Best of the Local Beat 7/13/12

This Friday, July 13 on "The Local Beat" we are continuing our "Best Of" series with three great interviews.

At 5 p.m. we are revisiting an interview from December 2011 when local hip-hop group Kooley High dropped by to talk about their newly released album "David Thompson." Kooley High was planning a show at the Pour House in support of the album release with several other local hip-hop groups. The guys and I talked about their exodus to New York, the new album, music videos and much more.

The second hour we will re-listen to an interview from February 2012 when Jeff Shields of local act Kleptonaut stopped by to chat about one of my favorite albums from last year, "The Golden Age of Space Travel." Jeff was an excellent guest and shared a lot of witty insight into the creation of his music. We had a blast talking about everything from his experience as a "podcast troubadour" to the naming of his instrumental songs.

For the final hour of the program we are just reaching back to March of this year when I was joined by one of my favorite all time local bands, Birds and Arrows. Pete and Andrea brought some guests into the station to promote an folk/hip-hop show they were putting on at White Collar Crime called "Folk What You Heard." Millie Vaughn, Lazarus, and Corey McLemore provided some great insight into their craft and even free-styled over a ukulele beat for us. The whole hour was a lot of fun and I know you will enjoy it once again.

As always, the fun starts at 5 p.m. and will last until 8 p.m.! Be sure to follow the Local Beat on Twitter or Facebook and download tons of free local music on our ReverbNation page!

Kooley High interview tonight on WKNC's 'Real RnB & Hip-Hop Radio,' 2/11/12

North Carolina hip-hop collective Kooley High will be stopping by the WKNC studios tonight, Feb. 11, on Real RnB & Hip-Hop Radio. Tune in at 10 p.m. as Mir.I.am interviews Charlie Smarts, Tab-One, Rapsody, Foolery, The Sinopsis and Ill Digitz for the first time.

Kooley High recently released their sophomore album titled David Thompson after the great NC State basketball player. Find out more about the album here.

High energy Kooley High show a success

There are about 465 words I'll use to describe the energy at the Kooley High CD Release party this past Saturday night at The Pour House.  Not only did Lazurus, Actual Proof, King Mez, and Kooley High deliver, they all captured the crowd's attention throughout the entire show.  Each set was quick, to the point and fun -- something I often miss at an indie rock show.

I arrived at The Pour House around ten to find a healthy throng of people smoking their last cigarettes before the show started.  King Mez was standing outside and hyped up the show by telling us how pumped he was for it tonight.  Just seeing his energy got me excited to see what would happen inside.  Lazurus took to the stage right on time.  This guy is a super hyped-up MC that had me laughing and throwing my hands back and forth with the crowd.  He started his set with some a cappella rhymes and then brought out the beats for about thirty minutes.  He wrapped up his set with a gift for the fans-- T-shirts and albums.  Luckily, I managed to snag an album.

 



Actual Proof set up shop next.  These two young guys from Raleigh's own Enloe High School killed it on stage.  Not only did they look fresh, but they sounded smart, fast, and just plain good.

In between sets I had to fight my way back to the bar to refill my drink.  That's a good thing when it comes to local music shows.  All kinds of people were coming together for this show and everyone was pushing for a place near the stage.

I made my way up to the second story to capture the energy of King Mez.  The picture below captures the best point of the night in my opinion.  Everyone watched as the rapper performed solo.  I loved his introductions to his producers and shout outs to his friends.  His personality shone through his entire set.



Lastly, Kooley High performed against the festive decor surrounding the stage. Female emcee Rhapsody put the Christmas lights to shame in her performance with fellow group members Charlie Smarts and Tab One.  The group was celebrating the release of their new album "Kooley High Presents... David Thompson" which is available digitally here.  Kooley High has a lot to celebrate, including the success of their show.  They got at least one new fan who walked away from the venue still humming their beats in my head.

Kooley High celebrates release of new album at The Pour House

David Thompson is an N.C. State basketball legend. He led the Wolfpack to its first NCAA championship in 1974, and he graces the cover of Raleigh-based Kooley High's newest album, Kooley High Presents... David Thompson.  This Saturday, Dec. 10, hip-hop enthusiasts will celebrate the release of this new album with a CD release party at The Pour House in downtown Raleigh featuring Kooley High, King Mez, Actual Proof, and Lazurus.  The show is 21+ and doors open at 9 p.m.



