Dar Williams coming to the Triangle with Sara Watkins

Singer songwriter Dar Williams has just announced some new tour dates, scattered throughout the summer which includes a return to the Triangle. She'll stop by the Cat's Cradle on Friday, June 25. She'll be joined by former Nickel Creek member Sara Watkins who will open the show.

Tickets for the show are on sale now via etix and the usual locations for $25.

Watkins will return to the Triangle later this year on the Summer Love Tour with Garrison Keillor. Check out more info on that tour here.

Williams' latest album is 2008's Promised Land. Check out the music video for the song "It's Alright" from the album below.

Video: Scott Avett covers Bombadil's "Marriage"

Here's a cool little nod from one North Carolina artist to another. Scott Avett (of The Avett Brothers, obviously) recorded a video performing Bombadil's song marriage. The song is from Bobadil's album Tarpits and Canyonlands released last year via Ramseur Records, which just happens to be The Avetts former label and current management.

Enjoy the video below.

The Black Keys opening for Kings of Leon in September

Powerful Ohio duo The Black Keys have just announced that they will join Kings of Leon on the final leg of their summer tour. The band will be out from Sept. 3 to 23. That includes the stop in Raleigh at the amphitheatre at Walnut Creek on Monday, Sept. 13. Tickets for the show are on sale now here.

Check out The Black Keys full list of dates with Kings of Leon below and Kings of Leon's full summer tour schedule here.

The Black Keys have a new album titled Brothers due out on May 18. Check out the videos for the songs "Tighten Up" and "Next Girl" from the album below which feature a dinosaur puppet named Frank. If you believe the scrolling text during "Next Girl," the band do not approve of these videos. Either way, the songs are pretty groovy.

St. Vincent plays stripped down set, The Love Language rocks out at Memorial Hall

To celebrate the last day of classes at UNC, students and non-students alike showed up in large numbers for the big party at Memorial Hall last night.

Local superstars The Love Language kicked things off with a groovy set of tunes, new and old. The standards like "Manteo," "Lalita" and "Providence" were killer as always, but the new songs from the band's forthcoming Merge Records debut Libraries were most intriguing.

Some of songs like "Blue Angel" and "Brittany's Back" have been a staple in live shows for a while and haven't changed much. The staccato verses and thrashing choruses of "Anthophobia" were excellent and the groovy riff of "Horophones" is simple, yet sonically perfect.

Album Review: Hurricane Bells - Tonight is the Ghost

Under the moniker Hurricane Bells, Longwave frontman Steve Schiltz has made himself a space between pop and indie rock with Tonight is the Ghost. Vagrant Records released the album back in November of last year, but the album proves itself to be a pleasing year-round listen.

Hurricane Bells first came to national recognition with the arrival of New Moon, the second installment in the film series based on the wildly popular Twilight books. The song that made it onto the soundtrack, "Monsters," is one of a few that Schiltz wrote for Longwave but didn't feel fit with the band's sound. It doesn't make it onto Tonight is the Ghost, but nonetheless, Schiltz demonstrates that he has enough talent to stand on his own as an artist, rather than just being known as "that guy who did that song from Twilight."

Jakob Dylan and Three Legs cancels Cat's Cradle show

Jakob Dylan and his band Three Legs (featuring Neko Case and Kelly Hogan) were set to play the Cat's Cradle on Tuesday, May 18, but it's been canceled. The show was announced less than two weeks ago and no reason has been given so far about the cancellation.

I'm not sure if tickets had gone on sale for the show yet, but if they did, refunds will be available at the point of purchase.

It's not much of a conciliation for those who were planning to go to the show, but you can check out Dylan and Three Legs' four-song Interface performance featuring the songs "Nothing But the Whole Wide World," "Everybody's Hurting," "Holy Rollers For Love" and "They've Trapped Us Boys" right here. They sound pretty good.

Final Raleigh Lilith performers add indie credibility

The final names for Raleigh's date on the newly revamped Lilith Fair have been announced and they add a little "indie" credibility to the more mainstream artists we brought you last week (Sarah McLachlan, Kelly Clarkson, Erykah Badu, Indigo Girls and Court Yard Hounds).

The newly added names are Lissie, Janelle Monáe, Beth Orton, Nneka and Jesca Hoop. Not bad, huh? If you're unfamiliar with any of these ladies, check out a song or video from each below.

