As I’m sure many of you know, Hopscotch–Raleigh’s annual music festival–is happening this weekend! As a Raleigh resident of the last 15 years, I have grown up hearing about Hopscotch and the many artists that have performed. However, I have never actually been (I know…shocking).
Since this is my first ever music festival, I have been in full on prep mode. I’ve planning my schedule around shows, trying to get all of my assignments done before-hand, and most importantly familiarizing myself with the artist that are performing.
In doing so, I’ve complied a quick list of the acts I am most excited to see.
Caroline Polachek: Ever since I saw the “So Hot Your Hurting My Feelings” music video Caoline Polachek has occupied a space in my subconscious. From her voice to the production of her songs everything is perfectly in-sync. The tracks I am most excited for are “Hit Me Where It Hurts,” “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings,” and “Ocean of Tears.”
Flying Lotus: Having worked as the Underground Music Director for WKNC this Summer, Flying Lotus is one of the acts I am most looking forward to seeing. The album Yasuke, which was produced to go along with the anime, is chock-full of crazy features and insane beats. My most anticipated tracks are “Between Memories” and “Black Gold.”
Colin Stetson: In all honesty, before I began my Hopscotch research, I had absolutely no clue who Colin Stetson was. However, he quickly made it to the top of my most anticipated acts. The best way to describe his work is invigorating and primarily instrumental. He’s the brains behind the Hereditary soundtrack. The tracks I am looking forward to hearing most are “The righteous wrath of an honorable man” and “Welcome To The New World.”
It’s Hopscotch season in the Triangle! Hopscotch is returning to downtown Raleigh for its eleventh year on Sept. 9-11.
WKNC has partnered with NC State University Libraries to present our 2021 official Hopscotch Day Party, on Sept. 9, from noon to 3 p.m. Occurring outside of DH Hill Jr Library facing Hillsborough Street, this event is free and open to the public; you don’t need a ticket to Hopscotch to attend.
The party is not only a showcase of North Carolina electronic musicians but also of WKNC alumni talent; every performer has been involved with WKNC in the past. We’re excited to welcome back former DJs and staff to the campus.
The event will be live-streamed via NC State University Libraries’ Twitch channel.
Check out the official flyer below, and read on to get a short bio of each of the musicians, written by WKNC General Manager Maddie.
WKNC and NC State University Libraries Hopscotch Day Party with midcentury modular, en-decay, JOB and Sand Pact. Design by Maddie.
The lineup is designed in a way to start on the more chill and ambient side of electronic, and slowly turn heavier by the end of the showcase.
Starting off the showcase is midcentury modular. midcentury modular was a WKNC DJ for 3 years between 2011 and 2014, as well as working with our Daytime music block. As the name might suggest, midcentury modular makes modular synth music, exploring the various environments that can be created. Some of his work, like the release “snow,” is more sparse and desolate, while others, like the release “a weekend,” play around with beeps and boops to create a fun, uplifting atmosphere. I’ve always wanted to see a modular synth performance and I’m excited to watch his set.
Changing paces next is en-decay. Cyrus has been producing electronic music and DJing under the name en-decay since 2012, making glitchy, IDM-like music that also takes inspiration from various other electronic genres, such as industrial or ambient. They started working as a freelance DJ for events in high school then as an Afterhours DJ for WKNC for 2 years. They’ve collaborated with a variety of artistic groups such as Windhover, Sinetology, and Maison Fauna, planning and playing events and festivals around North Carolina. They’ve been uploading releases since 2017 to their Bandcamp page, so have fun browsing for a bit.
Next is JOB. JOB started DJing at WKNC in the spring of 2019. In the summer of 2019 he hosted a Sunday underground show called Clocking Out. He also helped record a few live sessions in The Lounge. JOB’s music consists of super fun and fast-paced mixes, consisting of artists like Toro y Moi, Azealia Banks and Ariana Grande. His bio on mixcloud simply says “girls + gays only”, if you can’t already tell what his musical vibe is based on the aforementioned artists. I am very much ready to dance to this set.
