The first ever Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit has just announced their lineup for 2013.  The festival takes place in Asheville, NC on October 25th through the 27th.  Mountain Oasis is programmed and produced by AC Entertainment, the company that helped put together MoogFest.  Towards the end of last year, Moog Music and AC Entertainment split up when Moog declined to renew its licensing agreement with AC.  Mountain Oasis now takes the place of MoogFest as AC Entertainment’s presence in North Carolina.  The Mountain Oasis festival will take place the same weekend and location as previous MoogFests.  This however will not be the end of MoogFest.  Moogfest just recently announced a new partnership with Paxahau along with a new logo. Along with it they stated that MoogFest will not be taking place in 2013, but will return April 25th through the 27th in Asheville for MoogFest 2014.

So set aside all your worries, North Carolina will not be losing a music festival.  Instead we will be gaining another one and after looking at the intial lineup announcement, it looks to be a damn good one.  The lineup, despite not being completed yet, is full of some big names and rarities.  Neutral Milk Hotel will be playing one of their first shows in fifteen years together at this year’s festival. Trent Reznor will be playing twice with How to Destroy Angels as well as Nine Inch Nails who are just coming off their hiatus. Other notable artists include Animal Collective, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Chromatics, Tricky, Zola Jesus and JG Thirwell, Pretty Lights, Bassnectar, and Bosnian Rainbows. Many more artists will be announced in the coming future. The festival will also feature talks, seminars, panels, interactive experiences, exhibitions and more by artists and other esteemed members of the musical community. Tickets will go on sale Thursdau, May 2nd at 12:00 pm Eastern Time. Stay tuned for more details as the full lineup will be announced.

Here’s a list of Record Store Day participators in the Triangle:

Raleigh
Nice Price Books and Records, Raleigh
Edward McKay Used Books and More
In The Groove Records
Schoolkids Records

Durham
Hunky Dory
Bull City Records
Offbeat Music
Nice Price Books & Records

Chapel Hill/Carrboro
CD Alley
All Day Records

If you are located elsewhere you can look up participators in your area here.

Record Store Day 2013 (April 20th) is quickly approaching. This year’s Record Store Day Ambassador is the one and only Jack White. Jack White seems to be the perfect representative for the cause. Not only has he released countless albums with The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, and The Dead Weather as well as a solo album; he also runs his own record label and owns his own record store. Jack White is the “Jack of all trades” when it comes to the music industry. Not only has he produced and help released a lot of new music, he has also found the time to repress and re-release old blues records as well. You can check out his official Record Store Day Ambassador video as well as read his “Ambassadorial Wake Up Call” here.

In addition to all his Ambassador duties, Jack White has found time along with the rest of his Third Man crew to refurbish a 1947 Voice-o-Graph machine that is currently the world’s only record booth of its kind that is operational and open to the public. The Third Man Record Booth will be debuted at the Nashville Third Man Record Store on Record Store Day. Check out a video of this incredible machine here.

This was my first opportunity to see Jeff Mangum and I jumped at the chance to see him by purchasing my ticket months before the show. Although this will not be his final tour, he does not plan to return to the same cities he has already played during this solo acoustic tour. This might explain his decision to play the quaint little Brooklyn Arts Center in downtown Wilmington.

The show was opened up by folk rock duo, Tall Firs. After their set, Jeff Mangum took the stage and the crowd was elated. His performance was very stripped-down with just his voice and guitar. Although he kept apologizing for having to ask his sound guy to continuously tweak the levels after every song (he admitted to skipping the sound check earlier that day) nobody really seemed to mind. I think his almost neurotic behavior about the quality of the sound made everyone appreciate him a little bit more. Jeff revisited songs from all of Neutral Milk Hotel’s albums including “On Avery Island,” “Everything Is,” and the most famous “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea.” His raw voice echoed off the refurbished cathedral ceilings while he carried out the last word to the lyrics “Can’t believe how strange it is to be anything at all,” sending chills down my spine.

Jeff would switch between a number of different acoustic guitars surrounding him on stage (I counted five) and you were able to hear a new perspective to the songs. With this raw performance, you could listen with a newfound appreciation for the lyrics. Jeff thanked the crowd several times throughout the evening for coming out to see him by explaining that he was still just used to just playing for his friends in a living room. Even though he has been playing these same songs for the past sixteen years, sometimes at huge venues, I get the feeling that this was the atmosphere he prefers. I can’t wait to experience another heart-felt performance from Jeff Mangum.

