Ears to the Ground: "Bllondes" by Ghostt Bllonde

Earlier this year Ghostt Bllonde made the announcement that we'd all been waiting for, signing to a local label. When a band experiences such a meteoric rise in the scene, it's really only a matter of time until they get a crew behind them that can assist with plugging the hell out of their music in ways that bands couldn't even imagine. Negative Fun has done such for Ghostt Bllonde, giving them not only their first vinyl release, but helping them raise their profile throughout the region by pairing them and various other locals with more regionally focused artists on the east coast through their singles series.

When the band announced their Negative Fun signing they'd announced that there would be a collection of demos and unreleased singles, and evidently that time is nigh. This Saturday marks the 2nd annual Cassette Store Day, and while Nice Price Books is the only local participant in Cassette Store Day, that didn't stop Ghostt Bllonde and the Negative Fun crew from rolling out the stops for the event.

This Saturday at Nice Price, and also at Lunchbox Records in Charlotte, copies of Ghostt Bllonde's new cassette will be available for purchase in advance of the official release on Oct. 7. So in honor of the band's new release, we're lucky enough to be able to debut the lead single off of the release, "Bllondes."

Throughout the past year of the band's existence we've seen Ghostt Bllonde solidify themselves as a band who's got a powerful sense of direction and potential. Not only does Marc Kuzio and company know where they want this band to go, they know exactly how to get there. The doo-wop inspired anxiety-fueled vibes that were present on their early work have become somewhat dissipated in their more recent releases, traded in for a sleek swagger that exudes confidence and creativity. Trash-pop no more, "Bllondes" opens with a slow build of reversed guitar lines and vocal melodies before quaintly unraveling into a subdued song that explores some seriously catchy melodies and guitar grooves. Harmonies are abound, both creating rich textures and a full-bodied sound for Kuzio vocals. With harmonies and guitar lines subtly panned to and fro, the band sounds much more polished than before. Whereas their self-recorded lo-fi sound worked for their debut, it seems the band has realized that progression is key, and they're certainly progressing in bunches.

You can check out the single below and purchase the entire cassette in advance tomorrow at Nice Price Books for Cassette Store Day:

Show Review: Slow Magic w/ Kodak to Graph & Daktyl

Slow Magic at Kings on Sept. 21

Electronic shows can really be a crapshoot sometimes, especially if you haven't checked in on the artist and researched what their live set-up is. It's really easy to end up seeing a handful of dudes in backwards fitted caps slamming pads and spinning knobs on an MPD for about twenty minutes, and frankly after three sets of that you're kind of done for the evening. But what took place at Kings was far from that, it was one of the most engaging and exciting performances I've seen in quite some time. While Daktyl and Kodak to Graph had markedly similar styles, and Daktyl may have fallen a little bit into the first category, there was enough versatility throughout the night's performances to keep things exciting until the main event of the evening came around.

Daktyl started things off with a set filled with crunching bass lines, jittering synths and dreamy yet disjointed vocal samples turned into syncopated rhythms. It was a set built on quick build-ups and even swifter breakdowns, there was bukus of noise sweeps and bass drops, but it felt natural rather than formulaic and expected. With releases set in the near future for Mad Decent and some obvious talent under his belt, I'm excited to hear more from Daktyl as he evolves as an artist. There's some exciting possibilities that lie beneath these danceable tracks, hopefully he's willing to dig deeper into the rabbit hole to really define his style amidst a sea of Mad Decent-hopefuls.

Kodak to Graph at Kings on Sept. 21

The evening got gradually more exciting as the subsequent artists took the stage. As Kodak to Graph's stage began to get set-up I pretty much knew I was going to dig this set. His table was packed in with a laptop, multi-colored beat pads and an analog synth that was all facing towards the crowd for some reason. I'm not quite sure as to whether this was done for aesthetic reasons or for ease of playability, but regardless it got my attention. Kodak to Graph was emanating some heavy house vibes while still making sure he didn't fall with into the new "deep-house" trends. Most of the set bounced between bass-laden tracks that were driven by either ambient vocals that were chopped into rhythmic patterns or hip-hop vocal samples utilized as percussive flair and bridges into heavy bass grooves.


