Category: Blog

Categories
Concert Review

Friday Night Hardcore at Katmandu’s

Both touring bands and local ragers destroyed Katmandu on Hillsborough Street the night of November 9th. The bill for this devastating display of hardcore and grind madness was BrainXToilet (first show!), Mad Dog, Last Words, and Cheap Art, from Atlanta, Georgia.

BrainXToilet – Photo by Will Butler. Used by permission.

Opening this killer show was BrainXToilet, a refreshing mix of blistering, technical grindcore and crushing breakdowns from Greensboro, NC. This band features members of another grind band from Greensboro, Priapus. Jordan, also the vocalist of Priapus, stomped in a fit of rage, pushing bystanders away as he yelled into the microphone. Jeremy, guitarist of Priapus, blasted away on his drumset while the guitarist shredded with ease.

Mad Dog – photo by Will Butler. Used by permission.

Mad Dog made the crowd go wild as Ira, Mad Dog’s drummer, unleashed his raw, speedy drumming. Mad Dog is a high-energy powerviolence act from Raleigh, NC. Being a year since their first show, it’s great to see how much they’ve progressed musically. Ace, the guitarist, also plays bass in Abuse, another Raleigh powerviolence band. Despite minor technical difficulties, Eli’s harsh vocals were loud and clear.

Last Words – photo by Will Butler. Used by permission.

Another Raleigh favorite, Last Words, played yet another unforgettable set packed with high-speed riffing and crucial moshing. Marina, vocalist, made it clear that not moshing was absolutely not an option! For not a single second did the crowd go dull.

Cheap Art – photo by Will Butler. Used by permission.

Cheap Art, a ripping hardcore band from Atlanta, killed their set with poser-crushing, chaotic female-fronted fastcore/powerviolence. The songs were short and sweet. A 20-minute set of high-energy, crushing blasts riddled with mosh parts was all they needed.

Hopefully there will be more hardcore shows at Katmandu’s. Really enjoyed this one.

Categories
DJ Highlights

Mystery Roach Celebrates Five Years

On Saturday, Nov. 17, Mystery Roach will be celebrating its 5th anniversary. The show began on Nov. 17, 2007 as a study of 1960s and 1970s Progressive, Garage, Fusion, Psychedelic, and noise on Saturday mornings.  As the things evolved, guests became a part of the show.  I’ve welcomed an eclectic mix of  interesting people from around NCSU’s campus and the Triangle over the past 5 years. We’ve had conversations about beer, insects, bee keeping, educational films, movie soundtracks, ultra-cold neutrons, the suburbs, the roots of punk music, the Mellotron, roller derby, fungus, hot peppers, comic books, oysters, citizen science, censorship, and more. Frank Stasio has even stopped by as part of his parole agreement.

I will be celebrating the 5th anniversary quietly.  No guests in the studio.  I’ll play some of my favorite songs from over the years and read some emails.  Be a part of the show by calling the Mystery Roach Hotline (919-322-8863), posting on the Facebook Fan Page, or sending an email. What do you like about the show? What do you hate about it? What do you do whilst listening to the show? Is it part of your Saturday ritual? Do you have ideas for themes or guests?  Have you noticed any trends over the years?

Thanks for listening. I’m still amazed when I meet excited fans around town.

Categories
Weekly Charts

WKNC Afterhours’ RPM Charts and Adds – Nov. 12

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

1 BOYS NOIZE  Out Of The Black Boysnoize

2 DADA LIFE The Rules Of Dada So Much Dada

3 SOUNDTRACK Halo 4 The End

4 BLACKBURNER Planet Earth Attack Cleopatra

5 TWO FINGERS Stunt Rhythms Big Dada

6 BASTINADO The Hard Six

7 SUBMOTION ORCHESTRA Fragments Exceptional

8 MADEON Madeon [EP] Columbia

9 DJ VADIM Don’t Be Scared BBE

10 A TRIBE CALLED RED A Tribe Called Red Self-Released

Adds:

1 VITALIC Rave Age Pias

2 MIDNIGHT MAGIC Walking The Midnight Streets Midnight Sun Sound

3 VARIOUS ARTISTS DJ-Kicks “Hercules And Love Affair” !K7

Categories
Non-Music News

WKNC DJ Spring Interest Meetings January 14 and 17

Ever wanted to join the cool kids at WKNC? WKNC 88.1fm  is looking for students of NC State to become members of our lovely staff. We offer our volunteers on and off-air positions if they are full-time students of North Carolina State University with at least 2.0 grade point average. Individuals interested in qualifying for an on-air position will need to complete the 5 week training class and pass a written as well as an in-studio exam.

