Category: Miscellaneous

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

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Miscellaneous

For What It’s Worth

I am subscribed to probably hundreds of North Carolina band email lists. That’s a lot, I know. I don’t have to, but it helps me stay connected to the massive amounts of musicians in our state whose music I promote on the Local Beat every Friday evening. Most send out emails every few months or so usually promoting a gig or sometimes promoting a Kickstarter campaign or new album. More often than not it’s purely informational and promotional, nothing out of the ordinary. Every now and then though I read one that is a little different, a little odd, something that stands out.

Back in May an extremely talented North Carolina songwriter, Steph Stewart, sent out an email to her subscribed fans that struck a nerve with me. I quote:

Dear Someone,

My heart sinks a little every time I bring my fellas into a gig that ends up costing us more to play than we make. When you play for tips or a cover charge, it’s always a gamble. It’s a hard balance to find and one that most musicians struggle reaching: To get out there and be heard WHILE making somewhat of a living… or at least not loosing money. And of course, it isn’t really about the money so much in the end as it is about the art.

Me personally? Well, I’d rather play to a room of 20 attentive and appreciative folks than 1000 folks who would rather talk over our background hum. I suppose, like with anything, there must be balance. There is an equilibrium, and as an artist, I need both. The well-paying gigs fill the pockets. They pay rent and bills. They put gas in the tank and food in the belly. This is essential.

Last night we played an incredible show at the Greenbean Cafe in Greensboro, NC. We performed to a small crowd of maybe 30 and had the pleasure of sharing the stage with some talented whippersnappers from Concord, NC and a fella touring from Kent, OH. We left with a grand total of $15 and gurgling guts from our PBRs, but it was all worthwhile. You see, those 30 or so strangers connected with us. For that hour, they were bold enough to follow us into the world of our music, and they reminded all three of us that we are worthwhile. This music we make, it’s worth a listen… So maybe it didn’t fill our pockets, but it damn well filled our souls.

Thank you Greensboro. We’ll be seeing you. And as for you, dear someone… we hope to be seeing you sooner.

Yours,
Steph

So much rings true in this letter. As an avid supporter of the numerous talented musicians in our area I often hear about how most of them don’t “do it for the money.” Money helps, no doubt, but that shouldn’t be the reason someone stands behind a microphone and performs for an audience, whether it be 30 or 1,000. It shouldn’t be the reason why someone creates a piece of artwork or publishes a poem. They should do it firstly for themselves and their own creative expressions and secondly for that interpersonal connection Steph talks about, that understanding bond that all people seek from others. We all have to make a living and no one is disputing that, but the best artists in our area are not doing it primarily for the money. They are not cheating themselves or their abilities.

So I want to use this letter to encourage you, the audience, the one who is so often reached out to by our local artists, to reciprocate that back to your community. Go see live shows. Tip a street performer. Buy the record from a record store. Request their music on the radio. Do your part in that artist-audience relationship. Most of our local bands are hardly doing this to make a buck, they are doing it for you.

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Miscellaneous

WKNC on MTVU!

WKNC is proud to announce that it is a part of this year’s MTVU College Radio Countdown, a showcase of some of the best college radio stations around the nation. Starting today, Tuesday the 18th, through Friday the 21st, WKNC will be airing its spot along with our top ten music video countdown. Be sure to tune in and check us out on mtvU, and also check out the MTVU Tumblr for our “WKNC pick of the day’s.”

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Miscellaneous

WKNC Sticker Photography Contest!

Do you love listening to WKNC?  Do you like going to cool places?  Do you have a knack for photography?  If you answered yes to any, all, or none of those questions, WKNC is hosting a social media contest for listeners to take a cool picture with an 88.1 WKNC sticker at a awesome location to win some sweet merchandise.  Maybe take a picture of your sticker at a music festival, a cool spot in downtown Raleigh, or even on top of Mount Mitchell; get as creative as you can!

