My excitement is immeasurable, and it’s all because I get to see one of my favorite bands of this year next week. Screaming Females will be in Durham on October 27 playing at Motorco Music Hall. They’ll be joined by Lip Critic as the opener.
Screaming Females hails from New Brunswick, NJ and they’ve been releasing music since their first album, “Baby Teeth“, in 2006. I think I started seriously listening to this band two years ago when I was making a funky, crunchy DJ set, and I haven’t been able to get enough of their sounds since.
Earlier this year, Screaming Females released their newest album “Desire Pathway”, which I have enjoyed so much over the past few months. The album’s well produced and now contains some of my favorite tracks they’ve made.
It opens with “Brass Bell“, a magnetic track featuring the lead singer’s, Marissa Paternoster, amazing voice and some of their most addictive guitar sounds from Paternoster as well.
Lately I’ve been listening to “Let Me Into Your Heart” on constant loop. It starts a little slower, but pucks up the pace, transforming into a rock n’ roll giant wall of sound.
I don’t know too much about Lip Critic, but their EP, “Kill Lip Critic“, is noisy and will be a perfect thing to get hot and sweaty to. The opening track destructs and builds momentum beautifully.
While y’all can probably see I’m brimming with excitement her, that doesn’t mean you can’t be too. As of writing this, there are tickets available to purchase for the show in Durham, which is only the first stop of a long Fall tour.
Welcome one, welcome all to my glorious writings about North Carolina’s State Fair. I will regale thee with tales of scrumptious foods, boisterous bands and even look longingly at puppy treats.
Lil’ History:
Here’s a teeny bit of the purpose of North Carolina’s State Fair:
“…the State Fair has become a traditional fall-time event that aims to educate all North Carolinians about the importance of agriculture to our heritage and our economy”
Not only does it educate us about the state’s agricultural history, but it promotes community involvement with it too. With many interactive exhibits like watching livestock prize shows, learning about the agri-business throughout the years in history exhibits and witnessing prize crops being showcased, any fair-goer can experience the amount of wealthy pride exuding from contestants and farmers alike.
What’s a WKNC music blog writer supposed to enjoy about agriculture? Well, local food and business influence the ways people think, especially budding and current local musicians. In a far-fetched way that somehow connects in my mind, I can see the way local bands are influenced by their surroundings.
Look at Wednesday and Indigo de Souza, two of the biggest North Carolinian names in music (we’re going to forget about DaBaby), but both arose with unique sounds and flavors originating from NC’s country, modern, hippie town of Asheville thanks to the special culture brewed there.
Back to the State Fair:
There is tons to do there. The State Fair’s got everything set up for ten whole days of running from nine in the morning until eleven or twelve at night every single day. The daily schedule shifts and flows from day-to-day and going one day would result in a different experience compared to the next.
Food:
So, let us set the scene: it was a glorious Friday afternoon, the second day of the fair, and as it was around lunch time, I decided the first thing I must do is find sustenance. It’s not easy to find food at the fair. No, sorry, let me rephrase that, it’s not easy to choose which of the hundreds of in-your-face smells to let fill your tummy.
I walked around a ton before landing at my first meal, andI saw beautiful smiling faces captivated by comfort foods shoved in a fryer, then on a stick, then into their mouths. Exorbitant amounts of food sailed around and around, passing through grills, hands, more hands, then mouths. It’s a beautiful scene of what we all happily share together, a need for delightful nourishment.
My first purchase of the day was an unmemorable country ham sandwich. Now usually, I go for vegetarian options wherever and whenever I can, but I had a strong urge to get a delightful salty piece of chewy meat down my gullet.
It was okay. The biscuit was crumbly and nothing more than a competent vehicle for the country ham to reach my mouth. The ham itself wasn’t even stereotypically salty. Tougher than horse hide, I had to chew too much to get small bites down my throat.
Up next was a true delight; a Fair food, no, a street food that has become internationally significant to many people, falafel. I went to the “Neomonde” stand to get my falafel pita wrap. These fried chickpea balls of golden, crispy goodness warmed my heart as it was paired with pickled red onions, a topping incomparable to pickles or relish on a burger or hotdog.
Falafel pita wrap from Neomonde. Photo and bite taken by author.
The only downside to this pita wrap was how surprisingly filling it was for me. I intended to eat a lot more food during my walk-abouts and general enjoyment of fellow fair goers, but my stomach was full so I did my best to digest…
Music:
…And listen to live music of course. During my stay of about five hours at the Fair, I was able to see two performances at the “Live and Local Music Stage”, which can be easily located on the map to the fairgrounds.
The first performance I saw was Teens in Trouble, a local Raleigh band full of folks living in the area. Their lead singer, Lizzie Killian, presented the very small audience with lovely vocals and lively atmosphere. I wish there were more folks around to enjoy the woozy, melodic vibes emanating from Teens in Trouble.
