Another Hopscotch has come and gone with the fourteenth festival in the books.
And good golly, was it a learning experience.
Category: Festival Coverage
Previews, reviews and coverage from music festivals like Hopscotch and Moogfest
Hopscotch started early at the Rialto with a little help from power-pop darlings The dB’s and singer-songwriter, Kate Rhudy on Wednesday Sept. 4, 2024
What’s a better way to kick off our beloved festival days than with a meeting of old and new NC music at a tried-and-true old venue turned new?
For the uninitiated, The dB’s are an NYC power-pop quartet by way of Winston-Salem.
Guitarist and vocalist Chris Stamey was the first member to fly the Southern coop to NYU, making a name for himself as a member of Alex Chilton’s backing band “The Kossacks,” later persuading bassist Gene Holder and drummer Will Rigby to join him.
It wasn’t until Chapel Hill based band H-Bomb fizzled out in 1978 that the soon-to-be dB’s lineup would be complete with the addition of guitarist and vocalist Peter Holsapple.
A prime example of “your favorite band’s favorite band,” The dB’s saw rave critical reviews but never quite broke the mainstream in the same way their Southern college rock pioneering contemporaries did.
They easily could have and should have been apart of that massive boom, marching across college campuses arm in arm with R.E.M.
With the imminent reissue of their 1981 debut album “Stands for Decibels” on the horizon, their warm-up set was a celebration of the band’s multifaceted sound an more importantly their
Encompassing both Stamey’s nebulous and amorphous Beach-Boys-by-way-of-Big-Star baroque style pop and Holsapple’s straightforward, youthfully sneering guitar rock, their set was an effective love letter to not only their beginning but to the fans who have stuck with them through the years, and those who have joined along the way.
Supported by Kate Rhudy, the Raleigh-based singer-songwriter warmed the theater with an intimate and tender 45-or so minute set.
Tried and true coffeeshop acoustic, Rhudy cut an incredibly charming if not a little green figure on stage in her rhinestone go-go boots.
Standing alone with her guitar, she carried an air of vulnerability as she crooned and flipped her way through breakup songs and love letters to missing cats.
With each quasi-yodel and delicate vocal flips, she garnered easy comparisons to 10,000 Maniacs’ Natalie Merchant and Taylor Swift.
Perhaps a more direct line of comparison would be if a young Merchant managed Swift’s songbook.
Melding with what seems to be the over all ethos of the festival, Rhudy felt comfortably familiar to old favorites we know and love, while still keeping a unique image all her own.
Alternatively, The dB’s felt as fresh as they day they emerged from NYC’s basement clubs, now serving as a musical “Guess Who?” between their influences and the later influenced.
In contemporary terms, you wouldn’t have groups like The Lemon Twigs without The dB’s, nor would I hazard to guess one of Jack White’s many projects, The Raconteurs.
But that’s really what it’s all about, isn’t it?
Remembering why we love our favorite bands and finding something new to fawn over at the same time; a celebration of music’s circularity.
Together, The dB’s and Rhudy brought a show together for a an intimate welcome to the festival weekend and it certainly left me wanting more of the Hopscotch soup du jour.
– Bodhi
Pregame and pre-plan the 2024 Hopscotch Festival with your not-so intrepid guide, Bodhi.
I am certainly not the festival going type, but when in Rome…right?
As much as I love live music, I’ve never really taken the opportunity to explore the wonderland of a multi-day festival.
So, thanks to the benevolent gods of WKNC, I have the utmost privilege to take you along with me as I dive headfirst into Downtown Raleigh’s favorite indie-alternative smorgasbord.
In the immortal words of Smash Mouth, there’s so much to do and so much to see, so let me be your guide on our nearly week-long romp.
Or, in my own words…let’s take a peek at my must see’s for the 2024 Hopscotch Musical Festival
Pregame! Wednesday, September 4th – The Rialto
The lineup: The dB’s, with support from Kate Rhudy, showtime: 7:00 pm
Quasi-Local favorites The dB’s (Yes, I know they formed in NYC but Winston-Salem calls dibs) are doing a pre-festival warm-up show at the Rialto Theatre to kick off the long festival quasi-weekend.
