If you’ve been in the Triangle for any number of years like I have, then you’ve likely seen Future Islands play. Their dark-wave synth dance music is addicting and the experience is an intoxicating modern take on Shakespeare. Their live performances never leave the crowd unsatisfied. Band members Gerrit Welmers, William Cashion and Samuel T Herring have moved the band from Greenville to Raleigh and most recently to Baltimore where they quickly became part of Dan Deacon’s artist collective, Wham City. However, the Triangle has been an important middle ground for Future Islands. Kind of like the lunch room in middle school where that delicate mix of young minds are eager to find other young minds, the triangle has provided this cultivation for collaboration.
I’ll sit down with the band Friday and talk about their voyage. Tune in to hear tracks from their discography and old favorites from their first project, Art Lord and The Self Portraits. And if you have any stories or experiences from a Future Islands show that you’d like to share, please email them to kelly@wknc.org. We’ll take it to the airwaves with the band. They will be at the WKNC studio Friday for an on-air interview at 4 p.m. The band is touring in support of their recent release, “In Evening Air.” The release is their second LP and first on the Chicago Indie Label, Thrill Jockey.
Future Islands will be headlining at the Local 506 this Friday with additional acts: EAR PWR, Nuclear Power Pants, and Fat Camp.
Want MGMT tickets? Well have a listen and win! MGMT is currently on tour in support of their sophomore album, Congratulations. They will be playing at the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium on Wednesday, November 3. Tickets will be available soon at Live Nation.com, but 88.1 has them now. All this week, when the WKNC deejay asks for it, be the correct caller to win tickets for you and a friend.
Tir na nOg and WKNC bring you, once again, the fun time that is Local Beer Local Band Night! Remember, these shows are 21 and up, FREE, and always a great way to spend your Thursday evening.
Both bands offer long, epic, and ambient instrumentals that, for me at least, really make you think. This week’s bands cater to the fans of our Post Rock Block on Sunday’s from 6-7 p.m. So check that out as well!
These two guys seem to make enough noise to sound like a band with a good four or five members. The music is instrumental and very post-rock. Here in the station, while listening to The Bronzed Chorus, I overheard our deejay Escher say, “I could definitely see two giant robots battling to this.” He couldn’t be more spot on.
This group is similar in sound to the Bronzed Chorus but a bit harder. This band is actually from Atlanta, GA, but will be touring with The Bronzed Chorus across the nation this summer.
Last Friday’s Local Beat was slammed full of live local music. We welcomed a new group to the scene, an old one getting back together, and announced some new local releases all in three hours. All the bands who came on the program also played some live tracks (nine total), never before heard, so be sure to listen to and download all of the brand new songs on the Local Beat ReverbNation page.
In the first hour of the show, I welcomed in Raleigh group Kid Future who made some news when they played at Local Beer Local Band back in April. It was their second show ever, but they made quite the impression on the crowd, and I welcomed them onto the show to learn more about the group and introduce them to those who have not seen them live. Unfortunately, we learned that even though the group is relatively new, drummer Robert Fisher is leaving the band to head to Boston for grad school. Remaining members Bryan Costello and Kevin Donnelly plan on continuing the band, and you can still see the original Kid Future lineup for two more shows. The first is at Slim’s Downtown on July 15 with The Cellar Seas and Thomas Costello (of Mount Weather), and the second is at Local Beer Local Band a week later at Tir Na Nog Irish Pub on the 22nd with Midtown Dickens. Check out the live acoustic songs Kid Future played in the widget above! Kid Future on the Local Beat 7/9/10
The 6 p.m. hour was certainly a special treat, as I was joined by Mike Roy and Rob Watson of The Whistlestop (also of Watson & Roy). The Whistlestop have not played live in over a year as the group took a hiatus due to the birth of Mike’s daughter a year ago and the release of his solo album Shot Friction. Rob has also been working on his long awaited solo album but, in the meantime, the pair has had time to begin work on their second album and debuted some brand new material for us during the interview. In total, five live songs were played, including three brand new, never before heard tracks, which you can listen to and download on the Local Beat ReverbNation page. You can see The Whistlestop for the first time in 2010 this next Friday at Mac’s Tavern in Cary. The Whistlestop on the Local Beat 7/9/10
For the last hour, I was joined by Billy Sugarfix of Billy Sugarfix’s Carousel along with Pete and Andrea of Birds and Arrows. The two groups are releasing a split 7" vinyl single through 307 Knox Records this coming Friday, July 16 at the brand new 307 Knox headquarters located at 618 Foster Street in downtown Durham. We spent time discussing vinyl’s relevance in today’s music industry and the death and possible rebirth of the “single”. Billy Sugarfix is signed to Pox World Empire and recorded his new single “If There’s A Secret” there even though it is being released on 307 Knox (whom B&A are signed to), and we chatted about the two record labels and decided on a new name for them: “307 Pox”. Both groups played their brand new singles for us, which you can listen to and download from our Local Beat ReverbNation page. Also, check out the brand new Birds & Arrows music video directed and produced by Billy Sugarfix: Birds & Arrows and Billy Sugarfix on the Local Beat 7/9/10
Magic happened in the form of live local music Saturday night at the Cat’s Cradle as Chatham County Line had their album release show for Wildwood.
Birds & Arrows were invited to open for a late arriving crowd who were chit-chatting quite loudly at the start of the set. That was until the war painted lead singer Andrea Connolly opened her mouth for the first time and her strong but enchanting voice immediately silenced the entire venue as B&A jumped right into one of their favorites, “Honeymoon Song.” The group debuted several brand new songs including their new single “Pride of Lions” which is slated to be released this Friday evening in Durham. Needless to say, I believe many in the crowd were not followers of our local music scene, and I heard nearly a dozen people exclaim how impressed they were with this “unknown” band. After their set, the crowd gave B&A a well deserved rousing applause.
Birds & Arrows are playing this Friday in downtown Durham for the release of their new 7" single off of 307 Knox Records. Billy Sugarfix who is also on the release and Schooner are playing as well.
Chatham County Line took the stage a short time later to a cheering and delightful near-sellout crowd. There was an immediate hush followed by an ecstatic breakout as the acoustic band dived right into to a couple of brand new songs off of Wildwood. If you still have not had the opportunity to hear the new album yet, which is being released officially tomorrow, you will be happy to know that it is the band’s best to date, even outshining its famous last release, IV. Where IV was poppy, Wildwood is hesitant, teetering on the edge of a jumpy hook and laidback mountain picking culminating in a highly pleasing and overall satisfying listen that keeps you coming back (I’ve had it on repeat for almost two weeks now). The crowd in Carrboro was kind enough to stay mostly quiet through the show until the end of each song (save for a few drunken loudmouths) as the group plays acoustic and using only one microphone stand to play around. Dave Wilson even commented that “Carrboro was always more polite than our hometown of Raleigh.” In total, CCL played 22 songs (by my count) in its entire set including 7 from Wildwood bringing the audience to their knees at the end of the final encore begging for even more. After this show, it is obvious that CCL owns the Triangle and the entire Southern bluegrass scene.