The festival this year features 32 bands amazing local and national artists. Although the day parties and after parties are still to be announced, past years have proven that these are just as incredible as the night shows of the festival. One of the most notable national acts this year are Baltimore’s Lower Dens who latest effort “Nootropics” left these psychedelic pop-rockers towards the top of many “Best of 2012″ lists. Other notable national acts include self-proclaimed baroque acid-rockers Invisible Hand, shoegaze noise-pop group Eternal Summers, and psychedelic punk group IYEZ. This festival also features some great local acts who have been receiving a lot of national attention such as garage-rock gods Spider Bags, orchestral-folk kings Lost in the Trees, and the ever-explosive, indie-rock favorites The Love Language. Other North Carolina champions featured are new Merge signees Mount Moriah and folk-favorites Hiss Golden Messenger. Triangle natives The Lollipops, Some Army, Airstrip, Lilac Shadows, Robes, and The Toddlers also make the list. With this very well-rounded line-up, this year’s Phuzz Phest promises to be the best yet. See the full line-up below.

 
Phuzz Phest 2013 Line-Up

Airstrip (Carrboro)
Alligator Indian (Asheville)
Blood Waves (Winston-Salem)
Bolmongani (Winston-Salem)
Burglar Fucker (Winston-Salem)
Dark Prophet Tongueless Monk (Winston-Salem)
Drag Sounds (Greensboro)
Elim Bolt (Charleston)
Estrangers (Winston-Salem)
Eternal Summers (Roanoke, Va.)
Hiss Golden Messenger (Durham)
Invisible Hand (Charlottesville, Va.)
IYEZ (Brooklyn)
Joint D≠ (Charlotte)
Kill Devil Hills (Brooklyn)
Late Bloomer (Charlotte)
Lilac Shadows (Carrboro)
The Lollipops (Raleigh)
Lost In The Trees (Chapel Hill)
The Love Language (Raleigh)
Lower Dens (Baltimore)
Motorist (Winston-Salem)
Mount Moriah (Durham)
Nightdogs (Brooklyn)
Robes (Carrboro)
Some Army (Carrboro)
Spider Bags (Chapel Hill)
Toddlers (Carrboro)
Torch Runner (Greensboro)
White Laces (Richmond, Va.)
Wilde Blood (Winston-Salem)
William Tyler (Nashville)

Yesterday, fans of Telekinesis were given a lot to get excited about. In store this spring are a new album and a full length tour from the band. Telekinesis’ Michael Lerner announced the upcoming release of the band’s third full-length album, entitled Dormarion. The album is slated for release on April 2, 2013 by the triangle’s own Merge Records. Lerner previously worked with Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie on the recording of the 2009 debut album, fittingly titled Telekinesis!, and 2013′s Domarion will feature production work by Spoon’s Jim Eno.

The tour following the album’s release will stop in the Triangle on May 5 at The Local 506. As the album will feature talented musicians borrowed from other acts, it is no surprise that the tour will showcase some as well. You can look foward to seeing Say Hi’s Erik Elbogen, The Globes’ Eric Walters, and Wild Flag‘s Rebecca Cole trotting across the continent with Lerner as Telekinesis.

You can check out a single from the upcoming Domarion, “Ghosts and Creatures,” here.

Listen to their single “Spinoza” below:

The night started off with the Raleigh locals of Octopus Jones, a band whose work I’d skirted around before checking out the end of their set here at Kings.  While the band brings a fun and upbeat blend of psychedelic surf rock with punk rock undertones, the melodies and lyricism seemed a bit lacking and couldn’t really hook in this listener.  Vocalist and guitar player Danny Martin was doing a great job of hamming it up on stage though, adding to the quirky and upbeat vibes given off by the bands self-described “spank-wave boogie”.  I only got to catch the last four songs from Octopus Jones before it was onto HRVRD and one step closer to seeing the o’bros!