The show is on Wednesday, Aug. 4 at the amphitheatre at Walnut Creek. Tickets go on sale this Saturday, May 1 at 10 a.m. here. The tour presale begins on Thursday, April 29 at 10 a.m. here (the password is celebration).

TRKfest 2010 announced with Megafaun, Hammer No More the Fingers and more

With summer on it's way, it's about time for the annual TRKfest, put on by the folks at Trekky Records. This is the event's third year and it is at the usual location, Piedmont Biofuels in Pittsboro. It will take place on Saturday, June 26 and if it happens to rain on that date, the event will be on Sunday, June 27.

This year's line-up includes Megafaun, Hammer No More the Fingers, Mount Moriah and more. Check out the current line-up below, though there will be more performers added later.

Hanson and Rooney team up for tour, coming to Raleigh

After all these years, the Mmmbopping Oklahoma trio Hanson is still at it. The group has a considerably smaller, yet still fervent following that keeps them going. With that sentiment, they have a new album titled Shout It Out due out on June 8 which will be followed by a month long tour with opening act Rooney.

The tour will bring the bands to Raleigh's Lincoln Theatre on Saturday, July 31. Tickets will go on sale Friday, April 30 via etix for $28.

Rooney has a new album coming out on June 8 too. It's titled Eureka and will be the band's first since parting ways with Geffen Records. Follow the link below to download the song "I Don't Wanna Lose You" from the new album.

Muse expands tour, headed to Raleigh in October

Muse is hitting the road across the US again this fall after last year's stint opening for fellow UK rockers U2.

The band's tour will bring them to Raleigh's RBC Center on Tuesday, October 26. Tickets go on sale Saturday, May 1, at 10am to the general public here and through fan pre-sale April 28 at 10 a.m. Prices are $45 and $55 with a general admission floor.

Passion Pit and Metric are splitting opening band duties on the tour, with Metric playing the Raleigh date.

Click through for the band's full tour schedule.

Eagles add dates to spring tour, coming to Raleigh

Mellow classic rockers the Eagles have decided not to 'Take It Easy' this spring. They've embarked on a spring tour that kicked off on April 16 in Los Angeles. The band have just added some new dates that will bring the band to the Triangle.

The Eagles will perform at Raleigh's RBC Center on Thursday, June 17. Tickets for the show will go on sale on Monday, May 3 at 10 a.m. here. Price points have not been announced. Prices are $55, $85, $145 and $195.

Violet Vector play entire catalog at final show

It was a celebratory yet sad night at Local 506 on Saturday as Violet Vector and the Lovely Lovelies took the stage for their final show.

The band launched into a set which featured their entire catalog in the order each song was written, starting with the classic "Tame Me Tiger." As the music started, a large pair of "V's" hanging above the stage lit up.

Throughout the set, the band sounded tighter than they ever have, slaying each song. They were joined by original drummer Doug Edmunds for the song "Applesweet" from EP II.

Album Review: Johnny Bertram and the Golden Bicycles - Days that Passed

On their debut, Johnny Bertram and the Golden Bicycles combine the sounds of the northwest with those of the deep south trying to end up somewhere in between (the Colorado/Utah border?). They occasionally strike a great balance, but spend most of the record drifting back and forth between the two regional styles.

The record opens with the two most stylistically balanced tracks, “Where I Begin” and “Fortification.” Both sound distinctly western and are full of momentum. Then comes “Private Land” that firmly brings the record back south. Its nimble guitar playing and clever political lyrics make it one of the better songs on Days that Passed.

Kelly Clarkson, Erykah Badu & more playing Raleigh Lilith date

The details of the North Carolina stops on the Lilith tour have just been announced and will feature some big names.

The Raleigh show at Walnut Creek on Aug. 4 will feature Sarah McLachlan, Kelly Clarkson, Erykah Badu, Indigo Girls, Court Yard Hounds (Martie Maguire and Emily Robinson of Dixie Chicks) and more to be announced.

The Charlotte show at Verizon Amphitheatre on Aug. 5 will feature the same line-up, except Jill Scott will take the place of Erykah Badu.

Big Alex Chilton tribute show to happen at Cat's Cradle

The passing of songwriting icon Alex Chilton last month dealt a blow to a great number of musicians who were deeply influenced by his music. On Friday, May 28 at the Cat's Cradle, an impressive line-up of local musicians will gather to celebrate Chilton's music for a night dubbed "Thank You, Friend: A Tribute to Alex Chilton."

