Night two of Double Barrel Benefit 8 features Kid Future, HaLo, King Mez, Yardwork and Hammer No More the Fingers.

Kid Future at Tir na nOg

Kid Future
(Kieran Moreira, WKNC Program Director)
Kid Future could possibly be one of Raleigh’s best kept secrets. The indie band maintains a low profile online only featuring one of their recorded tracks. However, it can only be a matter of time before their talent betrays their anonymity. After catching them at a packed Slims Downtown in July and seeing them perform at Hopscotch in front of Raleigh Times, it’s clear that Kid Future has a knack for mesmerizing audiences. What’s to be expected from their performance? Dreamy synth sounds mixed with frontman Bryan Costello’s moody voice creates a recipe that is very reminiscent of the National and the Killers.

(dramatization)

HaLo
(Tommy Anderson, WKNC General Manager)
Ahem, that’s “hah-low,” or “Mr. Ben Ready” to you, good sir.  This guy is witty, upbeat, and dare I say funky hip hop out of Raleigh. HaLo is connected with 9th Wonder, and he appears on Kooley High’s much acclaimed recent album Eastern Standard Time. This gentleman has already developed a name in the area and beyond (he’s also got one Local Beer Local Band under his belt.) Request his stuff on WKNC during Local Lunch and Underground. Fantastic stuff.

King Mez

King Mez
(Tommy Anderson, WKNC General Manager)
What can you say? If you were fortunate enough to catch any of King Mez’s performances in the area (or elsewhere), you know what an energetic, committed show he is able to put on. Street-wise lyrics, lush beats (provided by Commissioner Gordon on his most recent release “The Parapalegics” ), and a style that is all his own, King Mez is unforgettable and singularly compelling. As with HaLo, request this during Local Lunch as well as Underground. We’re very very excited to have King Mez on board making night two that much more of a treat for anyone lucky enough to get a ticket.

(not actual image of band)

Yardwork
(Nicole Kligerman, WKNC Local Music Director)
Hailing from Charlotte, NC, Yardwork is described as playing “South Eastern Minimalist Pop/Prog.” No matter what you call this band’s music, it is awesome, and those who have seen this band live know that this will not be a show to miss. Complete with a large and eclectic cast skilled in multiple instruments, this group puts on a kaleidoscopic show that will entertain your eyes as well as your ears. Usually working with two simultaneous percussionists, the sound is so rich and deep that you’ll find a completely new array to look for in each song.

There isn’t a lot known about Yardwork, and the biography on the band’s Myspace is a story including feral, mutant school teachers and PV rays. Whatever the history of the band, the music they play is bad ass and great for jumping around.

Their Local Beer Local Band performance in 2010 was barely contained by the stage. The larger space at Kings should be a perfect opportunity for this helter-skelter outfit to unleash their full furry upon downtown Raleigh. I saw Yardwork for the first time at last years TRKfest and am so psyched for another chance to see the live energy at this years’ Double Barrel Benefit 8.

Hammer No More the Fingers

Hammer No More the Fingers
(Kieran Moreira, WKNC Program Director)
Possibly the coolest name for a band, Hammer No More The Fingers, hailing from Durham, are local heavy hitters with a UK tour under their belt. They’ve graced WKNC’s airwaves since 2007, so it’s only natural that they take their place as Double Barrel Benefit night two headliners. Looking For Bruce, which released in 2009, cemented the band’s success meshing a blend of quirkiness, mid-twenties male humor, rock, and pop. What’s to be expected from HNMTF at Double Barrel Benefit 8? Raw energy. Although a lot of indie artists delve into bubbly pop sounds, HNMTF tries to remain edgier and grittier with sharp guitar licks and soaring vocals. We are very excited to have these fellas on board as headliners.

Since 2004, the Double Barrel Benefit has since served as the station’s primary fund raising event. As a department of a state university, NCSU Student Media consistently faces budgeting concerns (read: small budgets, which are made smaller each year). Similar fund raising efforts are absolutely integral to any non-commercial radio station, especially those that have very little in the way of guaranteed annual funding. Is that a shameless appeal? Not really, just part of the framework of the event.

