This week is going to be a great one for shows in the Triangle, but it could involve some tough decisions on certain nights.  Check out some of the best shows listed below and many more listed in the Rock Report.

 
Tuesday, January 15th- Spider Bags and Gross Ghost at The Pinhook, 9pm

These bands are two of the best acts in the area both live and on the record.  Gross Ghost released their Grip Tapes’ debut “Brer Rabbit” in March of last year and showing that in their several years of existence they have already crafted a sound of their own.  This diverse album features hints of lo-fi garage rock, 90′s era indie rock, as well as some influences 60′s pop-rock.  Last year they were seen playing all over the Triangle, but most notably at WKNC’s 9th Double Barrel Benefit and the 3rd annual Hopscotch Music Festival where their music lit-up the audience.  They are followed up by Spider Bags.  Spider Bags are beginning to become a household name in the North Carolina.  They are known for their incredibly energetic live shows that will leave your ears ringing for days.  Their latest effort has been receiving a lot of national attention including an 8.1 review on Pitchfork as well as sitting number 1 atop PopMatters’ Top Overlooked Albums of 2012.  This is a show that you don’t want to miss.

 
Thursday, January 17th- Birds and Arrows with Katherine Whalen at Tir Na nOg, 10pm

Katherine Whalen of Squirrel Nut Zippers fame is back at it again.  Her solo work is often labeled under the title of “folk music,” but her new sound encompasses so much more.  Her new album titled “Madly Love” has something there for everyone.  Birds and Arrows are an incredible act that were seen at last year’s Double Barrel Benefit.  The trio’s folky sound led by a cello appeals to every audience  with their well-perfected live show.  The trio has well stood the test of time in an area that has seen many folk acts come and go.  It is amazing to see three people translate such intricate music perfectly to the stage.  This is a show is a folk-lovers’ paradise and a great introduction to anyone else.

 
Friday, January 18th- Bleeding Rainbow and Jenny Besetzt at Duke Coffeehouse , 9pm

If you have yet to go to a show at Duke Coffeehouse, there is no better time.  The atmosphere there always makes for the most energetic and intimate shows.  Greensboro natives Jenny Besetzt open up the night.  Jenny Besetzt are a brand new band who have exploded onto the local music scene.  They turned many heads when they performed at last year’s Hopscotch Music Festival as well many different shows all around the Triangle.  Their debut LP “Only” dropped this past October.  Their sound is a fusion of dream-pop and shoegaze with a punch which they describe as “dream-punk.”  The night ends with indie-pop quartet Bleeding Rainbow out of Philly.  This band has only released a handful of 7 inches, but with their debut album due out at the end of this month their are bound to break big.  With several different tracks being reviewed by Pitchfork and the like, they have created quite a buzz for themselves.  This is bound to be an amazing show that you do not want to miss.

 
Friday, January 18th- Annuals with The Lollipops and  Eros and the Eschaton at Local 506, 9pm

This night starts up with the great Greensboro husband-wife duo Eros and the Eshaton.  Their sound falls somewhere between shoegaze and dream-pop.  This new act has been turning heads opening for many different acts over the past year.  They are followed up by The Lollipops.  This lo-fi indie pop bedroom project of Iggy Cosky has expanded into a full band project and exploded onto the scene in the past year with their numerous recordings.  Their live shows have proven themselves time and time again to be just as fun as their songs.  The night ends with the always entertaining Annuals.  Annuals’ name speak for themselves.  This 6-piece indie pop group out of Raleigh have been a household name in the Triangle since the release of their critically acclaimed debut in 2006.  They have been known for their energetic live shows.  If you have not seen them yet, there is no better chance then with this great supporting cast.

The fall semester is on the brink of starting, and it made me a bit nostalgic as I’m beginning my last semester here at NC State University. I came to Raleigh from a small town in eastern NC so I didn’t know much about what I think is the triangle’s most redeeming quality — its music scene. So, we made a bucket list for all you music lovers out there so you don’t miss out on anything.  It’s in no particular order.

