Category: Blog

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Concert Review

Didn’t make it to ULTRA? Neither did I…

After a 12-hour driving marathon from Raleigh to Miami, my heart was broken to find that due to forces beyond my control, I wasn’t going to make it to Ultra. What is Ultra? Ultra is one of the biggest electronic music festivals in the world. Attracting huge names like Benny Benassi, Crystal Method, Infected Mushroom, Tiesto, Paul Oakenfold, ATB, Groove Armada, Eric Prydz, Orbital, LMFAO, and more. Needless to say, I was pretty bummed about not being able to go. Well, not for long…

You see, when you get hundreds of great DJs together in a city like Miami, something wonderful and magical happens in a certain place that you would normally never find me – clubs. With these DJs in town, clubs suddenly have access to some of the best DJs around who play some of the greatest music you will ever hear. I’ve picked out a few shows that I really enjoyed and thought would be worth sharing.

One of the first shows I attended featured the duo of Armand Van Helden and A-Trak. Together, known as Duck Sauce. These guys complemented each other’s style perfectly. Their set began with a solid beat that you could feel and easily move your body to. It featured the typical funky house music with a kick of groovy disco and just a dash of hard hitting bass. I felt like there was a little bit of back and forth between the two DJ’s styles but the songs were mixed together so well it was hard to tell. The rest of the night kept the theme of electronic house with alternating DJ’s. I enjoyed this show more than I thought I would considering I’m not the biggest house fan.

Another show I attended featured Annie Mac and DJ Mehdi. Annie Mac has a show on BBC Radio 1 which makes her pretty much a big deal. The bar was set high, and she did not fail to disappoint. The mixes between songs and genres that she had in her set kept the audience thoroughly energized and entertained. She didn’t leave a song on for too long or too little- she somehow always found the perfect balance that kept the movement of the entire set moving fluidly. Furthermore, she managed to get sounds from house to dub step to disco to mix together in a way that kept everything from getting boring or too repetitive. I think I love her.

Below is video of her dub step segment found on Youtube.

DJ Mehdi is a personal favorite of mine so I was pretty excited to see him live. His performance did not fail to disappoint me either. He ended up trading off between some other DJs throughout the night but when I did catch him tearing up the boards, it was typical Mehdi. He had the fantastic funky hip hop with some great clean sounding synths that kept an amazing upbeat feeling that I’ve grown so fond of.

Below is a video from youtube of a portion of his set:

Despite the fact that I didn’t get to attend the almighty ULTRA Music Festival, I still was able to have an amazing time being blasted by electronic music from fantastic DJs. But most importantly, I was exposed to an entirely new atmosphere that you just can’t get in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area. Seeing DJs of this caliber live is something that has to be done by an electronic fan at least once in their life. To see the energy that a good DJ can bring out of a crowd is amazing, to feel the 25 ft speaker bass humming through your body is face melting, and to be a part of the entire movement of energy that flows through the entire venue from DJ to music to audience back to DJ is almost spiritual.  That’s something you just can’t get from those white iPod ear-buds.

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Non-Music News

EOT25 SBP Debate 3/29/10

When EOT aired March 29, the past 24 hours had brought destruction to North Carolina and casualties in Moscow. Newscaster Evan Garris broke down those stories and more in News. Sports takes a look at the Wolfpack’s performance on the diamond, the editorial gave a look inside the Eye of the… storm . Student Media hosted a debate between top-tier Student Government candidates, Correspondent Jacob Downey talked to the co-president of N.C. Skate and Chris Cioffi got the story behind that infamous silver key.

NEWS

News correspondent Evan Garris gave the details of this week’s top local, national and international headlines.

EF-1 tornado touches down in Person County

Two students in flood-induced accident

Homes throughout N.C., Va. damaged in storm

Moscow suidice bombings leave 38 dead, 60 wounded

Obama, in Afghanistan, congratulates Karzai on anti-Taliban campaign

Raleigh-Cary area ranks 49th, population-wise, in U.S. Census

SPORTS
Tyler Everett capped up this week in Wolfpack sports.

EDITORIAL

  • Storm alerts interrupted programming, including the Duke game against Baylor. Twitter and local blogs erupted with complaints.  The alerts did, indeed, alert, but left fans and evening television watchers agitated.

  • The FCC requires TV stations to relay weather warnings via the Emergency Alert system their broadcasting license.

  • Despite the unplanned interruption and programming rollback, the alerts are essential and can – and did – help save lives.

If you have a response to this editorial or any part of tonight’s show, contact us on twitter at WKNCEOT, look for us on Facebook at Eye on the Triangle, or shoot an email to publicaffairs@wknc.org.

