J.D. Souther announces tour with Jill Andrews, coming to Carrboro

Acclaimed singer-songwriter J.D. Souther is teaming up with former Everybodyfields singer Jill Andrews for a tour this June that will kick off in the Triangle.

They'll play the ArtsCenter in Carrboro on Sunday, June 12. Tickets are on sale now via etix for $24.

Souther's latest studio album is 2008's If the World Was You. Download the song "Journey Down the Nile" from the album via the widget below.

[Update: Ahead of the tour, Souther will release a new album titled Natural History on May 31.]

Win tickets to Interpol at Disco Rodeo

After swinging through indie rock fest Coachella earlier this month, Interpol is back to their massive spring tour that has them crisscrossing North America and coming right through Raleigh to the Disco Rodeo on Wednesday, May 4. And thanks to the fine folks at Cat's Cradle, we have a pair of tickets to give away to the show.

To enter for your chance to win, email trianglemusicblog at gmail dot com with "Interpol tickets" in the subject line no later than noon on Monday, May 2.

For additional chances to win, "like" our page on Facebook and send us a separate email with "Facebook entry" in the body. You can also follow us on Twitter and retweet our giveaway announcement and send us an email with your Twitter user name. That's up to three chances to win tickets to see Interpol!

Guster plays an electrifying show at Carolina Theatre

All photos by Kevin Norris

For the first time since 2006, Guster made their way to the Triangle Wednesday night, playing a vibrant, career-spanning set for about a thousand enthusiastic fans at the Carolina Theatre in Durham.

The band hit the stage and launched into "The Captain," and then straight into a big sing along of the classic "Happier."

The band dropped songs from their latest album Easy Wonderful into the set between older songs, starting with "Architects & Engineers," which sounded fantastic live.

Video: The Ladybug Transistor play "Clutching Stems" during XX Merge

Let us flash back to the summer of 2009 and the fantastic XX Merge Festival in Carrboro and Chapel Hill. New York band The Ladybug Transistor was part of the festivities and played a great set at the Cat's Cradle on July 25, 2009 (see photos and a review HERE).

The band were clearly eyeing the future as they played the festival almost two years ago, because while in town, the band filmed a performance of the song "Clutching Stems" in a hotel room at the Holiday Inn. The song is the title track of the band's forthcoming album due out on June 7, 2011. Watch the performance below where you can also download the song.

Grace Potter & the Nocturnals join Bonnaroo Buzz Tour, coming to Raleigh

Fiery singer-songwriter Grace Potter and her band The Nocturnals will hit the road this spring on the Bonnaroo Buzz Tour. As the name suggests, the tour will create a buzz for the festival, with the last stop of the tour being the festival itself in Manchester, TN.

The tour will stop at the Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh on Sunday, May 29. Futurebirds, Guy Clark Jr., The Blackbox Revelation and Julie McCullough. Tickets for the show are available now via etix for $20.

Potter and the Nocturnals released their latest album, which is self-titled, last June. It spawned the hit single "Paris (Ooh La La)." Check out the music video for the song below.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. & Generationals announce spring tour, coming to Chapel Hill

Up and coming indie rock duos Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. from Detroit, MI and Generationals from New Orleans, LA are joining forces on a spring tour which will bring them to the Triangle.

The bands will play Local 506 in Chapel Hill on Thursday, May 19. Tickets are available now via etix for $10.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.'s new album It's a Corporate World is due out on June 7. Download the song "Morning Thought" from the album via the band's website or stream it below.

Death Cab For Cutie announces summer tour, coming to Cary

Photo by Danny Clinch

Indie superstars Death Cab For Cutie are gearing up for the release of their seventh studio album on May 31 titled Codes and Keys, and will hit the road to support it. The tour will keep them on the road in North America and Europe through the summer.

On the second leg of their North American tour, the band will hit Koka Booth Amphitheater in Cary on Monday, August 8. Frightened Rabbit will open the show. Tickets for the show will go on sale to the public on Friday, May 6 at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster or the venue box office for $37 for the pit or reserved tables and $32 for lawn seats. The fanclub pre-sale will start on Friday, April 29.

WUNC announces 2011 Music on the Lawn series

This Friday, April 29, The Small Ponds will kick off WUNC's 2011 Back Porch Music on the Lawn concert series at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham.

