EOT125 Doctor Unemployment 9/10/13

This week's top stories are a doctor's unemployment crisis in North Carolina and N.C. State's role in the advancement in electric cars.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT125_091013.mp3

EOT124 Homeless in Moore Square 9/3/13

A new semester and a new "Eye on the Triangle." In this edition, we talk about recent controversy surrounding feeding homeless in Raleigh's Moore Square.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT124_090313.mp3

Post-Scotch: Interview with High Highs

Whenever I was told that I was going to interview High Highs I had to admit that I was not terribly familiar with their music. However,I was quick to change that whenever I started listening to their songs and immediately became addicted to their smooth and dreamy vocals. Their lead singer, Jack Milas was kind enough to give us a call just a couple of hours before their show started on Friday Night at the Memorial Auditorium. Now I would be lying if I said I was not a bit nervous for this interview, because I definitely was. With the popularity that High Highs received with their song “Open Season” I was afraid that their fame would get the best of me; but boy was I proven wrong as soon as the conversation took hold.

Once the phone was answered, Jack’s Australian accent was quick to erase any possibly tension that could have been formed prior to. Being very laid back and respectful to all the questions, Jack was able to make the interview seem like a conversation that I could have had with one of my closest friends.

The question from this interview that stood out the most was the one that we asked most the artists we interviewed at Hopscotch which is “If you could describe your sound as a room, what would that room look like/have in it.” Instead of one of the very obscure rooms that I heard in previous interviews, Jack simply put that his room would be a cathedral. It was in this instance that I gained a whole new respect for Jack and the band as a whole, because they were completely correct in the answer. Not just for its wonderful acoustics, but also religious setting, the room seemed a perfect fit for their echoing and powerful lyrics. Jack was able to represent his band beautifully in the all too short interview that he provided myself and the station with on Friday afternoon. You better bet that I didn’t pass up their set that night either.

http://interviews.wknc.org/highhighs090713.mp3

Post-Scotch: Interview with Jamaican Queens

Where do I start with these guys? I knew from the beginning that the interview was going to a little out of the norm just by the way these guys sound and perform their music. With that being said, that is the exact reason I looked forward to the interview so much (and trust me, my expectations were definitely met).

Pretty much exactly on time, the entire three piece band consisting of Ryan Clancy, Ryan Spencer, and Adam Pressley walked right up to our 88.1 WKNC table at Wristband City and formerly introduced themselves. Once the interview was on its way, the band seemed to be having a little fun with it while also pointing out that their music is definitely different than most of the indie rock scene today. When asked how they were different, they did not hesitate to explain that it is because of their live foam party shows and mixture of unique sounds and lyrics. The band went on to say that if they could describe their sound as a room, then it would be the live portion of an Applebee’s restaurant; which you can take whichever way you possibly want.

Throughout the whole interview and even through the end of it, I was having a hard time letting the thought out of my mind that this band could be the next big thing; because it is definitely possible. Being a fairly young band and on the rise with extremely infectious music, how can one not think that? I was just glad Jamaican Queens decided to drop by WKNC on their quick and inevitable ride to the top.

http://interviews.wknc.org/jamaicanqueens090713.mp3

September's Local Artist of the Month: Loamlands

While Loamlands may be a name that is new to us, Kym Register and Will Hackney are seasoned veterans of the Triangle music scene. Kym and Will were half of Midtown Dickens, the post-folk quartet that stole the hearts of everyone in the Triangle and had even begun garnering national attention from the likes of NPR. Midtown Dickens began as a DIY duo between Kym and Catherine Edgerton. Soon it began to grow into much more as Will and Jonathan Henderson joined the line-up. Midtown Dickens released three full-lengths that spanned an impressive eight year career. But as 2012 came to a close, the quartet began to see themselves going in different directions. In February, Midtown Dickens announced their indefinite hiatus and Loamlands was born.

