Hopscotch Night 2 + Day Parties Review

After a jam packed night on Thursday, the beginning of Friday seemed a bit like a blur.  It started off early catching an intimate Dinosaur Feathers performance at Marsh's Woodwinds followed by a filming of the next Bottom String Session with the band.  After that it was off for some Day Party goodness, and while I begin allow me to say that I just stopped following my itinerary completely today.  Oops.  It ended up working out awesomely though with a set from T0W3RS in a crowded Hive being the highlight of the Day Party events for the day.

The Bottom String's Hopscotch Itinerary

Hopscotch Music Festival is exactly one week away and the region is buzzing with excitement for the festival's second year, topped with legendary acts like The Flaming Lips and Guided By Voices (playing what's allegedly their last show of the reunion), Hopscotch is breaking boundaries in the Carolina music scene.  These boundaries aren't being broken just because of the gigantic bands that will be gracing the City Plaza stages on Friday and Saturday, but instead because of how centralized of a focus there still is on local bands and the local scene.  It's hard to choose between so many incredible acts over the weekend, but luckily we've taken on some help from friends and fellow writers (on our sister site Myxem) in Terry McElhennon and Kyle Bement to make sure that we cover as much of the festival as physically possible.  While the age limitations prevent me from checking out everything I want to see (alas, just one more year!), here is The Bottom String's official Hopscotch Itinerary.

Hopscotch Music Festival announces Day Parties + Ed McKay Artist and Author Series

Hopscotch Music Festival is held from September 8-10
in downtown Raleigh, headlined by The Flaming Lips
and Guided By Voices

It's been a big week for Hopscotch, not only did Guided By Voices announce that their September performance in Raleigh would be their farewell performance, but Hopscotch also announced some of their free Day Parties and their Ed McKay Artist and Author series.  The Ed McKay Artist and Author series will feature some headlining artists joining in on some of the most exciting parts of Hopscotch, I mean who can turn down seeing Wayne Coyne discuss "The Limits of Pop Music" or John Vanderslice and Patterson Hood discussing "The Power of Narrative Songs".  Not only does the Artist and Author series deliver but we've also got some awesome Day Parties going on this year between two features from DiggUp Tapes on Friday and Saturday and some of last years favorite's such as Trekky's Daydream, Hometapes' Friend Island, and much, much more.


The Ed McKay Artist and Author series last year featured names like Chuck Dee, Andrew Whiteman (Broken Social Scene), and local Grammy-winning producer 9th Wonder, but this year's boasts even bigger and better names for the unique and invigorating series that gives the fans a bit closer of a look into these artist's perspectives.


Hopscotch's second year of Day Parties continue to bring the heat as well, there's some incredible lineups already set up and even more to be rolling out between now and September.  Some highlights include The Rosebuds & Friends outside of The Lincoln Theater with The Rosebuds, Hammer No More The Fingers, Ben Sollee, and The Big Picture just to name a few.  DiggUp Tapes Saturday show has a pretty awesome lineup as well with Lonnie Walker, Birds of Avalon, Quiet Hooves, Thank You, and surprise guests.  Check out the full list of Day Parties below along with the Ed McKay Artist and Author series information.  You can get more information about Hopscotch Music Festival from their website at http://www.hopscotchmusicfest.com.  The number of All-Show 3 Day Passes are dwindling though so pick one up while you still can!