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Concert Review Local Music

Show Review: Local Band Local Beer – Toon & The Real Laww

Toon & The Real Laww

This week’s Local Band Local Beer was an awesome yet insanely odd one.  First off, any time I get the chance to see live hip-hop I’m naturally going to jump all over it, it’s just an incredible experience through and through…especially when you’ve got a live band joining in as well.  Toon & The Real Laww were joined by The Band (not that that The Band), comprised of members of LiLa’s rhythm section and a keyboard player that was twerking like his life depended on it, the combination of a live band with the booming bass brought by DJ Shahzad was what made Thursday night at Tir Na Nog truly special.  While the crowd was filled with an abnormally large amount of bougie folks dressed to impress, that didn’t stop the crowd from raging like nobody was watching.

Toon & The Real Laww have been building up quite the reputation for themselves, drawing a lot of attention from a heavily acclaimed Hopscotch set and various other local performances, the group is swiftly being mentioned with names like Kooley High, King Mez, and The Beat in terms of top local rap artists.  Toon’s clever lyricism and wordplay bounce perfectly off of the precision and finesse of The Real Laww’s flow.  Both have bukus of charisma, engaging in practically every audience member in arms reach, and often times a few more.  From free styling with the aid of a few words written by crowd members to the massive amounts of crowd participation, Toon & The Real Laww were an engaging and exciting act, a fantastic to spend a study-filled Thursday.  While the dance party continued on after the set, the dense crowd gave me no room to cook in so I unfortunately had to bounce.

 

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Music News and Interviews

Snyp Luciano to Visit 88.1FM WKNC Tonight at 9:30pm

Snyp Luciano will be dropping by the studios of 88.1fm WKNC for an interview with Mir.I.am tonight, December 8th at 9:30 pm. Snyp has been making waves in the rap industry since 2005 as part of Monopolie Records and recently released a new mixtape, The Worst Nightmare.

Find out more about Snyp:

Youtube | Twitter | Facebook | ReverbNation |

Email: Roundtablemusicgroup@gmail.com

Check out the latest video from Snyp, ‘Carry Me Home,’ off The Worst Nightmare.

Categories
Non-Music News

EOT110 Human Trafficking 11/27/12

Nubian Message is the premier African American student newspaper here at NC State. And this year, it turns twenty! Jake recently sat down with the newspaper’s editor Kierra Leggett to discuss the newspaper’s history and future.

It’s always important to promote local music, and WKNC is particularly good at that. This week, Grant Buckner spoke with the local band, Eagledown.

Modern slavery is a topic that perhaps many don’t dwell on too often, but it is a problem. And not just abroad. If you know what to look for, you can sometimes find slavery right here in North Carolina. Gene Zhirnov has more.

We’re at the height of flu season right now, and  as is often the case with large groups of people spending lots of time near each other, it can often be easy to get sick, and getting over an illness is not fun, as Deondre’ can attest to. It got him thinking, how can one safeguard against getting sick, or what should you do if you fall ill? With exams around the corner, that’s the last thing anybody needs.

Listen to episode 110.

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Concert Review

Show Review: O’Brother bring an ear-ringing, bangover inducing show toKings

It’s been over three years since O’Brother played in Raleigh and two since I’ve seen the mind-blowing post-punk-rockers put on their dazzling live show.  In those past few years the band has been busy playing sold out shows with the likes of Manchester Orchestra and Thrice all over the continent, but alas the Georgia based group is finally making their way out on a headlining tour for the first time in what feels like ages.  Since my last encounter with the O’Bros the band had put out a highly acclaimed debut full-length and signed to Triple Crown Records, a wonderful feat for a band I once sat cross legged for along with fifteen or so others in my hometown of New Bern.  These years of busting their asses on the road and in the studio have clearly payed off though, the band practically up-ended their old style of melodic post rock to a far heavier end of the spectrum, turning what used to be subtle nuances towards a heavy influence has now morphed into a barrage of fast paced, in-your-face post-punk with the occasional yet breathtaking melodic break.  I was anxiously awaiting this show, and having last seen the band as they were beginning to play out with their Beneath Your Garden Windowmaterial , I wasn’t quite sure of what to expect from this set.  Plus opening act Harvard (or their newer, vowel-less name HRVRD) has been a band on my radar for quite some time and was just coming off of the sold out opening spot for fun. at The Ritz this past Thursday, making this the perfect chance to check out a band that I may be becoming very familiar with soon.

