Show Review: The Sea and Cake w/ Brokeback & Butterflies

The Sea and Cake @ Local 506
Photo Credit: Agatha Donkar

The beginning of a show filled weekend for me, I was stoked to get to see The Sea and Cake and Butterflies coming into this show, however, I walked away with a new found respect and love for the band that was sandwiched in between the two, Brokeback.  This was my first show at Local 506 and I've got to say I thoroughly enjoy the place, I can't say for certain but the show looked to be about sold out.  I had to leave before the end of The Sea and Cake's set if I wanted to have a ride home, but the crowd kept coming so I'd assume they reached capacity, because it was certainly a show worthy of such.  Before the show I'd shot Bottom String Sessions with both Mandolin Orange and Sinful Savage Tigers and spent about two and a half hours inside of an incredibly busy Four Corners on the day of UNC's spectacle of a first game played on a gigantic boat.  It was...uhm...something.  I'm not big on college sports so lets just say that I wasn't into all of the fanfare but whatever floats your boat.  Plus, "gopack".

Hear Here: November 16 - November 25

Mike Dillon of Gross Ghost from our "You Should Know"
session

Last week held one of my favorite shows of the year with Bombadil's glorious album release show at The Cat's Cradle so it's going to be pretty hard to follow that up with something better, however there is a show from one of my favorite bands at the Cat's Cradle this week so let's see how that plays out.  With a show I've been waiting ages for from Manchester Orchestra  at The Cradle on Thursday, much of the week falls back behind the shadows of my favorite band (yes, yes, now you know that Manchester Orchestra is one of the bans I fanboy over).  However, Chapel Hill is loaded with shows this weekend as well as a few gems popping up in Raleigh and Durham.

Show of the Week: Manchester Orchestra w/ White Denim & The Dear Hunter at The Cat's Cradle on November 17, 2011

Around The Triangle: Bombadil, The Sea and Cake, Fitz & The Tantrums

From Bombadil's album release show on November 12, 2011

I feel like I keep saying this over and over, but I can't emphasize the point of how many damn shows there are in the Triangle that are absolutely awesome on an almost weekly basis.  This weekend provided for some very special moments though, especially with the album release of Bombadil (which our review of will be up soon) at the packed out Cat's Cradle.  I got to attend The Sea and Cake this weekend as well which will be getting reviewed this week with some live videos as well.  Check out some of the highlights of these awesome shows in the Triangle after the jump.

Bottom String Session #15 - Mandolin Orange

This session kicks off what was a powerhouse of a weekend for The Bottom String.  We filmed three new sessions, filmed a brand new piece called You Should Know with Gross Ghost, as well as covered The Sea and Cake and Bombadil release show.  Amidst all of the running around Chapel Hill this weekend, some of the best footage I've filmed so far was captured, including some of this excellent session with Mandolin Orange.

Mandolin Orange was the first band I ever attempted to film over a year ago when they stopped through my town of New Bern for a breath taking set in one of the finest venues I've ever gotten the chance to be a part of, the old Broad Street Music space.  It was then that my adoration for this band began and it has only blossomed since then.  Andrew Marlin was kind enough to let myself and Agatha Donkar in to shoot for not only this Mandolin Orange session, but a Sinful Savage Tigers session on his back patio as well (which will be up later in the week).

Mandolin Orange was joined by an array of talented local musicians for this session including Seth Barden on upright bass from Sinful Savage Tigers, Josh Oliver (formerly of The Everybodyfields), as well as Josh Moore. We got one Mandolin Orange original and two classic covers that ended up becoming glorious jams.  Unfortunately the camera shit out on me for an excellent cover of "The Long Black Veil", but alas technology can't always be perfect.  Check out all of the videos plus some excellent photos from Agatha after the jump.

Hopscotch announces new venue and ticket information

Long View Center is the first new venue announced
for Hopscotch 2012

While Hopscotch is only a few months behind us, announcements for Hopscotch 2012 have already begun pouring in.  Between their exciting "Hopscotch Presents" series, which thusfar has announced acts like Hopscotch alumni Akron/Family playing at The Pour House in January, and their continued stream of information drops, it looks like Hopscotch is going to start building up anticipation early this year.

