Category: Band/Artist Profile

An in-depth look at bands and solo artists

Categories
Band/Artist Profile Local Music

March’s Local Artist of the Month: Birds & Arrows

Birds and Arrows began back in 2007 as a husband and wife duo.  Andrea Connolly wielded the guitar as Pete commanded the drums.  On appearance, most people might have shrugged off the music.  With two people who are stuck together for better or worse, how much could their music really have to offer?  Their first batch of EPs easily dismissed these notions.  The instrumentation seemed to amount to so much more than just a couple on stage.  Their vocals complemented each other perfectly and made the music so much stronger than bands who enlist a whole army on stage.  In 2009, cellist Josh Starmer joined the line-up adding a whole other dimension to their already incredible sound.  His cello lines swimming in and out of the music along with their sweet, melodic voices.  Their calming breed of chamber indie-folk is an incredibly refreshing sound to fans of any type of music.

Since their inception, they have toured heavily throughout the Carolinas as well as several stints up and down the east coast. They have performed at several WKNC events including last year’s Double Barrel Benefit as well as Local Band Local Beer.  In their six years of existence, they have perfected their live show engaging a wide variety of audiences.  They make those who have no experience with folk music sway with their beautifully arranged music and their smooth, infectious melodies.  Their third full length Coyotes, is due out March 19th.  This album promises to be their best effort to date.  They recently released the music video for their first single “Firefly” from the upcoming album in Shuffle Magazine.  Be sure to check them out Thursday, March 14 at 6pm as we interview them live at WKNC for our Local Artist of the Month segment!

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

DBB9 Band Spotlight: Gross Ghost

Double Barrel Benefit 9 is coming up this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 3 and 4, and oh my is it going to be something wonderful.  Filled with an eclectic mix of local talent spanned across two nights, The Pour House is going to be housing one of the finest locally-grown lineups of the year,  including The Kingsbury Manx, The Future Kings of Nowhere, Organos, MAKE and more.  Night Two in particular boats some of the Triangle’s most exciting and swiftly rising bands, especially Gross Ghost.

Gross Ghost is a four-piece band based out of Chapel Hill with a mesmerizing sound.  While the instrumentation is usually full of driving rhythms that are tinged with surf-punk vibes, the vocal melodies are infectious and perfectly contrast the fast-paced frenetic indie-punk soundscape.  Gross Ghost took the state by storm last year with two incredible EP’s, Lip City and Wicked Game, leaving fans anxiously awaiting their upcoming LP Brer Rabbit, which is to be released early this year.

Gross Ghost’s Grip Tapes label mate Heads on Sticks will also be playing Double Barrel Benefit on Saturday night, along with Naked Gods and The Kingsbury Manx.  Tickets for one night are $10 in advance while tickets for both nights are $15 in advance.  Under 21 is subject to a $5 cover charge.

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

Rising Artist Spotlight: Che Blaq

Seattle’s Che Blaq has brought a new innovative sound to the genre of R&B by combining the sounds of electro-pop, hip-hop, and vintage soul. What makes Che stand out amongst other upcoming R&B artists is his smooth, yet soulful and powerful voice, catchy and fresh melodies and edgy production.

Che’s debut album “Fearless” will be arriving in stores soon and promises to be filled with songs written, produced and arranged primarily by himself.

Aside from his solo endeavors, Che is one half of R&B duo, The ARq, along with Jay Dot, who recently released their second album “Untouchable 2.0”. He is also the CEO of HouseHold Entertainment/Island Hills Publishing.

To find out more about Che, visit facebook, twitter,myspace and Ourstage. Check out “Real RnB Radio’s” exclusive Q&A with the talented singer/songwriter and listen to some of his music below.

Q: How would you describe your sound?

A: Electro-pop-soul. It’s a complex mixture of ambient undertones, heavy rhythmic patterns, and bright synths. Really emotional epic stuff.

Q: Who are your primary musical influences?

A: Sade, Sting, Seal, Daft Punk, Placebo, Donny Hathaway… I don’t really have a traditional ear for music. I try to keep an open palette.

Q: What do you hope to accomplish through your music?

A: I want to give a voice to the so called “different”. The people that don’t really fit in. The ones that seem to always get picked last. We all have a story…

Q: What’s been the highlight of your career thus far?

A: Being able to create something that the world has given so much love to. Doing what you love to do for a living is truly a blessing.

Q: If you weren’t singing, what would be be doing?

A: I’d probably be a wrestling promoter…lol. I’m such a fan!

Q: Guilty Pleasures?

A: Krusteaz DIY chocolate chip cookies, anything Batman, and scary movies.

Q: Fave TV show/cartoon?

A: Fringe, Law & Order SVU, Spongebob, and Kid vs. Kat

Q: Celebrity crush?

A: Eva Mendes and Rosario Dawson…lol

Q: Biggest Pet Peeve?

A: Being late.

Q: Anything you’d like to add about yourself in two or less sentences?