Kodak to Graph had an entertaining set, but nothing was going to top the energy that Slow Magic brought to the stage. I'm very glad I didn't come into this show with expectations for what was about to happen, frankly I thought I'd be taking it easy for this show, maybe sitting in the corner and soaking it all in. I was doing a pretty good job of following that plan until I saw the Slow Magic set-up and then I immediately posted up in front of the stage. Driven by two large toms and a mixture of loops and live mixing, Slow Magic put on one of the most engaging and awe-inspiring electronic sets I've seen in quite some time. Many times acts like these are marked by their impressive lights show or their gimmicky set-ups, but Slow Magic seems to do it for all of the right reasons. Shortly into the set he raised a drum high above his head, hopped into the crowd, and lead the crowd in a tightly packed burst of dance to his tribal beats and poppy production. Shortly after that he was high-fiving members of the crowd, letting the front row contribute to his percussion pads and even had members of the crowd toying with the remote that controlled his light show. It was less of a passive viewing experience and more of an immersive event that everyone felt a part of, which is a massive feat for an artist like this. The tracks were all incredible, the live drumming was nothing short of compelling, and ultimately proved to be a phenomenal way to end what could have been a very blasé show. Kudos to this remarkable showman for putting on the show he does, he's won this writer over as a massive fan.

Show Preview: Slow Magic w/ Kodak To Graph & Daktyl

Slow Magic performs at Kings Barcade on Sunday,
September 21. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 day of
Purchase tickets at KingsBarcade.com

The fact that Kings is slowly becoming a haven for heady electronic shows is one of the most exciting parts of the past year for me. While it's primarily seen by many as a hub for indie rock of all varieties, acts like Com Truise, Gent & Jawns and DJ Spinn have all graced the club within the past year. Seeing Raleigh and its surrounding areas finally coming out in full force for folks like this fills me with a huge amount of joy and excitement, especially when shows like Slow Magic come through. Even though it's on a Sunday night I have little doubt in my mind that folks will be grooving like a Friday, when you've got talent on stage like Slow Magic it's hard not to.

Little is really known about the man behind that enigmatic animal mask, but you don't need to know that much about him when you hear the dreamy sounds that emanate from the speakers. On the heels of his second full-length How To Run Away, released Sept. 9, Slow Magic will surely blend some of his newest tracks with bangers like "Girls" and "Hold Still," tracks that builds up to a serendipitous rise only to come crashing back down with cacophonous percussion and screaming synths. There's as much subtlety on display as there is outright abrasiveness, you can be lost within the swirling bass lines or possessed by the snapping percussion but either way you know Slow Magic has grasped your undivided attention. With a whole slew of remixes under his belt as well, you know that Sunday night's show is going to be one with a seamless flow that traverses a myriad of different genres and sounds.

These openers are nothing to balk at either. Kodak To Graph and Daktyl both fit in quite nicely on this bill, blending just enough sensual melodies with party-ready rhythms to make for an eclectic mix of sounds. Both acts have a wide range of sonic possibilities, Daktyl is likely to build up a track only to barrel through the mix with a thunderous bass and pitch changed vocal pattern. Kodak To Graph brings a lot of the same aesthetics to the table, skittering vocal samples create compelling rhythms that brilliantly counter the ethereal synth lines that lay the bedding for these tracks.

Lots of times when such similar acts get together for electronic bills like these they can all bleed together, but each artist has dove deep into their own niche within the world of cloud-rap inspired beats, blending trap percussion with high-pitched vocals to create a dreamlike soundscape with a serious knack for grooves.

Show Preview: Ty Segall w/ Wand & Flesh Wounds at Motorco Music Hall

Ty Segall performs at Motorco Music Hall
on Sunday, Sept. 14 w/ Wand & Flesh Wounds

It's basically reached the point where the term "garage rock" has become synonymous with Ty Segall for me. With an insane amount of turnover, Segall has been churning out excellent album after excellent album for the past few years now and he's shown little signs of slowing down. Before Manipulator, his most recent release on Drag City, it had been 14 months since we received new music from Segall.

