Even though Hopscotch is known for having mainly indie-rock artists, there are a few hip hop and electronic acts that should be noted! The following list is for people who love to dance and want to have some fun.
Thursday: Injury Reserve, Joey Purp, and Earth Gang @ Lincoln
If you’re interested in hip hop and rap Thursday night at Lincoln is a big night you won’t want to miss and if you’re in love with electronic music you must check out Wicked Witch on Saturday.
Even if hip hop and electronic music aren’t your thing, it’s definitely worth checking out and could be a nice break from your typical indie-rock shows at Hopscotch.
With Hopscotch right around the corner, and WKNC’s Day Party at Legends following closely in its wake– how better to promote both events than by give y’all a lil’ insight into our Day Party Line-up!
WKNC’s Day Party description is as follows.
This year has been full of milestones, and WKNC aims to celebrate them all. 2019 held Raleigh’s first ever Pride Festival, was the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, and marks ten years of Hopscotch. With this in mind, WKNC’s Hopscotch Day Party aims to promote and celebrate LGBTQ+ affiliated artists from across the state to keep the Pride Party going all year long! Featuring Petrov, Emily Musolino, Juxton Roy, Through the Tallwoods, Black Bouquet, and To Julian, the party will be hosted on Saturday, September 7th at Legends Club. This event is all-ages and supported by the NC State GLBT Center.
This will be a series up until the Day Party, so the questions will be the same, but we can guarantee that every artist will add their own personal flare to each answer.
Juxton Roy is a self-described queermo band that has strong ties in the DIY scene of the Triangle, though they may take a more business-oriented route to musical success. Nonetheless, their music is empowered and raw, tugging at your heartstrings in the only way they know how– with honesty.
Read the second artist of this series’ answers– Juxton Roy.
Give us a lil rundown of how your band got formed! When/where/how/why! Juxton started sometime in 2017, as an idea to start an alt-country band that slowly blossomed into genreless project we are now. It was a slow year of rehearsing and writing the songs that eventually would make up our debut “Why are you so afraid of ___”. We solidified our first lineup in that time and played our first show at Sound Off records in April of that 2018. We picked up our manager, Jonas, during that time as well which led to us being picked up by Emo Raleigh. We then did things backwards by recording our debut immediately after our first show but we’ve hit the ground running ever since. Playing more and more shows. We’ve been nonstop ever since.
What can an audience member expect from one of your shows? Our shows are an experience. We aim to create a space of community and catharsis all at once. There’s a lot of energy, a lot of singalongs, and a big sense of unity. The goal is create a safe space for LGBTQIA+ people to feel safe in a scene predominantly led by cis white men. We make at point at every show to always say that with Jux, you are safe, seen, valid and our family.
Do you see performance as a task or an endeavor? In that vein, what part about performing is most challenging or liberating? That’s an interesting question, I don’t know if I (Jess) would ever see performance as a task. Endeavor doesn’t quite sound right either but it may be closer. We put all of who we are into our live performance. We make a point to never play the same setlist twice. I think all of us are really channeling our varied experiences into the music when we perform it live, and it comes out as this loud, almost worshipful form of honest catharsis. Everything we are as people is laid bare on that stage, so I guess it could be an endeavor cause it can be draining to do that. But it also feels really good to do it, to look an audience in the eye and know you’re going through the same thing. Performance is more validating for us then a task or an endeavor.
What does Pride mean to you? How do you embody those meanings in your music? In your everyday life? Another great question. Pride to me means visibility. It means being seen and heard, acknowledged and safe. It means not denoting the LGBTQIA+ experience down to one singular narrative. Queer voices are varied and beautiful and rarely listened to, especially in this day and age. It’s amazing that Hopscotch and WKNC are including more queer centered shows and events, it’s something I cherish. Within Juxton, we approach pride within our music and shows. We stay visibly queer not as an act of defiance, but as an invitation for dialogue and the opportunity to create safe spaces for people who may not find that often enough. Our music touches on a lot of issues, be it mental health, gender identity, drug/alcohol abuse, and the ever confusing concept of love. But it always circles back to our overarching message of self love, self acceptance and community. I think that’s important in any scene. Especially for people who go to shows looking for acceptance/answers. There’s to many bands around doing it solely because they want to/are good at it. That’s not good enough anymore, you have to stand for something, in my opinion.
