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

To state the obvious, we here at WKNC love music. A lot. We also love live music. A lot. Most, if not all, of us attend many concerts and music festivals each year. What follows are lists of some of WKNC’s deejays’ favorite shows of the year. They range from national to local acts, regular shows to festivals. Some (myself included) went to so many it was hard to narrow it down to five, so we listed ten. Some lists are in numerical order, others are not. Caribou, Future Islands, and the inaugural Hopscotch Music Festival were some of the most common favorites, among dozens of other acts. Check it out:

Synthesiser Patel (Daytime/Afterhours)

- Chromeo/A-Trak/Kid Sister/Theophilus London @ Congress Theater (Chicago)

- The National/Owen Pallett @ Raleigh Memorial Auditorium

- Metric @ Lollapalooza

- of Montreal @ Cat’s Cradle

- Born Ruffians/Winter Gloves @ Local 506

DJ Mensch (Daytime)

1. The National @ Raleigh Memorial Auditorium

2. Minus The Bear @ Lincoln Theatre

3. Max Indian @ Hopscotch Music Festival

4. Broken Social Scene @ Hopscotch Music Festival

5. The Rosebuds @ Hopscotch Music Festival

May Day (Daytime)

1. Broken Social Scene @ Hopscotch Music Festival

2. Camera Obscura @ Duke Gardens

3. Surfer Blood @ Cat’s Cradle

4. Yeasayer/Javelin @ Cat’s Cradle

5. OK  Go @ Lincoln Theatre

DJ Mollypop (Daytime)

1. Paul McCartney @ Sprint Center (Kansas City)

2. The Weepies @ Lincoln Theatre

3. Phoenix @ Koka Booth Amphitheatre

4. Crooked Still @ Casbah

5. The New Pornographers/Dodos/The Duchess and the Duke @ Memorial Hall (UNC-CH)

The Noobhammer (Chainsaw)

1. Scale The Summit/Devin Townsend Project/Cynic/Between the Buried and Me @ The Fillmore Charlotte

2. Sons of Liberty/Iced Earth @ 9:30 Club (Washington, D.C.)

3. Powerglove/Firewind @ Volume 11

4. Valient Thorr/Between the Buried and Me/Mastodon @ Lincoln Theatre

5. Boris @ Cat’s Cradle

Iris G (Daytime)

- Mumford & Sons @ 9:30 Club (Washington, D.C.)

- Ratatat @ MeetFactory (Prague)

Audity (Daytime)

- Active Child @ Hopscotch Music Festival

- Cassis Orange @ Duke Coffeehouse

- Veelee @ Duke Coffeehouse

- Old Bricks @ Kings

- Deerhunter @ Cat’s Cradle

Sarahnade (Daytime/Post Rock Block)

1. Trans-Siberian Orchestra @ RBC Center

2. Local Natives/The Union Line @ The Grey Eagle (Asheville)

3. Phoenix @ Koka Booth Amphitheatre

4. The New Pornographers/Dodos/The Duchess and the Duke @ Memorial Hall (UNC-CH)

5. The Temper Trap/The Kissaway Trail @ Cat’s Cradle

6. This Machine Kills Cancer benefit

DJ Ones (Daytime)

1. Phoenix @ Koka Booth Amphitheatre

2. The New Pornographers @ Memorial Hall (UNC-CH)

3. Broken Social Scene @ Hopscotch Music Festival

4. The Big Pink @ Cat’s Cradle

5. Sharon Van Etten @ Hopscotch Music Festival

DJ Hammerhead (Chainsaw)

1. Municipal Waste/Double Negative/Zeus @ The Milestone (Charlotte)

2. Overkill/Forbidden/Gama Bomb/Evile/Bonded By Blood @ Volume 11

3. D.R.I./Final Curse @ Amos’ Southend (Charlotte)

4. Nemesis/Chainsawdamy/Avalon Steel @ Tremont Music Hall (Charlotte)

5. Exmortus/Vektor/Final Curse @ Charlotte’s Underground (Charlotte)

The Blog Lady (Blog Editor/Staff Photographer)

1. The Avett Brothers @ Asheville Civic Center Arena

2. Lost In The Trees @ Cat’s Cradle

3. Mandolin Orange @ Troika Music Festival

4. The Rosebuds @ Hopscotch Music Festival

5. Chatham County Line @ Troika Music Festival

DJ Vice (Daytime)

