On Tuesday, Nov. 30, I had the privilege of going to see Minus The Bear at Lincoln Theatre.  I arrived late but still managed to catch the second half of their opener, Tim Kasher.

The feeling I got from a lot of people around me was that Tim Kasher’s performance was not as good as was expected.  It was a rather low energy performance; although, I thought the sound was good and the his supporting band played tightly.

Excitement for Minus The Bear was palpable.  As soon as their banner was raised at the back of the stage, people began screaming and stomping the floor.  It made the entire theatre seem to pump with energy.  Since the theatre was nearly full, this excitement quickly turned into wildness as a large guy in front of me jumped around and then right into my digital camera (hence the lack of photos for this blog).  It was worth it, though, and as the house lights dimmed and the stage lights went up there was an explosion of cheering.

The performance itself seemed short, but the band played for a little over an hour including the encore. Minus The Bear standards like “The Game Needed Me” were performed as well as some newer songs from their album “Omni.”  The guitarist put on a great show of bravado in the use of his pedal system, and the band as a whole really brought everything they had to the set.  I danced and even forgot for awhile that my camera was broken, but the fun had to end eventually and when it did, the entire crowd seemed to be exhausted.  It would have been nice to have seen a longer set, but I still had a great time and have gained a greater appreciation for Minus The Bear after seeing their live show.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday. I’ll tell you one thing I’m thankful for—living in the Triangle! There are so many great things to see, hear, do, and overall, enjoy.

We here at WKNC like to provide you with as many opportunities to enjoy your community. So, here are the giveaways for this week.

12/3: Small Ponds @ King’s

12/3: Steep Canyon Rangers w/ Mandolin Orange @ Cat’s Cradle

The Steep Canyon Rangers

12/4: American Aquarium @ The Pour House

12/4: Gray Young @ King’s

12/4: Holy Ghost Tent Revival @ Lincoln Theatre

Holy Ghost Tent Revival

12/9: Dance Revolution @ Lincoln Theatre

Remember, you have to listen to win!

Canadian indie rockers, Wolf Parade, made their way to Lincoln Theatre on Saturday night and deejays N!cole and Special K were there to cover the event. Upon arriving, we were greeted by the power chords of the opener band, Ogre You Asshole. Admittedly neither of us had heard of them before, and I personally was a bit confused by their garbled lyrics. As we made our way through the sea of people, it became apparent that these guys were not from around here. Unlike the headliner, Ogre You Asshole wasn’t even from this continent! Hailing from Nagano, Japan, the band members were over 6,500 miles away from home and on tour with Wolf Parade. Overall, they had the crowd swaying despite the fact most of the audience couldn’t understand the vocals.

Ogre You Asshole

After what seemed like a long time for setup, Wolf Parade finally made their way on stage. They opened with DJ N!cole’s favorite song, “You Are A Runner and I Am My Father’s Son” and continued their set with a mix of old songs and new songs off their latest album Expo 86 which released this past June. I personally thought there was a rise of energy in the crowd when they began to play “I’ll Believe In Anything” which continued on into a demanding encore later at the end of the show. Wolf Parade ended the night with “Modern World” and “Kissing the Beehive.”

Wolf Parade

The Final Recap: As best summarized by DJ N!cole, “It was a really good show.” Overall, there was quite a bit of drunkenness among the crowd at Lincoln and Wolf Parade looked like they were having a good time too. I also continued to hear a rumor about a girl throwing up all over the floor throughout the night.  However by the end of the show, the vocals and music had been crisp, the audience looked satisfied, our shoes were clean, and there was a pleasant ringing in my ears as we walked to the parking deck. Another successful night of music in Raleigh.

It finally feels like fall in the Triangle, and we’re keeping you warm with some HOT giveaways (okay, so, they won’t actually keep you warm…)

11/2: Zane Lamprey (comedian) at Cat’s Cradle

11/4: Ra Ra Riot at Cat’s Cradle

Ra Ra Riot, courtesy of Cameron Parkins

11/5: Schooner at Slim’s

Schooner

11/5: Soft Company at King’s

11/6: Wolf Parade at Lincoln Theatre

11/7: Punch Brothers at Cat’s Cradle

Punch Brothers, courtesy of Audrey Harrod

11/7: Robert Earl Keen at Lincoln Theatre

Robert Earl Keen

Remember you have to listen to win! Also, check out the rock report for the latest updates on local shows—remember Troika is this weekend!

This week we’ve got some golden giveaways on WKNC!

