Category: Miscellaneous

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

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Miscellaneous

Six Shakori Survival Secrets

Shakori Hills is a music festival in Chatham County, NC that runs every spring and all. They have over 50 bands playing from May 4-7 as well as onsite camping, morning yoga sessions, and a variety of activity booths. Here are some tips to get you off on the right foot at Shakori!

1. Prepare for rain and mud! Plenty of mud…

As though by some beautiful curse, Shakori consistently receives enough rain each festival to churn up plenty of mud for everyone’s shoes, the rain is embedded into the Shakori experience at an almost molecular level. Last years fall Shakori coincided with Hurricane Matthew’s tour, while they did play some bright thunderous tracks off their old album they also brought a whole lotta rain. This year’s forecast is looking like another rainy encore. Bring some heavy boots if you really wanna get down, and a pair of fresh socks to change into at the end of the day!

2. Save on parking by carpooling with your friends!

Cars with four or more people get free parking, this saves you from the $5 per vehicle per day price for on-site parking. There generally is plenty of parking by the Henderson Tanyard road entrance but be wary any heavy rains can produce some mud sliding action, if you’re lucky.

3. Camping Locations!

There are five main camping sites at Shakori: Woodstock, Middle Earth, Old Homestead, Meadow Side, and Green Acres. Both Woodstock and Green Acres are considered family camping areas. If you’re looking for the ideal location Middle Earth is a great spot that is essentially surrounded by stages and activity tents. However study up a good path to and from your camping site because at night it can be a struggle to find. Also the early bird gets the worm on picking on a good camp site so get a friend to stake out a good spot near a footpath early on if possible.

4. Camping Gear Necessities!

Half of the Shakori experience is camping out and being one with ~nature~. Be prepared with a couple tools and you’ll never miss a beat. A headlamp works wonders late at night, especially for spotting that obscure footpath you need to take to make it back to camp after the shows finish for the night. Tarps are ideal for protecting large tents from rain. Coolers and ice for any beverages you wish to keep cool, or drink your sodas Shakori style: lukewarm. And obviously a shelter of some form, however my preferred setup is a hammock+tarp cover with a fairly warm sleeping bag, super lightweight and mobile.

5. Volunteering Options!

If you’re a bit low on cash but still wanna Shakori, then check out the volunteering options. One 3-hour work period will get you a pass for that day. My suggestion: work early and do trash/recycling. While there are other jobs like Gate Crew, Food Prep, and Hospitality I think Trash/Recycling is the easiest and has the added benefit of sometimes ending early. Working early generally means the work is lighter and gets you out in time to see all the great night shows.

6.  Have Fun! Make Friends!

While the music and mud are great all on their own half of the fun of Shakori is the people. Go roaming around Middle Earth, or go hula hooping with some randos by the music stages, or say hi to your camping neighbors! Shakori always has a good crowd of good people so go out and meet em’!

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Miscellaneous

Guests In, Dinner Done?Here Are Some Fun Things To Do the Rest of the Holiday

RALEIGH, N.C. – There’s more to the Thanksgiving holiday than food and football, and many activities are available at destinations within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources –  often for little or no cost. Take time to give thanks for the natural beauty and cultural richness of North Carolina this weekend.

Statewide

State Historic Sites. Most historic sites will be closed Thanksgiving Day and Friday, but resume regular operations on Saturday. Most are free.

State Parks. Open Thanksgiving Day and through the weekend, except those impacted by forest fires in western North Carolina, including South Mountains, New River, Elk Knob, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Mitchell, Lake James and Chimney Rock State Parks. Free.

East

N.C. Aquariums-Roanoke Island, Pine Knoll Shores, Fort Fisher. The three aquariums are closed Thanksgiving Day, but open through the weekend. Fee.

Roanoke Island Festival Park, Manteo. Closed Thanksgiving Day only but open through the weekend with holiday programming. Fee.

N.C. Maritime Museums-Beaufort. The Beaufort museum will be closed Thanksgiving Day, but open through the weekend. Free.

N.C. Maritime Museum-Southport/Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, Hatteras. These maritime museums will be closed Thursday and Friday, then resume regular operations. Free.

Battleship North Carolina, Wilmington. Open Thanksgiving Day and through the weekend.  Fee.

Museum of the Albemarle, Elizabeth City.  Closed Thanksgiving Day and Friday. Free.

Tryon Palace, New Bern. Closed Thanksgiving Day, but open over the weekend with holiday programming. Fee.

Museum of the Cape Fear, Fayetteville. Closed Thanksgiving Day only. Free.

Piedmont

N.C. Symphony, Raleigh. Holiday Pops performances Nov. 25 and 26, Meymandi Concert Hall. Fee.

N.C. Museum of History, Raleigh. Closed Thanksgiving Day only. Free.

N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh. Closed Thanksgiving Day only. Free.

N.C. Zoo, Asheboro.  Open Thanksgiving Day. Fee.

N.C. Museum of Art, Raleigh. Closed Thanksgiving Day only. Museum Park open. Free.

Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, Winston-Salem. Closed Thanksgiving Day and Friday. Free.

N.C. Transportation Museum, Spencer. Closed Thanksgiving Day only. Polar Express Nov. 25-27. Fee.

West

Mountain Gateway Museum, Old Fort.  Closed Thanksgiving Day and Friday. Free.

(Information Source:  ncdcr.gov)

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Miscellaneous

Don’t say ‘girl band’: How to effectively write about music

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Believe it or not, there *is* a more correct way to write about music. Recently, the world of music journalism has experienced a push in the right direct to write about music more inclusively. Here is a quick, non-exhaustive list of a few do’s and don’ts on how to cover festivals, concerts, and artist profiles without alienating your audience or smearing the artist:

  1. DON’T say “girl band”
    This should be an easy one. Just because a band is comprised of all women, one woman, two women, three women, or however many women, they are not a “girl band.” They are a band. If you feel the compulsion to use the term “girl band,” ask yourself, “Would I call a band of all men a Man Band?” No, you wouldn’t. Because that sounds dumb. Some people believe it to be progressive to highlight that a band is made up of all women or even has one single woman in it. Just simply writing about them (in a non-tokenizing way) gives them the exposure they otherwise wouldn’t have in a heavily patriarchal industry. Basically, don’t tokenize the identities of artists, whether they be women, non-binary individuals, or any form of gender non-conformity.
  2. DON’T use the word “queer” unless it is an explicit self-identifier
    Not all people who aren’t heterosexual identify as queer. “Queer” is a term that has a long, notorious history of being a pejorative phrase, especially towards trans-feminine individuals. However, some people have taken upon reclaiming the phrase to describe their sexuality and gender identity. And that’s fine! That’s awesome! But, if you’re writing about an artist that has made their sexual or gender identity known to the public, do NOT immediately use the word “queer.” If at all possible, reach out to the artist to learn what terms they are comfortable being identified as. If the artist is apart of the LGBTQ+ community, they are not immediately queer. Only use the terms you know they are comfortable with.
  3. DO write about non-male artists and artists of color
    As mentioned before, highlighting artists who are often alienated from specific music scenes can do a lot to overturn racist, transphobic, and sexist ideologies that permeate in the industry. Make it a priority to write about non-white, non-male artists. This is not to say to tokenize these individuals, or make only a surface-level, symbolic effort to include these individuals. DON’T develop a savior complex through your writing. This is not “the least you can do” to combat discrimination, and I wouldn’t even call this activism. It’s just important to give people of color and non-men in music their recognition in an industry that has turned against them. Art, in all its forms, is used and experienced by all types of people, and coverage of these artists who wouldn’t normally have this recognition is necessary. A person’s race, ethnicity, or gender does not speak for them entirely, though it is a large part of their self-expression and identity. Step outside of your “comfort zone” and give 4 piece bands made of white dudes a break for awhile. There’s so much more out there.
  4. DO use your words
    I don’t know how many times I’ve seen electronic artists described as “synthy” or non-commercial (indie) rock bands described as “dreamy.” It can get pretty monotonous, not to mention annoying, pretty fast. This is absolutely just me being nit-picky, but there are many more adjectives out there to describe a band’s sound than the above.
    Other no no’s (because I am an asshole):
    lo-fi: The fact that an artist does not have high quality recordings does not indicate in any way what they would sound like. This does not help me at all. Wavves’ King of the Beach and Neutral Milk Hotel’s In The Aeroplane Over The Sea don’t sound anything alike, but both albums have a lower quality of recording. Calling an act “lo-fi” is fine, but please add a few more genre-indicative phrases along with it.
    bedroom pop: A lot of people make music in their bedrooms!!! Maybe I just hate this description because it’s been mercilessly thrown at every indie artist with a Bandcamp without regard to their sound. Please only use this term if the music is actually poppy and lo-fi. Otherwise there is literally no reason to use either “bedroom” or “pop” in your description.
    beep-boops: This definitely comes with less serious music journalism. Like, I definitely wouldn’t see this word in a Pitchfork write up (I pray I wouldn’t, at least). But if you’re doing a pretty informal write-up about an electronic artist and feel the need to describe a sound they make as “beeps” and “boops,” I implore you not to. I always found this phrasing pretty reductionist (and annoying, but that’s not the reason I don’t think you should use it. I’m annoying too).

