Category: Festival Coverage

Previews, reviews and coverage from music festivals like Hopscotch and Moogfest

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Festival Coverage

Hopscotch Must-Sees: Speedy Ortiz

Major Arcana by Speedy Ortiz
Major Arcana

This is a personal artist spotlight on Speedy Ortiz by DJ DiGiorno for Hopscotch.

Speedy Ortiz’s first foray into the scene was the release of The Death of Speedy Ortiz in 2011. Then a solo project of songwriter and vocalist/guitarist Sadie Dupuis, the lo-fi pop album began to make its way around. Dupois then decided to enlist the help of her friends Matt Robidoux (guitar), Darl Ferm (bass) and Mike Falcone (drums) in early 2012 to turn Speedy Ortiz into the full band it needed to become. This noisy band quickly found its home in the Boston DIY scene playing basements and house shows left and right. In the summer of 2012, Speedy Ortiz released a 7" as well as an EP. Now that they were a quartet, this gave them the ability to flesh out the sound of the first album. Their songs were praised for their pop-sense vocals atop the ambitious noise. The aggressive, thundering drums bottomed out by hefty bass riffs complete with frenetic, dissonant guitar parts fronted by soothing vocals helped complete their signature abrasive yet beautiful style of noise-pop.

After some success with their first releases, Speedy Ortiz made their way around the nation playing mainly house shows and DIY spaces. Their low key shows were delivered spot on to very welcoming audiences around the nation. After touring extensively, they embarked on their first truly collaborative effort. In July 2013, they released their proper debut album Major Arcana to major critical acclaim including Best New Music from Pitchfork. This album saw them perfecting their craft. Dupuis’ carefully crafted vocals soaring over discord. In addition to meaningful lyrics, she also provides another layer to the record with her cunning wordplay and perfectly articulated annunciations. Her lyrical delivery rivals the best in indie music these days. This can be dangerous in most cases as it can draw closer attention to the words, but they end up holding their own in a time when lyrical prowess seems to be of a bygone era. This praise is not to say that Dupois outshines the rest of the band. Her fellow band mates’ skills are well on par with hers. The thunderous drums and bass lay the groundwork for the melodic driven noisy guitars that echo and compliment the melody lines. Altogether, this is a very tight band that is an absolute must-see for Hopscotch Music Festival.

Favorite Tracks: Tiger Tank, No Below, Fun, Pioneer Spine

RIYL: Yuck, Polvo, Dinosaur Jr., Pavement

Playing: Kennedy Theater, Friday September 6th 11:00 PM-12:00 A.M.

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Festival Coverage

Hopscotch Must-Sees: Grouper

This is a personal artist spotlight on Grouper by Prism.

When asked in 2012 by Dazed Digital about why she rarely does interviews, Liz Harris, b.k.a. the Portland, OR resident behind enigmatic one-woman ambient project Grouper, responded “I just feel nervous getting direct focused attention."  This reclusiveness seems natural for a woman who makes the type of music Grouper does: her melancholy, spacious ambient folk music seems to deny the group listen and prefer the personal.

I should mention that I’m a bit nervous to see Grouper at Hopscotch this year. This is because, like to many, her music carries a lot of history for me. During my freshman year of college a few years ago (a great and complicated time for love and music in anyone’s life), I discovered her 2008 record Dragging a Dead Deer Up A Hill on the music website Gorilla Vs. Bear shortly after a breakup, one that probably seemed much more dramatic to me at the time. And while it took me a few listens to "get it,"  I was soon enamored with this record. I walked around every day just lost in it, not paying to most track titles or song changes, just keeping the entire record playing on repeat from "Disengaged” on, lost in the world that Liz Harris creates. And while “Dragging” is far from what I would call a breakup record, I think Anthony Fantano of The Needle Drop was correct when he described the style as “soothing” music that would appeal to someone who needs to go “through a process.” Grouper’s music is intensely personal music and hits emotional cues, in the same way that big-name titans of instrumental post-rock such as Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Sigur Ros rely on emotional bombast to draw a response from their audience.

Her discography is sizable at this point, with a slew of solo albums and collaborations to her name, some of which are easier to track down than others (such is the nature of Pacific Northwest ambient projects). Her most recent record, 2013’s The Man Who Died In His Boat, is a collection of songs recorded around the same time as “Dragging,” and to my ears, they follow much of the same ground as that album, meaning we have vast, scarred, yet somewhat accessible expanses of dirty tape hiss and synth washes that swirl while Harris’ plaintive vocals and acoustic guitar float through them.

Although I’ve definitely gotten a little bit happier since a few years ago I discovered her, I’m still going to do my best to watch Grouper’s set with the same emotional openness that I found her with. I’m very excited for this set.

Favorite Track: Heavy Water/I’d Rather Be Sleeping, off Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill

Playing: Fletcher Opera Theater, Thursday 11:00 PM-12:00 A.M.
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Festival Coverage

Hopscotch Must-Sees: Marnie Stern

This is a personal artist spotlight on Marnie Stern by C’est La Bri for Hopscotch. 

