I accept 3 things in our short-live music festival relationship. You can’t help you have been born to be 6’ 5”. You have the right to enjoy music— just as much as I do. And you’re definitely blocking my view to my favorite artist.
Now, I am not a short woman. I’m a happy 5’7”, often tower over my friends even at this height, and appreciate my size. But all of that goes out of the window at any music festival I’ve ever attended, as soon as I’m missing the entire Japanese Breakfast set inside Neptune’s because there is a lumbering human flesh pillar blocking every possible angle at which I could view the stage. At this point, I wish I had your height.
Sigh.
I’m not the only one. It’s not an isolated event. I recently watched ⅓ of a Beach House concert staring directly into the back of a string bean man, before leaving in frustration. I have friends and colleagues that arrive at shows sometimes hours before just so they can get some sort of visibility of the stage.
I plead with you.
If you are a tall, white, CIS man, please take a moment to look around you. Notice if there’s a tiny peanut of a person with their face smashed into your sweaty back. Take the time to ask them if they’d like to step in front of you to see better. Please. For the love of music. At the very least, don’t give me or anyone else a disgusted look when we elbow past you to get a better look.
What’s up Butcher Crew! So, I have been to a handful of shows this summer, and I have realized something… Some people have no idea what they are doing in a mosh pit. There are different types of pits depending on the genre. For example: Metalcore has push pits/circle pits, and deathcore and hardcore have crowdkilling, etc.
I went to see Fit For a King, Like Moths to Flames, Currents, Constellation Atlas, and Patheos at the Drunk Horse Pub (DHP) in Fayetteville, NC. Now, this is a metalcore show, but DHP is known for its hardcore community. There were a lot of hardcore fans at the show and they were trying to crowdkill to these bands. Sometimes it works, but for the most part, it doesn’t, and people just look really weird trying to 2 step to metalcore. The lead singer for Constellation Atlas, Kevin, asked the crowd to form a wall of death. The crowd divided into two parts. When the break down hit, instead of running towards each other, people started 2 stepping and crowdkilling. A wall of death does not work like that at all. I was talking to multiple people in all the bands that played that night, and they all said the same thing: It was weird to see people trying to crowdkill. Overall, the show was really fun and I got to meet a couple of people but, I have decided to be a homie and help my fellow metalheads out and explain the different types of mosh pits and where you can expect to see each mosh pit. You’re welcome.
RYAN KIRBY (LEAD SINGER) FROM FIT FOR A KING
BRAIN WILLE (LEAD SINGER) FROM CURRENTS
Now, before we get into the moshing etiquette and the different types of mosh pits, let’s talk about the history of moshing. I am a history major so you already know homegirl loves doing some research.
Moshing (also known as “slam dancing”) originated with the hardcore community in Washington D.C. in the ‘80s. The attitude of the hardcore/punk bands at the time (Minor Threat, Circle Jerks, Black Flag, and Bad Brains, etc.) had a certain attitude while playing. The crowd feeds off the band’s energy, so with their loud personality and attitude is translated into the crowd becoming rowdy.
Moshing then eased its way into the Thrash community with major help from Anthrax (they have a song called ‘Caught In A Mosh’). With thrash spreading like wildfire with the help of Metallica and Megadeth, moshing spread with it. The song Caught In A Mosh helped lift the taboo and negative thinking about moshing and turned it into a fun thing to do at a metal show.
Soon, music evolved from thrash to Seattle-based grunge community (think Nirvanna and Alice in Chains). And guess what followed this genre? Yup, you guessed it: Moshing. This is where crowd-surfing and stage diving came into play as well. You now see crowd-surfing and stage diving at almost any metal show.
After grunge; moshing, crowd-surfing, and stage diving thrived in the nu metal (think Korn) and death metal (think Dying Fetus) communities. Now with metalcore, deathcore, and a new wave of hardcore, moshing began to change. Mosh pits are still organized chaos with a lot of pushing and shoving, but now some pits have been transformed into dance floors with karate kicks, arm swings, and 2 steps.
