Formed in 2002ish by solo performer Brian Corum with a few art class friends in Greenville, NC, Lonnie Walker is now a mainstay in the ever-changing NC music scene. Since the release of their debut album “These Times Old Times” in 2009, Lonnie Walker has become a staple of the Triangle music circuit, with their raucous-punk-meets-quirky-Americana sound livening up WKNC’s Fridays on the Lawn, DBB VI, Hopscotch Music Festival (numerous times), and a whole host of local venues. Lead singer and guitarist Brian Corum’s uniquely twisted vocals and lyrics, along with catchy riffs and rollicking rhythms from the band (currently Raymond Finn, Eric Hill, and Mike Robinson), make Lonnie Walker a can’t-miss show; just try to listen to “Summertime” without a huge grin spreading across your face and your head unconsciously bobbing with the drum beat, or not shouting along to “Compass Comforts.” Yet from its beginnings, the band has also been unafraid to let go with long, jam-style instrumentals.
Brian Corum also helps run Diggup Tapes, a Raleigh record label known for its affinity for cassette tapes, which has put out releases by Lonnie Walker as well as T0W3RS, Lilac Shadows, Oulipo, Zack Mexico, and more. Though Lonnie Walker themselves have not released an album since 2009, they have released a smattering of singles and compilations. They teased fans with a somewhat somber single, “All Bombs Away,” last summer, sparking excitement for a new full-length. Rumor has it that a very limited release of this long-awaited second album, “Earth Canals,” was distributed at Hopscotch 2014, when the band took the City Plaza stage before Spoon and St. Vincent. Be sure to catch this electric act at Lincoln Theatre on Feb. 7 – you never know what could happen!
Spider Bags are back for their third Double Barrel Benefit.
The band formed in 2005 as front man Dan McGee migrated from Brooklyn to Chapel Hill, coming off a stint in punk band DC Snipers. McGee combined his punk experience with his newfound love for the North Carolina scene’s southern twang for a uniquely sloppy yet fine-tuned sound that would take the area by storm. Nine years later, the group remains one of the Triangle’s flagship bands and an undying local favorite.
In the years since, Double Barrel has grown in size and scope and Spider Bags themselves have met considerable success. 2014 was a huge year for the Chapel Hill garage rockers, as they signed to local indie powerhouse Merge Records and released their fourth studio album. “Frozen Letter,” produced by fellow DBB vet Wesley Wolfe, was met with national acclaim.
Spider Bags took the stage at The Pour House on both Double Barrel VII and Double Barrel X, but this year is the biggest yet. The band will cap off an evening of four great bands at the Lincoln Theatre on Feb. 7, 2015.
Last Thursday, Thrill City and Glass Reflex proudly presented Professor Toon, Well$, Cosmoe, Tim Stack$ and special guest G. Yamazawa at the Local 506. This incredible lineup transformed a normally Chapel Chill into Chapel Thrill with the first drop of the beat. Every member of the audience seemed to radiate a genuine love for hip hop and that couldn’t be fabricated. Tim Stack$, New York rapper from the 516 got the crowd hype, crushed a few bars, and most importantly got his name out as an up and coming rapper.
After Stack$’s set, a teenager from the crowd sauntered on the stage wearing a paintball jersey and what had to be a fresh haircut. This teenager was none other than Carrboro’s own Cosmoe, a high school student pursuing rap and utilizing local venues to showcase this talent. Sampling an older Rihanna song as a beat is a bold move but I definitely respect it.The previous sentence more or less sums up the entirety of Cosmoe’s set.He’s young, with a lot of untapped talent and has a hidden love for Rihanna (who doesn’t).
Up next to the stage was the special guest G. Yamazawa and he definitely not only put the “spec” in special but also in spectacle. This guy is someone to watch. G. Yamazawa is 24 year old born and raised in Durham, North Carolina by Japanese natives. Small in stature but phat in rhyme. Immediately when he was handed the mic, G was spitting effortlessly constructed double entendres faster than the bartender could hand out Red Bulls to underaged concert goers.