I'm what you might call a hip-hop novice. I set my Pandora to Mos Def and I'm good for hours. Kooley High Presents... David Thompson is definitely helping me branch out into the genre.  The group of former NCSU students layers funky beats and clever rhymes to create a sound that I'm not quite used to, but I'm definitely into.  I'm especially a fan of track six, a special anthem titled "Dear Raleigh" that actually makes me feel attached to the red-brick ocean that is NCSU.  New Raleigh blog agrees that Kooley High does Raleigh justice.

Adam Kincaid will host the group on The Local Beat tonight from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. I'm hoping to get a glimpse into Kooley High's inspiration, their reasoning behind the iconic album cover, and hear more about their upcoming show.

Luckily for you (and me), I will be attending Saturday's show and reporting back on Monday, Dec. 12.  Come back to the blog to read about my experience with four of Raleigh's best hip hop artists.

Local Beat preview 9/2/11

Friday, Sept. 2 on "The Local Beat" is the first live program since July and it is jammed full of some amazing guests.


Last year we had Independent Weekly Music Editor and Hopscotch Music Festival Curator  Grayson Currin on the program for a full three hours to talk about the first ever Hopscotch. This year we toned it down a bit and Grayson, along with Hopscotch Marketing Director Greg Lowenhagen are coming in for one hour from 5-6 p.m. Join us as we chat about this year's festival from the eyes of the men behind it.

At 6 p.m. local hip-hop act Kooley High is dropping in for the first time in quite awhile. The group is playing at Kings Barcade with King Mez, HaLo, and Drique London. The show is all ages and cost $1, with the starting time planned for around 10 p.m. I'll be catching up with Kooley High and talking hip-hop.

The final hour of the show will belong to Hunter MacDermut, aka The Tourist, who is releasing a brand new 12 track album Sept. 3 at Marsh Woodwinds in Raleigh. Scott Phillips (of Goner, Monologue Bombs, and about 20 other local bands) will be opening and the show at 8 p.m. Hunter and I are going to talk about the new album and the show and spin some tracks off of it.

As always “The Local Beat” starts at 5 p.m. and runs through 8 p.m. every Friday evening on WKNC. Listen live here and be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and ReverbNation!

It's not about getting gifts... its about GIVEAWAYS.

'tis the season!

WKNC is true to the holiday spirit-- here are this week's giveaways:

12/7: Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band @ Casbah



12/8: Buckshot Bluegrass Show @ Pour House

12/8: Jukebox the Ghost @ Casbah



12/9: Dance Revolution Party @ Lincoln Theatre

12/9 Stroke It Noel Night 1 @ Cat's Cradle (2 night Big Star tribute show)

12/10: Stroke It Noel Night 2 @ Cat's Cradle
12/11: Carolina Chocolate Drops @ Lincoln Theatre



12/11: Gene Ween (of WEEN) @ Cat's Cradle



12/11: Kooley High @ Pour House
12/12: Relient K @ Cat's Cradle



Remember, you have to listen to win!

Happy Holidays from WKNC!

Signalfest This Weekend in Chapel Hill

Signal, the Southeast Electronic Music Festival, kicked off its fifth year last night with a hip-hop show at Cat's Cradle featuring Pac Div, Kooley High, King Mez, and others and continues through Sunday in various Chapel Hill and Carborro venues. The festival features a wide array of acts, both national and local, from many different subgenres, including Le Castle Vania, Cex, Sammy Bananas, Tittsworth, The Beast, The ExMonkeys, and WKNC's own Brooklyn Airlift.

Weekend passes for the fest are available for $40 today at the Ackland Art Museum from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., Tallula's starting at 10:00 p.m., and at Vespa on Friday night starting at 10:00 p.m. Individual tickets for each show will be available at the door of the venue the night of the show.

