EOT17 Redefining Hillsborough 1/18/10

New projects seemed to be a common theme in this week's topics of EOT, from I Was Totally Destroying It's latest video blogs to new Hillsborough Street businesses to a business initiative a student took on, on her own. Subscribe to the full show podcast if you missed out and/or read below for a synopsis.

NEWS
Our fabulous newscasters were in the capitol city this week but did a live broadcast by phone for D.C. The stories they covered included the Haiti humanitarian crisis, Ted Kennedy's seat in Senate, the "Tuition Petition," the Cary and Morrisville merger and the Golden Globes.

SPORTS
As per usual, Correspondents Derek Medlin and Tyler Everett gave us the sports update. The men's basketball team picked up a huge win over Duke Wednesday night in the RBC Center, up ending the No. 6 Blue Devils 88-74 in front of the loudest crowd of the season. A good majority over that crowd, mainly comprised of students, celebrated the upset victory with a court-storming session worth watching. Check it out here. If you want a closer look at the stats, go here.

However, that was not the only point of discussion Monday night -- the two gave us a little commentary on Athletics Director Lee Fowler's future with N.C. State. The discussion Tyler and Derek had Monday night, Derek said barely scratched the surface of the issue of Lee Fowler's tenure at NCSU. There are specifics of this situation, which no one can know for sure, but one thing that does seem to be fairly certain is that rumors about the potential for Fowler's job as Athletics director to be terminated do exist. They have been circulating for some time now and don't seem to be going away. More often than not rumors are just that -- rumors. But when you hear something like this from as many people as we've heard it from, you start to believe that there has to be some basis for them. Tack on the fact that N.C. State named a new chancellor last week, and the writing seems to be on the wall: Fowler might not be the AD much longer. This story will certainly continue to develop during the spring semester and is definitely something that will be touched on again during the sports segment in the future, so make sure to keep checking back. For the episode's full sports segment.

VIP
Hillsborough Street's construction seems to be a never-ending project for many students and businesses. The construction, which is supposed to change Hillsborough Street from a "place people go through to a place people go to," as former Hillsborough Street Partnership Chair George Chapman said, had hurt many businesses and created difficult traffic patterns for vehicles and pedestrians. Chapman talked about how the project is an effort to change the street's image, which is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2011. Listen to what Chapman, students and business owners  (including some new ones!) told Correspondents Matt Moore and Chris Cioffi about the project.

Moore and Luis Zapata also took 950 panoramic photos, turned into video, from a truck, driving from the intersection with Dan Allen Drive on Hillsborough Street to the Bell Tower during the renovations. Check it out! Hillsborough Street

[vimeo]http://www.vimeo.com/9078072[/vimeo]

HEAR THIS
Assistant Daytime Music Director Michael Jones and I sat down with John Booker and Rachel Hirsch from I Was Totally Destroying It to talk about their project of recording video of all their work and sessions leading up to the band's next album and putting up vlogs. Listen to the interview here: Hear This

COMMUNITY CANVAS
Correspondent Meredith Faggart talked to the assistant manager and an employee of a newly opened store on Hillsborough Street, Sugar Magnolia. The store, which originated in Ann Arbor Michigan (called Orchid Lane there), sells free-trade, eco-friendly clothing and accessories. The owners and managers go to their cooperatives around the world -- from South America to India -- and buy the materials themselves from the artisans.

WOLFPACKER OF THE WEEK



Jacob also sat down with art and design major Charlotte Guice, who started her own university clothing apparel business called Olly Oxen.

SOUNDBYTES
Due to some technical difficulties, we were not able to get up the MLK Soundbytes. Apologies! Be sure to check back again next episode for their return -- it's one of my favorite segments!

No show scheduled for 1/25 because of a women's basketball game broadcast, but we'll be back in action Feb. 1 at 7 p.m.!

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT17_011810.mp3

Local Beat recap: 1/22/10

Two Fridays ago on the Local Beat was one for the ages. It had been almost a year since the last time The Old Ceremony marched through out station's doors and the first time that I had ever interviewed them but what a show it turned out to be.  Django Haskins and Mark Simonsen joined me for an abbreviated version of The Local Beat from 5 to 6 p.m. to chat about their upcoming release of their double-EP and their show that evening at the Pour House. Premiering some of their new material for the first time on radio ever we heard acoustic versions of brand new songs such as "Wither On The Vine", "Worlds Too Much", and "Never Felt Better" (check out the ReverbNation player to the right for those) as well as the mastered copy of the title track of the double-EP titled "Tender Age".  Django and Mark also played "Ole" off of their first album followed by the remix version off of The Old Ceremony Remixed album that came out last march.  We chatted about everything from the new album and it's current status to Django's move from NYC to the Triangle almost a decade ago and his fascination with mandarin.  We also briefly touched on their music video for Til My Voice Is Gone which won an award at the LG Film Festival for best video in the Music/Fashion category:

Listen to the podcast of the interview below for the entire conversation:
The Old Ceremony 1/22/10



NC State Women's Basketball                                                                                                   .
The show was cut short due to an ACC women's basketball game between N.C. State and Wake Forest which N.C. State won on a last second buzzer beater!  Congrats to the Wolfpack!

Show at the Pour House                                                                                                      .
Later in the night I headed on over to South Blount Street in time to see Ryan Gustafson take the stage to open for The Old Ceremony and Asheville based band Floating Action.  Many might know Ryan as the head of now defunct band Boxbomb, but if that is all you know then you really need to grab his new solo album Donkey.  Donkey barely missed my top-10 list for best albums of 2009 but it really is a remarkable record.  This was my first time seeing him live playing the new songs and he definitely lived up to my self-imposed hype.  Mark Simonsen joined him for the entirely of his short set and Django went on stage to harmonize during an epic version of "Soul Train".  Ryan is playing next Friday at the Duke Coffeehouse with Max Indian and the Light Pines (as part of the threesome's mini tour).  That is going to be a hell of a show.


