Category: Music News and Interviews

Music news, interviews, features and giveaways

Categories
Music News and Interviews

Krill Interview

Krill is a Boston trio comprised of three friends Jonah Furman (bass/vocals), Luke Pyenson (drums), and Aaron Ratoff (guitar). They just recently released their second full-length Lucky Leaves in June of this year.

The trio was born out of the same DIY scene that spawned bands such as Speedy Ortiz and Pile. Like their counterparts, they have an innovative take on the world of indie music that has begun to garner national attention from the likes of Pitchfork and Consequence of Sound. Their frenetic brand of emotive experimental indie rock brings to mind the early days of Modest Mouse and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. The heavy weight of the dark music paired with the emotional, self-deprecating lyrics are carried across by Luke’s spastic drums, Jonah’s flooring bass, and Aaron’s driving, piercing guitar. The play between musicians coupled with the interesting time signatures and syncopated rhythms set this band apart from the rest.

Krill just recently set out on their month long east coast tour and hit up The Mattress Fort here in Raleigh for a Post Hopscotch Show. I caught up with Krill the next morning and you can check out their interview below as well as on iTunes on our podcast.

http://wheretheresakrilltheresaway.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/krillforever
https://twitter.com/krilliamhmacy

Listen here.

Categories
Music News and Interviews

Ticket Giveaways for Sigur Rós and Nine Inch Nails!

 

This week, WKNC will be giving away a number of tickets for two upcoming Raleigh concerts presented by Live Nation: Sigur Rós at the Red Hat Amphitheater on September 21 and Nine Inch Nails with special guest Godspeed You! Black Emperor at the PNC Arena is a month later on October 21.  All you have to do is listen attentively to WKNC, be the correct caller when the DJ on-air asks for calls, and you can win a pair of tickets for yourself and a friend to have some sweet fun at an awesome concert!  The more you listen, the more likely you’ll hear a DJ ask for calls!

Categories
Music News and Interviews

Giveaways for the week of 9/9 – 9/15

Keep it tuned to WKNC all week long for your chance to win tickets to any of these great shows below! Just be the correct caller when the DJ asks for it, and you and a friend could be hitting up some of the coolest local acts around.

Tuesday, September 10 – Black Joe Lewis with Dex Romweber Duo @ Cat’s Cradle

Thursday, September 12 – Borgore @ Lincoln Theatre

Thursday, September 12 – Paleface with Eric Scott-Guthrie and Rob Nance @ Pinhook

Friday, September 13 – The Old Ceremony with Shark Quest and Curtis Eller @ Cat’s Cradle

Saturday, September 14 – Acoustic Syndicate record release @ Cat’s Cradle

 

Categories
Music News and Interviews

Post-Scotch: Interview with High Highs

Whenever I was told that I was going to interview High Highs I had to admit that I was not terribly familiar with their music. However,I was quick to change that whenever I started listening to their songs and immediately became addicted to their smooth and dreamy vocals. Their lead singer, Jack Milas was kind enough to give us a call just a couple of hours before their show started on Friday Night at the Memorial Auditorium. Now I would be lying if I said I was not a bit nervous for this interview, because I definitely was. With the popularity that High Highs received with their song “Open Season” I was afraid that their fame would get the best of me; but boy was I proven wrong as soon as the conversation took hold.

Once the phone was answered, Jack’s Australian accent was quick to erase any possibly tension that could have been formed prior to. Being very laid back and respectful to all the questions, Jack was able to make the interview seem like a conversation that I could have had with one of my closest friends.

The question from this interview that stood out the most was the one that we asked most the artists we interviewed at Hopscotch which is “If you could describe your sound as a room, what would that room look like/have in it.” Instead of one of the very obscure rooms that I heard in previous interviews, Jack simply put that his room would be a cathedral. It was in this instance that I gained a whole new respect for Jack and the band as a whole, because they were completely correct in the answer. Not just for its wonderful acoustics, but also religious setting, the room seemed a perfect fit for their echoing and powerful lyrics. Jack was able to represent his band beautifully in the all too short interview that he provided myself and the station with on Friday afternoon. You better bet that I didn’t pass up their set that night either.

Listen here.

Categories
Music News and Interviews

Post-Scotch: Interview with Jamaican Queens

Where do I start with these guys? I knew from the beginning that the interview was going to a little out of the norm just by the way these guys sound and perform their music. With that being said, that is the exact reason I looked forward to the interview so much (and trust me, my expectations were definitely met).

Pretty much exactly on time, the entire three piece band consisting of Ryan Clancy, Ryan Spencer, and Adam Pressley walked right up to our 88.1 WKNC table at Wristband City and formerly introduced themselves. Once the interview was on its way, the band seemed to be having a little fun with it while also pointing out that their music is definitely different than most of the indie rock scene today. When asked how they were different, they did not hesitate to explain that it is because of their live foam party shows and mixture of unique sounds and lyrics. The band went on to say that if they could describe their sound as a room, then it would be the live portion of an Applebee’s restaurant; which you can take whichever way you possibly want.

Throughout the whole interview and even through the end of it, I was having a hard time letting the thought out of my mind that this band could be the next big thing; because it is definitely possible. Being a fairly young band and on the rise with extremely infectious music, how can one not think that? I was just glad Jamaican Queens decided to drop by WKNC on their quick and inevitable ride to the top.