Teens in Trouble performing at NC State Fair. Photo by author.
They played one of Killian’s solo tracks, “I Wonder What You’re Doing Now” off their EP released last year. It’s a sweet, acoustic track that is perfect for the Fall. Teens in Trouble has a new release coming out early next year that we can all look forward to.
After Teens in Trouble, was Christian James, a Raleigh native who appeared on WKNC’s “The Lounge”, which is a great way to see recorded performances of artists that come into our radio station to give us a taste of their sounds.
On the stage at the Fair, James performed “Junie B. Jones” and a few of his other tracks that I unfortunately didn’t get the names of. I really enjoyed James’ energy they provided on stage. With a limited number of people in the audience, he brought smiles to the few who were enjoying the show, including myself. They were a very charismatic group of characters on the stage and it was fun to watch the show unfold.
Home Chef Competition:
It was quite toasty sitting out there in the sunlight, drinking up all I could of the wonderful live music, but I needed to escape the heat, so I walked right next door to the Got to Be NC Pavillion to enjoy some shade. There were tons of local vendors selling everything from popped rice biscuits to local water. Everything had to do with food here, and I felt like I was in heaven.
A talented chef from Asheville was on a large stage in the center of the arena making a delicious smelling meal of pulled pork and coleslaw to a few lucky volunteers. I stayed and watched for a bit, but my attention was dragged away by the illustrious Home Chef Competition happening just in the entryway of the arena.
On the day I was there, the competition was based on doggie birthday cakes. What I witnessed had to have been the most lavish puppy treats and creations I’ve ever seen. One contestant presented the judges with a charcuterie board of homemade dog treats including a pet friendly martini, fresh strawberries, cucumbers and assorted doggie baked goods. Even the judges were drooling over it.
Another contestant submitted a cartoonish looking burger the size of a bowling ball meant for one or two lucky pets to enjoy. I’m not even sure a dog the size of Cujo could have eaten that thing in one sitting.
Walkin’ ‘Round Again:
I got my fill rather suddenly of doggie desserts when my stomach started to rumble again. It was time to eat more food. Immediately outside the arena I found myself hankering for something sweet. I stumbled upon Tropical Delights, a fruit smoothie stand, which appeased my needs very efficiently. The well proportioned plastic cup held so much sugary sweetness in just the perfect amount to be devoured during another walk-about.
Volcano Fruit Smoothie from Tropical Delights. Photo by author.
This time, on my adventure into the chaotic masses, throngs of people had made their way to the fairgrounds and were trampling over the burning asphalt.
With my drink in hand I walked through smelly live animal exhibits featuring beautiful looking swine, cattle and peafowls taking up residence in cages; I traipsed into the beautiful gardens influenced by local fauna at the “Flower & Garden Show”; my feet took me past hundreds of screaming children wanting to get another go at the rickety rides I wouldn’t condemn anyone to spend a single minute on.
Bonsai tree competitor at the “Flower & Garden Show”. Photo by author.
There is no end of adventuring at the State Fair. There is no emptying the pool of wealth to be had there. There is no limit of excitement that can be obtained there.
And of course I’ve left out quite a number of things I experienced here. I had no more room to make this blog post into a readable and coherent experience for the people soaking up these words instead of experiencing the fair for themselves.
If you’ve never been to the North Carolina State Fair, then I recommend you take a chance and find yourself some time to visit, eat, and learn, or something along those cheesy lines.
Enjoy your meals, even if you spend $50 on 4 things at a fair…
October is proving to be a great month for live shows.
In the aftermath of midterms week, I’ve been keeping an eye out for the local musical happenings. The latter half of this month promises an awesome assortment of live shows, some of which I may attend myself.
Among them is an upcoming performance by Xiu Xiu on October 19 at Kings.
What is Xiu Xiu?
Named after the 1998 Chinese drama film “Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl“, Xiu Xiu is the brainchild of singer-songwriter Jamie Stewart.
Xiu Xiu band member Jamie Stewart in Aarhus Denmark 2017, uploaded by Hreinn Gudlaugsson, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
The band’s sound is esoteric and bleak, unspooling into sprawls of distortion. There’s a heavy air of pessimism and melancholy throughout, though with a more industrial (think Throbbing Gristle) than gothic slant.
Xiu Xiu hit the airwaves in 2002 with the release of “Knife Play,” an 11-track album of experimental desolation.
Stewart’s vocals are consistently plaintive, his lyrics blunt and sobering. The instrumental arrangement oscillates between rhythmically restrained — receding into the background amid simple drum beats — and wholly unleashed.
