The Pinhook's Second Great Band Swap

This Thursday through Saturday, December 3-5, The Pinhook in Durham will be hosting The Great Band Swap—based on a 2007 concert.

The format: three nights, four local bands a night, and every artist must cover at least one song by one of the other three artists that night.

The Pinhook website (http://thepinhook.com/) provides the following line-ups and descriptions

Thursday, December 2 features the anthemic punk rock of Pink Flag, the soulful, old-school pop of Brett Harris, the classic-rock hooks of The Pneurotics, and the shambolic majesty of Dry Heathens. The WXDU deejay team.

Friday, December 3, local legend Billy Sugarfix leads the way with his whipsmart catalog of charming, confessional pop. Juan Huevos brings ebullient homemade hip-hop, and Durham duo Joy In Red squares off with Raleigh art-garage outfit Antibubbles. Deejay sets will be provided by WXYC.

Saturday, December 4 is the wildest bill, hitting most of the genre extremes in indie rock. Cassis Orange provides distilled electro-pop with a subtle Japanese edge. Mosadi Music is hard-edged, political hip-hop with searingly tight live instrumentation. HOG takes heavy-metal and stretches into psychedelic dirges and molten, fleet fingered hooks. And Embarrassing Fruits channels the finest guitar rock of the past 20 years, mixed with lyrics about girls, partying, and small-town ennui. The WKNC crew will spin records.

As listed, after the performances local college radio stations WXDU (Duke University), WXYC (The University of North Carolina), and, of course, WKNC (North Carolina State University) will provide the music by deejaying.  I will be representing the station with my co-host and valiant General Manager of WKNC 88.1. It should prove to be a most interesting and entertaining local happening each night and overall, and may earn a status as an annual event.

Up and Coming: Adam Walton is looking for "Troubel"

That's right, Troubel. I interviewed Adam a couple of weeks back, and if you missed out, here's a little background information to fill you in. Adam has been creating music for the better part of his life, though is probably most well known for his participation in the group "Carolina Roadkill," an eclectic assortment of instruments and amazing people that make folk fun. This summer Adam had the chance to develop his own tastes further through his new one man group, named Troubel, out in Boone. Using the mountains as his inspiration, an album was born, which is due to come out December 7. Full of banjo and guitar, happy yet powerful lyrics "The Mountains. The Broken." is a side that I hadn't seen in Adam before. Though we discussed the challenges of working alone, it appears that it has allowed him to branch out and create something different and refreshing, something we can all appreciate.  To take a listen of the new album, check out Troubel's website.

Happy Thanks-Giveaway.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday. I'll tell you one thing I'm thankful for—living in the Triangle! There are so many great things to see, hear, do, and overall, enjoy.

We here at WKNC like to provide you with as many opportunities to enjoy your community. So, here are the giveaways for this week.

12/3: Small Ponds @ King's

12/3: Steep Canyon Rangers w/ Mandolin Orange @ Cat's Cradle



12/4: American Aquarium @ The Pour House

12/4: Gray Young @ King's

12/4: Holy Ghost Tent Revival @ Lincoln Theatre



12/9: Dance Revolution @ Lincoln Theatre

Remember, you have to listen to win!

December 2 LBLB expected to melt faces...

This Thursday in particular, WKNC and Tir Na nOg are teaming up with Raleigh Denim to showcase Annuals and The Light Pines. As usual, this show is FREE, 21 and up, and starts at 10 p.m.  Honestly, I suggest getting there early. Who knows? We could hit capacity! Especially since Raleigh Denim will be giving away a FREE pair of their designer jeans to lucky attendees!!



I really don't think that either of these bands need an introduction. Both of these bands are among the greatest local bands. If you don't know who they are... shame on you.

Annuals

The Light Pines

Tune in Thursday December 2 at 7 p.m. for an interview with Annuals and Raleigh Denim!

Love Always,

Audity

Felix the Drum Machine RECAP

[gallery orderby="rand"]

If you attempted to nap before going to Kings on Turkey Day then you most likely didn't wake up. And you missed a great show. That's okay. There is always next year.

Here is a recap!

The Revolutionary Sweethearts opened up the night. I was in love at first listen with this band for sure. After their set I immediately headed backstage to meet Brandy. I hope to see them at a Local Beer Local Band next year!

DJ Gonzo played before/inbetween/after sets. I remember he spun my favorite Veelee song, "Amber." What a lovely listen that was!

As Brian Shaw pointed out, there were a lot of people there that he didn't know or recognize. A good thing, indeed. Felix the Drum Machine's annual Thanksgiving shows are evidently gaining a fan base.

Everyone was in costume: Brian C. in the space suit, Zack O. as some animal/superman combo, William C. in a black trench coat, and Brian S. as a Mr. America (or something like that) outfit. They were all super cute!

At the end of the night, I picked up my own cassette tape that Felix the Drum Machine was selling. The artwork completely original and unique. Best investment I've made in a while. See you next year!

Take the WKNC Fall 2010 Internet Survey

WKNC 88.1 FM is conducting a survey to better serve its listeners and members of the N.C. State/Raleigh community. The survey should take about five minutes to complete.

To thank you for your time, one of every 50 respondents will receive a special thank you gift. If you would like to enter the drawing, please provide your email address or telephone number at the end of this survey. All responses will be kept confidential.

Take it now.

Return of Felix the Drum Machine!