Enjoy — and feel free to add your stories and suggestions in a comment!

1.             DJ at WKNC | You can also help out with promotions, production, web, engineering, sports and public affairs. You’ll be first in the know about anything music. We hold interest meetings each semester (even summer!) for NCSU students. This fall’s interest meetings will be held August 20 at 5:30 p.m. and August 21 at 8 p.m. in 201 Witherspoon Student Center.

2.             Bike to First Friday | You can venture to First Friday, a monthly arts event in downtown Raleigh, by starting at NCSU’s Bell Tower at 7PM with fellow bikers. Be careful not to drink too much free wine if you’re biking back.  ”Go to first friday – there’s usually live music performances outside!!” — DJ Trillian

3.             Go to Hopscotch | Hopscotch Music Festival will be September 6-8 this year. “An annual festival held in downtown Raleigh that showcases some of the finest live acts that the state has to offer.  Put on by Raleigh’s Independent Weekly Magazine, this festival boasts an eclectic lineup of local and touring artists from all walks of music, indie-rock, hip-hop, folk, electronic, and pretty much everything in between.  This year’s lineup features The Roots, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Yo La Tengo, Built To Spill, Danny Brown, The Mountain Goats, and much more!  With free shows starting at noon and lasting until around 5:00 p.m. each day, there’s no reason not to check out this unique festival experience right here in Raleigh!”  -GRZA

4.             Heck, hit all the venues. | Let’s be honest, we’re lucky to live here. In Raleigh you have Kings Barcade, The Pour House, Lincoln Theatre, Slim’s, Berkeley Café, Tir Na Nog Irish Pub, Dive Bar, NC Museum of Art, Southland Ballroom, Deep South, Disco Rodeo, Five Star, Raleigh Amphitheatre and concert halls. Chapel Hill/Carrboro area has Cat’s Cradle, Local 506, Nightlight and The Cave. Durham is home to Motorco, Pinhook, Casbah, American Tobacco Campus and DPAC. And of course, the “other” schools’ concert halls and auditoriums. They’re all great. “Attend any and every Future Islands show.” –May Day

5.             Attend Fridays on the Lawn | This is WKNC’s bi-semester free concert event. It’ll always feature local music, food and swag. Usually on Harris Field (rain locations are necessary sometimes), you’re encouraged to bring some friends and a blanket. This is open to the public, and dogs are welcome, too!

6.             There’s also Music on the Lawn at American Tobacco in Durham | Grab a beer from Tyler’s and enjoy some live music. There’s also dance, movies and jazz events that take place here.

7.             Explore SparkCon | This year, SparkCon will take place September 13-16 in downtown Raleigh. In its 7th year, it will encompass everything from music and film to fire dancers and bartending competitions.

8.             Camp out at Shakori Hills | Located in Pittsboro, Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival happens twice a year, fall and spring. The fall festival will be October 4-7. Camp out with your friends in the woods, make new friends, and wake up to the sound of banjos. Paint your face, dance, cook over a fire…..also, get a Veggie Thing. It’s amazing. “A stellar 4-day music festival in Pittsboro, NC that boasts everything from bluegrass to soul to funk.  Filled with good vibes and good times, this family friendly festival is loaded with diverse music, yoga, and dance workshops that take up the few minutes of the day that don’t have wonderful tunes permeating throughout the farmlands.  A guaranteed beautiful weekend that rolls around twice a year.”     -GRZA

9.             Dance at Rowdy, Rowdy Square dances | “This is a good way to experience square dancing with young folks, and hear some good ol’ music! Be on the lookout for these dances!” -Cosmic Cowboy

 10.          See a band in the Brickyard | The past few years during Shack-a-thon (fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity), WKNC has hosted acoustic performances from local artists. You can also catch the occasional student strumming a guitar, playing accordion or one of NCSU’s a capella groups performing. 

 11.          Picnic for a show at Duke Gardens | Beautiful, serene, and BYOB. Share a blanket and dinner with some friends while watching local bands perform into the sunset. Make a friend at Duke so your tickets are cheaper.