Jamie Stewart de Xiu Xiu, Adventures in Modern Music 2004, uploaded by Seth Tisue, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0
Xiu Xiu’s second album, the 2003 release “A Promise,” also contributed to the band’s acclaim.
Produced in the aftermath of the death of Stewart’s father, “A Promise” can be interpreted as a depiction of personal despair.
Xiu Xiu went on to release 11 more studio albums as well as three cover albums, two compilations and two EPs.
Their most recent release, the 2023 album “Ignore Grief,” will likely feature in their upcoming performance.
While I haven’t had the chance to peruse the entire album, what I’ve listened to thus far has been nothing short of chilling.
There’s a dark, borderline obsessive cynicism in this album; an ice-cold horror slant that rings perfect for the bittersweetness of October.
Out of the abyss of the midwestern United States called Ohio comes Corker with their first full length release, “Falser Truths”. This new punk band has all the classic 80’s punk sounds you could feverishly desire. With sounds influenced by The Clash, The Cure, Wipers and more, Corker brings us fresh perspective with great ingenuity in this album.
Cincinnati, Ohio natives, Corker, released “Falser Truths” on Sep 1, 2023, which was recorded through Future Shock Recordings, a Cincinnati based record company. Members of the band include: Luke Corvette (Lead Vocals, Guitar), Cole Gilfilen (Guitar, Synth, Vocals), Ryan Sennett (Bass, Synth) and Alex Easterday (Drums, Percussion).
“Falser Truths” is Corker’s first full-length release, but their second major release overall. They debuted with “A Bell That Seems to Mourn”, an EP, in 2021 (also on Future Shock Recordings). This EP was said to have met popularity (on their Bandcamp page).
A breeze chills your lower back and opens up your senses to the incoming new experiences. This track opens “Falser Truths” beautifully. I think it does a great job of introducing us to the potential of Corker’s sounds and what we are to experience through their perspectives of punk-rock.
A little bit of an up tempo track compared to “The Cold Air” with a strong drum beat and jolty vocals with a speedy guitar. “Lice” isn’t what I’d call hardcore punk, but it’s a step in that direction. This track does feel like a good one to dance to at a concert though.
Moodier tunes flow in from the West, East and all over. “A Fitting Compensation” brings us some of the darker, slower sounds through the intro instrumentals. Then, we are very lucky to experience some classic heart-stopping punk vocals and lyricism with a “brain eating” desire woven in.
With the air of a long good-bye, “Sour Candy” is the best final track I could hope for on a release like this. It is seven minutes long, making it the lengthiest track on the album. There’s a whole lot of diversity in sound on this album, and with this track, Corker is able to finish showing off their range. A little spoken word with catchy beats to back it up begins this track on a low-key note, but builds and builds into a rhythmic delight that I loved for every second.
Final Thoughts about “Falser Truths”
Hey, these are pretty fun. Corker is able to show off their talent range within the punk genre, and they show off a little bit of their history knowledge in punk with their sound variations too. “Falser Truths” takes us on a journey of beginnings and histories within the whole thirty-five minutes of the album. I enjoyed hearing this perspective of punk from Corker and I hope to be hearing more from them in the future.
Image courtesy Dickson Phua (guineapig33 on Flickr). Via https://www.flickr.com/photos/gunman47/53203673426
It is now officially October, which as we all know, means that it is now officially Halloween. Goblins and ghouls stalk the night, among all other sorts of horrific beasts, terrifying monsters, and that will scare the average WKNC blog reader to the point that I will not discuss them.
All this, however, is missing the most important of the season: spooky music recommendations.
“Bandit!” by Turkey
Turkey consists of William Sipos and Fletcher Shears, better known as one half of the Garden. If you know that band, you know their love of the Halloween spirit, and it is exactly as prevalent here.
This song opens and closes with a sample about a gargoyle in the infamous Denver National Airport, setting the tone for many haunted delights. The rest of it carries through, of course – the lo-fi production and old-school breakbeats makes a song that feels like you should’ve found it as an obscure YouTube upload of something from the 90’s. Perhaps a ghost of electronic past…?
“Don’t Look in the Closet” by VHS Head
Continuing on the retro theme, “Don’t Look in the Closet” goes all-in.
VHS Head makes his music out of old VHS tapes, and while not exactly leaning in to the more hauntological parts of that premise, the titular sample does more than enough to conjure your childhood fears of what could be lurking after a long night of trick or treating and subsequently eating way too much candy. He also also doesn’t hide the fact that this was made out of VHS tapes, adding a viewing of your choice of campy 80’s horror movie into that childhood memory.
To keep it simple, this song is on the more fun side of the Halloween spectrum, and exceeds at doing that.
“Break Yourself (You Can’t Defeat Me) by DJ Rozwell
Combining the Satanic Panic, those shows about the supernatural that were on Discovery Channel for some reason, and swords & sorcery fantasy with instrumental hip hop is something that I think only DJ Rozwell can do.