VIP

In lieu of Student Body Elections, which are causing, if not a stir, then a paper and sandwich board trail around campus. Student Media invited top-tier Student Government candidates—Student Body Treasurer, Student Senate President and Student Body President—to contribute their platforms and ideas on questions that moderators Mike Alston and Saja Hindi asked.

COMMUNITY CANVAS

Correspondent Chris Cioffi caught up with Lillian Jones to discuss how she develops ideas for the Raleigh Treasure Hunt in which she invited all of Raleigh to follow clues that lead to a silver key. Whoever found it won a prize from her jewelry store. Cioffi talked to Jones about the event and about her ideas for future hunts. He also spoke to her about the recent publicity the hunt has been receiving, like this story in the News and Observer.

Later, he sat down in the studio with this year’s winner, Team Clueless. Solving the puzzle in one day, Team Clueless quickly snagged the newest pendant. Their quick solving methods shattered the reigning champ’s time, almost three months. He spoke to them about their previous treasure hunt experiences, as well as their experience with The Raleigh Treasure Hunt. They spoke about channeling Ms. Jones’s thinking process to get an edge on solving the clues, as well as how their individual talents came together to make the perfect solving force.

WOLFPACKER OF THE WEEK

Eye on the Triangle’s Wolfpacker of the Week is a sophomore working on a degree in construction engineering and management and is also the co-president of the Skateboarding Club.  Correspondent Jacob Downey spoke to the Matt Brokaw, co-president of N.C. Skate, the University’s skating club. As one of the club’s founders, Brokaw has worked to help transition the club from a collective of enthusiasts and hobbyists into a competitive body able to represent the University at intercollegiate meets. An avid skater since getting his first board at 11 years old, Brokaw said he enjoys promoting skating through service projects like N.C. State’s Habitat for Humanity Fundraiser, Shack-A-Thon, and hosting fundraisers for Grind for Life.  One of the things he enjoys about his involvement with the NCSU Club Sport is the mentor relationship between experienced skaters and beginners. For more information on the NCSU skateboarding club visit http://www.skatewall.com/ncstate/about.html or pop in at one of their biweekly meetings in Riddick Hall Room 339 at 8 p.m. The next one is April 7. You can also hang out with the skaters behind the Free Expression Tunnel as the group hosts the “H.O.R.S.E.” inspired game of “ S.T.A.T.E.” on Saturday afternoon, April 10.

Listen to epsiode 25.

Categories
Non-Music News

EOT preview: 3/29/10

Stay tuned to WKNC this Monday for the week’s top headlines, an overview of Triangle sports, Evan’s hair-raising editorial and interview clips with six of the seven candidates up for student body president.

In Community Canvas, correspondent Chris Cioffi delved into the Raleigh Treasure Hunt. Established by Lillian Jones, the Hunt is an event held every equinox that leads contestants around Raleigh in search for a silver key. The first person to locate the key receives a handmade pendant made by  Jones herself. We talk to her about the hunt and what she does when she is not working on the event. We also spoke to the equinox’s winner, who solved the puzzle in less than a day.

For more on last night’s tornado watch and that perfect dose of international, national and local news you’ve been craving all week, take a listen tonight at 7 p.m.

Categories
Non-Music News

Student Body President debate

Student Media hosted a Student Government debate on Thursday night, March 25, in the Talley Ballroom at 7:30 p.m. Saja Hindi and I served as moderators, and we heard from the following candidates:

Student Body Treasurer

Buddy Bryson

Kyle O’Donnell

Student Senate President

Michael Robinson

Stephen Kouba

Sarah Center

Student Body President

Scott Goldsmith

Matt Gromlich

Kelly Hook

Zach Lego

Ches McDowell

Matt Woodward

Study body elections will take place Tuesday, April 6. Vote online at vote.ncsu.edu.

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Music News and Interviews

The Old Ceremony to hold poster contest

The Old Ceremony will be playing at Cat’s Cradle on April 23. Instead of hiring one of the many talented poster designers in the area, however, they are giving fans, designers, and people who may just be in the mood for some poster-making the chance to design the official poster for the show.

The winner of the contest will, in addition to having their design put up all over the Triangle, win two tickets to the show.

Things that must be included in the design are:
The Old Ceremony
Doors @ 8:30 Show @ 9:30
$10 Advance $12 Day of show
Friday, April 23

You can drop the design off in person at Cat’s Cradle, email a downloadable file to costellothomasj@gmail.com, or mail it to:

The Old Ceremony Poster Contest
Cat’s Cradle
300 E. Main St.
Carrboro, NC 27510

The deadline is this coming Thursday, April 1, so get those designs in and may the best poster win.