I became googly eyed over Marnie Stern in the tenth grade, when my cooler-than-I-was boyfriend made me a mixed tape with “Prime” off of This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That Is That. It became the track I played on repeat until I could get all of the words and rhythms down from its off-kilter chaos.

While past releases have excelled in dizzying their listeners, her most recent album, The Chronicles of Marnia, has less cluttered tracks aimed to put her masterful finger tapping to the task of conveying a whimsical indie-pop Stern.  This new album creates a distinction of sounds in tapping versus the past of layering and confusion.  But this isn’t taking away from the musicianship of Stern’s guitar writing- it’s highlighting her new philosophy on songwriting and composition.

And make no doubt about it, Marnie Stern is a show you can’t miss at Hopscotch this year. She brings with her an energy that makes a festival worth seeing. This year’s festival is a study on dynamic- you’ve got an artist like Stern on a lineup with Angel Olsen. High Highs are playing the same gig as Sleep.  So if you’re going to Hopscotch for some diversity, Marnie Stern is definite must-see.

Favorite Track: “Prime” on This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That Is That

Playing: Lincoln Theatre Thursday, September 5th 11:30PM- 12:30AM

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Festival Coverage

Hopscotch Must-Sees: Nightlands

This is a personal artist spotlight on Nightlands by The Walrus for Hopscotch.

When label Secret Canadian states that Nightlands is ultimately the product of bedroom producing, it brings to mind the countless demos crafted by artists as an attempt to exhibit that which could be further polished and refined to produce their ultimately desired sound. Nightlands goes far beyond the assumptions of bedroom producing and often puts them to shame in comparison.

Dave Hartley, bassist of The War on Drugs, began his side project directly from the bedroom, keeping a tape recorder on his bedside table to archive the musical ideas he developed in his sleep. These ideas were the seeds for his debut album Forget The Mantra and were, as you could expect, dazzlingly dreamy.

Three years later, Hartley concludes his production of Oak Island, the sophomore album that has received exceptional critical acclaim for its fantastical and incredibly lush sound, providing the listener with an immersive and engaging inward journey. It’s amazingly polished for a bedroom production and never once depicts that which could be further refined.

Nightlands has been inked into my personal Hopscotch schedule since the day the lineup was released. Oak Island has been a consistent favorite of mine since its January release, and I will certainly be at The Hive at midnight to see them perform.

Favorite tracks: “So Far So Long” / “Other People’s Pockets”

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Festival Coverage

Hopscotch Schedule Announced!

While the line-up has been published for some time now, the official schedule has just been posted.  Now its time to get out that pen and paper and start banging your head into the wall to decide if you want to see Kurt Vile and the Violators or Matthew Dear more.  With this year’s stellar line-up there is sure to be much debate over who to see as well as a lot of running around to maximize the number of sets you see.  Hopscotch has been posting a number of useful Hopscotch Handbooks that break down different bands to help make your decision process a bit easier.  As always, stay tuned to WKNC as we continue to bring you some artists to look forward to at this year’s festival.  So pin your Hopscotch handbooks and schedules on the wall, it’s time to pull out the red string and tacks and start mapping your Hopscotch 2013 adventure!

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Festival Coverage

Mountain Oasis Lineup Announced!

 

The first ever Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit has just announced their lineup for 2013.  The festival takes place in Asheville, NC on October 25th through the 27th.  Mountain Oasis is programmed and produced by AC Entertainment, the company that helped put together MoogFest.  Towards the end of last year, Moog Music and AC Entertainment split up when Moog declined to renew its licensing agreement with AC.  Mountain Oasis now takes the place of MoogFest as AC Entertainment’s presence in North Carolina.  The Mountain Oasis festival will take place the same weekend and location as previous MoogFests.  This however will not be the end of MoogFest.  Moogfest just recently announced a new partnership with Paxahau along with a new logo. Along with it they stated that MoogFest will not be taking place in 2013, but will return April 25th through the 27th in Asheville for MoogFest 2014.

So set aside all your worries, North Carolina will not be losing a music festival.  Instead we will be gaining another one and after looking at the intial lineup announcement, it looks to be a damn good one.  The lineup, despite not being completed yet, is full of some big names and rarities.  Neutral Milk Hotel will be playing one of their first shows in fifteen years together at this year’s festival. Trent Reznor will be playing twice with How to Destroy Angels as well as Nine Inch Nails who are just coming off their hiatus. Other notable artists include Animal Collective, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Chromatics, Tricky, Zola Jesus and JG Thirwell, Pretty Lights, Bassnectar, and Bosnian Rainbows. Many more artists will be announced in the coming future. The festival will also feature talks, seminars, panels, interactive experiences, exhibitions and more by artists and other esteemed members of the musical community. Tickets will go on sale Thursdau, May 2nd at 12:00 pm Eastern Time. Stay tuned for more details as the full lineup will be announced.

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Festival Coverage

Hopscotch 2013 Lineup Announced!!!