The new duo immediately set to work constructing their debut EP Some Kind of Light due out September 24th on Trekky Records. In July, the duo set to work to record the EP with Brad Cook from Megafaun on the bass and Kyle Keegan from Lost in the Trees behind the drums. These five songs pull from a lot of the great talent surrounding them in this musical hotspot, but when put together create something entirely new. This EP is a promising glimpse at what is in store for this experienced duo. Be sure to tune into The Local Beat on September 20th for our exclusive Local Artist of the Month interview and live performance from Loamlands.



http://loamlands.tumblr.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Loamlands
http://www.trekkyrecords.com/bands/loamlands/

Check out their first single here!

Check out their upcoming tour dates:
September 7th, The Pour House Music Hall, Trekky Records & Team Clermont present DAY-DREAM: Hopscotch Day Party
September 20th, The Pinhook, Loamlands EP Release with Hiss Golden Messenger and Miles Cooper Seaton

http://interviews.wknc.org/loamlands092013.mp3

EOT123 Wolfpack Welcome Week 8/20/13

New and archive stories about Packapalooza and Wolfpack Welcome Week.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT123_082013.mp3

EOT122 Beat Battle 8/6/13

In this edition of "Eye on the Triangle" we hear an interview with Crystal Taylor about The Underground's Beat Battle Aug. 7 at Deep South and a Southbound 85, one of the bands performing at this year's Packapalooza.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT122_080613.mp3

EOT121 College of Sciences 7/9/13

Fastmed urgent care has many locations around North Carolina. Not only do they provide medical care, but they also run a program to keep our state's athletes out of the hospital in the summer. Deondre' has more on Fastmed and there Keep Cooler program.

N.C. State is ushering in a whole new college to unify our sciences. This college is bringing forth a plethora of new opportunities for our students and the public. Here is my interview with Dean Solomon of the new College of Sciences.

Our last story highlights an up and coming lawyer turned comedian who will be performing in Raleigh, Thursday night. Alex Barnett is also a contestant on the comedy world series with an interesting story to tell. Deondre' has more.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT121_070913.mp3

July’s Local Artist of the Month: Bombadil

Bombadil are an eclectic chamber folk band out of Durham, North Carolina. Their name is derived from the J.R.R. Tolkien character Tom Bombadil from the Lord of the Rings. Tom Bombadil is a witty, peculiar character who speaks and sings in playful rhymes. The name "Bombadil" encompasses the quartet perfectly as they deliver their sophisticated pop feel of a bygone era in their eccentric suits.

In 2002, Stuart Robinson (piano) and Daniel Michalak (bass) met on an orientation trip for Duke University. The two began making music together. In 2004, Daniel met fellow Duke student Bryan Rahija (guitar) while studying abroad in Bolivia. They returned to the U.S. with a few demos as well as some of the local flare that still shines through their signature sound. Daniel, Stuart, and Bryan enlisted Daniel's brother John on the drums and the quartet soon began making music together under the moniker Bombadil.

The head of Ramseur Records stumbled upon a few demos and immediately signed them. In 2006, they released a self-titled EP. In 2007, John left the band. One Craigslist ad later, they had found James Phillips to man the drum kit. With the new band assembled they completed and released their first full-length album A Buzz, A Buzz in 2008. The album as well as their energetic live shows found them receiving more and more attention. They found themselves touring all across the U.S. and playing festivals such as Bonnaroo and Floydfest. Now with recognition as well as some mileage as a band, they hit the studio again to record Tarpits and Canyonlands. By the time the album was released, the band had fallen into limbo. They declared themselves in a state of hiatus as Stuart had left the band and Daniel was suffering from nerve damage in his hands.

In November of 2010, the quartet reconvened at Pendavavis Farm near Portland, OR (where the Decemberists recorded The King Is Dead) for an intense, ambitious 10 day recording session that would become All That Rain Promises. After more than a year off, Bombadil had come back from the brink. The album was officially released in 2011. 2012 saw the return of Bombadil as they began regaining the momentum that they had. They also began test driving songs for their newest effort Metrics of Affection due out July 23rd. Although Bryan has stopped touring with the band to finish grad school, the other three have hit the road hard this year in support of their upcoming album.

After overcoming every possible obstacle, Bombadil is back and better than ever before. They are hitting the road with a new ferocity and cohesiveness. They are four incredibly talented musicians who continuously write music and hone their skills. There are not too many bands these days with 4 vocalists, 4 songwriters, and a producer. If their recent shows are any indication, Metrics of Affection is bound to be their best album to date. Check out the album cover and tracklisting below.