1. Benji Hughes/The Old Ceremony @ Cat’s Cradle

2. Passion Pit @ The Fillmore Charlotte

3. The Avett Brothers @ Asheville Civic Center Arena

Just John (Daytime)

1. Caribou/Phantogram @ Governor’s Island (New York City)

2. Beach House @ Cat’s Cradle

3. Every Future Islands show

4. Joanna Newsom @ Carolina Theatre

5. Ponytail @ Siren Music Festival

The Cosmic Cowboy (The Church of Bluegrass and the Truer Sound)

1. John Prine @ Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival

2. Joanna Newsom @ The National (Richmond) and Variety Playhouse (Atlanta)

3. Cedric Watson and the Bijou Creole/Red Stick Ramblers @ Reynolds Industries Theater (Duke)

4. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy @ Borque’s Social Club (Scot, LA)

5. Charlie Louvin @ Borque’s Social Club (Scot, LA)

DJ Elly May (Daytime)

1. Delta Spirit @ Cat’s Cradle

2. The Rosebuds/Megafaun @ The Pour House

3. Holy Ghost Tent Revival @ The Pour House

4. Minus The Bear @ Lincoln Theatre

5. Turbo Fruits @ Local 506

Lucretia (Chainsaw)

1. Eyehategod/Nachtmystium/Withered/Haarp/Stripmines @ Volume 11

2. Kreator/Voivod/Nachtmystium @ Jaxx (West Springfield, VA)

3. Slang/World Burns To Death/Devour/Stripmines @ Slims

4. Immolation/Vader/Abigail Williams/Lecherous Nocturne @ Volume 11

5. High On Fire/Torche/Kylesa @ Cat’s Cradle

6. Atakke/Parasytic/Devour @ Slims

7. Pentagram/Cough/The Gates of Slumber/Windham @ The Hat Factory (Richmond)

8. Alice In Chains @ Raleigh Memorial Auditorium

9. Hate Eternal/Cannabis Corpse/Malebolgia @ Volume 11

10. Glass Casket/Wrath & Rapture/Malebolgia @ Johnny & Junes (Winston-Salem)

Agent Orange (Daytime)

1. Broken Social Scene @ Hopscotch Music Festival

2. Yeasayer/Javelin @ Cat’s Cradle

3. Caribou/Toro Y Moi @ Cat’s Cradle

4. Annuals/The Light Pines @ Tir Na Nog

5. Ra Ra Riot/Givers @ Cat’s Cradle

Riff Raff (Daytime)

- Hopscotch Music Festival

- Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros @ Cat’s Cradle

- Veelee/Lonnie Walker/Future Islands @ Kings

- Beach House/Washed Out @ Cat’s Cradle

- Ludacris @ Reynolds Coliseum

DJ Kligz (Daytime/Local Lunch)

1. Hopscotch Music Festival

2. Future Islands/Lonnie Walker/Veelee/NAPS @ Kings

3. Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival

4. Beach House @ Cat’s Cradle

5. Caribou/Veelee @ Cat’s Cradle

Chuck (Daytime)

1. LCD Soundsystem @ Pitchfork Music Festival

2. Massive Attack/Jonsi @ MoogFest

3. The National @ Raleigh Memorial Auditorium

4. Wilco @ Durham Performing Arts Center

5. Caltrop/US Christmas/The Curtains of Night @ Nightlight

6. Titus Andronicus/Spider Bags @ Local 506

7. Deerhunter/Schooner @ Cat’s Cradle

8. Deakin @ Hopscotch Music Festival

9. GWAR @ Lincoln Theatre

10. These Are Powers/Lemonade/MNDR @ The Pinhook

What were your favorite shows and/or music festivals of the year?

Another year is practically in the books, and with it comes time to recapture our favorite moments in music from the past year. I sought to get a large number of Daytime deejays to give us their favorite albums of the past year. And what a year it was! Below is the collection of great albums as decided by a great deal of Daytime deejays. See you next year!