If you are a fan of WKNC, I’d be willing to bet you’re a fan of first wave college rock/jangle pop too – and in that case where would any of us be without The dB’s?
Fret not: if you can’t catch them on their warm-up, the original line up will also be taking to the one of the Hopscotch main stages on Saturday, September 7.
Day 1: Thursday, September 5 – City Plaza
The lineup: Waxahatchee, Snail Mail, Tim Heidecker and Lonnie Walker
I, for one, about lost my mind to see Tim Heidecker and Waxahatchee sharing a billing. So obviously that’s where I’ll have to be.
It’s day one of the festival and I will be starting low and slow across the plate with the easy, breezy down home sounds of tried and true lo-fi acoustic indie.
But, if twangy, folksy indie isn’t quite your speed, that’s alright over in Moore Square, you’ve got a bill consisting of: JPEGMAFIA, Mavi, Previous Industries, and Jooselord.
Day 2: Friday, September 6 – Moore Square
The lineup: BADBADNOTGOOD, Chicano Batman, Peter One and ¡Tumbao!
A little bit of Neo-Soul and a little Latin flair tees up a fine night in Bodhi’s book.
We’re all familiar with BADBADNOTGOOD from their TikTok viral stint as part of the Adult Swim “[as]” logo trend, but selfishly, I’m in it for the effortless psychedelic SoCal-cool of Chicano Batman and the classic Latin-fusion of ¡Tumbao!
Alternatively, if that’s not your speed, more power to you because over in City Plaza you’ve got the bulletproof bill of: Faye Webster, MJ Lenderman and the Wind, Feeble Little Horse and My Sister Maura.
Day 3: Saturday, September 7 – City Plaza (and maybe Moore Square too?)
Oh, my lovelies…I have a lot of heartburn over what to do with myself on the last day of the festival.
On one hand, you’ve got the wonderfully eclectic lineup of: The Jesus Lizard, Wednesday, Durand Jones, The dB’s, Ducks LTD and Charlie Passo over in Moore Square.
On the other, you’ve got the undeniably electric (see what I did there?) bill of: St Vincent, Guided by Voices, Indigo de Souza, Amen Dunes and Sofia Bolt in City Plaza.
And this, dear reader is where the ever appropriate name of the festival comes into play; we’re going to play hopscotch.
The beauty of downtown is everything is within walking distance if you’re stubborn enough, so I’m going to attempt to split the bill and see a little bit of everything Saturday night – Who said I can’t have my cake and eat it too?
Speaking of Hopscotch: Clubs and Darties
Before I let you go to begin your own plan making, I would be remiss to ignore the legendary day parties that further thicken the Hopscotch plot.
Spread across The Lincoln Theatre, Neptunes, Kings, The Pourhouse, Wicked Witch, Slim’s, TRansfer Co. Ballroom and Nash Hall (amongst others), small bands light up the City of Oaks in more intimate shows through the mid afternoon and the early hours of morning.
For my lazy bones who forgot to get a pass, good news! While late night club sets require a pass (womp womp), anything labeled a “Day Party” is free and open to the public.
Go forth and happy Hopscotch-ing! – Bodhi
We’re witnessing the musical changing of the guard and it could not be a more excitingly bittersweet time to love music.
The 2024 line-up for the Outlaw Music Festival was nothing short of legendary rolling into Raleigh’s Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek; Celisse, Alisson Krause & Robert Plant, Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson all taking the stage.
But as best laid plans are apt to do, the line up fell through.
The danger, you see, is in relying on octo- and nonagenarians for your entertainment is the general precarity of old age.
Friday, June 21st Willie Nelson’s team released a statement announcing the country singer’s departure from four of the ensuing tour dates due to medical concerns.
In his place, son Lukas Nelson and the Nelson Family Band stepped in with an abridged tribute set.
But it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing to let the younger Nelson take the stage in his father’s wake.
If anything, it reaffirmed what we already knew about Willie’s songs — they’re timeless country-western staples for a reason.
And more importantly, Lukas Nelson is far too talented to stay in his father’s shadow.