 12.          Listen to a pianist in Caldwell Lounge | If you’re a student in CHASS (College of Humanities and Social Sciences), you’ve probably already done this. There’s a piano set up in Caldwell Lounge that is frequented by talented students. So while you’re between classes, cramming for a test or taking a lunch break, it’s nice to spare a second to listen.

 13.          Grab a beer at Local Band Local Beer | Local NC brewskis on tap and local bands on stage. This 21+ free event happens every Thursday night at 10PM at Tir Na Nog. 

 14.          Read The Independent Weekly | It’s an alternative weekly (free) newspaper that has all the best music, arts and political news. It also keeps you up to date with what events are going on around the county.

 15.          Join a drum circle at Pullen Park | Channel your inner hippy.

 16.          Celebrate Christmas with Trekky Records | Trekky Christmas puts a new spin on classic songs by featuring their bands and mix-matched members.

 17.          Rock out at Bull City Metal Fest | If you’re a metal head, it’s a must. Two days of heavy metal in downtown Durham, pulling national and local acts.

 18.          Enjoy a performance at DPAC | It’s nice and classy. See ballet, theatre or music here. The last one I went to was BB King. Badass.

 19.          Go to a concert at Memorial Hall | Another very nice venue that will get various acts. It’s can be a bit pricy, but it’s worth it.

 20.          End August with Stars in the Round at Shakori | “Great if you don’t have 4 days to devote to camping. Usually 3rd weekend in August” – Mollypop

 21.          Catch the Diggup Tapes show series | It’s a free show series at Kings each month. This is 18+.

 22.          Go to both nights of Double Barrel Benefit | “For people new to the triangle there is no better time than right now to clear your calendar for the next Double Barrel Benefit. It’s going to be the 10th anniversary, and it’s going to be all kinds of awesome.” -DJ Ones

 23.          Party with the triangle’s finest at Indy Week’s “Best of” Party | Each year, Indy has its readers vote on the best in the triangle. In June, they throw a party to celebrate the winners and finalists. In other words, hear the best music, eat the best food, drink the best drinks and get acupuncture.

 24.          Run in the Krispy Kreme Challenge | This annual charity events challenges its participants to eat a dozen donuts mid-race.

 25.          Drink a PBR during PBart | I’m sure you’ll drink one regardless. But PBart has bands and PBR-themed art on showcase, as well as the occasional ropes performers.

 26.          Buy records on Record Store Day  | Internationally celebrated, it’s the third Saturday in April. Labels put out special limited edition releases and stores have in-store performances, swag and discounts. There’s usually a line so go early.

 27.          Compete in the pants off dance off at TRKfest | Okay, so you don’t actually have to take your pants off. Trekky Records has a day set aside each summer to share its music with the triangle. Not to mention this also means local beer, food trucks and local arts vendors.

 28.          Drive to Haw River Ballroom | “Beautiful venue.  if you have time before the show, go to the Haw River General Store before hand for the best gourmet food you’ll find at a convenience store. Seriously.” – Mollypop

 29.          Dance at Discovery and Dirty Mega | Lights, glow sticks, photo booths and dancing until the lights come on. Then a little more of each.

 30.          Give the saxophonists on the corner of Martin/Fayetteville St. money to play “Careless Whisper“ | His rendition is on point. It’ll get stuck it your head, but I’m not sure that’s a bad thing. 

This past weekend was packed with shows, due to Hopscotch Music Festival taking over downtown Raleigh.  Sunday, a day of rest for many who attended the festival, still had its fair share of great acts.  Cat’s Cradle was hosting two shows, at its own venue and at Local 506.  After a long day at work, I got on I-40 and headed out toward the other side of the Triangle.