HRVRD

Before I delve into HRVRD I must admit that I’ve got a thing against bands without vowels in their name, and while I’ve embraced a select few thus far (SBTRKT and TNGHT being glaring standouts), I’m always a bit apprehensive to check a band out…especially if they used to have a name that didn’t read like a sixth graders notebook cover.  Personal grudges aside, whatever changed about this band when they became HRVRD worked wonders for them, the Charlotte outfit used to give off a larger pop influence than the experimental and haunting tunes that were on display at Kings.  Thought vocalist Jesse Clasen was coughing throughout damn near every song and informed the crowd of his sickness, his vocals were still soaring through the invigorated crowd at Kings.  When I saw Clasen pull out a trumpet after already wowing me with the band’s overwhelming live presence I became enamored in this act.  After I saw their use of vocal loops I was sold.  HRVRD combined elements of punk, pop, and experimental music to create a compelling product that’s accessible by fans of Manchester Orchestra or Circa Survive alike.  And make no mistake, I’ve long grown out of the high pitched vocals and chuggy yet melodic guitar thing…the Circa Survive ship never came to port for this fella, but HRVRD have taken that sort of approach and turned it into an intriguing blend of styles that mesh together perfectly.

Sickness aside HRVRD could have easily stolen the show if it weren’t for me being such a fanboy of O’Brother.  As soon as the band took the stage I drew myself uncomfortably close despite their live shows being notoriously loud and known to induce “bangovers” by many attended.  Well consider me a bangover statistic, because when the band opened with an old favorite, “Ascension” I was thrust right back into my high school days of losing myself in the same ambient yet ear rattlingly heavy anthem.  The band smoothly transitioned into “Lay Down”, the track that marked the beginning of a heavier phase of O’Brother, filled with throaty shouts and heavily distorted guitars but juxtaposed with softer, melodic bridges.

O’Brother

The rest of the show can only be described as painfully awesome, the band was so loud that it was hard to discern much of Tanner Merritt’s vocals, even when he was screaming into the microphone.  This volume issue can be a bit of a draw back with a band like this, while their live presence lies heavily in the physicality of their music (you can pretty much feel the bass in your chest, it’s fantastic!) the band’s lyricism is arguably just as strong.  With a separate floor tom to add depth to the band’s already powerful rhythms along with their DIY lighting setup consisting of string lights run over all of their equipment, the on-stage ambience is an equally compelling aspect of the band’s performance.  To summarize it, it’s all great.  While the mixing at these shows could be a bit better to bring out Tanner’s vocals, it’s hard to nitpick at a show that leaves the listeners so speechless.  While I miss the melodic side of O’Brother, this band has tread into new territory with their latest releases and their intensity and talent conveys just as strongly through shouts in spurts as it did through their tamer releases.  O’Brother is an absolute powerhouse of an act both on stage and in-studio, but nothing compares to seeing these gentlemen perform live, and Sunday proved just that.

Ponderosa

I’ve only recent caught on to the wonderful music that Ponderosa is putting out.  Based out of Atlanta, Ponderosa aren’t afraid of wearing their influences on their sleeves and adding subtle twists to their sounds to create something that’s unique in its own sense, but still straddling close to home base.  It’d be easy to say that they’re a My Morning Jacket/Band of Horses knock-off because quite frankly they’ve got astounding amounts of similarity, guitars that are laden with delay and reverb and equally ethereal vocal melodies driven home by powerful harmonies.  However, if your only drawback is sounding too much like another stellar band then my opinion is that you’re doing something right.  Studio recordings can warrant these comparisons, but when it comes to live shows Ponderosa brings an intensity that supersedes these expectations.

The show kicked off with a local act, The Cousins.  I went into this show blind to their music and not knowing what to expect, and while the band was incredibly tight for it being one of their first shows together, the tunes just weren’t really up to par for the kind of night I was expecting at Kings.  While I’m not saying lineups need to be cookie-cutter and a band should sound like their headliner, I certainly wasn’t expecting a Diet Drive By Truckers.  The Cousins combined the grit and intensity of southern driven indie rock tunes with classic rock sentiments of clean electric leads that glide in and out with the rise and fall of their mostly static melodies.  While they certainly filled the room with energy and excitement, I just couldn’t get into their music.  They did it in for me when they pulled out their Merle Haggard, “Long Black Veil” cover…and maybe that’s just because I’ve been spoiled to a personal treat of watching Mandolin Orange cover the tune with Josh Oliver and Josh Moore, but their modern-classic rock take on the country classic just did nothing for me.  There’s definitely promise within the band, but the songwriting and composition needs a bit of improvement before I go singing any praises.