The night started off with the Raleigh locals of Octopus Jones, a band whose work I’d skirted around before checking out the end of their set here at Kings.  While the band brings a fun and upbeat blend of psychedelic surf rock with punk rock undertones, the melodies and lyricism seemed a bit lacking and couldn’t really hook in this listener.  Vocalist and guitar player Danny Martin was doing a great job of hamming it up on stage though, adding to the quirky and upbeat vibes given off by the bands self-described “spank-wave boogie”.  I only got to catch the last four songs from Octopus Jones before it was onto HRVRD and one step closer to seeing the o’bros!

HRVRD

Before I delve into HRVRD I must admit that I’ve got a thing against bands without vowels in their name, and while I’ve embraced a select few thus far (SBTRKT and TNGHT being glaring standouts), I’m always a bit apprehensive to check a band out…especially if they used to have a name that didn’t read like a sixth graders notebook cover.  Personal grudges aside, whatever changed about this band when they became HRVRD worked wonders for them, the Charlotte outfit used to give off a larger pop influence than the experimental and haunting tunes that were on display at Kings.  Thought vocalist Jesse Clasen was coughing throughout damn near every song and informed the crowd of his sickness, his vocals were still soaring through the invigorated crowd at Kings.  When I saw Clasen pull out a trumpet after already wowing me with the band’s overwhelming live presence I became enamored in this act.  After I saw their use of vocal loops I was sold.  HRVRD combined elements of punk, pop, and experimental music to create a compelling product that’s accessible by fans of Manchester Orchestra or Circa Survive alike.  And make no mistake, I’ve long grown out of the high pitched vocals and chuggy yet melodic guitar thing…the Circa Survive ship never came to port for this fella, but HRVRD have taken that sort of approach and turned it into an intriguing blend of styles that mesh together perfectly.

Sickness aside HRVRD could have easily stolen the show if it weren’t for me being such a fanboy of O’Brother.  As soon as the band took the stage I drew myself uncomfortably close despite their live shows being notoriously loud and known to induce “bangovers” by many attended.  Well consider me a bangover statistic, because when the band opened with an old favorite, “Ascension” I was thrust right back into my high school days of losing myself in the same ambient yet ear rattlingly heavy anthem.  The band smoothly transitioned into “Lay Down”, the track that marked the beginning of a heavier phase of O’Brother, filled with throaty shouts and heavily distorted guitars but juxtaposed with softer, melodic bridges.

O’Brother

The rest of the show can only be described as painfully awesome, the band was so loud that it was hard to discern much of Tanner Merritt’s vocals, even when he was screaming into the microphone.  This volume issue can be a bit of a draw back with a band like this, while their live presence lies heavily in the physicality of their music (you can pretty much feel the bass in your chest, it’s fantastic!) the band’s lyricism is arguably just as strong.  With a separate floor tom to add depth to the band’s already powerful rhythms along with their DIY lighting setup consisting of string lights run over all of their equipment, the on-stage ambience is an equally compelling aspect of the band’s performance.  To summarize it, it’s all great.  While the mixing at these shows could be a bit better to bring out Tanner’s vocals, it’s hard to nitpick at a show that leaves the listeners so speechless.  While I miss the melodic side of O’Brother, this band has tread into new territory with their latest releases and their intensity and talent conveys just as strongly through shouts in spurts as it did through their tamer releases.  O’Brother is an absolute powerhouse of an act both on stage and in-studio, but nothing compares to seeing these gentlemen perform live, and Sunday proved just that.

 

 

Categories
Non-Music News

Insect Minute – Social Insects

Our resident entomology expert Heather Campbell brings us another Insect Minute. This week’s topic: social insects.

If you would like to find out more about social insects visit the museum’s website at insectmuseum.org where you also find information about our museum and read our blog where we talk about interesting stuff going on in the world of entomology.

Listen to episode 11.

Categories
Concert Review

Show Review: Ponderosa brings their southern psychedelia to Kings

Ponderosa

I’ve only recent caught on to the wonderful music that Ponderosa is putting out.  Based out of Atlanta, Ponderosa aren’t afraid of wearing their influences on their sleeves and adding subtle twists to their sounds to create something that’s unique in its own sense, but still straddling close to home base.  It’d be easy to say that they’re a My Morning Jacket/Band of Horses knock-off because quite frankly they’ve got astounding amounts of similarity, guitars that are laden with delay and reverb and equally ethereal vocal melodies driven home by powerful harmonies.  However, if your only drawback is sounding too much like another stellar band then my opinion is that you’re doing something right.  Studio recordings can warrant these comparisons, but when it comes to live shows Ponderosa brings an intensity that supersedes these expectations.

