06 Saturday Feb 2021
Posted in Uncategorized
Hey, it’s been a while? Life is busy, especially when you add little humans to your family.
Work and family life has definitely taken priority, as well as the pandemic, but I have been keeping busy in my free time too… mostly with some design work! Check out my website here, TrippHamilton.com, as I do SEO, web design, and branding.
07 Thursday Jan 2016
Posted in Music
Last year, I posted my favorite albums & mixtapes of 2013, and I am continuing the tradition that countless other blogs are doing at this time. So, here’s my list of the greatest albums and mixtapes of 2014!
Top 20 Albums / Mixtapes of 2014
20. Jenny Lewis – Voyager
19. Big K.R.I.T. – Cadillactica
18. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – Piñata
17. Aphex Twin – Syro
16. Phantogram – Voices
15. Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways
14. St. Vincent – St. Vincent
13. Logic – Under Pressure
12. TV on the Radio – Seeds
11. Angel Olsen – Burn Your Fire for No Witness
10. Mac Demarco – Salad Days
9. Flying Lotus – You’re Dead!
8. Porter Robinson – Worlds
7. Weezer – Everything Will Be Alright in the End
6. Run The Jewels – Run The Jewels 2
5. New Pornographers – Brill Bruisers
4. Temples – Sun Structures
3. Spoon – They Want My Soul
2. Caribou – Our Love
1. Chromeo – White Women
Honorable Mentions (5):
Jungle – Jungle
Schooboy Q – Oxymoron
Lana Del Rey – Ultraviolence
David Bowie – Nothing Has Changed
How to Dress Well – What is This Heart?
08 Monday Dec 2014
Posted in Music
The Minnesota-based bluegrass / folk-rock band, Trampled By Turtles will be playing at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, more specifically at the Meymandi Concert Hall. Having released their 8th studio album since their formation in 2003, this 5-man group will have plenty in their catalog of hits to play for their audience. Their latest album, Wild Animals, was their most successful album to date, as it hit 29th on the US charts and number one of the US folk charts.
Here’s their video for “Are You Behind the Shining Star?”:
One of my more favorite recent discoveries, Lost in the Trees has been around since 2007 in the local scene. Based out of Chapel Hill, NC, this folk-pop band consists of several band members playing a wide variety of instruments including strings (bass, cello,& violin), brass instruments (tuba & french horn), and the occasional accordion. The Cat’s Cradle is presenting this wonderful show at one of my favorite venues, the Haw River Ballroom way out in Saxapahaw, NC. You will be VERY sorry you missed this show!
Here’s Lost in the Trees at the Moog Sound Lab in Asheville performing “Past Life” on a bunch of synthesizers:
One of my all-time favorite rap-groups, Kooley High, will be gracing the Pour House for part of their reunion tour. My first experience seeing some of this group was at the Dillamental show a year or so ago, and I saw Tab-One perform a solo-set where he rapped about my hometown of Burlington. Ever since that time, I’ve been obsessed with their music, whether it be the solo work of Charlie Smarts, or the music they made when they went to NC State. More recently, I saw their first reunion show at the Cat’s Cradle Backroom in November. If you have the chance, definitely check these guys out!
Here’s their video for “All Day” which was shot in and around Raleigh’s most popular spots including Cup A Joe and Schoolkids Records:
If you ever find yourself in need to ‘turn up’, RL Grime is the man to see. He released his debut album, Void, in the middle of November and contains SO many bangers. He has collaborated with everyone from Baauer, Ryan Hemsworth, and Shlohmo. Supporting him at his Orange Peel show are Lunice and Branchez. Even though this show is in the middle of the week, it’s definitely worth the trip up to the mountains.
Here’s my favorite track from his latest album, “Scylla”:
The first time I saw J2K and Autobot (more commonly knows as Flosstradamus) they followed up Danny Brown at Hopscotch 2012 in Raleigh at the Contemporary Art Museum (CAM) to a crowd of less than 50. Since then, I’ve seen these guys BLOW UP in the electronic scene, playing festivals such as ULTRA, Coachella, TomorrowWorld, and SXSW with 1000s of people in attendance. If you are still in Asheville after RL Grime, stick around for these guys too, you definitely won’t regret the amount of trap arms that you will experience first hand.
I have yet to see Greensboro-natives, Holy Ghost Tent Revival, perform live. They have graced local festivals such as Shakori Hills and even festivals less-than-local such as Wakarusa. They are a horn-driven rock and roll band, that dabble in blues and folk. Having released three studio albums, HGTR has plenty in their catalog to entertain at Southland Ballroom’s 2014 Holiday Show. Supporting act Sons of Bill will be opening, as well as a TBA performer. If you are around Raleigh to day after Christmas, don’t miss this show!
Do you have plans for New Years? No? If not, you should definitely attend this EPIC show at Kings Barcade. They are offering free champagne at midnight, and two different venues to dance and drink. You can stay upstairs at Kings to see T0W3RS (brainchild of Derek Torres, from my hometown of Burlington) and Body Games (Chapel Hill electro-pop-dance group) or you can venture downstairs to experience Jyu spinning some records at Neptunes. Tickets for the New Year’s Eve Bash at Kings Barcade are only $12.50 and can be bought here.
