WKNC 88.1 FM - North Carolina State University Student RadioFayetteville’s own, Yung Louie, will be dropping by the studios of 88.1fm WKNC for an interview with Mir.I.am tonight, November 3rd at 9:30 pm. The rapper is known for his “infectious hooks, straight to the point lyrics, and hypnotic beats.”
Check out the latest video from Louie, ‘Bands,’ which has gained over 1 Million views on Youtube and find the single on iTunes here.
NC State football will face Virginia on Saturday, November 3 for this year’s homecoming game. The game begins at 12:30PM, if you make it through your shotgun-ridden beer pong-playing pig-roasting tailgating, that is. Festivities have been going on all week, including last night’s Pack Howl concert featuring Wale and the week-long “Wear Red Get Fed” campaign, where broke hungry college students are rewarded with free food from local businesses for donning the school’s famous color.
What we here at WKNC are most excited about though (we have a few hardcore sports fans, a sports show, etc. — but let’s face it, music is the priority here) are the string of free shows taking place all afternoon into the night. Hillsborough Street’s Homecoming Music Fest will begin at 4:00PM at Schoolkids Records. Similar to Halloween’s hike night, bars, restaurants and venues along Hillsborough will have bands playing:
4:00PM – Nick Autry @ Schoolkids Records
5:00PM – Spider Bags @ Schoolkids Records
6:00PM – Homecoming Parade on Hillsborough Street
7:30PM – Jason Adamo Band @ Sadlacks, Love Under @ Hotbox, Bullfrog McGhee @ Chili Bomba, Side Car Social Club @ The Keg, SupaTight @ The Alley, Sai Surrealia @ Pack House, E-Train @ East Village, Future Islands @ Schoolkids
8:00PM – Free Karaoke @ Brickhouse
10:30PM – MSRP & The Last Tall Boy @ Sadlacks, Windsor Oaks Band @ Hotbox, DJ @ Chili Bomba, DW Band @ The Keg, TheAmateurs @ The Alley, Synergy and Heads on Sticks @ Pack House, Hot Damn Band @ East Village, The Embers @ Pantana Bobs, Spider Bags @ Schoolkids
Justin Leitch
The North Carolina State Wolfpack have been all over the national media spotlight since the ACC tournament last March. The Pack has been ranked sixth by the AP preseason polls and many players have been named to preseason honors.
Junior Forward C.J. Leslie has been named to the preseason All American 2nd Team as well as being named the preseason ACC Player of the Year. Freshman Guard Rodney Purvis has been named preseason ACC Rookie of the Year. The preseason ACC first team (voted on by ACC coaches) included two Wolfpack players, C.J. Leslie and Junior Point Guard Lorenzo Brown.
All of this information is exciting and encouraging, but at this point it is meaningless hype that many teams around the country have received in years past and then fell apart when the games start being played. In this blog I am going to take a quick look at the roster and tell you why I think this team is NOT going to falter like so many teams riding high expectations have in the past. When building a team, there are a few keys that you must have to be a true contender.
The National Caliber Star
C.J. Leslie, Junior F
2011-2012 Stats: 14.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.1 apg
As you can tell from the introduction, many people view C.J. Leslie as one of the best players in the nation and a vital part of this Wolfpack team. Over the course of last season, Leslie’s game improved dramatically as he began to dominate games down the stretch of the ACC season and in the ACC tournament. Leslie’s health (cramping problems throughout last season) and on court demeanor (which has been questionable at times but seems to be much improved with time under Gottfried) will be huge things to look out for throughout this season as the junior needs to step into a leadership role. I expect Leslie to increase all his numbers this season as well as cut down on turnovers. His greatest improvement this offseason has been the improvement of the mid range jump shot, which if consistent, has the ability to make him nearly unguardable.