For more information on the festival, including schedules and past acts, check out their website here

Local Beer Local Band Thurs. Sept 16th

Thursday, September 16 is going to be the first Local Beer Local Band Night with WKNC's Alumni Mikey P. as official booking agent! Sorry for the late arrival of this blog for I believe I am still recovering from Hopscotch.  That does NOT mean that I will pass up free music at Tir na nOg Irish Pub for Local Beer Local Band Night! FREE, 21 and up, starting at 10 p.m.!  Inflowential and HaLo will be the main acts this Thursday night with Ill Digits controling the jams all night.  Local brewskies will be flowing from the taps!

Inflowential

"Inflowential successfully mixes blues, rock, hip-hop, and reggae to create music with broad appeal. Its kinetic live show has been a draw for fans."
David Menconi - The Raleigh News & Observer

"Inflowentia lslides comfortably across genre labels, using their live instruments and jazzy undertones to create tracks with an energy and power that feels fresh. A group with great promise..."
Aylin Zafar - Urb Magazine

HaLo aka MR. BEN READY

If you have heard Kooley High's new album, Eastern Standard Time, then you should recognize the up and coming rapper HaLo (pronounced like"Hah-Low") who is featured on several tracks. Connected to 9th Wonder and Kooley High's M.E.C.C.A. Records, HaLo is a witty, up-beat emcee who has arrived on the scene with the mission to delight, electrify and ignite seas of listeners. Currently collaborating with producers such as Foolery, The Sinopsis, and Khrysis, you'll be sure to hear more from this Raleigh rapper in the future.

Dj Ill Digitz

Once upon a time, Dj Ill Digitz hosted the Midnight Snack for WKNC. You should know him now for his work with Kooley High and his radio show on K 97.5 in his hometown of Raleigh NC. Digitz is one of the few deejays playing real hip hop on commercial radio waves. Here is a podcast he does for the station that features music you won't here on top 40 radio. They are kind enough to post it on their site for download and they are big supporters of both Digitz and Kooely High so big ups to K 97.5!!!



And!! Be sure to tune in Thursday from 7-8 p.m. to hear our beloved Mikey P interviewing our acts this week!

See you Thursday, friends.

Emerge: Fall into Fashion show featuring Kooley High

Whats up WKNC-ers! This is my first ever blog post, so don't crack on me for not being too blog-savvy... but here it goes:
Tuesday night (Well technically Wednesday morning) on Underground 88, I invited a group of three very intelligent and beautiful ladies, Lilu, Danielle, and Julie, as well as an equally awesome and talented young man, Troy Jaques, onto my midnight hip hop show to discuss their charity event being held on the 12th of September. Before I go any further,  here are the details for the event:

What: Emerge Fall into Fashion show and afterparty

Where: Mirage Night Club in Raleigh NC

When: September 12, starting at 8:00 p.m.

Why: Charity event, with proceeds going to Haven House Services

This group will be showing fall fashions from Dollface Boutique, Leluna Star, Julkee, and Zac Schell Designs. Not to mention for any of you local hip hop fans... KOOLEY HIGH will be performing right after the fashion show, as well as an after party for 21 and ups. Don't worry under 21-ers, the fashion show, sushi and Kooley show will be open to you as long as you are 18. These designers (three out of four NC state Alumni) have been working very very hard to provide you with an awesome event and some great fashion design; these people live for their art. They will also be present at First Friday presenting their work.

I'm a social work major, so I get real excited by charity events, especially one for a cause like Haven House. Haven house is a private, non-profit organization headed by a volunteer board and operated by local members of the community who are interested in helping the youth of our community when they are in difficult situations. They are funded mostly by the United Way, government grants and donations. The proceeds from this fashion show go to Haven House, and not to mention Kooley High's awesomeness will be present after the fashion show. And you get to look at cuties in cute clothes... and sushi. And summa dat bubbly if you're old enough. All for a good cause. What else could you ask for?

If you're interested, you can check out more information on www.emergefashionnc.com

It was a great pleasure working with these cats, and I'm real excited right now. :)

Photos from Kooley High and King Mez!

Photographs taken by WKNC photographer Katie Hill

King Mez


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Kooley High


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Tir na nOg and WKNC bring you, once again, the fun time that is Local Beer Local Band Night! Remember, these shows are 21 and up, FREE, and always a great way to spend your Thursday evening.

