Category: Music News and Interviews

Music news, interviews, features and giveaways

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Music News and Interviews

Listen to win My Morning Jacket tickets

My Morning Jacket closes out their month-long summer tour with Band of Horses Sunday, Aug. 26 at the downtown Raleigh Amphitheater. WKNC listeners will have chances to win tickets all this week, so keep your radio on 88.1 FM.

General admission tickets to the pit area in front of the stage are gone, but tickets for the front two seated sections and the lawn are still available via Live Nation. A dollar of the ticket price will be donated to the Neuse Riverkeeper Foundation.

You can get geared up for the show with this new music video for “Outta My System” featuring Wolfpacker Zach Galifianakis as the wizard!

http://youtu.be/oPYQHQ4-kKo

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Music News and Interviews

MoogFest hints at lineup

 

Update: The lineup for this year’s MoogFest will be released on Monday, August 6.

 

The lineup for the 2012 edition of MoogFest was originally due out mid-July. It’s almost August, however, and the lineup is still yet to be released. That should change in the coming weeks, as the festival announced via it’s Facebook page, “The wait is nearly over…the Moogfest 2012 line up and details are in the final stages of being locked down. We can’t wait to share it with you, so just a little more patience and all will be revealed.” Although the lineup release date has been pushed back, the festival seems to be dropping hints of some of the acts that might play the festival. So far, they have posted videos and music from Squarepusher, Richie Hawtin, Pantha du Prince, Julia Holter, and Orbital. In addition, Prefuse 73 mastermind Scott Herren hinted on his Facebook page that he’ll “be somewhere in: Asheville, N.C., with Teebs on: Oct.25/26.2k12.” Thomas Dolby and Primus have also independently confirmed they will be performing at the festival. While it originally seemed that New Order (sans Peter Hook) might be on the bill, with a U.S. tour ending just days before the festival, the fest’s organizers unfortunately announced that “they seem to insisting (sic) on going home a few days before Moogfest.”

For up-to-date information on this year’s festival, check out the official MoogFest website, it’s Facebook page, and Twitter account. Music blog Consequence of Sound has also been keeping track of hints and rumors via the MoogFest page in it’s Festival Outlook section.

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Music News and Interviews

MoogFest 2012 Announces Dates, Justice Pre-show

MoogFest, the Asheville music festival that celebrates the life and legacy of Bob Moog, has announced the dates for this year’s festivities. The third iteration of the festival will be slimmed down to two days, Friday, October 26 and Saturday, October 27. The full lineup is set to be released mid-July. According to a statement on the fest’s website, “the festival will be a little different this year.” It is yet to be announced when tickets will go on sale.

A pre-festival show featuring Justice will take place on Thursday, October 25 at the U.S. Cellular Center (formerly the Asheville Civic Center Arena). The show will require a separate ticket. More info can be found here.

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Music News and Interviews

JUNE CONCERT GIVEAWAYS! (6/13-6/30)

Tune in to KNC throughout the month of June for your chance to win tickets to awesome summer concerts in the Triangle! Thank you to all of our wonderful listeners!

Bouncing Souls w/ Menzingers (6/13)   Congratulations to listeners Jason P. and Tamra S.!

Dawes w/ Sara Watkins   Congratulations to listeners Mark S. and Stephen K. !

Connells w/ Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ (6/16)

Man Man  (6/17)   Congratulations to listener Shaun C.!

New Rope String Band (6/20)  

  • Listen to Church of Bluegrass 8-10am Sunday mornings for your chance to win!

Lucero w/ Robert Ellis (6/20)

  • Listen to Americana 10-12pm Saturday mornings for your chance to win!

Lower Dens w/ No Joy (6/21)

Tab-One & Sunshine J’ album release (6/22)

TV Girl (6/23)

Los Campesinos (6/27)

  • Listen to Cest La Bri and Zach 3-5pm Mondays for your chance to win!

Monface with La Big Vic (6/28)

Beat Connection with White Arrows (6/30)

 

Need the studio number? Call us at 919-515-2400 or 919-860-0881!

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Music News and Interviews

Acclaimed Cellist Ben Sollee to Interview on WKNC May 10

 

One of my favorite musicians, Ben Sollee, will be coming by the station on May 10  at 1 p.m. for an in-studio performance and interview before his show at Kings Barcade (Cat’s Cradle Presents). Sollee’s music is inspired by his Kentucky roots, but spans genres from folk to jazz, carried by his syncopated rhythms and smooth voice.

You may recognize Ben Sollee from his work with Daniel Martin Moore on Dear Companion, an album speaking out against Mountain Top Removal and preserving their Appalachian homes. This album was produced by Yim Yames of Monsters of Folk and My Morning Jacket.

Sollee joined other acclaimed genre-bending artists Casey Driessen, Bela Fleck, Abigail Washburn to form the Sparrow Quartet. This group was defined by intense instrumentation, worldly themes, and the tenor of Abigail Washburn.

If You’re Going to Lead my Country, Something Worth Keeping, Learning to Bend, and Inclusions are Sollee’s  solo EPs and LPs, respectively. These albums feature his political lyrics, blues-infused voice, and friends joining in on saxophones, percussion, and other instruments on many songs.  This show on May 10 at Kings Barcade marks one year since Inclusions was released.

Ben Sollee is different from many other “green” celebrities in that he lives the lifestyle to the best of his ability, showcased in his “Ditch the Van” Bike Tour.  Strapping the cello and other equipment to a tiny trailer attached to his bike, he has traveled to dozens of shows and thousands of miles with a much smaller carbon footprint than other touring artists.

