Gillian Welch and David Rawlings Bring Melancholy Folk to NCMA

Wow. Take all your expectations of Gillian Welch's mournful voice and David Rawlings's flawless guitar riffs from your favorite albums, whether it be the most recent The Harrow and the Harvest or the now 14 year-old Revival, and sum them all into one balmy evening. If you add a bit more guitar and bit more emotion, as well as interjections from Gillian and David, you just might have what we had the pleasure of experiencing August 3 at the North Carolina Museum of Art.

Fans from all walks of life were pleased-- old fans who had been with Gil since the beginning, or new hip 20-somethings who heard them on NPR. There were children with mothers, falling asleep to the lullaby sounds of slower numbers, and curly-topped youngsters bouncing to the banjo lines, and of course, the Rawlings tune "Sweet Tooth". The brief rain couldn't put a damper on anyone, not even Gillian and David. They were pleased with the temperature drop and claimed it wasn't raining, just "really humid". The rain brought more people to the front, some to dance, others to take cover in the overhang, and more still just to get closer to their folk idols. As a huge Gillian Welch fan, this was probably one of the best shows I've been to so far this year. Local artists came out, surely paying homage to one of their influences-- I think I saw some members from Kickin' Grass Band, Mandolin Orange, and Midtown Dickens.

Gillian and David get the award for mixing the new and the old impeccably. The crowd was especially pleased with "Red Clay Halo", "Caleb Meyer", and of course, "Orphan Girl" was requested at least a dozen times (though, notably, not performed). As an Ohio native, one of my favorites was "Look at Miss Ohio," closely followed by one of the encores "Six White Horses". Their minimalist sound and traditional instrumentation was perfect for this North Carolinian show, providing a sense of belonging when playing "Tear my Stillhouse Down".

I will admit that I probably cried at least twice during the show, enjoying Welch's melancholy melodies and bittersweet harmonies of Rawlings. I wanted to quit looking like such a wuss  so I started focusing on the precision of David's guitar. Then I got caught in a predicament-- whether to focus on the guitar or the vocals. I was soon comforted by a fellow DJ's insight; Gillian's voice and David's guitar complete each other. Awww.

This was the third of four shows I plan on attending at the North Carolina Museum of Art this summer; the line up has been so amazing. Check out blogs about Bela Fleck, Lucinda Williams, and soon to come, The Carolina Chocolate Drops.  As always, if you're looking for the best in Americana, tune in to Americana, Blues, and Company every Saturday from 10-noon.

April 8 Fridays on the Lawn Photos

Giveaways are a lot like hot cakes...

They are delicious and they are going FAST! (only you don't have to pay for them... )

This week at WKNC we have some amazing giveaways we are pretty excited about. We've also got something AMAZING coming next week, so stay tuned (literally). Or become our friend on facebook to find out NOW.

4/6 Black Lips @ Cat's Cradle

Bronzed Chorus @ Pinhook

4/7 Destroyer @ Cat's Cradle

Surf City @ Kings

Movie: Hanna @ Mission Valley Cinema

4/8 Fridays on the Lawn: Midtown Dickens and Butterflies @ Harris Field (Just kidding, you can't win tickets... its FREE for everyone!)



 

4/9 Dr. Dog @ Cat's Cradle



 

Rotting Christ (Chainsaw) @ Volume 11

4/13 The Greenhornes @ Kings



 

Remember, you have to listen to win!

Fridays on the Lawn returns yet again!

WKNC has again teamed up with our friends in the Union Activities Board and Student Government to bring some of the finest local bands to campus, totally free and complete with fringe benefits!

Come out Harris Field on  April 8 and catch free live performances from two area favorites: Durham's happy-folk darlings Midtown Dickens and Chapel Hill's groovy alt-Americana Butterflies.

Midtown performed at last year's Double Barrel benefit 7, and have since made stops at Local Beer Local Band, Troika Music Festival, Hopscotch Music Festival, and just about everywhere else in between. And with releases on both 307 Knox Records and Trekky Records, Midtown has quite the rap sheet.