Just John

1. Joanna Newsom – Have One on Me
2. Beach House – Teen Dream
3. Future Islands – In Evening Air
4. Caribou – Swim
5. Sharon Van Etten – Epic

May Day

1. Surfer Blood – Astro Coast
2. Beach House – Teen Dream
3. Vampire Weekend- Contra
4. Tallest Man on Earth – The Wild Hunt
5. Twin Shadow – Forget

DJ Elly May

1. Bob Dylan – The Original Mono Recordings
2. The Black Angels – Phosphene Dream
3. Dark Dark Dark – Wild Go
4. Spoon – Transference
5. Jimi Hendrix – Valleys of Neptune

LOLCait

1. Justin Townes Earle – Harlem River Blues
2. Various Artists – Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: The Songs of John Prine
3. John Prine – In Person & On Stage
4. Megafaun – Heretofore
5. Tallest Man On Earth – The Wild Hunt

N!cole

1. Cotton Jones – Tall Hours in the Glowstream
2. Y La Bamba – Lupon
3. Breathe Owl Breathe – Magic Central
4. Casiokids – Topp Stemning På Lokal Bar
5. Harlem – Hippies

DJ Jacoblivion

1. Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More
2. The National – High Violet
3. Ratatat – LP4
4. Bassnectar – Timestretch
5. Jaga Jazzist – One-Armed Bandit

SarahNade

1. Local Natives – Gorilla Manor
2. Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More
3. The Black Keys – Brothers
4. Surfer Blood – Astro Coast
5. Yeasayer – Odd Blood

Anastassia

1. LCD Soundsystem – This is Happening
2. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
3. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles II
4. Warpaint – The Fool
5. Phantogram – Eyelid Movies

Professor X

1. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
2. Owen Pallett – Heartland
3. The Books – The Way Out
4. Beach House – Teen Dream
5. Yeasayer – Odd Blood

Hurricane Julia

1. Peggy Sue – Fossils and Other Phantoms
2. Tallest Man on Earth – Sometimes the Blues Is Just a Passing Bird
3. Laura Marling – I Speak Because I Can
4. Bonnie “Prince” Billy and the Cairo Gang – Wonder Show of the World
5. Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas – Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas

DJ Ones

1. The National – High Violet
2. Laura Marling – I Speak Because I Can
3. The Black Keys – Brothers
4. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
5. Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More

Agent Orange

1. Yeasayer – Odd Blood
2. Hot Chip - One Life Stand
3. Caribou – Swim
4. Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record
5. Twin Shadow – Forget

DJ Mensch

1. The National – High Violet
2. Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record
3. Frightened Rabbit – The Winter of Mixed Drinks
4. Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More
5. Ra Ra Riot – The Orchard

DJ Ray

1. Beach House – Teen Dream
2. Joanna Newsom – Have One on Me
3. Sharon Van Etten – Epic
4. Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest
5. Julian Lynch – Mare

Hot Tamale

1. Tallest Man on Earth – The Wild Hunt
2. The Black Keys – Brothers
3. Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More
4. The National – High Violet
5. Blair – Die Young

The DONoftime

1. Tame Impala – Inner Speaker
2. Avi Buffalo – Avi Buffalo
3. MGMT – Congratulations
4. Spoon – Transference
5. Gorillaz – Plastic Beach

Mollypop

1. Crooked Still – Some Strange Country
2. Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More
3. Steeldrivers – Reckless
4. Chatham County Line – Wildwood
5. Darren Hanlon – I Will Love You At All

DJ Kligz

1. The Tender Fruit - Flotsam and Krill
2. Future Islands – In Evening Air
3. Sharon Van Etten – Epic
4. Beach House – Teen Dream
5. Sleigh Bells – Treats

Lovely Lucia

1. The Love Language – Libraries
2. Future Islands – In Evening Air
3. Tallest Man On Earth – The Wild Hunt
4. Phantogram – Eyelid Movies
5. MGMT – Congratulations

Riff Raff

1. Future Islands – In Evening Air
2. Beach House – Teen Dream
3. The Morning Benders – Big Echo
4. Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record
5. Gorillaz – Plastic Beach

Monsieur Mêmes

1. Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz
2. Avi Buffalo – Avi Buffalo
3. Yeasayer – Odd Blood
4. Bear Hands – Burning Bush Supper Club
5. Four Tet – There Is Love in You

Tommyboy

1. Future Islands – In Evening Air
2. Beach House – Teen Dream
3. Surfer Blood – Astro Coast
4. Caribou – Swim
5. Four Tet – There is Love in You

Goof

1. Titus Andronicus – The Monitor
2. LCD SoundSystem – This is Happening
3. Beach House – Teen Dream
4. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
5. Tallest Man on Earth – The Wild Hunt

Major Tom

1. Matt and Kim - Sidewalks
2. Suckers – Wild Smile
3. Future Islands – In Evening Air
4. Gold Panda – Lucky Shiner
5. Band of Horses – Infinite Arms