Freed from the albatross of an elderly father, Nelson’s voice quite literally soared through the shortened tribute set – simply put, he sounded like his father for a new age.
Waffling between original compositions and Willie-standards, Nelson was able to effortlessly bridge the divide between new fans and old, bouncing between the soulful growl present on Promise of The Real track “Find Yourself” to his father’s signature warble on songs like “Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain.”
Speaking of soul, I would be remiss not to mention one of the freshest faces amongst the lineup: Celisse.
The Oakland born singer and guitarist easily won over unsure and unfamiliar audiences with more than just sweet talk and charm, she won them over with her sound.
Bombastic in every sense of the word, her belt and her shred equally silenced the normally rowdy “lawnies” of Coastal Credit Union – her cover of Bill Withers’ “Use Me” met with earthshaking applause and shouts.
For a woman who has been making music for well over a decade, touring as supporting acts for some of the biggest acts in folk and easy listening rock both old and new – Brandi Carlisle and Joni Mitchell, to name a few – I have a sneaking suspicion that Outlaw Music Festival is only the beginning of her just desserts.
So yes, Bob Dylan and Robert Plant were once-in-a-lifetime, bucket list artists to see, but perhaps more importantly, I walked away with not just hope, but a feverish excitement to see what the next wave of Americana, Soul and whatever-the-hell-else-you-want-to-call-it will be.
Long story short, it is sad to see the old god’s fade away, but my god, I cannot wait to see the nebulous eruptions of the new.
– Bodhi
Welcome one, welcome all to my glorious writings about North Carolina’s State Fair. I will regale thee with tales of scrumptious foods, boisterous bands and even look longingly at puppy treats.
Lil’ History:
Here’s a teeny bit of the purpose of North Carolina’s State Fair:
“…the State Fair has become a traditional fall-time event that aims to educate all North Carolinians about the importance of agriculture to our heritage and our economy”
From NC State Fair’s website.
Not only does it educate us about the state’s agricultural history, but it promotes community involvement with it too. With many interactive exhibits like watching livestock prize shows, learning about the agri-business throughout the years in history exhibits and witnessing prize crops being showcased, any fair-goer can experience the amount of wealthy pride exuding from contestants and farmers alike.
What’s a WKNC music blog writer supposed to enjoy about agriculture? Well, local food and business influence the ways people think, especially budding and current local musicians. In a far-fetched way that somehow connects in my mind, I can see the way local bands are influenced by their surroundings.
Look at Wednesday and Indigo de Souza, two of the biggest North Carolinian names in music (we’re going to forget about DaBaby), but both arose with unique sounds and flavors originating from NC’s country, modern, hippie town of Asheville thanks to the special culture brewed there.
Back to the State Fair:
There is tons to do there. The State Fair’s got everything set up for ten whole days of running from nine in the morning until eleven or twelve at night every single day. The daily schedule shifts and flows from day-to-day and going one day would result in a different experience compared to the next.
Food:
So, let us set the scene: it was a glorious Friday afternoon, the second day of the fair, and as it was around lunch time, I decided the first thing I must do is find sustenance. It’s not easy to find food at the fair. No, sorry, let me rephrase that, it’s not easy to choose which of the hundreds of in-your-face smells to let fill your tummy.
I walked around a ton before landing at my first meal, andI saw beautiful smiling faces captivated by comfort foods shoved in a fryer, then on a stick, then into their mouths. Exorbitant amounts of food sailed around and around, passing through grills, hands, more hands, then mouths. It’s a beautiful scene of what we all happily share together, a need for delightful nourishment.
My first purchase of the day was an unmemorable country ham sandwich. Now usually, I go for vegetarian options wherever and whenever I can, but I had a strong urge to get a delightful salty piece of chewy meat down my gullet.
It was okay. The biscuit was crumbly and nothing more than a competent vehicle for the country ham to reach my mouth. The ham itself wasn’t even stereotypically salty. Tougher than horse hide, I had to chew too much to get small bites down my throat.
