Category: Blog

Categories
DJ Highlights

Emerge: Fall into Fashion show featuring Kooley High

Whats up WKNC-ers! This is my first ever blog post, so don’t crack on me for not being too blog-savvy… but here it goes:
Tuesday night (Well technically Wednesday morning) on Underground 88, I invited a group of three very intelligent and beautiful ladies, Lilu, Danielle, and Julie, as well as an equally awesome and talented young man, Troy Jaques, onto my midnight hip hop show to discuss their charity event being held on the 12th of September. Before I go any further,  here are the details for the event:

What: Emerge Fall into Fashion show and afterparty

Where: Mirage Night Club in Raleigh NC

When: September 12, starting at 8:00 p.m.

Why: Charity event, with proceeds going to Haven House Services

This group will be showing fall fashions from Dollface Boutique, Leluna Star, Julkee, and Zac Schell Designs. Not to mention for any of you local hip hop fans… KOOLEY HIGH will be performing right after the fashion show, as well as an after party for 21 and ups. Don’t worry under 21-ers, the fashion show, sushi and Kooley show will be open to you as long as you are 18. These designers (three out of four NC state Alumni) have been working very very hard to provide you with an awesome event and some great fashion design; these people live for their art. They will also be present at First Friday presenting their work.

I’m a social work major, so I get real excited by charity events, especially one for a cause like Haven House. Haven house is a private, non-profit organization headed by a volunteer board and operated by local members of the community who are interested in helping the youth of our community when they are in difficult situations. They are funded mostly by the United Way, government grants and donations. The proceeds from this fashion show go to Haven House, and not to mention Kooley High’s awesomeness will be present after the fashion show. And you get to look at cuties in cute clothes… and sushi. And summa dat bubbly if you’re old enough. All for a good cause. What else could you ask for?

It was a great pleasure working with these cats, and I’m real excited right now. 🙂

Categories
Music News and Interviews

Turbo Fruits’ Jonas Stein Chats It Up With Elly May

Jonas Stein of Turbo Fruits called in this morning and took some time to tell me what the band’s been up to and what’s coming up in the future.  There were some technical difficulties in trying to get the phone interview set up correctly, but Jonas was gracious and patient enough to stick around. He announced that the band will be producing a series of 7" vinyl (and digital) collector’s singles over the next year on their Turbo Time label. At the end of the series, they’ll be releasing a full-length album of the singles. He also talked about the Bruise Cruise Festival the band will be playing in February. It’s a  three day Caribbean cruise with a fantastic lineup of garage rock bands including Turbo Fruits, Black Lips, Vivian Girls, The Strange Boys, and more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3P5QWOa7i9M

We also discussed more general topics such as whether Jonas felt that being based in Nashville had affected the band’s sound. He said it was more about the environment (people, places, outdoors, etc.) than the city specifically itself, but he did say “if we were from California, we probably wouldn’t sound the way we do.” About touring, Jonas said it was “like going to war in a time of peace.” I also asked whether there was a back-story for the unique video for “Naked With You.” Apparently, it involved hunting down an unknown cute girl in Chicago at the last minute and her being willing to make a sexy but strange music video. I’d say it worked for the best.

Turbo Fruits will be playing tomorrow, Wednesday, September 8 at Local 506 in Chapel Hill.

Categories
Festival Coverage

MORE HOPSCOTCH HOPSCOTCH HOPSCOTCH

DAY PARTIES:

WKNC is sponsoring two day parties:

-Tir Na Nog’s show featuring Cellar Seas, Veelee, Filthybird, Temperance League and A Rooster for the Masses (FREE noon-5pm Friday 9/10)

-The “Local Time” stage Sain front of the Raleigh Times featuring The Flute Flies, NAPS, The Loners, Maple Stave, Red Collar, Des Ark and The Old Ceremony. Our street team will be doing live broadcasts throughout the event. (FREE 11am-6pm Saturday 9/11)

FIVE STAR:
Thursday night at Five Star, WKNC Afterhours DJs (Hennessey, Jose Jose, Chocolate Rice and Brooklyn Airlift) will be spinning from 10:30at night until 2 in the mo’nin. Buy a club wristband, or risk it waiting in line, to attend.