Listen here.

Categories
Local Music Music News and Interviews

September’s Local Artist of the Month: Loamlands

While Loamlands may be a name that is new to us, Kym Register and Will Hackney are seasoned veterans of the Triangle music scene. Kym and Will were half of Midtown Dickens, the post-folk quartet that stole the hearts of everyone in the Triangle and had even begun garnering national attention from the likes of NPR. Midtown Dickens began as a DIY duo between Kym and Catherine Edgerton. Soon it began to grow into much more as Will and Jonathan Henderson joined the line-up. Midtown Dickens released three full-lengths that spanned an impressive eight year career. But as 2012 came to a close, the quartet began to see themselves going in different directions. In February, Midtown Dickens announced their indefinite hiatus and Loamlands was born.

The new duo immediately set to work constructing their debut EP Some Kind of Light due out September 24th on Trekky Records. In July, the duo set to work to record the EP with Brad Cook from Megafaun on the bass and Kyle Keegan from Lost in the Trees behind the drums. These five songs pull from a lot of the great talent surrounding them in this musical hotspot, but when put together create something entirely new. This EP is a promising glimpse at what is in store for this experienced duo. Be sure to tune into The Local Beat on September 20th for our exclusive Local Artist of the Month interview and live performance from Loamlands.

Check out their upcoming tour dates:
September 7th, The Pour House Music Hall, Trekky Records & Team Clermont present DAY-DREAM: Hopscotch Day Party
September 20th, The Pinhook, Loamlands EP Release with Hiss Golden Messenger and Miles Cooper Seaton

Listen to our Loamlands interview.

Categories
Music News and Interviews

Giveaways for the week of 8/12 – 8/18

Keep it tuned to WKNC all week long for your chance to win tickets to any of these great shows below! Just be the correct caller when the DJ asks for it, and you and a friend could be hitting up some of the coolest local acts around.

Monday, August 12 – Royal Bangs @ Kings

Wednesday, August 14 – Wild Cub with Natalie Prass @ Kings

Wednesday, August 14 – Daughn Gibson @ Local 506

Wednesday, August 14 – Chain and the Gang with WAUMISS @ Pinhook

Thursday, August 15 – Heaven with Midnight Plus One @ Pinhook

Friday, August 16 – Rapper Big Pooh with Supastition @ Kings

Saturday, August 17 – Tift Merritt @ NCMA

Sunday, August 18 – Julia Weldon with Willower and Counting Station @ Pinhook

Categories
Music News and Interviews

Giveaways for the week of 8/5 – 8/11

Keep it tuned to WKNC all week long for your chance to win tickets to any of these great shows below! Just be the correct caller when the DJ asks for it, and you and a friend could be hitting up some of the coolest local acts around.

Thursday, August 8 – Clockwork Kids with Revolutionary Sweethearts and No Eyes @ Kings

Thursday, August 8 – Landing with Alpha Cop @ Pinhook

Friday, August 9 – El-P and Killer Mike with Kool A.D. @ Cats*

Friday, August 9 – Blanko Basnet with Speedy Ortiz and Organos @ Pinhook*

Saturday, August 10 – New Town Drunks record release with Crystal Bright and The Silver Hands, and Beloved Binge @ Pinhook

Categories
Music News and Interviews

Giveaways for the Week of 7/29 – 8/4

Keep it tuned to WKNC all week long for your chance to win tickets to any of these great shows below! Just be the correct caller when the DJ asks for it, and you and a friend could be hitting up some of the coolest local acts around.

Tuesday, July 30 – The Psychadelic Furs with Spacehog @ Cat’s Cradle

Wednesday, July 31 – Pink Flag with Wojcik, Eros and The Eschaton @ The Pinhook

Thursday, August 1 – Crystal Bowersox with Liz Longley @ Cat’s Cradle

Friday, August 2 – Estrangers with Onward Soldiers and Museum Mouth @ The Pinhook

Saturday, August 3 – Once and Future Kings record release with Wichita Falls and AK-87 @ Kings Barcade

Saturday, August 3 – Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers @ NCMA

Sunday, August 4 – The Melvins with Honky @ Cat’s Cradle

Categories
Music News and Interviews

Local Spotlight: The North Carolina Music Love Army

In solidarity with the Moral Monday peaceful protest movement, a new alliance,
The North Carolina Music Love Army, has emerged.  Comprised of many notable North Carolina-based musicians, the NCMLA was founded in late June of 2013 by artists Caitlin Cary (of Raleigh) and Jon Lindsay (of Charlotte). The two have assembled an all-star roster to create a recording compilation of original protest songs contributed by its members, with a forthcoming large-scale concert announcement to follow. The organization describes themselves as a united force composed of musicians set to battle against the regressive legislation of the current administration. All proceeds from NCMLA activity will go to the NAACP, Progress NC, and Planned Parenthood.

The following notable artists already have committed to the project: Stu Mclamb/The Love Language, Django Haskins/The Old Ceremony, Eddie Walker, BJ Barham/American Aquarium, Birds and Arrows, and many more.

For interviews, appearances, resource donation, further information, or to be involved contact: NCMusicLoveArmy@gmail.com, or Caitlin Cary: 919-389-9760

You can also follow the action on Facebook, Twitter, & Tumblr