We are also just as thrilled to feature Trekky comrades Butterflies. With only one release to their name, you may be surprised should you be fortunate enough to catch them live--you'd think they have been at it for a while. Well now's your chance, and for completely free!

The show starts at 6:30 and is FREE and open to the public. There will be limited supplies of free food, ticket giveaways, and more! So come out, bring a couple friends, and  enjoy the weather while supporting some of the finest in local music!

WKNC thanks our fine sponsors at Chubby's Tacos, Vitamin Water, and Ultimate Entertainment.

Ben Sollee played a great show at Casbah on Saturday, February 12

Saturday night, my man and I celebrated Valentine's Day early with a great show at Casbah in Durham. The only other time I've been to Casbah was to see Crooked Still, which was in an intimate seated setting. I was expecting this, but the venue quickly filled to standing room only.

After the first song, it was evident why opening band Humble Tripe was "humble." The one man band slammed on a travel dulcimer, and chugged out a few repetitive chords on his acoustic guitar while singing cute lyrics about his life. I've heard studio recordings of Humble Tripe and described them as "if Bob Dylan and Bon Iver had a baby and then dropped it off in Durham," but I don't think those expectations were met. This could be because his recordings usually feature more than just Shawn Luby on guitar. Shawn brought to stage Catherine Edgerton of Midtown Dickens to play the occasional harmonica, tambourine, and of course her signature singing saw. Her bubbly presence took the heat off Shawn for a little while and as a budding saw player, I took notes on her technique. Humble Tripe is a band to listen to while sitting on a blanket at a small music festival feel, not as an opening band for a critically acclaimed artist like Ben Sollee.

Ben Sollee, former member of the Sparrow Quartet, is a dapper young cello player from Kentucky. He started things off with a short vocal performance, bluesy and emotional. He then brought in Phoebe Hunt (of The Belleville Outfit) on violin and Jordan Ellis on drums to do "Something, Somewhere, Sometime" off Dear Companion. This live rendition was a bit different from his version with Daniel Martin Moore, bringing in some rock elements and definitely changing my idea of going to a "slow cello concert." They continue playing upbeat, jazzy at times, bluesy at times music occasionally featuring a bass guitar, drums, cello, and violin. It was fast paced and well instrumented. I enjoyed the more down-tempo songs, but I can see the newer songs really catching on in the indie rock scene—look out for his upcoming album. Ben's voice was amazing in every song and so perfectly melded with Phoebe Hunt's, which was reminiscent of Norah Jones or Regina Spektor at times.



Ben was also a great banter-er; a quality many musicians lack. He told tales of how he came to the ideas of songs—his description of "The Prettiest Tree on the Mountain" was as poetic as the tune itself, and he constantly introduced his friends on violin and percussion. The group definitely had chemistry; probably from their adventures on bike, touring across America. That's right. On bike, with a cello and a drumset.

The best part of the show, aside from the group dynamic and perfect instrumental choreography, was the first encore "Only A Song." Ben Sollee explained how this song is off of Dear Companion, an album to raise awareness about mountaintop removal coal mining. He doesn't want this song to be a protest song, thus its name, but rather to inspire people to think a little harder about their actions in the world.

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.

Local Beat recap 7/30/10

Jenks Miller and Heather McEntire of Mount Moriah got stuck in heavy traffic on the way to the station, and, unfortunately, we only had around 12 minutes to chat about the band and their brand new limited edition 12" called The Letting Go during the first hour of the evening. We discussed the history of the band and their future as far as releasing their upcoming album is concerned. We also promoted their sold out show at the Pinhook with Midtown Dickens and the Mountain Goats Saturday, July 31. Jenks and Heather run Holidays for Quince Records, and each is in several different bands, including Un Deux Trois and Horseback, and are two of the busiest people I know. It was interesting to talk about their other projects in relation to Mount Moriah. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, I had to hold back many of the questions I had for them, but what we did talk about was certainly fascinating and worth a second listen:
Mount Moriah on The Local Beat 7/3/10