Usually one would balk at the insinuation that 14 months is a long wait between albums, but this is coming from the guy that put out four freakin' records last year, all of them ridiculously impressive. This manic garage savant may have slowed his frighteningly swift pace of production, but his output is just as impressive as always. If not more so frankly. Manipulation is by no means a slow-rolling record, but there's a lot more definition packed into these emotionally dense, high-energy tracks.

Thus, one could expect that Segall will be laying it all on the line this Sunday night at their sold-out Motorco show. The night is filled with brilliant, balls to the wall punk music that will leave this garage-esque venue damp and sweaty from all of the ridiculous attempts at moshing, crowd surfing and any other ridiculously amped crowd reaction you can imagine. Segall leads the crowd's antics like a composer, his heartfelt songs bursting forth from their amplifiers physically effects these concertgoers. It compels you to manically bob your head, smack your hands on your pockets like you'd actually know what the hell you'd be doing behind a drum set, and generally experience some cathartic sense of relief. There's just something about losing your mind at a punk show that leaves you feeling reinvigorated, ready to tackle the dull 9-to-5 that you may be headed to early on Monday morning. That's what makes this show at this seldom visited venue for myself, such an incredible outing.

Since Motorco opened it's been a vastly underutilized venue, but when the big names come through it kind of makes you scratch your head and wonder why the hell this venue hasn't taken off in a huge way. Having Flesh Wounds open the show as well just makes the night even sweeter. In recent months the band has been picking up a lot of steam after a quiet year in 2013, with a 7" release on Merge and some rave reviews from their manic energy at Hopscotch, they'll likely be permeating the frenetic vibes to get concertgoers prepped for their highly anticipated headliner later in the evening. But if Segall doesn't bring his "A" game it could be easy for these openers to steal the show, making it all the more exciting to see exactly how wild this show will truly get.

Check out Segall's recent performance on Conan O'Brien below:

Show Review: Hopscotch Music Festival 2014

St. Vincent at City Plaza

I feel like every Hopscotch has just gotten better and better. Each year the lineup finds a new way to break down barriers, to pack in artists of every genre imaginable for one loaded, sometimes spastic three-day marathon of music (or four if you're some showzilla who knows no limits.) 2014, surely enough proved to be my favorite Hopscotch yet thanks to the all of its eccentricities and unforgettable performances. Though this is the first year I was unable to attend the Thursday and Friday day parties, there was still tons of music packed into that brief weekend that we all yearn so long for. Between the prodigal return of Lonnie Walker, T0W3RS' exhilarating full-band debut, and Valient Thorr bringing that Venus weirdness to City Plaza, there was plenty of local love going around downtown Raleigh. Regional acts were some of the most exciting of the festival, but that didn't stop folks like Lunice, Jamie XX, Ava Luna and others from bringing their 'A' game to this nationally acclaimed event.

Thursday

De La Soul at City Plaza
Photo Credit: Agatha Donkar

Things started off late for me on Thursday as I showed up towards the end of an excellent display of showmanship from Toon & The Real Laww. This Durham based duo garners quite a few OutKast comparisons with their lyrical wit and brilliant, charismatic interplay. Throw in their stellar crowd participation antics and you've got one hell of a kick-off to this four-day festival. Things were immediately followed up by the hip-hop visionaries De La Soul, a set that even had the photographers in the pit dancing along with their cameras hanging down. While the evening got off to a hip-hop oriented start, I took off from City Plaza around twenty minutes in to catch the brilliant acts at Kennedy Theater. Body Games brought the venue to capacity as fans were entranced by Adam Graetz's mind-bending visuals. Last year they had one of the weekend's most memorable moments with a Michael Jackson cover, and surely enough they raised the bar once again this year with a "Kiss From A Rose" cover that everybody pretending like they knew the words to the verses. After Body Games came Marley Carroll, the Asheville-based producer with a knack for engaging yet trancey electronic sets. Carroll perfectly blends four on the floor house beats with spacey fills, turntable scratches and serene vocals. It was difficult to pull myself away from the dance marathon, but it's also important to take in some low-energy stuff throughout the weekend as well. Thus, it was next door to Fletcher to check out IIII, the drum-circle marathon that started out strong and ended up droning on.

