Hear Here: Week of March 28

Last week was certainly a busy one, with Spazz Fest in Greenville being the main focus of attention.  This week we're branching out, literally.  This week marks the first edition of Hear Here with the Western part of the state covered as well thanks to our newest author, Zack Michener.  Zack will be helping out with Hear Here for the western parts of NC, as well as posting show reviews and album reviews!  Be on the lookout for some of his posts, I'm excited to have him on as part of the team.  We'll also be including Monday of the next week now, that way you've got more than one day in advance for those exciting Monday shows (because everybody loves Mondays.)

Show of the week: Hammer No More The Fingers w/ LiLa, Midtown Dickens @ Motorco in Durham, NC

Tuesday, March 29

The Cave Singers w/ Lia Ices, Sky Lake @ The Grey Eagle in Asheville, NC

$8
The Cave Singers are a band out of Seattle, WA, home of related acts Fleet Foxes and The Head and The Heart. The Cave Singers continue the folksy tradition of their bretheren, with an infusion of rock

on their latest album, “No Witch.” This is heartfelt, thoughtful music is both soothing and vibrant, 

and will be sure to leave you glad to be alive. The Grey Eagle seems to be handmade for The Cave 

Singers, both intimate and welcoming.

Wednesday, March 30
Turbo Fruits w/ Pujol, Pink Flag @ The Pinhook in Durham, NC
Turbo Fruits are an excellent lo-fi garage pop band formed by Jonas Stein, the guitar player from Be Your Own Pet.  Turbo Fruits put out some incredibly catchy songs and have quite the reputation for putting on incredible shows.  With talent to boast and energy to boot, Turbo Fruits is a show to catch for sure.  Opening act Pujol has had releases on Turbo Fruits' own label Turbo Time and another one you might have heard of, Jack White's Third Man Records.  Pujol has a sort of southern garage punk quality about him, but whatever sort of genre you want to tag him under would probably be irrelevant because the fact of the matter is that he can rock.  Durham's Pink Flag, all female punk band, will also being opening.

Thursday, March 31
Mandolin Orange w/ Paleface, Those Meddling Kids, Jeffrey Lewis @ The Tipsy Teapot in Greenville, NC
$10
Mandolin Orange is one of the best folk bands that North Carolina has to offer, the beautiful harmonizing between Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz alone is enough to send shivers up and down your spine, then you throw in the superb songwriting and the always interesting lineup of instruments (whether it be fiddle and guitar, mandolin and fiddle, mandolin and guitar, oh the possibilities!)  Not to mention one of the best songwriters to uproot and start calling North Carolina home, Paleface is also playing.  Paleface just had a short documentary made from PASTE magazine following the making of his new album "One Big Party" and continues to pick up steam.  An absolute powerhouse of a live act!  Also opening will be Jeffrey Lewis and Those Meddling Kids.

Friday, April 1
Hammer No More The Fingers (Black Shark Release Show!) w/ LiLa, Midtown Dickens @ Motorco in Durham, NC
$8 advance/$10 at the door
The long anticipated release of Hammer No More The Fingers' new record "Black Shark" is finally here.  "Black Shark" is Hammer's second LP and it's boasting a more mature and fleshed out sound from the band, featuring some of their most infectious choruses and hooks to date.  The band has truly grown exponentially musically, and the energy they'll be bringing to Motorco is one that can be rivaled by very few.  This is my favorite show of the week, hands down.  Durham locals in LiLa and Midtown Dickens will be opening, an exciting up and coming rap group and one of the most invigorating live acts the state offer respectively.  Not to mention Fullsteam Brewery will have a HNMTF special brew, along with the brand new Pie Pushers pizza truck serving special Black Shark pizza.  This show will probably sell out, so get your tickets while you can.

Saturday, April 2

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart w/ Twin Shadow @ The Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, NC
$12 advance/ $14 day of
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart are a day away from the release of their new album, and this Saturday they'll be playing a show at The Cat's Cradle with another name I can't seem to go very far these days without hearing, Twin Shadow.  The Pains of Being Pure At Heart exploded onto the scene back in 2009 with their self-titled debut LP and they've been making waves since.  Their distorted, fuzz-driven yet melodic sounds are sure to provide for a fun-filled night at The Cat's Cradle on Saturday, especially with an opener like Twin Shadow.  Twin Shadow made a name for himself when his first album was produced by Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear, and since the release his popularity has catapulted.  It's filled with soothing yet haunting melodies and textures that resonate with the listener, it's raw and it's unique.  Definitely a show to check out.

S. Carey w/ Midtown Dickens @ Kings Barcade in Raleigh, NC
$10
Sean Carey is usually found behind a drum set with Bon Iver providing backup vocals, but in late 2010 he dropped a record of his own entitled "All We Grow" that showed that he's much more than an accompanying voice, but he can quite frankly belt out some tunes of his own.  Tracks like "In The Dirt", "We Fell", and "All We Grow" display the minimal but ethereal sound produced by S. Carey, it's an album to sit down and truly absorb.  With the fantastic opener of Midtown Dickens, it was hard to choose between this show or Hammer for the show of the week, but the hometown boys edged it out.  Head out to Kings for this show because it's going to be a truly enlightening experience.

The Black Angels w/ Suuns @ The Grey Eagle in Asheville, NC

$12 advance / $15 day of

The Black Angels' bio hardly talks about the band; rather it relates a philosophy on how man relates to his world and concludes, “It is this quest for pure sanity that forms the basis of The Black Angels.”  But while their sound isn't quite so deep, it is still powerful and engaging, a kind of experimental beach rock.  At times it is strikingly reminiscent of early Pink Floyd – employing echoey vocals and quirky guitar hooks.

Monday, April 4

Cage the Elephant w/ Biffy Clyro, Sleeper Agent @ The Orange Peel in Asheville, NC

$20 advance / $22 day of

Cage the Elephant grabs your attention and keeps it.  From the enaging spoken-word of their first album to the sincerity of their latest, “Thank You Happy Birthday,” they are a band you can easily rock out to.  Known best for their single “Ain't No Rest for the Wicked,” their music is full of smart melodies and exciting beats.