And lastly, we have Sand Pact. Hema of Sand Pact was involved with WKNC from 2014-2018, in which she worked as a DJ (first as DJ iCloud, and later as Gudiya), graphic designer, and promotions director, as well as began the WKNC zine. Hema invited Alex onto her DJ sets and the two began their love for playing electronic music together. I discovered Sand Pact a few years ago when I was trying to discover more Triangle-based artists, and I really dug their sound and entire aesthetic. They have a pretty harsh sound, consisting of various strange noises layered over industrial beats. I’m super happy to have them play this set, as I’ve been wanting to see how their live show looks ever since I first discovered them.
I hope you discovered your new favorite North Carolinian electronic musician, and are able to come out to our showcase.
After much anticipation, Bonnaroo is back in business. After rescheduling from last year (I think there was some sort of pandemic or something), Great Stage Park in Manchester, Tennessee will be flooded with tens of thousands of fans from all over the world. And for good reason too. The lineup for 2021 is definitely going to be one for the books. The headliners for each day include Foo Fighters, Lizzo, and Tyler the Creator, who I would shovel out any amount of money to be able to see. Beyond the bigger names include a modge podge of artists ranging from folk to indie to rap, providing a unique taste for everyone there. Among these names, here are a few that I am especially excited to see.
Megan Thee Stallion I’ll be honest, at my first glance of the lineup for this year I was a bit surprised to see Megan on there. When I usually think of Bonnaroo, artists like Tash Sultana, Cage the Elephant, and Tyler Childers come to mind. But the more I think about it, the happier I am to have the chance to see her there. All of Megan’s music has such an upbeat flow to it and I’m sure it will be a tough challenge for any artist to get the crowd more hype than she does.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard This just seems like the kind of band that would be amazing live. With their eccentric guitar riffs and mellowed out lyrics, they make for a perfect midday vibe to bring the crowd together under the sun.
Caamp This band definitely holds a special place in my heart. I’m not a huge folk fan, but Caamp has a perfect balance of bluegrass with just a hint of modern rock sprinkled in. The main singer’s voice is raspy, but not too raspy, and their lyrics remind me of a life I used to dream of when a more adventurous writer occupied my mind when I was younger.
Tame Impala Have you guys heard of them? It’s super underground, super indie, you probably wouldn’t like it. All jokes aside, Tame Impala is known to be amazing live and I would love a chance to see Kevin Parker shred the guitar.
Resistance Revival Chorus This group has some of the most amazing harmonies to date. I’d say it’s a mixture of blues and folk. Their lyrics speak to a wide audience and they send a good message.
Remi Wolf The last one on this list goes out to Remi Wolf. Her music is a bit reminiscent of Still Woozy, with a funk bass to compliment her wide vocal range. Any song of hers could easily get the crowd dancing.
These artists are only a few on this incredible lineup. Words cannot describe how excited I am to be in the middle of a tightly packed crowd all there to get the same, beautiful experience of a music festival. Rain or shine, Bonnaroo 2021 is happening and you’re not going to want to miss it. -DJ Chippypants
Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain blasted out of my friend’s tiny car, which was full of tents, sleeping bags, and backpacks. We were speeding towards Shakori Hills. The grassroots music festival in the lovely Pittsboro wilderness has been an institution for 16 years. This would be my first time camping during the festival which takes place twice a year, in the spring and the fall. Shakori hosts all kinds of musicians and acts and I was ready to explore some new bands. We had reached the end of our journey and piled out of the car into a field. It only got hippier from there.