What are you most excited about during Hopscotch? I’m still hoping I’ll be able to go to some of the main bill shows but I’m really excited about the Museum Mouth/Kissisippi show. Same goes for the Sarah Shook and the Disarmers set. So many of our friends are playing as well and it’s hard to narrow it down. Stand outs to me would be Through the Tallwoods are playing with us at the WKNC showcase, that band is full of amazing people and they rip.
For the tenth anniversary of Hopscotch, what would you ten years ago think about you now? I don’t think ten years ago I was aware of the existence of Hopscotch hahaha. I don’t think then I would’ve ever thought I would be entering my second year of playing it so I guess I would be proud of myself. I don’t think anyone in Juxton ever thought we’d be where we are now as fast as we got there, and we’re all really grateful for it.
Please list some fun facts about your band!
• Our guitarist Matt is in approximately 10k bands(Flood District, Fredfin Wallaby) and they all rip. Same goes for our drummer Parker(Hi-Dive). • Our name may or may not be based on a drunken Sean Connery accent. • Juxton Roy will have new music out this year, and it sounds sounds absolutely bonkers. We’re really proud of it.
You can learn more about Juxton Roy by visiting their Facebook page or Instagram (@juxtonroy) and, of course, by attending WKNC’s Hopscotch Day Party. It will be held at Legends Club on Saturday, September 7th and begins at noon!
How else can I convince you other than saying its Prideful, FREE, and on a WEEKEND? BE THERE!!!!
Three days of live music can take a lot out of you. This guide will show you how to attend day parties in addition to the festival and still have enough energy to get the most out of your Hopscotch experience.
The full list of Hopscotch day parties can be found here: https://hopscotchmusicfest.com/hopscotch-day-party-series-2019/
Plan for The Festival Make a schedule of who you want to see at the festival. Take into consideration the genre of music and the location of the venues. Even though all the venues at Hopscotch are close together, it can get exhausting running back and forth every night. You should also take note if someone you want to see live is also playing a day party.
Now Plan for Day Parties I suggest planning your day parties in accordance to your festival schedule so that you have one high energy time and one low energy time. For example, I plan on seeing all of the high energy hip hop and rap groups at Hopscotch on Friday night so I plan on making my day party schedule for Friday quite relaxed. Hopscotch is a marathon not a sprint! Take it easy and take care of yourself.
Schedule Breaks Make sure to add breaks to your schedule!! Factor in meals, water breaks, and general rest breaks.
Have Fun Go to the day parties and have a blast!