Up next was a true delight; a Fair food, no, a street food that has become internationally significant to many people, falafel. I went to the “Neomonde” stand to get my falafel pita wrap. These fried chickpea balls of golden, crispy goodness warmed my heart as it was paired with pickled red onions, a topping incomparable to pickles or relish on a burger or hotdog.
The only downside to this pita wrap was how surprisingly filling it was for me. I intended to eat a lot more food during my walk-abouts and general enjoyment of fellow fair goers, but my stomach was full so I did my best to digest…
Music:
…And listen to live music of course. During my stay of about five hours at the Fair, I was able to see two performances at the “Live and Local Music Stage”, which can be easily located on the map to the fairgrounds.
The first performance I saw was Teens in Trouble, a local Raleigh band full of folks living in the area. Their lead singer, Lizzie Killian, presented the very small audience with lovely vocals and lively atmosphere. I wish there were more folks around to enjoy the woozy, melodic vibes emanating from Teens in Trouble.
They played one of Killian’s solo tracks, “I Wonder What You’re Doing Now” off their EP released last year. It’s a sweet, acoustic track that is perfect for the Fall. Teens in Trouble has a new release coming out early next year that we can all look forward to.
After Teens in Trouble, was Christian James, a Raleigh native who appeared on WKNC’s “The Lounge”, which is a great way to see recorded performances of artists that come into our radio station to give us a taste of their sounds.
On the stage at the Fair, James performed “Junie B. Jones” and a few of his other tracks that I unfortunately didn’t get the names of. I really enjoyed James’ energy they provided on stage. With a limited number of people in the audience, he brought smiles to the few who were enjoying the show, including myself. They were a very charismatic group of characters on the stage and it was fun to watch the show unfold.
Home Chef Competition:
It was quite toasty sitting out there in the sunlight, drinking up all I could of the wonderful live music, but I needed to escape the heat, so I walked right next door to the Got to Be NC Pavillion to enjoy some shade. There were tons of local vendors selling everything from popped rice biscuits to local water. Everything had to do with food here, and I felt like I was in heaven.
A talented chef from Asheville was on a large stage in the center of the arena making a delicious smelling meal of pulled pork and coleslaw to a few lucky volunteers. I stayed and watched for a bit, but my attention was dragged away by the illustrious Home Chef Competition happening just in the entryway of the arena.
On the day I was there, the competition was based on doggie birthday cakes. What I witnessed had to have been the most lavish puppy treats and creations I’ve ever seen. One contestant presented the judges with a charcuterie board of homemade dog treats including a pet friendly martini, fresh strawberries, cucumbers and assorted doggie baked goods. Even the judges were drooling over it.
Another contestant submitted a cartoonish looking burger the size of a bowling ball meant for one or two lucky pets to enjoy. I’m not even sure a dog the size of Cujo could have eaten that thing in one sitting.
Walkin’ ‘Round Again:
I got my fill rather suddenly of doggie desserts when my stomach started to rumble again. It was time to eat more food. Immediately outside the arena I found myself hankering for something sweet. I stumbled upon Tropical Delights, a fruit smoothie stand, which appeased my needs very efficiently. The well proportioned plastic cup held so much sugary sweetness in just the perfect amount to be devoured during another walk-about.
This time, on my adventure into the chaotic masses, throngs of people had made their way to the fairgrounds and were trampling over the burning asphalt.
With my drink in hand I walked through smelly live animal exhibits featuring beautiful looking swine, cattle and peafowls taking up residence in cages; I traipsed into the beautiful gardens influenced by local fauna at the “Flower & Garden Show”; my feet took me past hundreds of screaming children wanting to get another go at the rickety rides I wouldn’t condemn anyone to spend a single minute on.
There is no end of adventuring at the State Fair. There is no emptying the pool of wealth to be had there. There is no limit of excitement that can be obtained there.
And of course I’ve left out quite a number of things I experienced here. I had no more room to make this blog post into a readable and coherent experience for the people soaking up these words instead of experiencing the fair for themselves.
If you’ve never been to the North Carolina State Fair, then I recommend you take a chance and find yourself some time to visit, eat, and learn, or something along those cheesy lines.