At 6 p.m., John Booker and Rachel Hirsh of I Was Totally Destroying It came in to promote their new 7" The Get Big 7", which is officially being released at Tir Na Nog this Thursday for Local Beer Local Band (alongside Museum Mouth, Jews & Catholics, and The Beast).  The new single is being released by their record label, Greyday Records and can be purchased at any local record store as well as online or at their shows. If you buy the vinyl, it comes with a digital download and bonus track! I also had to ask them about their band name and their answer might surprise you! Listen to our interview as we talked about the new release, IWTDI's upcoming shows, and their penchant for wearing costumes on stage:
IWTDI on the Local Beat 7/30/10

Alex Iglehart and Wylie Pamplin of Calico Haunts came in at 7 p.m. for their first-ever radio interview to promote their first show in Raleigh since 2007, which was at the Berkely Cafe Saturday evening. We also debuted some brand new songs from their upcoming record that is scheduled to be released in October this year. Many of you might be familiar with Calico Haunts last release After All, which was one of The Independent Weekly's albums of the month last year. Unfortunately, the band dissolved shortly after the release and little promotion was done for the record. A short time later the band was pieced back together and they started recording a follow up album only to have their work stolen two weeks before it was scheduled to be finished. With all of these mishaps you might think the band would throw in the towel. Listen below for their side of the story and their reactions:
Calico Haunts on the Local Beat 7/30/10

Local Beat preview 7/30/10

Can you believe it is already August?! Seven months of the Local Beat come and gone already in 2010 and almost exactly a year since I took over as host of the program. However, this Friday's show just might be one of the best ones yet.

At 5 p.m., we are starting off the show with Mount Moriah, a band I have been raving out for over a year since I first saw them at their second show ever back in May 2009. The group is releasing their first LP after debuting their first song "Lament" on the Holiday's For Quince Compilation Vol. 1, which has been getting airplay on WKNC.  The album is entitled Letting Go and is officially being released at the sold out show this Saturday July 31 at the Pinhook with Midtown Dickens and The Mountain Goats.  The 12" vinyl record will be released on the streets on August 3. We should have plenty to talk about and hopefully you will hear some new tunes!

I Was Totally Destroying It is coming in for the second hour. They are also playing Saturday evening at Cherry Bounce Festival in Raleigh but we will mostly be talking about their new 7" single "Get Big," which should be in the running for best album artwork of the year so far. We also have quite a bit to talk about, including their Sound Around app, their contribution to the Musical Chairs Compilation, and their U2 cover band. It should make for an entertaining hour!

For the final hour I am having in Wylie Pamplin and Alex Iglehart from Chapel Hill-based Calico Haunts who are making their radio interview debut. Calico Haunts put out one of 2010's best records with their After All album in the fall of 2009. They have just finished a new record and are planning to leak a couple of new tracks on the show! In addition, we will chat about their first ever Raleigh show at the Berkley Cafe with the Dead String Brothers on July 31.

As always the Local Beat starts at 5 p.m. and runs through 8 p.m. every Friday on WKNC.  Feel free to follow us on Twitter (@WKNCLocalBeat), ReverbNation, and Facebook.

Do Itcha Damn Self (with Friends): The July 16 Interview

Last week, the Sajhammer and I were joined by some local guests to promote the Do Itcha Damn Self show at the Pinhook last Friday night. The premise for the event entailed taking some of your favorite local musicians and allowing them to perform on stage by themselves. Vocals, instruments, and abundant creativity were needed in order to play in sync and pull everything together.