From September 6-8 of 2012, Raleigh will be alive with the sounds of music once more, this time encapsulating fifteen venues and over 175 bands.  The addition of two new venues and over twenty-five more bands than last year proves the continued growth of Hopscotch throughout the past few years, and with the bands brought in last year one can only imagine how Independent Weekly will try to top themselves in 2012.  Either way it's a win-win situation for us fans.

Sharon Van Etten announces new album as well as her return to the Triangle

Sharon Van Etten will play The Cat's Cradle on
February 7, 2012 with Shearwater

Sharon Van Etten is all set for her debut on Jagjaguwar, setting an official release date for the upcoming album Tramp on February 7 as well as announcing a full US tour in support of the new album.  Tramp is the follow up to Sharon Van Etten's breath-takingly beautiful sophomore release epic.  Recorded with the help of The National's Aaron Dessner and filled with contributions from artists like Walkmen, Beirut, Wye Oak, and Julianna Barwick, Van Etten's fans are surely already salivating over the release of Tramp.

I for one though will be salivating at the chance of seeing Sharon Van Etten yet again as she stops through the Triangle with her February 12 show at The Cat's Cradle with Shearwater.  I got the chance to see Van Etten earlier this year at Kings and witnessed one of the most tantalizing sets I've ever seen.  Van Etten will surely bring a packed house at The Cradle with her fame only increasing since the release of epic thanks to shows with Neko Case, The Antlers, and a spot on Pitchfork's music festival.  The rest of Sharon Van Etten's tour dates are as followed:

"All That The Rain Promises" by Bombadil

All That The Rain Promises by Bombadil was released
November 8, 2011 on Ramseur Records

All That The Rain Promises is much more than any old comeback for the boys of Bombadil, plagued with injuries and cross-country moves, it appeared that these Carolina favorites would never truly get the recognition they deserved after they broke up in 2009 after the release of their heavily heralded release Tarpits and Canyonlands.  Daniel Michalak, singer and bassist, fought through severely debilitating hand injuries that left him unable to even play his instrument without pain, but as we found out back in September with Bombadil's big return show at Hopscotch, Bombadil has risen from the ashes anew and arguably better than ever.

Celebrating their album release on November 12 at The Cat's Cradle with local favorites Future Kings of Nowhere and Jason Kutchma, Bombadil is set to fill the hole left in the Triangle music scene when they left it two years ago.  A new found simplicity can be found in All That The Rain Promises, but their stripped down instrumentation and back-to-basics songwriting has shined a new light on the band.  Filled with eloquence and beauty, Bombadil's latest effort is the album that their forlorn fans had all hoped for.

Jeff Mangum announces more tour dates, stopping through Chapel Hill

The legendary Jeff Mangum shocked the music world when he announced new tour dates in 2011 and returned from his lengthy hiatus, but his comeback doesn't seem to be over just yet.  Mangum recently announced more new tour dates for the US as well as some rescheduled European shows as well.  As this news gradually spreads I'm sure you'll be able to hear the fanboy shrieks throughout the Triangle (myself included) for days to come when they find out that  Mangum will be stopping through the beautiful Memorial Hall at UNC-Chapel Hill on January 30 with tickets going on sale this Friday, November 11 at noon.

The rest of Mangum's tour dates are as followed:

Hear Here: November 4 - November 12

Bombadil @ Hopscotch
Photo Credit: Agatha Donkar

It's been quite some time since our last Hear Here, our regular piece updating you about the shows we're most looking forward to around the state, but alas we're back to spread the good word of all of the great shows going on.  These past few months it's been hard to turn in any direction without having an awesome lineup to check out, and that goes for Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Asheville, and even Wilmington has been stepping up their show game.  So without further ado here are the shows that we're most excited for in the upcoming week.

Show of the Week: Bombadil w/ Future Kings of Nowhere, Jason Kutchma @ The Cat's Cradle on November 12, 2011