Each week, the WKNC music directors tally up spins for new releases and submit their top charts to CMJ.

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.

Fayetteville’s own, Yung Louie, will be dropping by the studios of 88.1fm WKNC for an interview with Mir.I.am tonight, November 3rd at 9:30 pm. The rapper is known for his “infectious hooks, straight to the point lyrics, and hypnotic beats.”

Check out the latest video from Louie, ‘Bands,’ which has gained over 1 Million views on Youtube and find the single on iTunes here.

NC State football will face Virginia on Saturday, November 3 for this year’s homecoming game. The game begins at 12:30PM, if you make it through your shotgun-ridden beer pong-playing pig-roasting tailgating, that is. Festivities have been going on all week, including last night’s Pack Howl concert featuring Wale and the week-long “Wear Red Get Fed” campaign, where broke hungry college students are rewarded with free food from local businesses for donning the school’s famous color.

What we here at WKNC are most excited about though  (we have a few hardcore sports fans, a sports show, etc. — but let’s face it, music is the priority here) are the string of free shows taking place all afternoon into the night. Hillsborough Street’s Homecoming Music Fest will begin at 4:00PM at Schoolkids Records. Similar to Halloween’s hike night, bars, restaurants and venues along Hillsborough will have bands playing:

4:00PM – Nick Autry @ Schoolkids Records

5:00PM - Spider Bags @ Schoolkids Records

6:00PM – Homecoming Parade on Hillsborough Street

7:30PM - Jason Adamo Band @ Sadlacks, Love Under @ Hotbox, Bullfrog McGhee @ Chili Bomba, Side Car Social Club @ The Keg, SupaTight @ The Alley, Sai Surrealia @ Pack House, E-Train @ East Village, Future Islands @ Schoolkids

8:00PM – Free Karaoke @ Brickhouse

10:30PM –  MSRP & The Last Tall Boy @ Sadlacks, Windsor Oaks Band @ Hotbox, DJ @ Chili Bomba, DW Band @ The Keg, TheAmateurs @ The Alley, Synergy and Heads on Sticks @ Pack House, Hot Damn Band @ East Village, The Embers @ Pantana Bobs, Spider Bags @ Schoolkids

Justin Leitch

The North Carolina State Wolfpack have been all over the national media spotlight since the ACC tournament last March. The Pack has been ranked sixth by the AP preseason polls and many players have been named to preseason honors.

Junior Forward C.J. Leslie has been named to the preseason All American 2^nd Team as well as being named the preseason ACC Player of the Year. Freshman Guard Rodney Purvis has been named preseason ACC Rookie of the Year. The preseason ACC first team (voted on by ACC coaches) included two Wolfpack players, C.J. Leslie and Junior Point Guard Lorenzo Brown.

All of this information is exciting and encouraging, but at this point it is meaningless hype that many teams around the country have received in years past and then fell apart when the games start being played.  In this blog I am going to take a quick look at the roster and tell you why I think this team is NOT going to falter like so many teams riding high expectations have in the past. When building a team, there are a few keys that you must have to be a true contender.

The National Caliber Star

C.J. Leslie, Junior F

2011-2012 Stats: 14.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.1 apg

As you can tell from the introduction, many people view C.J. Leslie as one of the best players in the nation and a vital part of this Wolfpack team. Over the course of last season, Leslie’s game improved dramatically as he began to dominate games down the stretch of the ACC season and in the ACC tournament. Leslie’s health (cramping problems throughout last season) and on court demeanor (which has been questionable at times but seems to be much improved with time under Gottfried) will be huge things to look out for throughout this season as the junior needs to step into a leadership role. I expect Leslie to increase all his numbers this season as well as cut down on turnovers. His greatest improvement this offseason has been the improvement of the mid range jump shot, which if consistent, has the ability to make him nearly unguardable.

Talented, Explosive Playmaker and Distributer

Lorenzo Brown, Junior PG

2011-2012 Stats: 12.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 6.3 apg

Brown has the talent, discipline, teammates, and coaching to be the best point guard in the nation this season. Upon coming to N.C. State as a freshman, the point guard actually was a shooting guard. When Ryan Harrow decided to transfer to Kentucky because of the firing of Head Coach Sidney Lowe, the Wolfpack needed a point guard and last season Zo filled that role, exceeding expectations anyone had for him. With an offseason to better learn the position, although having been slowed by a knee injury, Lorenzo is in position to have a breakout year. Also, because of Brown’s natural size and athleticism he is a ferocious defender at the PG position.

Lights Out Shooter

Scott Wood, Senior SF

2011-2012 Stats: 12.4 ppg, 40.9 3P%, 95 3PM

Scott Wood is seen by many people, inside the ACC and out, as the best shooter in the nation. He often struggles to create his own shot and can, at times, be a liability on the defensive end, but if left with any daylight, will knock down shots consistently. When Wood is hitting, not only is that an immediate source of offense, but it also stretches the defense and opens up more opportunities for others in the paint.

Supporting Cast

Richard Howell, Rodney Purvis, T.J. Warren

These guys, Rodney Purvis, Senior Forward Richard Howell, and Freshman Forward T.J. Warren, will all contribute big minutes this season. Richard Howell is one of the best rebounders in the ACC (9.2 rpg 2011-2012) and a soft-spoken leader for this Wolfpack team. Infamous for getting in foul trouble, if the Pack is going to have a successful season, Howell will need to be smart on the defensive end in big games. Purvis and Warren both have ACC ready bodies, even as freshmen, and are expected to make an immediate impact in scoring and defensively this season.

Safety Valves

Tyler Lewis, Thomas De Thaey, Jordan Vandenberg

Expect each of these players, Freshmen PG Tyler Lewis, Sophomore F Thomas De Thaey, and Junior C Jordan Vandenberg, to play a decent amount of minutes this year and step into larger roles in the instances of injury and foul trouble. Lewis, a highly touted PG from Virginia has a knack for finding the open man and running talented offense (as seen by his play in high school at Oak Hill Academy) and both De Thaey and Vandenberg are big bodies that have the ability to contribute both defensively and on the offensive end.

Predictions for 2012-2013 Stats

Record: (26-4, 15-3 ACC)

Good Wins: vs. UCONN, vs. DUKE, vs. UNC, vs. FSU, @ UNC, @ FSU

Bad Losses: @GT, vs. CSU