To register yourself to be included in the contest, and receive a free WKNC sticker to compete, send an email with “STICKER” somewhere in the subject line and with your name and mailing address to promotions@wknc.org, then we will send you a sticker via the mail.  After taking your photo, you can send your photograph in via Twitter, Facebook, or to promotions@wknc.org.  When taking your photos, make sure there is no profane, explicit, or illegal material in the photograph, WKNC holds the right to refuse unsuitable images.  The contest runs from today and ends on October 24th.   On that day, the WKNC staff with narrow the selection down to 10 finalists, post them to a Facebook album, and the contestant whose photo receives the most “likes” will win the 1st place prize of a WKNC t-shirt AND Double Barrel Benefit CD and the 2nd place winner will receive a Double Barrel Benefit CD which can be mailed to the provided addresses.

Feel free to get as creative as you want and remember to have fun!  If you have and questions feel free to ask us on Facebook, or direct them to promotions@wknc.org.

This WKNC t-shirt could be yours if you enter the contest.

 

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Miscellaneous

WKNC’s Bucket List for Triangle Music Lovers

The fall semester is on the brink of starting, and it made me a bit nostalgic as I’m beginning my last semester here at NC State University. I came to Raleigh from a small town in eastern NC so I didn’t know much about what I think is the triangle’s most redeeming quality – its music scene. So, we made a bucket list for all you music lovers out there so you don’t miss out on anything.  It’s in no particular order.

 

Enjoy – and feel free to add your stories and suggestions in a comment!

1.             DJ at WKNC | You can also help out with promotions, production, web, engineering, sports and public affairs. You’ll be first in the know about anything music. We hold interest meetings each semester (even summer!) for NCSU students. This fall’s interest meetings will be held August 20 at 5:30 p.m. and August 21 at 8 p.m. in 201 Witherspoon Student Center.

2.             Bike to First Friday | You can venture to First Friday, a monthly arts event in downtown Raleigh, by starting at NCSU’s Bell Tower at 7PM with fellow bikers. Be careful not to drink too much free wine if you’re biking back.  "Go to first friday – there’s usually live music performances outside!!“ – DJ Trillian

3.             Go to Hopscotch | Hopscotch Music Festival will be September 6-8 this year. “An annual festival held in downtown Raleigh that showcases some of the finest live acts that the state has to offer.  Put on by Raleigh’s Independent Weekly Magazine, this festival boasts an eclectic lineup of local and touring artists from all walks of music, indie-rock, hip-hop, folk, electronic, and pretty much everything in between.  This year’s lineup features The Roots, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Yo La Tengo, Built To Spill, Danny Brown, The Mountain Goats, and much more!  With free shows starting at noon and lasting until around 5:00 p.m. each day, there’s no reason not to check out this unique festival experience right here in Raleigh!”  -GRZA

4.             Heck, hit all the venues. | Let’s be honest, we’re lucky to live here. In Raleigh you have Kings Barcade, The Pour House, Lincoln Theatre, Slim’s, Berkeley Café, Tir Na Nog Irish Pub, Dive Bar, NC Museum of Art, Southland Ballroom, Deep South, Disco Rodeo, Five Star, Raleigh Amphitheatre and concert halls. Chapel Hill/Carrboro area has Cat’s Cradle, Local 506, Nightlight and The Cave. Durham is home to Motorco, Pinhook, Casbah, American Tobacco Campus and DPAC. And of course, the “other” schools’ concert halls and auditoriums. They’re all great. “Attend any and every Future Islands show.” –May Day

5.             Attend Fridays on the Lawn | This is WKNC’s bi-semester free concert event. It’ll always feature local music, food and swag. Usually on Harris Field (rain locations are necessary sometimes), you’re encouraged to bring some friends and a blanket. This is open to the public, and dogs are welcome, too!

6.             There’s also Music on the Lawn at American Tobacco in Durham | Grab a beer from Tyler’s and enjoy some live music. There’s also dance, movies and jazz events that take place here.

7.             Explore SparkCon | This year, SparkCon will take place September 13-16 in downtown Raleigh. In its 7th year, it will encompass everything from music and film to fire dancers and bartending competitions.