My Top Picks for Day Parties: Thursday Imurj: noon – 5 p.m. GEM Productions Presents: Thursday Shmursday Day Party The Muslims, Cosmic Punk, The Augurs, Fish Dad Sponsored by Fiction Kitchen and Raleigh Brewing Company Cash Donations accepted to benefit GirlsRockNC Free food from Fiction Kitchen while supplies last Free samples from Raleigh Brewing Company
Friday Imurj: noon – 5 p.m. GEM Productions Presents: M8alla, ZenSoFly, Tanajah, Sonny Miles Cash Donations collected to benefit Neighbor2Neighbor
Ruby Deluxe: noon – 5 p.m. To the Front: A Hopscotch Day Party Hosted by The Pinhook and Ruby Deluxe Vaxxers (12:00), The Muslims (12:45), Cold Cream (1:30), TRIPPLE X SNAXXX (2:15), Bangzz (3:00), Loamlands (3:45), Khxos (4:00) Tables by and donations accepted for NC Resists and Siembra Feat DJ’s Gemynii (of The Conjure) and Luxe Posh
Carolina Waves x K97.5 Present: DJ RNB (12:00), FAMMO (12:45), BRASSIOUS MONK (1:00), DAVAUN (1:20), CHYNA VONNE (1:45), SK THE NOVELIST (2:00), TY HARRIZ (2:25), 3AMSOUND (2:55), KRAWZBONEZ (3:20), LO$T GENERATION (3:55), TANAJAH (4:35) Hosted by K97.5’s Mir.I.am & Red Jones Feat. DJ RNB. Draft Specials from Raleigh Brewing, Liquor Specials from Don Julio, Free Food from Johnny’s Pizza
Saturday Legend’s Nightclub (330 W Hargett St.): noon – 4:30 p.m. WKNC Day Party Through the Tallwoods (12:00), Juxton Roy (12:45), To Julian (1:30), Black Bouquet (2:15), Emily Musolino (3:00), Petrov (3:45) In Partnership with the NC State GLBT Center
Kings: noon – 5 p.m. AdHoc Presents: “Free for All”- Official Hopscotch Day Party Indigo De Souza (12:00), Yowler (12:50), Mega Bog (1:40), Truth Club (2:30), Grace Ives (3:20), Faye Webster (4:20)
John and Benjamin are back with another year of PackisLife and on the first show of the semester they get you caught up on the start of soccer, volleyball, tennis and swimming and diving. They preview the start football season as well discuss early retirement trends in the NFL
With Hopscotch right around the corner, and WKNC’s Day Party at Legends following closely in its wake– how better to promote both events than by give y’all a lil’ insight into our Day Party Line-up!
WKNC’s Day Party description is as follows.
This year has been full of milestones, and WKNC aims to celebrate them all. 2019 held Raleigh’s first ever Pride Festival, was the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, and marks ten years of Hopscotch. With this in mind, WKNC’s Hopscotch Day Party aims to promote and celebrate LGBTQ+ affiliated artists from across the state to keep the Pride Party going all year long! Featuring Petrov, Emily Musolino, Juxton Roy, Through the Tallwoods, Black Bouquet, and To Julian, the party will be hosted on Saturday, September 7th at Legends Club. This event is all-ages and supported by the NC State GLBT Center.
First and foremost, though not the opener, is Black Bouquet (and that’s simply because they answered the fastest– we love that).
This will be a series up until the Day Party, so the questions will be the same, but we can guarantee that every artist will add their own personal flare to each answer.
See Black Bouquet’s answers below!
Give us a lil rundown of how your band got formed! When/where/how/why! Ian and Jake (me) met in high school chorus class, Tristan and Hunter met through a flyer Tristan put up for an Americana band at Wake tech. We all came together through craigslist.
What can an audience member expect from one of your shows? Audience members can expect dramatic flailing, needlesharp guitar work, modulated bass, and dynamic drums. Also probably some flowers and Halloween decorations for flair.
Do you see performance as a task or an endeavor? In that vein, what part about performing is most challenging or liberating? Performances are what we thrive and depend on as a band to know how well we are functioning as a music making unit. All of the work between shows (writing, recording, practicing) is done to make sure the next show will have something new to stand out from the last. It’s also the best opportunity to communicate to an audience where we’re all at artistically, in real time.
What does Pride mean to you? How do you embody those meanings in your music? In your everyday life? Pride to me is about being unapologetically yourself, even when other people or your own brain want to discourage it. We make a point to be unabashed with our music, stage presence, art, and how we dress and present ourselves to the world using the band as a vehicle to do so. I personally just try to carry that same energy the band gives me everywhere I go.
What are you most excited about during Hopscotch? I’m excited for the streets of Raleigh to be flooded with people who have love and appreciation for art and music! Even if it makes getting to work a pain for a couple days.
For the tenth anniversary of Hopscotch, what would you ten years ago think about you now? Me 10 years ago would probably look at me now and say “huh. nice hair.”
Please list some fun facts about your band!
#1. Some of the employees at the Taco Bell by Ian’s house know us each by name
#2. I’ve been drawing Petunia (our cat logo) since I came up with it doodling in an Art History lecture in 2015
#3. Listen to Birdland by Patti Smith
#4. The first one on one response to our first show ever at Schoolkids Records was “You got bullied a lot in high school, right?”
