Local Beat preview 8/12/11

It's another flashback on "The Local Beat" Aug. 12 as we dive into the vault once again to uncover some great interviews from the past year. This week, however, we are not dropping too far back as we relive some interviews from the past couple of months.

The first hour will be our interview with Kelly Reid and Suzie Hook from Sound Situations, recorded in June. Sound Situations is a fantastic new local music based interview and performance TV program on the Raleigh Public Access Channel. So far the show has several new episodes under its belt. Kelly and Suzie joined me to talk about the new show and what plans they had in store for it.

At 6 p.m. we will rehash and interview with one of my favorite local bands: I Was Totally Destroying It. IWTDI came on "The Local Beat" back in April to discuss their newest album, Preludes, which was being released at the time. John and Rachel are always fantastic guests and I have yet to have a dull conversation with the duo.

The last hour was one of my all-time favorites in recent memory with The Small Ponds and Filthybird. Both bands played at Marsh Woodwinds on May 20, which turned out to be my favorite show from Spring 2011. Both groups have a lot of new material which the Small Ponds played live for us in studio.

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!

WUNC sets schedule for Music on the Lawn concert series

Our neighbors to the west at WUNC North Carolina Public Radio have announced the line up for their annual Back Porch Music on the Lawn concert series. Starting April 29, the station hosts 10 free Friday concerts running through September. The series mixes national acts like Robin & Linda Williams & Their Fine Group and Loudon Wainwright III with local talent including Chatham County Line and Holy Ghost Tent Revival, but all the performers have some kind of connection to the state.

They aren't every Friday, so be sure to check the schedule. All shows start at 6 p.m. at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham.

Fri 4/29 - The Small Ponds
Fri 5/27 - The Freighthoppers
Fri 6/10 - TBD
Fri6/17 - The New North Carolina Ramblers
Fri 7/1 - Robin & Linda Williams
Fri 8/19 - Holy Ghost Tent Revival
Fri 9/2 - Craicdown
Fri 9/9 - Shady Grove Band
Fri 9/16 - Loudon Wainwright III
Fri 9/30 - Chatham County Line

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!

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.

We have Troika Music Festival passes!

For 3 days, from November 4-6, Durham comes alive with music and art. Troika Music Festival began in 2002 and is still going strong. Bands featured this year include Birds & Arrows, Veelee, Old Bricks, I Was Totally Destroying It, Red Collar, The Small Ponds, Americans in France, Phil Cook and His Feat, Chatham County Line, Mount Moriah, Gray Young, Spider Bags, and even more! They'll be performing at venues around Durham and WKNC has 3-day festival passes to give away!

Just be the correct caller when the DJ asks for it now through November 3, and you could win a pair of 3-day festival passes!

Local Beat recap 9/10/10

Due to the happenings of Hopscotch, I only had a one hour show on September 10 but was happy to have the Small Ponds' Caitlin and Cary and Matt Douglas as guests on the program as we promoted their new album, Caitlin Cary & Matt Douglas Are The Small Ponds. The album was released the following week at the Pour House and currently the band is on tour up and down the East coast. We chatted about the history of the group, along with many other things. Matt and Caitlin are both amazing, hilarious guests, and the interview was one of my favorites. Give it a listen below:

The Small Ponds on the Local Beat 9/10/10

Local Beat recap 9/3/10 (Hopscotch Edition)

September 3 was the Friday before Hopscotch Music Festival, and I was joined by Grayson Currin, music editor of the Independent Weekly who was also Hopscotch Curator. Hopscotch is the biggest music event to ever happen in Raleigh, so I dedicated the entire three hours of the show to chatting with Grayson about everything associated with the festival.  Caitlin Cary (Small Ponds, Tres Chicas), Reid Johnson (Schooner), and Brian Corum (Lonnie Walker) also came on the show, and Reid and Brian played some brand new tunes (which you can download here). What ended up happening was three hours of a fascinating, entertaining conversation with insight into Hopscotch. Listen below:

Hour 1:
Hopscotch on the Local Beat 9/3/10 (Hour 1)

Hour 2:
Hopscotch on the Local Beat 9/3/10 (Hour 2)

Hour 3:
Hopscotch on the Local Beat 9/3/10 (Hour 3)

Swanky Giveaways for this Week!

