Author: WKNC Admin

Categories
Festival Coverage

Hopscotch 2014 Day Party Wrap-Up

image

Hopscotch Music Festival is by far my favorite weekend in Raleigh. There are countless shows by incredible international, national, and local acts every night. There is so much going on at any given point that it is impossible to be bored. The down-side of this though is sometimes there is too much going on at once and you have to miss one of your must see acts. But have no fear, day parties are here to save the day. Day parties give artists a chance to play different sets in different venues to some people who might have missed their late night sets. It’s also a place for some bands who aren’t a part of the festival (Spider Bags and Ex Hex) or a chance to see some truly incredible and rare collaborations (Mary Lattimore / Thurston Moore and Daniel Bachman / Nathan Bowles). The best part about these day parties is that they are free and some even provide free pizza!

Hopscotch just recently posted a comprehensive list of all of the incredible day parties taking place. I am going to highlight some of the ones that I am most excited about below, but definitely be sure to check out the full list as there are way too many heavy-hitters this year to include in this post.

Thursday, September 4th
Slim’s: noon – 5:00 p.m.
PotLuck presents The 2nd Annual Hopscotch Rock n’ Roll Pizza Party
Outside stage: Schooner (4:30), See Gulls (3:30), Lakes & Woods (2:30), North Elementary (1:30), Horizontal Hold (12:30)
Inside stage: Le Weekend (4:00), The Good Graces (3:00), Curtains (2:00), Beauty World (1:00) Rogue Band of Youth (12:00), Wichita Falls (11:30)
Sponsored by Lilly’s Pizza, Big Boss Brewing

On Thursday, we see the return of the 2nd Annual Hopscotch Rock n’ Roll Pizza Party at Slim’s. This party features free pizza provided by Lilly’s Pizza and is presented by Potluck featuring the best of the Potluck family and friends.

Friday, September 5th
Kings Barcade: noon – 5 p.m.
Three-Lobed Recordings/WXDU Day Show:
Mary Lattimore and Thurston Moore (4:20-5:00), MV&EE (3:30-4:00), Sunburned Hand of the Man (2:45-3:15), Little Black Egg Big Band (1:20-2:20), Jenks Miller and Rose Cross NC (12:30-1:00), Bachman-Bowles Duo (11:45-12:15), with between set improv work from Nathan Bowles and Mike Gangloff

On Friday, Three-Lobed Recordings and WXDU again bring some huge names to their day party at Kings. This showcase again features some spectacular collaborations and boasts the only performance of a lot of these people at the festival this year. Kicking off the day is DBB alum Daniel Bachman along with Daniel Bowles in their debut collaboration effort followed by special sets by Jenks Miller & Rose Cross NC, the debut of the Little Black Egg Big Band, and Sunburned Hand of the Man. The only repeat offenders of this festival will be MV&EE who promise a special set unique from their Thursday night performance. Once again, Thurston Moore closes out the party with another first-time collaboration effort with harpist Mary Lattimore. This party is once again destined to push Kings to capacity so get there early and why wouldn’t you?

Friday, September 5th
Nice Price Books: 1:30 – 5 p.m.
88.1 WKNC + 103.1 WUAG Present:
Matt Kivel, Krill, Palehound, Black Santa, Y’all, The Dinwiddies
Sponsored by Lilly’s Pizza

And of course, don’t forget WKNC and WUAG’s inaugural, collaborative day party taking place at Nice Price Books. Not to toot our own horn, but this show features 3 national acts that I am the most excited to see at this festival (Krill, Palehound, Matt Kivel). The show also features Greensboro greats Black Santa, ex-Invisible Hand rockers Y’ALL, and lo-fi swooners The Dinwiddies. Oh, and also free pizza by Lilly’s Pizza.

Friday, September 5th
Slim’s: noon – 5:30 p.m.
Churchkey Records, The Layabout, and Bull City Burger & Brewery Present: ¡Que Viva! 2014
Inside stage: Spider Bags (4:45), Gross Ghost (3:15), Scully (1:45), Silent Lunch (12:15)
Ouside Stage: Pipe (4:00), Las Rosas (2:30), The Everymen (1:00)

The line-up speaks for itself. Learn how to be in 3 places at once.

Saturday, September 6th
Warehouse District: noon – 5 p.m.
‘Babes in Boyland’ a Day Party in support of Girls Rock NC:
EX HEX, Caitlin Rose, Loamlands, The Tender Fruit
Partners: Videri Chocolate Factory, Baldwin, Slingshot Coffee, Pie Pushers, Chirba Chirba, Parlour Ice Cream, Planned Parenthood of NC, Humdinger Juice, TOPO Distillery

Boyland is the place to be on Saturday.  Durham’s The Tender Fruit kick things off followed by Loamlands’ catchy, twangy Southern rock and Nashville’s sweetheart Caitlin Rose. Mary Timony’s power-trio, Ex Hex, closes out the party with their infectious display of showmanship and musicianship. The show not only features incredible music, but also features a Bloody Mary bar by Ashley Christensen, Glowmosas by Humdinger Juice, Cold Press Coffee by Slingshot Coffee Company, Pie Pushers, Chirba Chirba Dumplings, and The Parlour. Not only does the line-up stand out in the list of day parties, but on a weekend filled by big names, things like food and alcohol definitely seem to tip the scale. Oh yeah, it also supports a great cause.