Phil Cook of Megafaun and Catherine Edgerton of Midtown Dickens were two major proponents in starting the inaugural event. We asked them various questions, such as the types of instruments they planned to use as well as the ideas that jump started Do Itcha Damn Self. Check out the full interview below:

Part I: Part I

Part II: Part II

LBLB Night! July 22nd!

This week we have three awesome acts playing at Tir Na nOg: Jenna Smith, Kid Future and Midtown Dickens! Thursday nights at Tir Na nOg are always partnered with WKNC, is FREE FREE FREE and of course, 21 and up.

Jenna Smith:

This gorgeous singer and songwriter will be playing solo on her acoustic guitar.   This woman will give you goosebumps all over!  Her voice is so beautiful and soothing;  not surprising since she does music therapy.   Get here early to make sure you don't miss this, otherwise all of your buddies who did show up early will tell you over and over again how awesome it was and you will beat yourself up for being late all night and won't be able to enjoy the other acts.   Seriously.

Kid Future:

If you missed their act at Slim's last Thursday (perhaps because you were at LBLB!) then no worries!  Here they are this Thursday for free at the one and only Tir Na nOg.  Chris Parker of Independent Weekly calls their jams, "burbling indie synth pop... reminiscent of '80s acts like New Order but more sedate and dreamy."  YES!

Midtown Dickens:

From Durham, this band delivers folk-y bluegrass.  Try your best to learn all the words.  My favorite thing to do when listening to MD is to sing along.  The song I started with?, "Airplane."   Writer for the Independent Weekly, Brian Howe, said, "This band's long let itself f**k up. Now they've learned to allow others to f**k up, too. They don't gloss over failings and disappointments. They let them be and sing them into songs. You can sing them, too."  See you on Thursday, friends!

Do Itcha Damn Self! WKNC Interview about the One-Man-Band Extravaganza Today

Take a few of your favorite local artists and stick them on stage by themselves to perform songs both familiar and original. Essentially, that's what Do Itcha Damn Self aims to accomplish. The event at the Pinhook marks Durham's inaugural one-man-band jubilee and art fair, which will feature select band members from Triangle favorites like Megafaun and Midtown Dickens. In order to promote the event a bit further, Phil Cook of Megafaun and Catherine Edgerton of Midtown Dickens will come chat with DJ Special K and DJ Sajhammer at 11 a.m. this Friday morning (July 16).

If you have questions you'd like to ask our guests, be sure to tweet at us at: wknc881. Listen only on 88.1FM or streaming online.

Local Beat recap 7/9/10

Last Friday's Local Beat was slammed full of live local music. We welcomed a new group to the scene, an old one getting back together, and announced some new local releases all in three hours. All the bands who came on the program also played some live tracks (nine total), never before heard, so be sure to listen to and download all of the brand new songs on the Local Beat ReverbNation page.






In the first hour of the show, I welcomed in Raleigh group Kid Future who made some news when they played at Local Beer Local Band back in April. It was their second show ever, but they made quite the impression on the crowd, and I welcomed them onto the show to learn more about the group and introduce them to those who have not seen them live. Unfortunately, we learned that even though the group is relatively new, drummer Robert Fisher is leaving the band to head to Boston for grad school. Remaining members Bryan Costello and Kevin Donnelly plan on continuing the band, and you can still see the original Kid Future lineup for two more shows. The first is at Slim's Downtown on July 15 with The Cellar Seas and Thomas Costello (of Mount Weather), and the second is at Local Beer Local Band a week later at Tir Na Nog Irish Pub on the 22nd with Midtown Dickens. Check out the live acoustic songs Kid Future played in the widget above!
Kid Future on the Local Beat 7/9/10

The 6 p.m. hour was certainly a special treat, as I was joined by Mike Roy and Rob Watson of The Whistlestop (also of Watson & Roy). The Whistlestop have not played live in over a year as the group took a hiatus due to the birth of Mike's daughter a year ago and the release of his solo album Shot Friction.  Rob has also been working on his long awaited solo album but, in the meantime, the pair has had time to begin work on their second album and debuted some brand new material for us during the interview. In total, five live songs were played, including three brand new, never before heard tracks, which you can listen to and download on the Local Beat ReverbNation page. You can see The Whistlestop for the first time in 2010 this next Friday at Mac's Tavern in Cary.
The Whistlestop on the Local Beat 7/9/10