Be the right caller when the DJ asks for it and you could win tickets to:

10/27: MiMOSA at Lincoln Theatre

10/29: Jason Isbell at Casbah

10/30: Blonde Redhead at Cat’s Cradle

Blonde Redhead (2008)

10/30: Howlies at Slim’s

10/30: Mantras at the Pour House

10/31: Caribou at Cat’s Cradle

Caribou, courtesy of CJ Wood

10/31: Marxtravaganza (featuring Bright Young Things, Tomahawks, Brett Harris, and more!) at Slim’s

annnnd

11/3: MGMT at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium

MGMT backstage (courtesy of Creative Commons)

Remember, you have to listen to win!

Good afternoon!

We have some great giveaways that are going like HOT CAKES!

October 21: The Love Language at Kings

The Love Language at Local 506, courtesy of Mike Gray

October 22: Goner at Kings

October 23: Airiel Down at Lincoln Theatre

October 23:   Gray Young at The Pour House

Chas and Dan Gray Young in the WKNC Studio

October 23:  The Moaners w/ Embarrassing Fruits at Kings

October 24: Small Black at Kings

October 26: Muse w/ Metric at the RBC Center

Metric (courtest of creative commons)

Remember, you have to listen to win!

The local shows keep rolling, after a successful weekend of Hopscotch Musical Festival, and the upcoming SPARKcon, the Triangle is the place to be!

We have a lot of giveaways for you this week. You know what that means—listen to WKNC throughout your entire day and you could win tickets to:

9/15- Jay Clifford at Cat’s Cradle

Jay Clifford at the Coffee Underground, courtesy of Melanie McDermott

9/16 – Shooter Jennings at Cat’s Cradle
The Small Ponds at The Pour House

Urban Sophisticates at The Pour House

The Urban Sophisticates

Free Electric State -- Photo by Sam Roberts

JP Chrissie & Fairground Boys at Cat’s Cradle

Drive-By Truckers -- Creative Commons

On-going  movie tickets—The American and Resident Evil: Afterlife at Crossroads 20 in Cary

Even if you don’t win tickets, stay up to date on all local shows with our Rock Report!

Streetlight Manifesto Photo Courtesy of No-Frills Marilyn

On July 28, we have tickets to Streetlight Manifesto at the Lincoln Theatre, and The White Cascade at Slim’s.

Old Ceremony Photo used under Creative Commons Licensing

On July 30, we have tickets to J. Roddy Walston & The Business at Slim’s, and The Old Ceremony at The Pour House.

On July 31, we have tickets to Corrosion of Conformity at The Pour House.

Photo thanks to Jeff under Creative Commons

On September 1, we have tickets to Joan Baez at The North Carolina Museum of Art.

REMINDER! the July 31 Luego show at Slim’s has been rescheduled to August 13

We also have tickets to Salt at Crossroads Cary 20.

This week on WKNC, we will be giving away a plethora of delightful goodies! In addition to the 2010 Honda Civic Tour with Paramore on July 23, you could win tickets for these shows:

On July 20, we have tickets to Old Habits and The Preservation at The Pour House.

On July 22, we have tickets to  SOJA (Soldiers of Jah Army) at The Lincoln Theatre.

DJ Elly May previews the July 23 performance of the Shen Wei Dance troupe at the Durham Performing Arts Center.

On July 24, we have tickets to the Red Clay Ramblers at The North Carolina Museum of Art.

On July 25, we have tickets to Spencefest, featuring The T’s, Richard Bacchus and The Loners at Slim’s.

Finally, lucky listeners will have a chance to see the movie Inception at Crossroads 20 Regal Cinema in Cary. Call us up at 860-0881 or 515-2400!

I received the privilege of attending a traditional bluegrass show last night.  I watched the Del McCoury Band perform at Lincoln Theatre Friday, June 4. This show reminded of why I enjoy bluegrass:

• The way all of the men in the band dress. The coat and tie get me every time.
• Each musician looks like he is completely enjoying himself.
• Each instrument gets a solo—in every song!
• Simple lyrics get the point across (yep, you’re in love… okay, you’re sad… oh, you’re drunk…) and complex instrumentals make every song into a masterpiece.
• The adoration of fans from every walk of life.  This show was full of older folks who had probably followed Del McCoury since the 60s,  Southern men in camouflage hats,  hip 20-somethings new to the scene, and of course, me (DJ Mollypop) and my bluegrass companion, Rob.