Unfortunately, this Turkey Day there will be no Local Beer Local Band at Tir Na nOg. However, there is a local band playing down the street at King's Barcade. Felix the Drum Machine! You will get sick of your family by at least 8 p.m. so head on down to Kings with your tummy full. Show will start at or around 9:30 p.m. All ages. Six bucks gets you through the door.



If you were hanging around Kings in 2001, you probably didn't see Felix the Drum Machine the one and only time they played the legendary venue. Now's your chance.

Featuring members of Future Islands, Lonnie Walker, Annuals, and Cellar Seas, Felix the Drum Machine is proud to bring its second annual Thanksgiving night show back to Kings Barcade, this year featuring the first all-new Felix song since 2002 and a special surprise set to open the evening.

In-between sets there will be music by DJ Gonzo, who in his college days as DJ Che was the first (and only?) person to play Felix on WKNC.

The band hopes to have some old Felix recordings for sale so you can see how they've matured since high school.  (Hey Felix, let WKNC get a copy so we can spin it!)

PLUS!  Tune in Thursday at 7 p.m. for a live interview with Felix the Drum Machine.

Fridays Are For Local Music

This past Friday (November 19) was a great day for local music in Raleigh. Hopefully most of you dropped by after work or class and came out to the Harris Field lawn to check out our November installment of Fridays on the Lawn featuring The Tender Fruit and The Tomahawks.  Despite the chillier weather, we experienced a great turnout as people came out with blankets and snuggies to enjoy the free pizza and music.

The Tender Fruit was represented solely by Christy Smith, an N.C. State graduate in English, who managed to hold her own as she worked the kick drum and strummed her guitar. Smith's voice is really something to admire. On the band's recent album, Flotsam & Krill, I was blown away by her vocal dynamics, especially on track "Get Out of the Car." Performing live, she was equally as powerful and her set proved to be calming but also a pleasant juxtaposition against the grittier headliners, The Tomahawks. This past August, Indy Week covered an interesting story on Smith, her past relationship with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, and how Flotsam& Krill is a response to Vernon's hit album For Emma, Forever Ago. You can check out the article here.

Although the concert was over before 9 p.m., local music fans were in luck as Future Islands were headlining at Kings Barcade in downtown Raleigh that night as well. Well, that is, if they had bought a ticket in advance as the show was sold out. Although I missed the opener NAPS, I was greeted by the familiar and pleasant sounds of Veelee upon walking into Kings. Matt and Ginger focused their set on their newer songs off their latest album The Future Sight. Veelee recently opened for Merge Record's powerhouse, Caribou, on Halloween, which is a sign there are bigger and better things awaiting them.

Lonnie Walker was the last band to perform before the headliners came on stage. The bands are well known friends as Walker and Future Islands recently put out a split 7" together. The crowd at this point of the night were getting into a frenzy. The front part of the stage where I had posted myself had become a dance floor. My head was particularly swaying to many of the tracks on Island's recent album, In Evening Air. The night was everything to be expected of Future Islands: funny antics from lead singer Sam Herring, stage dancing, and great music.

"Live From the Tape Deck" by Skyzoo & !llmind

11/19 WKNC 88.1 Pick of the Week, written by Kunal Vasudev, DJ Wise, Underground 88.1

Though the MC-producer collaboration is a concept that seems to have been left in the past, every so often an MC and producer team up for an album that recalls the days when acts such as Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth and Gang Starr ruled the Hip-Hop scene. Brooklyn MC Skyzoo and New Jersey Hip-Hop producer !llmind team up to craft a sharp, 12-track record that seamlessly combines the sounds of Golden Age Hip-Hop with the sounds of today’s Hip-Hop.

From the opening track, Live from the Tape Deck presents itself as an album built heavily upon hard-hitting beats and filling rhymes. The album is Skyzoo’s sophomore effort, fresh off of his 2009 debut The Salvation, and definitely showcases the MC’s evolving lyrical abilities. Where The Salvation left off, Live picks up, featuring a more focused Skyzoo who exhibits the ability to use fundamentally sound rhymes to construct fleshed out verses. His grasp of the English language is displayed as well, as Sky is able to twist words to his desires and utilize them in simple yet effective ways. This is very clear from the get-go in the second track of the album, “Frisbee,” where Skyzoo starts each line with the last word of the previous line so seamlessly that you don’t even notice that it is being done. Even further, “The Winner’s Circle,” finds Skyzoo roleplaying as Lebron James, taking a little under three minutes to explain what took Mr. James an hour and a some years to get out to the world. But Skyzoo’s abilities are truly exhibited on “Krylon,” a track, which, on the surface, seems to be a simple ode to graffiti, but digging beneath the rhymes reveals a deep track filled with metaphors about violence in it’s many forms, whether it’s physical, emotional, or sexual.

Of course, the album is not all about the impressive lyrical talents that Skyzoo showcases. !llmind, the Filipino-American producer hailing from New Jersey, displays why he is one of the most sought after producers in the Hip-Hop underground, producing for acts such as Little Brother, Boot Camp Clik, Supastition, and most recently Skyzoo. With Live, !ll attempts to capture the analog sound of the cassette and give it a more updated feel. What you have is typical East Coast boom bap percussion beneath layers of strings, synths and keys, which !llmind uses to create a haunting soundscape for Sky to mold his rhymes. It also does a brilliant job of recalling the hard-hitting sounds of the past while looking into the future of Hip-Hop production. The production calls for the best speakers one can find just to appreciate the richness, the honesty, and the fullness that !llmind weaves into his beats.