Shakori is oriented in a circle with food vendors and camping connecting the four main stages. I decided to forgo the schedule and just walk around the circle until I heard something I was interested in. One of the bands that caught my attention was People Of Earth. Their alt-rock and jazz-influenced music had the crowd jamming out and was a welcome change of pace from the bluegrass and country that the festival is known for. I heard TerraBANG from across the grounds. I was immediately intrigued by lead singer Jameilyara Moore’s smooth vocals. The upbeat and funky songs had me floating away (Checkout their song Art School Drop out). My favorite performer of the weekend might have to be Roosevelt Collier. You could see his beaming smile from a mile away and his music was just as infectious. Collier shreds on the lap steel guitar and completely stole the show with groovy almost grunge take.
There is something to be said about the environment of the Shakori, everyone knows they are in a special place and it shows with the absolute kindness and generosity of the volunteers and even the attendees. It felt like fall for the first time that weekend, the weather was the perfect backdrop for the festival. Definitely count on seeing me there in the spring 🙂 Happy Shakori!
With Hopscotch right around the corner, and WKNC’s Day Party at Legends following closely in its wake– how better to promote both events than by give y’all a lil’ insight into our Day Party Line-up!
WKNC’s Day Party description is as follows.
This year has been full of milestones, and WKNC aims to celebrate them all. 2019 held Raleigh’s first ever Pride Festival, was the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, and marks ten years of Hopscotch. With this in mind, WKNC’s Hopscotch Day Party aims to promote and celebrate LGBTQ+ affiliated artists from across the state to keep the Pride Party going all year long! Featuring Petrov, Emily Musolino, Juxton Roy, Through the Tallwoods, Black Bouquet, and To Julian, the party will be hosted on Saturday, September 7th at Legends Club. This event is all-ages and supported by the NC State GLBT Center.
This will be a series up until the Day Party, so the questions will be the same, but we can guarantee that every artist will add their own personal flare to each answer.
Through the Tallwoods is an up-and-coming punk act that is managed by the same king of the scene that organizes Juxton Roy. His name, if you’re unaware, is Jonas Chisholm! Both Jonas and Juxton will be at our upcoming Hopscotch Day Party with Through the Tallwoods tagging along as well! Will you be there??
Give us a lil rundown of how your band got formed! When/where/how/why!
Austin and I (Taylor) met from a craigslist post I put up in the summer of 2017. His energetic and technical bass playing had me hooked the first time we went through “Wake Up Early.” At the time, we were playing with a different drummer in his garage in Cary. About a year later, that drummer left to pursue his other artistic interests and our (long) search for a new drummer began. Through Instagram, we were able to connect with our current drummer, CJ Sierra, in October of 2018. His adaptive playing and quick, ready-to-learn attitude fit with our unconventional song structures perfectly. Since then we’ve had the opportunity to play alongside some of our favorite local bands like propersleep, Paperback, and Juxton Roy – who we’re looking forward to seeing right after our acoustic set at Legends this Saturday!
What can an audience member expect from one of your shows?
Hopefully to connect to some of our lyrics; we fall under the emo genre a lot because we talk about some sad shit. You also get to hear Austin scream real loud – his mic check will scare you (or your money back). CJ will surprise you with his snare work and rhythm changes. He seems like a reserved, quiet guy till you see him moving around the kit. We also like talking to people at our shows, so we hope everyone feels welcome to do so.
Do you see performance as a task or an endeavor? In that vein, what part about performing is most challenging or liberating?
Austin: I like performing. When skilled performers do their job well it’s awesome to watch. Seeing all of our practice, hard work, and planning come together is very satisfying. Taylor: It’s definitely a little out of my comfort zone – I’ve been more reserved most of my life. But I agree with Austin; the anxiety of preforming is overcome by the satisfaction of pulling off a show well.
What does Pride mean to you? How do you embody those meanings in your music? In your everyday life?
Pride is a matter of acceptance for others and yourself. It’s a marked time to celebrate what makes us different, but also what makes us the same. We all deserve love; and love, in all its healthy forms, should be celebrated. Our music talks about the ways we’ve learned to distinguish the difference between love and simple want. It talks about the ways we’ve learned to move on from difficult situations, how we’ve grown to respect ourselves more, and to take pride in the people we’re becoming.