Some have argued that moshing is dead. I disagree. I go to shows almost every weekend and people are still moshing. Maybe one’s idea of mosh isn’t as popular or isn’t done anymore, but that doesn’t mean that moshing is over as a whole.
Now that we are aware of the history of moshing, let’s get into some basic mosh pits that you will see at metal shows.
Push pit:
It’s pretty self-explanatory. You just run around and push people around in the pit. You will see these pits for metalcore and nu metal bands.
Circle pit:
This is also pretty self-explanatory. You run around in a big circle and push people who are in your way while people on the outside push you back into the pit. There are also some people who stand in the middle of the circle pit and just headbang. You will see these pits for metalcore and nu metal bands.
Wall of Death:
This pit is literally death. I have been in quite a few wall of death’s and I seriously thought I was going to die. Basically, the singer for the band that is playing will tell the crowd to divide in half. Once the crowd splits in half, you face the other half of the crowd. When the singer tells you go, or when the breakdown hits, you run towards one another and start pushing. I usually end up getting caught in the middle of this mosh (if you didn’t get my Anthrax reference… you’ll be going down my Slot Drain). You will see these pits at metalcore, nu metal, death metal, and deathcore shows.
Crowdkilling:
Honestly, anything goes with crowdkilling. Most people just move their arms and legs like a maniac and swing. Others do karate kicks, flips, and other tricks. The majority of the time, people 2 step. It is very entertaining to watch, but to me, this is the most dangerous type of pit. If you are anywhere near the pit (even around the pit, not participating), you will get hit. You will see these pits at deathcore and hardcore shows.
Crowdkilling is my least favorite type of mosh. I find it entertaining seeing people 2 step and do weird dances, and I understand that I will get hit. But when I continually get hit once the crowdkiller knows I’m there and is still trying to hit me is when I have a problem. I don’t even care if someone isn’t looking, those who decide to just swing back and continuously go to the end of the pit to hit people, I will kick your ass. You have all this room to swing and dance, there is no need to intentionally hit people who aren’t participating. I saw Varials recently and a crowdkiller wasn’t looking and punched me in the nose 5 times even when I was trying to get away or push him off. This is when crowdkillng isn’t fun. Now, I am biased because of what happened, but I do understand that hardcore music is aggressive. I will continue to jam out to hardcore shows, and I’m fine with being near the pit. Just know that if I get punched in the nose consecutive times, I’m coming for your ass.
Here is the one and only rule that you need to know about any of these types of mosh pits: IF YOU SEE SOMEONE FALL DOWN, STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING AND HELP THEM UP.
If you pay attention to your surroundings and help other people if they go down, you will have no problem in a pit.
In the past, I’ve heard some criticisms that Moogfest didn’t do much in the way of supporting local talent- but it’s looking as though they’ve listened to complaints. Raund Haus, a Durham-based beatmaking collective, has secured its own local showcase at this year’s Moogfest. I actually met the group’s cofounder, David Huber, while volunteering in a warehouse at Moogfest in 2015- the festival’s first year in Durham after moving from its previous home of Asheville.
I spoke with Raund Haus ahead of this year’s festival about the local music scene, the festival itself, and more.
WKNC 88.1: How did you end up getting involved with Moogfest? RAUND HAUS: Raund Haus’ formation was in-part inspired by Moogfest. In December 2015, Moogfest hosted its first official event in Durham called Dialtones at The Shed. After a workshop and an experimental set by Made of Oak, a series of local performers including Gappa Mighty, Trandle and other Triangle-based musicians played mini-sets. A few months later, this format of forward-thinking electronic and beat-music artists performing short sets at the Shed was used by the founders of Raund Haus for the first event. Since then, Raund Haus worked closely with Moogfest over the past few years with many of the members working directly and indirectly in the production of Durham edition of the festival. 2018’s Raund Haus Stage is the culmination of this partnership which allows the collective to exhibit a wide range of talent from throughout North Carolina to reach the national and international audience of Moogfest.