Live From the Tape Deck also has the bonus of making every part of the album feel apart of the album rather than just a collection of singles compiled together. The features, though appearing on four of the twelve tracks, match perfectly with Skyzoo and fit well with the records they are featured on, from Rhymefest on a political track to Torae backing up Skyzoo as “The Barrel Brothers.” And the intros & outros seamlessly transition into one another, never seeming out of place as the album progresses.

Ultimately, while Live From the Tape Deck evokes memories of the past, both through it’s title and the sound of the album, it is hard to attain that same feeling from the days of the tape deck. But Live brings Hip-Hop to its basic essentials: the beats, the rhymes and life. Nothing more, nothing less, and Skyzoo & !llmind combine to make it one of the best releases of 2010.

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

11/8 Top Ten albums on WKNC's Daytime shows

	Artist	Album	Label
#1	CLOUD NOTHINGS	Turning On	Carpark
#2	BRENT AMAKER AND THE RODEO	Please Stand By	Spark and Shine
#3	BREATHE OWL BREATHE	Magic Central	Hometapes
#4	JESSICA HERNANDEZ AND THE DELTAS	Weird Looking Women in to Many Clothes	self-released
#5	ALLO DARLIN'	Allo Darlin'	Fortuna Pop
#6	HUSKY RESCUE	Ship of Light	Catskills
#7	GOLD PANDA	Lucky Shiner	Ghostly International
#8	DEMON'S CLAWS	The Defrosting of...	In the Red
#9	ROYAL BATHS	Litanies	Woodsist
#10	SHARON VAN ETTEN	Epic	Ba Da Bing

EOT50 Larry's Beans 11/16/10

Chris and Mark take you behind the scenes with Larry Larson of Larry's Beans.  Plus: an interview with Ethan Bartlett, the chief of staff of N.C. State's student government, Mark's dessert recipe, sports previews the upcoming UNC game, and more.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT50_111610.mp3

A/V Geek Returns to Mystery Roach with Novelty Songs, 11/20

This Saturday, 11/20/2010, A/V Geeks founder Skip Elsheimer dredges deep into the mucky recesses of our collective pop culture subconscious to find some of his favorite novelty songs. (His words.) In addition to the joke songs we all know and love(They're Coming To TakeMe Away, Junk Food Junkie) and parody songs (Another One Rides the Bus, 99 Dead Baboons), we'll be listening to songs
that reflect the fads of the day (The Streak, Convoy, Pac Man Fever), odd 70s patriotic rap songs, answer songs and more!

Tune in Saturday morning, 8-10am.

Talk to you then.

-La Barba Rossa

Javelin Fly High at Kings

Local label Denmark Records brought Brooklyn electro-pop duo Javelin to town this past Thursday, November 11, for their third Raleigh show in four months at the recently re-opened Kings. I unfortunately missed the Panda-Bear-but-less-weird sounds of local act It Is Rain In My Face, but arrived right in time to catch the start of Athens, Georgia's Reptar. With bassist Ryan Engelberger M.I.A., the band still managed to put on an energetic show, keeping the crowd dancing with synth-pop reminiscent of Passion Pit, sans the obnoxious vocals. Dressed in a choir robe and multi-colored sunglasses, keyboard player William Kennedy bounced around with singer/guitarist Graham Ulicny like two kids hopped on Red Bull and Pixie Stix, their boundless energy clearly rubbing off on the crowd.

After a brief set break, Javelin kicked off their set of sample-heavy party jams. Mixing in older tracks such as "Radio" and "Soda Popinski" with newer cuts, including personal favorite "C Town", the duo of George Langford and Tom van Buskirk never once let their set go into non-danceable territory during their nearly hour-long set. The duo also managed to drop in a few verses from songs other than their own, including Beastie Boys' "Sabotage." With a much larger turnout than the nearly-empty Small Black show a couple weeks before, the show proved to be a success for everyone—for Denmark, for Kings, for the fans, and especially for Javelin, who went so far as to ask, "Why haven’t we moved here yet?"

The Tomahawks, Tender Fruit at NC State

It may be a chilly one, but this year's final installment of the Fridays on the Lawn on-campus concert series will be sure to impress.

This Friday, November 19th, will feature headliners The Tomahawks, out of Chapel Hill with the Carrboro-based Tender Fruit starting the evening off at 6:30. (This iteration of The Tender Fruit will be Christy Smith performing solo. "Solo" does this lady no justice, though. Her voice packs the punch of a full orchestra.)

As usual, the show will start at 6:30 on Harris Field at NC State, and is completely free and open to the public.

There will be a limited supply of free pizza thanks to our friends at Ruckus Pizza, and, since the autumn weather is in full swing, there will be hot cocoa as well.  There will also be giveaways! Hurra.

Hope to see you out there!

LBLB Thursday 11/18

Come down to WKNC and Tir Na Nog's Local Band Local Beer on Thursday 11/18 to see Embarrassing Fruits, Kid Future, and Americans In France! The show is free! 10 p.m. 21+.



