Hear Here: Aug. 11 - 17

Dana Buoy (Dana Janssen of Akron/Family) performs at The Pinhook
with The Human Eyes on Wednesday, August 13

Last week's ridiculously packed show lineup proved a few things about the North Carolina music scene, not only did it showcase the diversity on display throughout the area, but the camaraderie as well. Spider Bags and Flesh Wounds are two local acts with a largely similar fan base, so having their own release shows fall onto the same night in two separate towns could have been a huge debacle. Instead both artists were donning shirts from their garage rock cohorts and each night went off without a hitch, packed out venues filled with adoring fans shouting along. My last minute decision to check out the ineffable Flesh Wounds/Paint Fumes combo was a fantastic call and an excellent introduction to the Cat's Cradle Backroom. But now we've got another week filled with more locally and national touring goodness all over the Triangle.

1. Dana Buoy w/ The Human Eyes at The Pinhook
Wednesday, Aug. 13
Admission: $8 (Purchase tickets here)
Fans of Sylvan Esso, the local act that's undergone a meteoric rise in 2014, will most likely be quite enamored by the sounds of Dana Buoy. Perhaps that's why the two have a tour lined up for the rest of the month (which kicks off on the 14th at Asheville's Mothlight). Oh, and it's probably notable to mention that Dana Buoy is the project of Dana Janssen, multi-instrumentalist and drummer of Akron/Family. So naturally, Dana Buoy brings together the tantalizing rhythms and enchanting melodies that one would expect from a member of Akron/Family, but it's all funneled through a sleek electro-pop wash. Buoy will be the perfect fit for local dream-pop standouts The Human Eyes, who coincidentally enough opened for Sylvan Esso's album release show. If their set back in May at Cat's Cradle was any indication, then their set on Wednesday will feature tons of incredible and energetic new material that we'll hopefully have a release date for later this year. Such a wonderfully cohesive combination of nationally and locally touring acts rarely comes together so smoothly, and it'll make a phenomenal mid-week pickup as well.

2. Local Band Local Beer w/ Lonnie Walker, See Gulls and Wild Fur at Tir Na Nog
Thursday, Aug. 14
Admission: FREE
When there's a free weekly event, it's really hard to be picky about lineups. On good nights you can check out a few impressive acts, maybe even one of your favorite locals every month or so. However, lineups like this don't come around very often, so I'd imagine that Tir Na Nog will be shoulder to shoulder throughout most of the evening for this powerhouse of a lineup. Lonnie Walker has gone from a regular local staple to an act that feels like a real treat to see out and about. With their upcoming main stage show at Hopscotch in a few weeks, I'd imagine the band will be performing a wide array of new material for the increasingly intoxicated folks at Tir Na Nog. Lonnie Walker alone is reason enough to check this free event out, their bizarre take on Americana-rock is tinged with a country twang and a Byrnian (that's now a word) blend of self-loathing and cynicism, but the lineup also features two of the most exciting local acts opening the evening. See Gulls is a female-centric group of garage rockers that come from a handful of highly esteemed locals. Sarah Fuller of The Big Picture takes over the core lyricism while Maria Albani of Schooner/Organos takes over drums while Leah Gibson of Lost in the Trees and Duncan Webster of Hammer No More The Fingers take over on guitar and bass respectively. Wild Fur kicks off the evening, another local supergroup of sorts that combines Nick Jaeger and Wylie Hunter's songwriting talents via an invigorating take on rootsy yet electronically driven tunes.

3. King Mez w/ Nance, Clevon Don, Well$ & Keaton at Lincoln Theatre
Tuesday, Aug. 12
Admission: $15 in advance/$18 at the door (Purchase tickets here)
While North Carolina gets the most attention for our constantly evolving indie rock scene, there's a whole lot to love about our local hip-hop acts as well. Folks like King Mez have been slowly but surely building up their repertoire, with a handful of mixtapes under his belt his most recent release Long Live The King has garnered unprecedented levels of national acclaim. Mez has an acrobatic sense of melody, his lyrics are as personal as they are punchline-y and perfectly tow the line between a party-starting vibe and introspective headphone music. Mez's opening acts are nothing to look over as well, Well$ is a Charlotte based emcee that's been following a similar trajectory to Mez, he's building up his local roots with continued shows and releases while his talents gain national attention as well. Mez's Raleigh shows feel few and far between now, so getting to see him at what's sure to be a packed-out Lincoln Theatre with a whole slew of talented artists on the lineup is a chance that you won't get too often.