8.             Camp out at Shakori Hills | Located in Pittsboro, Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival happens twice a year, fall and spring. The fall festival will be October 4-7. Camp out with your friends in the woods, make new friends, and wake up to the sound of banjos. Paint your face, dance, cook over a fire…..also, get a Veggie Thing. It’s amazing. “A stellar 4-day music festival in Pittsboro, NC that boasts everything from bluegrass to soul to funk.  Filled with good vibes and good times, this family friendly festival is loaded with diverse music, yoga, and dance workshops that take up the few minutes of the day that don’t have wonderful tunes permeating throughout the farmlands.  A guaranteed beautiful weekend that rolls around twice a year.”     -GRZA

9.             Dance at Rowdy, Rowdy Square dances | “This is a good way to experience square dancing with young folks, and hear some good ol’ music! Be on the lookout for these dances!” -Cosmic Cowboy

10.          See a band in the Brickyard | The past few years during Shack-a-thon (fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity), WKNC has hosted acoustic performances from local artists. You can also catch the occasional student strumming a guitar, playing accordion or one of NCSU’s a capella groups performing. 

11.          Picnic for a show at Duke Gardens | Beautiful, serene, and BYOB. Share a blanket and dinner with some friends while watching local bands perform into the sunset. Make a friend at Duke so your tickets are cheaper.

12.          Listen to a pianist in Caldwell Lounge | If you’re a student in CHASS (College of Humanities and Social Sciences), you’ve probably already done this. There’s a piano set up in Caldwell Lounge that is frequented by talented students. So while you’re between classes, cramming for a test or taking a lunch break, it’s nice to spare a second to listen.

13.          Grab a beer at Local Band Local Beer | Local NC brewskis on tap and local bands on stage. This 21+ free event happens every Thursday night at 10PM at Tir Na Nog. 

14.          Read The Independent Weekly | It’s an alternative weekly (free) newspaper that has all the best music, arts and political news. It also keeps you up to date with what events are going on around the county.

15.          Join a drum circle at Pullen Park | Channel your inner hippy.

16.          Celebrate Christmas with Trekky Records | Trekky Christmas puts a new spin on classic songs by featuring their bands and mix-matched members.

17.          Rock out at Bull City Metal Fest | If you’re a metal head, it’s a must. Two days of heavy metal in downtown Durham, pulling national and local acts.

18.          Enjoy a performance at DPAC | It’s nice and classy. See ballet, theatre or music here. The last one I went to was BB King. Badass.

19.          Go to a concert at Memorial Hall | Another very nice venue that will get various acts. It’s can be a bit pricy, but it’s worth it.

20.          End August with Stars in the Round at Shakori | "Great if you don’t have 4 days to devote to camping. Usually 3rd weekend in August” – Mollypop

21.          Catch the Diggup Tapes show series | It’s a free show series at Kings each month. This is 18+.

22.          Go to both nights of Double Barrel Benefit | “For people new to the triangle there is no better time than right now to clear your calendar for the next Double Barrel Benefit. It’s going to be the 10th anniversary, and it’s going to be all kinds of awesome.” -DJ Ones

23.          Party with the triangle’s finest at Indy Week’s “Best of” Party | Each year, Indy has its readers vote on the best in the triangle. In June, they throw a party to celebrate the winners and finalists. In other words, hear the best music, eat the best food, drink the best drinks and get acupuncture.

24.          Run in the Krispy Kreme Challenge | This annual charity events challenges its participants to eat a dozen donuts mid-race.

25.          Drink a PBR during PBart | I’m sure you’ll drink one regardless. But PBart has bands and PBR-themed art on showcase, as well as the occasional ropes performers.

26.          Buy records on Record Store Day  | Internationally celebrated, it’s the third Saturday in April. Labels put out special limited edition releases and stores have in-store performances, swag and discounts. There’s usually a line so go early.

27.          Compete in the pants off dance off at TRKfest | Okay, so you don’t actually have to take your pants off. Trekky Records has a day set aside each summer to share its music with the triangle. Not to mention this also means local beer, food trucks and local arts vendors.

28.          Drive to Haw River Ballroom | “Beautiful venue.  if you have time before the show, go to the Haw River General Store before hand for the best gourmet food you’ll find at a convenience store. Seriously.” – Mollypop

29.          Dance at Discovery and Dirty Mega | Lights, glow sticks, photo booths and dancing until the lights come on. Then a little more of each.

 30.          Give the saxophonists on the corner of Martin/Fayetteville St. money to play “Careless Whisper”| His rendition is on point. It’ll get stuck it your head, but I’m not sure that’s a bad thing. 