WKNC: How do you find promising local musicians? How did you select artists for your local producer showcase? RH: As soon as the idea to create a place for bedroom beat makers and producers to play in public here in Durham was put into motion, people just kept popping up in all honesty. There were artists who wanted a stage to perform on and that is what Raund Haus gave Durham. As soon as the first event happened, it created an excellent, not only scene, but community for beat makers in the area and this allowed for connections to be made and introductions to more artists came naturally. Luckily, artists wanted to be a part of it as well and many people, upon hearing what was going down, even reached out to us. So, it’s better to look at it largely as the talent found the stage and Raund Haus worked to build that platform. This has continued and we look forward to growing in that same open and organic way. The artists we selected this year were largely a collection of artists who have worked closely with Raund Haus over the past years and some that popped in for an event or two and really brought a good time. An entire festival could be comprised of the vast array of talented artists in the area who could fall under the electronic genre, but we mostly stuck with some of the usual suspects and folks who have rocked with Raund Haus in the past.
WKNC: In your opinion, what has Moogfest’s effect been on Durham’s music scene or the city in general? RH: Moogfest has brought attention to electronic and experimental music that would otherwise be overlooked in the area by hosting some pretty insane talent in Durham which any fan of that genre should be extremely grateful for. The focus of the festival on the future has also brought up some really interesting conversations on what the future of Durham as a rapidly growing city could and should be for those participating creatively in shaping the Bull City. With the local-focused Raund Haus Stage, we hope that some people from outside the community, but also those within it who just haven’t been exposed to our experiment yet, will appreciate what we are trying to accomplish with beats, electronic and forward-thinking music and subsequently support us.
WKNC: Tell me a little bit about what visions you have for Raund Haus in the future RH: Raund Haus has strived to provide an outlet and platform for artists who may not have found a home in the Triangle music scene otherwise, so hopefully that has served Durham in some way that didn’t exist before and we hope to continue that goal. The Raund Up events hosted at at Bull City Records where producers are challenged to create a beat or production out of vinyl from the bargain bin has been a way for producers to meet and congregate and has been extremely rewarding to all involved, so look out for more from that series. Raund Haus is going to continue to release some really exciting projects throughout this year through our label that has already seen quality records from FootRocket, RGB, Treee City, and Calapse.
WKNC: What artists (part of your showcase or not) are you most looking forward to seeing this year? RH: Jon Hopkins just put out an amazing album and his multiple sets should be nothing less than stellar. JRocc is one of the most talented DJ’s out there and it’ll be quite the treat for anyone who catches his set. Waajeed is a criminally under-recognized producer and will kill it in the spatial sound venue at the Armory this year. Suzanne Ciani has offered an incredible experience and journey in sound in past years, so excited to see where we get to go this year. Shabazz Palaces is an incredible look into evolution in hip hop and music in general, so it will be fun to get shipped into the future while reminiscing over nickel bags of funk. Anyone who missed Sun O)))’s set, which was a wild experience, can catch Stephen O’Malley this year and we can’t wait to get lost in that sonic canvas. The list goes on and on as its near impossible to see such a wide range of musicians all in one place; with electronic music being a genre that has spanned in all directions and crept into most other genres of music, the possibilities are endless and it will be exciting to learn and experience the artists we are unfamiliar with as well.
The Raund Haus Stage will be hosting its free local producer showcase at Parts & Labour located at 723 Rigsbee Avenue in Durham. For the full schedule, go to Moogfest.com.
A WKNC program that aim to highlight the work and voices of those enacting postivie change, Oak City Move was founded in early February of 2017 by myself and Phian Tran, a recent NC State graduate and WKNC alumna. I had never stepped foot into a radio station, let alone hosted my own show, so I was initially hesitant about working for WKNC. However, I have had a fantastic year with WKNC and our show, so here are five things I’ve learned during Oak City Move’s first year:
People can suck
They won’t always be respectful of the space or your opinions, and will even call you out on your “normie” music. There will always be those that criticize your words and execution on air, and refuse to empathize with the sentiments you share.