Listen to Body Games’ Moogfest Mix below:
Merge Records’ all girl punk/indie band, Ex Hex, will be melting faces at Kings with supporting acts Birds of Avalon and See Gulls. I first saw Ex HEx at Merge 25 in Carrboro in the sweltering heat of the North Carolinian summer. Kings will be a lot more temperate, and I’ll be able to stay through the entire show! I saw See Gulls at a day party at Hopscotch 2014 at the Hive, but it was packed beyond belief, so this will be a much more enjoyable experience. I have yet to see Birds of Avalon, but if their sound is similar to See Gulls or Ex Hex, it will be a show not to miss.
Moon Taxi has legitimately been at every festival (apart from Hopscotch) that I’ve ever attended. Each time is better than the last, as when they played at Counterpoint, they did an AWESOME cover of Rage Against the Machine. If you’re free on the Friday they hit Lincoln Theatre, you will not want to miss this high-energy, indie-progressive rock band!
Way back in 1997, Motion City Soundtrack was the… soundtrack to many of our young lives, with awesome hits such as “The Future Freaks Me Out”, “Everything Is Alright”, and “L.G. Fuad” (short for let’s get fucked up and die), this will be the nostalgia capital of the east coast. I first saw this group perform at Warped Tour in the mid 2000s, front row, and my high school brain was blown away by their performance. If you have the chance, definitely make the journey to Charlotte to see these guys perform.
Here’s their video for “Everything is Alright”:
I saw SOJA for the first time at Bonnaroo 2011, and it was a life-changing experience (I won’t elaborate on that just yet). Since their inception in 1997, Soldiers of Jah Army, more commonly known as SOJA, has been creating awesome reggae / dub music. Check them out at Lincoln Theatre in late February!
Born John Sturgill Simpson, this country singer-songwriter has been independently releasing music since 2013, but has been in the bluegrass scene since 2004 when he formed the band, Sunday Valley. Sturgill Simpson has the voice of an angel raised in Kentucky. Yet another awesome artist choice by the promoters at Lincoln Theatre, kudos to them for getting so many awesome artists to visit the Raleigh-Durham area.
GET TICKETS TO THIS RIGHT NOW. If you don’t, you are missing one of the best ‘EDM’ shows of 2015. It may not take much to DJ a show, but the bottom line is that these artists produced this emotionally-driven music to inspire their fans, and being in the presence of such a profound musical group, Above & Beyond is definitely a must see. My first experience with this group was at Counterpoint Music Festival in Kingsdown, Georgia, and was quite possibly one of the most emotional moments of my life. I never felt so connected with a crowd as I did that evening in April 2014, as EVERYONE knew the words to their hit singles such as “Thing Called Love”, “Sun & Moon”, and “Sirens of the Sea”. I want to reiterate, this show is going to be one of the best of the year, so get your tickets!
Here’s a video for “Sun & Moon” from their live acoustic performance at the Porchester Hall:
Maryland-native, Logic, released his debut album, Under Pressure, in late November of this year. Kicking off that album release, he will be hitting the stage at the Cat’s Cradle. I’ve followed this guy since he released his first mixtape Young, Broke, and Infamous back in December of 2010. Since signing with Def Jam and creating his own record label, Visionary Music Group in 2013, he has amassed a massive following via Internet hype. He has a quite an extensive catalog of hits, including “Driving Ms. Daisy” feat. Childish Gambino, “One“, and “Backpack” (which has the beat from OutKast’s “ATLiens”). Hope to see you there!
Rapping since 1996, Aesop Rock has also been producing his own music since a young age. He will hit the stage at the Cat’s Cradle and will probably overwhelm you with his lyrical prowess. Many of his raps are difficult to follow unless you truly listen to his message, which is typically very complex, abstract, and at times, very verbose. With 9 studio albums under his belt, including his most recent release, Bestiary, with Rob Sonic & DJ Big Wiz, he has more than enough songs to overload your brain with words you didn’t even know existed.
John Tillman, former-member of the Fleet Foxes, released his debut album Fear Fun in 2012 to critical acclaim. His upcoming album I Love You, Honeybear is slated for release on Sub Pop on February 10th, 2015. His first single, “Bored in the USA” is a hilarious take on the American dream, which he debuted on the Late Show with David Letterman.
Here’s a video for “Bored in the USA” of his performance for David Letterman’s show:
Slated to perform in North Carolina earlier this year, Twin Shadow had to reschedule his recent tour and signed with Warner Bros. He’s been hard at work on his third studio album, a follow-up to the very successful, Confess. Definitely check out his 80s-esque rock-show full of deep-synths, driving drums, and melodic guitar riffs.
Here’s a video for “Five Seconds” Twin Shadow performed for Pitchfork:
24 Friday Oct 2014
Posted in Music
This Birmingham-based soul group is comprised of seven members, including a trombone, trumpet, keys, and a few other instruments. Their rich, soulful sound is just the way to kick off a great string of shows that are to come throughout the Fall and early Winter. If you have the chance, check this band out, you will not be disappointed!
Here’s their live KEXP performance in full:
If you like free and live music, then this is the show for you. Charli XCX, known for her work with Iggy Azalea in “Fancy” and her hit single “Boom Clap”, she will hit the Cat’s Cradle stage for the ‘Yahoo on the Road’ tour. Who knew Yahoo was still relevant? Regardless, if you’re in the area, you will not be disappointed by this British pop-stars vocal range and catchy beats.