Walking into the club from Franklin Street, I realized I made it just in time for Miniature Tigers‘ first song.  The show started out strong, with great vocal lines atop a poppy, guitar-driven melody.  As the first couple of songs passed, the crowd seemed enthused.  About three or four songs in, the melodic pop started to become more synth-driven, and the crowd responded with some ridiculously nerdy and fun dance moves.  Toward the end of the 45-ish minute set, the band played their most popular song, Bullfighter Jacket, to which the crowd responded in a quite unexpected way: a small mosh pit started a few feet away from me.  Bizarre, right?  With a few more songs (including my personal favorite, Gold Skull, which was produced by Neon Indian’s Alan Palomo), the band finished up their set, played an extremely well received, two-song encore, and invited everyone in the audience to say hi at the merge booth.

Throughout the show, Charlie Brand, the singer and guitarist, was positive and happy.  He talked between songs about how Chapel Hill had become a sort of home away from home (which our station adviser can attest to…she’s seen the band seven or eight times!).  He also stated that the band was going to take a break to record and spend time with their families, and that this would be their last show for a while.  I think we have good things to look forward to from Miniature Tigers in a couple months; if they focus on keeping their sound interesting, I’m sure the new album will be well-received!

A few side-notes:  Local 506, as always, was great.  The ticket salesperson was friendly, and the sound was not muddled in the slightest.  Every instrument could be distinctly heard, even when standing right next to the  stage!  Though I didn’t get off work in time to see the opening bands, I heard promising things about both The Grapes‘ indie rock and Lilac Shadows‘ shoegaze pop.  From what my friends said, I think both bands have potential that hasn’t been realized yet.

This past Monday, the members of Dom loaded into our studio and borrowed some acoustic guitars from WKNC DJs. What followed was an interesting interview that comes at the head of the band’s upcoming Family of Love EP, out August 9th on Astralwerks. Check out some of the interview below to hear the band’s take on playing the Sydney Opera House with Cate Blanchett, chilling with Gucci Mane, and what’s next for the indie rockers. In addition, be sure to give a listen to their acoustic version of “Jesus,” as recorded in the WKNC studios!

Jesus – Dom (Acoustic Studio Performance):

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Dom Interview:

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This past Sunday, Avi Buffalo brought an assortment of instruments into WKNC’s studios for a special acoustic performance and short interview. The band is best known for its 2010 hit, “What’s In It For,” and the band is once again busy at work. They’ve recently released a 7″ featuring “How Come,” a new single.

Check below for their acoustic performance of this track as performed in our studios, as well as an unreleased track, “Won’t Be Around No More.” An interview with DJ Don of Time follows, where you can hear the band discuss touring Europe (it’s really old), influences, and the struggles of touring!

How Come- Avi Buffalo (Acoustic Studio Performance):

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Won’t Be Around No More- Avi Buffalo (Acoustic Studio Performance)

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Avi Buffalo Interview

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This week you can win SO much from WKNC, you’re robbing yourself if you don’t listen for a chance to win.

7/27 – Josh Ritter @ Cat’s Cradle
7/27 – Lucinda Williams @ North Carolina Museum of Art
7/28 – Paleface and Peter Holsapple @ The Pinhook
7/30 - Jolie Holland @ Local 506
7/29 – Revolution Raleigh @ Lincoln Theatre
8/3 – Rockstar Mayhem Festival ft. Kingdom of Sorrow, All Shall Perish, Godsmack, Megadeth and Disturbed @ Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek
8/3 – Gillian Welch and David Rawlings @ NCMA

Need more than music to satiate your artistic pallet? Well, WKNC has more than music giveaways! Running from 8/5 to 8/7 – Paperhand Puppet Intervention’s “The Serpent’s Egg” (plus limited edition poster!) @ Forest Theatre in Chapel Hill. Plus there’s merch from Dim Mak and the Captain America movie.