But they can also be really great too
The amount of support I’ve received in the past year has been astounding. From strangers to friends and family to WKNC as a whole, there have always been people that have reached out to continue the dialogue we have on air and pushing us forward with our work through their encouragement. WKNC in particular has been supportive of OCM’s message and actions from day one, which I am very grateful for.
There are so many people doing amazing work that you don’t know about
Prior to working on OCM, I was aware of some organizations and individuals that were doing good for their community, but WOW are there a lot! The mediums in which people are doing positive work is super broad, so be sure to check out every avenue you can think of (and then some). My personal favorites of the non-traditional mediums include visual art, agriculture, and music!
There is much more that goes into college radio than you’d think
Before coming to WKNC, whenever I heard the term “DJ”, I envisioned a guy scratching records on a turntable (spoiler alert: that doesn’t happen all that often in the studio). For OCM, we have to brainstorm ideas, reach out to interviewees, plan questions, promote on social media, do the actual show, edit the recording, and put it out to you all! There is also a multitude of other people and responsibilities that go into the success of WKNC.
Students have more power than they think
I think it’s safe to say that on a campus as big as NC State’s, it can be easy to feel small and voiceless. Oak City Move helped me find my voice and my purpose at this school, and I have been exposed to more opportunities and remarkable people in the past year than I have in my previous 17 years of life. I obtained a leadership position within WKNC, became Facebook friends with a member of the North Carolina Senate, and met so many cool people.
Beyond the music and dancing Shakori is a unique social experience where a variety of folks come together, here are a few you’re bound to find there:
1.) The Hippy Mom: Probably grew up going to grassroots festivals herself. Wears patterned maxi skirts and smiles at everyone.
2.) The Tag-along: Doesn’t know why they are there, groans as they follow their friends around through the dirt. Hates nature, and only listens to pop radio.
3.)Bluegrass grandpa: Plays banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, stand up bass, harmonica, you name it. Probably has a beard and often recruits other bluegrass grandpa’s to play with him. He’s taking your old-time requests.
4.)Camp social: Spends the entire festival in the forest at the campsite chatting other campers heads off. Will bring in strangers and have their own little forest party. They came to be social not watch bands.
5.) Lawn chair squatters: Typically and older couple who’s been coming out to the festival for a while. You can find them in the daylight at the back of the crowd sitting in their chairs with a picnic, smiling and bobbing their heads.
6.) Thrill seekers: They came to P-A-R-T-A-Y. They’ll drink it all, smoke it all, take off their shirts and dance until daylight.
7.)Too much too fast guy: Blacks out the first hour of the festival, remembers nothing but everyone remembers him.
8.)Instagrammers: They’re all about the image. They came to a music festival and they want everyone to know it. Their snapchat story is 3 hours long by the time it uploads with limited service. They’re covered in glitter and sequins for that instagram fest pic, and are very easy to find as their phone is always out.
9.)The Music fans: They came for music, made a schedule and aren’t missing any of the bands they came to see. Will probably buy merch too. They’ll probably ask you who you’re there to see.
10.)Hoop Squad: This is the highlight of their life. They dropped a few Benjamins for that fancy rainbow glo hoop and they’re ready to get out of their back yards and strut their stuff! No one understands their art and they’re really only impressing their friends but it brings their hippy hearts joy.
Double Duchess One the best parts of Hopscotch had to be feeling the energy of the crowds. Since I was lucky to get a photo pass I was often up at the front in the photo pits trying to capture every moment, from the artists performances to the dancing crowds. Definitely feeling the excitement from everyone in City Plaza and Red Hat Ampithetre gave me joy. I also really appreciated getting to sit and have a good therapeutic cry with my friends surrounding me at Mt. Eerie, speaking to one of my favorite artists, Japanese Breakfast, and even giving the good ole folks in Gobbinjr a place to stay the night. Nothing was sweeter than seeing Lincoln Theatre packed full and tight for Museum Mouth, even if I only got to see their last song. By far the best experience however, was my friends and I releasing our bodies from the mortal coil of the Hopscotch wristband we all manage to pull way too tight on our wrists. We managed such a feat with the blunt edge of Waffle House butter knives once Angel Olsen had closed out the weekend festival. Looking forward to maybe learning my lesson next year with the wristbands, and I’m excited for what next year’s Hopscotch will bring to the Oak City.