 

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Miscellaneous

Special Recognition Local Lunch, May 18

It is with a heavy heart that I relinquish my title as general manager of  WKNC on May 20. My tenure as general manager would not have been made possible without the advice, positive reinforcement, and generosity of my fellow staff members, advisors, and the community at large.  I am certain that DJ Ones, the next general manager at WKNC, will continue to make WKNC the best radio station in the world.

I want to take the last local lunch shift of my time here at WKNC to thank all of the amazing local bands who have helped me and WKNC out throughout this past year.

These are the bands that played shows like Double Barrel Benefit and related Day Party, Fridays on the Lawn, small concerts that may or may not have been successful, and the birthday party. These amazing members of our community donated their time and their talent to WKNC and deserve to be recognized.

This local music scene and related community has made my job worthwhile. There will be airbreaks full of reminiscing, shout outs, and gratitude.

Tune in for the grateful local lunch, Friday May 18 starting early at 11:30 a.m. and going until 1 p.m.

 

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Miscellaneous

Mickey Mouse-Joy Division shirt is great and risky at the same time

Joy Division‘s Unknown Pleasures has one of the most iconic album covers of all time, and throughout the years individuals of all merchandising types have been able to capitalize on Peter Saville’s design. However, with the release of the new Mickey Mouse shirt that takes inspiration from the iconic album cover, one can’t help but ask, “Why?”

Firstly, it’s easy to see why this is such a great idea. Working on the pure novelty of it, music nerds of all shapes and sizes might be brought into the idea of having the altered album cover on their chest. It’s subtle enough to show Mickey’s legendary profile yet still have the essence of that original cover. Combine the love of Joy Division with Mickey Mouse and it’s easy to see why one could fall for this in a heartbeat.

Indeed it might be the sheer impulse buy that Disney is seeking, however, from looking at such a limited market, production could be seen as incredibly confusing. The market necessary for Disney to see this as a worthwhile investment is incredibly limited. Your average Joe won’t be shelling out the money for such a silly purchase. This is also going on the assumption that people who like Joy Division are Disney shoppers or would be willing to pay for some Disney-based product. Personally I couldn’t see the two matching up in perfect harmony. That’s not to say it won’t work, but the odds that this thing is successful seems incredibly low. Like most things, it will be the dollar vote of the consumer that decides the ultimate failure or success of this perplexing item.

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Miscellaneous

DJs compete in Dodgeball Tournament, score: 88.1 to 0

Six WKNC DJs put the books down for a few hours Tuesday afternoon to hit the courts in this year’s Exam Jam Dodgeball Tournament, held at Carmichael Gym on NC State University’s campus. Sarahnade, Mollypop, The Chanellor, AudioRush, Muta, and DJ Megashark prepped by dancing to Zumba, playing video games with ROTC, getting massages from Campus Rec’s specialists, and practicing bravery in the wrecking-ball bounce house.

WKNC was the second team to play, matched against a fast-pitching team of NCSU students. The heart-wrenching match went on for a significant amount of time – both teams dodged, dipped, ducked, dove and dodged with grace. This included WKNC DJs jumping over balls as they sped towards them and retrieving the opponent’s missed throws in the blink of an eye. The last two standing were AudioRush and Megashark, being cheered on by the rest of the team. Unfortunately, despite their valiant efforts, they too were taken down after a few minutes.

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Miscellaneous

Double Barrel Benefit 9 Poster Design Contest

Double Barrel Benefit, WKNC’s two-night benefit concert, is just around the corner. In order spice things up, we are taking after POSTERscotch and holding a poster design contest!

Artists can submit their work by Dec. 31 to be publicly voted on. The top five submissions will be printed and sold at the event. The winning artists will receive a pair of tickets to DBB9, a DBB9 t-shirt, a copy of their work, and their work will be featured on the WKNC homepage for two weeks.