What are you most excited about during Hopscotch?
Austin: Kissisippi! I’ve been a fan for a while now and I’m excited to see them play live. Taylor: I love Kississippi as well! Zoë is such a sweet, talented human being. I’m stoked that the headliner this year is Sleater-Kinney! I have a soft spot for Riot Grrl rock and Carrie Brownstein. She’s badass.
For the tenth anniversary of Hopscotch, what would you ten years ago think about you now?
Austin: I always really wanted to play music, so I think 14 year old me would be proud that I’m playing shows and putting out an album now; it’s been a long time coming. Taylor: Honestly, at 15 I was still religious and wrestling with the guilt I felt over my feelings about girls. I would hardly believe that the sappy poems and guitar riffs I was writing in my room alone would be part of something cool like this 10 years later.
Please list some fun facts about your band!
WE LIKE TREES A LOT – we go hiking pretty often. Austin has broken the same arm 3 times but still kicks ass on bass CJ is one of the creators of local label 85 Split Records, and he also drums in another band called “Student Health” One time Taylor ate a live goldfish for $20
You can learn more about Through the Tallwoods by visiting their Facebook page or Instagram (@throughthetallwoods) and, of course, by attending WKNC’s Hopscotch Day Party. It will be held at Legends Club on Saturday, September 7th and begins at noon!
Literally be there or you will make baby deer cry!
With Hopscotch right around the corner, and WKNC’s Day Party at Legends following closely in its wake– how better to promote both events than by give y’all a lil’ insight into our Day Party Line-up!
WKNC’s Day Party description is as follows.
This year has been full of milestones, and WKNC aims to celebrate them all. 2019 held Raleigh’s first ever Pride Festival, was the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, and marks ten years of Hopscotch. With this in mind, WKNC’s Hopscotch Day Party aims to promote and celebrate LGBTQ+ affiliated artists from across the state to keep the Pride Party going all year long! Featuring Petrov, Emily Musolino, Juxton Roy, Through the Tallwoods, Black Bouquet, and To Julian, the party will be hosted on Saturday, September 7th at Legends Club. This event is all-ages and supported by the NC State GLBT Center.
This will be a series up until the Day Party, so the questions will be the same, but we can guarantee that every artist will add their own personal flare to each answer.
Emily Musolino has kindly agreed to do a stripped down set on the acoustic stage of Legends. Though typically done with a full band, the raw emotion and lyrical complexity makes this act my personally most anticipated set of the day.
Give us a lil rundown of how your band got formed! When/where/how/why! I’ve been writing songs for 20 years. it started out as a personal outlet for me when I picked up the guitar at age 10. When college came up, I chose Berklee College of Music because it had the reputation of being one of the top contemporary music academies in the world. After graduating with a degree in music production I decided it was much too cold to live in Boston so I moved back home and have been traveling around the southeast ever since playing music!
What can an audience member expect from one of your shows? It depends on what show. I provide myself on being very diverse – Sometimes the audience wants to party and have loud rock and roll, and sometimes it’s a quiet listening room where they want to be softly serenaded. I can do both.
Do you see performance as a task or an endeavor? In that vein, what part about performing is most challenging or liberating? I love performing. I feel more natural on stage then I do offstage most of the time. The most liberating thing about it is it forces you to live completely in the moment – no worrying about the future or regretting the past. Everything that matters is in the note you’re singing right now.
What does Pride mean to you? How do you embody those meanings in your music? In your everyday life? I’ve been out and proud for 15 years and still to this day I’ll feel a twinge of fear when singing my original lyrics that are obviously gay. I despise that fear, and I hope that every time I sing one of my songs a little bit of that fear goes away not just for me but for the whole LGBT community.
What are you most excited about during Hopscotch? Tough question! There are so many great acts, I’m just happy to be a part of it all and soak it all in.