STILL HAVE UNANSWERED HOPSCOTCH QUESTIONS?
Grayson Currin (festival curator) and Greg Lowenhagen (creative director) of the Independent Weekly will be this week’s VIP(s) on Eye on the Triangle tomorrow night at 7pm. Comment on this post if you have any specific (or general, I guess) questions to be answered straight from the big-wigs themselves.


Categories
Festival Coverage Local Music

Local Beer Local Band Presents Hopscotch Day Party! FRIDAY Sept. 10

This Thursday night will be overrun with Hopscotch goers, therefore, WKNC and Tir Na nOg will be hosting our usual Local Beer Local Band Night on Friday, September 10 instead! New Raleigh and Aviator Brewing Company are also presenting.

There will be a total of FIVE, yes count ‘em five!, local acts this week: Cellar Seas, Veelee, Filthy Bird, Temperance League, and A Rooster for the Masses.  All of these bands are WKNC favorites. It will be a great way to kick off your Friday night. Music starts at 12 .pm.

I plan to have Cellar Seas and Veelee in the station on Thursday from 7-8 p.m. so be sure to tune in for that!

Cellar Seas

Cellar Seas is made up of some of my favorite Raleigh people (a bartender, a dj, and frontman to another great band, NAPS). Slow indie rock with just a twinge of country. Plus, these men are all devastatingly handsome.

Veelee

Veelee is my number one favorite duo within our already amazing local music scene. Ginger and Matthew have some sort of power over me when I see them play. I can’t stop smiling, and I want to dance but no one else is… so I don’t. If this happens to you on Friday, please dance, and I will join you! Veelee will also be playing at 10:30 p.m. at The Hive the same day.

Filthy Bird

I’m always a sucker for a band with female vocals. The folks at the Pinhook said, “These guys are kind of a cosmic Americana western eastern totem spirit animal.” They also have a new record coming out in October, so I’m sure you’re bound to get a sneak peak of what’s on it at this show.

Temperance League

Harder garage rock with a retro feel. Their former band you might remember, Bruce Hazel & Some Volunteers.

A Rooster for the Masses

This band is too good.  You might have caught them Friday the 3rd at the Cave; if not, catch them this Friday! Their album review by Grayson Currin in the Independent Weekly said, “the Rooster still sings truth to power over angular guitar lines and hi-hat pulses, whether riffing on the downtown void King’s Barcade left behind on ‘No Party Downtown’ (the band released Rojo there in 2006) or territorial tendencies on ‘Headwaters.’”  Well thankfully, Kings is back, A Rooster for the Masses is playing music, and everyone will be happy.

So don’t forget! Before you begin your Friday night Hopscotch adventures, head to the pub and check out all of these awesome bands. Plus, if you didn’t get a Hopscotch ticket (There are only about 15 all-inclusive passes left as I write this!) you can still come to this daytime event!  See you there, with a day-beer in hand!

Categories
Music News and Interviews

SoundOff8 Ra Ra Riot/Jenny and Johnny

This week we talked about the pending legal problems from Vampire Weekend, The X Factor banning Autotune, and we review new releases from Ra Ra Riot and Jenny and Johnny.

Listen to episode eight.

Categories
Non-Music News

EOT39 Campus Safety 8/31/10

This week features an interview with John Barnwell of Campus Police about campus safety. Our Wolfpacker of the Week is Amber Smith, founder of the non-profit ME3.

Listen to episode 39.

