Category: Concert Review

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Concert Review Local Music

Photos from Kooley High and King Mez!

Photographs taken by WKNC photographer Katie Hill

King Mez

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Kooley High

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

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!

The Bronzed Chorus

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.

Negrido

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.

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Concert Review Local Music

Wildwood release party Saturday at the Cradle

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.

Chatham County Line is playing several shows on Tuesday including free ones at Sadlack’s Heroes in support of Schoolkid’s Records and another at Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill.

Listen to CCL on the Local Beat 7/2/10:
Chatham County Line on the Local Beat 7/2/10

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Concert Review

Sleigh Bells (7/6/10)

The show began with a deafening start by NERVE CITY that made us grateful to have our earplugs. Although not unpleasant, the duo played a short and forgettable set. They were followed by PO PO; a quirky pair that put on a good show.

The wait for Sleigh Bells was impressive (almost as long as their set!) but definitely well worth it. The stage was a mass of speakers, and, as soon as band took the stage, the crowd became a dense, sweaty mass. The next 40 minutes was electro-rock dance madness.

By the time the show came to a close, we had witnessed an onstage kiss between Alexis Krauss and a female audience member and the stage had to be cleared of 20 or more ecstatically dancing fans.

We left the show with our ears slightly ringing despite the ear plugs, but, overall, the Sleigh Bells were pure fun and their impressive sound translated undeniably well at the Cat’s Cradle.

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Concert Review

Caught on camera: A bluegrass surprise at a corporate dinner

I’m a photography intern at Advanced Energy, and this past Tuesday night was our annual Board of Directors dinner. It was a beautiful event held at NC State’s Dorothy and Roy Park Alumni Center on Centennial Campus. The dining room looked like it could also be used as a ballroom or even to inaugurate the next president. There were sparkling chandeliers, most likely bigger than the average car, ceiling-high windows, and an elegant fireplace.

Needless to say, I was incredibly nervous to be the 20-year-old intern who has been with the company for less than a month, and I would be mingling with expensive men and honored guests, among them a member of our state senate. I did that female thing—you know, with the skirt and the make-up and the cute shoes—I put on my best adult-pleasing smile, and I walked in with my Van Gogh umbrella and awkward camera bag.

After I got over my adolescent fear of adults, creeped on the guests with my 200mm zoom lens, and ate some delicious carrot cake, the night turned out to be quite enjoyable, and much less scary than my dramatic imagination anticipated. But the real treat at the end of the evening was the beautiful bluegrass music from the Durham duo, The Jaybirds

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Made up of Jamie, the male singer and acoustic guitar player, and Susie, female singer and fiddle/electric bass player, their soulful yet upbeat melodies wonderfully filled the enormous hall and immediately had me enchanted. While many of the adults continued with their small talk, I was completely enamored, and I knew I had to spread the word about their incredible talent. For us they played bluegrass and covered the oldie but goodie, “Proud Mary” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, but they said they also played rock and blues if the crowd so demanded. If you’re an Americana fan, think of the beautiful harmonies of the Small Ponds mixed with the cajun flavor of Langhorne Slim with the delicate soul of Meklit Hadero. If you don’t believe me, check out their Myspace page, or visit them on Facebook, even like them! They only have two demos to listen to, but those two songs are more than enough to showcase their raw talent and rare synchronicity.

Photography taken by WKNC photographer Katie Hill

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Concert Review

Dutchess and the Duke, Dodos, and New Pornographers Rock Memorial HallFriday, July 25

Despite the dearth of good things on UNC’s campus, Memorial Hall put on a spectacular show Friday, June 25. The Dutchess and the Duke and Dodos opened for the super group New Pornographers in a jaw-dropping concert.

The Dutchess and the Duke were joined by another member due to an accident with a food processor leaving the lead guitarist wounded. They played a set of strong folk rock with heavy vocals and light percussion.

I had been told that Dodos do not put on a good live show, but after their performance Friday, I beg to differ. These three guys—Meric Long, Logan Kroeber, and Keaton Snyder—played a percussion-filled set of their high-energy songs mainly off albums Visitor and Time to Die. They were obviously quite tired from traveling on tour for the past two weeks, for their between-song banter was admittedly lackluster, but, luckily, this did not carry over to their music.  Fellow DJ Sarah-nade enjoyed the vibraphone, which we found added a deeper sound to the music.

