TRKfest 2012 announces a unique powerhouse of a lineup

Trekky Records is quite simply one of the most compelling labels within the North Carolina music scene, between their phenomenal roster and consistently wonderful events held throughout the year, the label has cemented themselves as a staple of our state's scene.  This year's annual TRKfest is shaping up to be one of the finest in the festival's history, or at least the most memorable.  With a suggested $10 donation, there's no reason to miss this surely beautiful day filled with arts, crafts, tie-dying and most importantly, music.

Held at Piedmont Biofuels in Pittsboro, NC, TRKfest is an absolute gem of a festival that brings together some of the finest members of not only the Trekky roster, but the Carolina scene as a whole.  This year's lineup boasts two one of a kind sets that are sure to live up to every bit of hype that they garner throughout the upcoming weeks before the festival, held on July 21.  Headlined by Lost Skulls, an Ari Picker led Misfits tribute band comprised of fellow local "Disciples of Danzig", the festival also boasts a supergroup cover set with The Piedmont Family Reunion, a collaboration of Midtown Dickens and Megafaun playing one-anothers songs along with other covers.

Shakori Hills Spring Festival Line-up Announcement

Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival is from April 19-22, 2012
in Pittsboro, NC.  Tickets are $95 in advance for
a 4-day pass

We're just under a month away from one of the semi-annual highlights of living in North Carolina, Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival.  The four day festival of music, dance, art and much more  kicks off this spring on April 19 and lasts through April 22.  Pittsboro will once again be packed full of phenomenal local acts as well as promising up-starts from all over the nation.

Headlined by the legendary Leftover Salmon and filled with grassroots favorites like Donna The Buffalo and Greg Humphreys, Shakori Hills is going to be an absolutely magical weekend as per usual.  While the festival lacks the powerful draws that Fall 2011 did (with a phenomenal lineup including Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings as well as a reunited lineup of Bela Fleck & The Flecktones), the lineup more than makes up for that problem with the plethora of amazing local acts and swiftly rising touring bands.  Locals like Justin Robinson & The Mary Annettes, Midtown Dickens, Mandolin Orange, Bombadil, Holy Ghost Tent Revival, and The Beast are huge stand-outs amongst the lineup.

Locals aside, the festival is bringing in some familiar names like Dirty Bourbon River Show (an absolute powerhouse of a band from New Orleans bringing a unique blend of zydeco-swing with a bit of a carnival esque touch to it), Driftwood (the band that seemed to be on everyone's lips at the end of Fall Shakori last year), and Shakori mainstays with Donna The Buffalo.  Other touring acts that I'm already giddy with anticipation to check out include Rubblebucket (with a late-night Thursday set that's sure to kick the festival off with a bang), Elephant Revival, and Dark Water Rising.  The full lineup can be found after the jump.

Trekky Records Releases "Amalgam" Mixtape

Trekky Records' Amalgam Release
Show is on March 2 at Nightlight

On Friday at Nightlight in Chapel Hill, Trekky Records will be celebrating the release of their brand new mix tape featuring some of the finest artists in the state.  Amalgam is a fantastic compilation featuring new tracks from Lost in the Trees and Midtown Dickens upcoming records as well as new music for the first time in six years from Vibrant Green, one of Trekky's grizzled veteran groups.  The release show is $5 and features performances from Butterflies, Phil Cook & His Feat, Vibrant Green and a surprise guest making their return to Nightlight.

Amalgam is a fantastic snapshot of Trekky's artists, giving new tracks from some of the label's premier bands as well as some of the best songs from Trekky's ten year history.  There's a lovely blend of tight indie-rock from bands like Butterflies and Embarrassing Fruits, giving us tracks from their latest releases, as well as the rustic folk music that shines so brightly with Trekky like Phil Cook & His Feat.  One of the best parts of Amalgam is the nostalgic tunes that can be found on the mix tape, bands like Mortar + Pestle (featuring Josh Kimbrough of Butterflies and Joe Norkus of Embarrassing Fruits), Physics of Meaning (an act that we quite frankly see FAR too little of in my opinion), and Vibrant Green rear their heads back up to open up a world of new music for those who may not be as familiar with Trekky's back catalogue.

Hopscotch Day 3 Review

The Flaming Lips @ City Plaza

Starting off Saturday was the strangest feeling, a combination of exhaustion and excitement for the day to come even if it's going to be full of sweating, walking, and fighting crowds.  It's mainly okay because of The Flaming Lips though.  Our day started off a little bit late after trying to work out a ticket issue for a friend in need of admission to The Flaming Lips, but once it was all settled out we headed downtown to get on with our last day of Hopscotch'ing.  Choosing between Day Parties today was a doozy, there were so many incredible bands playing at the same time that it was hard not to find something that wasn't jaw-droppingly great.

The Bottom String's Hopscotch Day Party Schedule

Hopscotch is just over a week away and quite frankly I'm finding it hard to contain my excitement for the whole thing.  The festival has been dropping LPs off at random locations in downtown Raleigh, continually having Day Party announcements and even had a few names drop and get added to the lineup a few weeks ago (The Light Pines being the most disappointing loss for me), so the excitement and hype is all finally going to be coming to a head when next week's festivities kick off on Thursday.  Thursday recently had Day Parties added onto it with an insane amount of music going on at Sadlack's Heroes, a 307 Knox hosted show with the likes of Pink Flag, and a Raleigh Denim/Flander's Gallery show highlighted by a Gray Young appearance.  Hop around town on Thursday if you're free to catch some of these awesome free sets to get you pumped up for the night's festivities.

Around The Triangle: TRKFest 2011

TRKFest was held Saturday August 13, 2011 at
Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw, NC

TRKFest is always one of the most enjoyable parts of the North Carolina summer, it's filled with local love whether it be vendors, bands, or fans who all seem to be enjoying themselves to no end.  Rain or shine TRKFest was going to pull through, and when the rain came the decision was made to move TRKFest to Saxapahaw's Haw River Ballroom, a gorgeous indoor venue that's been hailed by many local musicians and patrons as one of the Triangle's finest.  Our own Agatha Donkar was at TRKFest and captured some awesome shots of some of the bands.  Check 'em out!

For the rest of Agatha's shots from TRKFest 2011 check out her Flickr account

Midtown Dickens sign to Trekky Records, announce tour with The Mountain Goats

It was announced today that Trekky Records' latest signing is none other than Durham's own Midtown Dickens. Midtown Dickens have been tearing up the North Carolina scene with their energetic, rootsy folk music that has left many a crowd breathless.  Trekky Records own Will Hackney is a member of the band making the signing all the more special by officially adding the rest of the band to the Trekky Family.

Midtown Dickens will be releasing their third album on Trekky Records which according to Trekky's blog will be released in early 2012 and is to be produced by Scott Solter (The Mountain Goats, Superchunk, Spoon).  As if that wasn't enough good news for fans of the band, it was also announced that they'll be joining fellow Durhamite John Darnielle on a west coast tour with The Mountain Goats set to kick off next week.  The dates for said tour are listed below