WKNC 88.1 FM - North Carolina State University Student RadioEvery semester, WKNC puts a crew of N.C. State students through the grueling process of training to be a DJ at the best radio station in the Triangle. Congratulations goes out to dj trafficjam, DJ Cantona, DJ Siren, czech one-two and Emcee Luck, and A La Mode. You can check out other new DJs as they are added to our schedule.
Update: Due to the rescheduling of the North Carolina State Baseball games for Saturday March 14th , WKNC will be broadcasting live in between the two games around 3pm. For more information about the Hillsborough St. Renaissance Festival, check out our previous blog or the Festival’s main website.
Tune in or join us on the street- rain or shine!
Also be sure to check out our awesome merch for sale at the WKNC table.
Rich of The Pneurotics came into the Local Lunch on 3/12/09 for a quick interview, live performance, and debut of brand new material.
The Pneurotics played with Pink Flag, River City Ransom, and The Dry Heathens at The Brewery last night (3/12/09).
Matt Ward is worth the time
Susannah Brinkley
Matt Ward is a musical time traveler.
Known for his old-fashioned songwriting, his prodigious guitar talent and his deep, raspy voice, the tunes on Ward’s new album Hold Time offer a nostalgic look back to folk, rock ’n’ roll and Americana roots. The Oregonian’s sixth full-length album is a true step back in time.
At first listen, Hold Time sounds a lot like its predecessor, Post War. The tracks offer the same crooning voice and wistful, poignant lyrics that can be heard on Ward’s other albums from the last decade. While Ward has focused on themes like love and wartime in his previous albums, this time he’s focusing on God, mortality and mainstream Western religion.
The songs seem to run together, though, and only a few seem to stand out, but not by much. “Jailbird” is classic Ward, which is full of his trademark guitar playing. “For Beginners (AKA Mt. Zion)” and “Epistemology” both have foot-tapping beats reminiscent of those on Post-War and Volume One, Ward’s delicious, 70s-esque collaboration with actress Zooey Deschanel as the charming duo She & Him.
However, Hold Time brings in some new talent for the mix. Ward is known for his covers and collaborations, and it is welcoming to hear guests Lucinda Williams, The Decemberists’ Rachel Blumberg, Grandaddy’s Jason Lytle and DeVotchKa’s Tom Hagerman in addition to Deschanel.
The charming “Never Had Nobody Like You,” featuring Deschanel, evokes the saccharine sounds of She & Him, making one’s mouth water for a Volume Two. On “Lonesome,” Ward pairs with Williams for a very long and awkward tune. Deschanel drops in once more for a lush cover of Buddy Holly’s “Rave On,” and Lytle steps in for “To Save Me,” whose fast pace seems out of place among Ward’s more quintessential melodies.
Though it’s been almost three years since Matt Ward put out a solo album, he’s still been quite the busy guy. After the release of the esteemed Post-War in 2006, Ward toured the States. Then, in 2007, he teamed up with Deschanel to record and release Volume One, with which he (and Deschanel) followed another tour.
And the release of his new album Hold Time last month coincided with the launch of yet another tour, which unfortunately won’t be coming to North Carolina like the previous ones.
But that shouldn’t prevent anyone from listening to Ward’s latest. Whether you’re a sucker for old-time melodies or just looking for something different, Hold Time is worth the time travel.
88.1 WKNC DJ Pick of the Week is published in every Tuesday print edition of the Technician, as well as online at technicianonline.com and wknc.org.
Yeah, we’re at it again. WKNC’s team of trusty engineers will be working on our transmitter this afternoon. Listeners on 88.1 FM may experience disruptions in the signal for the next few hours. To enhance your listening pleasure, switch to our Internet stream. We promise they will be done in advance of Lonnie Walker’s in studio interview today at 5 p.m.
Tune in Thursday, March 12th at noon as DJ Murdoc interviews The Pneurotics on Local Lunch.
Chapel Hill based The Pneurotics, will be playing at The Brewery with River City Ransom, The Dry Heathens, and Pink Flag Thursday night at 8pm.
Look for Murdoc’s Local Music Picture Blog later this week for coverage of the event.
For the first time ever, Hillsborough Street will be closed all day on Saturday, March 14th. The festival this year showcases the construction changes occurring over the next two years to Raleigh’s historic street. The event will also feature an eco-friendly arts fashion show, a BBQ taste testing competition, and most importantly- WKNC will be on site and broadcasting live from noon till 2pm! So tune in or join DJ Mick as well as other WKNC staffers on the street for some eco-friendly fun in the sun.
Live bands include:
Inflowential
Brooks Wood band
Our engineering team is continuing to work hard to eradicate the gremlin infestation in our transmitter tower, but in the meantime you may hear bursts of static in the analog signal this afternoon. You can continue to listen to static free WKNC all afternoon through our webstream, which will not be affected by the maintenance. Baseball fans fear not, our engineers will have everything back to normal in time for NC State to take on NC A&T at 6:30.
Lonnie Walker, the lo-fi twang-folk band who performed at Double Barrel Benefit #6, will be giving an in-studio interview on the 5 o’clock Shadow, hosted by DJs May Day and Spaceman Spiff. The Greenville/Raleigh-based band will be promoting their brand-new unreleased album and will also be headlining their show the same night for Local Beer Local Band night at Tir Na Nog Irish Pub and Restaurant off of 218 S. Blount Street in Raleigh.
Be sure to tune into the 88.1 between 5 and 6pm on Thursday to listen in. It should be awesome!
M.C. talks with Jennifer Halweil about the Hillsborough Street Renaissance, an environmentally-friendly effort to revitalize the street that borders N.C. State’s campus. M.C. also spoke with Mor Aframian and Michael Perros about the Redress Raleigh Fashion Show, part of the Renaissance festivities.