You can learn more about Black Bouquet by visiting their Facebook page, Bandcamp, or Instagram (@blackbouquetband) and, of course, by attending WKNC’s Hopscotch Day Party. It will be held at Legends Club on Saturday, September 7th and begins at noon!
Artist Record Label 1 FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY “The Sea of Tragic Beasts” [Single] Nuclear Blast 2 COUNTERPARTS “Wings of Nightmares” [Single] Pure Noise 3 KNOCKED LOOSE A Different Shade Of Blue Pure Noise 4 DEVOURMENT Obscene Majesty Relapse 5 AWAKE FOR DAYS “Break Your Chains” [Single] Self-Released 6 ASCENDING FROM ASHES Glory Darkscale Media 7 OBITUARY “A Dying World” [Single] Relapse 8 SKINLAB “Overcoming” [Single] Art Is War 9 UPON A BURNING BODY Southern Hostility Seek & Strike 10 RITUALIZER “Speed Of Sound” [Single] Self-Released
Artist Record Label 1 BODYWASH Comforter Luminelle 2 OH ROSE While My Father Sleeps Park The Van 3 JAY SOM Anak Ko Polyvinyl 4 CEREMONY In The Spirit World Now Relapse 5 PURPLE MOUNTAINS Purple Mountains Drag City 6 METZ Covers [EP] Sub Pop 7 PEAER A Healthy Earth Tiny Engines 8 CHAI Punk Burger 9 LOMELDA M For Empathy DDW 10 NOTS 3 (Three) Goner 11 BLESSED Salt Pirates Blend 12 SHANNON LAY August Sub Pop 13 SHARON VAN ETTEN Remind Me Tomorrow Jagjaguwar 14 CHERRY GLAZERR Stuffed & Ready Secretly Canadian 15 HELADO NEGRO This Is How You Smile RVNG 16 PIP BLOM Boat Heavenly/PIAS 17 PALEHOUND Black Friday Polyvinyl 18 HATCHIE Keepsake Double Double Whammy 19 A BEACON SCHOOL Cola Grind Select/House Arrest 20 FLAT WORMS Into The Iris [EP] GOD? 21 GRINGO STAR Controlled Burn Baby Robot 22 GOTOBEDS, THE Debt Begins At 30 Sub Pop 23 SNAIL MAIL Habit [EP] Matador 24 MARIKA HACKMAN Any Human Friend Sub Pop 25 BLACK BELT EAGLE SCOUT At The Party With My Brown Friends Saddle Creek 26 SLOW PULP Big Day [EP] Self-Released 27 DID YOU DIE Royal Unicorn Blew Rose 28 MUNYA Munya Luminelle 29 STEF CHURA Midnight Saddle Creek 30 CHRISTELLE BOFALE Swim Team [EP] Father/Daughter
TOP ADDS
1 !!! Wallop Warp 2 ROYAL TRUX Pink Stuff [EP] Fat Possum 3 NIGHT SINS Portrait In Silver Funeral Party 4 BABE RAINBOW, THE Today 30th Century 5 BOY SCOUTS Free Company Anti- 6 OH ROSE While My Father Sleeps Park The Van 7 FRANKIE COSMOS Close It Quietly Sub Pop 8 CEREMONY In The Spirit World Now Relapse 9 JAY SOM Anak Ko Polyvinyl
Artist Record Label 1 TORO Y MOI Outer Peace Carpark 2 LONE “Abraxas” [Single] Ancient Astronauts 3 KAYTRANADA Nothin Like U/Chances [EP] RCA 4 TOURIST Everyday Monday 5 GEORGE CLANTON Slide 100% Electronica 6 DORIAN CONCEPT The Nature Of Imitation Brainfeeder 7 KEDR LIVANSKIY Your Need 2MR 8 CHANNEL TRES Black Moses [EP] Godmode 9 LAURENCE GUY Making Music Is Bad For Your Self Esteeem [EP] Studio Barnhus 10 HOUSE OF FEELINGS New Lows Joyful Noise
A Different Shade of Blue is the second full length album that Knocked Loose has put out and god damn, its heavy. This hardcore/metalcore or whatever genre you want to put them in, I don’t care. Either way, it’s dark and heavy, just the way I like it.