For the tenth anniversary of Hopscotch, what would you ten years ago think about you now? I think she would be thrilled! I’m living my dream of playing music full-time, I have a wonderful girlfriend and an ever expanding circle of multi-talented friends. life is good 🙂
Please list some fun facts about your band! This particular show will be solo, not sure about fun facts, you might just have to come to show to find out!
You can learn more about Emily Musolino by visiting her Facebook page or Instagram (@theemilymusolino) and, of course, by attending WKNC’s Hopscotch Day Party. It will be held at Legends Club on Saturday, September 7th and begins at noon!
Literally be there or you will make baby deer cry!
With Hopscotch right around the corner, and WKNC’s Day Party at Legends following closely in its wake– how better to promote both events than by give y’all a lil’ insight into our Day Party Line-up!
WKNC’s Day Party description is as follows.
This year has been full of milestones, and WKNC aims to celebrate them all. 2019 held Raleigh’s first ever Pride Festival, was the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, and marks ten years of Hopscotch. With this in mind, WKNC’s Hopscotch Day Party aims to promote and celebrate LGBTQ+ affiliated artists from across the state to keep the Pride Party going all year long! Featuring Petrov, Emily Musolino, Juxton Roy, Through the Tallwoods, Black Bouquet, and To Julian, the party will be hosted on Saturday, September 7th at Legends Club. This event is all-ages and supported by the NC State GLBT Center.
This will be a series up until the Day Party, so the questions will be the same, but we can guarantee that every artist will add their own personal flare to each answer.
Petrov, hailing from Charlotte, calls themselves “thicc rocc” which, although a joking title, is rather true. A sensual blend of guitars and smooth vocals overlayed onto a disco-inspired drum line makes it impossible not to dance. Petrov is our headliner for obvious reasons.
Give us a lil rundown of how your band got formed! When/where/how/why!
Craigslist actually was the original common thread of how we formed. Our guitar players Syd Little and Michael Backlund were in a band in Boone called Borrowed Arts. They both moved back to Charlotte and posted a Craigslist ad about wanting to start a new band. Garrett Herzfeld, the drummer, responded to the ad not even knowing that he had already played shows with them in the past. They all posted another Craigslist ad for a bass player (answered by Matt McConomy, who happened to already be familiar with the dudes as well), and then finally Mary Grace McKusick answered Garrett’s Facebook post about needing a vocalist. She had never been in a band before, but was encouraged by her friend to push through her hesitations worrying Garrett might think of her as not much more than just his good friend’s little sister. But we are so glad she did because she ended up being the perfect fit. And thus Petrov was born.
What can an audience member expect from one of your shows?
Audiences watching a Petrov show can expect an excitingly punchy rhythm section, dueling yet complementary guitars, and an aggressively entertaining frontperson passionately belting out her feelings on topics important to her.
Do you see performance as a task or an endeavor? In that vein, what part about performing is most challenging or liberating?
We see performances as a welcomed endeavor. The feeling between performer and audience is irreplaceable. The biggest challenge is definitely between-song banter.
What does Pride mean to you? How do you embody those meanings in your music? In your everyday life?
Mary Grace: Pride means to embrace anything and everything about yourself. Our song “By All Means” is about me coming into my queer identity and relationships and moments that have shaped myself into said identity. I show pride in my everyday life by being unapologetic and owning the space I take up.
What are you most excited about during Hopscotch?
Mary Grace: Acne Garrett: Sunwatchers, Boris, Little Brother
For the tenth anniversary of Hopscotch, what would you ten years ago think about you now?
Hopefully the “us” of ten years ago would feel more approval than disappointment about our current selves.
Please list some fun facts about your band
The name “Petrov” comes from Stanislav Petrov, a Soviet officer who in 1983 trusted his gut that a nuclear missile alert warning that the United States had launched missiles was a false alarm. His decision to disobey orders by not immediately retaliating went against Soviet protocol, but most likely prevented full-scale nuclear war. So thanks, Stanny.