Hopscotch Festival hosts day parties and after parties at clubs and other venues all around Raleigh the weekend of the Hopscotch Music Festival. This year the day parties will be just as stacked as the main event with upcoming artists and bands from all over the world, and some local North Carolina artists. Raleigh venues hosting Hopscotch day and night parties include The Pour House, Schoolkids Records, Slim’s, and more.
For the last two years I have tried to go to day parties and shows after the festival, and have gotten to see acts like Wednesday, MJ Lenderman, and other artists in smaller and more intimate venues, which is a treat in comparison to seeing them on the big stages during the day. This year I have a few artists that I’m really excited to see at some day parties and late night shows. Some of the artists I am most excited to see at day parties are Florry, Horse Jumper of Love, TONSTARTSSBANDHT, Dazy, Sluice, and so many other artists.
Dazy is a band that I have seen live and am excited for the opportunity to see them again. I saw them open for Snail Mail and Water From Your Eyes in May of this year. They play very enjoyable and fuzzy power pop, which I love. Their hooks are catchy and fun, and they played their whole set without stopping once, keeping the energy high during their set. They are playing at Slims on Thursday, September 7 at 4 p.m. as part of the Tiger Bomb x Terrorbird day party. They are also playing at 11 p.m. on Thursday night at the Wicked Witch.
The other four acts I have never seen live and have been wanting to see for a long time. Horse Jumper of Love is a band that I have been following for a while since I heard their debut record from 2017. “Ugly Brunette” and “Spaceman” are some of my favorite songs from the indie rock outlet. The album is beautifully simplistic, it’s full of strange and charming lyrics and gorgeous guitar riffs and melodies. They are also playing the Tiger Bomb x Terrorbird day party at Slims on the 7 at 4:30 p.m. right after Dazy. They are playing at Kings at 12:00 a.m. on Friday, September 8 as well.
Sluice is the contemporary folk project from Durham, North Carolina based-singer songwriter Justin Morris. In March of 2023 Sluice released their album “Radial Gate” which is a filled with Appalachian folk, slowcore, field recordings, and alt-country tunes reminiscent of Mount Eerie or Bill Callahan, he even refers to himself as a “cartoon Callahan” on his song “Fourth of July.” The
album is really endearing and a pleasant listen. Sluice is playing the Psychic Hotline and Glow Management Company day party at Kings on Saturday, September 9.
Florry is a Philadelphia based alt-country band who recently released their newest album, The Holey Bible, which I have been listening to non stop over the last month. The album is full of southern twang fun, clever lyrics, and some heartbreaking ballads like “Song For My Art.” This show will definitely be a must see for fans of Wednesday and MJ Lenderman. They’ll be playing at Slims on Thursday, September 7 at 2:30 p.m. and Neptunes on Friday, September 8th at 1:00 p.m. for the Dear Life Records day party, which is the label they are on.
The last artist I’m really looking forward to seeing is TONSTARTSSBANDHT, a psychedelic, noise rock group from Orlando, Florida. I listened to their album “Petunia” when it came out in 2021 and really enjoyed it. The album is filled with glimmering and fuzzy guitars, sharp drums, layered lush instrumentation, and beautiful harmonies. They’re playing a club show at 12:30 a.m. at Kings on Saturday, September 9, which may be tough to get to after a long weekend of bouncing around to different shows but I heard that they put on a great live performance.
I’m really excited to discover more artists through the main festival, day parties, and club shows. More information about the lineup and schedule can be found on the Hopscotch Music Festival’s website.
It’s that time of year again, when thousands of music-lovers take to the streets of Raleigh to vibe with some seriously class acts, whatever the weather. Yes, 13 years after its debut, Hopscotch Music Festival is back (Sep. 7-9), with main stages at Moore Square and City Plaza, and dozens of stellar acts across the city.
With over 120 acts performing, even the choosiest of playlist-makers can find something to enjoy over the three day event. From rock to rap, post-punk to country, indie, folk, and more, diversity and inclusivity is truly the name of the game.
However, as with every festival lineup worth its salt, a dilemma lies in the inability to put oneself in more than one place at a time. City Plaza and Moore Square are only half a mile apart, but those steps rack up quickly if you’re planning on trekking back and forth between every few sets.
