Local Beat Mini Exclusive: The Huguenots

The Huguenots have been getting airplay on WKNC for nearly four years now, but the group has yet to release anything official but some spare demos. That is until April 8, when the group is putting out their first LP. The Huguenots are known for the super poppy and upbeat music they seem to craft effortlessly and their enjoyable live shows, but finally, the band will release some tangible music. Founding member York Howie came in to represent the band and share a couple unheard tracks from the upcoming album. It had been awhile since I interviewed the Huguenots, so we caught up and took a look back at where it all began at UNC Asheville. York was a wonderful guest and gave us an insightful look into the recording of the album and told us how it all came together.

The Huguenots: Local Beat Mini Exclusive

You can catch the Huguenots at their album release show at the Local 506 on April 8 where they are playing with the Tomahawks. Tickets are $6

Local Beat Mini Exclusive: A Rooster For The Masses

It has been quite some time since A Rooster for the Masses put out a new album, but the popular local group is doing just that on April 15 at Kings Barcade when they release their third and newest LP No One Is Ready. Still upbeat with a touch of disco and an air of reggae, ARFTM has certainly kept the same vibe with this record as their past discs, and that is a wonderful thing.  Founding member Adam Eckhardt and myself shared a brief 30 minute conversation where he reflected on the history of the band and its current state as well as the new album. We also listened to several new tracks including "No One Is Ready," "Make Much Sense," "At The Gates," and "Die By Day." Give it a listen below:

A Rooster For The Masses: Local Beat Mini Exclusive

The doors open at 9 p.m. and the show starts at 10 p.m. Greensboro-based Decoration Ghost and Raleigh favorites River City Ransom are also playing. Tickets are $6 online and $8 at the door.

Local Beat Mini Exclusive: Brooks Wood Band

Many of you may have thought you had heard the last of the Brooks Wood Band after they called it quits awhile back  in 2008 when Brooks Wood decided to move up to NYC to try the solo thing.  However, the band is putting out a brand new album titled Good Timing, which the group has been working on for the better part of the last two years.  Local Music Director Nicole Kligerman sat down with the group to talk about the new album, hear some live songs, and chat about the album release party/reunion show tomorrow evening at the Pour House.  Full Proof and Jordan Lee are also playing the show, which begins at 10 p.m.  The show is $5 in advance and $7 at the door.

Take a listen to the interview and be sure to check out the show:
Local Beat Mini Exclusive: Brooks Wood Band 5/25/10

Also, be sure to download the two live songs the band played in the Local Beat ReverbNation page.

Local Beat Mini Exclusive: A Benefit to Battle Multiple Sclerosis

This Thursday at Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, five bands will be getting together to raise money in a show aptly named "A Benefit to Battle Multiple Sclerosis." Zach Terry, Mark Simonson, Emily Bidgood, and Lee Bidgood all joined me at the station yesterday to talk about this local cause and concert, which will include sets from The Sundowners, Mt. Moriah, Whiskey Smugglers, Mandolin Orange, and Last Of The Great Sideshow Freaks.

Multiple Sclerosis is a disease in which your body's immune system eats away at the protective sheath that covers your nerves. This then interferes with your brain's communication with the rest of the body. Ultimately MS can destroy the nerves themselves, which is irreversible. Symptoms of the disease vary widely, ranging from numbness or tingling in parts of your body to loss of vision, double vision, and even dizziness. People with severe cases may even lose the ability to walk or speak (Mayo Clinic).

During the interview, we talked about the show, where the proceeds from the concert will go, the inspiration and reasons behind putting on a Multiple Sclerosis benefit, and other ways people can get involved.

On this Mini Exclusive, you will find two songs performed in studio by Whiskey Smugglers along with a never before released track from Mark Simonson.

Take a listen:

Mini Exclusive: A Battle To Benefit MS

Local Beat Mini Exclusive: The Debonzo Brothers

This Friday in Raleigh at Slim's Downtown Distillery one of the newest bands from the Triangle is releasing their first recorded material.  The Debonzo Brothers are putting out their debut EP, Places, which was recorded earlier this year and finally completed just a little while ago.  You may think this was a quick process for a band that only played their first show last November, but all the members of the band (Keef & Jeff Debonzo, Grant Emerson, and Chris Hibbard) are all tried and true musicians from the area who have been playing live for quite a long time.

Places is getting it's debut release right here in this blog with almost all of the tracks from the EP being leaked in the interview below.  We chatted about the history of the band and the different members, including both of the actual Debonzo Brothers and their non-Debonzo bandmates.  We explored the sound and recording process of the EP and also pumped up the show Friday.  Take a listen below:
Local Beat Mini Exclusive: The Debonzo Brothers 5/19/10

You can catch the Debonzo Brothers this Friday at Slim's Downtown.  Fellow Raleighite Jason Adamo will also be sharing the stage and the doors open at 9pm.

Local Beat Mini Exclusive: The Big Picture

Earlier today Johnny Tunnell (of the Never) dropped by WKNC to chat about one of the newest music projects in the area: The Big Picture. Started up about two years ago between the Tunnell brothers (Johnny and Joah) The Big Picture remained completely unknown until recently. Adding some new members to the band, Heather Tunnell, Nick Radford (Annuals), Leah Gibson (Lost in the Trees), and Alec Ferrell the group is playing only their second gig ever tomorrow evening at the Nightlight in Chapel Hill.  The show starts at 9pm and the Physics of Meaning and Josh Mease are also playing.