Embarrassing Fruits


These guys played on NCSU's Harris Field for the first installment of Fridays on the Lawn this semester.  I thoroughly enjoyed their show. On the one hand, they sang a song about conspiracies and on the other, something so love sick my heart ached. My favorite line? something like, "I want to be the one to kill spiders for you." Oh please, Embarrasing Fruits, if you kill spiders for me there will be no Long Distance Breakup Summer.  Promise.


Kid Future

Seriously the sexiest new band to hit the Raleigh scene.

"The three-dude Kid Future is an upstart in the most absolute sense, having played about a dozen shows and released only a handful of rough recordings online. Those tunes are keyboard-and-guitar gestalts, given to verses and hooks that look to serve the mood, not themselves. Think The National in the basement with drum machines and synths." —Grayson Currin, The Independent

Americans In France

"Though they're a little more Black Flag than Buddy Holly, there's a sloppy, rudimentary straightforwardness to Americans in France. That's not to call their debut, Pretzelvania, simplistic, though. Actually, the Chapel Hill trio plays with a great deal of skill, shifting styles (punk, post-punk, ballad, droning space rock, peppy rave-ups) with the precision of an Indy car shifting gears coming out of a caution flag. But their ragged, kitchen-sink experimentalism is far from pretentious, striking a playful, clowning tone that doesn't take itself too seriously." —Chris Parker, The Independent

All three bands (hopefully!) will join me at the station this Thursday at 7 p.m. It will be a cozy interview.

Day Three Photos from Troika Music Festival

Filthybird


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Chatham County Line


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Joe Romanos


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Day Two Photos from Troika Music Festival

Wesley Wolfe


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

North Elementary


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Small Ponds


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Day One Photos at Troika Music Festival

Birds and Arrows
Birds and Arrows started off the festival in Central Park Thursday night, November 4. Unfortunately, it was very cold and rainy, which might have deterred some of the listeners, but once Andrea starting singing, I completely forget about the numbness in my toes. This is the fourth time I've seen them in eight months, and I'm more and more in love with them every time I see them. She has a commanding, beautiful presence, and always dresses to impress. John, the cellist, adds a perfectly enriching texture to the married duo. My favorite part of this group, however, is the fact that Pete, drummer and husband, sings the higher harmony, and Andrea sings the base melody.


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Mosadi Music
I had never heard of this group, but they definitely impressed me. I always enjoy bands that mix up genres, like The Beast, and this one mixed it up even better with the lead voice as a female rapper. The background instrumentalists played chill rhythms while she got the crowd hyped up with her fast-paced lyrics.


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Veelee
I was quite excited to see these guys. This girl/guy duo definitely took me by surprise. I wasn't able to stick around for their whole set so that I could run off to see Midtown Dickens, but what I saw had me bouncing around. I loved watching a female rock out on drums, and I had me captivated with his duo guitar/piano playing.


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Midtown Dickens
I've been a longtime fan of Midtown Dickens, but this was my first time seeing them live, and man was it worth the wait! I had already been there for five hours, but they made my night worth it. The two females have such unique voices with incredible stage presence that makes them unforgettable. They had a wide array of instruments: acoustic guitar, drums, mandolin, upright bass, banjo, clarinet, accordion, and (my favorite) hand saw. And the best part, after just about every song, they all would change instruments.


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

11/12 Top ten albums on WKNC's Afterhours

	Artist	Album	Label
#1	ELECTRIC SUNSET	Electric Sunset	K
#2	OCTOPUS PROJECT	Hexadecagon	Peek-A-Boo
#3	BASSNECTAR	Wildstyle [EP]	Amorphous
#4	TWIN SHADOW	Forget	Terrible
#5	UNDERWORLD	Barking	V2
#6	!!!	Strange Weather, Isn't it?	Warp
#7	CHROMEO	Business Casual	Atlantic
#8	HUNDRED IN THE HANDS	Hundred in the Hands	Warp
#9	BORGORE	Cerulean	unkown
#10	BATHS	Apocalyptic	Anticon

11/12 Top Ten albums for WKNC's Chainsaw Rock

	Artist	Album	Label
#1	ATHEIST	Jupiter	Season of Mist
#2	DIO	Dio at Donnington Live 1983-87	Niji
#3	POWERGLOVE	Saturday Morning Apocalypse
#4	KYLESA	Spiral Shadow	Season of Mist
#5	BLACK ANVIL	Triumvireate	Relapse
#6	CRADLE OF FILTH	Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa	Nuclear Blast
#7	HOLY GRAIL	Crisis in Utopia
#8	POWERWORLD	Human Parasite	SPV
#9	COUGH	Ritual Abuse	Relapse
#10	EVOCATION	Apocalyptic

Troika Saturday

This past Saturday marked the the last night of the local music festival Troika in downtown Durham. Despite the cold weather, Anastassia and I, AndyQ, had a glorious time running around from venue to venue listening to the Triangle's finest local music. This is our collaborative blog on our experience.

The first place we went to was at the new Motorco Music Hall, which had a nice upscale warehouse lounge vibe going on.

Filthybird started the evening out nicely with some mellow music. It was fun to watch the lead singer with her short stature play such a huge guitar.

After Filthybird, some men in snazzy suits and well manicured beards came to the stage. With their four-part harmonies and fancy finger work on the fiddle, Chatham County Line managed to crank out some good ole bluegrass reminiscent of classic Avett Brothers.

It wasn't surprising when we looked back at the crowd and saw that they had packed the house filled with swooning listeners.