Rules:

  • No fee to enter

  • Must contain the WKNC Logo

  • 300 dpi, CMYK in high-res pdf or jpeg format

  • Suggested Dimensions: 11×14 or 11×17

  • Must be original work, and no more than two entries per person

  • Submit your work to gm(at)wknc.org by Dec. 31 at midnight with the subject line “DBB9 Poster Competition”

  • Designs will be voted on publicly at www.wknc.org/dbb9 from Jan. 5-13

Good luck!
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Miscellaneous

Exclusive: Mir.I.am interviews Whitney Houston at the 2011 Teen Summit

On Saturday, Oct. 8, I had the pleasure of attending the 2011 Teen Summit in Shelby, N.C. The Teen Summit is an annual event founded by Pat Houston with the purpose of helping “rebuild, restore and repair” the youth. I attended the powerful and much needed summit last year, but this year there was a special guest, the iconic and legendary Whitney Houston.

I had the opportunity to interview Houston briefly regarding her parenting style and the importance of being and having a mentor. I work in radio and was prepared to record the audio, but Houston and her team were uneasy about it and understandably so. Instead, I suggested doing it old-school with a paper and pen and all systems were a go.

_______________________

The interview:

On how proud she is of sister-in-law Pat Houston for the wonderful work she is doing for the teens:

“My brother was smart for choosing her. I know her as a woman of God, a mother, sister, a wife.” Whitney also went on to explain how she had an instant connection with Pat and expressed how much she loves her and supports her in all of her endeavors.

On encouraging the youth if they go astray:

“I believe that young people will make mistakes and when they do, don’t turn them away. We don’t want them to go to others because you don’t know what they might get from someone else.”

On proactively parenting:

“Keep an open eye. Let them know they can always come home. Keep telling them about the dangers. Love can cover a multitude of sins.”

When asked about those who may not have anyone to look up to:

“The FATHER I know didn’t leave me and will send you a mentor.”

She also went on to say that you are never too old to have a mentor and that if you need one, God will send one in your direction. She also elaborated that Kim Burrell was a God-sent mentor to her.

I told Houston that I see certain traits in Bobbi Kris that I also see in her including her zest for life, no nonsense attitude and spiritual nature. She smiled in agreement and insisted that she made sure to instill in her daughter “compassion, church, faith and hope.”

Houston also discussed adopting a son, Nicholas, over five years ago and the struggles of single parenthood. She also stressed the importance of parents being parents to their kids and not just their friend. She believes that you must set firm boundaries and enforce them.

That was all the time that we had. It was short and sweet, but I do not think this is the last I have seen of Houston. We will meet again. What a privilege to have met and interviewed someone I hold in such high regard. It was one of the crowning achievements in my life.

Interview wrap up and overall thoughts of Whitney Houston:

I have to say that Houston was very gracious, polite, humble and down to earth. She didn’t need a big fuss to be made about her. Her demeanor was quiet and unassuming, but her presence was strongly felt. She is very beautiful and her spirit is uplifting to be around. Anyone who is a fan of Whitney Houston knows that she is not a fan of interviews, but for her to say to me, “I don’t want to disappoint you,” while figuring out another way to conduct the interview instead of rejecting me altogether was very thoughtful.

– Other Whitney tidbits–

    • I told her that her fans are loyal and love and pray for her. I also told her to never feel like people don’t care; she then looked at me, smiled and said, “Oh, I don’t feel that way at all, I know.”
    • She is working on Sparkle, a movie loosely based on the story of the Supremes. She left the set in Detroit to come and had to return later that day.

Watch the video of Pat and Whitney Houston presenting Kim Burrell with the Ambassadors Award for her continued work with the Teen Summit.

Special thanks to Nippy Inc., Lynne, Ulysses and Pat Houston

Check back for Part Two of the Teen Summit wrap up, which will summarize the event as a whole and also feature an exclusive interview with Quinton Aaron of The Blind Side.

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Miscellaneous

Trick or Treat!

WKNC has a Paranormal Activity 3 “Survival Kit” up for grabs (treat) but you have to do a little something (trick).

The survival kit includes a cauldron, batter-operated candle, Frightmare CD, bloody Mary mix, picture frame, and ouija board – a pretty awesome way to kick off your Halloween-inspired festivities after getting inspired by Paranormal Activity3.

But how do you enter?

Be on the lookout on our Facebook page – we’re having a costume contest! When we ask for it, post on our Facebook wall your best “literal band name” costume.  Here are some examples of what we’re looking for:

Then on Thursday, October 27 the picture with the most “likes” at 3pm will win! The two runners-up will win a Paranormal Activity 3 hat and movie poster.

Good luck and have fun!