Listen to win My Morning Jacket tickets

My Morning Jacket closes out their month-long summer tour with Band of Horses Sunday, Aug. 26 at the downtown Raleigh Amphitheater. WKNC listeners will have chances to win tickets all this week, so keep your radio on 88.1 FM.

General admission tickets to the pit area in front of the stage are gone, but tickets for the front two seated sections and the lawn are still available via Live Nation. A dollar of the ticket price will be donated to the Neuse Riverkeeper Foundation.

You can get geared up for the show with this new music video for "Outta My System" featuring Wolfpacker Zach Galifianakis as the wizard!

http://youtu.be/oPYQHQ4-kKo

Identity Festival hits Charlotte

Live Nation's Skullcandy Identity Festival kicked off its American tour on August 11, which has electronica lovers nationwide all hyped up.  With three stages and numerous acts,  it promises to be a rowdy dance party.  It might be overwhelming for some, but it will definitely be a great end to your summer (which ever date you make it to).

The festival is hitting North Carolina on Tuesday, August 16, and Charlotte's Verizon Wireless Ampitheatre is  set for an amazing lineup! The quality and amount of artists booked for the show has me incredibly excited about an adventure to the Queen City. I'm most excited about Rusko, Nero, and Steve Aoki, but the rest of it will be great as well. Datsik, Chuckie, and DJ Shadow are also at the top of my to-do list.

As far as safety & fun goes:

1. STAY HYDRATED!


2. Take a map & event lineup


3. Be open to new music


4. Only take permitted items (see official site for details)

Bon Iver slated to stop in Raleigh—and we have tickets!

Live Nation Concerts presents Bon Iver in concert Friday, July 29 at the Raleigh Ampitheater with special guests The Rosebuds. Tickets for Bon Iver at the Raleigh Ampitheater go on sale this Friday, May 13 at 10 a.m. at LiveNation.com, but we have them now! Just be the correct caller when the WKNC DJ asks for it at 860-0881 or 515-2400, and score a pair of tickets to the show. Both bands are supporting new summer albums, so this is definitely an opportunity not to be missed!

And because we love you....

We have Mumford & Sons tickets!

Live Nation will be presenting English folk-rock band and recent Grammy performers, Mumford & Sons to the Raleigh Ampitheatre for a June 8 performance. Tickets for Mumford & Sons at the Raleigh Ampitheatre go on sale this Friday at 10 a.m. at LiveNation.com, but 88.1 has them now. When the WKNC deejay asks for it, be the correct caller at 919-860-0881 or 919-515-2400 and score a pair of tickets to the show!

The Decemberists are coming in June...and we have tickets!

The Decemberists have a busy summer ahead of them. Lucky for us, their whirlwind "Popes of Pendarvia World Tour" will bring them straight from Bonnaroo to our fair city for a Saturday, June 11 performance at the Raleigh Ampitheatre. Best Coast will join The Decemberists for this and at least three subsequent shows.

Because WKNC is so awesome, not only do we have five pair of tickets to bestow upon our lucky listeners, we have them well before the tickets actually go on sale. If you aren't one of the lucky ones, you can pick up your own pair starting Friday, March 18 at 10 a.m. via Live Nation.

We have Pretty Lights tickets!

Just in time for spring, we have tickets for the down-tempo electronic sound of Pretty Lights at the Raleigh Amphitheatre on Tuesday, April 19. Tickets for Pretty Lights at the Raleigh Amphitheatre are on sale at LiveNation.com this Friday, February 18 at 10 a.m., but WKNC has them now. Just be the correct caller this week when the DJ asks for it and win a pair of tickets!

Stone Temple Pilots reschedule Raleigh concert

Stone Temple Pilots have announced a change in tour dates for a handful of their upcoming shows, including two in North Carolina. Previously scheduled to play Tuesday, October 5 at the Raleigh Amphitheater, Stone Temple Pilots will now perform two weeks later on Tuesday, October 19. The October 6 show at Charlotte's Road Runner Mobile Amphitheatre will now be October 20. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club will still open for both Live Nation shows. All purchased tickets for the original dates will be honored for the rescheduled shows.

WKNC will also have tickets to the rescheduled show to give away the week of October 11.

Vampire Weekend Ticket Giveaway! (No sparkly skin required)

Vampire Weekend will be playing with special guest Beach House at the Raleigh Amphitheatre on Sunday, October 17 in support of their new album Contra. Tickets go on sale at Livenation.com on Friday, August 27, but WKNC has them now.  Just be the correct caller when the DJ asks for it, and you could win!

STS9 Comes to Raleigh Amphitheatre

Wanna go so Sound Tribe Sector 9 at their August 25 show at The Raleigh Amphitheatre? Well, you can get tickets now at Livenation.com or be the correct caller when the WKNC DJ asks for it, and you could win tickets!

Pilots and Bikers and ticket giveaways - oh my!

Stone Temple Pilots and special guest Black Rebel Motorcycle Club will be playing at The Raleigh Amphitheatre, Tuesday, October 5. Tickets go on sale at Livenation.com on August 20, but you can get them here now. Just be the correct caller when the DJ asks for it to win.