Completely blown away by the guest, everyone GUESSED that the next to the spit was none other than Charlotte native, Well$. With a few members of the audience wearing t-shirts repping Well$’s record label Immaculate Taste and everyone pumped on adrenaline, Well$ had his work cut out for him. 2014 was a big year for the rapper and I can tell he is planning to go even bigger in the new year. Over the past few years Well$ toured with Ab- Soul, performed with Pac Div and G-Eazy and also signed to record label Immaculate Taste. Something about Well$’s nonchalant manner and casual cool seems to draw people in and his music does not disappoint. He even stopped in the middle of his set to announce that people should mosh and those uninterested should step aside. If that’s not courtesy, I’d like to see what is.
ALL OF THESE GREAT PERFORMANCES AND WE HAVEN’T EVEN GOTTEN TO THE HEADLINER: PROFESSOR TOON.
photos from Facebook
Professor Toon is a Baltimore, Maryland native and a current resident of the 919, more specifically Durham. Also known as Toon from Toon and the Real Laww, Professor Toon had a crazy past couple of years. To clarify I mean crazy as in sharing the stage with names like Run the Jewels and De La Soul, while further establishing himself as an artist by performing at Hopscotch, and co founding the DURM Hip Hop Summit. The DURM Hip Hop Summit is a collective started by Toon and the Real Laww in 2012. They plan on having an event AUGUST 15th, 2015 (SAVE THE DATE.) The event is set to include the original 5 Pillars of Hip Hop: DJing, Beat Boxing, Break Dancing, Graffiti and the MC. So for all of you complaining about real hip hop being dead (we’ve all seen your YouTube comments) come to its resurrection in August put on by the DURM Hip Hop Summit. Professor Toon brought his “A” game to the Local 506 and after sitting down one on one with the rapper his music and personality both leave little to be desired. The professor kept the crowd going while presenting himself as excited yet humble and truly appreciative for his fan base. Performing his new song “The Elephant” which manifests a part of Professor Toon’s childhood and his love for the special woman in his life that worked to give him a good upbringing, his mother. His mother was front and center at the show rocking a ReverbNation t-shirt, dancing her heart out and she wasn’t the only one.
Check out my exclusive interview with Professor Toon where he talks about Growing up in Baltimore, Lil Bow Wow vs. Lil Romeo, Female rappers and his up and coming ventures.
IMPORTANT DATES
: JANUARY 24TH at the DUKE COFFEEHOUSE catch PROFESSOR TOON, TURQUOISE JEEP, and BARF TROOP
AUGUST 15th mark your calendars for the DURM Hip Hop Summit
EOT157 Reproductive Health Resources On And Around Campus 1/20/15
Eye on the Triangle is WKNC’s weekly public affairs programming, with news, interviews, opinion, weather, sports, arts, music, events, and issues that matter to NCSU, Raleigh, and the Triangle. This week on EOT:
We have an episode with a unique format that we rarely employ: a live discussion.
Guests in the studio include NC State student Yvonne, who is WKNC’s own Promotions Director, a volunteer, and an advocate for women’s health rights. Joining her is Justine, a student at NC State and the co-president of the on-campus Pack For Choice organization.
The discussion takes listeners through an explanation of the resources available to both students and non-students in the Triangle area and throughout North Carolina. Misconceptions are also covered, and the goals and actions of Pack for Choice and NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina are also mentioned.
Nick Savage and the EOT crew bring you another edition of “Eye on the Triangle,” live each Tuesday at 7 p.m. on WKNC 88.1 FM and wknc.org/listen and available as a downloadable podcast.