Next on the bill was Floating Action, a group I knew very little about.  They reminded me of a surf rock jam band with an incredible slide guitarist.  They were very stoic on stage, but really grabbed the crowd well.


TOC came on a little after 11pm and jumped into a searing set of songs off of Walk on Thin Air. Most notable to me were "Til My Voice Is Gone" and "The Disappear" which I had never heard them play live since this was my first time seeing them in over a year (a mistake I will not make again).  TOC was as tight as ever and perfectly on point with the crowd, which was enormous by the time they took the stage, who sang along to all of the songs and was one of the best audiences I had been a part of in recent memory.  There is little doubt why they are one of the premiere bands in the area as their live performances always outdo their already fantastic recorded material.  The Old Ceremony is unfortunately not currently scheduled for any more dates in our area in the near future but next time they come around be sure to get out and see them perform.


I apologize for the picture quality as I lost my camera about an hour before the show in the black hole abyss of my car. I hope the pictures from my cell phone can do some sort of justice.

Eye on the Triangle recap: 12-07-09

Last semester was quite the semester for N.C. State University and its image. The University was in national news -- and it wasn't pretty, whether it dealt with decisions administrators made, budget cuts because of the economy or corruption within the higher-ups. This image problem affected faculty, staff, students, donors and alumni alike. However, last year was also a  great one for local music, with many memorable events bands have taken part in. So, for the last episode of the semester, EOT brought you an N.C. State semester-in-review of news and sports, and a review of some of the things the local music offered you and the surrounding the community.

NEWS
Tom Anderson and Mike Alston filled in for Evan Garris to bring you this week's local, national and international news. Listen to the podcast if you missed it for updates on the Obama exit strategy for the war in Afghanistan, bipartisan opposition to the Honors Services Law, the most recent bombings in Pakistan, the creation of the new aircraft: Spaceship 2, Raleigh's rating as the 21st city in the nation with the "best bang for the buck," former State Senate Democrat Cal Cunningham running for U.S. Senate, a Gastonia murder trial and more.
News

VIP
I interviewed former student body president and current senior class president, Jay Dawkins, and Student Body President Jim Ceresnak about N.C. State's image, the good, the bad and the grades they give its issues -- ranging from the former N.C. first lady Mary Easley's scandal, which caused the resignations of the University's three top leaders, to the Rally 4 Talley campaign, to research developments at the University. Although Jay and Jim seemed to remain optimistic, it's clear the University has its work cut out for it. Listen to Jim and Jay's analysis here:
VIP

SPORTS
John Cooper Elias, Tyler Everett and Derek Medlin gave us a wrap-up of the semester in sports, a football rundown and expectations for the next semester as well as next year for several sports, including men's soccer and men's and women's cross country. We also discussed the firing that week of Volleyball Coach Charita Stubbs due to what can be considered a terrible tenure for her with the team, as well as the incident surrounding what she perceived to be a racist cartoon, which was actually intended to show that the volleyball team was finally winning some games last season. Be sure to check it out the whole podcast if you missed it:
Sports

HEAR THIS
Kelly Reid gave us a list of best local moments of 2009 including Bombadil shows, the Raleigh Undercover event, the journey to the Love Language's Debut album and more. Be sure to check it out if you haven't:
Hear This

COMMUNITY CANVAS
Mike Alston sat down and spoke to Eric Hirsch and Pierce Freelon from The Beast to talk about some of the programs and "hip hop" curriculum the members take to N.C. schools. Hirsch discusses the importance of music and scholarship, and how the band was able to put the two together for schools around the nation:
Community Canvas

WOLFPACKER OF THE WEEK
Damian Maddalena sat down with Logan Scarborough, Forestry Club president and senior in forest management. Scarborough talked to us about the club and its activities, including its forestry competition, Rolleo. Listen to the fyll segment here: Wolfpacker of the Week

As always, be sure to let us know what you think/want to hear more or less of at publicaffairs@wknc.org. We'll be back in action for the spring semester -- same time, same place!

My Morning Jacket to perform at Koka Booth Amphitheatre

That's right, the four piece band from Kentucky, My Morning Jacket, will be making an appearance in Cary at the Koka Booth Amphitheatre on Friday April 30 for their Southeastern  Tickets aren't available until February 5  at noon, however WKNC has the hookup. Over the new few weeks we'll be giving away pairs of tickets to the show.

Birthed from a discarded coat lead singer Jim James saw while walking through the remains of his favorite bar the morning after it burned down, My Morning Jacket got it's beginnings in 1998 and has since then put out five albums.  Since performing for a New Year's show in 2009 at Madison Square Garden, the band has been on a short hiatus. Jim James spent this time to release a George Harrison cover album under the alias Yim Yames. Luckily, the boys are now back on tour performing various shows in the south with the Performance Hall Jazz Band.

Listen only on 88.1 F.M. or streaming online for your chances to win!

Spider Bags' Album Cover of the Month

WKNC Double Barrel Benefit 7 artist Spider Bags showed up in the latest issue of Vice magazine, earning the title "Best Cover of the Month" for the band's 7-inch Teenage Eyes on Odessa Records. Thanks to DJ trainee Kirsten for bringing this to our attention.

You can learn more about Spider Bags in our DBB7 preview of the band (or come see them at The Pour House Feb. 6!). WKNC's Eye on the Triangle also profiled Odessa Records in its Nov. 16, 2009 program.