Green Machine This year was my first Hopscotch experience, and it was absolutely incredible for so many reasons! Running around downtown, meeting up with different groups of friends, making a few new ones, and seeing some incredible artists made for a truly special experience. However, there was one performance that stuck out in my mind. On Saturday night, Dear Nora graced Lincoln Theatre with their first show in North Carolina since 2005. I had listened to a little bit of their music at the recommendation of two of my friends, and was excited to see what the night had in store. I had expected a wonderful performance, but I did not expect the intense emotions that came with hearing the strong, crystal voice of Katy Davidson, and watching her return to her musical pursuits. Dear Nora’s last album, Three States: Rarities 1997-2007, was released nearly ten years ago in 2008 as a collection of songs that hadn’t been featured on previous albums, but had been recorded by Katy and the band over the years from 1997-2007. After the release of that album and some last few tours, Katy Davidson decided to retire Dear Nora, and take time to nurture her personal life. Now, in 2017, she has announced that there will be a new Dear Nora album coming out in 2018, and performed a couple songs that will be featured on it. In her performance, I felt a sense of returned comfort radiating off of her, and she looked as if she was at home on the stage, gazing at the crowd as if she was being reunited with old friends. It was a powerful experience that nearly brought me to tears, and watching her and the other band members pouring passion and ease into every line and melody was a beautiful way to spend my last show of Hopscotch 2017.
DJ E.Cole.I Dozens of sweaty twenty-something-year-olds + a giant set of ballon monster hands + two middle-aged men = an insane moshing of high-octane music that did not disappoint. Killer Mike and LP of Run the Jewels came to Hopscotch last Friday night and performed an incredible show. The mixed hard-hitting rap with intense beats that any bystander had to turn up to. Not only that, but when it became time to mosh for a few songs they stopped and did what may have been the most personable PSA about how to mosh responsibly, which I am sure any first time moshers like myself or any smaller individuals also appreciated. There was not a single boring moment at one of the most highly anticipated acts during the entire weekend.
DJ Whatsherface It is difficult to pick a favorite among the many outstanding acts I experienced this weekend at Hopscotch Music Festival, but one artist whom I made the last minute decision of skipping the renowned and beauteous melancholy of Mount Eerie to experience I can say at the least blew me away. That artist was G Yamayawa. I regretfully had only heard of him two weeks before Hopscotch while mindlessly meandering the list of names on the lineup which I had not heard of before. The tune “North Cack” came on which is a comical yet undeniably catchy tune about being an Asian rapper in Durham, North Carolina which became glued in my head for days to come. Before his set even started the grandeur Lincoln theatre was packed floor to balcony with an enthusiastic crowd of people. I picked a spot up to the front right of the stage wanting to get a real up close and personal experience as usual when attending a show. As the show went on the set got more and more energetic and entertaining and I could see why so many people had flocked to see him that night. What stood out the most to me about Yamazawa’s set was how close to home it felt. In his music he often refers to Durham and NC his debut album is even titled “Shouts to Duham.” Furthermore he decided to share his time on the music festival big stage with other local rap/hip-hop musicians pulling up Alex Thompson (ZOOCRU) onto two of his numbers to play flute and saxophone as well as Defacto Thespian to rap with him, which was an extremely classy gesture. An element I had never before experienced at a show before that he brought to the stage was performing slam poetry between songs which brought the audience to a dead silent reflection. After this he shouted out to his parents and followed up by rapping in their native language, Japanese a gesture which made my heart melt and I’m sure his families as well. He closed the night with his smash hit, the song which brought me to the theatre that night “North Cack” accompanied by a huge crowd of dancers and left the audience bursting with enjoyment.