Even though they’ve only been around for 2 years, Temples has developed quite a strong following of fans across the globe. Originally from Kettering, England, this psychedelic / indie rock group has made waves in this British music scene, and has been quoted as being one of the best new bands in Britain. Don’t miss this show at the Cat’s Cradle, it’s one you will definitely want to experience (plus, I’ll be there).
Here’s their music video from one of their 2012 hit singles, “Shelter Song”:
This will technically be the first live show I’ve seen in the Cat’s Cradle Backroom, and what a show it will be! Kennedy Theatre at this year’s Hopscotch Music Festival was where I first saw Deniro Farrar perform live. I went into the show with minimal hopes, as I knew nothing about this Charlotte-based rapper, but what happened over the next hour greatly changed my perspective on live rap performances. Even though the crowd was miniscule, he got the 40-50 people in the theatre to get packed in together, jump around, and scream ‘CULT RAP’ until we went hoarse. As for Denzel Curry, I’ve caught a few of his music videos, and he is a very talented lyricist and rapper. Both acts are going to make October 30th a helluva night!
Opening for Denzel & Deniro are local acts JK The Rapper, Duru Tha King, Well$, Body Games, and Big Whiskey. Expect Well$ to come out on stage with Chapel Hill act Body Games.
THIS SHOW IS A MUST SEE!
Here’s Deniro Farrar’s video for “Separate” ft. JMSN & Ryan Hemsworth:
Mother nature prevented me from seeing Killer Mike and El-P earlier this year at Counterpoint Music Festival. Fortunately for me, they are coming back to the Cat’s Cradle since I last saw them perform there over a year ago. With their sophomore album, Run The Jewels 2, being ever closer to release, the hype I’m feeling for this show exponentiates to an unknown level (maybe even over 9000). They also have a remix album, Meow The Jewels, that was just fully-funded via Kickstarter a few weeks ago. All proceeds from the Kickstarter are going to charity, and they have several famous artists lined up to provide samples and production for the remix album including Zola Jesus, Cashmere Cat, Just Blaze, and many more. GO TO THIS SHOW, you will not regret it.
Here’s their latest track via SoundCloud, “Oh My Darling Don’t Cry”, which features vocals from Michael Winslow:
I saw the Dum Dum Girls earlier this year in March (as detailed in my March Music Madness post). If you have never seen this almost-all-female band perform, do yourself a favor and buy a ticket. You will enjoy every second of Dee Dee Penny’s lackadaisical singing style and driving guitar melodies.
I saw Speedy Ortiz earlier this year with my friends Scott and Rob. These Massachusetts natives know how to rock, and they even put a little punk spin on their music, which makes them stand out from the majority of “indie rock” acts these days. I may be writing a more detailed recap of the show on a friend’s blog (The Bottom String), so stay tuned!
Check out their video for “No Below”:
My memories of Joey Bada$$ include a very long road trip to Baltimore, Maryland to see him, his Pro Era crew, The Underachievers, and Flatbush Zombies perform at the Baltimore Soundstage. During Joey’s set, he dedicated a song to his recently passed friend and collaborator, Capital Steez. Raising two fingers in the air in a peace sign, tears almost came to my eyes as I was aware of the circumstances that surrounded Jay Steez’s passing.
Their song, “Like Water” still induces feelings of sorrow, as I flashback to the show up in B-more:
The world-renouned singer-songwriter from England, Dave Mason, will be hitting the stage in High Point for a seated crowd. The last show I caught here was with my dad, and we saw Gary Wright (Dreamweaver) and Rick Derringer (formerly a member of the McCoys). This time my mom is coming along for the musical ride as well with my dad and I. If you have time, definitely catch this show, as it may be one of his last!
The last time I saw this group was at Merge 25 back in July. They have a new album out, Our Love, which was recently named “Best New Music” on Pitchfork. Hipster opinions aside, the album is everything we had hoped from Dan Snaeth, the brains behind Caribou.
Check out one of my favorite tracks, “Can’t Do Without You (Extended Mix)”:
I’m still on the fence about this show. On one hand I love Method Man and Red Man, and the fact that B-Real (Cypress Hill) will be there is just an added bonus. However, I just saw these guys at Bonnaroo’s Hip Hop Superjam, where Red Man was the special guest. I don’t want this show to sully my experience at Roo ’13. Regardless of my dilemma, you should go see these two blunt-smokin’ legends tear the house down at Lincoln Theatre!
If you didn’t get enough of Lincoln Theatre the night before for Method Man and Red Man, they have a stacked line-up for this Saturday night as well. Kill the Noise, electronic music producer from New York, and his touring mates Botnek and Two Fresh will be melting faces from 9PM until who-knows-when.
To cap off an already incredible weekend, I will be attending the Cat’s Cradle arm of The Brill Bruisers Tour featuring The New Pornographers! In addition to TNP being there, they will be supported by A.C. Newman, Neko Case, and Dan Bejar (Destroyer) as well as The Pains of Being Pure at Heart.
As mentioned earlier, the last time I saw this group they were the openers for Joey Bada$$ in Baltimore. They were the main draw for my friends and I, and now they are finally making a stop in Raleigh for their Clockwork Indigo Tour. Three hours before their first leg of the tour, the New York supergroup released a 5 song EP.