Local Beat preview 1/29/10

Many of my listeners have heard of Carrboro band Schooner and are aware of its upcoming EP release in February.  However, many of you have not heard of Schooner band member Maria Albani's new project Organos, and the release of her first EP, Limbs.  Maria plays a variety of strange instruments in her songs such as spoons, glass, sticks, stomping, claps and even books which all comes together to create a totally unique minimalist folk rock sound.  The release show will be at the Pinhook in Durham on February 5 with Birds & Arrows. Maria will be joining me on air Friday evening at 5pm to chat about the new EP, the release show, and whatever else comes to mind.

Also, at 6 p.m. local favorite bluegrass band, The Hotwires, will be jumping on the microphones to premiere some brand new tunes and talk about their upcoming album, but most importantly they are joining me to promote the concert on February 4 at the Pour House,  Haiti Relief Benefit Concert (click for more info).

So be sure to listen in as always to the Local Beat with me, Adam Kincaid, this Friday and every Friday right here on WKNC.

Double Barrel Benefit 7 presents: Midtown Dickens

Many words can cavalcade through a listener’s head when listening to the Durham based folk band, Midtown Dickens. One in particular has always caught my fancy. Organic. The beautiful duet vocals of Kym Register and Catherine Edgerton could only be fashioned with the various objects they discover to create music. ‘Objects’ seems to be the best term as they are not tied to conventional means of crafting sound. More recently, a chair and saw were used in demonstration at Pittsboro Elementary school to show Midtown’s versatility.  In fact, it is almost memorizing to see each player’s list of instruments. Unlike most bands whose members solely focus on their individual apparatuses, this front-porch group creates a sense of camaraderie with their sharing of instruments.

It’s only fitting that my recent discovery and love affair with this local band came after I saw its performance at Shakori Hills Grassroots music festival this past spring. In a place of warmth, good vibes, and acceptance, Midtown’s spontaneity was only fostered into greater appreciation. Their sophomore album Lanterns, which released this past fall, is riddled with meaningful jolts of experimental sound that charms and awakens the listener.  It is an engaging, yet actively involved listening experience not meant for the stomach of an audience bent on sole ambient noise.

Midtown had found strong support within the community for the development of Lanterns. With the dismal economy, high production costs for a large scale album, and the band’s personal financial limitations, Lanterns’ birth seemed dim. However, upon calling for help, Midtown received many generous donations from friends and fans. The band even received a $5,000 check from a complete stranger after he had seen the band perform at a festival.

Midtown Dickens is gracing the stage of Double Barrel Benefit 7 at The Pour House on its second night, February 6, performing after The Tender Fruit. The night's remaining acts will be Chapel Hill’s Spider Bags and headliner Roman Candle.

For the complete Double Barrel schedule and ticket information, click here.

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

Double Barrel Benefit 7 presents: Veelee

When you listen to Carrboro duo Veelee, you hear music inspired by a wide range of sources. For band mates Matt Park and Ginger Wagg, elements of music from bands such as Young People, Low, Lungfish, Stereolab and Pram went into creating Veelee's unique sound. Also, according to Matt, Fleetwood Mac's 1977 hit "Dream" has also served as a major influence on the way he and Ginger create music -- everything happening in the song goes hand in hand its unchanging baseline.

Ginger, a first-time drummer, describes her percussion style as "simple and straightforward." Veelee is the first band in which she has been a member. However, it seems doubtful the band's success comes from beginner's luck. Hard copies of its EP "Three Sides," which came out  in May 2009, are sold out. The release received local acclaim from sources such as the Independent Weekly.

Until recently, Veelee had performed primarily in Chapel Hill, Raleigh and Durham.

"We've gotten to play with all sorts of fantastic local bands. [Artists in the Triangle] are really supportive of one another," Park and Wagg said. "They are very welcoming and inclusive."

However, the band just embarked on its first tour, along with Raleigh's Gross Ghost, which it said was a great success.

Now that they're back in town, Veelee will play at The Pour House Friday, February 5, during night one of Double Barrel Benefit 7. Friday's set also includes The Light Pines, Bellafea and Max Indian.

For the complete Double Barrel schedule and ticket information, click here.

88.1 Pick of the Week 1/22

Vampire Weekend
Album: Contra
Label: XL Records
by Jon Gomes


It’s almost exactly two years since the world got its first taste of Vampire Weekend. The self-titled debut was, in essence, four white boys from Columbia University curiously fiddling with African rumba beats and singing about oxford commas and Peter Gabriel. Though the description suggests typical indie pomp and pretense, the final product turned out to be one of the most memorable releases of 2008.

Suffice it to say, then, that anxious ears have been anticipating the band’s sophomore release, entitled Contra, for quite a while. Probably the most pressing question was whether or not the band would maintain the characteristic sound established on their first album. The answer is not readily clear, but after a spin or two, Contra feels like the natural next step from the self-titled debut.

The lead track “Horchata” delivers the buoyant melodies and quirky lyrics one would expect, but also explores new sonic territory with its prominent xylophone romps. Lead singer Ezra Koenig sings as if you’re in the room with him: “In December / Drinking horchata / I look psychotic in a balaclava.” The song transitions almost imperceptibly into “White Sky,” which features a falsetto melody that sticks to the ears like sugar coating.

Like its predecessor, Contra evokes a sense of mirth; it is very much an audio accompaniment to summertime frolics or lazy sunny afternoons. Though the spirit is shared, the music on Contra is more adventurous. The beautifully disjointed “California English” sounds like an unreleased Animal Collective b-side, while the spunky “Cousins” flurries with sixteenth-note guitar runs and snare rolls.

There are occasional moments where Contra sounds conventional, but only in a relative sense. The saccharine, straightforward pop hooks in “Giving Up the Gun” are atypical for the band—strings are traded for synths and the rhyming isn’t outlandish. Still, Vampire Weekend renders the song in such a way that it feels familiar.