The show kicked off with a local act, The Cousins.  I went into this show blind to their music and not knowing what to expect, and while the band was incredibly tight for it being one of their first shows together, the tunes just weren’t really up to par for the kind of night I was expecting at Kings.  While I’m not saying lineups need to be cookie-cutter and a band should sound like their headliner, I certainly wasn’t expecting a Diet Drive By Truckers.  The Cousins combined the grit and intensity of southern driven indie rock tunes with classic rock sentiments of clean electric leads that glide in and out with the rise and fall of their mostly static melodies.  While they certainly filled the room with energy and excitement, I just couldn’t get into their music.  They did it in for me when they pulled out their Merle Haggard, “Long Black Veil” cover…and maybe that’s just because I’ve been spoiled to a personal treat of watching Mandolin Orange cover the tune with Josh Oliver and Josh Moore, but their modern-classic rock take on the country classic just did nothing for me.  There’s definitely promise within the band, but the songwriting and composition needs a bit of improvement before I go singing any praises.

Ponderosa

Ponderosa on the other hand provided exactly what I’d hoped for from their live performance.  Their full length, Pool Party has been my morning soundtrack for the past few months and I must say that they’re a band that puts it all into their live performance.  While their studio recordings are equally dynamic, still capable of evoking strong emotion and nostalgia, their live show exudes a sense of dedication and passion that can only be felt inside of a venue.  Ponderosa delicately lays out beautiful southern imagery through an echoed indie rock lens that makes for a joyous listening experience.  Tracks like “Pool Party” draw on teenage experiences of fading memories, taking the listener back to the humid summer nights that make up the life of southern youth.  "Find a bed and never sleep/Awake at night and steal the sheets", Ponderosa’s simplicity is oftentimes the reason that you can connect so deeply with this band, they’ve taken away all of the filters that can be found within a songwriter’s approach and the result is a beautifully honest and relatable record.

While they made a bold leap from the blues driven tunes found in their debut, the new loud/soft/loud psychedelic sound that they’ve adopted fits them perfectly.  Vocalist Kalen Nash is capable of soft spoken melodies that sweetly fill the airwaves or a startling shout that matches the sudden intensity of tracks like “Navajo’”, which boasts a booming chorus and low-key verses.  Ponderosa left my floored, they’re a stellar band that has truly re-invisioned themselves between releases, something that was made evident when they came out for an encore of older tunes.  While the tracks were far more blues driven, they contained equal amounts of intensity and honesty.  Ponderosa is a band that can package themselves however they wish, but the passion and talent will always bleed through no matter what.  And that’s what makes the mark of a fantastic live band, a title that Ponderosa can proudly wear upon their chests.

Categories
Concert Review

Show Review: Conor Oberst at the Warner Theatre

Sitting just three blocks from the White House in downtown D.C. is the extravagant and elegant Warner Theatre. Never had I imagined getting the chance to see the notable Conor Oberst, let alone at such a remarkable venue. This had to be one of the most memorable Thursday nights I have experienced in quite a while, which made the four and a half hour journey to get there all the more worth it.

Opening up for Conor Oberst was Daniel Johnston, a legend himself. A shaky performance by the well-known artist was much appreciated by the entire crowd. He ended his set with the great “True Love Will Find You in the End.”
Although best known for his band, Bright Eyes, Conor Oberst’s music career also includes Monsters of Folk, Desaparecidos, and Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band. Even though on a solo tour, Conor played songs from almost every one of these bands. One might think that the lack of variety in instruments and voices that normally accompany him would take away from the overall quality of the show; however, none of these were really missed and it’s what made for a truly special performance. His emotional vocals filled the entire theatre as the audience sat and listened to songs such as “Milk Thistle,” “Land Locked Blues,” “June On The West Coast,” “Map Of The World,” and of course “Lua.” He would stop once in a while to explain how he wrote the preceding song when he was fifteen years old and how it made him feel slightly embarrassed. This made me remember an interview where he stated that he does not usually play these old songs, which made this particular performance even better.