Both bands offer long, epic, and ambient instrumentals that, for me at least, really make you think. This week's bands cater to the fans of our Post Rock Block on Sunday's from 6-7 p.m.  So check that out as well!

The Bronzed Chorus

These two guys seem to make enough noise to sound like a band with a good four or five members. The music is instrumental and very post-rock. Here in the station, while listening to The Bronzed Chorus, I overheard our deejay Escher say, "I could definitely see two giant robots battling to this." He couldn't be more spot on.

Negrido

This group is similar in sound to the Bronzed Chorus but a bit harder.  This band is actually from Atlanta, GA, but will be touring with The Bronzed Chorus across the nation this summer.

Last night's LBLB photos, and July 8...in your face!

Last night's Local Beer Local Band photos, taken by WKNC photographer Katie Hill

A tin djinn

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Static Minds

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

WKNC and Tir Na Nog are proud to present KOOLEY HIGH and KING MEZ at Local Beer Local Band Night on July 8!

KOOLEY HIGH

Kooley High has always been a favorite for the Triangle's music-going crowd.  They blew up the courtyard with their high-energy performance behind Talley Student Center for one of our Friday's on the Lawn series last fall. Our best turnout for the whole FOTL music series.
"Kooley High combines traditional hip-hop and R&B with a modern freestyle that traverses effortlessly between not only genres, but also generations. The result is a three-dimensional concoction that envelops listeners in a sound that is as smooth as The Fugees and Common, as passionate as Mary J. Blige, and as intelligent as Hieroglyphics." —URB Magazine

KING MEZ

King Mez and Commissioner Gordon make up the next big BIG name in underground Hip-Hop.  You might as well see them now before the tickets to their shows cost you half your paycheck.

Eric Tullis, writer for the Independent, describes King Mez's performance as "the veteran work ethic of an old soul with youthful enthusiasm. He bounces around as if permanently affixed to a pogo stick, cheering on Commissioner Gordon as he works in some of his new beats from his drum machine."

The show is FREE, ages 21+. Starts at 10 p.m. Tir Na Nog has a wide selection of local brew specials from Big Boss, Aviator, LoneRider, French Broad, Foothills, and more!

Come down to Local Beer Local Band on July 8 to see Raleigh's—and now Brooklyn's—premier hip-hop group, KOOLEY HIGH, and the up-and-coming KING MEZ!

Kooley High and Carlitta Durand at the Pour House

If you live around Raleigh, Kooley High is one of those groups that everyone seems to be familiar with through word of mouth or after seeing one of their many concert posters promoting their next gig around town.  They perform regularly around the Triangle, yet, somehow, I had yet to see one of their shows until now.  After procuring a pair of tickets to their show at the Pour House on Friday, May 28, I was pumped to finally see them live.

It was a good thing I was pumped because, rather than letting the unexpected downpour dampen my mood, I used it as a funny conversation starter when seeing other concert goers who had obviously suffered the same water soaked journey from their car to the venue.

The opening artists got the crowd warmed up by the time Carlitta Durand took the stage.  Her energy was positive, quirky, and contagious from the get go.  When she started singing, everyone was captivated by her soulful lyrics and smooth sound.  Her backup singers blended perfectly, and the band played with such energy and passion that almost seemed old school.  Undoubtedly, Carlitta performed a beautiful and moving set.



As Kooley High took to the stage, the crowd was ready and the energy was intense.  Kooley High did not disappoint and used the energy of the crowd to push it further.  Each individual of the group brought something fresh and new to their sound, while still managing to rhyme effortlessly as a group without one person overbearing the others.  Their set was tight and powerful.  For all of the people in attendance, it was a great way to spend their Friday night.

Kooley High says, "See you later." In-studio Interview

A few hours before Kooley High performs at the Pour House for their farewell Raleigh show, Foolery and Charlie Smarts wanted to come in and chat about their hip-hop legacy in North Carolina as well as their expectations for their futures in New York. The band plans to continue to make new music up north, but not before they have a great send-off tonight which will include classic Kooley High tracks mixed in with some new surprises.