Categories
Weekly Charts

8/23 Top Ten albums on WKNC’s Chainsaw

Artist Album Label
#1 CEPHALIC CARNAGE “Misled by Certainty” [single]
#2 RHAPSODY OF FIRE The Frozen Tears of Angels Sabaton Coat of Arms
#3 BLIND GUARDIAN At the Edge of Time Nuclear Blast
#4 DRAGONFIRE Twilight Dementia Roadrunner
#5 NIGHTFALL Astron Black and the Thirty Tyrant Metal Blade
#6 KING OF ASGARD Fi’mbulvintr
#7 NEVERMORE The Obsidian Conspiracy Century Media
#8 IRON MAIDEN The Final Frontier
#9 TARJA What Lies Beneath The End
#10 WITHIN THE RUINS Invade Victory
Categories
Local Music Music News and Interviews

WKNC To Premiere New Future Islands and Lonnie Walker Tracks!

Yep, you read it right! WKNC will have the great pleasure of premiering two brand new songs by local favorites Lonnie Walker and Future Islands from their split 7" coming out this November. We are the very first ones to have the tracks, so you’ll just have to tune in to the Local Lunch this Wednesday to hear them (and trust me, they rock).

The one and only DJ Ray will be unlocking the treasure chest of two brand new singles to rock you through the next week and a half until we get to see both bands live at Hopscotch! Are you as excited as I am?!??

Categories
DJ Highlights

September RPM: DJ Funk Junkie

When: September 2, 2010 (8 p.m. to 10 p.m.)

Where: WKNC 88.1 fm

School’s back and so is Revolutions Per Minute for September. As usual, your hosts DJ Triple X and NuM3R1K will be broadcasting live from the WKNC 88.1 FM studios in the heart of the N.C. State University campus. For those outside the Triangle, check out http://wknc.org/listen for live web streaming.

This month, back by popular demand for an extended two-hour set, is our special guest DJ Funk Junkie.

Funk Junkie …was bitten by the funky breaks bug back in 1998 and inspired by DJ Icey to take to the decks. Since then, he has gone on to broaden his music styles in several directions. Mike currently holds residencies at Noir, Tantra, and the Eastend Martini Bar. Whether you’re a fan of breaks or you just like to move, his combination of sick selection, flawless mixing, and turntablism will make this a set not to be missed.

Categories
Concert Preview Local Music

Chris Tamplin’s Last LBLB

This Thursday will be Chris Tamplin’s very last Local Beer Local Band Night. Tamplin was the orginal anchor in establishing a relationship between WKNC and Tir na nOg Irish Pub. He even won an Indie from Independent Weekly for starting and booking this event for about three years now. Tamplin is leaving the pub to pursue his dream of opening Motorco Music, a music venue in Durham. Therefore, since Tamplin is leaving, this week will be an extra special show!

This week, September 2 will feature music from all around North Carolina. First up is Asheville’s Darien will open the show with Charlotte’s The Houston Brothers filling the middle slot. Missy Thangs’ other great band Soft Company will be headlining! As usual this is a FREE show, 21 and up, and starts at 10 p.m.! See you there!

Darien

As a local artist who’s inspired by Irish music, there could not be a better act for Tir na nOg this Thursday. She plays the guitar solo and also sings/writes all of her own songs. Darien is an artist for the fans of bands like Rilo Kiley and Beirut. You’re going to love her.

The Houston Brothers

It’s good. I can’t seem to place who these two handsome men sound like… somewhere between Neutral Milk Hotel and Brian Eno. Check out their the link to their page for a full listen.

Soft Company

You might remember the leading lady from her other band, The Love Language. The Independent Weekly described their most recent album as full of “rich harmonies, layered keyboards and counterpoint guitars [that] slip and slide beneath each other.”

I will be having The Soft Company and another one of these acts at the station on Thursday at 7 p.m. so be sure to tune in. None of these acts are ones you will want to miss. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my Thursday night than sending off Chris Tamplin with the help of a few local beers and these three amazing local bands!