Check out the EP in full here:
I first saw this group at a Hopscotch day party at The Hive. They are an amalgamation of a few different groups around the Raleigh-Durham area including Hammer No More the Fingers. If you don’t buy tickets to this show, you are going to miss out on one of the best all-girl indie / punk bands in the area. Check out more of their music on their Bandcamp Page.
02 Tuesday Sep 2014
Posted in Music
The last day of Hopscotch has arrived. Your feet are sore and blistered, ears ringing from the prior two nights, and all-around tired from an obscene amount of dancing, drinking, and walking.
I made a few changes to my last post (included some videos for Palehound and Mas Ysa!), check it out here.
Starkly contrasting the last two days of Hopscotch, the headliners for City Plaza are an eclectic mix of punk, metal, and hard rock.
Chapel Hill heavy metal band, Valient Thorr, is opening the evening of festivities at 5:45 PM. These guys have been around since the turn of the millennium, and have lit up the local rock / metal scene with countless shows. Check out their hilarious video for “Torn Apart” here:
(They have several other videos that are more than this one, so check out their YouTube channel here.)
Next up is a band not many people are familiar, Death at 6:50 PM, who are a garage rock / protopunk band that started in the early 70s. Unfortunately, their popularity did not take off due to a couple factors, including the record labels wanting them to change their name to something more “palpable” to the public as well as their sound / genre. Their guitar riffs and vocals definitely harken to Jimi Hendrix, The Who, and several other prominent musicians of the time. Check out one of their best songs, “Politicians in my Eyes”:
(Dat bass; also here’s their official website!)
Closing the City Plaza stage is progressive metal band, Mastodon at 8:15 PM. Their mix of different styles of vocals really makes them stand out from the sea of shit that is the metal scene. Most bands have a generic, copyable sound, but the four-man group from Atlanta has shown that even with the decline of rock and metal, they still garner quite a dedicated following of fans. They released one of my favorite videos this year which tells the story of a teenage LARP-er who seeks victory on the battlefield in “High Road”:
I am going to hustle to Deep South to check out local act, See Gulls at 9:00 PM. I’m quite fond of all-girl bands, as they are a rarity in the music industry as a whole. They are an amalgamation of members from other local bands such as T0W3RS , Hammer No More The Fingers, The Big Picture, and a few others. Combining catchy hooks, poppy guitar riffs, and their girlish charm, the See Gulls are one of the hidden gems of Hopscotch! Check out the live version of their song “Big Band Man Baby”:
Following the See Gulls at the Deep South bar is Coke Weed at 10:00 PM. I first heard one of their singles, “Anklet“, on 88.1 (WKNC) on the way home from work one day. The tune stuck with me the rest of the night, and it wasn’t until the next morning when delved into their discography. With dreamy vocals from their singer, Nina Donghia, they blend genres to create a punky, laid-back rock. Check out their video for “Sunseeker”:
We will then make a short trek to the Contemporary Art Museum (CAM) to catch the end of The Range’s set (which starts at 10:30 PM). I will remain in this temple of art until the end of Hopscotch. The last two years at Hopscotch, I saw several up-and-coming acts at CAM, including pre-OLD Danny Brown and Flosstradamus in 2012 and Matmos, Big Black Delta, and Holly Herndon.
After James Hinton (The Range) wraps up his set of hipster techno (saw him open for Chvrches in April, not a fan), How To Dress Well plays at 11:30 PM. Using a mixture of pure vocals and his own wavy production, Tom Krell will woo everyone at CAM. Check out the three-part video for three of his tracks from the album he released earlier this year, What is This Heart?:
Closing the final night of Hopscotch, one half of the XX will be gracing us with dancey goodness, Jamie xx at 12:30 PM. More well-known for his work with the xx, he is the man behind the scenes producing much of the xx’s music, and is on a very prominent record label, Young Turks, who manage several very popular acts including FKA Twigs, SBTRKT, and Sampha. At the xx show at Lincoln Theatre earlier this year, you could tell Jamie xx was manning the ipod, as several of his solo tracks were played before they hit the stage. I’ll be dancing my ass off during his set, as I have so many fond memories at CAM, and I hope to make many more in the years to come!
Check out one of my favorite tracks, “Sleep Sound”, named one of Pitchfork’s Top 50 music videos of the decade:
Lastly, you should check out the 95X Big Shindig on Sunday, September 7th, as several great acts including Weezer, Bear Hands, Big Data, and many more are coming to Walnut Creek. You may be weak and weary from your Hopscotch travels, but you can possibly find tickets for super cheap (I got early-bird tickets for $11!). Check out the line-up on 95.X’s site here.
18 Monday Aug 2014
As in my last post, DAY PARTIES are a MUST!!!
Last week, Hopscotch released a post regarding the scheduling for all of the daytime shows during the epic weekend. Check it out here!
Friday’s City Plaza shows require EVERYONE’S attendance. Kicking off the evenings performances is local act, Lonnie Walker at 5:40 PM. Last time I saw this group perform was at the King’s Barcade New Year’s Bash, and they played an entire set of Talking Heads covers!