The drum circle was rooted with an electronic drone that was gradually engulfed by the slew of drummers circled around the stage. It was a nice pause to sit down and mindlessly enjoy some instrumental music, but I'd hardly call it one of the weekend's highlights. It was a nice break regardless, and gave me everything I needed to soak in Deniro Farrar and Lunice with every ounce of energy possible. Deniro played to a small crowd, but you'd never know by the energy and showmanship that he displayed throughout the evening. Rapping about pampers while staring lanky photographers in the eyes, spitting out profanity laced statements that proclaim himself the king of cult rap. Frankly I wasn't expecting to enjoy this show as much as I did, but it was emanating heavy Danny Brown vibes, Farrar has a keen stage presence and knows how to get a crowd involved with his set. Regardless of whether he was simply sharing his brothers music or baring his soul on the mic, he's a man that knows how to get the people going. Farrar was also the perfect segway into Lunice, the early 20s trap wunderkind. Lunice provided a set filled with originals and remixes that ranged from a handful of Kanye West tracks to Future, mostly sticking to heavy rap throughout the night. While that made the pacing a bit difficult for those of us that danced throughout the whole set, it's one hell of a way to end an evening. Lunice had another surprisingly small set, but once folks planted themselves inside of Kennedy they stayed through the duration. A small pack of dedicated fans beats a crowd full of bored concertgoers any day.

Friday

Spoon at City Plaza

City Plaza once again kicked off the night's festivities and provided for some truly surreal moments. Getting the chance to see brand new Lonnie Walker tunes amidst a sea of thousands is something that fills folks like me with an immense amount of joy. I got into local music in late 2008 and Lonnie Walker were the kings of the scene, pounding out show after show of high-energy singalongs that struck your core as much as your sense of rhythm. While their newer tracks are a bit more subdued, they're just as powerful as the fan-favorites, making for an incredible comeback show for this high-profile local favorite. While the transition from hopped up, twangy indie rock into the art-rock auteur St. Vincent was a bit shaky, Annie Clark's guitar mastery more than made up for it. While I'm a huge St. Vincent fan the set felt a bit impersonal, perhaps it's the wide-open spaces of City Plaza or maybe it's the choreographed stage antics, either way the content was still precisely on-point. Fans of St. Vincent sang along in unison to favorites from her latest self-titled record, Strange Mercy and some deep older cuts as well. After what felt like a brief St. Vincent set, Spoon took the stage as the crowd was at its peak. Going into this kind of blase was the best thing I could have done, because Spoon frankly surprised the hell out of me with not only their live energy and performance but also by their songwriting. I've moved a bit past the straight-forward indie rock that they showcase but I'll be damned if they don't do it well. I left about a half-hour into the set though to trot over to The Pour House for one of my most anticipated sets of the weekend.

Dark Rooms at Tir Na Nog

Crowdsource kicked off my night of venue shows and proved to be one hell of a way to start the night's marathon. Blending sprawling midi-arrangements with pounding rhythms and stunning visuals, Crowdsource's crowd grew swiftly throughout the set and compelled all in attendance to get some dancing on. I ducked out early to head across the block for Enemy Waves, mostly because heavy psych-rock in a church is so Hopscotch it hurts. Seeing sax-lead psychedelic jams inside of a gorgeous church hall is something you can really only experience at a festival as unique as Hopscotch. It's one of the perfect examples of a show that seems to be totally bizarre on paper but brilliant once you step foot in the door. After a bit of jammage it was off to check out Celestial Shore at Fletcher, a set that was exactly as perfect as I'd imagined. Expansive indie-pop just works inside of this opera hall and made me yearn for more shows at such a gorgeously built venue. The acoustic lent itself to Celestial Shore's reverb-washed style and made for an excellent chill set to refresh your energy at. From there it was off to Tir Na Nog for Dark Rooms, arguably one of my favorite sets of the weekend. This was an invigorating set that blended dream-inducing violin lines and Daniel Hart's earnest, evocative brand of songwriting with some melodically focused indie rock. While I only caught the first four or five songs, it was a set that relied heavily on ambition and it paid off immensely, as their gorgeous harmonies and unique arrangements stuck with me throughout the weekend. I darted off from here to check out Mas Ysa, but sadly enough I almost immediately left as I simply couldn't get down to what I was so excited to see.