Among the performers are Greg and Ann Humphreys, Tom Maxwell (of Squirrel Nut Zippers), John Howie, Jr. Stu McLamb and Missy Thangs (of the Love Language), Mitch Easter and the Able Hands and many more. Check out the full list below.

Tickets info is not available yet, but we'll keep you posted (be sure to follow us on Twitter for updates).

Album Review: Jews and Catholics - Who Are? We Think We Are!

It seems as though spring is debutante season for North Carolina musicians. This time, it's Winston-Salem pair Jews and Catholics that sends forth their first full-length record, Who Are? We Think We Are! via Durham-based 307 Knox Records. It's not bad, but there is definite room for improvement.

Who Are? sounds a bit like the result of forcing members of Vampire Weekend into suits and ties and cubicles for eight hours a day. It has the same quickness and catchiness, but lacks the lightness, brevity, and overall carefree air that make Vampire Weekend enjoyable. Instead, Jews and Catholics mostly rely on minor chords and a pissed-off attitude to make a record that you finish with an "eh."

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros announce hefty tour, coming to Carrboro

The breakout 10-piece (sometimes more) ensemble band Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros are gearing up for a busy summer, having just announced new North American dates that will keep the band on the road from May until Aug. The tour is set to stop at the Cat's Cradle on Friday, July 16.

Tickets for the show go on sale this Friday, April 23 via etix and the usual physical locations for $15.

Check out the band's performance of "Home" on the Late Show with David Letterman last year below. They put on a hell of a show. The band's debut album Up From Below is out now.

Gillian Welch adds last minute show in Carrboro

One of the best singers and songwriters around, Gillian Welch, has just added a last-minute show right here in the Triangle. Welch and her cohort David Rawlings will play the Cat's Cradle on Tuesday, April 27. It's the date on the Cradle's calendar left empty when Gossip canceled their show.

Tickets for the show will go on sale at noon tomorrow, April 22 via etix for $25.

It's good to see Welch returning to the lead role after a lengthy stint of the duo playing as the Dave Rawlings Machine with Rawlings singing lead, not that we don't love Rawlings too. There have rumblings of a new Welch album coming sometime in the hopefully not-too-distant future too. Her last full-length album is 2003's Soul Journey.

Check out our review and photos of the Rawlings Machine show at the Cradle last November here.

Athlete announces North American tour, playing Chapel Hill

British band Athlete are gearing up for a month long North American tour supporting their latest album, 2009's Black Swan. The tour will kick off on May 31 in Hoboken, NJ and make it's way to the Triangle at the end of the run. They will play the Local 506 in Chapel Hill on Wednesday, June 30.

Ticket info is not yet available, but they will be available via etix. The opening act or acts have not been announced yet either, but we will keep you posted.

Stream the band's latest single "The Getaway" below where you'll also find their complete tour schedule.

The Black Crowes announce massive tour, coming to Raleigh

In August, The Black Crowes will kick off a massive U.S. tour that will keep the band busy through December. The band have dubbed the tour "Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys," and say they'll be going on an indefinite hiatus when the tour wraps. The band will be playing 3 hours each night on the tour. There will be an hour and half acoustic set and an hour and a half electric set. That's quite a boon for loyal fans.

The tour will make it's way to Raleigh's new downtown Amphitheatre, currently being dubbed the Raleigh Amphitheatre and Festival Site until the naming rights have been finalized (rumor has it that a certain beverage company that used to sponsor a certain free downtown concert series is the frontrunner to get its name on the venue).

Silversun Pickups announce June tour with Against Me!

Hot alternative band Silversun Pickups are hitting the road in June for a with Against Me! and The Henry Clay People. The tour will kick off in Orlando on June 15 and make it's way up the coast to the Disco Rodeo in Raleigh on Sunday, June 20.

Tickets for the show will go on sale Saturday, April 24 at 10 a.m. here for $29.50 plus fees.

Silversun Pickups' latest album is 2009's Swoon. Against Me!'s new album White Crosses is due out on June 7. Stream the title track "White Crosses" below and you'll also find the full tour schedule.