Anyone interested in becoming a DJ must attend one of the two interest meetings.These will be Jaunary 14 and January 17 from 6:00-7:00 p.m. in Witherspoon Student Center room 201. At these meetings we will be handing out applications to those that wish to undergo our summer DJ training course. Applications will be due by Friday January 18  at 5 p.m. in 343 Witherspoon Student Center. Individuals are highly encouraged to apply if they show particular interest in our metal, hip-hop, and electronica genres. We will also be discussing the variety of ways that people can get involved with the station if they do not feel like they have the personalities to tackle an on-air position. We will be discussing exciting ways of getting involved with the station that includes everything from production to public affairs to promotion. If you are not accepted into the training class there will still be a variety of ways that you can become involved with the station that do not require DJ training, and people interested in how they can get involved are highly encouraged to attend one of the meetings.

After reviewing all applications, the general manager will contact you to notify whether or not you have been accepted into the training course. Decisions will be made by the general manager and program director, in consultation with the student board of directors.

Training for the summer will take place in Witherspoon Student Center room 201 Mondays from 6:00-7:00 p.m. on January 28, February 4, February  11, February 18, and February 25. If you cannot attend four of the five sessions or need to come late/leave early, please do not apply for the training program.

 

RSVP on the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/350381848391254/

 

 

Categories
Music News and Interviews

GIVEAWAYS!!!! (11/10-11/16)

 (11/10)  Rubblebucket with Reptar @ Southland Ballroom

According to Paste magazine this is going to be one hell  of a “sticky dance riot.”

Reptar

(11/10) The Dirty Guv’nahs with Dark Water Rising @ Cat’s Cradle

(11/10) Schooner with Naked Gods, and Some Army @Kings Barcade

Schooner by Reed Turchi

(11/11) Marco Benevento with Savage Knights @Pour House Music Hall

Marco Benevento

(11/11) Pomegranates with the Hounds Below and The Spacemen @Kings Barcade

Pomegranates

(11/12) Young Prisms @Nightlight

(11/14) Last Year’s Men with Fletcher C. Johnson @Pinhook

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2RzIaeb10A

(11/14) Pinback with Solos @Motorco Music Hall

Pinback

(11/15) Dopapod @Motorco Music Hall

(11/16) Delta Rae with Peter Bradley Adams @Carolina Theater

Delta Rae

 (11/16) Hiss Golden Messenger with Phil Cook and His Feat, and Ama Divers @Pinhook Durham

Hiss Golden Messenger

(11/16) Pretty & Nice with Gary B and the Notions, Human Hearts @Motorco Music Hall

Pretty & Nice

Categories
Festival Coverage

The Most Wonderful Time of Year: Hopscotch 2013 Announcement!

Maybe it’s the “holiday spice” scent I’ve been spraying in my house or the copious amount of chai tea I’ve consumed today, but I’m giddy. Hopscotch gave everyone the gift today of announcing information about its fourth installment and will be spreading the cheer even more by giving away VIP tickets to the 2013 festival.

Hopscotch will take place September 5-7, 2013 , which is the first weekend in September. Like this year, that also means First Friday activities will weave through the festival, creating an unforgettable arts-packed weekend in Raleigh, NC.

Festival wristbands will go on sale February 1, 2013 – and because I know you’re wondering, that’s 85 days from now. While you’re counting those down, you can enter to win two 3-day VIP tickets to Hopscotch through the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Until then, I’m sure we’ll all be speculating headliners (I think Modest Mouse and Explosions in the Sky would be wonderful) and reminiscing about Hopscotch 2012’s highlights (running in the rain around downtown to the next venue, mimosa-drenched day parties, moshing at Nobunny and temporarily losing my hearing after Grohg, to name a few).

Categories
Weekly Charts

WKNC’s Charts and Top 5 Adds – Nov. 5

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

 

Top 5 Adds: 

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

2 ANGEL OLSEN Half Way Home Bathetic

3 FLUME Flume Future Classic

4 EL PERRO DEL MAR The Pale Fire Control Group

5 MEAN CREEK Youth Companion Old Flame

Top 200: 