Ponderosa

Ponderosa on the other hand provided exactly what I’d hoped for from their live performance.  Their full length, Pool Party has been my morning soundtrack for the past few months and I must say that they’re a band that puts it all into their live performance.  While their studio recordings are equally dynamic, still capable of evoking strong emotion and nostalgia, their live show exudes a sense of dedication and passion that can only be felt inside of a venue.  Ponderosa delicately lays out beautiful southern imagery through an echoed indie rock lens that makes for a joyous listening experience.  Tracks like “Pool Party” draw on teenage experiences of fading memories, taking the listener back to the humid summer nights that make up the life of southern youth.  ”Find a bed and never sleep/Awake at night and steal the sheets”, Ponderosa’s simplicity is oftentimes the reason that you can connect so deeply with this band, they’ve taken away all of the filters that can be found within a songwriter’s approach and the result is a beautifully honest and relatable record.

While they made a bold leap from the blues driven tunes found in their debut, the new loud/soft/loud psychedelic sound that they’ve adopted fits them perfectly.  Vocalist Kalen Nash is capable of soft spoken melodies that sweetly fill the airwaves or a startling shout that matches the sudden intensity of tracks like “Navajo’”, which boasts a booming chorus and low-key verses.  Ponderosa left my floored, they’re a stellar band that has truly re-invisioned themselves between releases, something that was made evident when they came out for an encore of older tunes.  While the tracks were far more blues driven, they contained equal amounts of intensity and honesty.  Ponderosa is a band that can package themselves however they wish, but the passion and talent will always bleed through no matter what.  And that’s what makes the mark of a fantastic live band, a title that Ponderosa can proudly wear upon their chests.

Opening up for Conor Oberst was Daniel Johnston, a legend himself. A shaky performance by the well-known artist was much appreciated by the entire crowd. He ended his set with the great “True Love Will Find You in the End.”
Although best known for his band, Bright Eyes, Conor Oberst’s music career also includes Monsters of Folk, Desaparecidos, and Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band. Even though on a solo tour, Conor played songs from almost every one of these bands. One might think that the lack of variety in instruments and voices that normally accompany him would take away from the overall quality of the show; however, none of these were really missed and it’s what made for a truly special performance. His emotional vocals filled the entire theatre as the audience sat and listened to songs such as “Milk Thistle,” “Land Locked Blues,” “June On The West Coast,” “Map Of The World,” and of course “Lua.” He would stop once in a while to explain how he wrote the preceding song when he was fifteen years old and how it made him feel slightly embarrassed. This made me remember an interview where he stated that he does not usually play these old songs, which made this particular performance even better.

Conor Oberst on stage

He also played a couple new songs. One he dedicated to his brother’s second child and the other told the story of an old friend. It was these personal connections and his lyrical improvisations that kept the crowd captivated creating a truly memorable night. His two-hour performance was all I had expected and more.

The good news is that everyone in the triangle can experience some Conor Oberst magic for them selves in February when he stops by the Cat’s Cradle on the 17th with his band, Desaparecidos.

Desaparecidos

Sufjan Stevens

Throughout the past decade Sufjan Stevens has cemented himself as one of the most talented and unique artists of our generation, with a diverse array of talents ranging from classically inspired folk pop to the aural adventures of the past few years with Age of Adz and BQE, it’s a toss up as to what direction any new music from Stevens is going to take.  When he announced his most recent release, Silver & Gold: Songs for Christmas, Vols. 6-10, I wasn’t too sure of what to expect…especially with the lead-off single of “Christmas Unicorn”.  The track was as bizarre as it was insightful and infectious (especially the seamless transition into Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart”), which can pretty accurately describe the three plus hours of Christmas inspired material on Silver & Gold.  Shortly after the album announcement came news of the “Surfjohn Stevens Christmas Sing-A-Long: Season Affective Disorder Yuletide Pageant On Ice” tour, a string of shows which would feature good ol’ “Sufjy Pants” spreading Christmas cheer by way of his modern takes on Christmas classics as well as his incredible new holiday inspired originals.

