The KNC KKC crew, looking not too shabby the morning after DBB7 night one.

WKNC had the great pleasure of supporting the 2010 Krispy Kreme Challenge as a silver level sponsor. We also sponsored our own team of runners – an amazing challenge since the race fell smack dab in the middle of Double Barrel Benefit 7.

If you read Special K’s preview of the Krispy Kreme Challenge, no doubt you having been waiting with glazed breath to hear how own crew fared.

Max Power blew the rest of the staff away with the astounding time of 47:33. DJ Two Sheds and his training monkey Molly came in next, at 50:03 and 54:21. Major props also go to DJ Mick, Sweet Melissa, Special K, Will, Agent Orange, Osh-Tosh, Mz Kelly, Riff Raff, Hot Tamale and May Day for crossing the finish line.

Check out Technician’s Sights and Sounds of the event and their photo slideshow. If you caught any pictures of our crew, decked out in custom KNC wearables, send them over to us and we’ll put them in our end-of-year slideshow – unless they prominently feature regurgitated doughnuts, of course.

You’ve certainly heard it before: you love local music, WKNC loves local music, local music loves us all. It’s a wonderfully symbiotic relationship, and even if the drive across the Triangle can be a pain, there’s almost always a worthwhile show in one’s given city. Seriously, it can’t be overstated that music around Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill is formidable in both quality and quantity. And there are other pockets, as well: Greenville, Asheville, and we’ll say Wilmington, too. And Rocky Mount.

Wait, Remarkable Rocky Mount? Yeah, not so much.

But Rocky Mount just so happens to be the hometown of one Christy Smith, the songwriter and leading lady in the band Nola (oh Nola, we hardly knew ye!) and the no-album-yet band the Tender Fruit. In fact, the Tender Fruit song’s “Middle State” was actually written about Rocky Mount.

Christy Smith and Staci Sawyer of the Tender Fruit

It’s hard to say whether it’s Rocky Mount, Raleigh, or some combination thereof that is summoned when Christy Smith writes music, but the result is something that will melt your heart. Her booming vocals on top of calm chord progressions induce gratifyingly depressing emotion.

The Nola album is all about heartbreak and a lost opportunity at love, and I’ve heard she’s working on a new album with a special guest. While I don’t wish the difficulty of heartbreak on Christy, I sure do enjoy the shared catharsis that results. If you, like me, simply can’t wait for that album, then come check out the Tender Fruit Saturday night at the Double Barrel Benefit. They’re on first, at 9:00.

Full disclosure: I’m from Rocky Mount, too.  There’s nothing there.