To balance out the newer sounds, there is still plenty of classic material; syncopated rhythms, string flourishes, and sunny lyrics abound in tracks like “Run” and “Diplomat’s Son.” The latter is six minutes of rocksteady rhythms and cryptic lyrics that hint at the 1981 Contra movement in Nicaragua—just the kind of madness you would expect from Vampire Weekend. Contra coasts to a stop with the subdued “I Think Ur A Contra.” A gorgeous, acoustic guitar-based melody underlies the gentle yet accusatory lyrics: “I think you’re Contra / I think that you lie / Don’t call me Contra / Till you’ve tried.” It’s absolutely sublime.

So what does “Contra” have to do with anything? The band chose the term as the album’s title to suggest opposition against external expectations. According to singer Ezra Koenig, the album is a reaction to the media pigeonholing the band as erudite, polo-wearing preps from Columbia (bluntly illustrated by the album cover). For Vampire weekend, Contra is uncompromised self-expression. It’s not an extension of the first album, but rather an evolution that still sounds very much like Vampire Weekend. Though Contra is not intended to cater to anyone’s expectations, it ends up surpassing them.

88.1 WKNC Pick of the Week is published in every Thursday print edition of the Technician, as well as online at technicianonline.com and wknc.org.

WKNC and the 2010 Krispy Kreme Challenge

With exams finished, classes forgotten, and a long winter break ahead, what was there left to do? Run a marathon while eating doughnuts of course! Starting as a dare by a few undergraduate students in December 2004, the Krispy Kreme Challenge soon evolved into a national sensation. Now over five years later, the challenge is expected to host 6,000 participants who will gorge their way through 72,000 glazed doughnuts!

In order to successfully complete the challenge, participants must start at the N.C. State Bell Tower and run two miles to the Krispy Kreme Store located on Peace St. in Raleigh. After downing down twelve glazed doughnuts, the competitor must make the two mile trek back to the Bell Tower, all within an hour. Last year, the challenge was covered on ESPN and in the past has been recognized by Sports Illustrated Magazine as one of the top things to do before you graduate. All proceeds for the Krispy Kreme Challenge go to well deserving North Carolina Children's Hospital.

This year, WKNC is partaking in the Krispy Kreme Challenge as a Silver Level sponsor and putting forth some of it's own deejays to compete. Although not known for being much of athletes, the WKNC staff does enjoy to eat, which should be their strength in the competition. Other competitors will recognize WKNC runners by their awesome and custom made Krispy Kreme t-shirts. Stay tuned to meet the few hopefuls who will brave the glazed filled trail and find out what music they'll be listening to while competing!

The 2010 Krispy Kreme Challenge will be held on the morning of February 6th. The organization has almost reached its 6,000 runner cap and will be closing registration soon. For more information about registering or donating to the cause, please visit the official Krispy Kreme Challenge website.

Double Barrel Benefit 7 Presents: The Tender Fruit

You've certainly heard it before: you love local music, WKNC loves local music, local music loves us all. It's a wonderfully symbiotic relationship, and even if the drive across the Triangle can be a pain, there's almost always a worthwhile show in one's given city. Seriously, it can't be overstated that music around Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill is formidable in both quality and quantity. And there are other pockets, as well: Greenville, Asheville, and we'll say Wilmington, too. And Rocky Mount.

Wait, Remarkable Rocky Mount? Yeah, not so much.

But Rocky Mount just so happens to be the hometown of one Christy Smith, the songwriter and leading lady in the band Nola (oh Nola, we hardly knew ye!) and the no-album-yet band the Tender Fruit. In fact, the Tender Fruit song's "Middle State" was actually written about Rocky Mount.



It's hard to say whether it's Rocky Mount, Raleigh, or some combination thereof that is summoned when Christy Smith writes music, but the result is something that will melt your heart. Her booming vocals on top of calm chord progressions induce gratifyingly depressing emotion.

The Nola album is all about heartbreak and a lost opportunity at love, and I've heard she's working on a new album with a special guest. While I don't wish the difficulty of heartbreak on Christy, I sure do enjoy the shared catharsis that results. If you, like me, simply can't wait for that album, then come check out the Tender Fruit Saturday night at the Double Barrel Benefit. They're on first, at 9:00.

Full disclosure: I'm from Rocky Mount, too.  There's nothing there.

Double Barrel Benefit 7 presents: Spider Bags

I first heard about Spider Bags at Bull City Headquarters in Durham. I had gone to see a friend play with a band called Titus Andronicus. A few songs in, the leader singer says, "This is a song by the greatest band in the world -- Spider Bags," and preceded to sing Waking Up Drunk.

Now, if you were at this show you would probably remind me that Spider Bags themselves had played that night, but I got lost on the way to the venue and missed the set. Nevertheless, I made sure to look up this so called "greatest band in the world" -- and you know what? Titus Andronicus wasn't far off.

Spider Bags is made up of long time friends Dan McGee and Gregg Levy, two Jersey boys who magically ended up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Rock Forbes from the band Bad Checks is the drummer. The band themselves formed in 2006 and have been growing ever since.

Their tunes themselves sound like southern, gritty rock and roll with lyrics that consist of drugs, booze and just livin' the hard life. Now there have been thousands of bands that have all sung the same tunes but some how Spider Bags figured it out. The mix sloppy with unique and transfix the listener with the sounds they are creating.

Spider Bags not only writes incredible music, they also put on an incredible live show. Comparable to other local favorite Red Collar,the band never lacks on emotion and energy. They can induce their audience to scream, shout or even cry.

This year the band released "Goodbye Cruel, Hello Crueler One" on Birdman records.