Johnny and I chatted for awhile (this isn't exactly a "Mini" exclusive, its almost 40 minutes long) but we did touch on the history of the band, the song writing, and an interesting way in which the band's music will be released this summer.  I am not going to share all, you will just have to listen but included in this interview are three songs recorded by the Big Picture, as well as one Big Picture cover of a Future Kings of Nowhere song.  Take a listen:
Local Beat Mini Exclusive: The Big Picture 5/5/10

Local Beat Mini Exclusive: Deliver Me From Nowhere

This week I sat down for yet another Local Beat Mini Exclusive as there will once again be no normally scheduled Local Beat (due to baseball programming).  Rob Koegler and Jason Kutchma came in to chat about a really interesting and unique concert happening this Friday evening at the ETC Auditorium of the North Carolina School of Science and Math titled "Deliver Me From Nowhere- A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska."  A collaboration of different musicians from Red Collar, Midtown Dickens, COW, Mount Moriah, and the Rosewood Bluff are coming together to play the entire album in it's entirely.  The show is only $10 and all proceeds are going to benefit the Coalition to Unchain Dogs and the Southern Coalition for Social Justice.   The concert begins at 9:30 p.m. though a free showing of Terrence Malick's 1973 film, Badlands, will begin at 7:30 p.m.  The screening of the movie is free of charge.

In this Local Beat Mini Exclusive, Jay, Rob, and I chatted about the bands playing the show, the charities, and the reason behind throwing this concert.  Jay also brought in his acoustic guitar and a harmonica and played two tracks from Nebraska for us which you can listen to in the music player to the left.

Take a listen to the podcast below and feel free to download the covers at the Local Beat ReverbNation page.
Local Beat Mini Exclusive for Deliver Me From Nowhere

Local Beat Mini Exclusive: Drughorse One EP

You may or may not have heard of the local music collective that calls itself Drughorse. If you haven't, this may be due to the fact it is not one group, but rather a collaborative of several different local bands. Mount Moriah, The Love Language, Twelve Thousand Armies, Josh Moore, The Tomahawks, plus others all claim to be a part of this mysterious and secret gang of musicians. However, it seems the veil is slowly being lifted as a Drughorse EP is hits the streets tonight at the Local 506 in the form of an EP called Drughorse One.  Only three bands are presented on the EP, The Light Pines, Max Indian, and Ryan Gustafson.  It makes for an excellent Local Beat Mini Exclusive.

Carter Gaj of Max Indian and Tom Simpson of the Light Pines came in to chat with me about this new six-song EP as well as the Drughorse "Cartel." The guys played four covers of songs by 4 different Drughorse associated bands, which are free to download at the Local Beat ReverbNation page and you can listen to them to the right in the music player. Album artwork, the recording of the EP, and details to certain songs were all topics of conversation. I also spent a great deal trying to pry and gather details about this mysterious musical franchise from the fellas but didn't find out very much -- just that it seems to be a bunch of amazing musicians who hang out and share bands with each other. It is a seemingly exclusive club and begs interest and intrigue to all outsiders. The new EP is absolutely fabulous and will leave you begging for the new Drughorse related albums set to be released this coming year.

Take a listen to the interview:
Local Beat Mini Exclusive: Drughorse One

Be sure to head out to the Local 506 tonight. Doors are opening around 9 p.m. and it only costs $7!

Local Beat Mini Exclusive: Blag'ard

This morning I had Chapel Hill band Blag'ard come join me for a Local Beat Mini Exclusive to chat about their brand new album Mach II which is being released tonight at the Reservoir in Chapel Hill and at the Dive Bar tomorrow night in Raleigh.  The show tonight will feature a magic and burlesque show with Rosie Hellfire and Reverend Spider with Michael Rank and Marc Smith doing an acoustic opening.  There will also be free vegetarian chili to warm your bones.  The show at the Dive Bar is featuring Asheville art-rock act Solito. Both shows are free.

Blag'ard is a duo and this is their third release and their second LP.  We chatted about the making of the album, which was done mostly analogue, and partially recorded at Track and Field Studios.  It also came up in our conversation that Adam is the third drummer of the band to have a child while being in the band, a topic which is fairly interesting.  In addition Joe chatted about his website Pig Zen Space, a music download Web site with all proceeds going to the artist.

Listen below for more:
Local Beat Mini Exclusive: Blag\'ard

Local Beat Mini Exclusive: The Love Hangover

Yesterday on the Local Beat, we were filled to capacity for our three hour show (a recap with interviews coming soon) and so I had to exclude one of the coolest shows next week, the Love Hangover, which is happening at the Pour House Music Hall in downtown Raleigh once more.  However, because The Love Hangover is just this cool I decided to do a watered down, short version of the Local Beat, for podcast only.  Caitlin Cary and Matt Douglas came in to play some tunes and chat while we got the creator of the Love Hangover, Richard Alwyn to call in from NYC to talk about the history of the show and it's many new incarnations across the United States.

The Love Hangover is Monday night at the Pour House starting at 8pm and costs only $7.  It features duets that include:

Caitlin Cary & Matt Douglas
Sara Bell & Phil Cook
Alexandra Day & Hunter MacDermut
Karen Kletter & Aly Khalifa
Rachel Hirsh & John Booker

We had some technical problems but were finally able to work out the kinks for what turned out to be a great interview.  Listen below:
The Love Hangover

Also, check out the Local Beat ReverbNation player below to hear the two beautiful covers that Matt and Caitlin performed for me and feel free to download them.


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