While the truly determined festival-goer could yo-yo between main stages and catch every set, the best intentions don’t always pan, out so it’s best to know your must-sees in advance. To help plan your musical voyage, here’s a look at the main stage lineups:
Thursday (Sep. 7)
Smooth Haze vs. Alt. Edge
Moore Square:
On Thursday afternoon, Moore Square opens the festival with a mellow haze of rock, jazz and psychedelics. A trio meant to be, Sam Evian, Mild High Club and King Krule embody that chill, late summer, “almost the weekend” feeling.
City Plaza:
Summer is also ending over at City Plaza, but with a bit of an edge, as brooding, post-punk takes the stage with Raleigh’s own Truth Club, followed by similar hints of angst from alt-rock groups, Palm, and Alvvays. Late-90s icons, Pavement, follow suit, closing the alt-rock set in style.
Friday (Sep. 8)
Urban vs. Country
Moore Square:
All things country take the stage on Friday at Moore Square. Sunny War brings modern folk-blues, and Neon Union epitomizes that all-American country sound. Cut Worms and Margo Price add pop and rock slants to the genre respectively, with a singer-songwriter angle.
City Plaza:
Raleigh native, Pat Junior, leads the urban parallel happening at City Plaza. TiaCorine builds on Pat Junior’s pure, simple, rhythm and flow with dreamy beats, while Digable Planets bring retro to the party in the style of 90s hip-hop and jazz. Rapper, Denzel Curry, completes the lineup with his signature emotional style.
Saturday (Sep. 9):
Emo vs. Indie
Moore Square:
Saturday is the host with the most with both main stages kicking off at at an earlier time of around 1pm. Max Gowan play emo, indie tunes to his hometown at Moore Square, before Quasi picks up the pace a little with alt-rock, indie hits. 90s emo heavyweights, American Football define the emo mood of the set with electric guitars and pining vocals.
Things get louder when Sunny Day Real Estate introduce prog rock energy to the lineup, and alt-rock, genre-changing, Dinosaur Jr. round off the set.
City Plaza:
Singer-songwriters start Saturday at City Plaza, with the soft vocals of Chessa Rich and the country twang of Florry. Anjimile adds a hint of melancholy to the mood, before ESG shake things up with post-punk and house.
Singer-songwriter, Soccer Mommy, brings rock and gentle vocals to the set, before the dreamy vocals and beats of indie sensations, Japanese Breakfast, close the festival.
More Info:
Having a better idea of the headliners might make planning a little easier, but with acts like these and almost 100 others playing smaller venues across the city, deciding where to be might just take a little more time. Check out the official website, Instagram, Facebook, X (f.k.a. Twitter) and the official Hopscotch app for more information on the lineup and the latest event updates to best Hopscotch your way around Raleigh next week.
By: Maha Syed
“If you don’t know where you are going, any path will take you there.”
-Native American Sioux Proverb
Trust me when I say that Shakori Hills is a sacred place. The magic and energy that I felt every moment I was there is not something that I can capture through words alone. Please understand that the Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival is a really big deal. I was truly shook by my experiences to say the least.
First off, I wanted to say that I have never been camping, I have never been to a music festival and that I have never even been to Pittsboro. However, taking in all of these new experiences was exactly what I needed for my emotional and mental well being.
I stayed for 2 days out of the 4 days that the festival took place. My night started around 7 p.m. on Thursday evening when I arrived to the festival. Then, I met up with my friends at our camp site.
After we all finished getting ready, we walked out of the tent and began to wander around the campgrounds. There was so much to take in. I can recall the sky, which was flooded with bright dancing stars. The sounds of laughter were almost as loud as the music. Everyone felt so comfortable dancing and expressing themselves. The music on stage was incredible and soulful. There were bursts of joy and peace streaming out of my body. I felt like my entire body was on vibrate.
Now I am going to share a series of images I captured on my first night.
On the second day that I attended Shakori, I got to see the pace of the festival change.
I remember waking up to the sounds of nature and community stirring in the morning. The bright rays of sunshine woke me up before my alarm went off. It was a happy morning. I legitimately felt like Snow White.