Spider Bags will be performing Saturday, February 6 at The Pour House after The Tender Fruit and Midtown Dickens. Roman Candle will end night two of Double Barrel Benefit 7.

For the complete Double Barrel schedule and ticket information, click here.

The ExMonkeys to re-schedule their appearance on WKNC

Local electronic duo The ExMonkeys will not be in tonight, January 28, as previously stated. With so many schedules to keep up with, I forgot to check our women's basketball schedule. We will be broadcasting the game tonight, so The ExMonkeys will have to reschedule, hopefully for sometime next week. Apologies for my goof up. --Chuck

WXYC locally produced digital music showcase

Being a fan of all things local does not just include bands, artists, venues, record labels, and recording studios, but also radio stations other than us.   If you are not in Raleigh and parts of Durham you can probably hear UNC's student run radio station WXYC who also focuses on local music within their wide array of formats (or you can listen to them online anywhere).

They have recently made a public appeal for locally produced digital music to feature in a showcase that will broadcast on WXYC February 17 at 9 p.m.

According to WXYC's website:

WXYC is pleased to announce a call for entries for its Locally Produced Digital Music Showcase in partnership with the CHAT Festival for Digital Arts and Humanities at UNC-Chapel Hill. The goal of this project is to feature technologically innovative and artistically creative music produced in and around the Triangle...

...Anyone living in the greater Triangle area is welcome to make a submission, including (but not limited to): University Students, Staff, and Faculty, local artists, local musicians, local residents and community members.

Read the entire thing and submit your digital music here.

The deadline is February 10, 2010.  Good luck!

EOT17 Redefining Hillsborough

Jack and Evan report news via Washington, Tyler and Derek talk of Lee Fowler, Matt and Chris report on changes on Hillsborough, Meredith covers the new store Sugar Magnolia, Hear This reports on IWTDI's 2010 resolution, our WoW is Charlotte Geiss

Local Beat Preview: 1/22/10

Due to N.C. State women's basketball we have another abbreviated Local Beat tonight starting at 5 p.m. and ending at 6 p.m.  Local favorites The Old Ceremony will be coming on for the first hour of the show to chat about their concert tonight at the Pour House as they are playing alongside Floating Action.  Tickets are $8 and the doors open at 8 p.m., music starts around 9:30 or 10 p.m.  It has been a while since TOC has been on the Local Beat, and I am expecting tonight's interview to be a lot of fun.

Also, don't forget to keep listening to WKNC for Wolfpack women's basketball tonight directly after the Local Beat at 6:00 p.m.  The team is 11-7 overall and 1-2 in conference play and are playing Wake Forest at Reynolds Coliseum.   Click here for the game preview.

Floating Action

Double Barrel Benefit 7 presents: Bellafea

One of the first local bands I was ever introduced to and also one of the most influential in our area, Bellafea has been gradually building quite a following since their first split 7" with Des Ark back in 2005.

Though often overlooked by local indie pop groups with a more comfortable sound, once you see this threesome live you will forever be forced to compare every live show to the raw energy, hardcore attitude, and head-bobbing punch you in the mouth feel that they electrify your ears with.  No North Carolina band rocks harder, plays louder, and gets in your face as Bellafea does.

It is strange that such force comes from such a petite lady.  You might have seen Heather McEntire playing solo from time to time sitting in a chair strumming her acoustic without a microphone or amplifier, her voice barely breaking a whisper as she is surrounded by an attentive audience, entranced by her angelic voice.  Perhaps you have heard her from her side projects Un Deux Trois or Mount Moriah as the sweet sounding front lady of the two soft folky pop groups that has everyone's ears buzzing.

But with Bellafea the shy placid persona falls off her and is replaced by an alter-ego of sorts, a powerful and inflamed diva whose personal demons come out in the form of a woman possessed, obliterating her guitar while bursting into her lyrics with a post hardcore attitude.  Along side Heather is Eddie Sanchez (also in Fin Fang Foom and Death Came Down the Mountain) whose blistering and electrifying bass playing ignites the crowd.   Always jumping, banging, and seemingly tearing his bass apart, he is the fire that ignites the group and transcends them into the local punk gods that they are.  Add on to that Nathan Buchanan's crushing drums and pounding beats and you have a remarkable live act that sends your mind into a whirlwind of loud music madness that is sure to get your head rocking and your feet moving.  They are not a band you want to miss live.

Bellafea will take the stage for night one of Double Barrel Benefit 7 on Friday, February 5 at The Pour House along with The Light Pines, Veelee,, and Max Indian.

For the complete Double Barrel schedule and ticket information, click here.

Double Barrel Benefit 7 presents: The Light Pines

Go ahead and set every clock in arm's reach thirteen minutes fast.  This is the necessary preparation for the first night of Double Barrel Benefit 7.  Thirteen minutes will allot for an extra two minutes to get out the door, seven minutes to figure out that the best parking place is in the City of Raleigh parking deck on Wilmington Street, and four minutes to grab a sweet spot for the first band --Chapel Hill's The Light Pines.  The six-piece will kick off Friday night at The Pour House and will serve both as  the opening band of the night and the first performance of the two day mini-mecca of local music.  It could, perhaps, be thought of as intimidating, being first in two senses, rather though, it should be deemed cherished.  Especially after last year's opening act, Lonnie Walker, took the opportunity to ramp their buzz in the following year and create quite a stir in the local music scene.

The Light Pines is a band of familiar faces.  It is the project of the bassist for The Love Language, Josh Pope.  The members have shifted since its incarnation over two years ago, but the current line-up is an assembly of long time locals, including Love Language members Kate Thompson on keyboard and vocals and Tom Simpson on drums, as well as three members from Max Indian: Carter Gaj on guitar and vocals, James Wallace on keyboard and vocals, and Ryan Gustafson on guitar and vocals.