Hopscotch Music Festival has announced their full lineup for this year’s music festival. The festival will house close to 175 different bands across 15 different venues in downtown Raleigh. This year’s festival features the best from the Triangle music scene as well as a healthy mix of other national and international acts. As always, City Plaza (the mainstage) features some great talent. Local 90s-esque indie rockers Gross Ghost kick off Friday night at City Plaza followed by WKNC’s favorite new wave synth-gods Future Islands. Big Boi will finish off the night at City Plaza.  Local indie-pop newcomers The Lollipops will open the night at City Plaza on Saturday. The Breeders (Kim Deal of the Pixies) will honor the twentieth anniversary of their hit album Last Splash by playing it in its entirety.  British rockers Spiritualized will headline the night at City Plaza with their stunning breed of space rock.

While City Plaza may appear to be the mainstage of Hopscotch, there are many other amazing shows that take place.  As the headliner finishes up their show at City Plaza, concerts all around downtown Raleigh at Hopscotch’s 14 other venues are just beginning.  While there are way to many incredible bands to highlight in this post, other notable acts playing around Raleigh include Local Natives, John Cale, Sleep, Earl Sweatshirt, Low, Kurt Vile and the Violators, Action Bronson, Matthew Dear, Oblivians, The Rosebuds, Califone, ADULT., Merzbow, Chatham County Line, Mikal Cronin, Pere Ubu, Marnie Stern, Pig Destroyer, Ryan Hemsworth, WOLD, Pissed Jeans, Matmos, Charlemagne Palestine, Wolf Eyes, Holly Herndon, Purling Hiss and Mount Moriah.  Stay tuned for more Hopscotch information and coverage.

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Festival Coverage

Hopscotch Lineup Announcement

Hopscotch Music Festival is the largest music festival in North Carolina.  This year Hopscotch will host nearly 175 bands at 15 different venues across Raleigh.  The festival will take place September 5-7th, 2013.  In addition to the 175 bands on the bill for the festival, there will be dozens of day parties every day featuring many more bands.

Hopscotch, now in its fourth year of existence, promises to continue its rise in popularity and is beginning to solidify itself as one of the great music festivals of the East Coast.  Hopscotch’s first announcement came a couple months ago when they revealed that The Velvet Underground co-founder John Cale, who more recently has had a very successful career as a solo artist and producer, would play Hopscotch 2013.  A month later they announced that stoner, doom metal band Sleep would be making their first appearance in North Carolina in over 20 years at the festival.  Experimental electro-pop genius Matthew Dear was the next to be added to this year’s bill.  Then one of the most surprising announcements came.  The Breeders began as a side project for Kim Deal of Pixies and Tanya Donelly of Throwing Muses.  It then grew into so much more.  The Breeders are active again with Kim Deal at the helm joined with her sister Kelley Deal along with Jim MacPherson, and Josephine Wiggs.  This is the same line-up that recorded the critically acclaimed album Last Splash that they will perform in full at this year’s festival.

Even with just four acts announced,  this year promises to be better than all of the previous years.  The full lineup will be announced tomorrow April 24th at 10 am.  Be sure to check here for the unveiling of the lineup.  Don’t forget to get your passes for this year’s festival as soon as possible here.  We look forward to seeing you all out and about at this year’s festival!

Be sure to check out Hopscotch’s upcoming Road Shows here.

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Festival Coverage

Shakori Hills Grassroots Spring Festival 2013

Just three weeks away is the much anticipated Spring 2013 Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance. The four-day festival begins April 18 in Chatham County and lasts through April 21. Over 60 bands will be performing on four stages throughout the festival. Some of these scheduled bands include Keller Williams & The Travelin’ McCourys, Lizzy Ross Band, Onward, Soldiers, Donna the Buffalo, Solas, and many others!

Advance 4-day tickets are available online and at various locations in North Carolina including Pittsboro, Durham, and Chapel Hill. Students get a $5 discount with day tickets. More information regarding tickets can be found here.

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Festival Coverage

Hopscotch Road Shows

Hopscotch Music Festival just recently announced their upcoming Hopscotch Road Shows shown above. Several other music festivals such as Bonnaroo have begun to do this. This is Hopscotch’s first attempt to bring some of their past festival favorites on the road to some new areas to try and spread their influence. Hopscotch is now going into its fourth year of existence, and it continues to grow. Hopscotch 2013 takes place September 5th-7th all across downtown Raleigh. While the line-up has not been announced yet, they just recently revealed that the co-founder of The Velvet Underground, John Cale, will be performing at this year’s festival. The rest of the line-up will be announced in late April. With the additional effort being to put into road shows and the success of past years, this year’s festival promises to be the best yet.

Each of the road shows host an incredibly strong line-up. All of these bands have performed either at past festivals or at day parties. Most of these acts hail from North Carolina and are no stranger to putting on incredible live shows. With each show only being $5, there is no way that you have any better to do on these nights. So be sure to check out the road show nearest you and stay tuned for the full line-up announcement for Hopscotch 2013 in late April!