4. Wildcat! Wildcat! w/ Marley Carroll at Local 506
Friday, Aug. 15
Admission: $10 (Purchase tickets here)
I've made few attempts at hiding my musical affinity towards Marley Carroll, he's become one of my favorite producers amidst a sea of IDM-leaning artists. Carroll is one of the genre's most versatile artists and his live set-up is something that fans of all genres can truly enjoy. Carroll has an immersive live show that blends mixing, scratching, analog synth-play and dreamy vocals to make an alluring display of talents. Wildcat! Wildcat! on the other hand is like the perfect Yin to Carroll's Yang. While Carroll is a DJ that's leapt into the indie-pop world, Wildcat! Wildcat!'s tunes are firmly rooted in standard pop sentiments while their soundscapes delve into intricately arranged electronics. It's refreshing to see the two teaming up together for a tour because they're brilliant counterpoints to one another and display the finer aspects of each genre while maintaining a comfortable middle ground for each artist's fans. If you're in the mood for a dancey, beat-driven Friday night then Local 506 is the place to be this weekend.

5. Miniature Tigers w/ The Griswolds & Finish Ticket at Cat's Cradle Backroom
Wednesday, Aug. 13
Admission: $12 in advance/$14 at the door (Purchase tickets here)
So maybe dancey electronic tunes and heady dream-pop isn't your thing. If so, I'm not quite sure why but I'll pretend to not silently judge you over here. If Dana Buoy isn't in the cards for you, or perhaps you just don't want to make the drive to Durham on a Wednesday night, then Cat's Cradle Backroom has one of the most agreeable lineups of the week. Miniature Tigers are a fairly middle of the road indie pop band that has some incredibly catchy tunes, and now that they've got a hefty amount of albums under their belt there's sure to be plenty of tracks that catch your ear throughout the evening.

Show Review: Emancipator Ensemble w/ Odesza and Real Magic

Odesza performs at Lincoln Theatre

The scene at the Lincoln Theatre last Wednesday was certainly a sight to behold. While many may thrash the EDM scene for their heavy focus on rave culture, many also forget the showmanship and talent that is on display at much of these events. Were there scantily clad tu-tu girls? Of course. Did more than one person come up asking me, "Where the party's at?" Oh, most definitely. But that's all a side-note, acts like Emancipator and Odesza and Real Magic keep the thrill alive in this continually evolving scene. I've been to plenty of electronic shows and I've seen a lot of the same stuff over and over, some Top 40s hip-hop remixes, a few nostalgia tinged vocal samples tossed in and a whole lot of predictable bass drops.

However, the trio of acts that took the stage at Lincoln Theatre displayed the opposite end of the electronic spectrum. Though I came into Real Magic's set about two songs before it ended, his music effortlessly combined elements of contemporary dance music with deep yet soaring vocal melodies. The swiftly growing crowd was locked into Real Magic with pixie-winged dancers flowing through the crowd and tank-topped snapback wearing bros muttered about how good this dude was. Missing most of Real Magic's was really the only downside of this evening for me, but alas the Bonnaroo lineup announcement was in full force and I couldn't walk out without knowing whether or not I'd be belting out "Benny and the Jets" this June on the farm.

Real Magic performing at Lincoln Theatre

When Odesza took the stage it was clear that the crowd was in for a treat. The duo set up their two Akai APCs and dazzled the crowd with a heady blend of bass heavy dance tunes and smoothly melodic structures. Whether it was a chopped and screwed vocal pattern turned into a rhythmic center or encompassing, airy synths that glide over tight percussive arrangements, Odesza's tunes were completely enthralling to the hundreds in attendance. Halfway through their set I paused my ridiculous dance routine and scanned the crowd, noticing the shoulder to shoulder dance party taking place around me. The Seattle-based production duo repeatedly noted how hyped up the crowd was and whether they were churning out favorites from their My Friends Never Die EP or brand new tracks, the fans were just as enthusiastic in their hoots, hollers and gyrations.

Odesza served as a perfect segue into Emancipator Ensemble. While I was certainly expecting an explorative live arrangement from these guys, my expectations were completely blown out of the water. I've always knocked the "jam" scene, and even when I saw Pretty Lights with a live stage set-up at Mountain Oasis last year it just simply didn't do it for me, they latched on too long to the strong melodic sections and they became repetitive and valueless. Emancipator Ensemble served as a blueprint for how to properly arrange live electronic music. Douglas Appling, brainchild of Emancipator, was planted firmly behind his laptop and beat pad, churning out heady synth melodies that were further fleshed out by the enchanting violin, drums and groove-inducing bass.

A buddy of mine soberly remarked "This music makes me feel like a jellyfish," I may have laughed and brushed it off at the time but it was almost too accurate to be hilarious. The songs felt free-form and flowing despite their structure and the infectious rhythms drove the packed out Lincoln Theatre to uninhibited dance. As the band threw out "Minor Cause" a densely packed piece of electronic wonder, the crowd's excitement reached its tipping point. Watching all of these parts come together in a live setting, with impressive video projection and light shows at that, was nothing short of whimsical and left me with an intense desire to see this set again. Emancipator have set the bar high for live electronic acts for me, it was an incredibly immersive experience that broke down the fourth wall of electronic music and made it much more than the perceived "dudes pushing buttons on stage." Any electronic detractors should check out a show like this one and then try to tell me that there's no talent involved in this genre.