Talented, Explosive Playmaker and Distributer
Lorenzo Brown, Junior PG
2011-2012 Stats: 12.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 6.3 apg
Brown has the talent, discipline, teammates, and coaching to be the best point guard in the nation this season. Upon coming to N.C. State as a freshman, the point guard actually was a shooting guard. When Ryan Harrow decided to transfer to Kentucky because of the firing of Head Coach Sidney Lowe, the Wolfpack needed a point guard and last season Zo filled that role, exceeding expectations anyone had for him. With an offseason to better learn the position, although having been slowed by a knee injury, Lorenzo is in position to have a breakout year. Also, because of Brown’s natural size and athleticism he is a ferocious defender at the PG position.
Lights Out Shooter
Scott Wood, Senior SF
2011-2012 Stats: 12.4 ppg, 40.9 3P%, 95 3PM
Scott Wood is seen by many people, inside the ACC and out, as the best shooter in the nation. He often struggles to create his own shot and can, at times, be a liability on the defensive end, but if left with any daylight, will knock down shots consistently. When Wood is hitting, not only is that an immediate source of offense, but it also stretches the defense and opens up more opportunities for others in the paint.
Supporting Cast
Richard Howell, Rodney Purvis, T.J. Warren
These guys, Rodney Purvis, Senior Forward Richard Howell, and Freshman Forward T.J. Warren, will all contribute big minutes this season. Richard Howell is one of the best rebounders in the ACC (9.2 rpg 2011-2012) and a soft-spoken leader for this Wolfpack team. Infamous for getting in foul trouble, if the Pack is going to have a successful season, Howell will need to be smart on the defensive end in big games. Purvis and Warren both have ACC ready bodies, even as freshmen, and are expected to make an immediate impact in scoring and defensively this season.
Safety Valves
Tyler Lewis, Thomas De Thaey, Jordan Vandenberg
Expect each of these players, Freshmen PG Tyler Lewis, Sophomore F Thomas De Thaey, and Junior C Jordan Vandenberg, to play a decent amount of minutes this year and step into larger roles in the instances of injury and foul trouble. Lewis, a highly touted PG from Virginia has a knack for finding the open man and running talented offense (as seen by his play in high school at Oak Hill Academy) and both De Thaey and Vandenberg are big bodies that have the ability to contribute both defensively and on the offensive end.
Predictions for 2012-2013 Stats
|
Role |
Player |
MPG |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
3PMG |
|
Starter |
Lorenzo Brown, PG |
35 |
12 |
4 |
7 |
1 |
|
Starter |
Rodney Purvis, SG |
25 |
10 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
|
Starter |
Scott Wood, SF |
30 |
14 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
|
Starter |
C.J. Leslie, F |
34 |
18 |
8 |
2 |
0 |
|
Starter |
Richard Howell, F |
30 |
8 |
10 |
1 |
0 |
|
Bench |
T.J. Warren, F |
10 |
5 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
|
Bench |
Thomas De Thaey, F |
8 |
4 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
|
Bench |
Tyler Lewis, PG |
10 |
4 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
|
Bench |
Jordan Vandenberg, C |
8 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
|
Totals |
Team |
200 |
78 |
39 |
20 |
5 |
Record: (26-4, 15-3 ACC)
Good Wins: vs. UCONN, vs. DUKE, vs. UNC, vs. FSU, @ UNC, @ FSU
Bad Losses: @GT, vs. CSU
As the final week before Election Tuesday begins, nobody seems to have any answers as to just who or who may not hold the lead in this year’s presidential election. As more and more politicos seem to agree that the House may yet again remain in control of the Republicans, the White House race seems just too close to call. In fact, the word “chaos” seems as apt as a descriptor as any. Charlie Cook, of the highly respected Cook Political Report has suggested that for the second time since the 2000 election, the winner of the popular vote might not be the winner of the Electoral College vote. This scenario was of course thought to be highly improbable, and had been a rare occurrence in American presidential politics. Then came the presidential election of 2000, an election still studied as an anomaly, a once in a thousand years occurrence. The idea that it could happen again, as improbable as it may seem now, is not impossible.