Conor Oberst on stage

He also played a couple new songs. One he dedicated to his brother’s second child and the other told the story of an old friend. It was these personal connections and his lyrical improvisations that kept the crowd captivated creating a truly memorable night. His two-hour performance was all I had expected and more.

The good news is that everyone in the triangle can experience some Conor Oberst magic for them selves in February when he stops by the Cat’s Cradle on the 17th with his band, Desaparecidos.

Desaparecidos

Categories
Weekly Charts

WKNC Afterhours’ RPM Charts and Adds – Nov. 26

Each week, WKNC compiles a list of charts and adds.

TOP TEN:

1 SUBMOTION ORCHESTRA Fragments Exceptional

2 LUKID Lonely At The Top Werkdiscs

3 BLACKBURNER Planet Earth Attack Cleopatra

4 3:33 In The Middle Of Infinity Alpha Pup-Parallel Thought

5 SOUNTRACK Halo 4 The End

6 BOYS NOIZE  Out Of The Black Boysnoize

7 BASTINADO The Hard Six

8 TWO FINGERS Stunt Rhythms Big Dada

9 MADEON Madeon [EP] Columbia

10 VITALIC Rave Age Pias

Adds:

1 ETIENNE DE CRECY Essentials Pixadelic

2 STEVE BUG Noir Poker Flat

3 DIAMOND VERSION EP 1 + EP 2 Mute

4 SATURDAY, MONDAY “Headshake” [Single] Despotz

Categories
Weekly Charts

WKNC’s Charts and Top 5 Adds – Nov. 27

Each week, the WKNC music directors tally up spins for new releases and submit their top charts to CMJ.

Top 5 Adds:

1 TYVEK On Triple Beams In The Red

2 MOGWAI A Wrenched Virile Lore Sub Pop

3 DEVOTCHKA DeVotchKa Live With The Colorado Symphony Cicero

4 DIAMOND VERSION EP 1 + EP 2 Mute

5 DARWIN DEEZ “Free (The Editorial Me)” [Single] Lucky Number

Top 200: 

1 BABIES Our House On The Hill Woodsist

2 TAMARYN Tender New Signs Mexican Summer

3 MELODY’S ECHO CHAMBER Melody’s Echo Chamber Fat Possum

4 BLACK MOTH SUPER RAINBOW Cobra Juicy Rad Cult

5 TY SEGALL Twins Drag City

6 IO ECHO IO Echo Iamsound

7 SIC ALPS Sic Alps Drag City

8 TAME IMPALA Lonerism Modular

9 BAT FOR LASHES The Haunted Man EMI

10 BARBARAS 2006-2008 Goner

11 TAKEN BY TREES Other Worlds Secretly Canadian

12 PRINCE RAMA Top Ten Hits Of The End Of The World Paw Tracks

13 WHY? Mumps, Etc Anticon

14 TITUS ANDRONICUS Local Business XL

15 EL PERRO DEL MAR The Pale Fire Control Group

16 MOUNTAIN GOATS Transcendental Youth Merge

17 CHAD VALLEY Young Hunger Cascine

18 DUM DUM GIRLS End Of Daze SUB POP

19 CORIN TUCKER BAND Kill My Blues Kill Rock Stars

20 SUN AIRWAY Soft Fall Dead Oceans

21 ALT-J An Awesome Wave Canvasback

22 METZ Metz SUB POP

23 PEOPLE GET READY People Get Ready Brassland

24 CHILD ACTOR Victory Fake Four

25 HAMMOCK Departure Songs Self-Released

26 SUFJAN STEVENS Silver And Gold Asthmatic Kitty

27 LUYAS Animator Dead Oceans

28 FLUME Flume Future Classic

29 NIGHT MOVES Colored Emotions Domino

30 SOLID GOLD Eat Your Young Totally Gross National Product

Categories
Miscellaneous

Help Get WKNC an Encore on mtvU!

Back in September you may have seen WKNC featured for a week on mtvU’s College Radio Countdown. We had some of our wonderful staff put together a video and more, that can be found here. mtvU shared on Twitter that they would be having an encore feature of the most loved college radio station (who we think is us, duh).

But we need your help!

 

 

 

So, if you’d like to see WKNC featured again, tell the Twitter world! Make sure you use the hashtag #CRC to get your vote in.

Thanks everyone!