What better way to secure some operating funds than to expose and promote local music? It’s unarguable that the Triangle area (conveniently covered in full by WKNC’s 25,000 watt transmitter atop D.H. Hill Library) is brimming with musical talent. WKNC has been a gracious actor within the local music scene for years, and helping local musicians reach their target audience (and beyond) is a major part of what we’re all about.

This year, local music fans who are generous (and indeed lucky) enough to attend the Double Barrel Benefit will receive something more than just two nights of great music and the knowledge that they helped the station keep the lights on for another year. All eight acts supplied a previously unreleased track to an eight-song compilation album; seven of the eight tracks were engineered and mixed right on the N.C. State campus. Kitchen Mastering, one of the South’s premier mastering facilities was responsible for the fantastic mastering work, and Triangle Duplication, located right in Raleigh, NC, provided duplication services; a free copy of this compilation is included in the $10 ticket price (buy a two night pass, get two compilations).

This year, Double Barrel Benefit 8 will take place on Friday and Saturday, February 4 and 5, at Kings in downtown Raleigh. Friday, February 4, will feature Cassis Orange, Luego, Bright Young Things and The Old Ceremony.

Cassis Orange
(Nicole Kligerman, WKNC Local Music Director)

Photos by Raul Rubiera Jr. http://www.RaulRubiera.com

Cassis Orange has got to be one of my favorite bands to come out of the Triangle in the past year. The poppy sweet sound is addictive, and I’m so happy about all the love this band has been receiving after the release of their Cassis Orange EP. I’m even happier about their inclusion in our Double Barrel lineup for this year.

Cassis Orange is the project of Autumn Ehinger and friends, and it’s actually the name of a popular Japanese cocktail drink. Japan is quite a large source of Autumn’s inspiration for song writing as her songs are, directly or indirectly, about the time she lived in Tokyo teaching English.

When trying to describe the music of Cassis Orange, I am reminded of a trip to the candy shop or being surrounded by color on a sunny day. The music is full of lo-fi pop sounds coming from Autumn’s Casio keyboard and lyrics about love and the like. The video for “Listen Heartbeat” was even filmed with a Locopop making its way around Cameron Village. The songs have the perfect sound for any happy time, and Friday night’s DBB8 is sure to be just that.

Luego
(Adam Kincaid, host of The Local Beat)

Phelan of Luego

To say Luego is a super-group is a bit of an understatement. Fronted by talented young troubadour Patrick Phelan, this band features an ever rotating cast of a who’s-who of the Triangle Music Scene, all friends and contemporaries of the ever expanding congregation under the tutelage of Jeff Crawford.  The likes of Peter Holsapple, William Moose, Mark Connor, Cameron Lee, Charles Cleaver, Rob DiMauro, Will Goodyear, Stuart Robinson, Brett Harris, Nick Jaeger, Caitlin Cary, James Wallace, and Dale Baker can all claim ties to Luego in one way or another. And yet despite this massive accumulation of local music demi-gods, it is Phelan who shines through with his vibrant stage presence and catchy lyrics layered on top of craftily set lo-fi blues rock that gets your feet moving while speaking to your heart.  The latest release, Ocho, was put out just a mere eight months following the debut release of Taped Together Stories setting a prolific trend that we hope can continue.

Bright Young Things

(Tommy Anderson, WKNC General Manager)

Matt Damron of Bright Young Things

bassist and lead guitarist

There are several ways one could take the now-infamous tongue-in-cheek description of the BYT as “the Beatles on a bad day,” but the fact remains that there is only one way to take their live show. Energetic, creative, playful, yet still down to earth, Raleigh’s Bright Young Things weave their way right into the audience’s consciousness. (“I feel like I’ve known this band my whole life, and I’ve been a fan the whole damn time.”)

Lead guitarist Cameron Lee’s searing guitar licks slide right in next to Matt Damron’s crooned hooks; smooth and in-step keys along with the driving, bolstering rhythm section round out this attractive and impossible to forget outfit. The BYT are unassuming, polite, and darn catchy.