While some of the Christmas inspired material is brief and zany, like “Happy Family Christmas” a jaunting yet melodic track wishing that “Just this once for Christmas I want us all to be like one great big happy family”, and while the holiday is exactly a month away, Sunday at Haw River Ballroom felt like a gigantic family Christmas gathering.  With hundreds of concertgoers decked out in festive sweaters and unicorn horns, Sunday provided one of the most unique and magical show experiences one could ever wish for.  While opener Sheila Sapputo (better known as singer-songwriter Rosie Thomas) donned a Santa suit for a quirky Portlandia-esque bit of dry comedy, the highlight of the show could be nothing other than the marvelous display put on by Sufjan and company.

The show was broken up into bits of Sufjan originals and highly enjoyable breaks for Christmas classics from the Wheel!Of!Christmas!, a Price Is Right style spin-wheel designed to randomize the carols we’ve all grown to know and love.  Upon entrance we were all given a songbook, endearingly referred to by Sufjan as our “book of hymnals”, and these carols provided for some of the most memorable concert moments in recent memory.  While Sufjan originals like “Sister Winter” and the aforementioned “Christmas Unicorn” stood out amongst the set, the true highlights came from the innovative takes on old classics.  An electronically driven version of “Do You Hear What I Hear?” was a show-stopping performance, featuring vocoded Sufjan vocals and spastic electronic melodies that excellently juxtapose the calm and soothing stylings of the original.  After the Wheel of Christmas selected “Joy to the World” early on in the set, Sufjan brilliantly transitioned into a refrain from “Impossible Soul”, a track from Age of Adz, inducing shouts of approval from the crowd.

Sufjan himself described the show as, “running the gamut of Christmas from the profane to the insane”, and with inflatable unicorns being thrown out at the same show as inflatable Santa’s I’d say it’s a pretty accurate description.  The end of Sufjan’s set was haltered by the second fire alarm of the evening, but the band took it all in stride and led the crowd in an a cappella rendition of “Silent Night” divided between males and females in the first two verses followed by a harmonious ending as monitors blasted back to life and the set came to a beautiful end.  A roaring ovation from one of the most dense crowds I’ve seen at Haw River resulted in a three song encore of Sufjan originals from Illinois and Michigan.  Starting off his encore with a beautiful take on “Concerning The UFO Sightings Near Highland, Illinois”, the crowds anticipation was rapidly rising and greeted with “For The Widows of Paradise” which started as a solo banjo track and blossomed into a full band performance.  Closing with fan-favorite, “Chicago”, Sufjan thanked the crowd for being so wonderful and patient, but all thanks is graciously pointed towards Sufjan, the band, and the fine folks of Haw River Ballroom for housing such a beautiful show.  It’s very rare to build a sense of community within a single show, but the “Surfjohn Stephenopolous Sing-A-Long” certainly achieved just that.

Hey y’all,

I hope everyone is excited to get fat and stuff on Thursday.  And then on Friday, to buy LOTS OF LPs!!!  You can peruse the releases that you (might) be able to purchase here (more on that later), but first, check below to see what some real local record store employees are excited about for this upcoming sales extravaganza.

Schoolkids Records’ employee Kyle Rosko is excited about a whole lot of releases.  Namely, the Beach Boys Surfin’ Safara 10″, the White Stripes Live at Hotel Yorba 7″, and the Skrillex Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites first press to wax.  I may have made up that last one.

Chaz of Bull City Records fame is really excited about the Scettore Studios Sessions from The Velvet Underground.  This is an acetate release from way back before The Velvet Underground & Nico was released, and features demo/alternate versions of some songs that ended up on that classic album.

Some guy from Offbeat Music in Durham, NC (sorry I didn’t catch you name, but your store is great!!)  is apprehensive about the day, because as of when I called him, he didn’t know what was going to be coming to the store.  He brings up an interesting point–that retail can be stressful, especially when you’re dealing with a bunch of stocking agencies that are smokin’ doobies rather than employing high-quality analytics systems that can give record store owners a better idea of what they’re getting.  Alas.

That’s all I got,

Have fun, eat good food, buy good music!

John

Hopscotch will take place September 5-7, 2013 , which is the first weekend in September. Like this year, that also means First Friday activities will weave through the festival, creating an unforgettable arts-packed weekend in Raleigh, NC.

