If you live in Raleigh, North Carolina, then you know that the one and only Hopscotch Music Festival took place over the weekend! It’s four fun days jam packed with all the music and beer you can get your hands on. On Friday, I stopped by to check out Cardigan Records’ Day party, hosted at Deep South downtown.
Cardigan Records arranged a fantastic lineup of local artists, including Bruxes, Basement Life and Psycho Sonic Cindi. I dropped by just in time to see two of my favorite local artists: propersleep and Youth League!
Propersleep, who just recently signed to Cardigan, is a three-piece alternative/emo rock band coming straight from Raleigh. Ben (guitar/vocals), Andrew (bass/vocals) and Scott (drums) have excellent stage presence that will get any crowd going. Not to mention, they are all incredibly friendly individuals who share a strong passion for creating the great music that they do. After their set, I asked if I could get a picture of them, which they kindly agreed to.
propersleep members, pictured above (left to right): Scott Jackson, Benjamin Young, and Andrew McGinn.
Then, the founder of Cardigan Records, Shane, decided to jump in!
After we took pictures together, I headed back inside to watch Youth League perform, another fantastic emo-rock/math rock band from North Carolina. I have watched them perform several times prior to this show and highly recommend giving them a listen, as they are great! Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to take a picture of them.
These are two amazing bands signed to Cardigan Records, but there are plenty more on the label. If you find yourself wanting to explore some new local music, head over to the Cardigan site to browse through some more truly talented artists!
Thanks for reading,
DJ Carnage
Note: You can also catch Propersleep at WKNC’s Radio Ride to Kick Off Raleigh Beer Week on Sunday, Sept. 17.
Where are your fave WKNC DJ’s going to be chilling during Hopsctoch? Check out their schedules below!
Going to be a Kings Friday night for Sand Pact? Say hi to Double Duchess! You can also catch her DJing live from Wristband City today from 3-4 p.m.
The Fuzz plans to close out Thursday and Saturday at Lincoln Theatre. You can also catch her and DJ Yalla live at Wristband City Friday at 4 p.m. for NO DUDES PWR HR Hopscotch edition.
DJ sPaRr0vV is spending Sunday at Red Hat Ampitheatre! You can also catch her DJing live from Wristband City with Whatsherface on Saturday from 1-2 p.m. and with wolfware Saturday from 2-3 p.m.
You’ll find our local music director Whatsherface at lots of local acts this weekend. She’ll also be live at Wristband City with DJ Mac on Saturday at noon and with Whatsherface Saturday at 1 p.m.
DJ Casserole better have good walking shoes! You can also catch them DJing live at Wristband City today from 1:30-3 p.m.
This year we will be putting our rivalries aside and teaming up with UNCCH’s WXYC for a Hopscotch day party! This year’s day party will be occurring on Friday, Sept. 8 at Legends Nightclub in downtown Raleigh starting at 12pm.
For those who may be new to the festival or unfamiliar, day parties are free and open to the public concerts which occur every day before the festival and generally start at noon.
They are the perfect opportunity for those who don’t have a ticket to see some music and participate in the Hopscotch festivities or for those who do have tickets to get their pre-game on and see additional artists not featured on the official lineup.
If you decide to go out to day parties, ours is one not to miss. Legends, which is located at the corner of W Hargett St and Harrington st is a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of the rest of downtown with its large outdoor bar, generous seating in its lounge, and large stage it’s the perfect venue and hang out space. In addition this party is put on by college radio stations so naturally the artists chosen to play will be amazing, but for those who would like to know more here’s a brief description of what to expect:
Oxidant: Raleigh based powerviolence/hardcore. The perfect early set to get your blood pumping for the day. https://oxidant.bandcamp.com/
Chucha: https://soundcloud.com/chu_laura Electronic project of Laura Munoz. Her music can be noizey, dancey, and make you the feel like floating through space any way it will impress you.
Jock Gang: Experimental/artful indy rock music from Atlanta Georgia
The Muslims: Durham based politically charged punk music. Queer and muslim band members use the power of musical activism to fight racial profiling in the age of Trump. https://youtu.be/wrz2Euscpzc
The schedule will be as follows:
12:00 – Oxidant 1:00 – Chucha 2:00 – Jock Gang 3:00 – Ami Dang 4:00 – Das Drip 5:00 – The Muslims
Come out enjoy some music and maybe meet some of your favorite radio DJs!
If you are anything like me, there is a good chance you will be balling on a budget during Hopscotch. Here is the ultimate guide to getting your pennies worth at the festival!
TICKETS
The cheapest ticket option is to buy a general admission ticket ASAP. I highly suggest signing up for Hopscotch’s emails too, so you can know when tickets first go on sale and so that you can get an early bird special. The first early bird special is $125, the second is $149, and the third is $175. Unfortunately, all of those have sold out, so you can either buy a general admission wristband for $199 or buy a day wristband. Thursday’s wristband costs $85, Friday and Saturday’s cost $99, and Sunday’s cost $45. Who needs a VIP wristband anyway? You’ll be too busy running around downtown Raleigh trying to find the next act to enjoy the perks of an expensive VIP wristband.
SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS
Hopscotch has partnered with the Sheraton in downtown Raleigh to provide discounted housing during Hopscotch. The Sheraton overlooks the City Plaza, so if you’re not feeling the crowds, you could easily go back to your room and open your window to listen to the bands playing below you! Cheaper housing options would be to stay at a friend’s house in Raleigh or stay in an Airbnb. Airbnb has a deal similar to Uber; if you refer a friend, you and the friend get $40 off any Airbnb! Grab a friend and stay at a hip, trendy place in downtown for a low cost and a convenient location.
PARKING Parking prices, especially during Hopscotch, tend to be a bit outrageous downtown. To avoid high parking costs, you can take the completely free, open to the public, Wolfprowl bus if you are staying near NC State. You can even park your car around NC State (we have free parking after 5pm!) and take the Wolfprowl from there! The Wolfprowl runs Friday and Saturday nights during the fall and spring semesters from 10pm-3am. It is a continuous loop with service approximately every 35 mins. You could also take a Lyft. Use WKNC’s Lyft code, WKNC50, to get a free $50 in rides. If you are up to the challenge, you could also walk or bike downtown. There are plenty of bike racks downtown, and it could actually be super convenient to have a bike with you to get from venue to venue quicker. I saw a lot of people doing this last year and thought the idea was brilliant.
FOOD Honestly, the best option is to eat before you come. Carb-load on all your favorite foods to fuel up for the night, and get at least a little protein so you can maintain your stamina. If you get hungry during the night, you can always buy a snack or something small to tide you over. Purchasing little snacks is going to be a lot cheaper than a full meal in busy downtown. At the end of the night, there may even be some free food on Hillsborough Street; last year it was pizza.
There you have it, I hope these tips and tricks make your Hopscotch experience as cost-efficient as possible, and remove a little financial worry so you can have the time of your life rocking to some incredible artists!
After a brief hiatus, Moogfest found a new home in Durham, North Carolina, a growing, progressive, artistic oasis in the middle of North Carolina nicely complemented by Raleigh and Chapel Hill/Carrboro. Returning for its second year, Moogfest is sure to bring an abundance of festival-goers this upcoming weekend to enjoy the many sights, sounds, and tastes the city has to offer. There is something for just about everybody at this year’s iteration of Moogfest; here are a few that WKNC is especially looking forward to.
The Music
As a college radio station, the first thing that is undoubtedly going to draw our eyes to any festival will be the music. Moogfest has delivered a solid lineup with the big names of Flying Lotus and Animal Collective, but what lies beneath those names is equally as impressive. Hailing from Brooklyn as a resident DJ at Red Bull Music Academy, electronic producer Octo Octa will be bringing her eloquent take on house music to a dance-ridden Armory, Saturday night at 8pm. Experimental artist Pharmakon takes the stage at Motorco on Saturday night at 10:15 with her devastating composition of noise instrumentals mixed with her harshly terrifying, yet beautifully anguished yells. This is an act that is sure to confound, but also amaze, those that are new to Pharmakon’s music.
Moor Mother is quite the decorated artist, having her work featured at many museums and touring around the world. Her first album, Sacred Bones, released in 2016 via Don Giovanni Records, has received many accolades. With her eclectic sound ranging from harsh noise with spoken word over top to more hip-hop focused tracks, Moor Mother is one of the most intriguing acts this festival has to offer, which is even amplified more by the vagueness of her performance at the festival. Listed as a Durational Sound Installation at the American Underground Storefront on Thursday from 3-7pm, she is a definite must see as Moor Mother will definitely be bringing something to Durham worth every second of your time. For a downright good time, Moogfest has brought some great hip-hop this year. New York’s Princess Nokia and Raleigh and WKNC favorite ZenSoFly are destined to lead some of the most fun shows at this year’s Moogfest with their bouncy, relaxed take on hip-hop.
The Many Other Things
With all the exceptional music, it is hard to forget that Moogfest offers exceptional day programming that features many guest talkers, from famous musicians such as Michael Stipe of REM fame, to pioneers of electronic, to local scholars from the myriad of universities surrounding Durham. These programs easily enhance the experience of Moogfest tenfold as it adds a completely new dimension to the festival that other festivals just don’t have. One of the coolest aspects to being held in Durham is Moogfest’s access to Carolina Theatre; they use it quite well by showing films that are live soundtracked. This year, Hopscotch alum Suzi Analogue will be doing this for her film No Moon No Man with fellow artist VHVL. Amongst other talks is the aforementioned artist Octo Octa, who will be doing a talk and meet and greet at the LGBTQ Center in Durham on Sunday at 12. There are many other installations worth checking out that are open and free to the public such as one about Star Wars on Saturday afternoon, then there is the Moog Market, which gives everyone an opportunity to play around with the namesake of the festival, Moog synthesizers.
Food and Other Things
If you are of age and enjoy alcohol, Oskar Blues Brewing and Bulliet Bourbon will be holding cheap tastings and free samples of their product at Moogfest. There is a record fair hosted by Merge Records at Fullsteam Brewing on Saturday. There are endless great restaurant options throughout Durham for everyone, including vegans and vegetarians. We are definitely looking forward to spending a fun-filled, music exploratory weekend in Durham. Make sure you follow our social media accounts for updates.