Categories
Podcasts

Coytah

Categories
Local Music Music News and Interviews

Phian interviewed Coytah before they played Local Band Local Beer night at Tir Na Nog Irish Pub in Raleigh.

Three of their songs were played during the interview: On My Way, My Design and Summer In Paris.

You can listen to more of Coytah’s music on Reverb Nation and like them on Facebook.

Listen here.

Categories
Concert Review

Ska for A Cure

The Pressure Boys

The Connels

Dex Romweber Duo

AUGUST 8, 2014

The Be Loud! Sophie Foundation Benefit Concert at Cat’s Cradle was a huge success! $45,000 was raised between the two shows on August 8th (pictured above) and August 9th. Dex Romweber Duo opened, followed by The Connels, and east coast ska legends, The Pressure Boys, reuniting for only the second time in decades. The cult icons rocked the house, with fans both old and new traveling from as far as New Hampshire to see them play together for what might be the last time. 

This was my first ska show, but it definitely won’t be my last. Ska is for everyone. For those of you who don’t know, ska is a genre of music that includes fast guitar offbeats, walking basslines, and horns of all kinds. It’s fast, it’s complex, and it makes you want to dance. It was definitely the most fun I’ve had at a concert in a long time.

To learn more about the Be Loud! Sophie Foundation, visit http://beloudsophie.org

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

Hopscotch Artist Profile: Ed Schrader’s Music Beat

Album art for "Party Jail," new release by Ed Schrader's Music Beat

“I didn’t like that second band,” said the kid I for whom I had just scored a free ticket to see Future Islands at Cat’s Cradle several years ago.

The ingrate was referring to Ed Schrader’s Music Beat. The performance was admittedly unconventional; on a dark stage, Ed Schrader stood over a snare drum with a bright light underneath it, so that his face was lit up the same way as when you hold a flashlight while telling a ghost story. “Rats!” He exclaimed maniacally, banging his drum to a fast rhythm.  I loved it.

A year or so later when I met Dan Deacon in Moore Square, he was wearing an Ed Schrader’s Music Beat t-shirt. They are all exemplary members of Baltimore’s Wham City scene, where it goes without saying that a live performance is a craft in its own right.

The 2-piece band’s live performance is a testament to the “less is more” persuasion.  If you just listen to their music, they still sound interesting – grungy, kind of no-wave – but their act is a spectacle to appreciate for the artful way in which they present the simplicity of their set up: two people, one with a bass and the other with a snare and a microphone on a stand.  A worklight. Symmetry. With only a few resources on stage, the band creates exceptional dimension.

Ed Schrader’s appearance in the Triangle coincides with the band’s August release of their new album Party Jail.  They will play Hopscotch Music Festival in Raleigh at CAM on Thursday, September 3rd between 10-11pm.

 -DJ Acorn

Categories
Music News and Interviews

Grant Golden of “Carolina Grown” sat down with members of Dark Water Rising on Aug. 8. Listen back to their conversation.

Categories
Podcasts

Dark Water Rising

Categories
Podcasts

Dark Water Rising

Categories
Music News and Interviews

Greg and Nathan from Hopscotch Music Fest LLC stopped by the station last week to chat with me about the state of the festival, its future, the triangle community, and music in general. You can listen to the extensive interview here. 

Our conversation had me thinking on some of the highlights from my experiences at past years attending the festival. Many of the most fun times I’ve had at Hopscotch or in Raleigh, or at live concerts in general have been sparked by the somewhat spontaneous nature of Hopscotch’s design. By so excellently pairing such interesting and unknown artists together with local acts or more established groups the festival creates an atmosphere that breeds discovery.

But while there are great sets at single venues at the same time the range of diversity and general quality of the festival brings always brings up conflicts and scavenger hunt style show attendance hopping. 

I remember at last year’s festival I went to CAM to see Horse Lords on a completely blind suggestion from a friend. Horse Lords have been described as “polyrhythmic krautrockers” that use intonation and repeating tropes in an entrancing psychedelic rock and roll kind of way. It doesn’t sound like the kind of thing that could be catchy or fun but IT WAS. The live performance had multitudes of energy and on top of that I got to have a conversation with Wye Oak’s Jenn Wasner in the crowd. 

Its that kind of liberating feeling that any show you could walk into could be your next favorite band that has kept me coming to Hopscotch year after year and I hope you consider making some spontaneous choices this year as well. 

Categories
Podcasts

Greg and Nathan from Hopscotch


Our conversation had me thinking on some of the highlights from my experiences at past years attending the festival. Many of the most fun times I’ve had at Hopscotch or in Raleigh, or at live concerts in general have been sparked by the somewhat spontaneous nature of Hopscotch’s design. By so excellently pairing such interesting and unknown artists together with local acts or more established groups the festival creates an atmosphere that breeds discovery.

But while there are great sets at single venues at the same time the range of diversity and general quality of the festival brings always brings up conflicts and scavenger hunt style show attendance hopping.

I remember at last year’s festival I went to CAM to see Horse Lords on a completely blind suggestion from a friend. Horse Lords have been described as “polyrhythmic krautrockers” that use intonation and repeating tropes in an entrancing psychedelic rock and roll kind of way. It doesn’t sound like the kind of thing that could be catchy or fun but IT WAS. The live performance had multitudes of energy and on top of that I got to have a conversation with Wye Oak’s Jenn Wasner in the crowd. 

Its that kind of liberating feeling that any show you could walk into could be your next favorite band that has kept me coming to Hopscotch year after year and I hope you consider making some spontaneous choices this year as well.