Bombadil will also be playing having a Metrics of Affection album release show at Lincoln Theatre on July 27th at 9pm. They are sure to have some special surprises in store.  If you missed the Local Artist of the Month interview with Bombadil in which we talked about the new album and debuted quite a few new songs, you can listen to it below or you can subscribe to our iTunes podcast.

http://bombadilmusic.com/
https://www.facebook.com/wearebombadil

http://interviews.wknc.org/bombadil071113.mp3

EOT120 SPB Resignation 6/25/13

Some very big changes took place on the student leadership front on campus, leaving us with a new student body president and plenty of unanswered questions. Deondre seeks to answer a few of those in this next story.

N.C. State students are constantly doing really big things in this world. This week, Andrew got the privilege of interviewing Christina Hammock,  an N.C. State alum who now works for NASA. We are sorry for the quality of the phone call, please understand that Christina was calling from the island of Samoa, reception is a little weird over there.

Our last story highlights the growing nonprofit drive here in Raleigh, starting with our university’s nonprofit studies minor. Deondre’ has more.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT120_062513.mp3

EOT119 Cameron Village 6/11/13

Packapalooza is a giant family NC State tradition that is on the rise. Here is my interview with the former student body president about this year’s Packapalooza.

Cameron Village has a bit of hidden side to it. Do you know about the old Cameron Village?

Campus is abuzz right now with the sounds of heavy machinery and loud drilling. I sat down with transportation to figure the whats and whys of summer construction.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT119_061113.mp3

Out! Raleigh Interview

The Out! Raleigh family friendly street festival will take place Saturday, May 4 on Fayetteville Street's City Plaza in downtown Raleigh. WKNC DJs Jacob and Benny Mac preview the third annual event with two members of the Out! Raleigh festival leadership team: Kellie Burris, Executive Committee & Vendor Relations, and James Miller, LGBT Center of Raleigh Executive Director.

From the Facebook event page:

Out! Raleigh celebrates North Carolina’s LGBT community, families, friends and supporters in a family-friendly atmosphere. The day-long festival will feature a main stage performance area for regional and local musical groups as well as local dignitaries and speakers. A KidsZone will provide free activities and educational entertainment for young children. All of Fayetteville Street from the State Capitol to City Plaza will be closed for the event, allowing businesses and non-profit organizations to set up vendor spaces to interact with the visiting public. Businesses and restaurants in the surrounding downtown area will be encouraged to welcome and support the festival attendees.

http://www.interviews.wknc.org/outraleigh0513.mp3

EOT118 Chocolate Excursion 4/30/13

Jake and Gene went all around Raleigh, trying some of the city’s best chocolate shops and bakeries for what turned out to be a delicious excursion.

Gene spoke with a rather interesting professor of hers,  a professor in the department of physics, Professor Fortner.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT118_043013.mp3

DiggUp Tapes Interview

WKNC's DJ Jacob had the opportunity to sit down in studio with Nathan Price, co-founder of DiggUp Tapes, on Friday, April 19. The two discussed forming the band The Mark Tobeys, DiggUp's cassingles series, DiggUp on tour, Record Store Day on April 20, and what's next for the record label/show promotion company.

http://www.interviews.wknc.org/diggup0413.mp3

EOT117 SBP Campaign Violations 3/26/13

Take any political election, and you're likely to find some amount of violations of code or conduct, and our school election is no different. Deondre’ Jones has more.

Gene Zhirnov recently had the chance to speak with one of the students currently running for president of the student body. Matthew Williams dropped by to speak with gene about the election and what he would do if elected student body president.

Now, we were curious about how you, the Wolfpack, felt about all this campaigning on campus recently. Do you love it? Glad it’s over? How interested are you? We went to find out.

The Hellzapoppin’ circus will be making a stop tomorrow night at the Pour House in downtown Raleigh. Andrew recently had the opportunity to speak with Brice “The Guvnuh” Graves about just what the hell the Hellzapoppin’ circus is.