I speed.  I park just before 9 p.m., and I arrive at Local 506 just after.  Plenty of driving.  I’m tired.  I just want to see Bill Callahan.  I adore this man, his music, and basically all that he is.  Easily, I find him about as cool as I have yet been able to deem anyone.  I present my membership card and I.D., and I explain that I am there to represent WKNC.  ”I’m on the list” – only they don’t have my name.  They don’t have any of the names that WKNC sent in.  Phone-in winners?  DJ pass?  Nope.  I’m starting to feel this experience slipping away from me, but I contact our promotions director, have emails forwarded, admire the convenience of the technology in my hand, and all is settled.  So that’s sort of my spiel on life before my first Bill Callahan show.  I include it only because I think it contributed to my experience – to the choice of words that I’m about to let flow.  Now, my spiel on music.

I’m in. I’m super appreciative to be there, but a little later than I prefer to be.  Maybe a little bummed that my position isn’t the one I usually try to earn with early attendance.  As I walk in past the bar, though, and hear Ed Askew… and see him… I become instantly invested.  He gently sings, almost speaks, his lyrics.  Otherwise, all he plays is the harmonica.  After the first song, he discusses some experimentation he’d done with “seventh chords” (and I scoot to the front into quite a spacious spot three feet from the stage).  Ed asks the keyboardist (his only accompaniment on stage) to play a C major and then play it again adding the “seventh chord.”  The man on keys has no idea.

That holds as symbolic of my experience with Ed Askew.  He is an artist;  He went to Yale in the ’60s;  He is a distinguished liver.  Both the words of his songs and the words in between them came from experience, as he made clear (“So yeah, this song is a true story.”).  One song would almost sound like “Claire de Lune,” but it would spin off with a playful riff.  One song, my favorite from him, was inspired by Gertrude Stein’s poem “Sacred Emily” (“A rose is a rose is a rose is a rose”).  The latter was the only song that featured anything but a keyboard or harmonica – Ed’s voice was accompanied by the softness of a ukulele.

The keyboard sounded a little too electronic for me, though it may have been attempting to convey Ed’s original editions which featured a harpsichord.  When he finishes: applause, real applause/appreciation, and he responds to that applause/appreciation with an encore – one song.  It’s a real encore – not planned or schemed into the performance like encores tend to be nowadays.  Overall, Ed Askew had character.  He had the sort of quarks that make people characters, but he also had the qualities that are included in the common concept of “good” character.  He was a character with character: equal to my expectation of someone worthy to be associated with Bill Callahan.  He left a light and happy mood in the room.  Children could co-exist, and they were actually children – not the immature-in-all-ages I’ve been seeing at good shows lately.  Beards were being complimented.  It was nice.

The playlist in between performances was good.  Bravo to you, Local 506.

Now.  Bill Callahan.  I will not explain him as much because, to me, there wasn’t a new understanding that was formed.  My experience amidst Bill Callahan was more of an appreciation/realization of an already possessed understanding.  Bill is cool.  I cannot help but admire him, his music, and basically all that he is.  His music is orchestrated.  What the impatient and noise-needy ignore is that his music is orchestrated.  To some it seems simple, but that “simplicity” is, to me, a calm complexity.  He, with only a classical guitar and a few harmonicas, produces beauty.  His fingers are active and so intentional.  His voice… steady; and so much more, but you decide those adjectives for yourself.  Live, his music is clean and expressive.  His performance brings to life what may seem flat or even silly in an album (“America!” – that song was brilliant live).

Matt Kinsey sat in with his SG and supplied the bright guitar riffs that could swim with the whammy, stretched strings, and maybe a pedaled effect; or, he could just pick along with Bill.  He was splendid.  Sometimes his role was simple, but sometimes… sometimes he operated – exacting between strings and levels.

Neal Morgan on the drums was perfectly additive.  He was not only rhythm, and he didn’t consistently call attention, but if you watched him, if you appreciated the little things he was doing,  it was truly a delight.  He blew up at one point.  It wasn’t exactly a solo, but he went for it and made it.  Masterfully, simply, he rocked.

They opened with “Riding for the Feeling” (top song of the year?), played much of the new album (Apocalypse), and some old ‘n goodies (…Smog..!).  It was all welcome.  Some songs called exact attention to the lyrics.  Some songs guided my thoughts to important things.  They played like ten songs in almost two hours.  A solid minute or more of genuine applause brought them out for a one song encore.  They played “The Well.”  I loved it all.