If there is one thing that this election cycle has proven, it is that there are still plenty of factors that could turn this race at any moment. Before Denver, there were few that thought much could hurt the Democratic incumbent in the race. Since his lackluster debate and the Republican candidate’s stellar performance in that first encounter, the race has tightened considerable, despite two other debates since then.
It would be foolish to downplay the possibility that something could, even at this late stage in the race, upset the race in favor of one candidate or the other. One wild card that could have an influence might be the recently passed Hurricane Sandy, which is even now continuing to cause problems up and down the Eastern seaboard. From New York to North Carolina, millions have been devastated. The next few days will be crucial for the current incumbent. All eyes will be on the White House to gauge his response to the latest natural disaster to strike the U.S., and the President is acutely aware of this.
But when it’s all said and done, will Sandy really have an impact on the race? It’s too early to tell, but with Katrina still on the minds of many around the country, a repeat of 2005 would almost certainly spell disaster for the President. Mr. Romney, on the other hands, has had to answer to some inquiries of his own, as many have taken a second look at his stances on disaster relief, which include giving more autonomy to the states or the private sector in times of crises. Rhetoric or not, it has raised questions about how the challenger would respond to a crisis of this scale. For anyone still undecided this late in the race, there is certainly no shortage of information of advertisements coming from both sides of the aisle, but ultimately what could decide this race could be out of the hands of either party.
The Lollipops
Despite being a college student, I’m pretty much an old man. I watch my Jeopardy every night and I’m usually nodding off during The Daily Show, but every now and then I’m compelled to drag my lazy ass out of the house on the weekdays. Thursday was one of those fated days, with a handful of incredible acts playing in downtown Raleigh including a stellar lineup for GZA’s Liquid Swords tour, I chose the local route with DiggUp Tapes standouts The Lollipops and Jenny Besetzt. While the initial showing was a bit lackluster, as the night went on the crowd got gradually larger and more raucous. While Jenny Besetzt had a handful of swaying head-nodders, by the end of the night The Lollipops were leading Kings in a full on PBR-fueled dance party.
Jenny Besetzt
The night began with one of the most heavily lauded local bands of the year, Jenny Besetzt. The band just made their way back to North Carolina for their tour after playing a bit further up north and what a homecoming it was. The band recently added Justin Flythe (formerly of Lonnie Walker) as their new keyboard player, and while their regular drummer wasn’t playing on Thursday the band still proved to be incredibly tight and harmonious. Blasting through favorites from their debut full length, Only, these songs shine in a new light during live performances. The band packs a bit heavier of a punch with live performances, guitar lines feel less ethereal and more jaunting, but the vocals still perfectly counteract that added grit with raw intensity while maintaining it’s dreamlike aspects. Jenny Besetzt continues to impress me with each show I see, they’ve made the leap that many can’t by transitioning their shoegaze-y sound into a driving and powerful live act that not only grasps your attention but leaves you speechless, thirsting for more.
Companion
After Jenny Besetzt was Companion, a stellar Brooklyn band that played with Jenny Besetzt in New York and made their way down the coast for their first official tour. The band is relatively new but displayed a fantastic sense of self with entrancing three part vocal harmonies that counteracted their driving rhythms perfectly. Fueled by a tasteful mixture of electronic beats and physical drums, the addition of an electronic percussion sound added an entirely new layer to this already dense and lush arrangement. I must say I was thoroughly surprised by this band, and I think they were equally surprised by the Thursday night outing, as the band’s lead vocalist Pepi Ginsberg brought out a camera of her own to take a big family picture of the crowd. This was the perfect band to transition from the depth and wonder of Jenny Besetzt to the simplistic yet equally invigorating bedroom pop sounds of The Lollipops.