We were in for a surprise when we headed over to The Casbah.

Gray Young completely changed the atmosphere of the evening with their garage rock cords that were evocative of Explosions in the Sky. With their awesome stage presence and edgy music, it was impossible to stand still. Seeing Gray Young right after a nice folksy band like Chatham was an eye opening experience to the wide range of local music in the Triangle, and both of us really appreciated that.

Then, we saw  The Loom from Brooklyn, who were well worth the walk to the Trotter Building, which was decorated nicely with lovely lanterns. I liked the band's ability to start off with a mellow opening, only to build up to a crescendo of high energy horns, banjo, and drums. The "Middle Distance," showcased their driving beats that backed haunting vocals. The sweet raspiness of the female vocalist accompanied by the male lead's voice was very enjoyable.

Next, we ran back to The Motorco for Cassis Orange. This girly, but rough band was really fun to watch, with the singer dancing and jumping around. Their use of different and sometimes odd instruments came especially handy when a flutist joined them to cover Ke$ha’s “Tik-tok”. That was probably the best cover that I have heard, hands down.

Finally, after almost five hours of shows, the best was saved for last with Hammer No More the Finger. We had heard of them, but didn’t really know what to expect, and they definitely did not disappoint. It was obvious even from the beginning that they had a solid fan base in Durham. The venue was packed and a sort of mosh pit was forming. No one stood still because the guitar riffs and catchy songs were too good to not dance to.

In general, the festival not only presented some great local music, but it showcased the noteworthiness of downtown Durham, helping to disprove some people's sentiments that Durham is Raleigh's ghetto. We were very disappointed that there was not enough time in the night to listen to all the bands that performed.  We also went with fellow DJ Godrik, who would like to add "beer should have been cheaper".

EOT49 Four Loko 11/9/10

Cioffi explores the popularity and risks of heavily caffeinated malt liquor beverages like Four Loko.  Cioffi and John sit down with NCSU NAACP president Josh Smith to gauge reaction to recent controversy surrounding the Free Expression Tunnel.  Also in this episode: Troika soundbytes, Mark's recipes for collared greens, and Tyler and Taylor's analysis of Wolfpack football.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT49_110910.mp3

Asheville meet Moogfest

I had the pleasure this past Halloween weekend of attending the inaugural MoogFest in Asheville, North Carolina. Surrounded by the beautiful sight of the Blue Ridge Mountains, I witnessed sets ranging from the achingly beautiful sounds of jónsi to the infectious electro-pop of Hot Chip. The festival was a huge success and one of the most fun weekends I've had all year. Instead of doing the usual "write a paragraph about each act you saw," I offer you a list of various this and that's. Stay tuned for a gallery of photos from the weekend coming soon. Enjoy.

Best show of the weekend: Massive Attack and jónsi (tie)

Most common theme of the weekend: Acts who are laid-back on record being not-so-laid-back live (see Thievery Corporation, Four Tet, Massive Attack)

Coolest instrument: Neon Indian guitarist Ronald Geirhart's guitar, featuring an embedded LED screen

Most common smell: It was a music festival. In Asheville. Figure it out.

Best surprise guests: Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale of Devo (who were forced to cancel their set due to a hand injury sustained by guitarist Bob Mothersbaugh) coming out at the end of The Octopus Project's set to perform a couple songs (including my personal favorite, "Beautiful World")

Best stage show: Massive Attack's absolutely stunning set-up, featuring several LED screens displaying socio-political messages alongside striking visuals

Most amusing moment: Part of the floor in the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium sinking in due to hardcore dancing during Sleigh Bells and Neon Indian, forcing security to clear the pit and front row

Best non-musical moment: Yelling "WOOT WOOT" at a gaggle of (real) Juggaloes

Biggest surprises: RJD2 and Pretty Lights, neither of which I'd been a huge fan of before the festival

Best costume: The giant sasquatch

Person having the most fun: According to a brief exchange I had with him, head of AC Entertainment (one of the main forces behind this festival, as well as Bonnaroo) Ashley Capps

Did you attend MoogFest? Who were your favorite acts? What were some of you favorite moments?

A Parade of Wolves at Lincoln Theatre

Canadian indie rockers, Wolf Parade, made their way to Lincoln Theatre on Saturday night and deejays N!cole and Special K were there to cover the event. Upon arriving, we were greeted by the power chords of the opener band, Ogre You Asshole. Admittedly neither of us had heard of them before, and I personally was a bit confused by their garbled lyrics. As we made our way through the sea of people, it became apparent that these guys were not from around here. Unlike the headliner, Ogre You Asshole wasn't even from this continent! Hailing from Nagano, Japan, the band members were over 6,500 miles away from home and on tour with Wolf Parade. Overall, they had the crowd swaying despite the fact most of the audience couldn't understand the vocals.



After what seemed like a long time for setup, Wolf Parade finally made their way on stage. They opened with DJ N!cole's favorite song, "You Are A Runner and I Am My Father's Son" and continued their set with a mix of old songs and new songs off their latest album Expo 86 which released this past June. I personally thought there was a rise of energy in the crowd when they began to play "I'll Believe In Anything" which continued on into a demanding encore later at the end of the show. Wolf Parade ended the night with "Modern World" and "Kissing the Beehive."