Afterthought: it was a little warm.

This week you can win while listening to The Revolution. You can win hard. Trust me. We’ve got a metric ton of giveaways.

• Yardwork, Nucular Aminals and Clawform @ The Pinhook, 7/14
• Bill Callahan @ Local 506, 7/15
• The Charming Youngsters and The Howlies @ The Pinhook, 7/16
• The Ladybug Transistor, James Husband and T0W3RS @ Kings Barcade, 7/16
• Iris DeMent followed by True Grit (2010) @ North Carolina Museum of Art, 7/16
• Howlies, The Charming Youngsters and Nests @ Kings Barcade, 7/17
• Yob with Dark Castle and US Christmas @ Kings, 7/18

You can also win some 12″ vinyl from The Bloody Beetroots feat. The Cool Kids, Diplo and Laidback Luke as well as T’s from Bloody Beatroots and Steve Aoki.

Sarah Jaffe

Recently I had the chance to talk to Sarah Jaffe before her show at Local 506. We discussed everything from her current tour, to the recent re-release of her 2008 EP Even Born Again. Sarah mentioned everything from how she started, to her time with Kirtland Records, and labels reaction to the success of her debut album Suburban Nature. We also had the chance to talk about the process behind recording her upcoming EP The Way Sound Leaves a Room and her next full length. Listen to the full interview below!

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This week, we’ve got some incredible giveaways at We Know North Carolina (WKNC). So make sure you’re crankin’ up the Revolution this week! We’ve got All Tiny Creatures, Kingsbury Max, Thao & Mirah AND MORE! So, if you want to crash a concert for free this coming week, keep listenin’.

6/9            Women helping Women @ Cardinal Club

6/9            All Tiny Creatures w/ Phil Cook and His Feat @ Kings

6/10            Kingsbury Manx w/ Birds & Arrows @ Kings

6/11            Thao & Mirah w/ Bobby, Led to Sea @ Local 506

6/12            Joe Purdy w/ The Milk Carton Kids @ Cats

Also, all week you can win sweet swag from the film ‘Win-Win‘ starring Paul Giamatti. Win Posters, Shirts & More only at your local, neighborhood WKNC.

On a side note, this week’s celebrity birthdays include Natalie Portman, Johnny Depp, Judy Garland, Gene Wilder and Jacque Cousteau. Happy Birthday!

The Huguenots have been getting airplay on WKNC for nearly four years now, but the group has yet to release anything official but some spare demos. That is until April 8, when the group is putting out their first LP. The Huguenots are known for the super poppy and upbeat music they seem to craft effortlessly and their enjoyable live shows, but finally, the band will release some tangible music. Founding member York Howie came in to represent the band and share a couple unheard tracks from the upcoming album. It had been awhile since I interviewed the Huguenots, so we caught up and took a look back at where it all began at UNC Asheville. York was a wonderful guest and gave us an insightful look into the recording of the album and told us how it all came together.

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You can catch the Huguenots at their album release show at the Local 506 on April 8 where they are playing with the Tomahawks. Tickets are $6

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Tonight on the Local Beat we begin our second installment of the Local Beat Roundtable Series.  If you remember from back in August when we had our first in the roundtable discussions with Betsy Harris, Karen Mann, Jake Seaton, Linnie Green, and Bryan Reed the focus on these roundtable discussions is not to focus on the music that make up our scene but the people who promote it and document it.

This evening we are having several exemplary characters in on the program for what should turn out to be some great conversation.

Ross Grady has been the most prominent local music documenter probably ever in our region.  It seems his dedication to the scene knows no bounds.  In addition to running Triangle Rock and starting up Alt Music Chapel Hill Ross is also the guardian of his radio program on WXDU that happens every Sunday from 4pm-6pm.  Be sure to listen in on 88.7 or stream it live on the internet!