As the band was taking the stage, brainchild Iggy Cosky was frantically writing out a setlist, an image that perfectly encapsulates the essence of The Lollipops. Everything flows together wonderfully yet still feels spastic and urgent. Painfully infectious pop melodies perfectly counteract the gritty lo-fi bedroom recordings and transition into one hell of a live show, Cosky leads the band with a commanding presence, Iggy seems genuinely excited to be on stage and that excitement permeated throughout the once spread out crowd of Kings. The crowd condensed into one tightly packed dance party that was bursting with energy, bouncing along to favorites like “I Love You” and “Wolves”. During the show Iggy announced a soon to be released album, making for their “third release in 8 months”. To put it simple these guys go hard in the paint. This lineup was excellent from top to bottom, and ending with the brilliant pop sounds of The Lollipops was the best way to go out. An incredible way to spend a Thursday night!
This was my first time seeing El Ten Eleven. The LA-based post rock (even though they hate being categorized) duo recently released its fifth full-length album Transitions, a fast-paced hypnotically layered ten-track.
Kristian Dunn plays a Wal fretless bass and a guitar/bass doubleneck, using multiple loop and effects pedals to create full sounds. Tim Fogarty has his drum kit fed into some of the pedals, giving Kristian the ability to control loops on that as well. By the way – this is all done live. No samples, no pre-recorded loops. They made it a point to make sure the audience knew this. Without dropping names, they were able to subtly bash artist who essentially just hit the play button on their Mac.
As a matter of fact, when a mic went out on stage they decided to do an improv song. Kristian asked the audience for a key to play in, and major or minor. This led into an album-worthy rendition he dubbed “Raleigh in F minor.” This equated to the best stage banter I’ve heard, and compensated for when he tried to say something generic like “so how about that local sports team?” to the audience. Usually this wouldn’t have stricken a nerve, but he got booed for that comment. Apparently only NC State fans were at the show. (Our football team unfortunately lost to UNC for the first time in six years, and it was also their first in-state win of the season.) I forgive you, Kristian.
I couldn’t stop smiling or dancing the entire show. Seeing how the songs came together was incredible and added a lot to the experience of listening to them, live or at home. The projection panels behind them intensified the beats. Plus, being surrounded by zombies, mimes and a Bob Ross was great.
A little after 1:00AM, Kristian announced that they would be playing their final song – they’re “real” final song. He called other artists out for “faking” the encore, the say goodbye but let’s still leave our instruments on stage and walk back out after we let the audience tell us how much they love us for approximately 75 seconds. From the opener “Thanks Bill” (my favorite) to the last note of the last song, the band was on point and engaging. I’m looking forward to catching them again sometime.
Over the past several weeks, our contributor Jay Tomblin has been interviewing students from various political groups on campus in order to gauge their feelings on various issues facing our country. Here now is a representative of the student democrats and one of the student republicans here on campus, to share their thoughts on the current election cycle. And here to facilitate the discussion is Jay Tomblin.
Most know that N.C. State has its own police force, but did you know that this university also has its own mounted police? Here is Deondre’ Jones with more.
I’m sure everyone by now has heard PSY’s international hit “Gagnam Style”; whether you hate it by not or not may be a test of endurance as this trendy tune has swept the nation. Flash mobs and radio stations alike have jumped on the bandwagon. However, arguably before PSY, K-Pop appears to have been picking up publicity and popularity in the United States since the debut of groups such as Super Junior and Girl’s Generation.
But what is K-Pop, and what distinguishes it from other genres besides the language sung? What is making is so popular?
Is it just a temporary fad thanks to the sweeping explosion of “Gagnam Style”? Perhaps not…
Since about the end of 2011, K-Pop has been capturing the music hearts of many with their appealing style very nostalgic to our 1990s N.S.Y.N.C. or Backstreet Boys. A majority of the artists in K-Pop are actually in groups ranging from two to more commonly six or seven. The music is typically made with synthetic instruments, distinguished by their catchy beats and elaborate dances. K-Pop artists take music to the next level by presenting a variety of different moves to their music, calling the listener to not only enjoy the music from their headphones, but to actually make a physical exercise. Perhaps they go onto try to impress their friends with their newly-learned footwork. It becomes a means of an activity for the ambitious dancer, or a group of friends wanting to hang out in a new way.
