Show Preview: No Eyes, Jenny Besetzt, and Naked Naps

No Eyes performs with Jenny Besetzt and
Naked Naps at Kings tonight

Kings Barcade will host an end cap to First Friday by hosting a show with No Eyes, Jenny Besetzt and Naked Naps. If you're into any kind of psych rock or fuzzy punk you'll have a good time. No Eyes and Naked Naps are both out of Raleigh, whereas Jenny Besetzt, also local, is from a little farther west out in Greensboro.

Naked Naps is John Meier and Catie Yerkes, two of the masterminds behind house show venue Mattress Fort. They released their first album at the end of January, entitled Ok, Bye. The tracks have great names, like "Bill O'Reilly's Bedroom Song" and "Power, Passion and Purpose (29-32)." Live the band puts on a solid show, and it will be great to see them perform at a bigger venue. They're extremely laid back, especially considering the rawness and power behind the music once the song has started. Between songs they tell jokes, share stories and tune up. The songs are pretty addictive and will be a great precursor for the rest of the bill.

Jenny Besetzt is the fuzzy dreamy indie rock that should appease anyone with a soft heart for shoegaze. With members also in other bands such as Lilac Shadows and The Bronzed Chorus, the members are are comfortable on stage and very in sync with their sound as Jenny Besetzt. Look for a new lineup and new songs -- the guys are working on some new material that should be recorded and officially released before fall. 

Headliners No Eyes have been together for about two years now, playing psych rock along the lines of Birds of Avalon and Tame Impala. The band consists of Nick Kirkland, Andrew Manson and Cyrus Atkins. Although they've been through some lineup changes, Kirkland has continued to front the band, meshing well with both Manson and Atkins. More stability has lended to having a higher frequency of shows, with this being one of the first in quite a while. With another album in the works, expect to hear what they've been working on. 

Doors are at 9:00 pm on Friday, March 7 with music starting about 9:30 pm. Tickets are $5 and it's an all ages show.


No Eyes Live at Dive Bar in Raleigh, NC performing their song "Slob" from David L. Sherrill on Vimeo.

Listen To New Music From Lilac Shadows and Jenny Besetzt

Find me a better local label than DiggUp Tapes.  I'd give you time to do so but I highly doubt that said label exists right now.  DiggUp has been firing on all cylinders lately, whether they're releasing incredible music from some of the state's fastest rising acts, consistently putting on fantastic shows around the Triangle, or reviving the tried and true art of cassettes, the label is always giving back to this tight-knit music community.

Most recently the label has been putting out stellar Cassingles featuring new tracks from some of my favorite local acts.  We've been given some stellar new music from The Human Eyes, Spider Bags, Oulipo, Body Games and much more in the past few months.  However, the label's most recent release proves to be one of the standouts of the past few months.

Lilac Shadows and Jenny Besetzt recently teamed up for an east coast tour that kicked off with yet another Cassingle release show, marking the debut of two new fantastic songs from these local gems.  Lilac Shadows contributed a shimmering new song called "Turn It Off", trading in their darker, moody sounds for a dazzling pop tune that oozes with summer aesthetics.  While the group's lyricism retains its bleek and somber tones, the melodies are bursting with energy, soaring above pulsing rhythms and driving guitar lines.

Jenny Besetzt on the other hand, deliver a down-tempo track with a slow-build to counter Lilac's in your face pop tune. John Wollober's vocals provide a haunting tint to this minimalistic track. "Dennison Corners" is mostly comprised of a repeating chord progression and Wollober's bleak, static melody that glides slowly through this low-key track.

Listen to the two new songs below and share your thoughts: