Category: Local Music

General coverage of local music happenings

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DJ Highlights Local Music

Local Beat recap 7/30/10

Jenks Miller and Heather McEntire of Mount Moriah got stuck in heavy traffic on the way to the station, and, unfortunately, we only had around 12 minutes to chat about the band and their brand new limited edition 12" called The Letting Go during the first hour of the evening. We discussed the history of the band and their future as far as releasing their upcoming album is concerned. We also promoted their sold out show at the Pinhook with Midtown Dickens and the Mountain Goats Saturday, July 31. Jenks and Heather run Holidays for Quince Records, and each is in several different bands, including Un Deux Trois and Horseback, and are two of the busiest people I know. It was interesting to talk about their other projects in relation to Mount Moriah. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, I had to hold back many of the questions I had for them, but what we did talk about was certainly fascinating and worth a second listen:
Mount Moriah on The Local Beat 7/3/10

At 6 p.m., John Booker and Rachel Hirsh of I Was Totally Destroying It came in to promote their new 7" The Get Big 7", which is officially being released at Tir Na Nog this Thursday for Local Beer Local Band (alongside Museum Mouth, Jews & Catholics, and The Beast).  The new single is being released by their record label, Greyday Records and can be purchased at any local record store as well as online or at their shows. If you buy the vinyl, it comes with a digital download and bonus track! I also had to ask them about their band name and their answer might surprise you! Listen to our interview as we talked about the new release, IWTDI’s upcoming shows, and their penchant for wearing costumes on stage:
IWTDI on the Local Beat 7/30/10

Alex Iglehart and Wylie Pamplin of Calico Haunts came in at 7 p.m. for their first-ever radio interview to promote their first show in Raleigh since 2007, which was at the Berkely Cafe Saturday evening. We also debuted some brand new songs from their upcoming record that is scheduled to be released in October this year. Many of you might be familiar with Calico Haunts last release After All, which was one of The Independent Weekly’s albums of the month last year. Unfortunately, the band dissolved shortly after the release and little promotion was done for the record. A short time later the band was pieced back together and they started recording a follow up album only to have their work stolen two weeks before it was scheduled to be finished. With all of these mishaps you might think the band would throw in the towel. Listen below for their side of the story and their reactions:
Calico Haunts on the Local Beat 7/30/10

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Concert Preview Local Music

HUGE Local Beer Local Band Night this week! FOUR BANDS! WHOA!

This Thursday, August 5 will be a bit more intense than your typical Thursday Night at Tir Na nOg. The Tir Na nOg and WKNC team have outdone themselves this time to bring you FOUR mega-awesome bands:  I Was Totally Destroying It, The Beast, Jews and Catholics, and Museum Mouth. Furthermore, this is an 80’s Dress-up Dance Party and 7" release celebration, which will also feature DJ Johnny B Spinning the best 80’s hits!!!  There will be even more local beer varieties to choose from! This show will start 9 p.m. on the dot! 21 and up, of course.

I Was Totally Destroying It

If you find yourself at Tir Na nOg on other nights rather than Thursday, then you might have caught their other musical project I Was Totally Destroying U2 where they cover all the hits of U2 while offering spot-on Bono impersonation. Well guess what… they have original tracks too! Which are way better than U2 in my opinion.

The Beast

You might remember The Beast because they were featured on the Hear Here music compilation. They’re a delicious hip-hop group that has entertained Raleigh listeners for a while now. Be sure to catch them live this Thursday!

Jews and Catholics

A review from Patrick Culliton describes this duo in brief: “How can two people make this much noise? Machines. Guitar, bass, sequencers, hands, throats. Machines. One wing beats rust, the other glisten. A Jew, a Catholic; a boy, a girl. Isn’t tension what our attention’s after? Do you like to dance, even a little, and sweat, even a lot? We’re all lost in the woods, thank God. Jews and Catholics can fly deeper in.”

Museum Mouth

This Thursday will be the first time I will see Museum Mouth live. I am incredibly excited, as I am listening to them now. Grungy, sort of angry about something, indie rock. Already I am drawn to the lead vocalist. Fast-paced music paired with this lady’s wonderful, almost lazy-like singing voice is working for me in so many ways.

See you there, friends!