Each song is unique in their own way, ranging from different emotions and cultural shifts occurring in South Korea at the time. For example, the incredibly popular “Gagnam Style” was actually PSY’s jest to the younger female and older, wealthier male populations. He targeted the superficiality and materialism present as younger women focus more rich older men instead of the young men of their generation. Definitely a lot deeper than what you’d expect from such a upbeat-sounding song? Each song has their own meaning, but of course it’s a little more difficult to understand as we are not all fluent in Korean.
Which brings me to my next point: if we can’t understand it, why is it still becoming so popular? Perhaps this day and age our generation is becoming more tolerant of other cultures and respecting the language differences. Next to math, it’s said that music is a universal language. As the internet has been tying different countries together through sites such as YouTube, it is evident that diversity is becoming more and more known, and while intolerance continues to grow, perhaps tolerance and acceptance is growing faster in the world. The growing popularity of K-Pop may be signaling the birth a new mindset and furthermore a new genre that distinguishes our generation as pioneers of a whole new level of music diversity.
In it’s own way, K-Pop is starting off the promotion of international music. At this rate, it won’t be before long other genres of music pick up. Perhaps K-Pop will stay at the top under its many awesome artists, rhythmic beats, and enjoyable dances.
Interested in listening to more than just Gagnam Style and curious about other awesome K-Pop artists out there such as EXO-K, Two X, E-7, and NU’EST? WKNC has a K-Pop show known as “KJAMZ”! Tune in every Saturday from 12PM-1PM to rock out to awesome beats!
Here are my top five songs to start off a Halloween playlist. Some of the first albums mentioned have several other spooky songs that are more than appropriate so be sure to check them out!
1. They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back From The Dead!! Ahhhh! – Sufjan Stevens. Here’s a song from “Come on feel the Illinoise” while Stevens’ was toying with the concept of a 50 states project. During this project, Stevens’ did actual research on the state of Illinois to use as song material. Many songs on this album make references to some of the scary but true things he found such as UFO sightings, serial killers, and ghost towns.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e0Ju4eDROE
2. Cemetery Lawn- The Rosebuds. This song is pulled from the album “Night of the Furies” that is made up entirely of dark fantastical stories. “The Furies” are mythological creatures of torment and evil. “In the dead of night, better hold on tight to your loved ones. The rumor is the truth: the Furies are here upon us.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxDrn92Cwk8
3. The Killing Moon- Echo & the Bunnymen. A great song from the post-punk English band with an impressive cult following. One day Ian McCulloch woke up with the soon to be lyrics “fate up against your will” stuck in his head. This song, in my opinion, is David Bowie meets The Doors in the best and most haunting way possible.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aX1PwkgwsG0
4. Lose Your Soul- Dead Man’s Bones. First of all, it is scary how hott Ryan Gosling is and how his band just adds even more to his appeal. Sometimes it’s overkill for celebrities to take on more projects but Gosling’s band is a very cool and unique venture for him. For the album, he invited the Silverlake Conservatory Children’s Choir to sing with him. Their chants about monsters, werewolves, graveyards, etc. make it even creepier.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnEkboR86h0
5. The Monster and the Count- The Extraordinaires. This band turns all sorts of stories into songs. They went so far as to release two albums in hardback handmade and fully illustrated books.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzhnaWXiOrw
Everyone expects you to have Thriller and The Monster Mash so throw those in IF YOU MUST and then here are 10 more songs to make your playlist last roughly about an hour! Sip on some Beetle Juice or a Bloody Mary and get yo dance on!
6. Black River Killer- Blitzen Trapper
7. Dance for the Dead- Cloud Cult
8. Satin in a Coffin- Modest Mouse
9. Walking with a Ghost- Tegan and Sara
10. Phantom Limb- The Shins
11. Vampire- Dr. Dog
12. Shape Shifter- Local Natives
13. Animal Backwards- Minus the Bear
14. Psycho Killer- Talking Heads
15. The Ghost of you Lingers- Spoon
Happy Halloween from WKNC!