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.

 

Want to womp your face off? We have Bassnectar tickets!

I was so excited when I heard Bassnectar was planning to come to Raleigh. I saw Bassnectar at Bonnaroo this summer, and it was one of the best performances I saw all weekend. There were the "classic" Bassnectar songs, like "Basshead" and "Magical World," along with remixes of everything from punk music to pop. The light show was mind blowing - it just perpetuated the crowd's energy. Long story short, this is a show not to miss (unless you have an exam Friday morning, like me).

Bassnectar will play the Ritz Theatre @ Disco Rodeo on Thursday, September 22nd. Two Fresh and DJ Laura will be opening.

Tune in during Afterhours this week to win a pair of tickets to the show. Request lines are (919) 860-0881 and (919) 515-2400. Just be the correct caller when the DJ asks for it.

 

WKNC Interviews Interpol

Interpol is on tour, and they are Cat's Cradle is presenting their stop at Disco Rodeo this Wednesday, May 4. Hurricane Julia had the opportunity to interview Daniel, the guitarist and backing vocalist for the band. Listen to her interview below and find out about the "New York sound", music Interpol is listening to, Bono's sunglasses, and much more!

Interpol Interview with Hurricane Julia

Silversun Pickups to play in Raleigh

2009 Grammy nominee for "Best New Artist," Silversun Pickups,will be coming to Disco Rodeo, Sunday, June 20.  Though they put out their first EP in 2005, LA-based Silversun Pickups made it big with their hit track "Lazy Eye" off their 2006 album, Carnavas. WKNC will be giving away tickets to the show on-air April 19 to 23.  When the DJ asks, callers will be asked to answer a trivia question about the band in order to win their pair of tickets.

MARS VOLTA SHOW at the DISCO RODEO- CANCELED

Listeners, if you were pumped for the Mars Volta show at the Disco Rodeo tonight, well unfortunately the show has been canceled. There is no official word on why the show has been canceled yet.  If you're still looking for other awesome shows tonight to attend, be sure to check out our Rock Report.

Refunds will be available at point of purchase starting Monday, October 26.  Tickets purchased online or by phone will be refunded automatically. For more information go to www.livenation.com.

Still want to see The Mars Volta?

As most of our loyal listeners know, the Mars Volta show at the Disco Rodeo has been a highly coveted giveaway for the month of October. On several occasions, our deejays have feared the WKNC phone system would literally explode due to the high influx of callers. However, like a big bully tangling a nerdy kid's lunch money over his head, many listeners have come away empty handed.

But don't pick up the D&D dice or that Mountain Dew Code Red just yet. For the rest of the week, WKNC deejays will be giving away the last remaining pairs of the tickets to Mars Volta show on Friday October 23rd. For The Win!



Formed from the ashes of At the Drive-In, Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez formed the Mars Volta a band committed to experimenting with a hardcore and psychedelic rock sound. Now on their fifth album, Octahedron, the boys plan to shake up Raleigh before heading out on their European tour.

Listen on 88.1 or streaming online for your chances to win!

The Mars Volta and more ticket giveaways this week (Sept. 21-25)

It’s Shack-a-thon on the NCSU Brickyard, so be sure to stop by and visit WKNC’s radio shack. You’ll also want to keep an ear on 88.1 for these freebies.

Sometimes we get cool giveaways from Live Nation and sometimes we get REALLY cool giveaways. Consider The Mars Volta in the second category. It’s a win-it-before-you-can-buy-it deal to see the experimental/progressive band Oct. 23 at the Disco Rodeo. Tickets go on sale this Friday, Sept. 25 at 10 a.m. exclusively at LiveNation.com if you don’t happen to be one of our lucky winners.

Other cool giveaways on tap this week include:

• Holy Ghost Tent Revival with House of Fools Sept. 23 at The Pour House


• Mae Sept. 24 at Cat’s Cradle

And you don’t need tickets to see The Future Kings of Nowhere this Thursday for WKNC’s Local Beer Local Band night at Tir Na Nog or I Was Totally Destroying It and Luego as we kick off Fridays on the Lawn.

Concert Giveaways This Week (March 9th- 14th)

Here's what we got for your listening entertainment this week. Tune in for your chances to win!

***Modest Mouse with Mimicking Birds playing @ Disco Rodeo Wednesday March 11th***

Check out our blog for more info on this great show!

Vetiver with Sian Alice Group & Megafaun playing @ Cats Cradle Thursday March 12th

American Aquarium with Bain Mattox and Shot From Guns, & Cary Ann Hearst playing @ Lincoln Theatre Friday March 13th

Zoso (Led Zeppelin Tribute) with Allister Fiend playing @ Lincoln Theatre Saturday March 14th

Modest Mouse Ticket Giveaways!

Modest Mouse (presented by Cat's Cradle ) will be playing at Disco Rodeo on Wednesday March 11th. WKNC is giving a pair of tickets each day starting March 7th till March 11th. Listen to the daytime rock deejays for details on how to win.

Known for "Float On", their first breakthrough single into the mainstream alternative movement in 2004, most people are unaware that Modest Mouse had been around for quite some time. In fact, Good News for People Who Love Bad News was the 6th album released by the indie rock band.  Issac Brock , the band's singer, songwriter and guitarist, grew up poor in suburban Washington and quit school at the tender age of sixteen. Inspired by the grunge era formulating within his own state, Brock created Modest Mouse in the early Nineties and began rehearsing in a shed near his mother's mobile home.

Today, the band is well accustomed to playing sold out shows, touring the world, and are known internationally. Don't forget to tune in for your chances to win tickets to this great show!