Titus Andronicus, Spider Bags, The Dry Heathens leave ears ringing at Local 506

As evidenced by the throngs of fans packing Local 506 to the gills, concerns about Monday morning responsibilities are few when the mighty Titus Andronicus is in town. The New Jersey rockers were supported by Durham’s Dry Heathens and Carrboro-based Spider Bags for one of the best — and loudest – lineups of the year.

The Dry Heathens burned through 10 songs in just under 30 minutes. Guitarist Steve Oliva’s energy was over-the-top and his red-laced Converse seemed to never stop moving. Just as it felt like they were settling in, Dry Heathens closed with the righteous “Splendid Little War,” leaving the crowd ready for more.

Raleigh Downtown Live not happening, smaller free concert series likely

Anyone who has been reading this blog since since about 2007 knows we've never been big fans of the annual Raleigh Downtown Live summer concert series, but the bad news about the event is still a bit of a bummer. News has come via On the Beat that the concert series will not be happening this year due to the new bookings going on with the new downtown amphitheatre.

It appears that a new mid-week free concert series may pop up for the summer which has the potential to be better than the bigger series. There are many local bands I'd rather head downtown to catch rather than Eve 6 or Filter. We'll keep you posted on this new series.

Tom Petty postpones first ten dates of tour, Raleigh rescheduled

We have some bad news for everyone looking forward to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers show scheduled for May 6. You're going to have to wait an extra four months. The band has postponed the first ten dates of their upcoming tour due to "a delay in the arrival" of the band's new album Mojo, which is now scheduled to be released on June 15.

The new date for the show at Walnut Creek is Saturday, Sept. 18. The Charlotte show is now on Sunday, Sept. 19. As of now, it's unconfirmed whether Joe Cocker will still open the shows. Check out the updated tour schedule below for the complete changes.

Album Review: Caribou - Swim

Caribou, the alias of Canadian musician and Merge artist Daniel Snaith, is tough to pin when it comes to applying a succinct label. Electronic chill indie dance pop is about as pared down as it could get. His most recent musical endeavor is no different. Swim is a breath of fresh air in a time where a lot of music sounds stale.

In a way, Swim is a lot like Frankenstein's monster: sewn-together bits of other bands that make a mighty creature who is bound to capture you. Snaith sounds as though he has gleaned bits of inspiration from the likes of daft Punk, Kraftwerk, or Animal Collective; however, what he does with these bits is what makes Swim such an interesting listen.

Jakob Dylan & Three Legs feat. Neko Case announces new dates

Jakob Dylan and his new band Three Legs featuring Neko Case and Kelly Hogan have just announced some new dates supporting Dylan's newly released album Women and Country. The dates include a stop at the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Tuesday, May 18. Tickets for the show will be $25 and will be available soon via etix.

Check out a video performance of the song "Everybody's Hurting" filmed for WNYC's program Soundcheck below along with Dylan's tour schedule.

Jay Sean, Flogging Molly & more coming to Duke

UNC has already lined up an awesome line-up for it's last day of classes party and Duke has a big party planned to, but is far more mainstream, as it tends to be (past headliners have included Ben Folds, The Roots and Kanye West).

This year Jay Sean will headline the big event on April 28 and I have to admit his hit song "Down" is damn catchy. Other performers will include Flogging Molly, Rooney and Big D & the Kids Table. There will be daytime sets too, but those haven't been announced yet.

A Prairie Home Companion announces 'Summer Love Tour'

Humorist, radio personality, storyteller and writer Garrison Keillor is hitting the road in late summer with former Nickel Creek singer and fiddle player Sara Watkins and The Guys All Star Shoe Band on tour with his beloved radio program A Prairie Home Companion. The tour has been dubbed the "Summer Love Tour" and will kick-off in Interlochen, MI on Aug. 10.

The second-to-last date of the tour is at Cary's Koka Booth Amphitheatre on Saturday, Sept. 11. Ticket info is not available yet, but we'll keep you posted.

Full details of Duke's Music in the Gardens series

With the winter we had this year, it's almost hard to believe that just six weeks from now we'll be spreading a blanket on the lawn at Duke Gardens to enjoy another summer full of great music. It should be no secret by now that the folks at Duke Performances excel at pulling together a fantastic roster of artists to fill the Gardens with their sounds, and this year is no different.

The series will kick off on Wednesday, May 26, with Raleigh-based Annuals and continue for 10 weeks including nights with Camera Obscura, Lonnie Walker, Kingsbury Manx, Max Indian and more.