The 24-track EP that was recorded in rehearsal spaces, bedrooms and living rooms across Raleigh was made available eight months ago (no official release yet).  It has started to circulate and create quite a stir, including earning them a spot at MusicFest NW in Portland, Oregon in which the band received an instant label offer post-performance. However, DBB wil be the band's first Raleigh performance, and one of the very limited Triangle performances to date so far.  This is a video from a December performance at Chapel Hill's Local 506.



The sound that The Light Pines creates is built on a foundation of lo-fi pop but it flares into realms of mysticism and fantasy that at times can feel eerie.  The collection of songs is like a maze of mirrors that serves as the entrance to a grand party hosted by Jay Gatsby.  In order to attend the party the guest must wind their way through the complex pathways of of twisted, tilted, and manipulated mirrors all while listening to infectious, slightly fuzzy, and undeniably catchy music.  Pope explained that the inspiration for the sound of The Light Pines came from the adolescent excitement of perhaps the best holiday of the year, Halloween,

"Do you remember what it was like being 8-years-old on Halloween?  Before you came to appreciate it is as an adult?  On that day, as a kid, there is so much excitement and mystery and this overall darkness to everything.  That's what I want it to feel like when listening to the Light Pines," Pope said.

Keep an ear to The Light Pines.  With The Love Language wrapping up recording at Flying Tiger Sound in the next month and half, The Light Pines are planning on recording for an official release and ramping up their show dates in the months to come in 2010.  Who knows, maybe the Triangle will see the best Halloween party to date, hosted by The Light Pines.

The Light Pines will take the stage for night one of Double Barrel Benefit 7 on Friday, February 5 at The Pour House followed by Veelee, Bellafea, and Max Indian.

For the complete Double Barrel schedule and ticket information, click here.

Local concerts for Haiti

It seems people in all walks of life are doing what they can to help the devastated nation of Haiti.  This includes some local bands and venues that are putting on some benefit concerts.

At the Cats Cradle on January 23 will be an interesting show with two new bands Kick the Future (Debra DeMilo, Terry Anderson, Jack Cornell and Terry McInturff) & The Bipolar Bears (Robert Kirkland, Scott Davison, Terry McInturff and Ron Bartholomew) as well as HWYL, Kitty Box and the Johnnys, Charles Pettee, Puritan Rodeo, The New Town Drunks, and The Moaners.  The show starts at 6 p.m. and costs $10.

At the Pour House on February 4, there will be an additional benefit show, this one starting at 6:40 p.m.  A Rooster For the Masses will headline alongside Chatham County Line, Filthybird, The Hotwires, Roger Gupton, Debonzo Brothers, and Andy Bilinski.  This show is $12.

Double Barrel Benefit 7 presents: Max Indian

If you were to categorize bands based on how long they've been around, Max Indian would be a toddler, I guess.  To continue the metaphor, they would be a toddler who paints excellent watercolors, reads Machiavelli, and tutors eighth graders on the weekends.

The band's sole release, "You Can Go Anywhere You Can Do Anything," dropped in December of 2008 , and everyone who has had the good fortune of hearing it has been pining for more ever since.

After releasing the record -- themselves,  mind you -- the band beat a path around the triangle that included a live performance on The State of Things, a headlining night  during the Troika Music Festival , a headlining night at N.C .State's Fridays on the Lawn Concert Series, and a number of  live shows that left a trail of satisfied and eager fans in its wake.

Solicit the opinion of anyone who has seen Max Indian, heard one of their songs, or even heard someone else talk about them, and the response is always the same. These exceedingly catchy, down to earth, warm, and rusty compositions will work their way into your inner ear, buy a nice piece of land,  and set up shop.  Don't worry, though. The freshness doesn't wear off, the melodies are top notch, and the lyrics will stick.

Max Indian will take the stage for night one of Double Barrel Benefit 7 on Friday, February 5 at The Pour House following The Light Pines,Veelee, and Bellafea. Say WHAT? If you miss this, well, I guess you think you have a good reason, but I would seriously question your priorities my friends.

For the complete Double Barrel schedule and ticket information, click here.

Double Barrel Benefit 7 presents: Roman Candle

Back in 2006, Roman Candle's release of The Wee Hours Revue impressed listeners everywhere with the excellent songwriting and catchy pop-rock present in the album. It was a personal favorite in high school and everyone who received the album from me became an immediate fan. Pitchfork gave it a 7.6 out of 10 and Paste Magazine a 4.5 out of 5. Since then, Roman Candle fans everywhere have anticipated the release of a new album to love. Enter Oh Tall Tree In The Ear, the long awaited 2009 LP.

This most recent album is everything that listeners have been craving, a "modern rock masterpiece" as told by Paste Magazine. "Oh Tall Tree In The Ear" is a breath of fresh air; it's catchy, foot tappin' music that's good to its core. Don't believe me? Just take a look at the reviews the album has gotten. Pop Matters has given Roman Candle's newest effort a 9 out of 10 and Daytrotter describes the music as "tearing us out of the present, despite such modern feels and scents," and I tend to agree. Listening to "Oh Tall Tree In The Ear" is an experience, a period of time where the listener can get away from their hectic life and escape, escape to the world of Skip Matheny's vocals and Roman Candle's melodies.

We at WKNC are very excited about having Roman Candle back in the Triangle to play in the Double Barrel Benefit 7. You may recognize Roman Candle if you went to the N.C. State Pack Howl homecoming concert in September 2009.  The band will take the stage at The Pour House on Saturday, February 6 as the headliner of night two of the benefit. Bands The Tender Fruit, Midtown Dickens and Spider Bags will kick off the night.

For the complete Double Barrel schedule and ticket information, click here.