Listen to part of the interview here:

Part 1: Introductions Deck1-2010-05-28_11-26-12-381_1

Part 2: A Changing Environment Deck1-2010-05-28_11-35-16-631_1

Kooley High on WKNC this Friday

Join Special K and the Sajhammer this Friday at 11 a.m. as they will be talking to local hip-hop band, Kooley High. The band plans to discuss their upcoming performance with Carlitta Durand at the Pour House, May 28.



During the show, Kooley High will also be giving away tickets to their show. Be sure to tweet questions you'd like the WKNC deejays to ask the band. Listen only on 88.1FM or streaming online.

This Week's Giveaways

This week on WKNC we are giving away tickets to a myriad of fun goodness:



5/28 Carlitta Durand and Kooley High at The Pour House



5/29 North Elementary at Slim's



Robin Hood, with Russel Crowe and Cate Blanchett



Sex and the City 2!!! With Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Kattrall

Keep listening for these exciting giveaways and more!!!!

Music In The Gardens returns for summer

The Music In The Gardens summer concert series at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Durham is returning this year with another stacked lineup. Highlights include Camera Obscura, a Lonnie Walker/Mount Moriah double bill, Bowerbirds, Kooley High, Kingsbury Manx, Max Indian, and Billy Sugarfix (performing as Billy Sugarfix Carousel which, coming from him, probably means something pretty neat). Most shows occur each Wednesday and are $10 for the public, $5 for Duke students and employees, and children 12 and under get in free. You can get more information on the series, including dates, times, and ticket info, here.

Full schedule:
5/26 Annuals
6/2 Camera Obscura
6/9 Lonnie Walker, Mount Moriah
6/16 Kate McGarry & Keith Ganz
6/23 Bowerbirds
6/29 Samantha Crain
7/7 Kooley High
7/14 Kingsbury Manx
7/21 Max Indian
7/28 Billy Sugarfix Carousel
8/4 Mallarmé Chamber Players (at Kirby Horton Hall)
8/11 Ciompi Quartet (at Kirby Horton Hall)

The Beast and Orquesta GarDel make sweet music in the WKNC studio

If you've been following along with us these past two Fridays, you'll know that we've been participating in a small interview series featuring many of the talented acts at this spring's Shakori Hills Grassroots Music Festival. Last week, DJ Mick and DJ Kligz sat down with Bowerbirds and the ever so comical Inflowential. On this particular Friday, I had the pleasure of interviewing two great local bands, The Beast and Orquesta GarDel.



As an avid local music lover, The Beast, of course, was no stranger to my earbuds. I last caught the band last at WKNC's fall Fridays on the Lawn series where they opened for Kooley High. Obviously, I was going through a bit of a withdrawl, and with promises of on-air free-styling from Pierce Freelon, the Beast's front-man, the interview was too hard to pass up. Orquesta GarDel was a newcomer to my music pallet. Based in strong Latino roots, GarDel plays classic and modern salsa music with a sound heavily influenced by the New York-Puerto Rico connection of the 1970s. Eric Hirsh, Beast's keyboardist, is also a major part of GarDel, which has ultimately led to some interesting collaboration in the past. I won't give away too much, but I experienced firsthand the powerful forces and talent when these two groups collide. Be sure to check out the whole interview including the free-style performance:

Part 1: The Beast. The Beast

Part 2: Orquesta GarDel.Orquesta GarDel.

Part 3: Shakori Hills.Shakori Hills

Part 4: Free-style "Ahora" GarDel and Beast. Free-style "Ahora" GarDel and Beast

Next Friday, tune in to DJ Kligz as she will be talking to The Honeycutters as they gear up for their performance at Shakori that weekend.

Inflowential Interview from Friday, 4/9

Inflowential stopped into the WKNC studio last Friday to talk about their upcoming show at Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, their first LP (on the way...), an imminent move, and to thank everyone they've ever met.



DJ Kligz and I had a grand time chatting it up with them and spinning some of their music, so have a listen below.

Inflowential Interview

Final FRIDAYS ON THE LAWN this Friday!

It's hard to believe that two months ago we were setting up for the first ever Fridays on the Lawn concert with I Was Totally Destroying It and Luego. From conception, Fridays of the Lawn was designed to expose students to the thriving, yet largely unnoticed music scene of the Triangle. Carl Licata, a senior in computer science, said, "the past show was a great way to experience good, local music first-hand, and it didn't cost a thing."