–angel by shaggy

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Miscellaneous

Body Positive Festival Fashion

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Festival season promises a slew of ill-informed and potentially body-shaming, culturally appropriative overviews of acceptable festival fashions. For Hopscotch, or any festival for that matter, attendees and performers should dress comfortably and fashionably (if they want!). Here are a few tips on how to stay cool for Hopscotch weekend!

SHOES
Wear comfortable shoes! I cannot stress this enough! Venues around downtown Raleigh are pretty close, but after awhile, you’ll find that hustling back and forth between sets will take a toll on your tootsies. Closed-toe sneakers or other athletic shoes are my number one recommendation. Strappy sandals, like Tevas, are another good option, but you might go home with dirty feet. You know your feet and what you can handle, though, so this is totally up to you.

TOPS
T-shirts and tank tops are usually the best bet here to stay cool. If, for religious or other cultural practices, tank tops are not an option, any light or loose top will do as well. This also goes for people who may feel uncomfortable showing their arms or skin in general. The heat must be beat, but as long as you’re hydrating and ducking into air conditioning every now and then, you will survive.

BOTTOMS
To stay cool, skirts or shorts are the best option. As stated before, if skirts or shorts are not an option for you for any reason, light athletic pants or a polyester, stretchy denim is another great option for staying as cool as possible! 

ACCESSORIES
Sunglasses. Sunglasses. SUNGLASSES. Wear sunglasses! Perhaps some device to attach the glasses around your neck! You are going to thank me later for this. Also, sunscreen. Sunscreen is an accessory and a powerful one. You don’t want to go home Sunday night and realize you turned into a peeling, amorphous, dead-skin person.

BAGS/PURSES
I recommend bringing a backpack or cross-body purse to the festival. Pack light, and only the essentials. If you’re planning on attending any day parties, DEFINITELY bring water. Bulkier bags and wristlets can become a hassle in big crowds.

Suggestions here are simply that: suggestions. By all means, if you’re going to Hopscotch, I encourage you to wear whatever you want and however you want. Just don’t hurt anybody in the process.

-angel by shaggy

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Miscellaneous

Post-Bonnaroo, what could we have done better?

Planning and executing your plan to Bonnaroo is always a work in progress. Each year has become progressively easier for me personally, after not having a pop-up canopy first year, and after correcting our food situation from my second year, let’s take a look at what my group could have done better this year, and what we will surely capitalize on in the coming years.

First of all, shoes. My vans are great for everyday stuff, but let’s be honest, those kicks, while perfect for 80% of situations in my opinion, don’t offer enough support to be walking or standing for 95% of your waking hours for four days straight. Wear some Chacos, or at least something meant for a lot of walking, your feet and legs will thank you at the end of the day. It isn’t really something you think about otherwise, but after your days my legs just felt like jelly, very very sore and kinda painful jelly.

The second order of business is sleep. Now this one is a double edged sword, but I experienced both ends of it this year. If you get too much sleep (like I did on Friday night and Saturday morning), you’re gonna miss out on some awesome stuff going on around the festival. I missed The Chainsmokers, as well as the Keys N Krates Kalliope set, just because I thought that I “should really get some sleep for the big day/night tomorrow”, which I now really regret, because I heard those shows were both fantastic. On the other hand, Saturday night we were up until 5 AM after RL Grime, as well as Adventure club and a Kalliope set. You WILL wake up before 8:30 every day due to the heat in the tents, so make sure you account for that. If your body and mind won’t hate you too much the next day, go ahead and stay up super late, it will be worth it, otherwise though sleep is pertinent.

