WKNC 88.1 FM - North Carolina State University Student RadioMusic news, interviews, features and giveaways
If you’ve listened to the station recently, you probably know that WKNC is presenting Benji Hughes and Skullbuckle at the Pour House Music Hall tomorrow night.
In anticipation of the show, I’ll be interviewing the man himself at 1 p.m. sharp. Greg from Skullbuckle will also be in to talk about the band’s album and the show.
If you have any questions you have to hear answered, comment on this post and let me know!
See you on the airwaves.
Indie rock/pop band Miniature Tigers will swing by the WKNC studios this Friday for an interview with Dr. J and DJ Audity. The group joins Acrylics as support for The Morning Benders that evening at Local 506 in Chapel Hill before they head down to Austin to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day at the South by Southwest music conference and festival.
Miniature Tigers released their first full-length album Tell it to the Volcano in 2008. MusicRemedy reports the band will release its second full-length album, FORTRESS, June 1 on Modern Art Records.
1. The National’s new album entitled “High Violet” will be released in May. The National are planning to play a series of music festivals over the summer, with individual tour dates starting in late March in support to the follow up of 07’s “Boxer.” (via NME)
2. Pin Me Down, the side-project of Bloc Party guitarists Russell Lissack, is set to release it’s debut album April 19th in the UK. Lissack is joined alongside of singer-songwriter Milena Mepri. (via NME)
3. Belle and Sebastian are back after a short hiatus. In an email sent to the member of their mailing list, the band stated that they were currently writing new material in Glasgow, Scotland, and they plan on coming to Los Angeles to record the new material in the near future. The band currently has three shows scheduled in mid-July and early August. (via Pitchfork)
4. Adrian Utley (Portishead) and Will Gregory (Goldfrapp) are collaborating to create a new score to the 1928 silent film, “The Passion of Joan of Arc.” (via Pitchfork)
5. Animal Collective have unveiled a new art exhibit for the New York’s Guggenheim Museum. The exhibit included psychedelic sounds and abstract models. The exhibit is called “Transverse Temporal Gyrus” and was created alongside Danny Perez. The exhibit featured all new music from the band. (via Spin)
The Technician has added a poll to its main page asking if YOU would like to hear WKNC played on various on-campus locations such as campus C-Stores and dining halls. The poll can be found on the bottom right hand side of the home page.
Help us make this dream a reality and vote today!
WKNC is always working hard to bring you more ticket giveaways to great shows, and this week is no different! Tune into 88.1 FM for your chances to win tickets to these awesome shows:
Wednesday, March 3
Ex-Monkeys w/ Geometric Operetta, Cheezface, Wretched Martyr & MC Bingo Blower @ The Pour House
Friday, March 5
A Rooster For The Masses w/ Decoration Ghost & Free Electric State @ The Pour House
Saturday, March 6
Rogue Wave w/ Avi Buffalo @ Cat’s Cradle
Sunday, March 7
Dropkick Murphys w/Larry and His Flask & Strung Out @ Fillmore Charlotte
Also, get excited about up coming giveaways for other sweet shows happening later this month including Phoenix @ Koka Booth and Black Lips @ Cat’s Cradle.
Don’t forget! You can always be sure to get a full schedule of local shows happening in your area by checking out WKNC’s Rock Report.
Whether your first experience with Phoenix has been hearing their 1901 track on the Cadillac Crossover commercial or if you’ve stuck with the band since their debut album United, it is undeniable that the French band has set their mark with their eclectic and synthesized sound. Formed in 1999, the group got their start touring in French bars doing Hank Williams and Prince covers and has since released four albums. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix was released in 2009 and received recognition on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart in January 2010 and won Best Alternative Album at the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards.
This week WKNC will be giving away tickets to their show on June 11th at the Koka Booth Amphitheater in Cary before they go on sale! When the deejay announces it, be the correct caller to win a pair of tickets to the show. Listen only on 88.1FM or streaming online.
And don’t fret if you don’t win this week, because daytime deejays will also be giving away pairs of tickets next week too!