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DJ Highlights Local Music

Local Beat preview 7/30/10

Can you believe it is already August?! Seven months of the Local Beat come and gone already in 2010 and almost exactly a year since I took over as host of the program. However, this Friday’s show just might be one of the best ones yet.

At 5 p.m., we are starting off the show with Mount Moriah, a band I have been raving out for over a year since I first saw them at their second show ever back in May 2009. The group is releasing their first LP after debuting their first song “Lament” on the Holiday’s For Quince Compilation Vol. 1, which has been getting airplay on WKNC.  The album is entitled Letting Go and is officially being released at the sold out show this Saturday July 31 at the Pinhook with Midtown Dickens and The Mountain Goats.  The 12" vinyl record will be released on the streets on August 3. We should have plenty to talk about and hopefully you will hear some new tunes!

I Was Totally Destroying It is coming in for the second hour. They are also playing Saturday evening at Cherry Bounce Festival in Raleigh but we will mostly be talking about their new 7" single “Get Big,” which should be in the running for best album artwork of the year so far. We also have quite a bit to talk about, including their Sound Around app, their contribution to the Musical Chairs Compilation, and their U2 cover band. It should make for an entertaining hour!

For the final hour I am having in Wylie Pamplin and Alex Iglehart from Chapel Hill-based Calico Haunts who are making their radio interview debut. Calico Haunts put out one of 2010’s best records with their After All album in the fall of 2009. They have just finished a new record and are planning to leak a couple of new tracks on the show! In addition, we will chat about their first ever Raleigh show at the Berkley Cafe with the Dead String Brothers on July 31.

As always the Local Beat starts at 5 p.m. and runs through 8 p.m. every Friday on WKNC.  Feel free to follow us on Twitter (@WKNCLocalBeat), ReverbNation, and Facebook.

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Concert Preview Local Music

Local Beer Local Band Night: Thursday, July 29 (PLUS INTERVIEW!)

Local Beer Local Band Night is brought to you by WKNC and Tir Na nOg Irish Pub in downtown Raleigh. Each Thursday we have live local bands to entertain your ears, and the pub has local beers on tap to entertain your taste buds. These shows are always FREE and always 21 and up.This week we have The Moaners and The Spring Collection…

The Moaners

From Chapel Hill, these two talented ladies make up The Moaners. The Washington Post described their music as post-riot girl indie-rock blues band. This band will be loud and Melissa will be wearing sunglasses on stage. But honestly, any band who plays the saw is just fine with me.

The Spring Collection

The Spring Collection is a newly formed band made up of members from other local bands such as Bright Young Things and Hearts and Daggers. What does this group sound like? Well they like to say it is “60’s Garage and Mod with a late 70’s post-punk snarl…”

Should be an amazing show!  I will see you there!

And don’t forget… also on Thursday, July 29 I will be interviewing both of these bands on the air at 7 p.m.! So tune in for that!!

Love,

Audity

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DJ Highlights Local Music

Local Beat recap 7/23/10

Below is a recap of last Friday’s Local Beat where we invited in the local Musical Chairs Compilation’s Wylie Hunter and the Cazadores, Jason Adamo, and Wesley Wolfe.

For the first hour of the show Erika Libero from Nightsound Studios came by with Wylie Hunter and the Cazadores to chat about the local Musical Chairs Compilation that is currently underway. Nightsound is about to begin recording for the compilation, which should take about three weeks before the songs are mastered and released in September. We talked about the behind-the-scenes process of creating the compilation as well as the bands who will be on it. The master list of the covers are below:

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Wylie Hunter and the Cazadores played some live tracks for us off of their record that is coming out in August. Check those out in the playlist to the right and download them on the Local Beat ReverbNation page. Listen to the interview here:
Musical Chairs Compilation 7/23/10

Jason Adamo and Doug Casteen came in for the second hour of the show to talk about Jason’s new album Transistor, which was released back in July. Jason has been playing live in the Triangle for almost a decade now and has set up a temporary residence at the Pour House on Monday evenings. Transistor is a new sound for him that is much more rock n’ roll and a little deeper than his past recordings. It was recorded in Pittsboro with John Briggs and cowritten with John, Doug, and Jason’s bother Chris. Jason and Doug played some live tracks for us in studio, which you can listen to in the widget above or download them on the Local Beat ReverbNation page. Also, be sure to watch Jason’s new music video below for “Raleigh Nights” that is going to be played by the Carolina Hurricanes this next season at every game.
Jason Adamo on the Local Beat 7/23/10