Wolfware Hopscotch 2017 came and went super quickly, as it typically does. Thursday starts and I’m just like well now it’s Sunday. This speaks to the constant action Hopscotch brings to Raleigh between the evening activities and day parties. For me, this year was at it’s most fun in the big dance hall areas i.e. The Basement and CAM when DJs such as Kaytranada and Lunice performed. These acts bring lots of energy and fun to Hopscotch as they make our bodies move and dance. The DJs the festival brings in always create one of most fun and engaging atmospheres!
WKNC would like to thank Hopscotch for its support and for bringing masses of great music together once a year in this city we call home!
This year’s Hopscotch was truly the best year I have had the pleasure to attend. It was clear that the organization of this year’s festival has evolved to a quite efficient design. The main complaint I had about past Hopscotch festivals was that I was unable to see all of the bands I hoped to. This was mostly due to poor schedule arrangement with overlapping acts and/or inconvenient venue locations. This year seemed to flow quite naturally, where I could seamlessly go from act to act without feeling crunched for time or like I had to make many decisions between shows. There was rarely time that felt wasted and I was constantly in transit between shows or enjoying great music. One of my favorite sets was G Yamazawa where he played Lincoln Theatre on Thursday night. He used his stage time to continually include the audience and even took some time to preform a heartfelt spoken-word poem he wrote. I felt more and more connected to him as he opened up his past to the audience and he kept us dancing throughout. So many people came on stage to collaborate on his songs through rapping, trumpet playing and a troupe of dancers even made an appearance. This was my first time seeing G Yamazawa and it certainly will not be my last. if you ever get the chance to see him live I would urge you to take it.
DJ Short Strides
One of my favorite Hopscotch acts that really surprised me was Tei Shi. I went to Red Hat an hour and a half early for Solange so that I could get a good spot and I ended up seeing the entirety of Tei Shi’s set. I had never heard her music prior to Hopscotch but I was instantly hooked. Her music has been described as a R&B-inflected indie pop tune and I think that description fits her style of music very well. It was like nothing I had ever heard before. It had the perfect combination of R&B, indie and pop. I grew up listening to primarily indie and pop music but have recently been listening to more R&B and hip-hop, so it was really cool that she was able to encompass my entire taste in music in one performance. Not only was the style of music amazing, but Tei Shi’s voice is impeccable. She hit every high note perfectly. My favorite songs she performed were “Crawl,” “Bassically,” “Keep Running,” “How Far,” “Year 3K” and “Lift Me.” Hearing the song “Crawl” live was absolutely phenomenal. She blew me away and I can now say I am a dedicated Tei Shi fan.
The Fuzz
Now that the FOUR DAYS of Hopscotch 2017 are past us, we’ve all had a little time to reflect on the sights, sounds and smells of the past weekend. I was surprised that my favorite acts ended up being Mourn, Sand Pact, Beverly, Tei Shi and Angel Olsen. Honestly, I haven’t listened to any of them that often; I was familiar enough with each to play them on KNC (and I’ve seen Sand Pact live before), but now that I’ve seen them I’m going through each of their discographies. For the past few months, I’ve been pretty bad at listening to new music, opting to stick to my longtime favorites instead. This year’s Hopscotch made me want to seek out new music again. A couple of local acts who I had never seen surprised me, too, specifically The Tills, Rapsody and The Coke Dares (okay, they’re two-thirds local). The Tills were so high energy that I couldn’t help but enjoy it, Rapsody was super talented and clever and The Coke Dares were hilarious and had short songs that kept the crowd on our toes. I expected to enjoy each of their sets, but I didn’t think I’d necessarily want to come home to listen to them. Welp, I was wrong, so that lengthened my song queue. But I’m excited to keep on listening. It was a really awesome Hopscotch and I’m glad that I got to go!