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

2 MUSIC TAPES Mary’s Voice Merge

3 BLACK MOTH SUPER RAINBOW Cobra Juicy Rad Cult

4 TY SEGALL Twins Drag City

5 ALT-J An Awesome Wave Canvasback

6 MOON DUO Circles Sacred Bones

7 BLACK MARBLE A Different Arrangement Hardly Art

8 TAKEN BY TREES Other Worlds Secretly Canadian

9 TAMARYN Tender New Signs Mexican Summer

10 TAME IMPALA Lonerism Modular

11 CORIN TUCKER BAND Kill My Blues Kill Rock Stars

12 JENNIFER CASTLE Jennifer Castle

13 DUM DUM GIRLS End Of Daze SUB POP

14 WHY? Mumps, Etc Anticon

15 CHAD VALLEY Young Hunger Cascine

16 BAT FOR LASHES The Haunted Man EMI

17 A.C. NEWMAN Shut Down The Streets Matador

18 MOUNTAIN GOATS Transcendental Youth Merge

19 TALK NORMAL Sunshine Joyful Noise

20 GRIZZLY BEAR Shields Warp

21 GRMLN Explore Carpark

22 FRESH AND ONLYS Long Slow Dance Mexican Summer

23 ARIEL PINK’S HAUNTED GRAFFITI Mature Themes 4AD

24 SEAPONY Falling Hardly Art

25 SUN AIRWAY Soft Fall Dead Oceans

26 HAMMOCK Departure Songs Self-Released

27 DARK DARK DARK Who Needs Who Supply And Demand

28 CHELSEA WOLFE Unknown Rooms: A Collection Of Acoustic Songs Sargent House

29 LUYAS Animator Dead Oceans

30 TOY Toy coop

Categories
Concert Review

Show Review: Dr. Dog brings the heat on a cold Monday in Saxapahaw

Dr. Dog

It’s a firmly held belief for me that Haw River Ballroom is the finest venue in the state, and each show I attend at the gorgeous venue drives that point further and further home.  Between the fine gas station dining of the Saxapahaw General Store (it’s not at all what it sounds like, incredible food with a diverse menu!) and the breath taking aesthetics of the ballroom, there’s nothing to dislike about this place.  The crowd got surprisingly wild for a Monday night, but when you’ve got an incredible act like Dr. Dog on the bill the date is really irrelevant…it’s gonna be a party either way.  Throwing in old favorites and plenty of gems from their latest album Be The Void, Dr. Dog had a little bit of something for everyone on Monday night.

Cotton Jones

Cotton Jones was the opening act, and while the band put on a great performance they suffered from a heart breaking condition that has been sweeping the nation for decades, OBS, or Opening Band Syndrome.  When you’ve got an act like Dr. Dog headlining it takes a lot to maintain the attention of a packed crowd, an opening act has to be bursting with energy to become a memorable part of the evening when you’re opening for a powerhouse.  While Cotton Jones’ folk pop tunes from Maryland blend rustic goodness with vivid lyricism, they lacked the presence needed to be anything other than an opening act.  In any other setting their charm may have shone through brighter, with a one man brass section playing tuba and trombone, the band certainly had the potential to be an incredible opener.  However, once Dr. Dog took the stage Cotton Jones’ laid back folk songs took a backseat to the raucous live act.

Dr. Dog

Allow me to preface this by saying I’ve already had a failed attempt at seeing Dr. Dog this year when I was stuck in a traffic jam on I-40 on my way to see the band at Music on the Mountaintop back in August, so my excitement for this show was through the roof.  Haw River was the PERFECT venue for this band, with fantastic acoustics and a wide open room the ballroom perfectly housed the heart warming sounds of Dr. Dog.  From open to close, Dr. Dog lead the crowd in a joyous singalong with a fantastic career spanning set.  While the bulk of the set came from Be The Void, with tracks like “How Long Must I Wait”, “Lonesome”, and “That Old Black Hole” standing out amongst the crowd, the band scattered in personal favorites from Fate and Shame, Shame like  "The Breeze", “Shadow People”, and set closer, “Jackie Wants A Black Eye”.

The band’s harmonies lived up to all of the high expectations I’d set for them, lead vocalists Toby Leaman and Scott McMicken put on dazzling performances filled with passion and energy.  While there wasn’t much stage banter, the band did plenty of interacting with the crowd, like Leaman grabbing a camera bag from the front of the stage and using their cell phone to make a phone call mid-song.  The band’s lyrical depth can easily define their music in the studio, but their live performance breathes vivacity into otherwise low-key songs.  Dr. Dog is a band like no other, they perfectly blend elements of indie rock with psychedelic folk to make for an array of beautiful textures that are perfectly suited for their devastatingly brilliant lyrics.

 

Categories
Non-Music News

EOT108 Stop Torture Now 10/30/12

Interview with Christina Cowger, NCSU professor and volunteer with NC Stop Torture Now.

Listen to episode 108.

Categories
Non-Music News

Insect Minute – Bioluminescence

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

If you would like to find out more about bioluminescence 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 10.