A: If you see me online, scream at me. I’m a pretty easy going guy.

Look out for Fearless later this year.

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

“Wind and Willow” or Mark and Sarah

A band’s music is available to everyone. But what goes on behind the scenes can change their reputation, for better or worse.“Wind and Willow,” or Mark Tillman and Sarah Peters are getting married this month, a fact that is hard not to see when they’re performing live. While boy/girl duos are nothing new, “Wind and Willow” has a story that’s pretty unique. Mark met Sarah while working in Canada, and since then they’ve been exchanging music and talking, a lot, on Skype. Divided by two countries, it’s only been within the past few months that Sarah could move to Raleigh. Since then the  duo has been able to really develop a mature sound, with each member contributing a vital, but incomplete part without the other. Sarah’s powerful voice can give a song its intensity at times, and it’s sweetness in others. Mark’s impressive assortment of instruments gives each song it’s unique character that Mark exhibits himself, both on and offstage. Both"Wind and Willow" as well as Mark and Sarah, have a lot to look forward to, though it may be a while before we see them onstage again.

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

Real RnB Radio’s Rising Artist Spotlight: Jason Jetplane

North Carolina’s own Jason Jetplane is a breath of fresh air to the world of music. His music is soulful, it’s R&B, it’s universal, it’s relatable,  it’s honest, it’s young, it’s fun! It’s what we need to hear more of.

Jetplane’s refreshing approach, musical sincerity and exciting production give him an edge up on the competition.

Vocally he could be compared, Musiq Soulchild and John Legend, but be clear,  Jetplane’s  style and voice is all his own. Musically, along with Janelle Monae, Jetplane’s sound is genre-bending, with its mass appeal and could be played on a number of formats.

Not only is Jetplane a singer, he writes, produces, arranges and engineers his own music, similar to R&B genius Ryan Leslie. With talented young upcoming acts such as Jetplane, the future of R&B shows great promise.

Find out more about Jason Jetplane on MySpace, Twitter, Facebook and ReverbNation.

Check out the exclusive Q&A Real RnB Radio conducted with the multi-talented singer below:

Q: How would you describe your sound?

A: I like to call the genre Electro Soul!  A fusion of Electronica and Neo-Soul/Lounge with some Techno vibes!

Q: Who are your primary musical influences?

A: My father Terence Jones, Musiq, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Beyonce, Neyo, Michael Jackson and the list goes on!


Q: What do you hope to accomplish through your music?

A: I want to give listeners an alternative to traditional r&b/soul music.  I want to make music u can feel and relate too… Fun Music!


Q: What’s been the highlight of your career thus far?

A: Performing for the children and being asked for an autograph by them. Kids are the future, so knowing I’m making music that’s touching children is a blessing to me!!


Q: If you weren’t singing, what would be be doing?

A: Wow…I would probably be either a cook, because I like to EAT and I cut hair too, so I would consider being a barber!

Q: Guilty Pleasures?

A:  lol…I have an obsession with McIntosh Apples and Sweet Potato Pie…

Q: Fave TV show/cartoon?

A: My favorite Show is Heroes!!!  And I love the cartoon Hey Arnold!

Q: Celebrity crush?

A: Janelle  Monae


Q: Biggest Pet Peeve?

A: I can’t stand seeing people stressed!! It eats me up!

Q: Anything you’d like to add about yourself in 2 or less sentences?

A: Most People don’t know I was born in Rekyvik Iceland and started making beats when I was 10 years old. I got my college education from Full Sail University too!


*Congratulations to Jason Jetplane on his recent win for “Best Male R&B Artist” at the 2010 Carolina Music Awards.

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.

Email for bands

Quantcast

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
Band/Artist Profile

Double Barrel Benefit 7 presents: Midtown Dickens

Many words can cavalcade through a listener’s head when listening to the Durham based folk band, Midtown Dickens. One in particular has always caught my fancy. Organic. The beautiful duet vocals of Kym Register and Catherine Edgerton could only be fashioned with the various objects they discover to create music. ‘Objects’ seems to be the best term as they are not tied to conventional means of crafting sound. More recently, a chair and saw were used in demonstration at Pittsboro Elementary school to show Midtown’s versatility.  In fact, it is almost memorizing to see each player’s list of instruments. Unlike most bands whose members solely focus on their individual apparatuses, this front-porch group creates a sense of camaraderie with their sharing of instruments.

It’s only fitting that my recent discovery and love affair with this local band came after I saw its performance at Shakori Hills Grassroots music festival this past spring. In a place of warmth, good vibes, and acceptance, Midtown’s spontaneity was only fostered into greater appreciation. Their sophomore album Lanterns, which released this past fall, is riddled with meaningful jolts of experimental sound that charms and awakens the listener.  It is an engaging, yet actively involved listening experience not meant for the stomach of an audience bent on sole ambient noise.