Last year UNC physics professor Paul Frampton was sentenced to four years of house arrest for attempting to smuggle drugs through Argentina. Here’s Deondre’ with more.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT117_032613.mp3

EOT116 Raleigh Economy 2/26/13

In honor of N.C. State’s  anniversary, the university hosted different speakers and scholars on spurring innovation in the workplace here in the Triangle area, and the role that N.C. State plays in spurring growth.

Recently, a controversy has broken out over the alleged mishandling of cases of reported rape and other sexual assault crimes on the campus of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Deondre’ Jones did a little research into this worrying problem.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT116_022613.mp3

EOT115 Gun Control 2/12/13

Interview with Lauren Collier, president of UAB about the controversial Dirty Bingo event.

Interview with Paul Valone, president of Grassroots North Carolina, a pro second amendment organization.

Interview with Jeovannah Hunter, Nubian Message columnist advocating for tighter gun control.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT115_021213.mp3

 

EOT114 Male Contraception 2/5/12

College is a time when young people have been known to get active. And occasionally, sometimes that activity can… bear fruit. And if you're a guy hoping to put that off for a couple of more years, then you might want to listen up. Deondre’ has more.

Our very own Jasmine Shepherd was recently one of the hosts of a charity date auction, where bidders got the chance to bid on dates with different participants.

As a rule, I try to keep personal opinions regarding serious issues off the air. But recently our new governor has outlined some of the changes he hopes to implement with regards to our state’s higher education funding.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT114_020513.mp3

February's Local Artist of the Month: Baobab

This Durham-based musical project takes its name from one of the most intriguing and diverse trees in the world.  It is the national tree of Madagascar, and it is impossible to find two that are the same.  Much of the same could be said for Phil Torres.  His music is a very unique blend of folk, electronic, and world music.  His music is driven by acoustic guitar, a plethora of percussive noises, a splash of melodic electronic noises, and his vocals which seem to be an instrument of their own.  His self-titled debut was released last year and already it has taken much of the Triangle by hold.  It is incredible how one man could have written, performed, mixed, and mastered such a complex album on his own especially since it is his first effort.

Phil Torres, in addition to fronting Baobab, has a MS in neuroscience and spent a year as a visiting graduate student in the philosophy department at Harvard.  He has just published his first book entitled A Crisis of Faith: Atheism, Emerging Technologies and the Future of Humanity.  Whitney Trettien joins Torres on-stage for live shows.  She is a Ph.D. student in English at Duke University.  Despite their busy lives and amazing intellect, they still find time to wow us lesser mortals with their inspiring music.  They are a spectacle to see live as they loop guitars and synths over vocals complete with live drumming.  In addition to the music, Torres also makes some interesting videos to accompany some of his songs.

Baobab can be seen touring at various venues around the Triangle.  With a double album release party coming up on the 22nd with Virgins Family Band at the Local 506, we can look forward to some great things ahead.  This album, aptly titled BAYOHBAHB, will be released by Hand Eye Records. After playing for a year now with these first batch of songs, we can expect Torres' restless spirit to have somehow found a way to improve upon his already perfected craft of beautiful, percussive acoustics with complementing electronics.  With a project that started for Torres as a retreat from writing his book, we can only hope that Baobab has become as important to Torres as it has to the Triangle music scene.

http://baobabtheband.com/
http://baobabmusic.bandcamp.com/
http://www.facebook.com/baobabtheband

Check out the interview and in-studio performance with Phil Torres accompanied by the Virgins Family Band below which also included some exclusive premieres off the upcoming album BAYOHBAHB.

http://interviews.wknc.org/baobab020713.mp3

EOT113 Coed Campus Housing 1/29/13

UNC-Chapel Hill recently started the process of introducing gender neutral housing to the campus, learn more in this show. EOT interviews the president of UNC’s Residence Hall Association about the process of integrating coed housing.

Men and women living in the same suite? What do you think? Grant Buckner asked around campus earlier, here’s what people had to say.

Warehouse districts are common in cities throughout the world, and in recent decades many have undergone transformations into local hotspots of urban life. Now, Raleigh is trying to encourage a new art hotspot with a warehouse right downtown.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT113_012913.mp3