You can learn more about Petrov by visiting their Facebook page or Instagram (@petrovclt) and, of course, by attending WKNC’s Hopscotch Day Party. It will be held at Legends Club on Saturday, September 7th and begins at noon!
With Hopscotch right around the corner, and WKNC’s Day Party at Legends following closely in its wake– how better to promote both events than by give y’all a lil’ insight into our Day Party Line-up!
WKNC’s Day Party description is as follows.
This year has been full of milestones, and WKNC aims to celebrate them all. 2019 held Raleigh’s first ever Pride Festival, was the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, and marks ten years of Hopscotch. With this in mind, WKNC’s Hopscotch Day Party aims to promote and celebrate LGBTQ+ affiliated artists from across the state to keep the Pride Party going all year long! Featuring Petrov, Emily Musolino, Juxton Roy, Through the Tallwoods, Black Bouquet, and To Julian, the party will be hosted on Saturday, September 7th at Legends Club. This event is all-ages and supported by the NC State GLBT Center.
This will be a series up until the Day Party, so the questions will be the same, but we can guarantee that every artist will add their own personal flare to each answer.
This is ~officially~ To Julian’s very first interview and WKNC is very excited to have this alumnus, friend, and artist share their insight with us.
Read their answers below 🙂
Give us a lil rundown of how your band got formed! When/where/how/why! When I was 19, I felt like I was stagnating and living without a passion. I grabbed my friends and went to a pawn shop down the road from the house I was raised in, and bought my first guitar for $70. I never took a lesson, never sat down and learned with anyone; I just labored and labored until I was proficient and stuck my hands in weird places on the guitar. and so came to be ‘to julian’!
What can an audience member expect from one of your shows?confusion? Everyone always comes up to me afterwards and relays the fact that they don’t know whether they should be really happy or really sad.
Do you see performance as a task or an endeavor? In that vein, what part about performing is most challenging or liberating? In many ways, it’s both. I have horrible performance anxiety to the point where I can’t eat anything the day of a show or else it’ll just come back up the way it came, so managing that has been a challenge. But in the same way, it’s extremely liberating to grapple with that anxiety and win. I’ve trained myself to just think that the stage is my bedroom – now everyone gets to see exactly who I am.
What does Pride mean to you? How do you embody those meanings in your music? In your everyday life? Pride is nurturing and holding. The queer community has always held me, understood me, taught me, and given me strength in a way that no one else has. It’s allowed me to be exactly who I was meant to be with nothing held back; which is essentially exactly why I make music. I make music because one day, when I have a child, I want them to know that I did it! I figured out the way to feel most like me and now I get to spend the rest of my life flying into myself. I figured out how to hold nothing back and show everyone exactly who I am and be proud of that person too.
What are you most excited about during Hopscotch? Honestly, this is the first year I’m not attending the festival as a whole but rather just the day parties, so I’m excited to get some rest for my feet so next year I can walk twice as fast.
For the tenth anniversary of Hopscotch, what would you ten years ago think about you now? 12 year old Michael was so simple; I listened to Queen, Gorillaz, Deftones, I just learned how to ride a bike (I know I was late!), and I always itched to be different, but didn’t know how to. I’d be so proud of myself. shocked, but proud.
Please list some fun facts about your band! ooooh … I already discussed a couple of these but … I’ve only been playing guitar for 3 years! I can do this weird thing where I sit criss-cross on the ground and without using my hands, bring my feet into the lotus position? and then since my legs are essentially knotted and unable to move freely, I walk around on the floor using my arms as legs. Real good party trick! One last one … my sister and I were born exactly 4 years apart on April 8th, which just so happens to be my favorite song by neutral milk hotel, which is also my favorite song on earth.
You can learn more about To Julian by visiting their Facebook page or Instagram (@2222Julian) and, of course, by attending WKNC’s Hopscotch Day Party. It will be held at Legends Club on Saturday, September 7th and begins at noon!
Pre-game the show by previewing all of the acts discographies on bandcamp! To Julian’s bandcamp link is as follows.