Shakori during the day had more of a “family feel”. It was very wholesome to say the least.
The weather was gorgeous and the sky was clear.
This festival changed my life. After digesting all of my experiences I realized that Shakori is the place to be. For me, Shakori is a place to escape the hustle and bustle of every day life and a safe space to explore my weird side. I had so much fun meeting new people, meeting farm animals, hugging trees and dancing with my friends. There was never a dull moment where I felt like my life was wasting away. I don’t even remember looking at my phone the entire time I was here. This is one of the best events I have ever attended in my life.
Only a few other performances at Hopscotch ‘22 blew me away like the Perfume Genius set, and they were Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 and Makaya McCraven’s cosmic, explosive jazz performances.
Seun Kuti & Egypt 80
The Friday night of Seun Kuti & Egypt 80’s set had the perfect taste and feeling of a crispy cool Fall beginning, looking back, it was probably due to the rain coming the next day. Their show was an hour before Perfume Genius went on, so I had plenty of time to enjoy my fill of Seun Kuti.
As I sat with a cheap, soggy, broccoli pizza in my lap at Moore Square, Kuti & Egypt 80 started their show. The first trumpet blast could have knocked me backwards. It shot out of Kuti’s lips, bewitching the crowd into movement. Soon everyone and the stage were swaying in the night breeze as Seun Kuti played “Theory of Goat and Yam”.
I feel as if I lost the next 30 minutes of my life through a magical time warp this band created with their music. Stars were twinkling to drum beats, and even the moon was smiling down on all of us as we experienced some of the most special music I’ve heard in my life. It eventually inspired me to write a short poem before I got up to join the swaying masses in front of the stage:
The band on stage
waved to the moon.
As it smiles downward,
reflecting warmth of the sun
they made
DREAMS-LOVE-and-GROOVES.
poem by the author.
Then, as their set continued Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 kept layering magnificent tracks and solos on top of each other. They played “African Soldier” and “You Can Run”, which were lovely to experience, especially with Kuti’s vibrant blank and red attire. He jumped and we jumped. He swayed and we swayed. Kuti and the band moved the crowd effortlessly, which created a sense of endless joy.
After Seun Kuti & Egypt 80’s performance I was certain I would never see anything comparable to that experience again, but I was very wrong.
Makaya McCraven
On Saturday, it rained all day. I went through two shirts, shorts and shoes, but the weather didn’t go nearly far enough to stop me from attending most events that day. Makaya McCraven’s set was set up the same way Seun Kuti’s was, it was an hour before headliner, Kim Gordon.
With a rain soaked field I did not plop in the grass for this performance. I stood and grooved along with a surprisingly large crowd for the weather. From the stage to the sound booth it was lined with jazz and “cultural synthesizer” (as Makaya McCraven calls his music) fans.
Instead of an opening trumpet blast, I was rocked into a rhythmic wonderland by drum beats. McCraven is a “drummer, producer & beat scientist” as stated by his website, so it only makes sense that he opens with undulating beat patterns and crisp drums.
I went into McCraven’s performance without knowing a thing and it still had a profound effect on me. With a medley of instruments and McCraven’s drums on fire constantly it was hard for me to split mid set and watch Kim Gordon’s set.
By some miracle or the beautiful beat gods smiling down on me, I caught the last two songs of McCraven’s set after Kim Gordon had finished. They had played for about an hour and a half straight all while having a large crowd and Kim Gordon’s show going concurrently.
The energy the entire band put into this performance was heartwarming. They shot forth fumbling chaotic noise and made another impression of live music I won’t forget.
Off on Your Voyage
Both Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 and Makaya McCraven’s shows made Hopscotch extremely memorable for me. I want to experience live music like theirs everytime I see a show now, but I know it won’t happen.
Being able to freely give love through that sound must mean these two groups have reached a cosmic understanding with the universe I can only hope to achieve.
Last week’s Hopscotch 2022 had some big names in indie music, and their performances were electric. Perfume Genius gave us his heart, Kim Gordon shredded my ear drums, Dawn Richard got me groovin’ in new ways and Black Country, New Road had epic sounds exuding from every one of their members.
