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.