I don’t need to tell you how amazing the New Pornographers are. You’re probably singing your favorite New Pornographers’ song in your head right now (mine is Myriad Harbour). The acoustics in Memorial Hall worked perfectly with the sound emanating from A.C. Newman’s guitar, Neko Case and Kathryn Calder’s beautiful voices, and all musicians making up this Canadian super group. As we listened, I pictured colorful threads of sound coming together to form one beautiful tapestry. They played a great set, starting off with “Sing Me Spanish Techno” and kept the energy high with “Myriad Harbor” and songs off their new album, Together, like “Your Hands” and “Crash Years.” They played songs off almost all of their five albums.

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Concert Review Local Music

6/17 LBLB Photos, and what to expect this Thursday, 6/24

Photos by WKNC photographer Katie Hill

White Tiger and the Bed of Roses

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Colossus

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Come down to WKNC and Tir Na Nog’s Local Beer Local Band Night on Thursday, June 24 to see Trekky Records’ Embarrassing Fruits, Charlotte natives Yardwork, and Raleigh’s Whatever Brains! The show is FREE! Starts at 9:30 p.m.  Plus, there are mighty yummy local beers on tap.  I think I will hit up Big Boss Diablo this Thursday…

EMBARRASSING FRUITS
http://www.myspace.com/embarrassingfruitsband

“Over a breezy melody, lazily strummed chords and cymbal splashes, frontman Joe Norkus recounts fond memories of poolside dances and conversations about coffee with the girl he’s met on the corner. When lightning hits their town and Jesus Christ comes down for a visit, the people scatter—except for Norkus and his summer affection. Hell, they’re even making babies while the town burns.”
—Spencer Griffith, Independent Weekly

Read more:http://www.myspace.com/embarrassingfruitsband#ixzz0rE6MxOh7

YARDWORK
http://www.myspace.com/yardworknc

Yardwork is a sick band hailing from Charlotte, NC.   Listening to them while I write this blog, I’d say they are wonderful, catchy and happy, songs to rock to.  A friend of mine is buddies with the band, so of course all of us are going to be there!

WHATEVER BRAINS
http://www.myspace.com/whateverbrains

Whatever Brains is loud.  So loud and so awesome.  They have real talent turned up as high as the volume knob can go.  If they have T-Shirts for sale at the nOg, I recommend the hamburger one.

“Whatever Brains is, allegedly, a punk band gobbing guitar fuzz on songs paced like they were penned by a kid with ADHD and no meds.”  –Independent Weekly

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Concert Review

Hooray For Earth, Surfer Blood and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart rock the Cat’s Cradle

by Tommyboy and Spaceman Spiff

Atmosphere is not the only thing that matters for a show, but few will argue against it’s utmost importance.  The atmosphere at the Cat’s Cradle on the 15th was, forgive the term, awesome.  Laid back and congenial, the three bands on the bill obviously got along like good friends.  The Cradle was one of the last stops on their long tour together and the amicable vibe that evening was reinforced when each band mentioned the stop to be of personal significance.

The first to play was NYC-based Hooray For Earth (who had earlier in the day paid a visit to the WKNC studio for a live interview with our very own DJ Ones).  Several of their instruments appeared to be held together with duct tape, an eccentric detail that complimented the marvelously ramshackle nature of their music.  Their songs were slightly off-kilter and poppy and their set was high in energy.  Especially intense was the presence of two on-stage percussionists.

Following in rather quick succession, as opposed to the customary half-hour wait between bands, the much-lauded West Palm Beach, Florida, natives Surfer Blood took the stage.  The performance was prefaced with lead singer JP Pitts voicing the notion that “we’re all the same; you guys are just like us, and we are just like you.”  After plucking the opening notes of “Take It Easy,” Pitts slyly asked the audience, “Do you want the guitar on or off?”  His question was met with a few seconds of stunned silence.  Surely the musicians behind one of the best guitar albums of recent memory, Astro Coast, would want to thrill us with their riffs?  The response for “on” was overwhelmingly enthusiastic, and for the rest of their set Pitts ran around the stage taking power stances, holding his ax like a gun.  The energy of the evening built to the soaring one-two punch of “Swim” (for which all willing guests were invited onto the stage) and “Anchorage.”  With calm confidence, the band masterfully captured the rich and spacious sound of their album.