WKNC TOP 5 ADDS 1. SLEATER-KINNEY – No Cities To Love – Sub Pop 2. KUZIN – Cavity – Self-Released 3. RONIIA – RONiiA – Totally Gross National Product 4. CLOAKROOM – Further Out – Run For Cover 5. BC CAMPLIGHT – How To Die In The North – Bella Union
WKNC RADIO 200 1. PARQUET COURTS – Content Nausea – What’s Your Rupture? 2. GIRLPOOL – Girlpool – Wichita 3. ARIEL PINK – Pom Pom – 4AD 4. PREATURES – Blue Planet Eyes – Harvest 5. RYAN HEMSWORTH – Alone For The First Time – Last Gang-Secret Songs 6. DEERHOOF – La Isla Bonita – Polyvinyl 7. BULLY – Bully [EP] – Startime 8. MR. GNOME – The Heart Of A Dark Star – El Marko 9. CARIBOU – Our Love – Merge 10. KEVIN MORBY – Still Life – Woodsist 11. CELESTIAL SHORE – Enter Ghost – Hometapes 12. GRAVEYARD CLUB – Nightingale – Self-Released 13. TY SEGALL – Singles 2 – Drag City 14. PANDA BEAR – Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper – Domino 15. MATTHEW MELTON – Outside Of Paradise – SouthPaw 16. HOOKWORMS – The Hum – Weird World 17. VIET CONG – Viet Cong – Jagjaguwar 18. KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD – I’m In Your Mind Fuzz – Castle Face 19. ALLO DARLIN’ – We Come From The Same Place – Slumberland 20. LES SINS – Michael – Company 21. ZKPR – Tall Men With Feelings – Self-Released 22. RIVER WHYLESS – River Whyless [EP] – Self-Released 23. YAWN – Love Chills – Old Flame 24. LABRYYYNTH – LABRYYYNtH – Burger-People In A Position To Know 25. HUMAN EXPERIENCE – Embraced – Jumpsuit 26. SUBURBAN LIVING – Suburban Living – Papercup 27. PRINCE RUPERT’S DROPS – Climbing Light – Beyond Beyond Is Beyond 28. GUTS CLUB – The Arm Wrestling Tournament – Important 29. LORD RAJA – A Constant Moth – Ghostly International 30. AQUADOLLS – Stoked On You – Burger
It’s our pleasure to announce that we have tickets to see Interpol concert on May 8th at The Ritz! Thanks to our friends at Live Nation, WKNC has 5 pairs of tickets to give away. Just be the correct caller when the DJ asks for it this week and you can score a pair of tickets to see Interpol! Tickets for Interpol go on sale Friday, January 23, at 10am on Ticketmaster.com, at Ticketmaster outlets, and at 800-745-3000.
There aren’t many with the level of cred that Mac McCaughan carries. The Superchunk and Portastatic frontman’s legacy has affected the Triangle with both his music and Merge, the label he founded with Superchunk bandmate Laura Ballance in 1989.
Last year saw Merge’s 25th year of existence, and they used their firsthand experience as working musicians to grow from humble 7’’ and cassette releases in the early 90’s to the indie powerhouse they are today. Not only have they boasted mega acts like Arcade Fire and Neutral Milk Hotel, but continue to host North Carolina’s own talent such as Hiss Golden Messenger, Mount Moriah, and DBB12 headliners Spider Bags.
Superchunk hasn’t slowed down either. 2013’s release of “I Hate Music” was met with critical acclaim and a clear message that the modern indie rock world wouldn’t be getting tired of Superchunk any time soon.
On Feb. 7 at Lincoln Theatre, McCaughan will take the stage at an event played by countless acts that he’s inspired and supported. Without Mac McCaughan, the Triangle music scene as we know it probably wouldn’t exist.
Let me just start out by saying this was a fantastic night. Last Tuesday night The Mattador and I drove to Chapell Hill, NC to go see Generationals at the Local 506, located on the further end of Franklin Street nearest to Carrboro. Neither of us had been before, and were pleasantly surprised by the layout and size of the music venue. As we arrived, we caught the last few songs of the opening act Lowell. With her pastel clothes and glittering face crystals, she bounced around on stage to catchy beats, eventually entering the crowd and dancing with concert goers. There was a short break, and then Generationals took the stage. Playing their entire set with a colorful light show made the music that much better. The crowd danced and sang along with old favorites like “Put A Light On,” but also to new beats like “Black Lemon” and “Gold Silver Diamond.” At one point Ted even began climbing on the front stage speakers, still playing his electric guitar. After the show, we headed back to the merch table. The Mattador picked up a Generationals cassette, and I picked up each band’s newest LP. We chatted with Lowell for awhile and took some awesome pics (see below). She also drew me some art on the back of my new record slip. We made our way back to the stage to meet up with Grant and Ted. We chatted outside for a bit, took more pictures, and even got them to record an awesome liner for WKNC (tune in to the station to hear it sometime). It was a great night and a great show, and can be summed up in one overarching statement: them’s good people.