Now with two concerts down, WKNC turns to promote its final installment featuring a hip-hop based show with The Beast and Kooley High.

WKNC staff will be posted out at the Free Expression Tunnel at NC State tomorrow and Friday to hand out fliers for the show from 11am-1pm. WKNC merch and Hear Here Compilation CDs will be available for purchase.

Due to weather conditions, Friday's show will take place at the Wolves Den in the basement of Talley Student Center. This show is also free and open to the public. Free food and free t-shirts will be available, however they are limited, so don't forget to come early! Let's make the last Fridays on the Lawn the best one yet!

EOT13 Talley Renovations 11/16/09

This week's Eye on the Triangle episode was a little different than usual. Because the N.C. State Board of Trustees is meeting Thursday and Friday (be sure to check the blog Thursday and Friday, and WKNC 88.1 at 7 p.m. Thursday for updates!) to vote on student fee increases, the EOT brought you a special episode on one fee that is facing contentious debate: the student centers renovation fee. However, we also had our (extended) Hear This segment, which featured Shit Horse from Odessa Records.

There are a lot of events coming up this week, so be sure to check them out. The Technician staff will be playing the Daily Tarheel staff in flag football at 4:30 p.m. Friday (we'll be live blogging from the game!), and of course Fridays on the Lawn at 6:30 p.m. with Kooley High and The Beast in the Wolve's Den in Talley Student Center.

NEWS
This week in News, Evan Garris gave us a rundown on several topics, ranging from Obama's trip to China to Iran's nuclear program. Here are links to some of the articles referenced in the newscast:
National
Obama wades into Internet censorship in China address
Fears grow over Iran nuclear sites
Local
Police find body of missing 5-year-old
University plans for Kay Yow Memorial and Cary basketball court dedicated to late NCSU coach Yow
North Carolina tornado outbreak


SPORTS
This week in Wolfpack sports, we started off with statements from both the Technician editor and the Daily Tarheel editor to each other's staffs about Friday's football game on Miller Fields at 4:30 p.m.

Derek Medlin and Tyler Everett then talked about football, basketball, predictions and stats. You can also check out Derek's personal blog, Cardiac Pack.

VIP/SOUNDBYTES
To go along with our VIP segment this week, Matt Moore went around campus and asked students about their thoughts of the fee for the student centers and the Board of Trustees vote, which we had our VIP guests, Peter Barnes, former Student Centers president, and Christian Stackhouse, student senator, listen to and address in our discussion about the new fee. Barnes was one of the main advocates in the Rally 4 Talley campaign, while Stackhouse voted against the fee increase in the interest of the student body. We also played interview clips from Marycobb Randall, current Student Centers President, who also advocated the increase, and Jordan Hammond, a current student senator who was in support of the renovations personally but voted against the increase because of the student body votes against it. The fee, if approved by the Board of Trustees (Thursday and Friday) and Board of Governors (early next year), will increase the student centers fee by $83 for the next academic year, $165 the following year, and not to exceed $290 for the next 25 to 30 years.

HEAR THIS

Music industry veteran and Kingsbury Manx band member Paul Finn raised some eyebrows  when he pulled a rather ambitious move in June of this year -- he launched a brand new record label with three albums.  Mike Alston was WKNC's local music director at the time and had inquired about the Kingsbury Manx album, but he was surprised when it came packaged with debut albums from two bands he had never heard of -- Americans in France and Impossible Arms.  Well, all three albums were spectacular (Independent Weekly agreed) and Odessa has put out a few more releases since.  Kelly Reid spoke with Finn about the launch of the record label, the inspiration behind such a bold move and the future for Odessa Records.


And as a reminder, we will not be having an Eye on the Triangle episode next Monday, Nov. 23, due to a live broadcast of the women's basketball game, but be sure to check out the blog for more or our podcasts on wknc.org/eot. Shoot us an e-mail with your thoughts on anything to publicaffairs@wknc.org. And come out to Friday's football game and concert!

http://interviews.wknc.org/eot/EOT13_111609.mp3