DJ Casserole
Hopscotch weekend shifts the environment of Raleigh, North Carolina, unlike any other major event I have attended since my time living here. My favorite act was the immersive and light-hearted performance of Angel Olsen on Sunday night. I have been a fan of Olsen since her 2012 album “Half Way Home.” Her performance felt personal and down-to-earth, despite headlining the main stage on the last day of the festival. She played alongside an energetic and bolo tie-clad band, but came back on the stage after extensive cheers and applause, to perform solo with only her voice and her guitar. Although her music is laced with heavy themes of love and loss, the performance was obviously a fun time for Angel Olsen; she cracked jokes with the crowd and interjected songs with witty one-liners, but somehow dove back into vibrato sustained notes. Lindsey Jordan of Snail Mail was even seen sitting on the left of the stage enjoying the show. Angel Olsen’s set was the perfect ending to an exciting, unique, and exhausting weekend.
The Captain
The most memorable moment of my Hopscotch weekend was seeing Mount Eerie for the first time on Thursday night. En route to Mount Eerie, I mistakenly went into Lincoln Theatre after misreading the venue for where he was performing. After realizing that Lincoln had an entire bill dedicated to hip-hop, which is nowhere near Mount Eerie genre-wise, I went off to find the A. J. Fletcher Opera Theater (located inside the Duke Energy Center). I ended up being a little late to his set but was surprised when I walked in to find an entirely quiet, packed room full of occupied plush red seats. The audience was dead silent and the singing and playing of Phil Elverum were almost entrancing. His set was a jarring transition from the other acts I had seen throughout the night like Big Thief and Kayo Dot. After finding an empty seat (refreshing after a long night of walking), I settled in to listen to 45 minutes of melancholy, thought-provoking songs that seemed to run into one another in a lilting fashion. As an occasional acoustic artist, I found his singing style unique with long drawn out vocal phrases and timid accompanied strumming. Having not heard any of his material prior, it was interesting to experience everything for the first time in the context of Hopscotch. Mount Eerie was the last artist I heard on Thursday night and it was a calming way to finish my first night of Hopscotch. The next artist I saw on Friday was Run The Jewels, which is a large leap in dynamics, but that’s the beauty of a festival like Hopscotch. There’s something for everyone.
Tune in on Monday for more favorite moments of Hopscotch!
The Captain here with something completely unrelated to all things emo and That Emo Show. You’ve probably heard of pairing different wines with cheeses or courses within a meal but what about food pairings for some of your favorite artists/my favorite artists at this year’s Hopscotch? I’ve created five pairings for five artists below:
1. Run The Jewels (Hip-Hop/Rap)
The duo of Killer Mike and El-P have etched out their own brand of catchy, politically-charged hip-hop over the past few years. Given their status as a two-piece it would be fitting to make their pairing not one but two different dishes. Taken from an interview found here, El-P’s pairing would be Beef Bulgogi and Killer Mike’s a dish from one of his Atlanta favorites, The Ghetto Burger. They play at Red Hat Amphitheater on Saturday at 8:00 PM!
2. Preoccupations [formally known as Viet Cong] (Post-Punk)
Preoccupations is ½ of the now-defunct band, Women, and previously known as Viet Cong. They released a self-titled album last year and it’s a soundscape at times and technical nonsense at others. Just pack a picnic for the beach and then put that in the blender and there you go. Preoccupations takes the stage at Lincoln Theatre on Friday at 11:30 PM!
3. Thou (Sludge Metal)
Easily being one of the heaviest artists at this year’s Hopscotch, Thou has been cranking out sludgy jams since 2005. Since they’re old heads at their craft, it’s probably a safe assumption they put on a powerful, energetic set. The dish that pairs well with them really isn’t food at all. It’s motor oil in a sippy cup. Thou’s set is at The Pour House on Friday at 11:00 PM!