Talking Heads covers by Lonnie Walker would greatly accentuate the following act, St. Vincent at 6:50 PM. Annie Clark has an entire album with David Byrne, and who knows, we might see a guest join St. Vincent on stage! Check out their collaborative track from the Love This Giant album:
Capping the shows at the end of Fayetteville Street are 90s indie rock legends, Spoon at 8:30PM! Their album, They Want My Soul, was released earlier this year and resulted in glowingly spectacular reviews. Although, there have been additions to band from Divine Fits, but for the most part, the essense of Spoon is as it was 20 years ago. KEXP invited the band to play a few weeks ago, check it out below:
Once we have all enjoyed another headlong dive into audial bliss in the streets of downtown Raleigh, I will make my way to the Pour House to see the end of CrowdSource at 9:30PM. Phil Torres’ self-composed soundscapes and remixes blend well with a breathtaking visual performance (at least from what I have heard, check out some tracks on his site, here).
Next up is a journey to Slim’s to see Palehound at 10:30 PM. Alternatively, I could go see Open Eagle Mike at the Pour House. I’ll let fate decide this one. Check our Palehound’s session at the WKNC’s The Lounge:
Another schedule conflict is during Palehound at the 10:30 PM timeslot. GEMS at Raleigh’s Contemporary Art Museum (CAM) has been described as a sexier version of Chvrches. Make the decision for yourself, here’s their video for “Pegasus”:
SCHEDULE CHANGE!
Unfortunately, due to unforseen circumstances, KA will not be in the 11:30 PM time-slot at the Pour House. His replacement is strangely a rapper who I am familiar as I found his mixtape in a parking lot a few years ago. Rapper Big Pooh will be hitting the stage at the Pour House. Here’s his video for “Gold Chain”:
Alternatively, I could go see Mas Ysa at CAM, who plays at the same time as Rapper Big Pooh. Thomas Arsenault blends several genres into a danceable, folky electronic music. Check out the video he directed for his song “Why”:
The nightcap for Hopscotch on Friday is Sub-Pop rap / producer group .clipping at 12:30 PM. After rave reviews for their past work, MidCity. I enjoy their latest material from their release earlier this year, CLPPNG. Check out the video of the trio’s rapper, Daveed Diggs, getting curb stomped in their video for “Work Work”:
11 Monday Aug 2014
My first word of advice: GO TO DAY PARTIES, they are free. Information should be released this Wednesday (8/13/14) regarding these events. And you may get to see some Hopscotch artists perform sets at a random bar / venue.
Officially opening up Hopscotch 2014 in the City Plaza, aka the bottom of Fayetteville Street (near the Marriott), are local Durham rappers Toon and the Real Laww at 7:00PM. Personally, I’m not too familiar with their work, but they have played Hopscotch in the past, and I already have a thing for local rappers, Kooley High. With two LPs under their belt, the DURM rapper-duo have all the implements to warm the crowd up for the main event: De La Soul at 8:00PM.
After the early 1990’s hip-hop nostalgia-fest is over, I’ll be making my way over to see Body Games at Kennedy Theatre (9:30PM), or whenever De La Soul wraps it up. With only a few songs under their belt, I’ll be interested to see how these audio / visual artists will entrance the crowd. Check out their track LORDS, here:
Following Body Games’ mind-expanding set at Kennedy Theatre is Asheville-native, Marley Carroll at 10:30PM. As an accomplished pianist, this North Carolinian-born producer won the Best Scratch DJ contest at the age of 17, the youngest to win from our state. Not only does he know how to scratch, he is an experienced electronic producer, vocalist, and puts on one hell of a live performance; you DO NOT want to miss out on this set!
Here is a ridiculous still-image of Marley and his full-set at Moogfest 2014:
14 Wednesday May 2014
This group, comprised of Amelia Randall Meath (vocals) and Nicholas Sanborn (electronic producer), has quite the house-y vibe about their beats, but the vocals harken back to Purity Ring’s album, Shrines. I first saw this band perform at Kings at a “Winter Formal.”
Here’s one of my favorite tracks:
“Dashboard,” woo!
They didn’t play “Float On.” Ask Scott the rest.
Words cannot even describe how much nostalgia this show provided me. They were heading back to San Francisco, CA to finish their fifth studio album. Stephan Jenkins previewed three of their new songs, and even answered the crowd’s “Slow Motion” chant during their three-song encore.
The opener, Said the Whale, at times used 4 different singers in a particular song whom harmonized perfectly with one another. The following band, Geographer, gave a wonderfully dance / chillwave vibe that lent itself well to the crowd and atmosphere as a whole. However, Tokyo Police Club tore the house down, as they even came back for an acoustic “Tessellate” and two other tracks! I would be hard-pressed to not see them fill up Red Hat Amphitheatre next time they come to Raleigh!
Openers? Not sure, but her voice is amazing. She was at Hopscotch 2013, and awed many that saw her perform.
Hit this up if you have time!
His whistling talents speak for themselves:
Classixx! Dancing! Woo!
AHH! BUCKET LIST BAND! BUT SO EXPENSIVE!
Is that Emma Stone’s sister?! No, but these sisters can harmonize like no other.
Check out the video to their track, “My Silver Lining”:
Outkast, Foo Fighters, Weezer… every part of me says I should go to this, but there is a large part of me that just hates the heat. If you haven’t already attended Bonnaroo, I strongly suggest trying out Firefly, as they have lifted the time-restrictive 11:00 PM noise ordinance.
These concerts are naught to be missed, as the NC Museum of Art has a breath-taking outdoor amphitheatre that looks majestic as f*ck at sunset.