After a trek out to CAM, I decided (poorly) to see what was going on with Sun Kil Moon at the Lincoln. Apparently I walked in shortly after those fuckin' hillbillies got berated because the crowd was sparse and the vibe was all kinds of odd. I took that as my cue to check out what else was happening around town. I walked in for the last moments of Purling Hiss then booked it over to CAM to catch as much of NGUZUNGUZU as I could. After vibing for a while to their skittering remixes, I decided to check out the greatly hyped Clipping. over at The Pour House to end my evening, and man was that a great call. Jarring beats with a surprisingly smooth flow lead the sizable Pour House crowd to jumping, bobbing and swaying their way through the evening.

Saturday

Valient Thorr at City Plaza

The first full festival day for me was also of course the last festival day. Things got kicked off early with some delicious brunch from Fiction Kitchen and a few sets over at Legends. Family Bike, a new project from Karl Kuehn of Museum Mouth, stood out amongst the early sets but shortly after that it was time to post up at Trekky's day party for a bit. I walked in to see Hi Ho Silver Oh in the middle of their full band set, and frankly it was one of the best sets I saw all weekend. Last year I was floored by a stripped down set from Casey Trela, but finally seeing the full band experience got me totally sold. Their cover of Tom Petty's "Time To Get Going" was without a doubt the most beautiful track I heard all weekend, a sparse arrangement of a classic tune that ends in a subdued singalong. The rest of the day was great, including some great sets from Celestial Shore, Phil Cook and Caitlin Rose and a rooftop view of Lonnie Walker at Slim's, but Hi Ho Silver Oh definitely won the day parties for me. Things swiftly changed direction though once City Plaza started and the metal fans poured in in bunches. It was one of the most unique crowds I've ever seen at Hopscotch and it was fucking excellent. Valient Thorr has become one of my favorite bands to see live because they're just such excellent showmen. I'm not really the type to sit around and listen to them in my house, but I'll be damned if I won't throw my fist in the air when prompted by some dude from Venus. Death and Mastodon were equally impressive, but really when you've got Valient Thorr opening it's hard to live up to that kind of energy.

T0W3RS at The Pour House

As quickly as I fell into the metal hole I came back out to check out the highly touted set from See Gulls at Deep South. It was one in one out and packed wall to wall, which is always a fantastic feeling when you're checking out a swiftly rising local act. I'm sure the NPR coverage didn't hurt in terms of attendance either. See Gulls' gritty garage pop was an excellent way to transition into Y'ALL, a band featuring various regional musicians producing some pretty simplistic but interesting pop-leaning indie rock. After that I surprisingly decided to forgo the soft folk at Fletcher and rock out to some orchestral metal from Subrosa. I was surprised at how in to this band I was, but I feel that for my level of intoxication I shouldn't be too surprised. My drunken self did make a pretty excellent call though in foregoing a trip out to CAM to check out How To Dress Well (which I'd have positively balked at if you'd told me a week ago), to check out Ava Luna and T0W3RS at Tir Na Nog and The Pour House. T0W3RS put on hands down the most elaborate, engaging and all-around incredible performances of this year's Hopscotch. T0W3RS has kind of grown into the Hopscotch band for me, really. It started with a shoulder to shoulder day party at The Hive, grew into a psych-rock excursion at CAM and has ended up at electronically oriented indie pop mastery. Whether T0W3RS was cranking out the brilliant tracks from the forthcoming album TL;DR or pulling out Don Henley covers (seriously though, "Boys of Summer" was the last thing I'd have expected from this Hopscotch), the band was giving it 100% the entire time. Plus some of the most talented artists in the Triangle were rotating around the stage to provide support for what is already an impressive one-man show. So getting to see the T0W3RS experience as it should be was easily the most enjoyable aspects of this year's Hopscotch.

Jamie XX at CAM

Ending the night at Jamie XX though. I feel as if I need to type out a moment of journalistic silence in appreciation for how incredibly arranged that set was. Mastering the push and pull of energy, Jamie XX's pacing allowed fans to lose themselves in the melody or dance until they fall out. Frankly there was a good bit of both. Roaming throughout the venue one could find dance circles, crowd surfers, bathroom pot smokers and pretty much every type of person you could imagine just jamming out and enjoying the music. It was the perfect way to end this year's festivities. With us all under one roof raving.