The Final Recap: As best summarized by DJ N!cole, "It was a really good show." Overall, there was quite a bit of drunkenness among the crowd at Lincoln and Wolf Parade looked like they were having a good time too. I also continued to hear a rumor about a girl throwing up all over the floor throughout the night.  However by the end of the show, the vocals and music had been crisp, the audience looked satisfied, our shoes were clean, and there was a pleasant ringing in my ears as we walked to the parking deck. Another successful night of music in Raleigh.

You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you get a giveaway.

We've got some giveaways going down for you all this week, November 8-12.

11/10: Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti at Cat's Cradle

The Jackets at the Pour House

11/11: Javelin at King's

Modern Skirts at Casbah

The Hotwires at the Pour House

11/12: Scott Biram at Casbah

We also have a few Bob Dylan CDs to give away as well!

This list is not an entire list of shows in the Triangle this week—check out our rock report for a more complete list!

And remember, you have to listen to win!

WKNC kicks off Homecoming

WKNC was proud to help out with NC State Homecoming 2010: No Wake Zone Sunday night.

Students and Wolfpack fans came out to enjoy free shirts, food, and games. WKNC raffled off Bob Dylan's The Best of The Original Mono Recordings CDs as well as copies of Nightsound Studios Presents: Musical Chairs, a compilation of local artists covering other local artists' songs. Congratulations to our winners!

WKNC will also be at the homecoming parade Friday (6-7 p.m. on Hillsborough St.), emceed by DJ Elly May, as well as PackHowl Pep Rally (7-10 p.m. on Harris Field). The Pep Rally will feature  hot chocolate, speeches from some of the football players and head coach Tom O'Brien, cheerleaders, Wolfpack band, student performances, and headlining band, Augustana.

Look for our table and come say hello to your favorite deejays! We'll have stickers, Fridays on the Lawn information, and more giveaways in the spirit of Wolfpack Football. Go Pack!

Robert Earl Keen's WKNC Interview

Robert Earl Keen gave Sweet Annie Rich a call and, in spite of Sweet Annie Rich's technology issues, gave a spectacular interview.  He talked about his time at a big Ag university (Texas A&M) similar to NCSU, his favorite song lyrically, and how touring with Reckless Kelly and the Randy Rogers Band is just a mix of "all the right ingredients."

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

LBLB November 11 Presented by New Raleigh!

This Thursday will be a New Raleigh Showcase of three lovable acts: Bright Young Things, Gray Young, and Heads on Sticks.  WKNC and Tir Na nOg are happy to bring you this FREE, 21 and up event every week.  Music starts at 10 p.m.  Grab yourself a tasty local brew (they're on special!) and enjoy some local live music.



Bright Young Things

With their music famously described as "The Beatles on a really bad day," there is something especially charming about this music group.

Gray Young

"Raleigh's Gray Young (who, for the record, use vocals, but in a largely textural way) makes its anthems say a lot in very little time, and such careful editing and composition amps the intensity." -The Independent

Heads on Sticks

Check out their free download for the track "Mocking Bird" too!

Expect an ACTION PACKED interview with Bright Young Things this Thursday at 7 p.m.!

Halloween Night With Caribou, Emeralds, and Veelee

Halloween in the triangle area is always a must-experience event. As luck would have it, one of my favorite bands, Caribou, played at Cat’s Cradle on Sunday night, so it was guaranteed to be even more celebratory than usual! Costumed characters adorned the streets; walking to the venue, I saw several renderings of Gaga, Devo, and even a fleet of dominoes. The costumes flowed into Cat’s Cradle as well. To my right was a feathery albatross, behind me, a gory zombie. The night was off to a festive start.

As Veelee opened at Cat's Cradle, the crowd went wild. I'm a new-comer to the Raleigh music scene, so it was my first time hearing their groovy dance beats, but I was instantly hooked. I’m proud to say that they are now in my music library. “When you gonna come home,” and I was already dancing... on the opening act.

After a swift set break, Emeralds played. Boy, did they perform. Every newly synthesized chord was a new revelation—Animal Collective in the style of Philip Glass, who wouldn’t love that? The shimmery instrumental hodgepodge of beautiful textures rained down. My legs were going rubbery from breaking it down, the crowd moving in rhythm. And Caribou hadn’t even been spotted yet.

The headliner of the night played a flawless show spotted with familiar songs with a few throwbacks to their older albums. “Odessa” was of course a crowd favorite, but I adored hearing “Sun” live. The band members were of course in costume, each wearing awesome camouflage suits. It worked—I barely saw them. I was too occupied with dancing at a great show.

Troika Music Festival has stolen my heart

Last night, Friday November 6, was the second night of three for Troika Music Festival in Durham, NC. As of this moment, I have watched and photographed 11 bands, and tonight I'll photograph 6 or 7 more. It's been an incredible journey for me thus far. First of all, I've never driven in downtown Durham, let alone in the dark and in the rain. So the musical rewards were that much more delicious after I circled miles of blocks countless times.


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

I've been blown away by the epic sounds of Old Bricks in the tiny space of The Pinhook. They radiated so much joyous energy for the creation of music, I have a feeling they forgot we were all standing there listening. I don't typically like bands that are more noise-based and less lyrical, but they touched a part of my soul.


