Hopscotch Music Festival's day parties are always a highlight of the festival. Free all-day lineups of music (and in this case, PIZZA!) at clubs throughout downtown Raleigh provide the budget-conscious music fan a way to see many local, and a handful of touring, bands perform on the cheap. And there is usually no better day party than PotLuck's Annual Rock'n'Roll Pizza Party, at Slim's.
So good is it, in fact, that I never ventured to another day party on this Thursday afternoon, despite the fact that there were many within a few blocks' walk. Durham label / co-op / community PotLuck have so many great bands in their orbit that there was no need to go further for music.
At the PotLuck Pizza Party, bands alternate between indoor and outdoor stages, with barely a minute break between sets. This year featured: Teardrop Canyon, The Second Wife, Knurr and Spell, Beauty World, See Gulls, Schooner (above), and Some Army... among others, these were all I saw. I've written about most of these bands here before, and they're all good. But The Second Wife, Knurr and Spell, and Beauty World were new to me (though I'd caught snippets of the latter once or twice before). The Second Wife features powerhouse singer Reese Henry in a pretty raw, stripped-down rock'n'roll setting that's great for her voice. Knurr and Spell is fronted by a couple of North Elementary members doing their own, more synthy/Brit-sounding pop. Beauty World feature (until recently) half of See Gulls, Duncan Webster (Hammer No More the Fingers) and Leah Gibson. Their amalgam of cello, banjo-uke-guitar, drums, etc, although clearly very structured and complex, still comes off as fun and whimsical.
Lazy photog's way out: I've still so many Hopscotch shots to process that I just don't want to edit them all, so these have been converted to Black & White. Actually, the stark light (especially outside) at Slim's that bright day lent itself better to B&W.
Except for one shot of See Gull Tom Sowders. That shirt! (bought in a Magazine St. shop, for extra NOLA points) I just couldn't bring myself to wash it out. In fact, I bumped that shit to 11.
Teardrop Canyon...
The Second Wife...
Knurr and Spell...
Beauty World...
See Gulls...
I apologize in advance for any seizures this may cause...
My colleagues were out in force for See Gulls...
Schooner...
Some Army...
Check out the PotLuck link above. Several of these bands have recent releases which are excellent, including Magnolia Collective and Jphono1 (who, though I missed each, opened and closed the party, respectively).
To start off Saturday at Hopscotch, Grandma Sparrow provided a whimsical introduction for Flock of Dimes over at the Pour House. Click this LINK to see a video of that.
Grandma Sparrow...
After that bit of silliness, Jenn Wasner's beautiful voice was a perfect way to steel oneself for what would be a long, last day and night of Hopscotch.
Flock of Dimes...
While awaiting the "Indie" (east) stage of the outdoor Makers Market day party to kick into gear (and after just missing my last chance to ever see Astro Cowboy, the Wilmington indie-punk band that is sadly no more), I decided to drift over to the "Americana" (west) stage. Caught a few songs by the rootsy, southern-rocky Michael Rault. This guy came all the way from Alberta, Canada!
The variety Hopscotch brings by just stepping a few yards over to another stage is amazing. It's really the single best thing about this festival.
Michael Rault on the Makers Market west stage...
Anonymous Hopscotch attendee shops for artisanal dog treats at the Makers Market...
I had hoped to catch another beautiful voice , that of Skylar Gudasz, and maybe Dead Tongues, at the west(ern?) stage later, but I hadn't seen one of my favorites, Jenny Besetzt, in quite a while. Great great songs, and one of the best drummers of any local combo (they're from Greensboro); also sporting a new keyboard player since last time I saw them. See the video below for their performance of Always from their debut album, Only.
Jenny Besetzt on the Makers Market east stage...
Some monks walking down Blount St. (no doubt heading home after a hardcore show)...
After the outdoor fun, I had to catch some of what is always among the best day parties at Hopscotch: the Phuzz Sounds Day Party at the Hive. Estrangers were another favorite Triad band that I hadn't seen in way too long. Fun show, and their new(ish) bass player is all over the place.
Estrangers...
Then I was SO glad I stuck around for Naked Gods. I'd only seen this Boone, NC, band once before, and a long time ago. I liked'em that time. But this was simply an AMAZING show. Singer Seth Sullivan casts at once an intimidating and lovable stage presence, a big bear that's as likely to hug you as he is to scream in your face or climb all over you. He migrated in and out of the crowd as he sang songs that are a much more intense experience live than the jangly psychedelia one hears on record.
See the video at the bottom of this post... second best show of Hopscotch IMHO.
