Category: Miscellaneous

Random sh*t we don’t know where else to put

Categories
Miscellaneous

10 Types of People You’ll Find at Shakori Hills

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. 

Categories
Miscellaneous

Having trouble hearing us outside of Raleigh? We’re sorry. 🙁

Categories
Miscellaneous

WKNC’s Favorite Hopscotch Memories (part 2)

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! 

Categories
Miscellaneous

WKNC’s Favorite Hopscotch Memories (part 1)

DJ sPar0vV

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! 

Categories
Miscellaneous

Food Pairings for This Year’s Hopscotch Artists (and some other important info)

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…

-The Captain (Zachary Mega)

Categories
Miscellaneous

Most Anticipated Acts of Hopscotch (Underrepresented Genders Edition)

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!

<3, The Fuzz

Categories
Miscellaneous

How to Tell your Friends about Hopscotch

             The countdown to Hopscotch is winding down. Concerts are always better with friends, so you’d want your friends to keep you company during this annual event, right? But perhaps you find that you’re the only one in your friend group that is associated to WKNC (even if by just listening to the station or you just really dig our website) and therefore realize that your interest in/obsession with Hopscotch interest isn’t shared. That’s okay, having friends with different interests is what life is all about. However, we still should care about are friends and empower them do what’s in their best interest. So, if you realize that you are the only member of you, apartment, rec league team, cubicle section, study group, posse, crew, mob, etc. that is a) is going to b) wants to go to, or c) has at least heard of Hopscotch, you need to show your group that you care about them and introduce them to the experience that is Hopscotch. 

Step 1: Casually Introduce the subject 

            It’s the week immediately following Labor Day and everyone has returned from what is most likely their last summer adventure. Whether it’s the realization that the first round of tests is in sight or that you have to clock back in tomorrow morning, your friends aren’t ready to let go of summer. Gently bring up the idea that they can still have one last big bang the weekend of memories at Raleigh’s biggest music festival of the year. Yes, you just said weekend, music, festival, and Raleigh in the same sentence. No, you did not mean Bonaroo or Lolla. You’re talking about the one and only, the North Carolinian music fanatic’s dream, the cake that they can have and eat too – HOPSCOTCH. 

Step 2: Hit them with the Ol’ Razzle Dazzle 

            Now that they’re aware of the occasion, give them a reason to go. You want to be careful here. Right now you have them hooked, so you need to keep up the momentum as you reel them in. The best way to go about this is disorientation: Throw out the big-name artists you know they love, as well as the fact that there’ll be local (yes; local as in Cheerwine-drinking, Cookout-Tray ordering, lowkey-still-knows-all-the-words-to-either Sweet Caroline and/or Raise Up) acts to discover as well. Make them feel like a music scout by describing the different venues in which they can be in the presence of seasoned and up-and-coming stars: Kings, The Pour House, CAM Raleigh (yes, the museum!), The Basement, and more! And of course, don’t neglect to mention that you (insert your name) will be there to not only guide them through this experience as someone in touch with WKNC but to experience it alongside them as well – YOU are also a selling point.

Step 3: Provide the 411

            At this point your friends are in all probability on their phones buying tickets so they don’t miss out on this opportunity and have to wait until next year. They bombard you with questions about the details: when, where, parking, food, times, etc. Releasing them from their fervor, provide the following responses:

When: September 7th-10th

Where: Downtown Raleigh

Parking:

  • Free on NC State’s campus after 5 pm
  • Use WKNC’s Lyft code WKNC50 to get credits toward your first Lyft rides.
  • Skip it by taking the Wolfprowl into downtown between 10 pm and 3 am onFriday and Saturday nights
  • Walk or bike if you’re super local – save the Earth!

Food: Almost every block downtown has some food vendor on it, or bring your own!