This morning I had Chapel Hill band Blag’ard come join me for a Local Beat Mini Exclusive to chat about their brand new album Mach II which is being released tonight at the Reservoir in Chapel Hill and at the Dive Bar tomorrow night in Raleigh. The show tonight will feature a magic and burlesque show with Rosie Hellfire and Reverend Spider with Michael Rank and Marc Smith doing an acoustic opening. There will also be free vegetarian chili to warm your bones. The show at the Dive Bar is featuring Asheville art-rock act Solito. Both shows are free.
Blag’ard is a duo and this is their third release and their second LP. We chatted about the making of the album, which was done mostly analogue, and partially recorded at Track and Field Studios. It also came up in our conversation that Adam is the third drummer of the band to have a child while being in the band, a topic which is fairly interesting. In addition Joe chatted about his website Pig Zen Space, a music download Web site with all proceeds going to the artist.
Listen below for more:
Local Beat Mini Exclusive: Blag’ard
1. Here We Go Magic have announced that they will be kicking off their next tour alongside powerhouse act, The New Pornographers and White Rabbits. Upcoming dates include playing SXSW, Coachella, and Bonnaroo. In an effort to expand, the one time music project, turn full-time quintet, has recently signed with Secretly Canadian records. Their sophomore album is set to release sometime this Spring. (via Pitchfork)
2. LCD Soundsystem’s frontman, James Murphy, has unveiled that the follow-up to their critically acclaimed “Sound of Silver.” While on track at hitting the projected March release date, Murphy has also been hard at work on the score of the movie Greenburg. (via Pitchfork)
3. Thom Yorke has officially announced a name for the band that he started playing with as. Now referred to as Atoms of Peace (actually named after an Eisenhower policy during the 50s to promote peace in a nuclear age), the band plans on playing shows in New York, Oakland, Chicago, and at the Coachello music festival. (via Pitchfork)
4. Doves have given details on their upcoming best of album entitled, “The Places Between: The Best of Doves.” A three disc set, the first disc compiles some of their best songs, the second focuses on rare b-sides, and the third (which is a DVD) has a handful of music videos they have released. (via NME)
5. Fleet Foxes singer, Robin Pecknold has revealed that he will be joining Joanna Newsom on her upcoming tour dates in March and April. While Fleet Foxes is currently working on their sophomore album, Joanna Newsom is touring in support of her new (absoultely amazing) triple album, “Have One on Me.” (via NME)
Everyone seems to have had their say about the show at the Pour House Music Hall last Friday, which featured Annuals with support from Gray Young and Bright Young Things. I was there and it rocked.
(Seriously, check Cabbage’s review of the show as well as Karen Mann’s always excellent coverage.)
But let’s not forget the 2/11 Local Beer, Local Band show at Tir Na Nog that featured Bright Young Things with support from Luego and Naked Gods (straight outta Boone).
And let’s not forget the three interviews in one hour preceding that show. That’s right, I shuffled all three of these bands in and out of the studio. Better yet, Bright Young Things played a Jayhawks-inspired version of their own “She Left You Dreaming.” Luego followed with Patrick’s solo version of “Run Away” that will be on their album Ocho, to be released later this year.
Check the interview below – the catch is that you have to sift through to my voice to catch the live songs. But they’re worth it! Enjoy.
Bright Young Things, Luego, Naked Gods interview!
(But wait, there’s more! Free Bright Young Things music at Bandcamp!)
Local electronic duo The ExMonkeys will be coming in to the WKNC studio for a full live performance and interview this Wednesday, February 24, at 8 p.m. Yes, I looked at the NCSU sports broadcast schedule this time and no, we will not be broadcasting a game on Wednesday. As mentioned, they’ll be doing a full live set, followed by an interview where we’ll discuss their sound, electronic music in the Triangle, and their monthly electro/noise night (co-hosted with the awesomely insane Cheezface) at The Pour House, Technoiz. So tune in, bob your head, and move your feet if you feel the need to do so.