The local shows keep rolling, after a successful weekend of Hopscotch Musical Festival, and the upcoming SPARKcon, the Triangle is the place to be!

We have a lot of giveaways for you this week. You know what that means—listen to WKNC throughout your entire day and you could win tickets to:

9/15- Jay Clifford at Cat's Cradle



9/16 - Shooter Jennings at Cat's Cradle
The Small Ponds at The Pour House

9/17 - Holy Ghost Tent Revival at Lincoln Theatre

Old Ceremony at Cat's Cradle **CD release party!

Urban Sophisticates at The Pour House

9/18 - Billy Bragg at Cat's Cradle

Free Electric State at The Pour House

9/19 - Drive-By Truckers at Lincoln Theatre

JP Chrissie & Fairground Boys at Cat's Cradle

On-going  movie tickets—The American and Resident Evil: Afterlife at Crossroads 20 in Cary

Even if you don't win tickets, stay up to date on all local shows with our Rock Report!

UPDATED Local Beer Local Band Night—August 19

WKNC and Tir Na nOg Irish Pub team up to bring you Local Beer Local Band Night every Thursday. These events are always FREE and 21 and up. Starts and 10 p.m. Local beers on tap and local bands on stage. Enjoy!

Thursday, August 19 will feature music from The Small Ponds, Jon Lindsay and The Tomahawks!

The Tomahawks

A favorite local band of mine. I'm terrible at describing music but here it goes... Beatles-y southern rock. Yeah? Do yourself a favor and check out their tracks on the webpage.

Jon Lindsay

Whoa. I'm already hooked on this guy. It is happy and catchy like Belle & Sebastian except it is one guy... one absolutely adorable guy. Be sure to check out his music on his website or just come out on Thursday!

The Small Ponds

This duo is made up of musicians from Tres Chicas and The Proclivities. With a CD Release show in about a month, this show should be a wonderful preview of what is to come. The songs are slow, sweet and downright lovely.

Aquatic Americana and Counting to Ocho

Friday night I had the privilege of seeing three great acts at the Pour House. The night started off with a solo show by BJ Barham of American Aquarium. He played some of his own material as well as stripped down versions of songs by the band. One gentleman in the balcony took the opportunity between songs to heckle, and BJ quickly turned the tables. Several minutes of hilarious banter ensued and by the end of it, BJ had clearly conquered the room. Besides hilarity, the music was great, even if some of the lyrics were a bit worn.

Luego took the stage after BJ and played tunes from both their Taped-Together Stories album as well as their forthcoming Ocho album. The performance lacked some of the energy I had seen in previous Luego shows, but the sound was amazing and the new songs had just as much confidence and southern swagger as the older songs.

During Luego, I also had the tremendous privilege of meeting Caitlin Cary. Caitlin was formerly a member of Whiskeytown with Ryan Adams and has now teamed up with The Proclivities front-man Matt Douglas to form Small Ponds. She still puts out great Americana, and she's even sweeter in person than the thoughtfully romantic lyrics she belts out on-stage. Douglas still croons and swoons with the greatness of The Proclivities, but the new depth added by Caitlin and her violin made for an amazing ending to my Friday night.

This week's giveaways

This week on WKNC, we are giving away tickets to the following events:

Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra at Cat's Cradle on Thursday, 5/20

Superchunk at Cat's Cradle on Friday, 5/21

The Small Ponds and Luego at the Pour House on Fri, 5/21

Murs at Cat's Cradle on Sun, 5/23

Make sure to listen for your chance to win!

2/25 LBLB Photos

Photographs by WKNC photographer Katie Hill

Starmount

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

The Jackets

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Small Ponds

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Local Beer Local Band 2/25

WKNC and Tir Na Nog are proud to present another exciting line-up for Thursday's Local Beer Local Band night.  Expect to see grand performances from bands Small Ponds, The Jackets, and Starmount.

As always, Tir Na Nog will have a superb selection of local beers on tap! Show starts at 10 p.m. Be sure to come early --this show is sure to be packed full of local music enthusiasts.

Hope to see you there!