The Old Ceremony
(Adam Kincaid)

Django Haskins of The Old Ceremony

Django Haskins formed The Old Ceremony back in 2004 as a “mini-orchestra” of sorts with the aspiration of creating music that could not be composed by typical rock bands. What resulted was one of the catchiest and most sought after North Carolina groups in recent memory. After the release of their self titled debut full length the band struck a chord in the heart of music critics with their most successful output in 2007′s Our One Mistake, which was listed as one of the top 100 albums of that year by Paste Magazine. Without hitting a slump the band has dropped two more sophisticated masterpieces, Walk On Thin Air and Tender Age, while continually building upon the legacy that their live shows have garnered. Behind Haskins on stage, Mark Simonsen, Daniel Hall, Gabriel Pelli, and Matt Brandau fill out the fitting pieces into an intimate yet high energy show that has yet to repeat a set-list or let an audience down. The Old Ceremony is certainly a legend in the making.

For many years, WKNC has been a gracious and privileged member of the triangle music scene. The most recent edition of the Independent Weekly features a cover story detailing the ever-developing and fantastically powerful music scene in which residents of the Triangle have somehow fortunately found themselves immersed.  These periodic self-checks–just to make sure we all are on the same page with how lucky we really are in a  community such as this, are undoubtedly necessary and unarguably true.

The gradual synthesis that’s at the root of it all may very well never be fully understood. We’re fine with that. Let’s have a party!!

WKNC’s Double Barrel Benefit 8 is Friday and Saturday, February 4th and 5th at Kings in downtown Raleigh. As always, each night will feature four North Carolina bands.

Friday’s lineup will be announced Monday, January 10th during the Local Lunch on WKNC, with Saturday’s lineup coming during Tuesday’s Local Lunch spot. Tickets will go on sale via the Kings website on January 11th.  This event has sold out in years past, and we expect this to be the case again; so get your tickets quickly, folks.

~*~*~BONUS!!~*~*~Attendees of WKNC’s Double Barrel Benefit 8 will receive a free eight-song compilation album featuring an original, previously unreleased track from each of the eight bands. Seven of the eight tracks were engineered and mixed right on N.C. State’s campus by WKNC’s exceedingly-talented and ever-patient Sessions Director, Eric Scholz. The tracks were  mastered by Kitchen Mastering, and duplication services were provided by Triangle Duplication.

2011 marks a return to the event’s original venue, though obviously not in its original space. Kings (version 1.0) hosted the first four benefits.  Upon the venue’s “hibernation,” as we’ll call it, the folks at the Pour House welcomed the event with open arms for the next three years. Such a vibrant and enjoyable music community demands patronage to multiple venues.  Just as any fan of music should never pin him/herself to one venue, neither should an annual fundraiser concert.  As obvious as this should seem, it ought to be said that the Pour House and its folks are top notch. (Rumor has it that NEXT year’s benefit will attempt to transcend venue boundaries. We’ll see.)

Hope to see you all there! Stay tuned for further details!

WKNC and Tir Na Nog Irish Pub kick June off right with a triple billed Local Beer Local Band – Tomahawks, Monologue Bombs and Filthybird. Even if you haven’t caught a show by Chapel Hill’s the Tomahawks yet, you’ve heard from them. Two of the band’s members – Nick Jaeger and Jeff Crawford – are part of Max Indian, who headlined the first night of WKNC’s Double Barrel Benefit 7 and played one of our 2009-2010 Fridays on the Lawn shows. Cameron Lee and Matt Damron of Bright Young Things (also of FOTL fame) make up two more of the Tomahawks. Fifth member Charles Cleaver has worked with Luego and a few other local bands. Feel free to comment below with other band connections – the point is, these guys are some of the superstars of the North Carolina indie scene.

The Monologue Bombs call Raleigh home. Led by pianist/singer Scott Phillips, the solo act turned into a full band in November.  Filthybird represents Greensboro with what “the Folks from the Pinhook” call “kind of a cosmic americana western eastern totem spirit animal.” What more can you ask for in a FREE local music showcase? Local Beer Local Band kicks off around 10 p.m. each Thursday at Tir Na Nog Irish Pub, with draft specials on North Carolina beer (may I recommend the Shotgun Betty?).

On Deck:

6/10- Goodbye Titan, The White Cascade, Starmount
6/17- Colossus, White Tiger, The Bed of Roses
6/24- Embarrassing Fruits, Whatever Brains

Feel free to start celebrating Memorial Day a little early with WKNC and Tir Na Nog’s Local Beer Local Band. Spider Bags, who you may have seen at WKNC’s Double Barrel Benefit 7, and Whatever Brains take the stage this Thursday, May 27. Independent Weekly had a great article on Spider Bags back in September 2009 if you want to know more about them.

