Being from Florida, summertime is my favorite time. I love it when it gets so hot and muggy that even the mosquitoes can’t fly and your only refuge is a piece of watermelon, an ice-cold beverage and the music in front of you.

My three favorite outdoor venues in the Triangle allow picnics and sell all of the best local brews. Read on for summer shows to look out for at The North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA), Sarah P. Duke Gardens, and American Tobacco.

North Carolina Museum of Art:

NCMA Concert Area, courtesy of the NC Dept. of Cultural Resources

Located on Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh, NCMA has the largest concert arena of any art museum in the country and as such can bring brings some of the best acts around. I had the opportunity to see Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Lucinda Williams, and Gillian Welch there last summer.

Summer 2012, NCMA brings us:

AfroCubism:  June 10

If you like Buena Vista Social Club, Malain music, and awesome beats, check this show out.

Doc Watson and Deep River Rising:  June 30

At 89, Doc Watson can still tear up a guitar. If you haven’t heard of Doc Watson but love old-timey music and all things bluegrassy and folk, don’t miss this chance to see one of the trailblazers of this genre.

Andrew Bird w/ Mavis Staples: July 10

Through a collaboration with Cat’s Cradle, indie folk master Andrew Bird will whistle the night away with rhythm and blues goddess Mavis Staples.

Neko Case: July 14

I’ve never seen this woman perform solo, but I had the chance to see her with The New Pornographers a few summers ago. Her voice is everything female vocals should be.

More shows listed later in the summer and further information is available here. Be sure to listen to WKNC all summer, as we usually do a considerable amount of giveaways for these shows. Tickets for these shows range from $15-35, with a discount for children and a prime seating location for members. Parking can be tough: I suggest either arriving early or parking in one of the administrative buildings slightly up Blue Ridge. Get to these shows early so you can spread out your picnic blanket, grab a bottle of wine (sold at the venue) and enjoy the evening.

Sarah P. Duke Gardens:

Sarah P. Duke Garden's Concert, courtesy of Duke Gardens

Located in the heart of Duke’s West Campus, Duke Gardens is a spectacle in itself. 55-acres of native and non-native plants provide the perfect backdrop (and aroma) for the summer concert series. Doors (gates?) open at 6:30, so be sure to set up early behind the Visitor’s Center. I’ve never had the chance to come to one of these shows, but as I’ll be living less than 3 miles away this summer, they’ll have to pry me away. All of the artists presented here are local indie acts.

The Beast + Big Band: June 6

Local hip-hop infused with jazz.

The Old Ceremony: June 13

Indie rock bordering “dad rock,” but in a good way.

Dex Romweber and the New Romans: June 21

I love this description from Independently Weekly, “noir-tinged Americana”

Bombadil: June 27

Rolling indie rock infused with folk, teddy bears, and a bit of sorrow

Mandolin Orange: July 11

One of the best duos around, keeping traditional folk alive with modern inspiration

Midtown Dickens: July 18

Playful and thoughtful, their music makes you literally sing along “this is the best summer ever”

Megafaun: July 25

Do I need to describe these guys? Experimental folk with deep themes and beards.

More information about the shows and tickets is available here. Tickets are $12, with a $5 discounted price for Duke employees and students. There is a cafe on site selling full meals, snacks, wine, and beer. You’ll find me sneaking in some watermelon slices and lemonade. Parking is available after 5 p.m. for free in the Garden Lots. Be careful with parking outside of the garden; Campus Police will get ya!

American Tobacco

American Tobacco Campus, from Indyweek.com

Located next to WUNC in the American Tobacco Campus, this venue is secluded with restaurants and shops on all sides and arranged perfectly for concerts. The audience is separated from the band by a moat, which keeps the ravenous fan girls like me off banjo players like Chatham County Line’s Chandler Holt. It also sets the stage, literally, with the babbling of water and a home-town feel as the band plays under the water tower. Like the other venues presented here, they are very family friendly and allow for picnics and serve all of the best beverages.

Music Maker Relief Foundation Blues Revue: May 11

I saw these guys at Shakori Hills and it was like watching the history of Blues before your eyes.

Tony Rice Unit: May 18

Traditional bluegrass, performed immaculately.

Adam Hurt, Stephanie Coleman, and Beth Williams Hartness

Bluegrass trio, with bits of loose mountain music

Pops for Pops: June 17

What better way to celebrate Father’s day than with jazz of all kinds. Durham Jazz Orchestra and Durham Community Concert Band will play all night.