Lastly, stay hydrated, but make sure you are always replenishing electrolytes. By this, i mean even though you are hydrated, make sure you are eating foods to carry you through the day and night, because of how taxing all the activities at Bonnaroo are. Just drinking water will actually cause you to lose more electrolytes as they wash out of your system, and you need those to keep on keepin’ on at all these concerts. In extreme cases like water poisoning, a bag of chips could save a life. Be smart, stay safe, and have the time of your life out there.

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Miscellaneous

Bonnaroo: Fighting the Bonnaflu

After Bonnaroo, you may find yourself with a nasty cough, which if left untreated can lead to bronchitis or even pneumonia. At least 5 of our group of 11 this year came down with the Bonnaflu after the festival.

No one is quite sure where it originates, it could be the massive amounts of dry Tennessee dust you inherently inhale that is kicked up by the tens of thousands of attendees, or possibly it happened on the last day, playing in the fountain which has been using recycled water from the entire weekend, or even from someone who come to the festival sick and you happened to pick up what they had! I’m here to tell you what you can do about it to help prevent it or fight it if you somehow come down with it,

First thing, make sure your immune system is in tip-top shape before you go to Bonnaroo. Personally, I like to take some vitamin C to boost my immune system before and during the festival. Avoid sharing drinks with people who could be sick, which should just be common knowledge, but you never know. If you are in dire need of water (which is always a strong possibility in that heat) you should weigh the risks involved when someone offers you water, but there is generally always a water fill-up station within 100 meters of you at any given time. There really isn’t much you can do to avoid the dust, but if you can avoid it, I would recommend it, because it will take its toll on you even if you don’t notice. If you feel bad at any time during the festival, visit the medical tent, they are always there to help, and the medical professionals there should be able to lead you in the right direction better than I can.

If you find yourself feeling under the weather after the festival is over, get some rest and keep taking that vitamin C! If you feel a little short of breath or are coughing, everyone in my group can vouch that either sudafed or Nyquil both help a ton. If you start showing symptoms of bronchitis, e.g. wheezing etc, go to the doctor, they’ll know best, and they’ll get you better in no time, because you don’t want that bronchitis to progress into pneumonia (in my brother’s case walking pneumonia). Bonnaroo may have been the best four days of the year, but you always have to put your health first.

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WKNC’s Guide to Bonnaroo

This will be my third year at the Roo, which in my opinion is the happiest place on earth. If done right…

Before the festival, you’ll definitely want to have your wristband registered with the Bonnaroo website, and in terms of packing, you can find sample lists all over the internet, just use common sense for that one. It’s in Tennessee in June, so it’s gonna be hot, prepare accordingly with your supplies, and make sure you have enough food for the weekend.

Driving to Bonnaroo, you’re going to be excited, but make sure to be on your best behavior as a driver, seriously, no speeding, use your turn signals, all that jazz. Police know that the festival is happening, and they always capitalize on the heavy amount of out-of-state cars on the highways.

Coming in to Bonnaroo, be prepared for stop-and-go traffic, there’s a chance you’ll be waiting for a while, so make sure to fill up on gas before getting in line. Once through the line, your car will be searched at the gate, make sure you don’t have anything you shouldn’t! If you’re unsure about what you can and can’t bring, check the Bonnaroo website!

Once you get in and get your tenting situation set up, if it’s Wednesday, hang out and walk around, check out the campsites, meet some cool people! Centeroo doesn’t open until Thursday. If it’s Thursday or later, go check out Centeroo. It’s good to know where all the pertinent areas are beforehand, so learn your way around.