It takes a lot for me to leave the comfort zone that is Raleigh — especially on a weeknight. I have a professor from Michigan who advises us against going to Ohio unless we have to (“but why would you have to go to Ohio, anyway?”). Well, Chapel Hill is my Ohio.  Big Ten rivalries aside, I’ve just mentally turned driving over to the 506 or the Nightlight or the Cradle into being a pain in the ass.  Spoiled, I believe, would be the word of choice.

Roman Candle

Either way, tonight’s an exception: Roman Candle is rolling back into town to play the Cradle.  My introduction to local music came only a few years ago, after Roman Candle had already packed up and left town.  Friends tell me of when some current Drughorse Collective members were in the band circa Wee Hours Revue, but alas, stories of that era are all I have.

We’re lucky, though, that Roman Candle still relishes its Chapel Hill (errr, Carrboro?) days and makes sure to come back through the area.  In fact, in the past 6 months we’ve had the chance to see them in two somewhat unique settings: NC State’s Homecoming concert on campus and at everyone’s favorite Double Barrel Benefit 7.  And both times, they have been an absolute joy to watch, mixing their older tunes with those off of Oh Tall Tree in the Ear and openly gushing over how good it its to be back in the area.  At the homecoming show, they opened with “They Say” but countered with oldie-but-goodie “Baby’s Got It In the Genes” as the DBB opener.

Tonight they’ll be playing with The Parson Red Heads and The Ravenna Colt, both of whom I’m relatively unfamiliar with but excited to see.  And most importantly, you won’t find a nicer group of people than the Mathenies, who actually graced us with an in-studio interview back in November.

So, long story short, what else are you doing on a Wednesday night? See you there!

(Oh, and be sure to check out Skip Matheny’s “Drinks With” interview series with guests Arctic Monkeys, Alejandro Escovedo, Elvis Costello, Jason Isbell and many more…)

Interesting purchasing a reprint? Request one from our reprints web site.

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.

With only a few days left before the Krispy Kreme Challenge, many of the deejays are beginning to mentally prepare for the arduous task. The benefit for the North Carolina Children’s Hospital has two physical challenges that competitors must overcome. The first is the two mile run from the NC State Bell Tower to the Krispy Kreme Store on Peace St. and then the two mile run back to the Bell Tower.

The second is the overwhelming 12doughnuts each runner must eat before returning back to the starting line, all within the hour. Over the past weeks, many deejays have been spending time outside the studio and on the track, building their frail skinny deejay bodies into lean athletic beasts. Others have taken more unconventional approaches such as avoiding physical exercise altogether and have just been binge eating. (For many this hasn’t been much of a lifestyle change.) With fighting style will win out? One can only wait to see the results this upcoming Saturday.

Now to meet the brave deejays willing to take on the Krispy Kreme Challenge. Each has selected a top playlist of songs they will wield to push them to the brink during the race.

Agent “Glazed and Confused” Orange

• Death From Above 1979 - “My Love Is Shared”
• Mindless Self Indulgence – “Tom Sawyer”
• Muse - “Knights of Cydonia”

May “Hot and Ready” Day

• Jay Z- “Run this Town”
• Muse- “Time is Running Out”
• Florence & the Machine- “Dog Days are Over”

DJ Audity

• Metric – “Satellite Mind”
• Metric- “Help, I’m Alive”
• Cut Copy- “Hearts on Fire”

DJ Jenna

DJ Hot Tamale

• Drake- “Best I Ever Had”
• Coldplay- “Life in Technicolor ii”
• The Who- “Baba O’Riley”
• The Killers- “Mr. Brightside”

DJ “Original Glazed” MICK

• Dan Deacon - “Build Voice
• Akron/Family- “MBF”
• My Morning Jacket- “Anytime”

DJ Two “Baker’s Dozen” Sheds

ASH “Gotta Eat’em All” G.