Categories
Playlists

Now Playing: 3/26/10

Here is a compilation of the latest new music we have received in the past week.

Free Energy- Stuck on Nothing

Sounding closer to Thin Lizzy and Cheap Trick, Free Energy emits a fun, upbeat, guitar heavy album.

[youtube width=“425” height=“25”]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7OE3W0VSZs

Drive-by Truckers– The Big To-Do

Probably the best southern rock album you’ll listen to this year. Imagine Dinosaur Jr. with a country slant –if you haven’t listened to one of their other nine excellent albums. Get out your lighters y’all.

[youtube width=“425” height=“25”]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un9jmeLNBqY

Love is All– Two Thousand and Ten Injuries

High energy Swedish pop. Eccentric album with a collage of traditional and not so traditional rock instruments, i.e. saxophone. The female vocals can get annoying at times but the excellent clash of sounds make up for that.

[youtube width=“425” height=“25”]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl1PqiluWic

Arctic Monkeys– My Propeller (single)

Solid B-sides that play of of the similar down tempo beats from Humbug. Although they don’t do anything revolutionary for the band, they are still quite enjoyable for the fans.

[youtube width=“425” height=“25”]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5vZovv8cPk

She & Him– Volume Two

Pop favorite Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward are at it again with another charming album. This time it’s more she than him. Really sweet and endearing, although after the first few tracks you start to lose your sugar high.

[youtube width=“425” height=“25”]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ3cTwI9bIw
Slow Club– Yeah So

This UK indie-duo has sweet lyrics, simple guitar melodies and interesting harmonies. They take turns with lead vocals and never disappoint. Every song is interesting, up-beat and give you that feeling of: I want more more more.

[youtube width=“425” height=“25”]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2dZSHToVGc

Pavement – Quarantine the Past: The Best of Pavement

Well, hot damn.  Listening to this compilation, it’s remarkable to hear how genius Pavement’s music is–their low-fi aesthetic perfectly melds with Stephen Malkmus’s lazy, idiosyncratic wordplay .  This compilation is absolutely essential–it’s sequencing is flawless and the track choice balances their singles with album gems.

[youtube width=“425” height=“25”]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoMdkyeZOqE

Jason Collett – Rat A Tat Tat

More good stuff from the Arts & Crafts Label.  Collet’s tunes are impassioned with twang and swagger and his music walks the line between alt-country, 60s pop, and the more soulful dispositions of indie rock.

[youtube width=“425” height=“25”]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsQP_1U-sDg

One For The Team– Ghosts

Catchy, unpretentious, and unabashedly fun power pop.  It sounds like Mates of State with punk grit or the New Pornographers playing Something Corporate.  Lots of crunchy guitars and incessant harmonies.

[youtube width=“425” height=“25”]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_16ziKaaWc

Josiah Wolf– Jetlag

I really like this album! Here we have the solo album from the drummer of WHY? Seeing as I am not a huge fan of WHY? I was somewhat skeptical, however  I was totally wrong. I am really into this folky Paul Simon-esque experience.

[youtube width=“425” height=“25”]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjZHiYmbYGg&feature=related

Goldfrapp– Head First

You know I love this. Rocket might be the catchiest song ever. Think Xanadu meets David Bowie, a mixture of ‘80s glam rock and ’70s disco.

[youtube width=“425” height=“25”]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjcTUmipxZY&feature=related

Drink Up Buttercup– Born and Thrown on a Hook

Psychedelic mixture of the Beatles and Man Man. A weird pop experience for sure.

[youtube width=“425” height=“25”]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRaLxVaD5Ic

Let’s Wrestle- In the Court of the Wrestling Let’s

Scrappy British punk music. They are on Merge Records and have been getting a lot of press.

[youtube width=“425” height=“25”]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc5HnZP5v6s

Dum Dum Girls– I Will Be

This is sort of a mixture between ’60s girl pop and shoegaze buzz garage rock. Sort of falling the trend of most of the bands out right now, but this one is surprisingly good.

[youtube width=“425” height=“25”]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bwck4XOp1vQ

Black Tambourine– Black Tambourine

This band has pretty much influenced every popular band out right now. Shoegaze pop that resembles A Sunny Day in Glasgow, but a lot darker.