Joan Baez announces summer tour, playing NCMA

Folk songstress Joan Baez has just announced a series of summer tour dates that will bring her back to the Triangle. She was last here in February 2009 playing the Carolina Theatre in Durham. This summer, she's been added to the North Carolina Museum of Art's growing line-up. She'll play the Raleigh museum on Sunday, Aug. 1.

Tickets for the show will go on sale to the public on April 23 here. Museum members and email subscribers can buy their tickets on April 16. They will be $20 for the public and $15 for members.

St. Vincent, The Love Language playing Chapel Hill

Here's a big show that's happening soon that just popped up on the radar today. UNC's Carolina Union Activities Board have put together quite a line-up to celebrate the last day of classes this year. St. Vincent and The Love Language will take to the Memorial Hall stage on UNC's campus on Wednesday, April 28.

Tickets for the show will be free for students and will be available starting Monday, April 19 at 10 a.m. Tickets for the public will be $15, but won't be available until Monday, April 26 at 10 a.m. here or at the box office.

It's going to be an awesome show.

[photo by Annabel Mehran]

Album Review: Free Electric State - Caress

Tuesday, April 20 is an exciting day for Durham foursome Free Electric State. It means the arrival of their debut album Caress on Churchkey records, the Durham label that took them on last December.

Caress is pleasantly surprising in its depth and quality, especially for a first release, managing to sound distant and extraordinarily up close at the same time. It's like the band recorded the album at the bottom of an empty stairwell, and you're standing a few floors up. Despite your distance, the music still envelopes and nearly drowns you in a thick, dark ocean of something that completely transcends the word "noise."

New music from The Love Language - "Heart To Tell" + 'Libraries' release date

The first music from The Love Language's new album Libraries has surfaced along with the the details of the release. Merge Records announced that the band's sophomore album will be released on July 17. The album will feature 10 tracks including mainstays of the band's live sets "Brittany's Back" and "Blue Angel." Check out the full track list below.

Download the album's sixth track titled "Heart To Tell" below. The song is a blistering 2 minute and 27 seconds and retains the lo-fi charm of the The Love Language's self-titled debut while adding enough polish to make the album accessible to a wider audience. It sounds like the album will be a force to be reckoned with.

Also check a short video below about the making of the album during the big snowstorm that rolled through earlier this year.

Sheryl Crow announces summer tour, coming to Cary

Seasoned folkpop songwriter Sheryl Crow is gearing up to release her seventh full-length album titled 100 Miles To Memphis on July. She will precede and follow-up the release with a series of tour dates that will bring her to Cary's Koka Booth Amphitheatre on Sunday, August 15. As of now, it's her only show in the Carolinas. Colbie Callait will open the show.

Tickets for the show will go on sale here on Friday, April 16 at 10 a.m. for $39.50 (lawn) and $59.50 (reserved). A presale will begin on Wednesday, April 14 at 10 a.m. here with the password favorite.

Check out the complete tour schedule below.

Schoolkids planning for big Record Store Day

With the third annual Record Store Day coming up this weekend on Saturday, April 17, Schoolkids Records on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh are going to have some big events going on. Besides the cool exclusives that will be available at the store, there will be a trio of heavy acts stopping by.

First, Sick Puppies will stop by the store for an acoustic performance and meet-and-greet at noon. They are releasing a Record Store Day exclusive CD titled Live & Unplugged.

Video: Megafaun plays Take Away Show or Take Away Sermon

The lads of Megafaun are making a lot of noise lately. We just brought you their new song "Volunteers" on Friday and now the band's very own "Take Away Show" has gone up. The performance was filmed in Montreal and features guests musicians Martin Anderson (of Trekky Records), Sharon Van Etten and Elizabeth Powell (of Land of Talk).

Hijinks ensue when drummer Joe Westerlund dawns Jesus-esque robes and intervenes on a fuzzy dice craps game before launching into "His Robe." West Side Story style finger snaps follow as the band then picks up their instruments at a cafe.

The other two songs featured, which are more straightforward performances are "Tides" and "Volunteers." The latter sounds as amazing as the recorded version. It's just a breathtaking tune. Enjoy the videos below.