Lizzy Ross Band: June 22

This girl can sing. She is a cute, young musician who can belt out some of jazziest, smoothest music out there. Her band provides a full Americana, folk rock inspired set.

John Brown and the Groove Shop Band: July 4

A 13-piece band full of funk, rhythm, and blues.

Justin Robinson and the Mary Annettes: July 27

Don’t expect Carolina Chocolate Drops sound. Former Drop, Robinson, is experimenting with his musical style with this ethereal genre-break band.

John Howie Jr. and the Rosewood Bluff: August 10

Honky-tonk Americana with an occasional rock-kick.outdoor

For show listings after August 10 and more information, go here. Sponsored in part of by Back Porch Music, all of these shows are family friendly acts with their mind to roots music. All of these shows, unless otherwise noted, are free. There are great restaurants surround the venue and Whole Foods usually sets up a table selling fresh dinners. I usually end up bringing my own snacks, but end up buying a locopop.

Phew. There is a lot going on this summer and I hope that this has helped you formulate a plan of action for shows to see. Did I miss any awesome outdoor venues? Comment with your favorites and maybe I’ll blog about those shows as well!

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.

Here it is! The first podcast posted for “The Pulse of the Pack,” the sports show on WKNC. We are in week 12 of the show and this week we talked about the football game against Maryland, the football season as a whole, the men’s basketball season thus far and even some previews of what we think will happen this weekend during every championship game in college football. Hope you enjoy this week’s episode of “The Pulse of the Pack,” and listen to us this coming Wednesday, Dec. 7, from 7-8 p.m. Go Pack!

-Cory

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Tune in to Mystery Roach this coming Saturday, Nov. 19, from 8-10 a.m. for a discussion about oysters.  The conversation will cover their biological history and underwater soundscapes with MEAS graduate student Ashlee Lillis, and their cultural/economic history with historian Matthew Booker (Both from NC State). I will add cooking tips throughout the show and playing songs loosely based on an ocean theme. (Still up in the air about Octopus’s Garden. Sorry, Ringo.)

Get in on the conversation (musically and otherwise) by calling the Mystery Roach Hotline (919-322-8863), posting on the Facebook Fan Page, or sending an email.

Talk to you then.

-La Barba Rossa

On Saturday, Nov. 12, Mystery Roach will be celebrating its 4th anniversary.  Since the first broadcast on Nov. 17, 2007, the show has explored 1960s and 1970s Progressive, Garage, Fusion, Psychedelic, and noise every Saturday morning from 8-10 a.m.  Additionally, La Barba Rossa, the show’s host, has welcomed an eclectic mix of guests from around NCSU’s campus and around the Triangle.  There have been conversations about beer, ants, film, the suburbs, the Mellotron, roller derby, fungus, hot peppers, comic books, censorship, and more. Frank Stasio has even stopped by for beard care advice.

Be part of the show by calling the Mystery Roach Hotline (919-322-8863), posting on the Facebook Fan Page, or sending an email. What do you like about the show? What do you hate about it? Have you noticed any trends over the years? What do you do whilst listening to the show? Is it part of your Saturday ritual? Do you have any requests?

Thanks for listening over the years!

If you were up and going strong at 10 a.m. on Saturday, congratulations! Molly and Tenbrooks surely weren’t. If you were interested in what was played, take a look:

Sierra Hull — Don’t Pick Me Up
The Honey Dewdrops — Stomping Ground
Chris Pandolfi — Wichita Stomp
Abigail Washburn — City of Refuge
The Biscuit Burners — Take Me Home
Sarah Jarosz — My Muse
Chatham County Line — Bacon in the Skillet
Chris Thile and Michael Daves — Blue Night
Julie Elkins and David Thompson — Carolina Is Gone
Bearfoot — Midnight in Montana
David Rawlings Machine — To Be Young (Is to Be Sad, Is to Be High)
Dom Flemons — Po’ Black Sheep,Gwine Dig A Hole
Norman Blake — The Weathered Old Caboose Behind the Train
Samantha Crain — The Last Stanchion Goes Belly Up
David Grier — Impulsive
Cornmeal – Raging River

BREAK

Billy Bragg and Wilco — Hot Rod Hotel
Gillian Welch — Caleb Meyer
Black Lillies — two Hearts Down
Drive By Truckers — God Damn Lonely Love
Johnny cash — Big River
Jerry Reed — Aunt Maudie’s Garden
Townes Van Zandt w/ Willie Nelson — No Place to Fall
Chet Atkins — A Taste of Honey
Muddy Waters — Sugar Sweet
Son House — Death Letter Blues
Howlin’ Wolf — California Blues
David Jacob-Strains — Come On Im My Kitchen
Bob Dylan — John Wesley Harding
Vince Gill — The Strings That Tie You Down
The Everybodyfields – Medicine Girl
Loose Fur – The Ruling Class
Whiskeytown – 16 Days