When Knocked Loose first hit the scene with their debut album, Laugh Tracks, I knew they would leave their mark on the metal community. Their sound is nothing out of the ordinary: nasty riffs, badass breakdowns, and 2-stepable riffs that will make you move your feet.
Their latest release, A Different Shade of Blue, was a highly anticipated album from the band. After releasing …And Still I Wander South and Mistakes Like Fractures, I was SO ready to see what else Knocked Loose had up their sleeves. When their newest album first came out, and when I heard the opening track Belleville, it made me wanna punch things. The brute force that the opening track came out with set the tone for the rest of the record.
The beatings continue the more you listen to this record. A Serpent’s Touch features Emma Boster (a queen), vocalist for Dying Wish!! When I heard her come on, I started freaking out because I was not expecting a collaboration. There are more riffs, more breakdowns, and groovy parts as each song progresses and I guarantee that you won’t be standing still while listening. Your neck will be hurting from all the headbanging that is in your future.
Guided by the Moon is probably one of my favorite songs just because of the nasty 2-step riff that follows after Bryan Garris yells, “this is a different shade of blue.” This song has a dark, eerie, feel to it. It also has some chants in the song that I can already see people yelling back at Garris live. You should also check out Forget Your Name. The face crushing riff in the beginning is awesome and if they play this song live… let’s just say chaos will consume us.
Unlike Laugh Tracks, there are no barking noises (like Counting Worms), but this record is a lot darker, heavier, and more metal. When watching an interview with Garris, they didn’t mean for this record to be as dark. It just “turned out” that way. WELL THANK GOD IT DID!!!
A Different Shade of Blue is definitely a big contender for album of the year. The combination of everything on this record is simply amazing and it has been on repeat since it was released. It’s as if you can feel the band’s energy oozing off of this record. Their energy is strong, either just on a record or live. You have this constant feeling that the band is all up in your grill, demanding your attention. That is what I love about this band. They immediately put out this intense energy and we so easily feed off of it. Well done, Knocked Loose.
Overall, this is one of my favorite releases of 2019 and I can’t wait to see them in October. My body is ready.
Favorite song(s): Forget Your Name, A Serpent’s Touch, and Guided by the Moon
Rating: 9/10
What is your favorite song off of A Different Shade of Blue?
Lincoln Theatre is an old movie theater converted into a music venue. It is located at 126 E Cabarrus Street which is only one block away from Fayetteville Street, making it a prime venue for Hopscotch! With a capacity of 1,225, it’s the perfect place to take your friends and go dance; it can be cozy at times but usually, there is enough space to move around. On Thursday night of Hopscotch, you can expect the music to be centered around hip hop and rap with artists such as Ric Wilson, Injury Reserve, Joey Purp, and Earth Gang. Friday night will be very indie-rock heavy with artists such as Black Surfer, Truth Club, Yowler, Caroline Rose, and Deerhunter. Saturday night will be centered around folk and Americana with Blue Cactus, Kelsey Walden, Mike and The Moon Pies, and Sarah Shook and The Disarmers. No matter what kind of music you’re into, Lincoln Theater has got your back at Hopscotch.
The venue is all general admission with standing in the room closest to the stage, a seated area with barstool towards the back, and a balcony overlooking the stage. Lincoln Theatre has always been one of my favorite venues for this reason. You can dance in the standing room then take a seat when you get tired, and then eventually make your way up to the balcony to watch everyone else dance. Since the venue was once a movie theater, the bar is located in the lobby. Overall, the staff is super friendly and helpful. Every time I have been to Lincoln Theatre I’ve had a positive experience and I can always count on them to have a good time.