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Later, I sat on the stage next to Django Haskins of The Old Ceremony as he played acoustic guitar standing on the top of a chair because the sound system gave out, and he wanted to make sure everyone could here and see. He entranced the entire audience with his raw voice, honest lyrics,  and witty jokes, mostly making fun of himself. He has a list of over a hundred songs that he was sporadically picking from, and he shared with us the back story to The Old Ceremony most recent release, Wither on the Vines, and he sang a song that he wrote for a girl-rock band in New York.


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

I was introduced to a new band that had my calves sore I was bouncing around so much. Onward, Soldier has one of the most talented groups of local musicians I've probably seen. The lead singer, Sean, has a soft face with an innocent air, but he plays and sings with such intensity, you'd think he was 6'6. I expect the drum to fall through the stage he was rockin' so hard, and the second guitar ripped with fingers of gold. There's no better way to instill love in an audience than to show your own love in the making of music. They had so much energy, such happiness, I was completely taken by their performance.


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

But out of the eleven bands I have thus far seen, nothing can compare to the performance of Mandolin Orange. The male/female duo step onto the stage of Fullsteam Brewery with a fiddle, two guitars, and a mandolin. Their presence truly speaks to the power of music that has nothing to do with sound or technique. They made me believe them. I believed in the beauty of the fiddle and the simplistic elegance of an acoustic guitar. I believed that two vocal harmonies singing just the right words could transform a room into a sanctuary. Andrew has a calming presence with long curly hair, but his voice resonates with a deep, slightly twangy serenity. Emily is infallibly beautiful, but nothing in comparison to her radiance while holding a fiddle. This is the duo to watch, and I know I'll be looking out for their next show.

I will be perfectly happy if I never listen to another band from outside of North Carolina. This state is overflowing with talent in every genre, and I'm so grateful to be a part of it.

Hopscotch Festival Sets Dates for 2011

In an email sent out earlier this week, the folks behind Hopscotch Music Festival announced the dates for next year's festival. Go ahead and mark your calendars, for the festival will return to downtown Raleigh September 8-10, 2011. The email notes to keep an eye on the fest's Facebook and Twitter accounts, as well as its website, for updates on Hopscotch, round two.

The festival is also currently asking this year's attendees to complete a brief, four-question, demographic survey, which you can find here

“Dust lane” Crescendos into Chaos

88.1 WKNC Pick of the Week 10/15, written by Mason Morris, WKNC Operations Manager

If you have seen the French film Amélie, you perhaps recall its vivid colors, quirky dialog, touching plot and most certainly its soundtrack. The violin, accordion, piccolo, xylophone and tambourine just begin to comprise its emotional tsunami of sound. It floats spirits, it drowns souls and it moves the viewer with sound as much as the cinematography does with sight. From the highs of "Les Jours Tristes" to the devastating crash of "La Valse D'Amélie," each piece from the soundtrack pulls the strings of the listener's heart. Fans of the Amélie soundtrack should be delighted to learn that the composer Yann Tiersen's masterpieces did not start, and have not dropped off with his premier film score. Tiersen's most recent studio release is titled Dust Lane, and it serves as his formal American debut. After my first listen through, I can only attempt to fathom why he did not appear sooner. The notes on the cover of the album share it's dedication to the artist's mother and Dédé Lafleur, both whom were dear to him and died at the time of writing and recording. These close sentiments are reflected throughout the pieces in an imaginative expression of love and dedication. The album begins with "Amy," a song peppered with beeps and blips as a vessel lost in the stream of life searches for guidance and some solidarity.

This murky start clears as a glimpse of hope, rare to the album, crescendos into further chaos. "Sinking, sinking," Tiersen laments. An end, presumably death, has been revealed to the man, as his music transitions to a drearier tone. The listener is led through a cloud of deeply personal confusion from here to the album's conclusion. Dust Lane ostracizes Yann Tiersen's previously known musical style with a mélange of synthesizers and heavy guitar riffs. The change is both genius and welcome.

"Palestine," a politically charged, yet emotional, song from the album, puts Tiersen and colleagues spelling the state's name repeatedly behind a haze of melody that dissolves as all structure falls. From Tiersen's label, ANTI-, comes his description of the track. "I ended my last tour in Gaza City, and realized that even in the most unfair situation there is hope. It is when surrounded by mess and dust that everything comes to life again," Tiersen said. Percussion and interference set a background as vocals intensify, eventually misspelling and entirely collapsing the idea -- Palestine.

Tiersen succeeds in delivering his message to audiences with grace and beauty that is sure to cause chills. Yann Tiersen's album does not end on an entirely negative note. "Till The End" is its penultimate track, and it is haunted by gorgeous ethereal singing, spiraling screeches, piano solos and a gleaming resolution. Perhaps all will be okay. Perhaps one can only move on. The piece transitions into the finale, "F*** Me," where the album's climax rests. "Love me, love me, and make me love again," Tiersen begs in a major key. The end is not nigh for all. In an unmistakably complex way, the musical artist finds solace in the comfort of his partner and sings to her. Good music is listened to, but great music is experienced. Tiersen succeeds at this on all fronts in a brilliant album that must be listened to by all.

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

Homecoming with WKNC!

It's that time of year again—and WKNC is helping the Pack get ready to beat Wake Forest!

NC State Homecoming 2010: No Wake Zone kicks off this Sunday, November 7, at 4 p.m. on Harris Field (corner of Cates and Dan Allen on NC State's campus). WKNC will be among other organizations participating in the festivities, as well as supplying music for the event. Come out to meet your favorite deejays, get free t-shirts, free food, and more!