For the last hour of the evening, Wes Wolfe came in the studio to chat about his new record Storage, which was released from Odessa Records back in April. You might recognize Wes from defunct local group the Grasshoppers who split up back in 2006, though he is now recording and playing live solo. Wes played nearly every instrument on the new record and recorded it in his own home.  He was a soft spoken and humble interviewee, but we had a lot to talk about:
Wes Wolfe on the Local Beat 7/23/10

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DJ Highlights Local Music

Local Beat preview 7/23/10

The Local Beat this evening with a variety of guests for tonight’s show.

We’ll start at 5 p.m. with several different bands and representatives from the Local Musical Chairs Compilation who are coming by to chat about the project and its progress. In case you are uninformed about the project, it is a compilation of local bands covering other local bands. Each group is picking their cover at random at the Open Eye Cafe on July 24.  The bands are then recording at Nightsound Studios who is heading the project and accepting a donation to fund the release of free CDs. Just recently, the project passed its goal mark of $1,100 and still has eight days left!
At 6 p.m., singer-songwriter and Raleigh native Jason Adamo is slipping in to chat about his newest release, Transistor, which was recorded with John Briggs in Pittsboro NC. Listen in for some debut airing of the new material!

7 p.m. is bringing in Wesley Wolfe who has just recently put out his second album and first through Odessa Records. The album is called Storage, and we will be playing some tunes off that for the hour. Feel free to download his track “Who’s Going To Truly Love You” here.

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Concert Review Local Music

Loved Language- A Look Back on the Libraries CD Release Show

For those who pride themselves on being familiar with local indie music within the Triangle, it would be a cardinal sin to overlook The Love Language’s rise within our tight knit music community in recent months. Indy Week gave the Raleigh band a nice cover photo and article last week, which chronicled the almost Cinderella story of Stu McLamb’s personal setbacks with the broken band this past December and his ability to bounce back to release Libraries on Merge Records, Love Language’s second album. Personally, The Love Language’s recent openings for international band Phoenix this June in Raleigh and Charlotte have cemented their growing momentum.

Although I admit that Libraries did not top their self-titled first album, I could not deny the raw energy that was present on stage at Cat’s Cradle Saturday night. The lead singer was composed, on point, and looked sincerely grateful to play the sold out show. He opened the night playing solo in deep spotlight, embodying the loneliness but also the his perseverance through the past few months. As McLamb finished quietly, the rest of the band transitioned perfectly in with “Horophones,” which symbolically represented the new band members’ solidarity. Although the show was aimed at showcasing Libraries, fans were treated with old favorites and special guests such as members from local band Lost in the Trees.

I couldn’t help but notice the various types of people that packed into the spacious Cradle, which signified that McLamb and friends are producing wide appeal. However, the Cradle wasn’t just teeming with life before the headliners walked on stage. Although I made a late appearance that night (due to an unscheduled pit-stop to gather some delicious French fries,) I luckily caught most of The Light Pines’ set. Last time I saw these guys was at the largest Local Beer Local Band night I’ve experienced where they attracted a huge crowd. Thankfully, things haven’t changed much since then. The boys seemed in step with one another producing their familiar haunting melodies. Guitarist Carter Gaj’s riffs were so rewarding that they warranted an impromptu and ecstatic Facebook status update.

Tommyboy was able to fill me in on opening act, Shit Horse, whom I knew relatively nothing about. However, apparently I missed a great deal of antics as the front man was extremely charismatic, soliciting responses now and then from the crowd. On their final number, they brought out a topless girl (both nipples pierced as I’m told) wearing a horse mask. Certainly, it had to have been an unforgettable performance.

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Concert Preview Local Music

LBLB Night! July 22nd!

This week we have three awesome acts playing at Tir Na nOg: Jenna Smith, Kid Future and Midtown Dickens! Thursday nights at Tir Na nOg are always partnered with WKNC, is FREE FREE FREE and of course, 21 and up.