Synthesiser Patel

1. LCD Soundsystem – This is Happening
2. Broken Bells – Broken Bells
3. Gorillaz – Plastic Beach
4. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
5. Maximum Balloon – Maximum Balloon

AndyQ

1. Mumford and Sons - Sigh No More
2. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
3. Tallest Man On Earth – The Wild Hunt
4. Vampire Weekend – Contra
5. Broken Bells – Broken Bells

Chuck

1. Salem – King Night
2. Beach House – Teen Dream
3. The National – High Violet
4. LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening
5. Zola Jesus – Stridulum/Valusia

Jacob

1.  Superchunk – Majesty Shredding
2.  Mavis Staples – You Are Not Alone
3.  Free Electric State - Caress
4.  Various Artists – Scott Pilgrim VS the World
5.  Royal Baths – After Death

What are some of your favorite albums of 2010? Leave your comments in the comment section below.

Filthybird

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Chatham County Line

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Joe Romanos

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

This past Saturday marked the the last night of the local music festival Troika in downtown Durham. Despite the cold weather, Anastassia and I, AndyQ, had a glorious time running around from venue to venue listening to the Triangle’s finest local music. This is our collaborative blog on our experience.

The first place we went to was at the new Motorco Music Hall, which had a nice upscale warehouse lounge vibe going on.

Filthybird started the evening out nicely with some mellow music. It was fun to watch the lead singer with her short stature play such a huge guitar.

After Filthybird, some men in snazzy suits and well manicured beards came to the stage. With their four-part harmonies and fancy finger work on the fiddle, Chatham County Line managed to crank out some good ole bluegrass reminiscent of classic Avett Brothers.

It wasn’t surprising when we looked back at the crowd and saw that they had packed the house filled with swooning listeners.

We were in for a surprise when we headed over to The Casbah.

Gray Young completely changed the atmosphere of the evening with their garage rock cords that were evocative of Explosions in the Sky. With their awesome stage presence and edgy music, it was impossible to stand still. Seeing Gray Young right after a nice folksy band like Chatham was an eye opening experience to the wide range of local music in the Triangle, and both of us really appreciated that.

Then, we saw  The Loom from Brooklyn, who were well worth the walk to the Trotter Building, which was decorated nicely with lovely lanterns. I liked the band’s ability to start off with a mellow opening, only to build up to a crescendo of high energy horns, banjo, and drums. The “Middle Distance,” showcased their driving beats that backed haunting vocals. The sweet raspiness of the female vocalist accompanied by the male lead’s voice was very enjoyable.

Next, we ran back to The Motorco for Cassis Orange. This girly, but rough band was really fun to watch, with the singer dancing and jumping around. Their use of different and sometimes odd instruments came especially handy when a flutist joined them to cover Ke$ha’s “Tik-tok”. That was probably the best cover that I have heard, hands down.

Finally, after almost five hours of shows, the best was saved for last with Hammer No More the Finger. We had heard of them, but didn’t really know what to expect, and they definitely did not disappoint. It was obvious even from the beginning that they had a solid fan base in Durham. The venue was packed and a sort of mosh pit was forming. No one stood still because the guitar riffs and catchy songs were too good to not dance to.

In general, the festival not only presented some great local music, but it showcased the noteworthiness of downtown Durham, helping to disprove some people’s sentiments that Durham is Raleigh’s ghetto. We were very disappointed that there was not enough time in the night to listen to all the bands that performed.  We also went with fellow DJ Godrik, who would like to add “beer should have been cheaper”.

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!

This week we have a lot of cool stuff to give away!

We have tickets to The Stone Temple Pilots with The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club on October 5 at The Raleigh Amphitheatre and  Sound Tribe System 9 at The Raleigh Amphitheatre on August 25.

We have tickets to Warpaint on August 18 at The Local 506.

On August 19, we have tickets to Cockabilly Roadshow at The Pour House and Lou Barlow At Cat’s Cradle.

On August 20, we have tickets to Jack the Radio at Slim’s, Chatham County Line at Fletcher Theatre, and The Design at The Pour House.

On August 21, we have tickets to Malarkey Gras ft. American Aquarium at The Pour House.

DON’T FORGET THAT WE HAVE MOVIE TICKETS TO:

The Other Guys, Scott Pilgrim v. The World, and The Expendables

Keep Listening to WKNC for these giveaways and more!