Lilith Fair announces summer dates, coming to Raleigh

After months of only the city Raleigh appearing on the Lilith Fair's tour schedule with no venue, the full schedule has been announced and now we know some of the details. The tour will come to the Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek on Wednesday, August 4. Ticket info for the show is not available yet, but we'll keep you posted (be sure to follow us on Twitter).

The tour will follow the usual path and stop at Charlotte's Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre the following night, Thursday, August 5.

Sarah McLachlan will be the constant throughout the tour, headlining each night, but the specific line-up for each show has not been announced. There is a massive list of performers though, which you can check out below and hope your favorites will be on the Raleigh bill. Tegan and Sara, Sheryl Crow and Colbie Caillat are likely non-starters since they each have other upcoming shows booked in the Triangle. We'll updated you once the Raleigh line-up is announced.

Album Review: Shark Speed - Education EP

Last Tuesday marked the digital arrival of a new EP, Education, from Provo, UT band Shark Speed. Though the band often attracts comparisons to indie band Minus the Bear, their sound is closer to that of local favorite I Was Totally Destroying It. With Education, the trio sounds more like IWTDI's kid sibling who, despite his best efforts, just can't be as cool as his big brother.

They make a good effort with this short yet solid block of pop tunes, but it's not anything daring or different. All of the songs fit together well; Education is clearly beyond a jumble of songs that got cut from their most recent album Sea Sick Songs, which the band released themselves last year.

David Gray excites rowdy, packed house at DPAC

Friday night brought a rowdy, packed house to the Durham Performing Arts Center for a performance by British songwriter David Gray.

The night got started with a short, but fantastic set from Phosphorescent. The band performed two songs from the acclaimed 2007 album To Willie, an album of Willie Nelson songs. The highlight of the set though was the groovy song "Tell Me Baby (Have You Had Enough)" from the band's new album Here's To Taking It Easy due out on May 11.

Though they only played for 30 minutes, but Phosphorescent won over the crowd, earning a standing ovation as they left the stage.

Next came the main event. David Gray and his band took the stage behind a white curtain and began strumming the opening chords of "Fugitive."

New music from Megafaun - "Volunteers"

With Megafaun preparing to release their new "mini-album" titled Heretofore later this summer, they have offered up song from the release. It's beautiful song called "Volunteers" that sounds like the soundtrack for watching old 16mm black and white home movies. It really is a phenomenal tune. Download the song by clicking the link below which will take you to Stereogum who has the download.

Megafaun are currently on a U.S. tour that will wrap at the Cat's Cradle on Friday May 7. There are still tickets available via etix or the usual places around the Triangle for $10.

Holy Ghost Tent Revival, Sol Driven Train set Pour House afire

The Pour House opened its doors last night to Charleston-based Sol Driven Train and Greensboro boys Holy Ghost Tent Revival. The evening’s torrential rain and frequent lightning were visible through the windows over the stage, but not a single person cared (except perhaps maybe those who, like me, parked their pollen-coated cars in the parking garage). Inside was warm and cozy, full of great music played by fabulous musicians.

Sol Driven Train, who most notably opened for Squirrel Nut Zippers back in December, began the show with their unique sound blend of jazz and jam-band. High points included a beautiful rendition of The Avett Brothers’ “Weight of Lies” and the most intriguing tribute to long underwear I have ever heard (“Long Johns,” dedicated to a girl in the audience who could not have been more than six years old). Perhaps the strongest part of Sol Driven Train’s set was when each member grabbed a different kind of drum, resulting in a powerful, nearly indescribable piece that you have to experience to understand completely.

Chatham County Line releasing 'Wildwood' in July

The Triangle's premier string band, Chatham County Line, are gearing up to release their fifth full-length album, the follow-up to 2008's IV. The album is dubbed Wildwood and will be released by Yep Roc Records on July 13. We'll bring you more specifics of the release once they're available.

In the meantime, wet your whistle with performances of the songs "Wildwood" and "Sweet Marie, or, Crop Comes In" from the new album below. The performances were for radio station WNRN in Virginia in January.

Rhett Miller announces solo shows, coming to Raleigh

In the midst of playing some shows the summer with his band The Old 97s, frontman Rhett Miller will be playing some solo shows. One of the few stops so far on the solo tour is The Pour House in Raleigh. He'll play the club on Saturday, June 5. Ticket info is not yet available, but we'll keep you posted.