For the last hour, I was joined by Billy Sugarfix of Billy Sugarfix's Carousel along with Pete and Andrea of Birds and Arrows. The two groups are releasing a split 7" vinyl single through 307 Knox Records this coming Friday, July 16 at the brand new 307 Knox headquarters located at 618 Foster Street in downtown Durham. We spent time discussing vinyl's relevance in today's music industry and the death and possible rebirth of the "single".  Billy Sugarfix is signed to Pox World Empire and recorded his new single "If There's A Secret" there even though it is being released on 307 Knox (whom B&A are signed to), and we chatted about the two record labels and decided on a new name for them: "307 Pox".  Both groups played their brand new singles for us, which you can listen to and download from our Local Beat ReverbNation page.  Also, check out the brand new Birds & Arrows music video directed and produced by Billy Sugarfix:
Birds & Arrows and Billy Sugarfix on the Local Beat 7/9/10

TrkFest 2010

Saturday, at the Piedmont Biofuel facility in Pittsboro, was the third annual TrkFest put on by Trekky Records.  TrkFest has quickly become one of the most important local music events in the area and a group of WKNC folk made it out in full force.  It was terribly hot and humid outside while the sun was out, but not one single person complained, and I believe everyone had a fantastic time.  I was lucky enough to sit next to Rich and Mimi McLaughlin of the Pneurotics, and we had a fine view of both stages.



We missed Vibrant Green and Ezekiel Graves but got there just as Yardwork started up, and those guys put on a fantastic set to start our day.


After a excruciatingly hot but fascinating tour of the entire Biofuel center, we caught the last half of Ryan Gustafson's set.  I have seen Ryan about six times now, but this was only the second with a full band, and he was awesome, as usual.

We had to escape the heat, so we headed into the shade during the Butterflies set.


Veelee went on next.  Their sound has evolved so much in the past year while still keeping with their same general style.  One song that stuck out to me was a new track named "T'morrow;" that was the first in their set.


Mount Moriah went on next and, as usual, played an incredible set.  I cannot describe how much I love this band and how excited I am for their new album to come out.

Midtown Dickens played one of my favorite sets of the evening.  Megafaun came on for a couple of songs, and Kym and Catherine are always entertaining but even more so for this event.  Fun, outgoing, and fresh is the best way to describe them.

It has been awhile since I saw Embarrassing Fruits play, but with a new album in the works, theses guys were as tight as ever as expected.


Hammer No More The Fingers has never been anything but a pleasure to see.  They are one of the most technically sound and entertaining groups in the area.  For a couple of songs they brought up Drew Anagnost and Leah Gibson from Lost in the Trees on the cellos and Brad Cook of Megafaun jumped on bass.

Lost in the Trees literally blew the crowd away playing second to last.  I was surprised that they could cram onto the smaller of the two stages, but it ended up being truly magical.  I feel like every time I see them live they sound different, which is always refreshing.

Megafaun ended the show as they always do: reeling the crowd in with their unique charisma and then putting them into a manic frenzy with their exceptional live performance.  I took several videos of the group playing some brand new songs with a variety of different musicians, all off of their upcoming album, but the sound quality came out too poor to post them.  Needless to say, every time I see Megafaun play, they retake the top of my list of local bands.

Local Beat preview: 6/25/10

It has been longer than a month since we have had a live Local Beat, and, since February, we haven't had a full, three hour show (mostly due to NC State Baseball).  I have spent the past month recovering from throat surgery and also doing some summer traveling, but it is finally time to get back into the amazing local music scene here, and tonight's show is going to be one for the ages.