Times: Check out and print the full Hopscotch Schedule @ http://hopscotchmusicfest.com/schedule/

            If some or all of this information escapes you in the moment, you can always direct your friends to WKNC’s blog and they can peruse at their own convenience. Remember – take care of your friends by introducing them to Hopscotch in a reasonable, non-assaulting or judgmental manner. They’ll thank you for it and be glad they knew about this epic final summer hurrah.

Categories
Miscellaneous

Hopscotch: How to Prepare

Ah, the sun’s blaring heat has begun to retreat indicating the decline of the Summer season. More importantly is that August is closing up to give way for September: the month of Hopscotch. 

Yes reader, you do have reason to feel a sense of urgency as this year’s Hopscotch is but two weekends away! That means you only have this coming weekend to prepare yourself. Allow me to bestow my knowledge from past Hopscotch experience on how to get the most out of your experience. I will break down these sacred preparations into a list of steps that go in chronological order.

  1. Ensure a wristband for yourself by either purchasing a ticket at http://hopscotchmusicfest.com/tickets/ OR volunteering for a ticket through http://hopscotchmusicfest.com/info/volunteer/
  2. Print out the schedule located at http://hopscotchmusicfest.com/schedule/
  3. Highlight all of the acts you are interested in (accept that you probably will not be able to see every show you highlight)
  4. Print out the Hopscotch map (http://hopscotchmusicfest.com/info/map/) and determine the most efficient way to get to all of the shows you highlighted
  5. Wear comfortable shoes and clothes (you will be walking/running from venue to venue)
  6. Pack a water bottle  
  7. Sleep as much as you can

Following these steps are crucial to ensure that you make it to Hopscotch and can confidently go between venues without having to waste precious time trying to google directions or pass out from dehydration/sleep deprivation/bad footwear choice. These tickets ain’t cheap and these bands are following a strict schedule. You have a lot to lose from being under-prepared and your Hopscotch experience is entirely in your hands. Prepare diligently and have an awesome time at Hopscotch this year!

-Farah Hamouda

Categories
Miscellaneous

Hopscotch: A Retrospective

The Hopscotch music festival first began taking over downtown Raleigh for a weekend in September 2010. Despite living in Raleigh at the time, I was not in attendance, nor did I know about the festival. This can easily be chalked up to the very severe divide between North Raleigh and the area encapsulating Downtown Raleigh and the NC State campus. As someone who grew up in North Raleigh, these really are two truly different worlds. However, I was also 14 at the time of the inaugural festival and I really probably didn’t know who Panda Bear or Megafaun were. I was much more inclined to the bands that played Warped Tour.  

Looking back over the lineups in my very early 20s is quite the weird treat as one can see just how ahead of the curve Hopscotch was in many instances and also just how much the festival and Downtown Raleigh have changed. From the inaugural year, we see Future Islands headlining the Berkeley Cafe, which is weird to think about in general. First, the Berkeley Cafe is place that still operates as a dining establishment, but not a live music venue. Secondly, this band headlined one of the smaller places in all of the venues in 2010 and in seven years time are now headlining City Plaza as the triumphant local heroes. This will be a theme throughout the festival’s history. Next on the docket are some of the venues used for performances such as the Busy Bee, Tir Na Nog, and Five Star, which WKNC had an event at the latter to my surprise. Now the festival has greatly expanded, featuring some very unique and large venues such as CAM and the basement of the Raleigh Convention Center.

2011 came and was still another year I didn’t know about, but the festival seems to be getting a bit bigger year by year with The Flaming Lips headlining and a great undercard of some now huge names like Oneohtrix Point Never and Toro y Moi residing fairly low in the lineup to where now they’d be near the top of most lineups.