Del McCoury just celebrated 50 years of making music, starting out as a Pennsylvanian banjo player and making it to Nashville decades later with his music-making sons. Del and his band have earned numerous awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association.

Called “the best bluegrass band, period” by fellow musicians, this show epitomizes why I love bluegrass.  They played older originals like “Rain and Snow,” even older bluegrass tunes, such as “Bluegrass Breakdown” and “Get on Your Knees and Pray,” and covered a few famous songs by artists like Willie Nelson and Slim Whitman. Del and his band played songs “Hello Lonely” and “I Remember You” off their new album, Family Circle.

McCoury senior kept up a lively banter with the audience, whether it be to admit that he forgot the lyrics, or to take shouted requests. He introduced the members like a proud father (or father figure): Ronnie McCoury on mandolin, Rob McCoury on banjo, Jason Carter on fiddle, and Alan Bartram on bass.  These boys were all significantly younger than him, but I think even they sometimes had a hard time keeping up with 71 year old Del McCoury.

Inspiring to any musician, Jason Carter worked with a broken string in the last song of their two-song encore; he quickly re-tuned his violin to make up for the lost E string and finished off the song with the rest of the band impeccably.

Maybe it’s the suits, maybe it’s the smiles, maybe it’s just the twang, but the multiple standing ovations the Del McCoury Band received Friday night proves their place in bluegrass.

…and that party, it still hasn’t ended.

Oh, listeners of Americana Blues & Co — you know how I love me some Robert Earl Keen.  The man was back in town, hitting the Lincoln to play for the usual crowd of drunks, fun-lovers, and good-time aficionados.  In fact, it appears the NCSU student body president Jim Ceresnak is a fan.  I didn’t know he was right behind me until my helpful brother informed me after the show.

But, on to the show!

Sons of Bill opened up and, like last November, showed that they can hold their own.

Sons of Bill

These are a group of good ol’ boys from Virginia with a sound that pulls together influence from outlaw country with a dose of Gram Parsons.

When REK and his band came on stage, the audience was in for a big surprise.  They played a lineup of lesser-known, lesser-played songs.  The people expecting him to tear through No. 2 Live Dinner looked a little confused and certainly didn’t know the words, but some (like me) were thrilled to hear some favorites that we thought we’d never hear live.  (Mine is “The Raven and the Coyote,” by the by.)

REK tuning.

The best part of a Keen show, in my opinion, is just letting go and having fun.  This is a band of seasoned pros who know how to put on an excellent show.  Next time you’re in town, give ‘em a try.  I know I’ll be there.

This week’s EOT covered many topics popping up in the news lately from history education reform to the earthquakes in Chile and Haiti to Ignite Raleigh, and more. Be sure to check out the links for more info.

NEWS
On this week’s newscast, guest newscaster William Lampe and Correspondent Evan Garris gave us the top headlines for the week:
Earthquake/Tsunami
Bosnian wars
Guantanamo detainee case
Apple’s use of child labor
Canada beats U.S.
I-40 wreckage
ABC system in N.C.
Listen to the stories here:

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SPORTS
This week in sports, Correspondents Tommy Anderson and Tyler Everett gave listeners the weekly update:

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VIEWPOINT
This week, Evan spoke on his views about tolerance toward homosexuality. Here is an excerpt: This stigma we’ve created is what’s unacceptable — and oh, did we create it. No god would be so bold as to say one man is worth more than another because of who he happens to love. Homosexuality is about as much of a choice as heterosexuality, but for some reason, we can’t see the writing on the wall; for some reason, two men cannot share a loving relationship equal to that of a man and a woman. I guess it’s just become easier to fear what we don’t know and hate what we refuse to understand.” Listen to the full editorial here and let us know what you think:

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VIP
Members of North Carolina’s Department of Public Instruction drafted of a plan that calls for teaching history before 1877 to not be taught in North Carolina high schools in the traditional way but instead for it to be taught in elementary and middle schools. Since this first draft was published, the amount of debate over it has been intense. Some believe students won’t be able to get the history education necessary to excel in college, while others argue that students are given a more specialized look into particular areas of U.S. history. Michael Jones, a history major and EOT correspondent, thought he would set the record straight. He sat down N.C. State Professor Holly Brewer and Superintendent of the Department of Public Instruction June Atkinson, to get a more comprehensive understanding of what’s in the first draft and what the implications of the first draft have on history education reform in North Carolina. And EOT host Saja Hindi did a live phone interview with social studies teacher from Broughton High School Lee Quinn to talk about the plan and teachers’ sentiments. The initial plan was rejected after feedback and a new plan is set to be posted in April. Listen to the full segment:

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COMMUNITY CANVAS

This week on Community Canvas, Jacob Downey talked with Ryan Boyles an event coordinator for Ignite Raleigh. The second Ignite Raleigh event will take place March 3 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Lincoln Theatre. Fifteen participants will be sharing their ideas about topics ranging from 20 Little-Known Facts about Sex & Pleasure to Mayberry Modernism or Why the Triangle is America’s Hotspot for Way Cool Houses. Boyles tells us how the presenters were chosen, the constraints of the five minute presentations and how audience members can give back to their community at through Doners Choose. We also talked one of the founders of the Ignite series Brady Forrest about the events origin. Listen here:

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WOLFPACKER OF THE WEEK
For this week’s online-esclusive Wolfpacker of the Week, I sat down with Jennifer Halweil, a senior in electrical engineering, to talk about her project with a team of two other students to participate in a world-wide competition hosted by Société Générale, an international bank headquartered in Paris. “We are the only U.S. team that has advanced to the second round of the competition,” Halweil said. To make it to the final round of the competition and potentially win 12,000 euros and the opportunity to implement their idea, the group had 12 days (since the interview) to promote a wikiblog about the project and garner as much feedback and support through the site.  Her team’s idea is “to create a banking network to support women entrepreneurs, with the goal of increasing women’s access to financial capital, as well as creating opportunities for women in poor and rural areas.” Listen to Halweil’s plan here:

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SOUNDBYTES
This week on Soundbytes, Correspondent Chris Cioffi talked to students about how they were helping or hope the University will help to benefit those who suffered from the earthquakes in Haiti and Chili. Here is what people had to say:

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Comments, questions, suggestions? E-mail us at publiaffairs@wknc.org.

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Be sure to tune into 88.1 WKNC for your chance to win tickets to these awesome shows happening the week of November 22:

Tuesday, November 24:

Capelton w/ Anthony B, Cocoa T, and Steve Martinez & The Give Thanks Band @ Lincoln Theatre

Capelton

Thursday, November 26:

NAPS w/ Felix the Drum Machine @ Slim’s

NAPS

Saturday, November 28:

Pico vs. Island Trees w/ Michael Alvarado @ Lincoln Theatre

Pico vs. Island Trees photo by Evan Perigo

Thad Cockrell w/ Civil Wars @ The Pour House

Thack Cockrell photo by Reid Rolls

For a complete list of local shows in your area, check out The Rock Report!

Here are the shows happening this week that WKNC 88.1 is giving tickets away to:

Monday, Nov. 9:

Blind Pilot w/The Low Anthem @ Cat’s Cradle

Blind Pilot

Tuesday, Nov. 10:

Matisyahu w/Moon Taxi @ Lincoln Theatre

Matisyahu

The Get Up Kids w/Kevin Devine and Mansions @ Cat’s Cradle

The Get Up Kids

Thursday, Nov. 12:

RAKIM w/Rhymefest, DJ BRORABB and The Urban Sophisticates @ Lincoln Theatre

Rakim

Friday, Nov. 13:

Minus the Bear w/Twin Tigers and Maple Stave @ Cat’s Cradle

Minus the Beat photo by Ryan Russell

Satuday, Nov 14:

Dan Auerbach w/Justin Townes Earl and Jessica Lea Mayfield @ Cat’s Cradle

Dan Auerbach

Be sure to listen in to 88.1 WKNC for your chance to win tickets!

Check out these awesome shows going on this week that WKNC is giving away tickets to:

Tuesday, October 27:

Pinback w/ Bellini @ Cat’s Cradle

Pinback

Thursday, October 29:
Calico Haunts w/ Mt. Moriah and Filthybird @ Nightlight

Calico Haunts photo by Anna Lee Harkins

Junior Boys w/ Woodhands @ Cat’s Cradle

Junior Boys

Friday, October 30:

Polynya w/ Veelee and Actual Persons Living or Dead @ Nightlight

Polynya

Why? w/ Au and Serengeti & Polyphonic @ Cat’s Cradle

Why? photo by Sarah Cass

Saturday, October 31:

Toubab Krewe w/ Floating Action @ Cat’s Cradle

Toubab Krewe photo by Dave Vann

Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band w/Funkuponya and Eymarel @ Lincoln Theatre

Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band photo by Katie

Be sure to tune into 88.1 WKNC for your chance to win tickets! Also, check out the Rock Report for a complete listing of local shows near you!