Jenna Smith:

This gorgeous singer and songwriter will be playing solo on her acoustic guitar.   This woman will give you goosebumps all over!  Her voice is so beautiful and soothing;  not surprising since she does music therapy.   Get here early to make sure you don’t miss this, otherwise all of your buddies who did show up early will tell you over and over again how awesome it was and you will beat yourself up for being late all night and won’t be able to enjoy the other acts.   Seriously.

Kid Future:

If you missed their act at Slim’s last Thursday (perhaps because you were at LBLB!) then no worries!  Here they are this Thursday for free at the one and only Tir Na nOg.  Chris Parker of Independent Weekly calls their jams, “burbling indie synth pop… reminiscent of ‘80s acts like New Order but more sedate and dreamy.”  YES!

Midtown Dickens:

From Durham, this band delivers folk-y bluegrass.  Try your best to learn all the words.  My favorite thing to do when listening to MD is to sing along.  The song I started with?, “Airplane.”   Writer for the Independent Weekly, Brian Howe, said, “This band’s long let itself f**k up. Now they’ve learned to allow others to f**k up, too. They don’t gloss over failings and disappointments. They let them be and sing them into songs. You can sing them, too.”  See you on Thursday, friends!

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Concert Preview Local Music

Love Language at the Cradle tonight

The Love Language’s much anticipated Merge release Libraries dropped recently into the hands of a salivating clientele, and tonight we have the privilege of celebrating the occasion.  I could waste my time (and yours) by giving a most likely inadequate review here, laden with underwhelming vocabulary and confusing or inappropriate allusions, but I know better.  I shall leave that task to the better equipped–those who do the album the service it deserves.

So rather than try to steer your take on the album, I’ll just give you some simple procedural advice: consider purchasing a ticket for the show tonight. Openers Shit Horse and Light Pines dictate attention, regardless of the situation. (But is there a better situation than this? An almost certainly sold-out Cat’s Cradle, bursting at the seams for one of the Triangle’s most lauded outfits in recent memory? I lean toward no.)

Tonight promises to entertain, to satisfy, and to satiate. (Ok, so you did end up getting some underwhelming vocabulary.) Doors are at 8 and the show starts at 9.

T.A.
(If my camera charges, I’ll be sure to put up some pics.)

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DJ Highlights Local Music

Local Beat recap 7/16/10

Last Friday on the Local Beat, we had a fantastic show thanks to the wonderful musicians who came by.

Lizzy Ross was the first to come in at 5 p.m. to show off her newest release, Traces, which was released June 26. Only in her early 20’s, Lizzy has already begun making quite a name for herself in the area with her stunning soulful voice and beautiful songwriting after setting a precedent with her previous band Lafcadio. Lizzy and I talked about the creation of her self released album and the different processes that went into it. We also compared her live show to her recorded material and she sang us three songs, which you can listen to in the music player above and download from our Local Beat ReverbNation page. You can purchase Traces from her website, Lizzy.net, CD Alley in Chapel Hill, as well as iTunes. Take a listen to our conversation below:
Lizzy Ross on the Local Beat 7/16/10

At 6 p.m., David Mueller came in to talk about his new solo album from Heads on Sticks titled Mocking Bird. In this project David takes on the role of a mad scientist as he mixes and matches various sound effects on a whim that ends with a remarkably unique and sonically satisfying album, even taking clips from an actual mockingbird from his iPhone, which he calls a true “organic sampler.” David and I compared his newest music to his last three EPs ( you can download for free on his BandCamp page and I highly recommend) and listened to several songs off of the new record.
Heads on Sticks on the Local Beat 7/16/10

For the last hour of the show, the guys of Jeremy Blair From Effingham dropped in for what turned out to be an immensely satisfying hour of conversation. JBFE has been playing live shows in the area for almost exactly a year now and are well on their way to local stardom. The three J’s in the band, Jeremy Blair, John Hill, and Jim McConnell came by and played some live tracks for us, which you can listen to in the widget above and download from our Local Beat ReverbNation page. We talked about the beginning of the band, how they came together, and their live show. We also had an interesting talk about the Triangle music scene, Durham in particular, which is on the verge of taking over the region as far as artistic and musical prominence is concerned. Take a listen:
Jeremy Blair From Effingham on the Local Beat 7/16/10

Jeremy Blair From Effingham is having a show August 7 at the Black Flower in Raleigh with Joy in Red and the Once and Future Kings. Also, check out the SWEET cherry pie the fellas baked me!

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