Last chance for Barenaked Ladies with Ben Kweller tickets!

Did you miss the chance to win Barenaked Ladies with Ben Kweller tickets? Well, we still have tickets for their show July 31 at the Raleigh Amphitheater. Just be the correct caller when the WKNC deejay asks for it, and you could win tickets for you and a friend to the show! Tickets are also available at Livenation.com.

We have tickets for the 2010 Honda Civic Tour!

All this week WKNC will be giving away tickets for the 2010 Honda Civic Tour featuring Paramore with Tegan and Sara, New Found Glory, and Kadawatha going on this Friday, July 23 at the new Raleigh Amphitheatre. Just be the correct caller when the WKNC deejay asks for it, and you could win tickets for you and a friend. Tickets are also available at Livenation.com.

Electric Giveaway! We've got MGMT tickets!

Want MGMT tickets? Well have a listen and win! MGMT is currently on tour in support of their sophomore album, Congratulations.  They will be playing at the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium on Wednesday, November 3. Tickets will be available soon at Live Nation.com, but 88.1 has them now. All this week, when the WKNC deejay asks for it, be the correct caller to win tickets for you and a friend.

Fishin' for Phish tickets? Look no further!

Beginning this week until the show on July 1 at the Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion, WKNC will be giving away pairs of tickets for Phish. Just be the correct caller and you could win tickets for you and a friend! Tickets are also available at Livenation.com.

The Avett Brothers are coming home, and we have tickets!

North Carolina natives The Avett Brothers have announced a show at the Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion on October 8, 2010. The public on sale for The Avett Brothers concert on Friday, October 8 at Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion in Raleigh has changed to Friday, June 25 at 10 a.m., but WKNC has them now.  Just be the correct caller when the DJ asks for it and you could win tickets to the show!  Tickets will be on sale at LiveNation.com, the Hardee’s Thickburger Box Office, Ticketmaster, or charge by phone 800-745-3000 beginning Friday.

Barenaked Ladies and Ben Kweller, Oh My!

All this week WKNC is giving away tickets for Barenaked Ladies with Ben Kweller and Angel Taylor for their show July 3 at the new Raleigh Amphitheatre.  Just be the correct caller when the DJ asks for it, and you could win tickets for you and a friend!

Danzig Giveaway

Heavy metal band Danzig is coming to The Fillmore Charlotte on June 16 with Seventh Void.  Tickets are available at Livenation, and WKNC has a few pairs to give away as well.  Just be the correct caller when the WKNC DJ asks for it, and you could win tickets for you and a friend to rock out in Charlotte.

DJ Ones' Five Music Facts from the past week

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

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

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

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

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

March Madness

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

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



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

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



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

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



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

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

Ticketmaster/Live Nation merger passes

It happened. In a huge blow to music fans, artists, and venues, The United States Justice Department has approved a merger of companies Ticketmaster and Live Nation, making the new company the biggest monopoly in the entire music industry.

Ticketmaster CEO Irving Azoff is quoted in a CNN article as saying, "Their resolution is a great win for fans. The entertainment industry needs innovation and we are ready to deliver." This could not be any less true. If you've ever been to an event put on by Live Nation or Ticketmaster, you've likely payed anywhere from $10 to 30, just  in "service" fees. Sometimes these fees can be nearly as much as the base ticket price itself. With the new merger, these fees are likely to go up even more. These fees are in no way "innovative," but in my opinion, a greedy way for the two companies to grab even more money from the concert-goer.

Proving that both companies are either egomaniacal or delusional -- I would guess it's likely the former -- Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino said in the same article,  "This is a good and exciting day for the music business, and we are close to finalizing the creation of a new company that will seek to transform the way artists distribute their content and fans can access that content."

I don't think there is anything  good or exciting here, folks. The only transformation in the way fans are able to "access that content" are likely to be, as mentioned before, even higher "service" charges.

If this hasn't convinced you that Ticketmaster and Live Nation are bad companies that care nothing about music, take this into account: Ticketmaster runs a ticket-resell site called TicketsNow. Prices for tickets on TicketsNow are not simply $10-20 dollars higher than the actual ticket prices. Try multiple times the actual ticket price. The really bad part? Ticketmaster takes a cut of the profits earned from this site, directly promoting humongous, greedy markups on ticket prices. Last year, when tickets for Bruce Springsteen's US tour went on sale, when fans went to the Ticketmaster site to purchase tickets, they were automatically redirected to TicketsNow. The Boss was not happy.

I could go on about the myriad other ways this merger is detrimental to the music industry. Instead, however, I recommend reading the "Key Facts" page of the Ticket Disaster website, as well as exploring the rest of the site and signing the petition. You can also email your State Representatives asking they take action to pass laws against this type of merger. The music community, whether it be artists, fans, or venues, need to stand up and fight back against the bullying that Ticketmaster and Live Nation have been doing for so long.

*Thanks to music blog Consequence of Sound for the tip