We are dedicating the first two hours to Trekky Records and their kickass annual summer event TrkFest.  The event happens tomorrow, June 26, and this year there will be two stages of live music as well as the usual crafts, food, and beverages including:

• Pants-off Dance-off


• Coffee Sack Race


• Cool Kids Yoga Session


• Musical Chairs Cake Walk


• Sprinklers and Water Things


• Tour of Piedmont Biofuels


• Free Haircuts


• Shadow Puppets


• Bliss Tent

I know I am going to get a haircut that I so desperately need and jam out to my favorite local musicians that include:

• Megafaun


• Lost in the Trees


• Hammer No More The Fingers


• Embarrassing Fruits


• Midtown Dickens


• Mount Moriah


• Veelee


• Butterflies


• Ryan Gustafson


• Yardwork


• Ezekiel Graves


• Vibrant Green

This is the 3rd annual TRKFest, and tonight, on the Local Beat, we will be chatting about all of the old and new things about the festival, the bands, and hearing some live music from some of the performers tomorrow.

At 7 p.m. my favorite local band Bombadil will be dropping by for what is the first time in well over a year.  As many of you may know, Bombadil has been on recent hiatus as some of the members have moved away and Daniel Michalak has been dealing with some health problems. With that said, this is their first interview as a group in quite some time, and one of the first since their Tarpits and Canyonlands hit the streets back in 2009  (If you remember, the album was my #1 album of the year).  The entire band is going to try to make it and and perhaps play their first live music together since last summer. It is seriously going to be awesome.

Local Beat Video Exclusive: Shakori Hills

Shakori Hills 2010 with 88.1 WKNC from Wolf TV on Vimeo.

>

Last month, Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance was held on a 75 acre farmstead in Chatham County. Kate "Riff Raff" Rafferty, Tommy "Tommyboy" Anderson, and myself, Nicole "DJ Kligz" Kligerman, got the chance to drive to Shakori to see what it was all about. Well, to put it simply, we had the time of our lives. After setting up our official WKNC tent on Friday, Riff Raff, Tommyboy, and I ventured around the grounds to see what there was to do. Shakori supplied its guests with kid-friendly activities, workshops for musicians and dancers, arts and crafts, a healing arts area, several stages, a vast camping site, and a food area that included a delicious "Veggie Thing". While at the festival, Wolf TV videographer Jane Moon joined us to capture footage of the festival for the first ever Local Beat Video Exclusive, which includes interviews with Bowerbirds, Midtown Dickens, and festival-goers. This video has been posted on Wolf TV's site for quite a while and I thought it deserved a place here as well. Take a look!

Local Beat Mini Exclusive: Deliver Me From Nowhere

This week I sat down for yet another Local Beat Mini Exclusive as there will once again be no normally scheduled Local Beat (due to baseball programming).  Rob Koegler and Jason Kutchma came in to chat about a really interesting and unique concert happening this Friday evening at the ETC Auditorium of the North Carolina School of Science and Math titled "Deliver Me From Nowhere- A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska."  A collaboration of different musicians from Red Collar, Midtown Dickens, COW, Mount Moriah, and the Rosewood Bluff are coming together to play the entire album in it's entirely.  The show is only $10 and all proceeds are going to benefit the Coalition to Unchain Dogs and the Southern Coalition for Social Justice.   The concert begins at 9:30 p.m. though a free showing of Terrence Malick's 1973 film, Badlands, will begin at 7:30 p.m.  The screening of the movie is free of charge.

In this Local Beat Mini Exclusive, Jay, Rob, and I chatted about the bands playing the show, the charities, and the reason behind throwing this concert.  Jay also brought in his acoustic guitar and a harmonica and played two tracks from Nebraska for us which you can listen to in the music player to the left.

Take a listen to the podcast below and feel free to download the covers at the Local Beat ReverbNation page.
Local Beat Mini Exclusive for Deliver Me From Nowhere

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.

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.

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 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.