WKNC debuts exclusive singles from Annuals, Gray Young

Tune in Thursday, January 28, to  WKNC 88.1 FM for the debut of a brand new Annuals' single, "Loxtep." The track comes from their up-coming EP, "Sweet Sister," due for release March 30 on Banter Records. Also, WKNC will be debuting Gray Young's up-coming single, "Meridian."

Tune in for the Local Lunch at noon with Tommyboy on WKNC 88.1 or stream online at wknc.org/listen next Thursday to hear these exclusive tracks. Annuals and Gray Young are releasing these songs to promote their concert on February 19 at The Pour House Music Hall featuring both bands, along with Bright Young Things. Additionally, WKNC will be giving away two pairs of tickets to the show during the broadcast.  We are excited to have the opportunity to debut these tracks only to WKNC's listeners during next Thursday's Local Lunch.

EOT16 New Year, New Chancellor 1/11/10

This week's show was our first show back of the semester! We talked about everything, from what happened during break like the election of a new chancellor and the new smoking ban, to what lies ahead like a new football lineup and upcoming arts exhibitions.

NEWS
News anchor Evan Garris are back in action, with the latest headline news. He gave listeners a run-down of news on the newly-elected chancellor of N.C. State, as well as stories listeners may have missed over break such as the Senate version of the Health Care bill, the attempted bombing of a flight on Christmas Day to Detroit, rise in unemployment in the month of December, and former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin joining the Fox News team, among others.

SPORTS
Correspondent Tyler Everett gave listeners a review and analysis of how the basketball team performed during winter break, the changes the football team will inevitably see next season, such as dealing with the loss of Toney Baker who made a decision to try out for NFL draft and not use his sixth year of eligibility, and more. Make sure to check it out if you missed it.

Purdue University's Randy Woodson will take over the role of NCSU chancellor from James Woodward by May 1, 2010. Photo Courtesy The Exponent.

VIP
A couple of days after the Board of Governors announced Randy Woodson, former provost at Purdue University, as the 14th chancellor of N.C State, Correspondent Caitlin Cauley (who graciously took over the interview for me when I got sick...sorry you had to bear with my cold-ridden voice throughout the rest of the show), interviewed James Woodward, N.C. State chancellor on an interim basis, who served after the resignation of former chancellor James Oblinger. Woodward discussed what it was like taking over in the midst of the scandal surrounding the University, the work he has done while chancellor and the work that lays ahead for the new chancellor, who is scheduled to begin his new post no later than May 1.

HEAR THIS
I talked to DJ Emcee Luck about the Jan. 8 concert at the Pour House, featuring Megafaun, Lonnie Walker and The Rosebuds. She gave us a review of the band's performances and collaboration at the event. If you missed the sold out show or just want to hear clips from these bands, check out the podcast.

COMMUNITY CANVAS
Correspondent Jacob Downey (who also saved me this week!) talked to Zoe Starling, curator of education for the Gregg Museum, about the museum's upcoming spring exhibitions with wood artist Dale Nish and weaver Lia Cook , student involvement in the museum and more. The museum will have an opening reception for both its shows Feb. 4 at 6 p.m. To hear more about the museum, check out this week's Community Canvas.

WOLFPACKER OF THE WEEK

Jacob also sat down with Jack Zapple and Addison Hardy, two students who along with another two students, form Harmonist, Inc., a company that "incorporates technology into every day life." Zapple and Hardy talked to EOT about their apps and what they hope to develop.

SOUNDBYTES

To wrap up the episode, Correspondent Matt Moore spoke to customers and owners/managers at Cup A Joe on Hillsborough Street and Sammy's Tap and Grill on Avent Ferry Road about the new smoking ban that took affect this week and how it has impacted business.

We have a lot of great things coming up for the second half of the year, so make sure to check back to the blog often, as well as of course wknc.org/eot, which will be receiving a pretty massive overhaul in the next couple of weeks. Make sure to keep nominating for Wolfpacker of the Week, and send us your thoughts and suggestions for the show to publicaffairs@wknc.org.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT16_011110.mp3

EOT16 New Year, New Chancellor

Jack and Evan start off with news, Tyler talks NCSU basketball, VIP talks to James Woodward, Community Canvas elaborates on the Gregg Mueum at NC State, Hear This covers recent shows, WoW features the founder of Harmonus Inc, and Matt covers SoundBytes

Jay Reatard R.I.P.

Memphis garage rocker Jay Reatard passed away in his sleep early Wednesday morning. Reatard, known to friends and family as Jimmy Lee Lindsey Jr., was the man behind such garage-pop classics as Blood Visions and this past year's Watch Me Fall. Currently, there is no report on the cause of death. He was 29 years old.

Music blog posts My Morning Jacket covers archive

Music blog You Ain't No Picasso recently posted an archive of more than 50 covers the band My Morning Jacket has performed live. They run the gamut from people you'd think My Morning Jacket would cover (The Band, The Rolling Stones) to hair metal (Motley Crue, Poison) to funk (Parliament, James Brown) and beyond. You can check out the full list of covers, and download them all free of charge here

WKNC Announces Double Barrel Benefit 7 Lineup

WKNC 88.1 FM will hold its annual Double Barrel Benefit Friday, Feb. 5 and Saturday, Feb. 6 at The Pour House Music Hall. The station’s seventh installment of the two-night concert will be feature Max Indian and Roman Candle.

The Light Pines open Friday’s show, followed by Veelee, Bellafea and Max Indian. Saturday’s line-up consists of The Tender Fruit, Midtown Dickens, Spider Bags and Roman Candle.

Both headliners performed on the North Carolina State University campus in the fall. Max Indian played with Double Barrel Benefit alumni Schooner at the station’s October Fridays on the Lawn concert series and Roman Candle played the Pack Howl concert and pep rally during November.

