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)!

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.

IWTDI release new single from upcoming album

Chapel Hill pop group I Was Totally Destroying It (Greyday Records) has a brand new album being released October 1oth at the Cats Cradle titled Horror Vacui. But this morning they dropped their first single from the album, "Come Out, Come Out" on the internet. The song features the Hercules Europe Brass in what is one of the most collaborative tracks out locally in some time. Says the band:

"Most of the time in the studio we have a good idea of how the song goes, what we want to do with it, what it should sound like in the end. With Come Out, Come Out, we took a different direction. John and Hep each recorded two tracks using makeshift drum combinations. There were lots of group vocals, a lot of fun."

You can get a free copy of Horror Vacui at the Cats Cradle October 10th. Also playing the show is a host of other local bands featuring Lake Inferior, Rat Jackson, Des Ark, and Lonnie Walker.

Local Beat Preview 8/28/09

Tonight on the Local Beat looks to be a good time with three fantastic interviews lined up.

At 5pm, Carrboro natives Veelee will be joining me to promote their show this evening at the Local 506 with Free Electric State and Embarrassing Fruits.  The show at the 506 tonight starts at 9:30pm and tickets are $7.  They will also be playing some tunes live on the air which you will not want to miss.

At 6pm Hailey Queen of the Coalition to Unchain Dogs will be joining us at WKNC alongside Sara Bell of Durham based folk rock band Regina Hexaphone to discuss tomorrow's third annual Music For Fences in Durham Central Park. Regina Hexaphone will be playing alongside Rey Norteno, The Kinksmen, and Superchunk.  The show is from 4pm-10pm, $8 in advance and $10 at the door.  All proceeds from the show benefit the Coalition to Unchain Dogs, which is a non-profit organization set up to raise money to build fences for chained dogs.

The last hour of the show is dedicated to Midtown Dickens who are having an album release party for their new record Lanterns, tonight at the Duke Coffeehouse with Mount Moriah and Des Ark (the show starts at 9pm and is FREE).  Founding members of the band Kym Register and Catherine Edgerton are coming in to talk about the creation of Lanterns, gossip about their new band members, and recollect the past 2.5 years since their last album release.  We will also be performing live unreleased tracks from the album as a sneak preview of whats to come this evening in Durham.

So tune into the Local Beat this evening.  5pm-8pm every Friday!  If you don't have a radio or are out of the area, listen online!

Top 10: Des Ark

Hey readers,

It's your lucky day!

Aimée Argote, the powerful voice behind Des Ark is sharing the songs that have been inspiring her this week.

BRIAN WILSON -Our Prayer - Gee
CHROMATICS-Hannah's Song
FILTHYBIRD -The Gospel Of Truth (As Judas Told It To Me)
LIZA KATE -Anclote
LUCINDA WILLIAMS -Fruits of My Labor
MASS MOVEMENT OF THE MOTH -Idle Minds Speak In Binary
NINA SIMONE -Suzanne
NEIL YOUNG -Only Love Can Break Your Heart
PYGMY LUSH -Butch's Dream
VAN MORRISON -Crazy Love

Aimée with be playing at TRKfest on June 13th.

A weekend at Shakori Hills

This past weekend marked the 7th Annual Spring Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance (they also hold one in the fall).

The Shakori family was kind enough to throw some press passes at WKNC so that we could do a little exploring, and we had a great time!

It's four days of camping and music in a very laid back, family atmosphere. When the MC took the stage he made a short announcement to the effect of "We don't care what you drink, just put it in a cup so the kids can't see. Also, we don't care what you smoke, just please don't do it within 25ft of the stage, we have a lot of children up here".  Good enough for me!

There were some incredible acts, including the legendary Dr. Ralph Stanley and his Clinch Mountain Boys. The good doctor has been touring since 1946 and won three Grammys for his contributions to the soundtrack to "O Brother, Where Art Thou?".  I was lucky enough to meet the Father of Mountain Soul at a filming of PBS's Mountain Stage in Bristol, TN/VA in 2006 and seeing him again in this personal setting was the highlight of my weekend!

Other acts included folk artist Des Ark, ambient world-grass The Overtakers (another highlight for me), The New Familiars, Holy Ghost Tent Revival, Big Fat Gap and of course the festival-founders themselves, Donna the Buffalo. Music of all types was present; folk, bluegrass, jazz, soul, reggae and hip-hop.

The festival had plenty of other activities aside from the concerts as well. A poetry slam, morning yoga classes, and an African drum workshop entertained fans of all ages. Stella and I even got our grooves back at the Elikem African Dance Worshop,  (I was definitely the least rythymic person out there).

Overall, a fun time for anyone who had the chance to come out. The perfect weather didn't hurt either.

To learn more, peep the site..    http://www.shakorihills.org/

Ol' River Haynes - The Hippie Hour Sundays 2-4

Local Beat preview 4/3/09

On a baseball-shortened (6pm - 8pm) Local Beat tomorrow (Friday the 3rd), we will be having Scott Phillips from Goner and Chris Jones from the Loners.

Goner and the Loners represent two of four bands that will be rocking Tir Na Nog Saturday night for the Brian Walsby Comic / Melvins CD Release party.  If you want more info, check here.



We'll be talking about the release party and local music in general.  If you have any questions to ask the bands, shoot them to me here or call in during the show at 919-515-2400 or 919-860-0881.

See you out on the airwaves!