Midtown had found strong support within the community for the development of Lanterns. With the dismal economy, high production costs for a large scale album, and the band’s personal financial limitations, Lanterns’ birth seemed dim. However, upon calling for help, Midtown received many generous donations from friends and fans. The band even received a $5,000 check from a complete stranger after he had seen the band perform at a festival.

Midtown Dickens is gracing the stage of Double Barrel Benefit 7 at The Pour House on its second night, February 6, performing after The Tender Fruit. The night’s remaining acts will be Chapel Hill’s Spider Bags and headliner Roman Candle.

For the complete Double Barrel schedule and ticket information, click here.

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

Double Barrel Benefit 7 presents: Veelee

When you listen to Carrboro duo Veelee, you hear music inspired by a wide range of sources. For band mates Matt Park and Ginger Wagg, elements of music from bands such as Young People, Low, Lungfish, Stereolab and Pram went into creating Veelee’s unique sound. Also, according to Matt, Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 hit “Dream” has also served as a major influence on the way he and Ginger create music – everything happening in the song goes hand in hand its unchanging baseline.

Ginger, a first-time drummer, describes her percussion style as “simple and straightforward.” Veelee is the first band in which she has been a member. However, it seems doubtful the band’s success comes from beginner’s luck. Hard copies of its EP “Three Sides,” which came out  in May 2009, are sold out. The release received local acclaim from sources such as the Independent Weekly.

Until recently, Veelee had performed primarily in Chapel Hill, Raleigh and Durham.

“We’ve gotten to play with all sorts of fantastic local bands. [Artists in the Triangle] are really supportive of one another,” Park and Wagg said. “They are very welcoming and inclusive.”

However, the band just embarked on its first tour, along with Raleigh’s Gross Ghost, which it said was a great success.

Now that they’re back in town, Veelee will play at The Pour House Friday, February 5, during night one of Double Barrel Benefit 7. Friday’s set also includes The Light Pines, Bellafea and Max Indian.

For the complete Double Barrel schedule and ticket information, click here.

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

Double Barrel Benefit 7 Presents: The Tender Fruit

You’ve certainly heard it before: you love local music, WKNC loves local music, local music loves us all. It’s a wonderfully symbiotic relationship, and even if the drive across the Triangle can be a pain, there’s almost always a worthwhile show in one’s given city. Seriously, it can’t be overstated that music around Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill is formidable in both quality and quantity. And there are other pockets, as well: Greenville, Asheville, and we’ll say Wilmington, too. And Rocky Mount.

Wait, Remarkable Rocky Mount? Yeah, not so much.

But Rocky Mount just so happens to be the hometown of one Christy Smith, the songwriter and leading lady in the band Nola (oh Nola, we hardly knew ye!) and the no-album-yet band the Tender Fruit. In fact, the Tender Fruit song’s “Middle State” was actually written about Rocky Mount.

It’s hard to say whether it’s Rocky Mount, Raleigh, or some combination thereof that is summoned when Christy Smith writes music, but the result is something that will melt your heart. Her booming vocals on top of calm chord progressions induce gratifyingly depressing emotion.

The Nola album is all about heartbreak and a lost opportunity at love, and I’ve heard she’s working on a new album with a special guest. While I don’t wish the difficulty of heartbreak on Christy, I sure do enjoy the shared catharsis that results. If you, like me, simply can’t wait for that album, then come check out the Tender Fruit Saturday night at the Double Barrel Benefit. They’re on first, at 9:00.

Full disclosure: I’m from Rocky Mount, too.  There’s nothing there.

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

Double Barrel Benefit 7 presents: Spider Bags

I first heard about Spider Bags at Bull City Headquarters in Durham. I had gone to see a friend play with a band called Titus Andronicus. A few songs in, the leader singer says, “This is a song by the greatest band in the world – Spider Bags,” and preceded to sing Waking Up Drunk.

Now, if you were at this show you would probably remind me that Spider Bags themselves had played that night, but I got lost on the way to the venue and missed the set. Nevertheless, I made sure to look up this so called “greatest band in the world” – and you know what? Titus Andronicus wasn’t far off.

Spider Bags is made up of long time friends Dan McGee and Gregg Levy, two Jersey boys who magically ended up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Rock Forbes from the band Bad Checks is the drummer. The band themselves formed in 2006 and have been growing ever since.

Their tunes themselves sound like southern, gritty rock and roll with lyrics that consist of drugs, booze and just livin’ the hard life. Now there have been thousands of bands that have all sung the same tunes but some how Spider Bags figured it out. The mix sloppy with unique and transfix the listener with the sounds they are creating.

Spider Bags not only writes incredible music, they also put on an incredible live show. Comparable to other local favorite Red Collar,the band never lacks on emotion and energy. They can induce their audience to scream, shout or even cry.

This year the band released “Goodbye Cruel, Hello Crueler One” on Birdman records.

Spider Bags will be performing Saturday, February 6 at The Pour House after The Tender Fruit and Midtown Dickens. Roman Candle will end night two of Double Barrel Benefit 7.

For the complete Double Barrel schedule and ticket information, click here.