[youtube width=“425” height=“25”]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wva074MGZi8

Categories
Music News and Interviews

DJ Ones’ Five Music Facts from the past week

1. Black Lips have released details about their follow-up to 2009’s “200 Million Thousand.” The album, which has yet to be titled, is set to release sometime during the summer. In talking about the next album, guitarist Ian Saint Pé stated, “I’m already digging what we’ve got. I’ve read reviews where people say we haven’t changed, but, man, the wheel ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” (via Billboard)

2. The New Pornographers have announced a new single, and a large, upcoming, North American tour in support of their next album entitled “Together.” The single, is called “The Crash Years,” and the band is planning to make a stop at Memorial Hall, on the campus of UNC, June 25. (via Pitchfork)

3. Saturday Night Live actor Fred Armisen has joined Joanna Newsom during her current tour. Armisen who helps open the show as German drumming expert Jens Hennemann, has joined Newsom during her shows in Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia. (via Pitchfork)

4. Concert promoter Live Nation has started testing new digital wristbands that would allow concert-goers the ability to purchase concessions and work as the ticket for a show or festival. The technology, which is used to help fight against touting, uses smart chip technology to track the audience. John Probyn from Live Nation UK states, “Your ticket won’t be a paper ticket, it’ll be a wristband unique to you.” (via NME)

5. Beck has been joined by Liars, St. Vincent, and Sergio Dias of Os Mutantes to record INXS’s 1987 album, “Kicks.” The fourth album in Beck’s project to cover entire records in one day, was recorded in approximately 12 hours. The song “Guns from the Sky” is available to listen to now. (via NME)

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

Local Beat Mini Exclusive: Drughorse One EP

You may or may not have heard of the local music collective that calls itself Drughorse. If you haven’t, this may be due to the fact it is not one group, but rather a collaborative of several different local bands. Mount Moriah, The Love Language, Twelve Thousand Armies, Josh Moore, The Tomahawks, plus others all claim to be a part of this mysterious and secret gang of musicians. However, it seems the veil is slowly being lifted as a Drughorse EP is hits the streets tonight at the Local 506 in the form of an EP called Drughorse One.  Only three bands are presented on the EP, The Light Pines, Max Indian, and Ryan Gustafson.  It makes for an excellent Local Beat Mini Exclusive.

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Carter Gaj of Max Indian and Tom Simpson of the Light Pines came in to chat with me about this new six-song EP as well as the Drughorse “Cartel.” The guys played four covers of songs by 4 different Drughorse associated bands, which are free to download at the Local Beat ReverbNation page and you can listen to them to the right in the music player. Album artwork, the recording of the EP, and details to certain songs were all topics of conversation. I also spent a great deal trying to pry and gather details about this mysterious musical franchise from the fellas but didn’t find out very much – just that it seems to be a bunch of amazing musicians who hang out and share bands with each other. It is a seemingly exclusive club and begs interest and intrigue to all outsiders. The new EP is absolutely fabulous and will leave you begging for the new Drughorse related albums set to be released this coming year.

Take a listen to the interview:
Local Beat Mini Exclusive: Drughorse One

Be sure to head out to the Local 506 tonight. Doors are opening around 9 p.m. and it only costs $7!

Categories
Weekly Charts

WKNC’s top 30 Daytime albums from the past week

Here are the top 30 albums played during our Daytime format over the past week, compiled by Daytime Music Director John Hubbard:

1. JJ – No. 3
2. Javelin  -No Más
3. Morning Benders- Big Echo
4. Strange Boys – Be Brave
5. Quasi – American Gong
6. Shearwater – The Golden Archipelago
7. Aloha – Home Acres
8. Fang Island – Fang Island
9. Gospel Gossip – Drift
10. Gigi – Maintenant
11. Efterklang –  Magic Chairs
12. Golden Triangle – Double Jointer
13. Dark Dark Dark – Bright Bright Bright
14. Local Natives – Gorilla Manor
15. Gorillaz – Plastic Beach
16. Hot Chip – One Life Stand
17. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists – The Brutalist Bricks
18. Spoon – Transference
19. Beach House – Teen Dream
20. Shout Out Louds – Work
21. Titus Andronicus – The Monitor
22. Frightened Rabbit – The Winter Of Mixed Drinks
23. Yeasayer – Odd Blood
24. Oh No Ono – Eggs
25. Four Tet – There Is Love In You
26. Splinters – Kick
27. Xiu Xiu – Dear God, I Hate Myself
28. Happy Birthday – Happy Birthday
29. Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More
30. Surfer Blood – Astro Coast

Categories
DJ Highlights

Local Beat preview 3/26/10

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The Local Beat will be back tomorrow night for the first time in a month!  The show will be short, however, as our NC State Baseball team begins a three game series against Miami starting at 6:30 p.m., broadcasting beginning at 6:00 p.m.  Durham native Brett Harris will be joining me for the only hour of the show to chat about a new album that he is preparing to release.

Be sure to tune in at 5:00 p.m. for the Local Beat and Brett Harris!