Instead of elaborating on any music festival set up or random whatnot, I will jump right into the artist and bands’ performances:
Perfume Genius:
With lots of personal bias, I have to say Perfume Genius’ set was my favorite one I saw at Hopscotch this year. Mike Hadreas slowly and softly destroyed the stage with his magnetic vocals and stage presence.
Opening with “Your Body Changes Everything”, he immediately captivated the audience not only with smooth, hard hitting beats, but also with his suave, baby-blue, tailored suit and white button down. He constantly switched between old tracks and some of his new, popular releases.
Hadreas’ rendition of “Jason” and “Normal Song” were melancholic and angelic as his voice drifted down and graced us all. For “Normal Song”, he shooed everyone off stage except Meg Duffy (Hand Habits) who played a saintly guitar and accompanied Hadreas’ with their own backup vocals.
To finish off the night, Mike Hadreas brought out a light, silky white sheet and played a few of his newer tracks from “Ugly Season”. His sheet was a mask and tool of pure beauty as it covered his face and floated in the air, almost reverberating from the sheer power of the performance.
I have never seen an artist efficiently play some of their best music on stage in my life. There weren’t any hiccups or pauses throughout the show, and Hadreas wore a brilliant blazing smile the entire time. If I could continuously relive that entire performance, I would.
Black Country, New Road:
I was scared of the Black Country, New Road set. I didn’t know how good the band was going to feel on stage after their initial lead singer left, but my fears were almost immediately dispelled.
Every single member of this band brought some sort of key talent that helped make the whole band shine like stars. May Kershaw (keys and vocals), Tyler Hyde (bass and vocals), and Charlie Wayne (drums) were outstanding. These members specifically stole the show for me.
Kershaw’s keys and vocal mixture brought an antsy and dramatic flow to the band’s sound that was beautiful and unique. Wayne’s drums were attacked relentlessly, which brought forth an epic beat. And, Hyde’s bass was the background glue that held everyone together perfectly.
One of my favorite moments during their performance was when Kershaw had a long solo performance, which is still too elegant for me to put into words appropriately. Her soft piano opening led into focused, serene vocals and a chaotic, triumphant closing act with the entire band joining in.
Dawn Richard:
As you might be able to tell from the above photo, Dawn Richard’s stage presence was unmatched. With her incredible backup vocalists and dancers, she mesmerized the crowd by merely stepping on stage.
Richard performed a few of her hit songs like “Bussifame” and “Nostalgia”, but her true power came in getting the crowd (including me) to start grooving and warming up to the music. Preceding her set, I noticed a majority of concert goers had locked hips and knees for most sets. Many people only bobbed their heads a teensy bit.
Then, Dawn Richard took the stage and began to set the night on fire with some delicious vocals, bars and beats. The neon suits and flashing lights were like eye candy, and her funk-inspired, bass-bumping tunes eventually got the crowd all sorts groovin’.
I’d like to think her set was the heat that made Perfume Genius’ set really explode into a wealth of success, so thank you Dawn Richard for that.
Kim Gordon:
Kim Gordon’s performance physically rocked my head and made my eardrums ring for hours after she had finished. Unfortunately, going into her performance I had not sampled enough of her work, and I really wish I had done so.
Gordon’s raspy, sometimes scratchy vocals were intoxicating. Her jumpy and stalky motions used on stage sometimes made for a wonderfully terrifying sight. Honestly, the horrifying sounds and glitchy art she brought to Hopscotch was a sight to behold.
A lot of those words might make the performance seem unsavory, but I had a blast watching her make her art. Her musical beauty comes from the discord she delivers us.
Last Ticket:
If you ever have the opportunity to see any of these wonderful people live, I highly recommend doing so. All of their performances had a wonderful uniqueness that made each artist more loved and cherished.
Of course, I wish I could have gone back in time and appropriately learned all the words for all of these artists’ songs (besides Perfume Genius because I got them on lock already), but I can’t. It doesn’t mean I was unable to enjoy their sets. I thought all of them were perfect for who the artist or band is.