2012 is an absolutely insane lineup and arguably one of the best well rounded lineups in the festival’s history. The top of the lineup sees a 90’s music fan’s dream with the Jesus and Mary Chain, Yo La Tengo, and Built to Spill, but it also has wide appeal for everyone else. The metal selection for 2012 is top notch featuring Sunn 0))), and from what I have heard, they played Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, which I just can’t even imagine. From there they invited local stalwarts Corrosion of Conformity and Valient Thorr to rock Raleigh’s face off. Let’s not forget Nails near the middle of the lineup, who would easily be near the top half of the lineup in 2017. This lineup even had some of the best hip-hop of the moment with Danny Brown and Death Grips.

2013 was the first year Hopscotch came into my world. I wouldn’t necessarily say the festival as a whole, but mainly I just remember seeing Earl Sweatshirt on Lincoln Theatre’s website and really wanting to go, but not knowing what Hopscotch was. Towards the bottom of this line-up, one might see a once-small band called Sylvan Esso, funny in retrospect considering they played the Hopscotch main stage

to a huge audience this past year. This festival is a breaking ground for so many artists in the North Carolina region and for bands at large. Just look at 2010 with Best Coast, Washed Out and the War on Drugs all just playing Tir na Nog. A great little spot back in the day, but super small. The good people behind Hopscotch really do know how to book bands on the rise better than most festivals out there.

2014 may be the most infamous year of Hopscotch, mainly because of a certain artist named Sun Kil Moon calling the audience at Lincoln Theatre a bunch of hillbillies, or something along those lines. Aside from this rather obnoxious incident, featured another well rounded year for the festival with the likes of mega indie star St. Vincent taking on City Plaza, legendary punk band Death playing a very rare show, and De La Soul bringing their fresh, upbeat blend of 90s hip-hop nostalgia to the City Plaza on a Thursday night for the first time. This year can also lay claim to being one of the danciest line-ups in the festival’s history with the likes of Jamie XX, Lunice and the Range.  

2015 was a pivotal year for me as it was the first year I really knew about the festival in its fullest and thus my first year in attendance and it was a great time. There really is nothing like running from one venue to another to catch a set in the middle of September. This festival really does a great job of curating artists that very few other festivals would even touch. Raleigh saw the likes of Dwight Yoakam and X in one night along with industrial metal pioneers Godflesh. Then there are the artists on the brink of success such as Goldlink who you can’t escape right now.

2015 was my first year, but definitely not my last. I knew I had to return in 2016, especially with the festival’s best lineup in its entire history. Well that is at least in my opinion. How could this not be the best year with the likes of Vince Staples, Anderson .Paak, and Young Thug in one night! Let’s not forget Converge, rising indie/funk act Sneaks, and apparently a wall of death at Twin Peaks (at least that’s what I have heard). This was a year to not forget and 2017 is shaping up to be quite the grand year. I can’t wait to reflect on this years iteration in seven years and see what local is headlining or indie act is at the top of the world. If I was a betting man, I would definitely throw out some predictions, but I’m not that smart!

Stay tuned for more coverage from WKNC and we will see y’all at Wristband City this year!

-Jamie Halla, General Manager

Categories
Miscellaneous

Best Venues To Camp Out for Hip-Hop During Hopscotch

Many seasoned Hopscotch-goers, festival attendees and planning-freaks in general may anticipate seeing all of their favorite acts in this year’s Hopscotch line-up. Luckily, all this takes is hours of research, plenty of running around in the hot sun, and if you’re blessed enough to be unfamiliar with downtown Raleigh, you can burn through tons of GPS data usage trying to find your next spot.

What’s the point of all this sarcasm?

Some people just wanna camp out at a venue and chill there for the whole damn day.

Perhaps even specifically those who LOVE Hip-Hop.

If you’re one of these people, here’s the best venue each day of Hopscotch for your lethargic, Hip-Hop needs:

Thursday, September 7th: Lincoln Theatre

Hip-Hop fans rejoice, for the first day of Hopscotch has an amazing line-up to kick things off, found at none other than Lincoln Theatre. Local emcee/producer/figurehead in NC Hip-Hop P.A.T. Junior will be getting the party started at 9:30pm. He’s known for both amazing production and lyricism, and is sure to kick off a vibe you won’t want to miss. Following P.A.T. is an artist who’s always done it dope, but even more so recently due to “North Cack”-fame, Durham’s own G Yamazawa. Take this from the Underground Director of WKNC: this guy puts on a show. Come witness the flow. BARS.