Kip Berman of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart took the stage after a short break to play a solo rendition of “Contender” before his full band took their places behind him.  With his band poised to start, Berman shyly asked the crowd, “Are you ready to rock?”  The band proceeded to breeze through pop gem after glorious pop gem only to peak with the catchy fuzz of “Young Adult Friction” and their new single “Say No To Love.”  If Surfer Blood is a guitar band, then the Pains are certainly a drums band.  Kurt Feldman, who also fronts the equally fuzzed-out band The Depreciation Guild, plays enchanting beats to which many people in the audience were enthusiastically air drumming.  JP Pitts of Surfer Blood and Gary Benacquista of Hooray For Earth gleefully appeared at the right moments to dance onstage and add frantic shakes of their tambourines.

As if the aggregate experience of these acts was not enough, members of all three bands took the stage for the encore, abiding by the crowd’s fervent request for their rendition of Lit’s “My Own Worst Enemy” (see below for a video of a similarly energetic performance of the song in Orlando).  With everyone in the room grooving along to the song, it wasn’t clear who was enjoying themselves more: the musicians or the audience.  Quite simply, everyone was experiencing the joys of celebrating music together.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvGwGSBUDfQ&feature=player_embedded

(Video source: Pitchfork)

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Concert Review

Why I Love Bluegrass: Del McCoury Band

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.

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Concert Review

Of Montreal at it again

“Go with what you know”  can be a dangerous adage to follow when deciding what to spend your hard-earned money on in the ways of live music.  Seeing the same band, or the same types of bands, unwaveringly can make you bored, poorly-rounded, and generally not fun to be around.  Conversely, excessive experimentation and willy-nillyness in your show-going can lead to tired feet, confusion, and a real skinny wallet. Appropriate balance is key; of Montreal is your huckleberry.

Wednesday was the third time (for second time at the Cradle) I’ve seen the much-lauded Elephant Six troop from Athens. And, as always, they failed in every way possible to disappoint.

When you see of Montreal, you know you’re going to hear great music; you know you’re going to get a great live performance. What keeps you coming back, to quote my favorite political actor of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, are the “known unknowns.” The on-stage theatrics, the costume changes, the audience involvement: you know they’re all coming, you just don’t know how.

Kevin Barnes has a way about picking out great openers, too. (E.g., They tapped the now teen-infectious MGMT well before they worked their way into cute girls’ iPods and everyone else’s guilty conscience (don’t lie), as well as the oh-so-fabulous Sugar and Gold.) This time,the opener was the densely-populated (two divas, a bad-ass sax player, a helmet-wearing keys player, two exceedingly talented guitar players, and a drummer who somehow managed to keep up the rhythm) Noot d’Noot:

an Atlanta-based freak-funk hipswaying acid jazz group up to whom the crowd warmed quite well. Oh yeah, and a lead male vocalist (seen in the above with his hands in the air) who looked a whole lot like this guy:

Like I said, of Montreal failed miserably to disappoint. Alas, there was no coffin filled with shaving cream, no on-stage faux-hanging (both featured when I saw them last, in Durham), but there were plenty of gas mask-wearing bishops:
and, of course, the obligatory trash can-mounted feather blaster:

I’ll certainly see these guys (and gal) next time they pop up in the triangle.  It’s a safe way to spend your show-cash: you know what you’re gonna get, but there are sufficient “unknowns” to keep you coming back.

T.A.

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Concert Review Local Music

Kooley High and Carlitta Durand at the Pour House

If you live around Raleigh, Kooley High is one of those groups that everyone seems to be familiar with through word of mouth or after seeing one of their many concert posters promoting their next gig around town.  They perform regularly around the Triangle, yet, somehow, I had yet to see one of their shows until now.  After procuring a pair of tickets to their show at the Pour House on Friday, May 28, I was pumped to finally see them live.

It was a good thing I was pumped because, rather than letting the unexpected downpour dampen my mood, I used it as a funny conversation starter when seeing other concert goers who had obviously suffered the same water soaked journey from their car to the venue.

The opening artists got the crowd warmed up by the time Carlitta Durand took the stage.  Her energy was positive, quirky, and contagious from the get go.  When she started singing, everyone was captivated by her soulful lyrics and smooth sound.  Her backup singers blended perfectly, and the band played with such energy and passion that almost seemed old school.  Undoubtedly, Carlitta performed a beautiful and moving set.

As Kooley High took to the stage, the crowd was ready and the energy was intense.  Kooley High did not disappoint and used the energy of the crowd to push it further.  Each individual of the group brought something fresh and new to their sound, while still managing to rhyme effortlessly as a group without one person overbearing the others.  Their set was tight and powerful.  For all of the people in attendance, it was a great way to spend their Friday night.