Ears to the Ground: "Doldrums" by Dad & Dad

I'll never forget the first time I heard the slow-rise of "Moonbreath" Virgins Family Band's opening track from their debut album Honeylion. The slow sense of awe, serenity and infatuation that washed over me is indescribable. It was one of those moments where the music you've always yearned for perfectly coincided with what you were actually experiencing. Sadly enough Virgins Family Band disbanded earlier this year, but they've wasted no time in re-establishing themselves as local staples with their new electronically-oriented project Dad & Dad. They made their pseudo-debut here in the Triangle this past weekend as the bulk of Derek Torres' backing band for the massive T0W3RS set at The Pour House and proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that they're some of the most versatile and talented musicians in the region.

Now, on the heels of their huge Hopscotch performance, I'm absurdly excited to premiere the first track from Dad & Dad, "Doldrums." As the track slowly unfurls there's gradual bursts of bubbling synths and airy slide guitar mixed in with delayed guitar licks and washed-out vocals. It's like if you took all of the eccentricities of Virgins Family Band and dipped them in a psychedelic wash. Saman Khoujinian's vocals feel simultaneously distant and all-encompassing, as if they're narratives from a dream, guiding the listener through a transcendental adventure. Images of afghan-wrapped travelers in the distance of a blue city, far from the doldrums, propel the song's choppy narrative, but add to the disjointed and angular nature of the track.

Whether you're focusing in on the slow-churning, astonishingly spacey instrumentation or the smooth, airy vocals that help give the track its dream-like nature, there's plenty to fall in love with about "Doldrums." It's a psych-rock track unlike any I've heard before, especially from a local crew. Dad & Dad appear to blend the most agreeable aspects of electronica and psych-pop to create something entirely new and fascinating with an infinite amount of potential. When a band comes so strong out of the gate with such a clearly defined sound, it's always exhilarating to see their progression into musical excellence. Frankly I'm already giddy to hear what comes next.

Hopscotch Music Festival 2014 Itinerary: Day Three Itinerary

Usually by Day Three all pre-planned schedules are off for me. It's to wherever seems the most reasonable, comfortable, less-packed, etc. That's usually lent itself to some pretty incredible nights, but alas that's not the game plan this time. Saturday is arguably my favorite day of the schedule, and while I may not garner as much interest in the City Plaza hard rock-fest as others, it's still a ridiculous lineup from top to bottom. This will be the first day of the festival that I get to check out the Day Parties and I'll likely be bouncing between the Trekky/Hometapes Party at The Pour House, Reverbnation's Party at Deep South and Legends' Let Feedback Ring Party, a trio of shows that bring together some of the best locals and touring artists of the festival. After all of the day partying it'll be time to mosey on down to City Plaza for one of the most energetic, engaging metal acts I've ever had the joy of seeing.

Photo credit: Grant Golden

Valient Thorr at City Plaza @ 5:45 pm
Last year's CAM set from Valient Thorr was one of my favorite shows at Hopscotch, the dudes simply know how to put on a show. You're liable to see Valient Himself trotting around the stage with his badass denim jacket flailing to-and-fro as he manically mounts speakers and shoots imaginary cannons, and frankly who's not down with that? They'll be an excellent way to open the heaviest night of City Plaza in history, they're an easily palatable hard rock band that's got crowd control down pat. If you're thinking about skipping out on the early City Plaza shows on Saturday, then maybe reconsider to check this crew out.

Photo courtesy of Death

Death at City Plaza @ 6:50 pm
Death is one of those bands I've always had the pleasure of hearing about, so I know how iconic they are throughout the history of punk rock and music in general. Death is credited as one of, if not the, first black punk band and really helped fuel the uprising of Detroit punk in the 70s. They'd been broken up for decades, but in the past few years a reunion and acclaimed documentary A Band Called Death has thrust the band back into the spotlight. I'd imagine a lot of drunken flailing around to be going on close up at City Plaza, and most importantly a lot of really confused non-concert goers. People watching will be in its prime here folks.