They have a new album coming out soon, I just hope The Antlers bring along a horn section for their live set!
Here’s a brand new track from their upcoming album, “Palace”:
If you don’t already know every word to this song, you better start studying now:
OUTDOOR PARTY!!! Superchunk! Destroyer! Wye Oak! Neutral Milk Hotel! Caribou! I HAVE ASCENDED TO A LEVEL OF EXCITED BEYOND ALL OTHERS.
THE 90’S GODS HAVE BLESSED US WITH THE PERFECT END-OF-SUMMER LINEUP. The only thing that would top this would be a Hootie and the Blowfish reunion.
There are several other shows during the course of this summer and spring. If you know of any I might be interested in, shoot them my way. I’m always eager to expand my musical horizons.
01 Thursday May 2014
First, I’ll start with the first and most packed show I’ve seen in a while, The XX at Lincoln Theatre on April 2nd. My buddy Danimal the Maninal managed to reserve some tickets at the door for myself and several others. The line to get inside the venue wrapped around the entire block, but that did not stop me from getting inside to enjoy the show.
After the opening act finished his set, Jamie XX played several of his tracks from back-stage. I was overjoyed when I heard that he would be playing at Hopscotch, possibly at the CAM Raleigh!
I digress, the XX came out to a diverse, packed venue. The started with one of their biggest hits, “Crystalised.” One of my personal favorite tracks, and the video is pretty entertaining as well:
Jamie XX had a very interesting setup, as his drums were played at eye level over his synths, drum machine, and other electronic devices. Seeing him run around on stage like a man-possessed was very inspiring, as he was working really hard to produce his sound perfectly. They closed out their performance with an encore set where they performed “Angels.” Other than the intensely drunk people next to me that dropped several bottles on the ground and spilled beer everywhere, it was a great way to start off the month of April.
The opener, Russ Liquid, had an unique sound. Not only that, he busted out a trumpet for several of his songs, which caught me by surprise. I was front row, and he pulls out his trumpet and starts blasting away along to his beats. Not to be outdone, the next performer was Branx and Gibbz, a producer / singer duo. Branx mixed most of the music / beats, while Gibbz provided some soulful, white-guy vocals. I had serious doubts that Gibbz’s voice would carry over to a live performance. Musically, I love to be proven wrong, and that I was; Branx and Gibbz livened up the crowd for the main act, Gramatik.
I had first seen Gramatik at Bass Lights 2012 in Hampton, VA. Since that time, he has really grown as an artist, and his collaborations with other artists are FIRE. One of my personal favorites is this one he did with Griz under the collaborative name, Grizmatik:
I had a great spot for the show up in the balcony area. The sound was a little off up there, but I was away from the ocean of ravey twenty-somethings raging at the bottom. Glowstick bombs were abound, and the crowd really enjoyed the funky, soulful vibe of the entire show. 10/10, would do that again. I wish I could have seen the Griz, Gramatik, Big Gigantic collaborative set at Electric Forest in 2013. Big Grizmatik is definitely on my artist bucket list!
I sold my ticket to this show, as I was worn the hell out from going to shows every weekend, plus I’ve seen the bruh bruh live three separate times, once at Bonnaroo 2012, Hopscotch 2012, and at Greene Street in Greensboro, NC sometime May 2013. Regardless, he is a very good live performer, and he even quit drinking lean, primarily because it was making him fat…
Here is one of my favorite Danny Brown tracks, “25 Bucks” featuring Purity Ring:
We left Raleigh around 6PM on Thursday. However, we didn’t get into Kingston Downs until 7AM on Friday. The magic school bus had a governor on it, but the ride was pretty fun, because I knew, at some point this weekend, I would be witnessing one of the greatest live performances of my life, OutKast’s glorious return to Georgia!
First up was Moon Taxi. They played a RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE cover!! Encore perfection.
I spent most of Schoolboy Q staring into the sun because I forgot my sun hat. Damn it.
Big Gigantic was saxy as f*ck.
Matt & Kim put on a great show. I can’t understand how she keeps her balance standing on that drum
Mat Zo is an artist I have wanted to see perform live since I first heard one of his first collaborative tracks with Arty, “Mozart”:
I had my doubts about Papadosio, but to my surprise, they impressed me with a very dynamic live performance. I love when a group of people can groove with a bunch of synths, guitars, and a set of drums.
Pretty Lights had a live band with him, much like his performance at Mountain Oasis, but he didn’t jam as long.
I just wanted to also note that Mountain Oasis is currently paused because “the success necessary to sustain the venture has eluded [them.]” (See here)
On to better news, Krewella showed up with the sister duo Jahan and Yasmine Yousaf, without their producer Rain Man. Surprisingly enough, both of the girls traded off singing vocals during their set!
We reluctantly wanted up to the Steeple Stage to see the so-called “DJ Contest Winner,” Midnite Panda. The guy had two hype men and even threw $1000 to the crowd at one point. His set was one of the hypest of the entire festival. He specialized in trap / hip-hop, which was right up my alley at that point in the day. Check out his ReverbNation page here.