Now for the main event, the concerts! Make sure you’ve decided on who you’re going to see for the inevitable set conflicts and know your schedule beforehand! Every year there are set conflicts and it’s just something you’ll have to deal with by choosing one show over the other, which is much easier said than done. Make sure to stay hydrated during the day, eat well, and just generally take care of your body! After four days you’re going to regret it if you don’t. Also, concerts run late, so make sure you’re getting enough sleep in-between days, because it’s very easy to get caught up in all the festivities (I somehow ended up at Skrillex’s legendary 5am surprise Kalliope set two years ago, I don’t regret it one bit, but I was hurting the next day). If you have any downtime between concerts, check out the other things going on around the festival, there’s a ton of activities around Centeroo all the time.

After your four days of fun, and all your things are packed up, going back home carries the same general “rules” as coming in. I hope the guide helped! Radiate Positivity and have a happy Bonnaroo!

– Reece Appling

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Miscellaneous

Your Friend (Full Set) – WKNC’s The Lounge

Your Friend (Full Set) – WKNC’s The Lounge

Our friend Your Friend came by to play in The Lounge!

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Miscellaneous

WKNC’s Top Five of 2015!

WKNC’s Top Five of 2015!

1. Sarah Bethe Nelson – Fast Moving Clouds – Burger Records

2. Hop Along – Painted Shut – Saddle Creek

3. Ryley Walker – Primrose Green – Dead Oceans

4. EULA – Wool Sucking – Famous Swords

5. Capeech Cappuccino – Galacticstar Hip Hop – Self-Released

Each of these albums had more than 300 spins over the last 52 weeks at WKNC 88.1 FM.

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Miscellaneous

Moshing 101

With Hopscotch approaching, there is a certain topic on everyone’s mind – moshing. For the use of this article, the term moshing will have the following definition: Any physical contact between the audience members that ranges from group swaying to lightly knocking into each other… and a moderate amount of pushing. Moshing is a controversial topic. Some people love it and take every opportunity possible to partake. On the other hand, others find it unapealing and whenever they see someone moshing they get as far away as possible.

In order to appease the crowd, it is important to know the correct times to mosh. This is my guide on when to mosh and when not to mosh. I do hope that this will save many scars, both emotional and physical.

–Make sure the music is suitable for moshing.
Is this music acoustic? Is it one person singing and playing an instrument? If so, it’s probably not the ideal scene for moshing. I, personally, find that for more downtempo music, moshing is not always necessary.
If it is almost anything else, vary your degree of moshing depending on the intensity of the music.

–Make sure the environment lends itself to moshing.
Are there people moshing already? Are people getting a moshing circle started? If so, that part of the audience and that part of the floor is a great place for you to be.
However, if you’re the one getting the moshing started, your job might be a little more difficult. For instance, if you’re in a part of the audience that is just swaying and head-bobbing, I’d suggest relocating to a different part of the floor before beginning to mosh. Many people do not find it enjoyable when you are knocked back by other people in crowds and receive elbow strikes. However, if done properly it can lead to a better environment and memorable show.
Your safest bet is finding a friend who likes to mosh and begin with them. People around you who are interested will immediately begin to mosh with you as well. And as you already know, once moshing is started and accepted by a handful of people, it’ll grow quickly.

–If the band encourages you to mosh, then go for it! Mosh your heart out.
Many times, if the crowd hasn’t already started moshing itself, bands will encourage their audience to mosh. This is definitely an invitation, and one the band hopes the audience will accept. It’s very fun and thrilling to see the audience moshing with the music. It’s honestly a compliment and means the audience is into the show, performance, and music.
However, this invitation does not have to be accepted by all audience members. If you do not feel comfortable moshing, then do not do so. I would suggest, though, stepping aside from the moshing part of the audience to avoid contact, shoving, elbows, etc. The band wants you, non-moshers, to enjoy your time as well!

This Moshing 101 lesson is not to deter you from moshing. Moshing is a social interaction, and as such, requires at least two people. It can also be an infectious experience, when one person starts moshing, all other potential moshers come out of the cracks and rush towards the scene. Keep in mind, that just because people aren’t moshing yet doesn’t mean you can’t make it start. Just know when and how to do it first!

Furthermore, this lesson is also not to pressure you to mosh. It’s definitely a form of enjoyment and expression for those who are comfortable with it. However, I do recommend that if you not tried before, it’s a good experience. Maybe, a smaller and less-chaotic moshpit could be the opportunity to try it. After all, you never know until you try, right? See you guys in the pit!