Photo courtesy of Mastodon

Mastodon at City Plaza @ 8:15 pm
Little is left to be said of the massive metal band Mastodon. They've gradually ascended to mainstream stardom thanks to their consistently excellent releases since 2002's Remission, and since their beginnings they've been slowly expanding upon their sound to create a more broad appeal for fans. With Valient Thorr and Death opening up the evening, things will surely roll easily into Mastodon's highly anticipated set as the first metal headliner of the festival. Mastodon's City Plaza set feels like a true coming-out party for Hopscotch metal, the festival has long been home to some of the genre's most celebrated acts but never before have they been blasting throughout the streets of downtown Raleigh. If only that debutante ball could see us now.

Photo courtesy of See Gulls

See Gulls at Deep South @ 9:00 pm
When this lineup dropped See Gulls was one of the new local acts I knew that I had to check out. I'd heard rumblings of this female-centric garage rock group, but hadn't had the fortune of seeing them live until a few months back. Fronted by Sarah Fuller, formerly of The Big Picture, See Gulls boasts a seriously raucous live energy that puts a grittier spin on their already fuzzed out anthems. Songs that may have started out as little folk diddies are turned into full-on punk rock bangers. With Maria Albani (Schooner, Organos) on drums and Duncan Webster (Hammer No More The Fingers, Beauty World) and Leah Gibson (Lost in the Trees, Beauty World) on guitar and bass, this local supergroup of sorts is most definitely worthy of an early leave from City Plaza.

Funkss at Pour House Music Hall @ 9:30 pm
When I first saw funkss amidst a sea of underage badkids that were boasting of the 40s and blunts they downed in the parking lot of a Yung Lean show, he served a messiah of sorts. Lifting me up from the shoulder to shoulder bro-sweat with their backwards snapbacks and psychedelic tank-tops and into a dark, yet danceable land of aggressive electronic music. It's a bit hard to categorize these songs, but there's really little need to as well. It's music that transplants you to a different headspace, allowing you to lose yourself in the deep rhythms and brooding melodies.

Photo courtesy of Alexandra Sauser-Monnig

Alexandra Sauser-Monnig at Fletcher Opera Hall @ 10:00 pm
It's always important to remember that Hopscotch is a marathon, not a race. While I'd love to stay at The Pour House and dance myself ragged until How To Dress Well/Jamie XX, it's impotant to pace yourself. That's why sets like this one are so damn important. Not only will one-third of the gorgeously harmonic folk trio Mountain Man be at Fletcher, but there'll also be cozy seats and probably quite a few nappers. But frankly, if you're literally sleeping on Alexandra Sauser-Monnig then you're making a huge mistake. This'll likely be comparable to the Angel Olsen set at last year's Hopscotch, a set filled with insanely quiet concertgoers soaking in the breathtaking sounds of this passionate folk singer.

Photo courtesy of How To Dress Well

How To Dress Well at CAM Raleigh @ 11:30 pm
I didn't think that picking How To Dress Well would be the hardest decision of my Hopscotch this year, but they're going up against the local superstar T0W3RS. T0W3RS will be pulling out all the stops with a special full-band performance at The Pour House that'll likely be filled to capacity. Unfortunately though, it's hard to always pick the beloved local over a high-profile touring artist that doesn't come through very frequently. How To Dress Well  is on the heels of What Is This Heart? a fully realized neo-soul/R&B work of art that surpasses any and all expectations I had of this highly touted songwriter. CAM is the perfect place for these low-end heavy croons to fill the airwaves, and with Jamie XX closing out the evening there's little reason to leave.

Photo courtesy of Jamie XX

Jamie XX at CAM Raleigh @ 12:30 am
For quite some time I was largely ignorant of the excellence of Jamie XX. I'd seen stories of his Gil Scott-Heron remix album, I knew he was the producer-side of The XX, but that was about it. I hadn't realized how incredible of an artist he was until I physically saw The XX at The Lincoln this past spring. The melancholy melodies up front were the last thing I was paying attention to, it was all about that thunderous bass and gorgeous synths that were making my brain shake and my teeth chatter. Jamie XX's work is crafted to envelop the listener, allow them to wrap themselves in these immense sounds that are arranged so minimalistically that it just works. Jamie XX can pick up a groove and run with it, and frankly a sweaty dance party is without a doubt one of the best ways to close out a Hopscotch. And I say that from experience.