Join WKNC and our friends at @wxyc, Wolftrax Music Group and Team Clermont for a Hopscotch Music Festival Day Party!
Come out to Legends this Friday during Hopscotch weekend to see a variety of amazing local artists! Doors open at noon, with music starting around 12:30 p.m.
Set times are approximate and are subject to change:
First order of business: pick up your goddamn wristband from Wristband City.
Have some semblance of a plan! Figure out where the venues are in relation to each other and which bands, old and new, you want to catch. Luckily for you, there’s Hopscotch app where you can select the artists you’re dying to see, and the calendar feature organizes your selections in order by date and time. Additionally, you can read artist bios and listen to a few of their tracks, and – SCORE – you can sync it to your Google Calendar! Personally, I’m a fan of printing the schedule and circling my “must see” artists in red ink. Your less efficient third option is just wingin’ it.
Don’t waste your own time! Whether it’s the music or the crowd or the venue that you’re not vibing with, remember that you can leave. Don’t expect the next song to be better. If you don’t like a set after two songs, do yourself a favor and dip. Test your luck at the next closest venue, because the weekend is too short and there are too many artists for you to not enjoy yourself every minute.
Wear comfortable shoes! Minimize the time you spend walking (briskly) between venues and maximize your Hopscotch utility by wearing sneakers. Imagine this: It’s Friday, September 9th. You’re old-school moshing to “American Girls and French Kisses” at the CAM. It’s 10:50 PM, and Young Thug is taking the stage at Memorial Auditorium at 11. Unless you have a time-turner you are not going to be able to see both sets in their entirety. I’m not telling you how to live your life – but if you bust out a light jog down S Martin Street you’ll miss less of Beach Slang and see more of Young Thug, so consider the opportunity costs. Are you making this trek in flip flops? No, you’re wearing close-toed kicks like a responsible adult. If looking cute is a priority… good luck with that, I guess. And yes, this is your mother speaking.
Catch some Pokemon. Obligatory. DON’T run into people on the street, ignore your friends, or strain your neck. DO set up a lure if you’re at the Pour House staking out prime real estate for Rainbow Kitten Surprise. You will hatch so many eggs and see so much of wild and wonderful Raleighwood.
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Hopscotch is next week, and since I’m a rookie, I just printed out a schedule to start planning. Actually, maybe that’s the opposite of a rookie move. Either way, Hopscotch has a great, diverse lineup, and you’re sure to find many artists you enjoy over the three days. Here are some must-see acts whose frontpeople belong to underrepresented genders.
Sylvan Esso, who every local should want to see, if only to feel proud to be from the home state of such a well-known indie act. Also, I’m excited for the possibility that they’ll play their catchiest song, “Coffee,” and to hear the new songs the duo has announced, when they headline on Saturday.
Pie Face Girls have become pretty well-known locally for their powerful sound and lyrics, and for their unconstrained stage presence. They play fun-sounding punk that brings out typically unspoken parts of the female experience.
Erykah Badu is kind of a legend, and I feel bad only having heard about her this year. Her latest release, a mixtape, is really intriguing; it’s like a scavenger hunt to find the sources of portions of the songs. WKNC released an artist profile about Badu if you’d like to learn more. She’s headlining Red Hat Amphitheater on Friday, so it’s sure to be an awesome show.
Diet Cig has so much energy, and you’ll likely be tired just watching Alex Luciano’s animated dancing and high kicks (and that’s not even getting to the music.) Diet Cig played at King’s in March, and it was gravity-defying and rockin’. To get a sneak peek of their Hopscotch performance, check out their WKNC Lounge set.
Dai Burger’s music is outside of my usual comfort zone, but somehow I still like it. Maybe it’s something about her goofy website, her clever and catchy rap verses, or the fact that she’s named herself “Burger,” but she seems to balance sharing her talent with getting listeners to have fun.
Wumebrings live rhythmic experimentation to Hopscotch. It’s tough to find contemporary instrumental acts that aren’t purely electronic, and Wume does a great job making complex but approachable music.
Bad Friends’ sound is a lot heavier than I usually listen to, but what are music festivals for if not exploration? Their demo songs are good, and they’re local, which makes me like them already.
You can find all Hopscotch set times and locations here.