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween! If you have any requests feel free to e-mail americana@wknc.org

July 2012 would mark the 100th birthday of one of music’s greatest and most influential artists, Woodie Guthrie. Unfortunately, Guthrie would not be able to mark this occasion himself, as he passed away in 1967. However, the Guthrie estate has some big things planned for the would-be 100 year birthday of the artist. 429 Records will be publishing “Note of Hope: A Celebration of Woodie Guthrie.” Featuring artists from Tom Morello to Lou Reed to Jackson Browne, the compilation will feature songs which have been interpreted from archival writings of Guthrie. It will be released September 27. For a full track listing look below.

Al0ngside all of this Mermaid Avenue will be released as a box-set featuring outtakes and a documentary showcasing the making of the album. Mermaid Avenue was a collaboration where artists including Wilco’s Billy Bragg. This is set for a release some time next year.

Note of Hope track listing:

1 “The Note Of Hope” – Van Dyke Parks
2 “Wild Card In The Hole” – Madeleine Peyroux
3 “Ease My Revolutionary Mind” – Tom Morello
4 “The Debt I Owe” – Lou Reed
5 “Union Love Juice” – Michael Franti
6 “Peace Pin Boogie” – Kurt Elling
7 “Voice” – Ani DiFranco
8 “I Heard A Man Talking” – Studs Terkel
9 “Old Folks” – Nellie Mckay
10 “On The High Lonesome” – Chris Whitley
11 “There’s A Feeling In Music” – Pete Seeger & Tony Trischka
12 “You Know The Night” – Jackson Browne

The Fourth Annual Mystery Roach Covers Show is coming soon! On Saturday, August 28, I’ll be playing original tracks from the 50s, 60s or 70s along with a cover version from any decade and style.

If you have any requests or suggestions, post them here, on the Facebook fan page, or email them to me.

Below are the playlists from the previous three years to give you an idea of what this year’s show will be like.

Tune in to Mystery Roach every Saturday from 8-10am on WKNC for Progressive, Fusion, Psychedelic, Garage and noise from the 60s and 70s. (The 50s are fair game for the cover show as well.)

Cheers.

-La Barba Rossa

2010 Show

2009 Show

2008 Show

Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, press photograph by Mark Seliger

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.

Troubel is a budding local folk/bluegrass band comprised of former members of Carolina Roadkill.  Two members, Adam and Anna (soon to both be Walton), came in to Americana, Blues, and Company on July 23 for a short interview and to play a few songs for us.  Below you can find our discussions about local music, influences, and how we all got into bluegrass as well as performances of  ”Darlin”, off their first album The Mountains. The Broken.,  and an unreleased song, “Lost at Sea”.  Troubel is on tour throughout the first few weeks of August — come check them out!  They are definitely a band to keep on your radar.

Check out the interview:

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Lucinda Williams at the Fillmore in NYC, photo protected under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic

It was a hot Wednesday evening at the outdoor amphitheater at the North Carolina Museum of Art. Muggy, humid, and as Lucinda Williams described, “sultry”.  I thought to myself, of course we’re enjoying the sultry weather,  as I usually describe her voice as such. For those unfamiliar with Lu’s sound,  I like to say that if Janis Joplin and Dolly Parton had a baby, it would be Lucinda Williams.

It was a late start for the show.  Someone spoke of Lucinda’s potential stage fright, but I think it was more that she was waiting for the hot sun to go completely down before starting to rock. Blake Mills, an unannounced opener, played mellow guitar before Lu came out. Blake Mills is the former  guitarist for indie rock band Band of Horses, and has been playing backup guitar for various artists. We were to discover one of the artists he has been playing guitar with was none other than Lucinda herself. Some members of the audience were pleased with his work, while some other die-hard Lu fans thought he wasn’t doing the songs justice. What do you think?

Speaking of die-hard Lu fans, there definitely is a type. They are strong, middle aged women with husbands (or partners) who usually wear button-up Hawaiian shirts to concerts.  They enjoy picnics from Whole Foods and probably drive Subaru Outbacks. I love these fans. They get up and dance during their favorite songs, shamelessly and happily.  Lucinda provided their favorite songs – Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, Greenville, Blue, and many others. What’s your favorite Lucinda tune?