Magic happened in the form of live local music Saturday night at the Cat’s Cradle as Chatham County Line had their album release show for Wildwood.

Birds & Arrows were invited to open for a late arriving crowd who were chit-chatting quite loudly at the start of the set. That was until the war painted lead singer Andrea Connolly opened her mouth for the first time and her strong but enchanting voice immediately silenced the entire venue as B&A jumped right into one of their favorites, “Honeymoon Song.” The group debuted several brand new songs including their new single “Pride of Lions” which is slated to be released this Friday evening in Durham. Needless to say, I believe many in the crowd were not followers of our local music scene, and I heard nearly a dozen people exclaim how impressed they were with this “unknown” band. After their set, the crowd gave B&A a well deserved rousing applause.

Birds & Arrows are playing this Friday in downtown Durham for the release of their new 7″ single off of 307 Knox Records. Billy Sugarfix who is also on the release and Schooner are playing as well.

Chatham County Line took the stage a short time later to a cheering and delightful near-sellout crowd. There was an immediate hush followed by an ecstatic breakout as the acoustic band dived right into to a couple of brand new songs off of Wildwood. If you still have not had the opportunity to hear the new album yet, which is being released officially tomorrow, you will be happy to know that it is the band’s best to date, even outshining its famous last release, IV. Where IV was poppy, Wildwood is hesitant, teetering on the edge of a jumpy hook and laidback mountain picking culminating in a highly pleasing and overall satisfying listen that keeps you coming back (I’ve had it on repeat for almost two weeks now). The crowd in Carrboro was kind enough to stay mostly quiet through the show until the end of each song (save for a few drunken loudmouths) as the group plays acoustic and using only one microphone stand to play around. Dave Wilson even commented that “Carrboro was always more polite than our hometown of Raleigh.” In total, CCL played 22 songs (by my count) in its entire set including 7 from Wildwood bringing the audience to their knees at the end of the final encore begging for even more.  After this show, it is obvious that CCL owns the Triangle and the entire Southern bluegrass scene.

Chatham County Line is playing several shows on Tuesday including free ones at Sadlack’s Heroes in support of Schoolkid’s Records and another at Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill.

Listen to CCL on the Local Beat 7/2/10:

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Sorry for taking so long to get to this recap, but the holiday weekend got me sidetracked. Last Friday on the Local Beat, we had a very entertaining show that crossed all sorts of topics.

The first hour of the show went to Boat Burning, a self described “hard ambient” improvisational band hailing from Chapel Hill. Ken Friedman and Andras Fekete got to the studio an hour early to begin setting up their equipment. Never before had we been able to fit in an entire drum kit, and Andras had well over a dozen pedals for his guitar, proving to be quite difficult to squeeze into our studio. Eventually, the equipment was setup, and the interview was underway.  I was curious as to how the band performs live, and we discussed in great length how their improvisation is structured and how the guys know what to do with their instruments throughout a song. Andras and Ken did their best to answer my questions, and it made for some enlightening conversation on improvisational music.  Below is their “Hard Ambience: A Manifesto” which describes the band’s SOP:

“1) Subvert the past -  past performances should not impose on the present (ie. DON’T RECORD)
2) Subvert the present – during an improvisation, when a successful moment arrives, mark it for destruction (ie. DON’T LINGER)
3) Subvert the future – avoid predefined motifs (ie. DON’T PLAN)
4) Feel it – play from the heart, or don’t play at all (ie. DON’T THINK)
5) Space is the place - silence is a contribution (ie. DON’T NOODLE)
6) Anything goes (ie. NO FEAR)”

They also played two songs for us, which we named “Searching for the Thresher” and “Jagannātha”. Andras even impressed me when he played his guitar with a screwdriver. You can listen to them in the music player up above and download them on our Local Beat ReverbNation page.

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Boat Burning plays a monthly show at Fuse in Chapel Hill on the last Sunday of every month. Typically, musicians from all over the Triangle drop by and improvise along. Also, be on the lookout for a Boat Burning album coming out later in the year that features all improvised tracks.

For the second hour of the show, I was joined by Scott Klein, cofounder of Sound Around, a mobile device app builder. Scott is a recent NC State grad who, with his brother Steve, has developed a way for bands to create customizable and unique apps that their fans can download to their cell phones. Scott and I chatted about his new business and the unique features it offers to musicians. We also talked in great length about the future of mobile phone technology and its ability to allow fans and musicians to interact on a greater scale than ever before. For more info on Sound Around you can check out my previous blog here.