Festival wristbands will go on sale February 1, 2013 — and because I know you’re wondering, that’s 85 days from now. While you’re counting those down, you can enter to win two 3-day VIP tickets to Hopscotch through the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Until then, I’m sure we’ll all be speculating headliners (I think Modest Mouse and Explosions in the Sky would be wonderful) and reminiscing about Hopscotch 2012′s highlights (running in the rain around downtown to the next venue, mimosa-drenched day parties, moshing at Nobunny and temporarily losing my hearing after Grohg, to name a few).

You can also look at our slideshows from past years:

Hopscotch 2012 Photo Slideshow Day 1

Hopscotch 2012 Photo Slideshow Day 2

Hopscotch 2012 Photo Slideshow Day 3

Hopscotch 2011: Day One Photo Recap

Hopscotch 2011 Day 1 Gallery (Part Two)

Hopscotch 2011: Day Two Photo Recap

Final Day of Hopscotch Photo Recap (Day 3, 2011)

Photos from the City Plaza at Hopscotch Music Festival (2010)

Dr. Dog

It’s a firmly held belief for me that Haw River Ballroom is the finest venue in the state, and each show I attend at the gorgeous venue drives that point further and further home.  Between the fine gas station dining of the Saxapahaw General Store (it’s not at all what it sounds like, incredible food with a diverse menu!) and the breath taking aesthetics of the ballroom, there’s nothing to dislike about this place.  The crowd got surprisingly wild for a Monday night, but when you’ve got an incredible act like Dr. Dog on the bill the date is really irrelevant…it’s gonna be a party either way.  Throwing in old favorites and plenty of gems from their latest album Be The Void, Dr. Dog had a little bit of something for everyone on Monday night.

Cotton Jones

Cotton Jones was the opening act, and while the band put on a great performance they suffered from a heart breaking condition that has been sweeping the nation for decades, OBS, or Opening Band Syndrome.  When you’ve got an act like Dr. Dog headlining it takes a lot to maintain the attention of a packed crowd, an opening act has to be bursting with energy to become a memorable part of the evening when you’re opening for a powerhouse.  While Cotton Jones’ folk pop tunes from Maryland blend rustic goodness with vivid lyricism, they lacked the presence needed to be anything other than an opening act.  In any other setting their charm may have shone through brighter, with a one man brass section playing tuba and trombone, the band certainly had the potential to be an incredible opener.  However, once Dr. Dog took the stage Cotton Jones’ laid back folk songs took a backseat to the raucous live act.

Dr. Dog

Allow me to preface this by saying I’ve already had a failed attempt at seeing Dr. Dog this year when I was stuck in a traffic jam on I-40 on my way to see the band at Music on the Mountaintop back in August, so my excitement for this show was through the roof.  Haw River was the PERFECT venue for this band, with fantastic acoustics and a wide open room the ballroom perfectly housed the heart warming sounds of Dr. Dog.  From open to close, Dr. Dog lead the crowd in a joyous singalong with a fantastic career spanning set.  While the bulk of the set came from Be The Void, with tracks like “How Long Must I Wait”, “Lonesome”, and “That Old Black Hole” standing out amongst the crowd, the band scattered in personal favorites from Fate and Shame, Shame like  ”The Breeze”, “Shadow People”, and set closer, “Jackie Wants A Black Eye”.

The band’s harmonies lived up to all of the high expectations I’d set for them, lead vocalists Toby Leaman and Scott McMicken put on dazzling performances filled with passion and energy.  While there wasn’t much stage banter, the band did plenty of interacting with the crowd, like Leaman grabbing a camera bag from the front of the stage and using their cell phone to make a phone call mid-song.  The band’s lyrical depth can easily define their music in the studio, but their live performance breathes vivacity into otherwise low-key songs.  Dr. Dog is a band like no other, they perfectly blend elements of indie rock with psychedelic folk to make for an array of beautiful textures that are perfectly suited for their devastatingly brilliant lyrics.

The Lollipops

Despite being a college student, I’m pretty much an old man.  I watch my Jeopardy every night and I’m usually nodding off during The Daily Show, but every now and then I’m compelled to drag my lazy ass out of the house on the weekdays.  Thursday was one of those fated days, with a handful of incredible acts playing in downtown Raleigh including a stellar lineup for GZA’s Liquid Swords tour, I chose the local route with DiggUp Tapes standouts The Lollipops and Jenny Besetzt.  While the initial showing was a bit lackluster, as the night went on the crowd got gradually larger and more raucous.  While Jenny Besetzt had a handful of swaying head-nodders, by the end of the night The Lollipops were leading Kings in a full on PBR-fueled dance party.