Her lifelong fans, the aforementioned dancing middle aged women, enjoyed the show. Me, a less-than-middle aged woman, found that I prefer the recorded versions. They sound fuller, deeper, and of course, can be heard out of the 100 degree heat.  Despite the heat and the sounds hanging in the muggy air, it was a good show. Most current popular female country/rock  stars lack the depth Lucinda carries. It was a musical treat most young women my age will not get to experience.

If you’ve never been to a show at NCMA, its a great venue. You just feel sophisticated sitting there. Bring a chair or a blanket and some snacks, and you’ll thoroughly enjoy yourself. Their line up this summer has been amazing and is consistently great from year to year. Next week, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings will take the stage. Definitely a show you do not want to miss. If you like the music of Lucinda Williams and Gillian Welch, check out WKNC’s Americana, Blues, and Company every Saturday from 10-noon.

With an expansive lawn, selling out the North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) proves to be quite difficult. However, the first show of the summer season on June 4, did just this.  Bela Fleck and the Flecktones attracted such a varied audience that every inch of the lawn was taken — whether it be by hip young professionals eating olives, cheese, and wine or older couples eating a hot box of Bojangle’s fried chicken.

The show started around 8:15PM, the perfect time to sit back and enjoy the 90-something day finally cooling off.  They played  newer music off their most recent album, Rocket Science.  And not to go with the intentional pun, but deciding whether to buy that album isn’t rocket science.

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Promotional Photo

This show is different than many in the past few years, as Howard Levy joined the band yet again. Levy, an amazing harmonica player, seems to tie the whole group together. Percussionist Futureman is about as interesting as a percussionist can get. He plays a hand-made drumitar, and has many other unique inventions based in scientific principles and pure awesomeness. If you’reever wondering which one is Futureman, just look for the pirate. Futureman’s brother plays bass in the Flecktones and hot damn! is he good. I don’t usually like bass solos, but Victor Lemonte Wooten definitely had my attention.  Of course, I hardly even need to speak of Bela Fleck’s virtuosity at the banjo.  Futureman made the joke that Fleck is proof that banjo jokes aren’t true. Casey Driessen, violinist of The Sparrow Quartet joined in for more of the bluegrass/folk numbers.

NCMA at night. Photo courtesy of Bobistraveling, protected under creative commons

The concert went on until about 10PM, the lightning bugs and ambient lighting of the grounds of NCMA provided a perfect setting for the soft strumming and beats of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. If you missed out on this show–do not fret– they will be coming back to North Carolina in August! Associate acts Ben Sollee and Abigail Washburn frequent this area, so be on a look out for them as well.

If you need your weekly Bela Fleck dose, you can always tune in to Americana Blues and Company Saturday mornings from 10-12, as we are known to play an occasional Bela Fleck number.

Steep Canyon Rangers press photo

Imagine seeing Vassar Clements, John Kahn, Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs and Tony Rice…. The Steep Canyon Rangers match the virtuosity of said musicians. The Rangers primed their music careers pickin’ and a-grinnin’ on the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill, where they frequently played bars on Franklin Street and fraternity houses. Now… Carnegie Hall!!! This is HUGE!

The Rangers played February 26 at the Lincoln Theatre in downtown Raleigh. Having attended this show and previous shows of theirs, one interesting observation to point out while attending a Rangers concert is the crowd dynamics. Ages range from 21 all the way up to 65. There are fraternity brothers and middle age women. Finally you have static dancers (people who wish to do the dancing in their heads) and full out flat footers!! So, if one were not to enjoy bluegrass music (God forbid), a Rangers concert is a great venue for people watching. Once again, the band proved to provide another entertaining show, picking fast songs, huddling round a central mic, and getting the crowd to make bird calls! The Steep Canyon Rangers will return to the Triangle area on May 21 with Steve Martin. This tour is promoting the album, “The Rare Bird Alert” that awaits release on March 15! It is a collaborative album created by the Rangers and Martin. So keep your ears and eyes open for this, and keep on ‘a pickin’ and a grinnin’, y’all!

The winners of the Mystery Roach t-shirt contest have been chosen. Congratulations to Cliff S. and Mark S.!

Many entered, but only two were deemed edible by a couple of chickens. If you did not win, but you would like a shirt, send an email to La Barba Rossa for more information.

Click here to watch the Mystery Roach T-Shirt Contest selection process.

GWAR!!!

This is the Noobhammer, and I bring you a gift from the universe! It is my interview with the Scumdog who lives in Antarctica. I am of course talking about the one and only Oderus Urungus of GWAR! Listen to us talk about bloody pits, Doctor Who, and whores.

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-Noobhammer