Saturday, April 29 at AOC Fest, North Carolina hip-hop and r&b/soul once again proved that it is a force to be reckoned with.
Packed atop downtown Durham’s Google Lounge, artists and hip-hop enthusiasts alike gathered to hear the sultry vocals of Ari Lennox, a Washington D.C.-native signed to J.Cole’s Dreamville Records, and Cypher Univercity + J Rowdy, trailblazers of North Carolina’s cypher movement.
Cypher Univercity and J Rowdy are no strangers to me. Since 2013, I’ve braced rain, wind, and ice storms to attend the legendary Monday night cypher (which has since expanded to include weekly cyphers at 6 other universities) and witness the unfiltered rhymes of some of NC’s dopest local cats. And it was awesome to see just how many people were willing to do the same. 80+ degrees, unbearably humid, and yet the rooftop must have been stuffed near capacity.
What I was not expecting, though, was the sheer radiance and alluring stage presence of Ari Lennox, who performed tracks from her newest release, PHO EP. Her sound is best described as a little bit of Joyce Wrice mixed with a dash of Badu but flavorful in a way that is entirely unique. Her performance had me floored, and a brief interaction with her after the set revealed a mind and personality as sweet as honey. I’ve definitely stumbled upon a new R&B favorite.
This past Saturday, I went to the Shakori Hills Music Festival for the first time ever. I’ve been hearing about this fest for years, so when WKNC gave me the opportunity to go, how could I pass it up? I brought my uncle with me for the adventure (and because I didn’t wanna go alone). As it turns out, it was a great time and definitely worth all the hype. I thought I’d share my experience with y’all!
THE MUSIC – The first thing that I (of course) noticed was the happy, upbeat music. It was all kind of folksy—not my usual genre, but I really dug it. It definitely put me in a feel good mood. There were big stages and small stages scattered about, and I went to a few of each. One of my favorites was the front porch acoustic stage; three gentlemen were playing their instruments on a small little porch and would invite anyone to come and sing with them. (They asked me, but I’m tone-deaf. Oh well.) And the coolest thing was that they had two cute little chickens running around!
FOOD & BEER. – This festival has great food. Not the kind of greasy junk you find at the fair or warped tour, but genuinely delicious stuff. One of my favorites were donuts from YeeHaw donuts, which are made from four simple ingredients: eggs, buttermilk, flour, and sweet potatoes. Way too delicious for words! Secondly, the beer. Am I of drinking age? Nope, got five more months on that. But working at a semi-sports bar has taught me plenty, and they had some neat craft beers (like Hoppyum). My uncle could get a glass for $5, which, when you think about it, is quite a reasonable price compared to most festivals!
ART! – Shakori was filled with colorful art everywhere you turned. Whether it be in the form of a sculpture, face paint, handmade jewelry… this place had it all. I bought some neat new earrings and my uncle got a painted wooden turtle. Even items that weren’t for sale, like tapestries, caught my eye. Such an overall creative mix of people.
THE GENERAL ATMOSPHERE – What an all-inclusive, genuinely kind group of people. There were poetry stages in which LGBTQ people were sharing their personal stories, signs promoting peace and acceptance, all that good stuff. I could tell this was definitely a judgment free zone.
In conclusion, Shakori was everything it was cut out to be, and I only stayed for half a day! I can only imagine the sorts of fun I would have if I had camped out with friends and stuck around for a few days. With that in mind, I’ll definitely be returning for the fall festival to get the whole experience!
Each May and October hundreds of music lovers, artists, and adventure seekers alike gather together in Pittsboro, NC for Shakori Hills grassroots festival of music and dance, I myself have become one of those people. Rain is a notorious part of Shakori In fact, there hasn’t been a dry festival in years, but this hasn’t ever stopped people from packing their belongings and heading out for a weekend getaway. This year is no acceptation as we lurk the midst of hurricane Matthew this may be the rainiest Shakori yet. With this being said here are a few items I am taking out to the festival to keep the festivities going despite the ominous weather.
1.) Boots: Not only do boots keep out rain and mud, you can dance in them. When I’m forced to wear shoes I’ll be sure to have a pair of boots on deck.
2.) Plastic Rain poncho: Not the picture of fashion but very necessary if you want to get out and enjoy some music without getting soaked and catching a cold. I’ll be taking around my clear $1 rain poncho I picked up before Spring’s Shakori.
3.) Vitamin C: The last thing you want is a cold to force you home for the weekend. To keep my energy up and immune system kicking I’ll be taking Emergen-C along with me.
4.) Tarps: Not only will your tent need a cover but you won’t want that mud seeping into your sleeping bag this can easily be avoided by covering your campsite in a tarp.
5.) Lots of Layers, extra clothes: With Autumn in full swing it’ll be chilly at night, pack lot layers you can strip off when you get sweaty swing dancing to Dirty Bourbon river show and can pack on when you’re hanging out by the fire at the end of the night.
If you choose to partake this weekend follow these tips, be safe, and have a happy Shakori!