For the full schedule of Homecoming week events, check out NC State Homecoming's facebook.

EOT48 Election Night 11/2/10

The EOT crew covers early election results live from the polls, previews the designers for Couture for a Cause and interviews the organizers of Durham's Troika Music Festival.

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT48_110210.mp3

Local Beat Interviews Troika

This coming Friday on the Local Beat I am dedicating two hours of the show to Troika Music Festival.  Of course by the time the interview airs the festival will be well underway since it is beginning tonight.  Melissa Thomas and Stuart Horne came in to pre-record the interview with me earlier in the week and I felt that it was important to share our conversation before Friday evening and before Troika begins.  Among many things we chatted about the history of the event, compared it to Hopscotch, and discussed what is going on differently in this years festival.  Give it a listen below:

Troika on the Local Beat 11/5/10

Troika on Twitter

Troika on Facebook

Local Beat preview 11/5/10

Friday evening on the Local Beat will be one you surely do not want to miss.

The first hour of the program Chapel Hill band the Light Pines are coming on to talk with us about a plethora of topics as we promote their First Friday  show at Tir na Nog alongside 12000 Armies and Nudehues.  The Light Pines are almost finished with their debut 10 track album and we will talk about that in plenty.  Also stick around and listen as we chat about their connections with the Love Language and their future touring plans.

From 6pm-8pm I am dedicating two hours to the Troika Music Festival in downtown Durham.  Melissa Thomas and Stuart Horne dropped by earlier in the week to pre-record the two hour interview and it was rather entertaining.  You can go ahead and listen to that interview here, but you can only listen to the Troika bands during the airing of the interview!

As always, the Local Beat is every Friday evening from 5pm-8pm right here on WKNC.  You can also listen online here.  Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and ReverbNation!

So ready for Troika Fest!

It's been one of those weeks.

But tonight! It is the first night of three of Troika Music Festival. And I, the WKNC Photographer, will be there all three nights! I'm totally in love with local bands, and this weekend will have some of my favorites. So keep a look out over the weekend and next week for photos of great local bands!

Local Band Local Beer November 4

Thursday, November 4—Local Band Local Beer!

A Listening party for Freedom Suite, a new album from The Beast and Nnenna Freelon, featuring performances from The Beast, King Mez, Carlitta Durand, Brody & Choch, and a special turntablism, live drums, and sampling set from producers The Apple Juice Kid and Zakee who have worked with M.I.A., Wale (pronounced Wal-lay), and Rye Rye.



The Beast will headline this show and special guests include:

Producers The Apple Juice Kid (has worked w/ Wale, Camp Lo) and Zakee (has worked w/ M.I.A., Rye Rye) will be performing a collaborative set featuring turntablism, live percussion, and sampling.
http://www.myspace.com/theapplejuicekid
http://www.myspace.com/iamzakee

King Mez
http://www.kingmez.com/

Carlitta Durand
http://www.myspace.com/missdurand

Brody & Choch
http://www.myspace.com/brodyandchoch

For more information about The Beast visit:
http://www.thebeastmusic.com/

The show is FREE. Ages 21 and up. Starts at 10pm.

Superb Giveaways: Start off November Right!

It finally feels like fall in the Triangle, and we're keeping you warm with some HOT giveaways (okay, so, they won't actually keep you warm...)

11/2: Zane Lamprey (comedian) at Cat's Cradle

11/4: Ra Ra Riot at Cat's Cradle



11/5: Schooner at Slim's



11/5: Soft Company at King's

11/6: Wolf Parade at Lincoln Theatre

11/7: Punch Brothers at Cat's Cradle



11/7: Robert Earl Keen at Lincoln Theatre



Remember you have to listen to win! Also, check out the rock report for the latest updates on local shows—remember Troika is this weekend!

Eye on the Triangle gets a new look

Not only does our new page look good, but it has some great functionality!

Under About, read up on the history of the program and meet the current EOT team.  Or, use Contact Us to get in touch and offer your suggestions.  Keep it here (and check the box on the right) for news about our upcoming segments.

Thanks to Biko Tushinde and Saja Hindi for making this happen!

Drughorse First Friday at Tir na nOg

Remember the last time The Light Pines played Tir na nOg (or anywhere)? Holy smokes that was awesome.  Well, they along with two of their Drughorse brethren will be rocking the pub's thatched roof yet again this Friday.

You know the Light Pines, right? If you don't, well, come to the show and you'll be glad you did. Here is my review of a show they opened up a couple months ago.

TWELVE THOUSAND ARMIES: Fronted by Justin Williams, the surging  and recently rejuvenated (see: opening for Vetiver tonight at the 506 and recently for the Love Language at Motorco on Oct 23) Twelve Thousand Armies will fill the two-spot in this lineup with their shimmery, nostalgic 60's pop ballads.  The melodies are playful and tickling, and the lyrics range from mature and serious to downright poignant.

NUDEHUES: You wouldn't guess that the eerie, lingering and hard-for-me-to-classify compositions of the mysterious Nudehues came from the same brain that spun Max Indian's hook-laden toe-tappers for over a year.  Carter Gaj (Max Indian frontman emeritus) and Tom Simpson (Light Pines percussionist) may leave you scratching your head, but they will certainly leave you wanting more.  Compelling and thought-provoking stuff.

This show starts at 9:30, and it costs a conveniently meager five dollars.