Tickets are on sale now through wknc.org and the-pour-house.com. Prices are $7 in advance and $9 at the door for each night and all proceeds benefit WKNC. Two-night passes are also available at Schoolkids in Raleigh. The event is 18+, with an additional surcharge for patrons under 21. Doors for each show open at 8 p.m. with music at 9 p.m.

Our amazing poster was designed by Kirsten Southwell of Bad Apple Design.

Double Barrel Benefit VII dates set

Mark you calendars. WKNC's seventh annual Double Barrel Benefit will be going down at The Pour House in downtown Raleigh on Friday February 5 and Saturday February 6. Stay tuned to 88.1 FM and this here blog for details on the line-up -- which will be announced January 13 -- and where and when you can purchase tickets

IWTDI plans ambitious project for next album

In a blog post on their website entitled "2010: The Year We Make TOO Much Contact", Chapel Hill band I Was Totally Destroying It outlined their ambitious plan to film every stage of the creative process behind composing their next album.

When asked about the blog post, singer/guitarist John Booker said, "It was almost sort of a new year's resolution." The blog post would give them the encouragement to actively film the creation of their next album. After previously attempting to film themselves on the road, forgetfulness got the best of them, and when Booker noticed a friend of the bands filming them during a live show he reminded himself of the idea of filming the band during the creation of a record. Booker explained that aside from the blog post to remind the band of constantly filming, he currently has a sign on his wall above his computer with the words "Film It," and he plans to hang another sign like this in places where they will be working on their album.

The idea of filming the creation of their next album came out of a wide variety influences. "I felt if we kept writing songs like that [the band did in the past] it would sound the same." Also, he said the project is an effort to bring more recognition to the band through utilizing many of the social networks that have developed in the past couple of years. The plans incorporate posting one video at the end of the month on Youtube to give fans an idea of how the process is going. And one of the goals of the project is to  film themselves for the entire year. Another goal for Booker was for the filming of the development of the next album to play out into a longer film.

When asked about how the constant filming could interrupt the creative process for the band, Booker responded, "I get worried about that in theory." He followed up saying, "I think we'll get use to it really fast." When asked about who was going to be doing the work behind filming Booker responded, "We're going to do a lot of the filming ourselves." The band has also gotten support from friends of theirs to help them out in this project, including everything from filming to editing the footage. They have also gotten the thumbs up from their record label, Greyday.

Although the band plans on filming a lot of the creative process for their next album, they don't plan on giving away all that is going to be on the next album. On their upcoming tour dates when they have new songs complete, Booker explained, that unlike previous live shows where people got to know the new songs before they were released on Horror Vacui, "We're going to try playing one new song and relying on songs in the past. I want the next cd to be fresh and new."

Although the next album is still in its early stages of development, the band has plans to be recording towards the end of the year, with the release of the album expected sometime within the first half of 2011.

Looking ahead to album releases in 2010

After looking back to the top 10 local albums of 2009 we have a whole new year and decade ahead of us.  Here is a quick blog of some local bands who are rumored to be coming out with an album in 2010:

• Bellafea plans to begin the recording process in June after just signing to Tizona.


• Billy Sugarfix will release his Sessions @ KNC album January 9.


• The Carolina Chocolate Drops are releasing the much awaited "Genuine Negro Jig," on Feb. 23 through Nonesuch.


• Felix Obelix will finally put out the long awaited The Tick of
  the Clock, the Beat in the Chest in late February.


• Front Porch Sofa is working in the studio right now for a summer release.


• Lost in the Trees has been rumored to release new material in the fall.


• Mount Moriah is currently recording a new album set to be released by Tizona.


• Organos has its debut album set to be released in early February.


• Schooner is getting ready for a release in mid-February.


• Veelee has plans on releasing another short EP (they just ran out of hard copies of their Three Sides EP)


• The Whiskey Smugglers already have a new album in the works and plan to record in 2010.

Obviously this is not all of them, but as many as I could muster.  Got any more to add?  Comment below or shoot me an email: localmusic@wknc.org.

http://blogs.myspace.com/Modules/BlogV2/Pages/RssFeed.aspx?friendID=20102983Ti

John Frusciante quits RHCP

On December 16, 2009 John Frusciante announced his departure from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

John Frusciante has been with the Red Hot Chili Peppers since 1990.  After a widely reported addiction to heroin, Frusciante left in 1992 and was briefly replaced by Dave Navarro.  Frusciante returned to the Peppers in 1998 and recorded "Californication," "By The Way" and "Stadium Arcadium" with the band.

Aside from the RHCP, Frusciante has released a number of solo albums (my favorite being To Record Only Water for Ten Days, 2001) and put out his most recent album, The Empyrean, in January 2009.

The following  is a reprint of Frusciante's words taken from his MySpace blog:

Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Clarification

"When I quit the band, over a year ago, we were on an indefinite hiatus. There was no drama or anger involved, and the other guys were very understanding. They are supportive of my doing whatever makes me happy and that goes both ways.

To put it simply, my musical interests have led me in a different direction. Upon rejoining, and throughout my time in the band, I was very excited about exploring the musical possibilities inherent in a rock band, and doing so with those people in particular. A couple of years ago, I began to feel that same excitement again, but this time it was about making a different kind of music, alone, and being my own engineer.

I really love the band and what we did. I understand and value that my work with them means a lot to many people, but I have to follow my interests. For me, art has never been something done out of a sense of duty. It is something I do because it is really fun, exciting, and interesting. Over the last 12 years, I have changed, as a person and artist, to such a degree that to do further work along the lines I did with the band would be to go against my own nature.  There was no choice involved in this decision. I simply have to be what I am, and have to do what I must do.

Sending love and gratitude to you all."