Shreddie Mercury had a tiny crowd, but it made the performance that much more intimate. Felt like this set was played for me and some of my closest friends. (MAYBE IT WAS)
I last saw St. Lucia at Southland Ballroom in early 2013
Rubblebucket was just as weird as they were at Bonnaroo 2012. No robots in the crowd this time though – 😦
Lance Herbstrong … THE DRUMMER PLAYED A FREAKIN’ DIDGERIDOO, ‘NUFF SAID.
I saw the Floozies in November with Griz, MUCH bigger crowd at CounterPoint. Griz even came on stage at one point!
Janelle Monae! Words cannot even describe how good this show was! She crowd surfed, had a pillow fight on stage with her KICK ASS band, and ran down the middle of the crowd holding some group’s totem. I would see her again in a HEART BEAT!
I saw A-Trak at Bonnaroo 2013, and the “Fooooools Gooooold” shout-out never gets old, it always makes me chuckle. He can still scratch with the best of them! Check out one of his best tracks for “Tuna Melt” which features a house-wide Rube Goldberg machine:
Fayetteville native, J. Cole, put on a great performance, even rapping over OutKast’s “Da Art of Storytelling” beat. He had a great segment of the show where he singled out members of his band, and they played their own solos. Glad to seem he is surrounding himself with great musicians, it makes me really hopeful that he will keep putting out musical perfection.
XXYYXX weirded out my friends, I liked it though.
STS9, aka Sound Tribe Sector 9, was without their long-time bassist David Murphy. Many people were glad that he had left the band, since he had really mellowed out their sound.
Griz is a sax-murderer.
Wolfgang Gartner was great at Roo 2013 and even better this time.
Above & Beyond performed such an emotionally powerful show, I saw several people weeping during their set.
Chrome Sparks! The early day shows at The Underground were sparsely populated, as the raged-out young’ns were still passed out, which was good for us. I was on the front row for this performance, and they played EVERY song that I had wanted to hear! They even released new EP the day after this performance! Here’s one of my favorite tracks from the 6-track EP:
Yacht was strange.
Real Magic did not translate well to a live audience, especially in the middle of the day at the Underground. I feel like his set would be much better suited for an indoor venue, much like when I saw him perform at Lincoln Theatre with Odesza and Emancipator.
We went to see The Revivalists primarily to get a good spot for Run The Jewels.
El-P and Killer Mike performed a few tracks with their DJ, Trackstar, but unfortunately, their set was cut short when a thunderstorm rolled through the area. We had an hour before the system hit our area, and it boasted high speed winds and potential for tornadoes. I saw a lot of wide-eyed people who though they were being tricked, but I could see the levity of the situation. We reluctantly returned to the Magic Schoolbus, and hunkered down inside it. A little under 2 hours and a nap later, the storm had rolled over the area, and left a mud pit in it’s wake. We emerged from our metal fortress after recharging our mental and physical batteries for the night that lay ahead. We had initially thought that all the sets had been cancelled up until that time, which was ~7:00 PM.
We got back into the festival, and were running in the direction of the Hillside Stage, where Phantogram was to be performing at that time. We ran past the Steeple Stage, and I noticed a schedule on the screen. I called the group to stop, and we found out that most of the performances (sans Riff Raff) were pushed back two hours! HOPE WAS NOT LOST.
We carried our Hurricanes flag proudly over the crest of the hill to see Thievery Corporation performing on the Blu Freedom Stage. We gladly stepped up to get a good spot for Phantogram, who was playing next at the Hillside Stage. We were front row! SYNTHS ABOUND! MUDDY BEACH BALLS WERE EVERYWHERE!
Watch the Duck… I ate some dank teriyaki chicken during this interesting set. There was a guy in a duck costume, along with a guy on a keyboard / moog, a hype man who would periodically sing. There was one added bonus, an artist painting something (maybe a portrait of the duck?)
Flosstradamus coordinated the BIGGEST glow stick bomb I’ve ever witnessed.
Unfortunately, we only saw Thundercat perform one song, and watch Sleigh Bells from afar as we HAD to get a good spot for OutKast…
The reunion of Andre 3000 and Big Boi was the primary reason I went to CounterPoint, all of the other artists I loved were just an added bonus. I’ve wanted to see OutKast perform since I first heard their music on MTV several years ago (when MTV still played music). The few times I was able to see “Ms. Jackson” on TV gave me a slight glimpse into the world of these two talented Atlanta rappers.
It wasn’t until high school when I really started to appreciate OutKast’s lyrical prowess and clever hooks.
Dre Three Stacks and Sir Lucious Leftfoot began their set with one of their most well-known hits, “B.O.B.” Rap-alongs ensued throughout the entire performance, as they blended “ATLiens,” “Skew It on the Bar-B,” and “Rosa Parks” into one cohesive song. The spoke gibberish at one point during their performance. Seeing Andre 3000 genuinely happy filled me with joy, as I was hoping his first performance at Coachella hadn’t reaffirmed his alleged stage-fright.
They ended the night with an AMAZING performance of “The Whole World” and Killer Mike even joined them on stage. All of the trouble and anxiety that Andre 3000 seemed to have at his Coachella sets was non-existent in his home-state of Georgia. He looked a lot more comfortable playing in-front of many fellow Atlantans.
If you do not have a ticket to see OutKast this year, you seriously need to reassess your spending habits to make it possible for yourself. Unless you do not like OutKast, and if that’s the case, we can’t be friends (kidding!… or am I?).