This track feels like it could easily be a soundtrack to some old roguelike, which is perhaps the highest acclaim I could possibly give it – the album it’s from, “None of This is Real,” is intended to be played on shuffle as a roguelike album. “Break Yourself (You Can’t Defeat Me)” invites you to venture into terrifying crypts to face its lurking creatures… if you dare.
“Blood Magic” by Machine Girl
For me, it’s not a Halloween playlist without Machine Girl. To be completely honest, my own personal bias may be seeping into this specific pick in terms of my favorite albums, but it’s okay because I am statistically the biggest Machine Girl fan at WKNC.
That aside, the influence of horror movies on Machine Girl’s music is always extremely blatant, and that’s just as true here. The lyrics are about as gory as you’d expect from a song from them titled “Blood Magic,” and if any song in this article is the one that’s a straight-up horror movie, it’s this one.
“Epidermis” by Venetian Snares
Time for a throwback to 2003. Breakcore is a term that gets thrown around a lot these days, but this is arguably it in its purest – and most sinister – form. It starts with a simple yet menacing bass synth and sample before the breaks kick in and from then on out, there’s no stopping.
As for the horror, the way Venetian Snares makes sure to emphasize the word “skin” in the most repeated sample along with the iconic “throw your corpse into a pit of vipers” sample makes the song feel like being on the run from a particularly messed up serial killer.
Concluding Thoughts
I hope I have given you at least one new song to add to your Halloween party or perhaps trick or treating porch playlist this October.
There’s plenty out there that summons the forces of evil in audio form, and to me, these are some of the best and spookiest. If you wish to save these dark forces, below is a Spotify playlist of these five songs. Thanks for reading!
October 19 marks the 40-year anniversary of “Stop Making Sense,” a 1984 American concert film centering around the rock band Talking Heads.
In anticipation of the film’s upcoming anniversary, studio A-24 returned “Stop Making Sense” to theaters in crisp 4k.
Musical group Talking Heads; left to right: David Byrne, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, in a promotional photo for the album Remain In Light. Distributed by Sire Records. Image in the public domain.
After putting it off for weeks, I finally went to see it on October 7 with DJ Claymore.
In short: it was excellent.
For the longer version, look below:
The Film
When I go to live shows, the onstage performance is only part of what contributes to the experience. A good show has atmosphere, with energy diffused from the performers to the audience below.
Despite taking place on the big screen, thus severing the connection between audience and performer, “Stop Making Sense” manages to cultivate a vividly energetic and intimate experience that moves and transforms.
David Byrne onstage with the Talking Heads, October 1, 1977 Jay’s Longhorn Bar, Minneapolis, MN, uploaded by Michael Markos, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED
The Cinematography
The film’s methodical construction is in part largely responsible for its massive acclaim, as it transforms “concert” and “cinema” into something dynamic and soul-touchingly imaginative.
Though shot across four concert performances at Hollywood’s Pantages Theatre, the film maintains a sense of temporal continuity.
In fact, set design, costuming and camera positioning were specially-tailored to create the illusion of the film taking place across a single performance.
And while wide-angle shots serve to capture the magnitude of the band’s stage presence, the use of closeups and tracking shots adds a sense of dynamism and intimacy, taking full advantage of the cinematic medium.
As a result, one could argue that “Stop Making Sense” is more than a concert. It’s a documentary; it’s a glimpse into something methodical and artistic and special.
The Sound
“Stop Making Sense” was filmed during the band’s tour to promote their 1983 album “Speaking in Tongues.”
The soundtrack has an unraveling effect, with each track coinciding with the addition of a new band member to the stage.
Cover for “Speaking In Tongues” by Talking Heads
The film’s first song features Byrne performing an acoustic version of “Psycho Killer.” Next, with “Heaven,” bassist and guitarist Tina Weymouth joins the stage.
All band members appear for the climactic performance of the band’s new hit “Burning Down the House.”
There were several points during this film that my skin erupted in goosebumps or I found myself compelled to kick my feet, to bob my head, to move in some capacity to actualize the energy I felt buzzing all around me.
After the first couple songs, the audience — those of us moviegoers — seemed to forget that that it wasn’t 1984 and that David Byrne was not, in fact, dancing and weaving and gesticulating upon a stage in front of us.
They began to clap, cheer and laugh with abandon. If we weren’t seated, I expect that they would have swayed and danced, too.
Final Thoughts
I went into this film knowing next to nothing about it, only that I loved Talking Heads and loved David Byrne’s flagrant and unabashed eccentricity even more.
Even for those unacquainted with the band, this film is a great experience and possibly a great introduction to the works of Talking Heads.