Ryan Sweeney is another radio personality who was the general manager at 89.3 WSOE in 2009.  He is now living in Cary and the Director of Communications at the popular website Choose Local Music.  In addition to other things Ryan is a great local music connoisseur who should have plenty to share.

Glenn Boothe is the main man at one of the most significant local venues in the Triangle, the Local 506 in Chapel Hill.   Commonly the central hub of local music in our area, the Local 506 is commonly mentioned by bands and fans alike as their favorite place to watch live music in our area.   I can’t wait to chat with Glenn about his thoughts on the music in our area.

Another music venue owner, Chris Tamplin is stopping by.  Chris was the main organizer for Local Beer Local Band and booked shows at Tir Na Nog before starting his own venture with Durham’s newest local venue, Motorco.  Chris should have some fascinating insight into the different cities and their relationships to the music surrounding them among other things.

Eric Chen is also dropping by.  You might have heard Eric on WXYC for nine years or seen him at many Hammer No More The Fingers shows (as well as others) with his video camera in tote.  Eric has been documenting the music in our area for some time now and I am sure he will have plenty to add to our convseration.  Check out his Vimeo Account here.

Hammer No More the Fingers + Phil Cook @ Trekky House 5/24/10 from Eric Chen on Vimeo.

It is certainly a special treat to have each of these amazing individuals on the show all at once.  It is not going to be a Local Beat you will want to miss.  Be sure to tune in at 5pm on 88.1 or listen live online.  Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and ReverbNation.

The man behind the haunting, spacey synth-pop of Active Child, Pat Grossi, will be calling in to WKNC tomorrow, October 19, for a live interview at 11 a.m. Tune in to hear about where Grossi’s musical interest started, how (or if) his choir experience has influenced his music, and more.

Active Child plays tomorrow night at Local 506 in Chapel Hill with School of Seven Bells.

This coming Friday on the Local Beat will be another fantastic evening as I will be joined by several different guests.

5 p.m. brings in one of my favorite groups in the area, Carrboro folksters Mandolin Orange, coming on to promote an upcoming show at the Local 506. The show is this Saturday, October 16, with Greg Humphreys. It should make for a fascinating concert on Saturday but also some great conversation and live radio Friday evening.

Check out the interview I had with Emily and Andrew of Mandolin Orange back in April:

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And I also interview Greg Humphreys recently as well:

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At 6 p.m., Gray Young is coming back on the show once again to talk about their brand new album. If you recall the group came in back in early August before the album was ready to be released. Staysail is going to be released on October 23 at the Pour House, and we will talk about that in full.

For the final hour of the show, local hip-hop star King Mez is dropping by with ex DJ Big Fat Sac and several other representatives of the Cooke Street Carnival that is being held this Saturday on Cooke Street in downtown Raleigh. We will be talking about the festival and catching up with the King.

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Jonas Stein of Turbo Fruits called in this morning and took some time to tell me what the band’s been up to and what’s coming up in the future.  There were some technical difficulties in trying to get the phone interview set up correctly, but Jonas was gracious and patient enough to stick around. He announced that the band will be producing a series of 7″ vinyl (and digital) collector’s singles over the next year on their Turbo Time label. At the end of the series, they’ll be releasing a full-length album of the singles. He also talked about the Bruise Cruise Festival the band will be playing in February. It’s a  three day Caribbean cruise with a fantastic lineup of garage rock bands including Turbo Fruits, Black Lips, Vivian Girls, The Strange Boys, and more.

We also discussed more general topics such as whether Jonas felt that being based in Nashville had affected the band’s sound. He said it was more about the environment (people, places, outdoors, etc.) than the city specifically itself, but he did say “if we were from California, we probably wouldn’t sound the way we do.” About touring, Jonas said it was “like going to war in a time of peace.” I also asked whether there was a back-story for the unique video for “Naked With You.” Apparently, it involved hunting down an unknown cute girl in Chicago at the last minute and her being willing to make a sexy but strange music video. I’d say it worked for the best.

Turbo Fruits will be playing tomorrow, Wednesday, September 8 at Local 506 in Chapel Hill.