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Lastly was Dave and John of Chatham County Line who came by in the last hour to promote their brand new album Wildwood, which is set to be released on July 13.  Wildwood is the band’s fifth album since becoming a group in 1999. Dave and John spent a great deal of the interview reminiscing of their local music influences over the years, and we spent some time talking about how those bands played a role in their sound.  A list of local bands and artists that the guys specifically named is on the right. You also may not realize it, but CCL is a very famous band over in Europe. Despite their humble beginnings and small fanbase in the states, these guys regularly sell out crowds across the Atlantic. Naturally, I had to ask them where that came from. All in all, it was a terrific hour of casual conversation, one which I won’t soon forget.  You can catch Chatham County Line at the Cats Cradle this coming Saturday July 10.

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This week WKNC is rolling out some pretty sweet giveaways!

First up, on July 9 is The Heartless Bastards at Cat’s Cradle.

On July 10, we have two giveaways.

Chatham County Line at Cat’s Cradle

and

Inflowential at The Pour House

ALSO, we’re giving away tickets to Demetri Martin at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium!

And finally, we’re also giving away movie passes to Knight & Day,Grown Ups and Twilight Eclipse!

Stay tuned to KNC for these and other giveaways!

Tomorrow on the Local Beat will be our second live show of the summer and features some fine guests.

The first hour of the program might be almost entirely live music as we are going to pack the studio with Chapel Hill experimental band Boat Burning. They plan on bringing in quite the arrangement of equipment and informed me they will be jamming to several different songs in upwards of 10 min each! According to their Myspace page:

“Boat Burning is an experiment in live music composition using amplified guitars and chance. Each performance is unique, as there are no predefined pieces: all compositions are created live.”

I have never had a group in quite like this, so it should make for an interesting first hour.  Also, feel free to listen to their recorded material with the widget on the left for what you might experience tomorrow.

The second hour of the show will be a little more toned down; Steve and Scott of Sound Around will be coming in to chat about their brand new iPhone application and discuss the future of phone technology with regards to music and the interactions between bands and their fans through this new medium. In case you are unaware of what Sound Around is, be sure to read my blog post about the product here.

Last, but certainly not the least, is a special treat. A couple members of Chatham County Line will be coming by to promote their new album Wildwood, their upcoming shows in the area, and I may even let them guest DJ some of their personal favorite local artists!

All of this is happening tomorrow night from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. on 88.1 WKNC. Don’t forget, you can always follow the Local Beat on Twitter, ReverbNation, and Facebook!

Last week on the Local Beat was a lot of fun, as we had two bands in the studio for 2.5 hours of good conversation. Maria Albani, bass player of Schooner, came in to chat about her new solo project Organos at 5 p.m which is having a debut album release for the brand new EP, Limbs, this Friday at the Pinhook in Durham (it is already getting airplay on Satellite Radio).  Organos is an interesting band in which Maria plays an assortment of unorthodox instruments such as spoons, glass, cardboard, boxes, shaker eggs, and sticks among other interesting sounds to create a unique yet immensely satisfying minimalist folk rock sound.  On the album Maria performed most of the parts herself but live Organos is a whole different animal.   A mini local super group of sorts, Organos live claims the likes of Reid Johnson (Schooner), Wes Phillips (solo, North Elementary, Rosebuds), Theresa Phillips (North Elementary), Nathan White (Nathan Oliver), and John Harris0n (Nathan Oliver, North Elementary), not to mention Maria herself.  In our conversation Maria, Theresa, and I chatted about the album, the band members, the show, and also her past bands which include Pleasant, Tennis and the Mennonites, Un Deux Trois, & The Pox Family Singers.  Listen to the podcast below:

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Organos is playing at the Pinhook this Friday, February 5 alongside Birds and Arrows and Ye Old Shoppe (with members of Wild Wild Geese).  The show is at 9:30 p.m., and you get a free copy of the album with price of admission!