• The Juliana Theory- ”We’re at the top of the World”
• Kid Cudi- ”Day ‘N’ Night”
• Linkin Park- ”New Divide”

DJ “Doughtnut Hole” Nicole

• Amanda Blank- “Make It, Take It”
• Duck Sauce- “Anyway (Armand Van Helden and A-Trak Remix)”
• Thieves Like Us- “Fass”

Mz “Hot-N-Now” Kelly

• Thin Lizzy – “Cowboy”
• Built to Spill- “Goin Against My Mind”
• Anything from LCD Soundsystem
• Anything from The Light Pines

DJ “Donuts and Coffee” Cioffi

DJ Riff “Ka-Tose Intolerant” Raff

• DeadMau5- “Ghosts ‘n’ Stuff “
• Kanye West- “Stronger”
• Vampire Weekend- “Run”

DJ Special “Tasty Fingers” K

• Animal Collective - “What Would I Want? Sky
• Gray Young- “Tilling the Wind”
• Flo Ride- “Sugar”

Eye on the Triangle’s own Saja “It’s Fresh” Hindi will be doing live air breaks on site during the race periodically through La Barba Rossa’s Mystery Roach show. The race is this Saturday (February 6) on Double Barrel Benefit 7 weekend. This year the challenge will boast 6,000 eager competitors. Be sure to check for the WKNC banner at the finish line this year as WKNC is partnering with the Krispy Kreme Challenge as a Silver Level Sponsor.

Be sure to listen only on 88.1FM or streaming online.

Now that we’ve caught up on the last few blog posts — we promise to be a lot more timely from here on out — make sure to check out the blogs and podcasts from previous episodes, and get ready for some exciting new features on EOT for the rest of the semester!

There are a lot of events going on this week and throughout the weekend, so make sure to check the segments out for more info, and choose which (or all!) of these great events to attend.

NEWS
News anchor Evan Garris gave listeners the top headlines for the week, with a guest appearance from Tom Anderson about an incident an N.C. State student faced during the big snowball fight at UNC. For more on these stories:
Hazardous weather outlook
Student dies in off-campus incident Friday morning
N.C. Sen. Burr has $4.3M for re-election bid
High Speed Rail to connect Charlotte, Raleigh, RTP and Washington DC
Obama proposes $3.8 trillion budget focused on jobs
82nd academy awards to feature 10 Best Picture nominees

For the video of the incident Tom was describing: Snowball fight

And a picture of the pet of the week as promised:

Jasper, EOT's pet of the week, is a four year old female looking for a good home. Jasper gets along well with children, and loves girl scout cookies. Jasper is capable of predicting the future and loves watching the Price is Right. If you would like to know more information about Jasper, please call the Wake County Groundhog rescue at 919-555-0247.

SPORTS
Correspondents Tyler Everett and Taylor Barbour gave us an analysis about the past week and week ahead:
To listen to the full sports cast, click here:

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EDITORIAL
We debuted our new segment, Evan Garris’ editorial. This week’s topic was the Citizens United vs. the Federal Elections Commission. Here is an excerpt from Evan’s editorial:

“Until now, corporations did not have the ability to give unlimited amounts of money to political campaigns. Such conduct was seen, and rightfully so, as a danger to democracy. This case was originally centered on broadcasting rights to a politically-charged documentary that vociferously criticized the 2008 presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton. However, for reasons unknown, one or more of our all-seeing, all-knowing justices decided to take a more fundamental approach and focus on the “personhood” or corporate entities and whether or not their ability to finance political campaigns and advertisements is a form of free speech.”

If you missed it, be sure to check out the whole thing, here:

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[DISCLAIMER: Once again, Evan's opinions do not reflect those of WKNC 88.1, Student Media or NCSU.]

This is YOUR chance to tell us how you feel! Do you agree with Evan, disagree or have a completely different view? Let us know at publicaffairs@wknc.org, and if you want, we’ll read your response on air during our next show!

VIP
I talked to organizers of the fourth annual Krispy Kreme Challenge in the studio live about preparations for the 6,000 runners this Saturday that have one goal: run from the Bell Tower to the Krispy Kreme in downtown Raleigh, eat a dozen doughnuts — and run back, all in under an hour. The challenge, which started out as a friendly competition between friends, has become a tradition that has attracted national attention to N.C. State, earning spot number 85 in Sports Illustrated‘s “102 more things you gotta do before you graduate.” Proceeds from registration go to the North Carolina Children’s Hospital.

