When it comes to music festivals, I’m a dabbler. Barring a few must-see acts, I tend to wander from stage to stage to try to catch bits of as many bands as possible, hoping to stumble across a surprise or two. At many festivals, that approach can be exhausting, making it easy to spend more time rushing off to see the next band than being able to get a true feel for the performers.
But thanks to generous set lengths and the close proximity of stages and tents, Shakori Hills is a sampler’s paradise. During my 13 hours at the festival, I was able to catch parts of 22 acts with enough time to actually relax and enjoy the music. I even managed a couple of cat naps. Hit the jump for minute-by-minute impressions. Continue reading »
While Chatham County Line bassist Greg Readling and principal songwriter/ vocalist/ guitarist Dave Wilson have long used Stillhouse as their electric outlet, banjoist Chandler Holt and fiddle/ mandolin player John Teer have finally found their own channel for tunes that don’t fit CCL’s ever-evolving acoustic catalog thanks to The Jackets. With Wilson out of the picture, the songwriting talent of Holt—who contributed “Coming Home” to CCL’ s Speed of the Whippoorwill and “Whipping Boy” on IV—is given room to shine on harmony-rich AM pop numbers like “Holding On,” one of the first Jackets collaborations. The video below is from The Jacket’s December 9 debut at Raleigh’s Berkeley Cafe.
Local music fans had tough choices in Raleigh Friday night: While The Pour House held a second release party for The Old Ceremony’s Walk on Thin Air, Slim’s hosted Gray Young’s Firmamentrelease show. Though you couldn’t go wrong—both are fine CDs—those who decided to spend their whole night at only one of the venues missed some great music just yards away. Armed with a couple memory cards and bolstered by a late-night caffeine fix, I hustled to catch them both. Continue reading »