At 6 p.m., local bluegrass favorites The Hotwires stepped in to chat about an assortment of different topics, but mostly to encourage our listeners to head to the Haiti Relief Benefit show at the Pour House Thursday, February 4th.   The Hotwires are playing in the middle of the show after Andy Bilinski, Roger Gupton, and the Debonzo Brothers, and before Chatham County Line, Filthybird, and A Rooster For The Masses.  The show is $12 and all proceeds are going to the Red Cross in support of Haiti Relief efforts.  The fellas and I spent quite a bit of time chatting about bluegrass as a genre, the history of bluegrass, as well as their upcoming album which is hopefully going to be released at some point this spring.   We even got a little touchy when talking about their old band name, No Strings Attached.  They also brought in some instruments and played some live tunes for me.  Check out the reverbnation player below to listen to the songs or listen to the entire podcast:

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I also interviewed Hank Smith for this past Monday’s Eye On the Triangle program here on WKNC about the benefit. You can listen to that segment here.

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It seems people in all walks of life are doing what they can to help the devastated nation of Haiti.  This includes some local bands and venues that are putting on some benefit concerts.

At the Cats Cradle on January 23 will be an interesting show with two new bands Kick the Future (Debra DeMilo, Terry Anderson, Jack Cornell and Terry McInturff) & The Bipolar Bears (Robert Kirkland, Scott Davison, Terry McInturff and Ron Bartholomew) as well as HWYL, Kitty Box and the Johnnys, Charles Pettee, Puritan Rodeo, The New Town Drunks, and The Moaners.  The show starts at 6 p.m. and costs $10.

At the Pour House on February 4, there will be an additional benefit show, this one starting at 6:40 p.m.  A Rooster For the Masses will headline alongside Chatham County Line, Filthybird, The Hotwires, Roger Gupton, Debonzo Brothers, and Andy Bilinski.  This show is $12.

As someone who has worked more than a dozen on-air fundraisers, practically begging for the telephone to ring, I wholeheartedly agree that the best way to raise money is through a rocking concert. WKNC does it through our annual Double Barrel Benefit and so does Band Together NC, a local non-profit whose mission is “to raise funds and awareness for select charities through events that showcase and support musical talent.” Since its formation in 2001, Band Together has raised more than $635,000 for Triangle charities.

Band Together’s latest effort took place Saturday, June 6 with Chatham County Line, The Rosebuds and Rusted Root performing on the Lincoln Theatre Street Stage. Band Together alumni HOBEX closed out the evening with a set inside the Lincoln. MyNC.com reports the Band Together committee presented a $108,000 check to the Lucy Daniels Center for Early Childhood just before Rusted Root took the stage.

Chatham County Line took the stage at 6 p.m. I could hear the beginning notes of “The Carolinian” as I rushed to the blocked off area of Cabarrus Street between Blount and Wilmington in downtown Raleigh. The Lincoln Theatre street stage was against the Wilmington Street side, with the Silent Auction area, requisite Budweiser beer line and Southern Season Catering trailer leading to Blount.

With the banjo, mandolin and guitar players crowded around the microphone and the bassist two steps behind, the mic stand could have just as easily read WSM as Chatham Co Line. The Raleigh-based quartet makes appearances on Americana, Blues and Co. as well as during our daytime format, with their album IV. The set list included newer tunes “Chip of a Star” and “Whipping Boy” and older ones like “Route 23.” The crowd was a little thin when the band began, but filled in as the set wore on, prompting one of the band members to compliment the crowd for being much better than the one there 15 minutes prior.

Indie pop rockers The Rosebuds were the evening’s second act. Guitarist Ivan Howard led the crowd in a sing-a-long on “Nice Fox,” encouraging the crowd to yell so loud they could be heard in Fuquay. The decibel level didn’t get quite that high, but the crowd seemed genuinely engaged, swaying as they repeated “and it don’t mean nothing at all.” The Raleigh duo has a sparse performance schedule this summer, but will be at the Duke Gardens this Wednesday, June 10th.

Welcome back to the Local Music Picture Blog!

This week is another showcase of Local Beer, Local Band featuring The Jackets and Brett Harris.

The night got kicked off with The Jackets performing their fourth live show. The Jackets describe themselves as a “high powered electric harmony quartet” and is comprised of Roger Gupton, Evans Nicholson, with John Teer and Chandler Holt from Chatham County Line.

 

 

 

 

 

After the break, Brett Harris got his set kicked off. Brett Harris is a Durham based singer/song writer who plays with members from Bright Young Things. Brett dropped by The Local Lunch eariler in the day for a quick interview. Brett Harris has released two cds in the past year, and is about to start recording for his third.

 

 

 

 

 

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