Here is “Player’s Ball,” one of OutKast’s first hits, and DAMN they look so young:
And here’s an extra, “Int’l Players Anthem”:
Keep your heart Three Stacks. RIP Pimp C.
I could have done without The Range opening up for Chvrches, glitchy, hipster techno is not exactly what I needed after a 3-day festival. Regardless, suffering through his set and the Ritz’s inability to take debit or credit cards was well worth it, as Chvrches came on and played almost their entire catalog of music. The even came out for an encore where the performed two tracks from their EP, “ZVVL” which featured vocals from one of the band members, Martin Doherty, and one of their best songs, “Now Is Not the Time”:
Posted by teehamusic | Filed under Music
27 Thursday Mar 2014
I started this month seeing the ever-entertaining Snarky Puppy at the Southland Ballroom in Raleigh. The first two times I saw this group perform was at the Pour House Music Hall in downtown Raleigh, which provided a much different experience than the show in March. This time, they had an opener, Maz. This group includes the lead trumpet player for Snarky Puppy, Mike Maher, singing soulful, smooth R&B-style music, with the one of their keyboardists, Cory Henry, playing most of the background music for Maz’s vocals. Maher is one of the core members of Snarky Puppy, and has written many of their hit singles, including one of my personal favorites Sleeper, which features a freakin’ talk box!
Watch the video here:
Snarky Puppy never disappoints with any of their live performances, as this was one of their funkiest! Their moog / keyboardist / talk box-extraordinaire, Shaun Martin, started singing George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic’s “We Want the Funk,” which got the crowd really ROWDY. By far, one of the best live performances I have ever seen. When Snarky Puppy comes back to Raleigh (or North Carolina), you would be hard-pressed not to see me there in the front row.
I followed up this show the next weekend, as a few friends and I went to Charlotte, North Carolina to see Excision perform at the Fillmore. He had some recognizable supporting acts, as ill.Gates and Dirtyphonics helped warm up the crowd for Jeff Able, aka Excision, and his INSANE stage set-up, not to mention the 150,000 watts of bass. Thankfully, I had my old-man earplugs to protect my precious eardrums. If you don’t have a pair, you really should think about buying some, future-you will thank you immensely. The main draw to this show for me was ill.Gates, as his collaboration with Bassnectar, Expanded, was one of my favorite tracks from Bassnectar’s Take You Down EP. Dirtyphonics soaked the crowd with water guns, ill.Gates did a freestyle on his MIDI Controller, and Excision melted everyone’s face with his massive sound system and mesmerizing light show. Quite a bit better than the last time I saw Excision, and the bathrooms were accessible this time!
A few nights later, I saw Com Truise at King’s Barcade in Raleigh. I was not fully-recovered from my weekend in Charlotte, but I decided to attend this show regardless. The opening artists, Phantoms, are a duo from Los Angeles, and they boast quite a repitore of remixes, including one of my favorites, Arcade Fire – Reflektor (Phantoms Remix):
Com Truise also put on a VERY good performance; I even made it to the front row with my good friend, Dan “The Man.”
There was a little lull in my live-music-binge that following weekend, as I helped my fellow Counterpoint-attendee, Bobby, fix up his Magic School Bus (see it here). I’m a professional floor-ripper-upper now, so if you need a floor ripped up, you know who to call.
On Thursday after the adventures with Bobby in South Cackylacky, I went to a show at Lincoln Theatre, a very big-name, festival DJ/Producer, Carnage. Going to this show, I was expecting some good drops, trap beats, and an alright light show. What I didn’t know is that it would be the craziest party that I had experienced in my life. Their were three opening acts, Ancient/Lakes, who had a deep-house mixed with Disclosure vibe, Hobbs, who had a hype man (not my favorite, but still worthwhile), and a local group, Bad Catholics.
Bad Catholics stole the show from the other openers, as they had the crowd on their finger-tips (heh). They threw out several stickers, dapped everyone in the front, second, and third rows, and even hung out after the show and talked with everyone. However, what was to follow, was quite possibly the most fun I’ve ever had at an enclosed music venue… The blurriness of the photo below speaks for itself…
The very next day, I found myself back at King’s Barcade to see the Dum Dum Girls perform. I was bleary-eyed, and loud noises still startled me, so their opener, Blouse, was a good change of pace from the festival trap of the night prior. Their lead singer, Charlie Hilton, performed a song without any of her fellow band-members, as they encountered some technical difficulties (broken snare). AlthoughHilton prefers to keep her voice monotonous throughout the entire performance, I can’t help but think of Beach House whenever I hear her sing…
Dum Dum Girls came out to a cheering crowd, as the show had sold out moments before we got to the doors. My friend Scott and I were in the very back of the venue for most of the performance, but about 1/4 the way through the Dum Dum Girls set, we decided to join the swaying ranks of fans filed into the tight-quarters of King’s Barcade. They performed all of their recognizable singles, and even some rare tracks off their albums. Dee Dee Penny, the lead singer for the Dum Dum Girls, was a LOT more lively and interactive than her music videos or recorded live-performances lead you to believe.
This weekend is dedicated to beer and bacon. Primarily because I will be attending the annual Beer and Bacon Fest at Koka Booth Amphitheater on Saturday, and it’s definitely going to rain… WISH ME LUCK!
Posted by teehamusic | Filed under Music
teehamusic 