Listen to what the organizers had to say here:

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COMMUNITY CANVAS
In Arts Correspondent Kieran Moreira’s interview with Leandra Ashton and Owen Young of Aquila Theatre, the actors discussed their upcoming shows scheduled for Feb. 2 and 3 at Stewart Theatre: William Shakespeare’s As You Like It and Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People, preparation for the two  plays and their excitement about coming to Raleigh.  “The Aquila performance approach is a technique developed by Peter Meineck that combines text and physical action based in a theory of theatrical unity. The technique is aimed to create an aesthetic environment where the performer can create and recreate a role in a consistently changing theatrical atmosphere,” according to the Web site’s history. The theater tours to about 70 cities and towns a year.

Due to the weekend’s snow storm, a buy-one-get-one-free discount is available for the shows from Arts N.C. State’s Center Stage. Listen to Kieran’s conversation with Ashton and Young here:

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HEAR THIS
Because of all the events going on this weekend, we had an extended, two-part Hear This segment this week in place of Wolfpacker of the Week, which will return next week.

For the first part, Local Beat host Adam Kincaid interviewed Hank Smith from The Hotwires about the Haiti Benefit Concert at the Pour House this Thursday, Feb. 4.

Doors open at 7 p.m., and all proceeds go to relief efforts for Haiti victims through the American Red Cross.

Check out Adam’s interview with Hank:

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Double Barrel 7 Poster

For the second part of Hear This, General Manager Mike Alston joined me in the studio to talk about WKNC’s 7th annual Double Barrel Benefit Show this Friday and Saturday night!

Mike talked about the focus on local music for this year’s benefit, the amount of time and effort put into the show to make it the best it can be and the benefit of the show for the station.

Check out the info Mike gave listeners about the benefit:

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SOUNDBYTES
And we can’t ignore this past weekend’s “Snowpocalypse.” Despite the inches of snow and ice that layer the streets and sidewalks in and around the campus, students with classes after noon slid their way to their seats, shoes caked in snow. On Monday’s Soundbytes, Correspondent Alison Harman brought you some of these brave Alpinists’ stories. Listen here:

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As always, e-mail us with thoughts, gripes, ideas or even compliments to publicaffairs@wknc.org and keep on nominating for Wolfpacker of the Week!

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WKNC listeners and supporters,

We hope you have already bought your Double Barrel Benefit tickets; we’ve sold a bunch already. Physical 2-day passes are available at Schoolkids Records on Hillsborough Street here in Raleigh, and you can order your tickets online here.

We have a few exciting announcements as we get closer to the exciting two-night event.

1) Double Barrel Benefit 7 shirts are in, and they are awesome! Kudos to Kirsten Southwell for the design and Aardvark Screenprinting for making it work on a shirt.  You can get yours for $12 at the shows.  But, of course, supplies are limited!

Double Barrel 7 shirt -- could be yours for $12!

2) We’re happy to report that the one and only Magic Mike Casey will be on hand for both nights, doing a little magic on stage and working the crowd.  If you didn’t know, he is truly a wizard and will perform the kind of up-close wonders that will absolutely convince you he’s performing magic rather than tricks.  He will take the stage before the first act of each night and be on hand, so be sure to look for him.

3)  We’re very grateful to both Holly Aiken and Aardvark Screenprinting for their help with some special items: WKNC Stitch bags.  You’ve probably seen the storefront on the corner of Wilmington and Hargett Streets in downtown Raleigh, or you’ve seen someone around with one of her stylish vinyl bags.  We’re lucky enough to have a limited run of WKNC clutches and tote bags with a design relevant to the 7th annual Double Barrel Benefit.  We’ll be holding a silent auction for these items each of the two nights, so you need to get in the door to see these for yourself. (Below are the bag types we will be auctioning, but you’ll have to be there to see them in person!)

Holly Aiken Large Clutch Wallet. Limited edition WKNC clutch wallets on hand Friday and Saturday night!

Holly Aiken single strap tote bag. Limited edition WKNC tote bags on hand Friday and Saturday night!

