinking in the Thanksgiving spirit, there's an event tonight you may be interested in. While we appreciate what we have, we should also be mindful of what we can do to help others. Tonight The Pour House combines our love for music with altruism and is hosting a benefit concert and silent auction for Hurricane Sandy victims, called "Blow Me, Sandy."

The Pour House hosts several benefits throughout the year. Jac Cain was key in organizing this event.

" I mean a lot of people got nothing. I was lucky enough that Jeff from Hank Sinatra was already trying to do the same thing. He gets credit for the lineup," Cain shared.

The silent auction will have items including recording sessions, gift baskets and more.

"I'm excited about the silent auction," Cain said. "Tres Chicas are donating a house concert. Eric Ambel is donating a day of recording at his studio in NYC. The Pour House is donating a hotel room two tickets and dinner for New Years. Lots of people are contributing."

If you aren't able to make it out today but would like to help out, you can donate or volunteer with The American Red Cross.

 

 

Record Store Black Friday: Thoughts from Local Record Store Owners

Hey y'all,

I hope everyone is excited to get fat and stuff on Thursday.  And then on Friday, to buy LOTS OF LPs!!!  You can peruse the releases that you (might) be able to purchase here (more on that later), but first, check below to see what some real local record store employees are excited about for this upcoming sales extravaganza.

Schoolkids Records' employee Kyle Rosko is excited about a whole lot of releases.  Namely, the Beach Boys Surfin' Safara 10", the White Stripes Live at Hotel Yorba 7", and the Skrillex Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites first press to wax.  I may have made up that last one.

Chaz of Bull City Records fame is really excited about the Scettore Studios Sessions from The Velvet Underground.  This is an acetate release from way back before The Velvet Underground & Nico was released, and features demo/alternate versions of some songs that ended up on that classic album.

Some guy from Offbeat Music in Durham, NC (sorry I didn't catch you name, but your store is great!!)  is apprehensive about the day, because as of when I called him, he didn't know what was going to be coming to the store.  He brings up an interesting point--that retail can be stressful, especially when you're dealing with a bunch of stocking agencies that are smokin' doobies rather than employing high-quality analytics systems that can give record store owners a better idea of what they're getting.  Alas.

That's all I got,

Have fun, eat good food, buy good music!

John

 

WKNC to be off air for 70+ hours in December

In December, during winter break, many of the buildings on NC State's campus along the Cates Avenue corridor will have their electricity cut off due to construction and renovation of Talley Student Center. This includes the building that houses WKNC, Witherspoon Student Center. According to an email from Stephanie White, a customer service representative from the Facilities Service Center:

"This disconnect is necessary for the contractor to enter the manholes along Cates Ave to install pull strings, bell ends, pull mandrels and grout around raceways."

WKNC will be discontinuing on-air and online broadcasting during the following days and times:

• 12/16 – 12/17   10pm – 8am


• 12/17 – 12/18   9:30pm – 8am


• 12/18 – 12/19   9:30pm – 8am


• 12/19 – 12/20   6pm – 8am


• 12/20 – 12/21   6pm – 8am


• 12/21 – 12/22   6pm – 8am


• 12/22 – 12/23   6pm – 8am

 

 

Show Review: Local Band Local Beer - Phil Cook & His Feat w/ Sumner James

Phil Cook & His Feat

Two side projects shone bright on Thursday at Tir Na Nog, as Phil Cook and James Phillips shed their usual full-time bands for a more stripped down and intimate performance for the weekly Local Band Local Beer.  James Phillips (of Bombadil) made his first solo outing with the help of Elyse Thebner (Some Army, JKutchma & The Five Fifths) to fully flesh out his minimalistic electronic act inspired by his stay in Oregon earlier this year.

A far cry from his work in the quirky folk act of Bombadil, Phillips' set up consisted of a laptop from which to blast beats and an array of synths to produce the dense soundscape that sets the somber yet hopeful tone of his solo work.  Joined by fellow local musicians like Stuart and Daniel of Bombadil and Christy Smith of The Tender Fruit, Sumner James transitioned surprisingly well for a debut live act.  Closing with the album's lead-off single of, "Home", James was borderline shouting his heart out on "Losing his mind" in the state of Oregon.  These tunes can be just as therapeutic to the listener as it evidently was for Phillips, much like the deep emotion and soul poured into the mostly instrumental tunes of Phil Cook.

Phil Cook is usually just accompanied by his feet on percussion, but with the addition of Yan Westerlund (brother of Megafaun drummer Joe Westerlund and regular drummer for Bowerbirds) on drums, the fans at Tir Na Nog were treated to a tight and blues driven performance from a vastly underrated local act.  In a mostly electric set, Phil Cook jammed out on open tunings that were oozing with emotion, notes were being bent to his will and captivating concert goers to move and shake like an old revival show.  From instrumental blues jams to a rootsy lullaby sung for his young son, Phil Cook displayed his breadth of talent with dobro jams and a strong sense of musical connectivity with Yan who provided simplistic yet driving rhythms for songs he was mostly unfamiliar with.  For a low key show from local side projects, these two acts displayed vast amounts of talent and promise, making for a fantastic way to spend a Thursday evening.