Then, Oddisee and Good Compny hits the stage. This is a great example of Hip-Hop meets live-band (think The Roots). It’ll touch your soul, man. Finally, riding the wave of success from her July 2016 tape Telefone, Chicago’s own Noname will be closing the night out, which is icing on the cake to a great first night of Hip-Hop at Hopscotch.

For those who haven’t been before, Lincoln Theatre will be a cool spot. It’s certainly one of the larger venues in Raleigh and has a wide variety of seating to view the act, both standing and seating. It’s got a hipster-type ambience, and plenty of good beer specials. Additionally, there are quite a few restaurants within walking distance of the venue, for those who will be have dinner before they pick their venue for the night.

This is the spot for Hip-hop on Thursday!!

Friday, September 8th: Red Hat Amphitheater

It’s no secret who is hosting the biggest names this year. Red Hat Amphitheater is the venue that will give you the most Hip-Hop on Friday. When I say the most, I mean the most. The night opens with Busdriver, an underground-rap hero hailing from Los Angeles, at 5:20. He’s a seasoned artist, so he’s gonna bring the juice. Keeping the night going is NC’s own Rapsody, who’s accolades include a huge amount of work with NC-producer 9th Wonder, landing the only feature on Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy-winning To Pimp a Butterfly, and recently being signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation. Yeah, you probably wouldn’t wanna miss that. And of course, the grande finale of the night: Run the Jewels. It has been said that they put on some of the best live performances ever. Like, ever.

Red Hat Amphitheater is a staple in Raleigh live music, known for housing some of the biggest acts that come to the 919. Their parking is ultra-convenient, so for those who may stress about that like me, this is your relief. AND for local beer lover, they feature brews from Lone Rider, Carolina Brewery and many others. With all types of seating that has great views of the stage, this is your best bet on Friday to catch all kinds of Hip-Hop vibes.

Saturday, September 9th: City Plaza

City Plaza’s got the good stuff on Saturday. Kicking off the night is Electronic-Rock/Indie Rock band Body Games, who’ve got many LP’s to pull from and an amazing live set. They’ve also got ties to Hip-Hop through their dope collaboration with WELL$ (perhaps we’ll get a surprise performance of their track “WMN”?). This will be a great transition into ILOVEMAKONNEN, who’s infectious super-hit “Tuesday” track from 2014 is a staple in any college-party playlist. Keeping the Atlanta-vibes going, the biggest act of the night is legendary emcee Big Boi. With a handful of hits from his Outkast days and a handful of hits from his solo records, Big Boi never disappoints live. Don’t miss!

Raleigh’s City Plaza is right in the heart of the city, which will be a unique outdoor spot for the performances on Saturday. This will be a great way to experience music in Hopscotch differently than other, indoor venues downtown. So let the outdoor city life spice up your Hopscotch weekend experience! 

Side note: Not to disregard everything I’ve said above, but it is important to note that Solange is performing at Red Hat Amphitheater on Saturday at 9 o’clock, just in case Solange is must-see for you as it is many others. Good luck choosing between the 2 amazing line-ups at each venue…. ah the struggles of festival planning! 

Sunday, September 10th: Red Hat Amphitheater

After 3 days of heavy festivities all through downtown Raleigh, Red Hat Amphitheater is the only venue hosting any sort of major music activities for Hopscotch. Come on out to the venue to see a line-up of amazing Indie music, including Cloud Nothings, Mount Moriah and Angel Olsen. Close out the festival with an awesome Sunday of music!

Thank you to all Hopscotch-goers and enjoy Hopscotch 2017!