4) We have a stockpile of really awesome swag that we’re dying to give away, so we’ll be conducting a raffle each night to give some of it away.  Our raffle tickets will be ($1 apiece) numbered PBR temporary tattoos!  Here are the items we’ll be be giving away for each night:

FRIDAY:

BLAKROC self-titled vinyl

Hear Here Local Music Compilation CD

Arctic Monkeys "Fluorescent Adolescent" 7"

Polvo "In Prism" vinyl

Avett Brothers "Emotionalism" SIGNED CD

Happy Hollows "Spells" CD

SATURDAY:

Andrew Bird "Noble Beast" SIGNED CD

The Raveonettes "In & Out of Control" SIGNED CD

Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson "Relator / I Don't Know What to Do" 7"

James Husband "A Parallax I" vinyl

Hear Here Local Music Compilation CD

2 tickets to see My Morning Jacket at Koka Booth Amphitheatre on April 30th

Headlights "wildlife" vinyl

We hope you’re as excited about these developments as we are. Rain, sleet, snow, shine, whatever: the show will go on, and we hope we’ll see you at The Pour House Friday and Saturday night.  Remember: doors at 8, show at 9!

WKNC Double Barrel Benefit 7 artist Spider Bags showed up in the latest issue of Vice magazine, earning the title “Best Cover of the Month” for the band’s 7-inch Teenage Eyes on Odessa Records. Thanks to DJ trainee Kirsten for bringing this to our attention.

You can learn more about Spider Bags in our DBB7 preview of the band (or come see them at The Pour House Feb. 6!). WKNC’s Eye on the Triangle also profiled Odessa Records in its Nov. 16, 2009 program.

Midtown Dickens

Many words can cavalcade through a listener’s head when listening to the Durham based folk band, Midtown Dickens. One in particular has always caught my fancy. Organic. The beautiful duet vocals of Kym Register and Catherine Edgerton could only be fashioned with the various objects they discover to create music. ‘Objects’ seems to be the best term as they are not tied to conventional means of crafting sound. More recently, a chair and saw were used in demonstration at Pittsboro Elementary school to show Midtown’s versatility.  In fact, it is almost memorizing to see each player’s list of instruments. Unlike most bands whose members solely focus on their individual apparatuses, this front-porch group creates a sense of camaraderie with their sharing of instruments.

It’s only fitting that my recent discovery and love affair with this local band came after I saw its performance at Shakori Hills Grassroots music festival this past spring. In a place of warmth, good vibes, and acceptance, Midtown’s spontaneity was only fostered into greater appreciation. Their sophomore album Lanterns, which released this past fall, is riddled with meaningful jolts of experimental sound that charms and awakens the listener.  It is an engaging, yet actively involved listening experience not meant for the stomach of an audience bent on sole ambient noise.

Midtown had found strong support within the community for the development of Lanterns. With the dismal economy, high production costs for a large scale album, and the band’s personal financial limitations, Lanterns’ birth seemed dim. However, upon calling for help, Midtown received many generous donations from friends and fans. The band even received a $5,000 check from a complete stranger after he had seen the band perform at a festival.

Midtown Dickens is gracing the stage of Double Barrel Benefit 7 at The Pour House on its second night, February 6, performing after The Tender Fruit. The night’s remaining acts will be Chapel Hill’s Spider Bags and headliner Roman Candle.

For the complete Double Barrel schedule and ticket information, click here.

Veelee photo by Christian Quick

When you listen to Carrboro duo Veelee, you hear music inspired by a wide range of sources. For band mates Matt Park and Ginger Wagg, elements of music from bands such as Young People, Low, Lungfish, Stereolab and Pram went into creating Veelee’s unique sound. Also, according to Matt, Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 hit “Dream” has also served as a major influence on the way he and Ginger create music — everything happening in the song goes hand in hand its unchanging baseline.

Ginger, a first-time drummer, describes her percussion style as “simple and straightforward.” Veelee is the first band in which she has been a member. However, it seems doubtful the band’s success comes from beginner’s luck. Hard copies of its EP “Three Sides,” which came out  in May 2009, are sold out. The release received local acclaim from sources such as the Independent Weekly.

Until recently, Veelee had performed primarily in Chapel Hill, Raleigh and Durham.

“We’ve gotten to play with all sorts of fantastic local bands. [Artists in the Triangle] are really supportive of one another,” Park and Wagg said. “They are very welcoming and inclusive.”

However, the band just embarked on its first tour, along with Raleigh’s Gross Ghost, which it said was a great success.

Now that they’re back in town, Veelee will play at The Pour House Friday, February 5, during night one of Double Barrel Benefit 7. Friday’s set also includes The Light Pines, Bellafea and Max Indian.

For the complete Double Barrel schedule and ticket information, click here.

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.