Sollee is no stranger to the area, opening for The Rosebuds at a Hopscotch 2011 Day Party and an awesome show at Casbah in Durham.  I hope he likes the new bike lanes on Hillsborough Street.

Tune in to hear what I’m sure will be an amazing live in-studio performance and interview. If you have any questions for Ben, leave them as a comment or tweet them at us (@WKNC881) during the interview on May 10 from 1 -1:45 p.m.  Be sure to check out his performance at Kings Barcade May 10.

Listen to Americana Blues and Company on May 5 and the interview May 10 to win tickets to the show!

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Music News and Interviews

Spring 2012 Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, April 19-22. Tickets discounted today ONLY.

The Spring 2012 Shakori Hills Grassroots Music and Dance Festival is only three days away, which means we will begin our ascent onto FestivalMountain. Tickets are on sale at a discounted price today ONLY. A wonderful lineup is in store for this spring’s festival, including Leftover Salmon, Donna the Buffalo, The Red Clay Ramblers, BeauSoleil avec Michale Doucet, Curtis Eller and many more. The complete lineup can be found here.

WKNC will have a table setup where we will be selling merchandise and raffling off prizes. Come by and say hello, and you may get a sticker! We will be reporting all of the exciting festivities via Facebook and Twitter during the festival. Hope to see all you festival goers out there! Looks like we will be getting some rain, so be sure and come prepared!

For the latest news on the festival check out their webpage or Facebook page.

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Music News and Interviews

This Week’s Giveaways

We have some awesome tickets to give away to start of the month of April.

Tuesday, April 3 – Kimya Dawson with Paleface and Your Heart Breaks

Tuesday, April 3 – Delta Spirit with Waters

Wednesday, April 4 – Of Montreal with Loney Dear and Kishi Bashi

Wednesday, April 4 – Hadwynn with Lion in Winter

Thursday, April 5 – Breathe Carolina, Ready Set with Ashland High, Matt Toka, Romance on a Rocketship

Thursday, April 5 – Band of Heathens with Clay Pigeons

Friday, April 6 – DE’SEAN JONES with The Black Experience, The Real Laww & Toon

Saturday, April 7 – Cannibal Corpse with Exhumed, Abysmal Dawn, Arkaik

Saturday, April 7 – APACHE DROPOUT with Last Year’s Men, Flesh Wounds

Sunday, April 8 – PATHOLOGY, ROSE FUNERAL, PRIAPUS, ENGULFED IN AFTERBIRTH, SURGICAL

 

We have been doing giveaways on our Twitter and Facebook so be sure to keep up with those pages for more goodies!

 

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Music News and Interviews

Bowerbirds release video for Tuck the Darkness In

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/38026796[/vimeo]

The excellent new album from Bowerbirds which is out March 6 via Dead Oceans now has a video to accompany one of the standout tracks, “Tuck the Darkness In.” The video for the track from The Clearing features an inquisitive child’s journey with fish. Although that sounds silly, the video might have you in tears by the end.

 

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Music News and Interviews

Bonnaroo 2012 Lineup Announced

For Valentine’s day this year, AC Entertainment decided to give its fans one of the best loving gifts any music festival-goer could ask for, the lineup for Bonnaroo’s 11th year.

The headliners include Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Phish and The Beach Boys. What I found particularly neat about this year’s lineup is many of the acts chosen for Bonnaroo have made visits to the Triangle’s venues in the past year or plan to in the next few months – The Beach Boys (coming in April), Bon Iver, The Avett Brothers (coming in March), Feist (coming in May), Ludacris (N.C. State University’s campus last year), Ben Folds Five, Umphrey’s McGee, Punch Brothers, Yelawolf, Dawes, The Black Lips, Phantogram, The Joy Formidable, The Antlers, Kurt Vile and the Violators, Das Racist, Delta Spirit, Trampled by Turtles, The War on Drugs (coming in March), and Fruit Bats, just to name a few.

This is just another reason to pat yourselves on the back for being a part of the Triangle’s taste-making community, whether you’re a venue, musician, concert goer, radio listener, or even blog reader. You’re awesome.

The festival will take place about nine hours away from Raleigh in Manchester, Tenn. on June 7-10.  Tickets will go on sale Saturday, Feb. 18, at noon.

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Music News and Interviews

Friendly Fires channeling “The Shining” for third album

It hasn’t taken too long for the boys from England to start working on their next album. The follow-up to last year’s Pala has already begun, and the trio is looking for inspiration in different places.

Friendly Fires is channeling the atmosphere of Stanley Kubrick’s classic The Shining for their next album.  In a recent interview with 6Music, guitarist Edd Gibson stated, “I think we are trying to force on an element of the film The Shining, or the book The Shining, as a cultured gentleman who reads and doesn’t just watch films… We’re trying to alienate ourselves into a world of music alone and see what we come up with.”

The group is changing their location to Sweden, where a log cabin will provide a setting all too familiar among the musicians. Although their time will be short-lived, as their stay will be under two weeks, the group is trying to make the most of their time in their frozen living quarters.

What could this all possibly mean for the group? They won’t be trying to pull off any Bon Iver tricks any time soon, and any attempts to do so will be interesting. Despite the implication of channeling The Shining I highly doubt their next release would be able to pull off a longer, slow-paced sound. Hopefully, the next album won’t leave us wanting to murder our families. Additionally, listening to it won’t be able to make us communicate with each other telepathically (unfortunately). If the band can develop the telepathy The Shining gives its name to, the band will be able to craft an album more refreshing than Pala and if lucky, one better than their debut as well.