[UPDATE May 6: Tickets info is finally available. They are $15 in advance and available here now. The Balsa Gliders and Johnny Orr will open the show.]

Miller's latest album is his 2009 self-titled release. Check out a solo acoustic performance of "I Need To Know Where I Stand" below as well as the current tour schedule.

Animal Collective's 'Oddsac' screening in Chapel Hill

Animal Collective's experimental film project titled Oddsac has been making it's way across the country after a big premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January. The film will make it's way to the Varsity Theatre on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill on Friday, April 23. There will be two screenings at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Director Danny Perez and members of Animal Collective will be on-hand for the event. Tickets are $15 are available in advance here.

The 53-minute film has been four years in the making and is said to be quite trippy. Actually, that's an understatement from viewing the trailer, which you can experience below.

Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Surfer Blood & Hooray For Earth announce dates

An excellent trio of up-and-coming bands, The Pains of the Being Pure at Heart, Surfer Blood and Hooray For Earth are teaming up for a brief run of shows together in June. The tour will bring the fuzzed out trio of bands to the Cat's Cradle on Tuesday, June 15. Tickets for the show go on sale on Friday, April 9 via etix for $12.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart will release the new "Say No To Love" 7" on June 8. Surfer Blood released their excellent debut album Astro Coast in January. Hooray For Earth will release the MOMO EP on June 1. Download the opening track from the EP "Surrounded By Your Friends" below.

Delta Spirit announces summer tour, playing Carrboro

With the band's third full-length album titled History From Below due out on June 8, California band Delta Spirit are planning to hit the road this summer for an extensive North American tour. As you may have guessed, they are headed to the Triangle. The group will play the Cat's Cradle on Monday, July 5. Tickets for the show will be $10 and will be available via etix soon.

Check out an IFC video from SXSW below that features Delta Spirit performing and talking about the new album. It also features Wye Oak, so keep watching after the Delta Spirit segment is over.

Superchunk returning to the Cradle in May + videos of new songs

Fresh off of a few sets at this year's SXSW Music Conference in Austin, TX, local indie superstars Superchunk are preparing for a show at home. The quartet will rock their familiar stomping ground, the Cat's Cradle on Friday, May 21. Tickets for the show will be $14 and will on sale soon via etix.

The band have been working on a new album which will hopefully be out this year. The band played a number of new songs at SWSW which sound great. Check out a couple videos of some new songs below that are believed to be titled "Digging For Something" and "Everything At Once."

Free Energy announces new tour, playing Chapel Hill

The high energy, powerpop buzz band Free Energy from Philadelphia has announced a new round of U.S. dates that will bring the quintet to the Triangle. They will play Local 506 in Chapel Hill on Tuesday, June 1. Jukebox the Ghost will open the show. Ticket info is not available yet, but we'll keep you posted. Considering their rising stature, I predict this one will be a sell out.

Tickets for the show are available now via etix for $10. Miniature Tigers as been added to the bill as well.

Free Energy's debut album Stuck On Nothing was digitally released in March, but will finally get a physical release via Astralwerks/DFA Records on May 4. Check out a performance of the song "Free Energy" from the Late Show with David Letterman below. It's one of those songs that is just so fun that you can't help but smile when you hear it's Thin Lizzy-esque pop. You can download the song below too.

Lady Gaga ticket presale is live, official onsale date this Friday

Tickets for Lady Gaga's September 19th show at Raleigh's RBC Center are on sale now during a three different presale events. Tickets range from $49.50-$175.

The presale will run through Thursday and is available to Citi card holders, Virgin Mobile customers, and to those who know the secret venue presale password. (Psst...the password is "romance")

Tickets go on sale to the general public Friday, April 9, at 10 a.m. thorough all your favorite Ticketmaster outlets. It does not appear that general admission tickets are available during presale, so if you want to engage in a giant dance pit you'll have to wait until then to get your tickets.

Album Review: MGMT - Congratulations

Take a moment to examine the cover art to the right. Think about how you would describe it. Bizarre? Spacey? Demented Looney Tunes? There’s no one way to describe it, but that picture is the perfect representation of the music behind it.

Congratulations, the second offering from MGMT, has already been the most talked about album on the web this year. First came the announcements from the band that there would be no singles and that they were going in a different direction than the melodious electro-pop that brought early admiration. Then came the album leak, the backlash, and the backlash to the backlash. Few albums in history have split fans more.