4. KAYTRANADA (Electronic/R&B)
Louis Celestin (better known by KAYTRANADA) is a Haitian-Canadian DJ/producer who released his debut album 99.9% last year (it’s 100% fire). 99.9% is laidback with an in-the-pocket vibe and has no lack of great artists features like BadBadNotGood and Anderson.Paak. To honor his combined heritage, his dish would be riz collé aux pois (a traditional Haitian red snapper and bean dish) with a side of poutine. KAYTRANADA plays The Basement at 12:00 AM on Friday!
5. Margo Price (Singer-Songwriter)
Margo Price is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter who released her debut album, Midwest Farmer’s Daughter, last year. In listening to a chunk of the Hopscotch artists, her material is what sticks out the most for me compared to everything else. Midwest Farmer’s Daughter has that “twang”, but it’s a mature work with plenty of nice instrumentals to bob your head to. Her pairing is probably no surprise to anyone. Just a classic Southern spread of fried chicken, okra, mashed potatoes and a biscuit. Margo plays City Plaza on Thursday at 8:15 PM!
Hope you enjoyed the read and learned a little about each artists in the process! The full 2017 Hopscotch lineup can be found here and the entire festival schedule here. Look for me this weekend and we can talk all things sad…
AAs one-half of the NO DUDES PWR HR, I just couldn’t not tell y’all about the acts led by people of underrepresented genders that I’m most excited for at this year’s Hopscotch Music Festival. Here they are in alphabetical order:
Cayetana: Slim’s, Thursday at midnight (technically it’s Friday)
Is it just me, or are all musicians from Philly these days? Jk. But, as my friend once told me, there’s truth behind every “jk,” and clearly the scene there is producing some great artists. One of these is Cayetana, who you should listen to if you just can’t get enough straight up indie rock. Pay special attention to their lyrics and the bass line in Grumpy’s, and be sure to catch them at Slim’s. Cayetana press photo from Bandcamp.
Madame Gandhi: Nash Hall, Friday at 11:30 p.m.
If you’re going to Hopscotch to be inspired, definitely check out Madame Gandhi’s set. She’s a percussionist, electronic musician, vocalist and activist who seriously cares about people. If you see her set, she’s sure to create some great beats and leave you thinking afterwards. To give you an idea, check out the song The Future is Female. Madame Gandhi “Voices” album cover
Mary Timony Plays Helium: Red Hat Amphitheatre, Sunday at 4:15 p.m.
If you’re like me, you know Mary Timony mostly from the bands Ex Hex and Wild Flag, but her set at Hopscotch will be special. Timony went on tour this summer, recreating the songs of Helium, the band that she fronted in the 1990s. She’s bringing these songs to Hopscotch, and who knows when else you’ll be able to hear them live? My personal faves are Hole in the Ground and Superball. Ex Hex at South By Southwest 2014 photo by Bri Aab, WKNC.
MOURN: CAM, Friday at 11 a.m.
I thought I’d never get to see this band in my life. The self-proclaimed “very young quartet” is from Spain, and they make awesome post-punk music that I can’t wait to hear live. They’re also releasing a new EP, Over the Wall, on the same day that they play. Check out their new single here, though I’m partial to Misery Factory and Gertrudis, Get Through This!MOURN press photo from Bandcamp.
Solange: Red Hat Amphitheater, Saturday at 9 p.m.
Of course. Of course. Just be there! Until then, I highly recommend taking a peek at Solange’s music videos because they’re really visually engaging. Try Don’t Touch My Hair or Losing You. Solange Knowles’ “A Seat at the Table’ album cover
ZenSoFly: Red Hat Amphitheater, Saturday at 2:15
If you saw her at this year’s Double Barrel Benefit, you know she’s the best. If you didn’t, now you can find out. It’s great to see so much great hip-hop at Hopscotch, including local artist ZenSoFly. I personally will never get over CookOut, and her EP Little Miss Perfect is great. ZenSoFly at Double Barrel Benefit 14 photo by Katelyn Auger, WKNC.
Want to hear these artists and more on WKNC? Listen at 4 p.m. on Friday, September 8 for a special NO DUDES PWR HR show broadcast from Wristband City!
For the full Hopscotch schedule, click here. Catch you out there!