Naked Gods...
After a brief chill, I headed north again for the close of the day party at Person Street Bar. There was a full line-up of great bands here earlier, but I had seen See Gulls and Ghostt Bllonde in the previous 2 days (and many times before), and Wild Fur, well, was just too early. I did, however, catch Schooner. So my day parties this year ended the way they started, although I only managed to hear Reid Johnson's voice echo through the parking deck as I approached Slim's on Thursday afternoon.
Notably, this set was Patrick O'Neill's last of 6 (count'em, SIX) sets at Hopscotch this year... with The Wyrms, Schooner (2X), Some Army, Jphono1, who am I forgettin'? Dwight Yoakum? X? Was he backing up Pusha T? Anyway, O'Neill's playing second guitar to frontman Johnson in the photos below, and he's still standing! (though from what I understand, Reid was havin' a little trouble after this set due to dehydration... glad yer feelin' better dude!).
Hey, at least summer's over... I think the last Hopscotch day party has become the official National Weather Service indicator of the start of fall.
Schooner...
Here's dem videos.
Jenny Besetzt performing Always on the outdoor stage...
Naked Gods performing Picture in a Picture (the sound quality's not quite as bad if you plug into some decent speakers, but it still ain't great)...
It was a fun last day of day parties, with an even better last night of club shows to come. Coming up, X, Zack Mexico, and much more...
I've sometimes wondered why I spend so much time and effort going to mostly local bands' shows at Hopscotch, with all the big-ish and buzzy bands attending. But I have to face facts: I'm a musical locavore. With such an incredible scene here, Hopscotch is a three-day buffet of great local music. There are local bands that seldom play -- maybe that I haven't even been able to see yet -- so I get to enjoy them. And there are my favorite local bands that I see more often. My favorite bands ARE local, so to see ten of them in one day is really a pretty nice deal.
Add to that a the spice from sometimes stunning shows by national acts: this Thursday for me it was Battles and Jenny Hval (photos to come later)... and by the end of just one day, I'm simply stuffed. Appropriately, I started this year's Hopscotch at the always great Potluck Foundation Hopscotch Pizza Party at Slim's. Basically, I spent all day there. Below are my first slew of Hopscotch photos, and a couple of videos... all local bands, all from the Potluck Party. More to come later, from Thursday night and beyond.
I walked up as Schooner was echoing through the concrete slabs of the Moore Square parking deck, a "venue" that's becoming a bit of a Hopscotch tradition, as there are always people hanging out there taking in the tunes from Slim's outdoor stage.
The crowd in the back at Slim's Downtown taking in Schooner...
Heading inside, the first proper show I caught was by Greensboro's the Kneads. Their tight brand of indie-guitar-rock was a pleasant jolt (in lieu of coffee) to start the festival.
The Kneads...
I took a break to try to see Asheville's great Nest Egg at Kings. As a result, I unfortunately missed a trimmed-down Wyrms set that I didn't think was going to happen...AND I missed Nest Egg anyway! #hopscotchproblems
But I did return in time for Horizontal Hold, a new-ish post-punk band with a bunch of veterans of the local scene.
Horizontal Hold...
Eston and The Outs, another new-ish local band (one that I've raved about here recently), were next. His whole Carolina Wrecking Crew were there; Eston has a great supporting cast, appropriate for the wonderful songs on his second album, AM Gold. See the video below for one of the live songs.
LOOK! It's Eston and the Outs...
The Carolina Wrecking Crew...
Josh Starmer's cello really fleshes out the Outs' sound...
Talk to the hand, 'cause Eston ain't listenin'... :)
Here's Eston and the Outs performing the first song off AM Gold, Whatever Donna / A Notch for Nancy...
Then it was back inside for Jphono1, who have filled out nicely as a full band now. Note Patrick O'Niell, foreground below, playing his 3rd of what will be 6 sets at Hopscotch by the time it's over... Schooner, Wyrms, Jphono1, Some Army, Schooner... who am I missing? Did he sneak up onstage with Dwight?
Jphono1...
The always great See Gulls had a treat in store with former member Jacki Huntington returning tfor Hopscotch. She sang Don't Write Me Love Songs and Bam Bam, along with backup (and bubbles) throughout. See a video of Bam Bam below.
See Gulls...
Here's See Gulls doing Bam Bam...
After the first day parties were over, a quick storm blew over, and the rainbow over downtown signaled that a great Hopscotch was underway.
Up next, Thursday night: Jenny Hval, Battles, and more great local bands.