Jenny Besetzt

The night began with one of the most heavily lauded local bands of the year, Jenny Besetzt.  The band just made their way back to North Carolina for their tour after playing a bit further up north and what a homecoming it was.  The band recently added Justin Flythe (formerly of Lonnie Walker) as their new keyboard player, and while their regular drummer wasn’t playing on Thursday the band still proved to be incredibly tight and harmonious.  Blasting through favorites from their debut full length, Only, these songs shine in a new light during live performances.  The band packs a bit heavier of a punch with live performances, guitar lines feel less ethereal and more jaunting, but the vocals still perfectly counteract that added grit with raw intensity while maintaining it’s dreamlike aspects.  Jenny Besetzt continues to impress me with each show I see, they’ve made the leap that many can’t by transitioning their shoegaze-y sound into a driving and powerful live act that not only grasps your attention but leaves you speechless, thirsting for more.

Companion

After Jenny Besetzt was Companion, a stellar Brooklyn band that played with Jenny Besetzt in New York and made their way down the coast for their first official tour.  The band is relatively new but displayed a fantastic sense of self with entrancing three part vocal harmonies that counteracted their driving rhythms perfectly.  Fueled by a tasteful mixture of electronic beats and physical drums, the addition of an electronic percussion sound added an entirely new layer to this already dense and lush arrangement.  I must say I was thoroughly surprised by this band, and I think they were equally surprised by the Thursday night outing, as the band’s lead vocalist Pepi Ginsberg brought out a camera of her own to take a big family picture of the crowd.  This was the perfect band to transition from the depth and wonder of Jenny Besetzt to the simplistic yet equally invigorating bedroom pop sounds of The Lollipops.

As the band was taking the stage, brainchild Iggy Cosky was frantically writing out a setlist, an image that perfectly encapsulates the essence of The Lollipops.  Everything flows together wonderfully yet still feels spastic and urgent.  Painfully infectious pop melodies perfectly counteract the gritty lo-fi bedroom recordings and transition into one hell of a live show, Cosky leads the band with a commanding presence, Iggy seems genuinely excited to be on stage and that excitement permeated throughout the once spread out crowd of Kings.  The crowd condensed into one tightly packed dance party that was bursting with energy, bouncing along to favorites like “I Love You” and “Wolves”.  During the show Iggy announced a soon to be released album, making for their “third release in 8 months”.  To put it simple these guys go hard in the paint.  This lineup was excellent from top to bottom, and ending with the brilliant pop sounds of The Lollipops was the best way to go out.  An incredible way to spend a Thursday night!

Kristian Dunn plays a Wal fretless bass and a guitar/bass doubleneck, using multiple loop and effects pedals to create full sounds.  Tim Fogarty has his drum kit fed into some of the pedals, giving Kristian the ability to control loops on that as well. By the way — this is all done live. No samples, no pre-recorded loops. They made it a point to make sure the audience knew this. Without dropping names, they were able to subtly bash artist who essentially just hit the play button on their Mac.

As a matter of fact, when a mic went out on stage they decided to do an improv song. Kristian asked the audience for a key to play in, and major or minor. This led into an album-worthy rendition he dubbed “Raleigh in F minor.” This equated to the best stage banter I’ve heard, and compensated for when he tried to say something generic like “so how about that local sports team?” to the audience. Usually this wouldn’t have stricken a nerve, but he got booed for that comment. Apparently only NC State fans were at the show. (Our football team unfortunately lost to UNC for the first time in six years, and it was also their first in-state win of the season.) I forgive you, Kristian.

I couldn’t stop smiling or dancing the entire show. Seeing how the songs came together was incredible and added a lot to the experience of listening to them, live or at home. The projection panels behind them intensified the beats. Plus, being surrounded by zombies, mimes and a Bob Ross was great.

A little after 1:00AM, Kristian announced that they would be playing their final song — they’re “real” final song. He called other artists out for “faking” the encore, the say goodbye but let’s still leave our instruments on stage and walk back out after we let the audience tell us how much they love us for approximately 75 seconds. From the opener “Thanks Bill” (my favorite) to the last note of the last song, the band was on point and engaging. I’m looking forward to catching them again sometime.