This year's series is fantastic as a whole, but a performance by Chapel Hill born singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III towards the end of the season, on September 16, certainly stands out

Shows will happen on Fridays throughout the summer and will feature Steep Canyon Rangers, Holy Ghost Tent Revival, Chatham County Line and others. Check out the full schedule below. Each show starts at 6 p.m.

Win tickets to Pinback at Cat's Cradle

Pinback's new album won't be released until sometime in 2012, but you can get your fix in the meantime when the duo rolls through Cat's Cradle on Monday, May 2. And even better, we've got a pair of tickets to give away.

To enter for your chance to win, email trianglemusicblog at gmail dot com with "Pinback tickets" in the subject line no later than noon on Thursday, April 28. One entry per person, please. We will randomly select a winner and two runners up that afternoon.

Tickets to the show are $14 in advance via etix and $16 day of. Judgement Day will open the show.

Benefit for tornado victims at Tir Na Nog Tuesday night

Ten local acts are banding together to help victims of the devastating tornadoes that ripped through North Carolina a few weeks ago. The event is being held at Tir Na Nog in downtown Raleigh from 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 26.

The event is free, but donations of whatever you can give will go to help two families who lost four children due to the tornadoes. The names of the families are being withheld so they can maintain some privacy. Tir Na Nog will also be giving away burgers during the events, so there's even more reason to be generous.

Check out the full schedule of bands performing below. Stop by and support a worthy cause.

Album Review: Times New Viking - Dancer Equired

If you’ve listened to any of Times New Viking’s previous albums, you might not recognize the band on Dancer Equired.

The decibel meter-crushing wall of fuzz, a signature of the band, is gone. The songs here are frayed at the edges, but the lyrics and individual instruments are now discernible.

This gives Dance Equired a completely different feel than anything they’ve recorded before. A large percentage of the band’s energy on earlier records came from the violence of the volume and the ferociousness of the fuzz. Now everything is driven entirely by Times New Viking’s keen sense of melody.

Eleanor Friedberger signs with Merge, new album in July

Singer-songwriter Eleanor Friedberger, best known as one-half of the sibling duo The Fiery Furnaces, has signed to Merge Records, who will release her debut solo album this summer.

Appropriately enough, considering it's July 12 release date, the album is titled Last Summer. The album is a collection of songs that were never released on any of The Fiery Furnaces albums

Download the fantastic little pop song "My Mistakes" fromt the album below. Friedberger is expected to hit the road to support the album later this year. We'll keep you posted if she comes our way.

Win tickets to Man Man at Cat's Cradle

Philadelphia-based experimental rockers Man Man will swing through Cat's Cradle on Thursday, April 28, while gearing up for the release of a new album, Life Fantastic, in May, and we've got a pair of tickets to the show.

To enter for your chance to win, email trianglemusicblog at gmail dot com with "Man Man tickets" in the subject line no later than noon on Monday, April 25. One entry per person, please. We will randomly select a winner and notify them Monday afternoon. Update: Congratulations, Melvin P.!

Tickets to the show are $14 and available via etix. Grandchildren will open the show.

R. Kelly announces 'Love Letter' tour, coming to Raleigh

Notorious R&B star R. Kelly is hitting the road this summer in support of his latest album Love Letter, released in December.

The tour will bring him to the RBC Center in Raleigh on Friday, June 24. Keyshia Cole and Marsha Ambrosius will open the show. Ticket info is not available yet, but we'll keep you posted. Tickets wil go on sale on Friday, May 6 at 10 a.m. for $39.50 to $79.50.

Check out Kelly's rake on old school R&B in the music video for "When a Woman Loves a Man" from Love Letter below.

The Love Language return to Daytrotter for round three

Just a week following the release of The Love Language's second HearYa Session, the band's third Daytrotter session has been posted.

The band played the songs "Heart To Tell," and "This Room" from Libraries, though "This Room" is one of their many alternate versions of the tune, this one sounding a bit like The Cure.

They also played a new song, that is simply listed as "Untitled No. 2." The band have been playing the raucous new song live for a little while now, including at their show at the Cat's Cradle in January. Also, the song listed as "Summer Dust" is not the band's song from Libraries, but a cover of the song "Dust" by the 1960s band 13th Floor Elevators.

Carolina Performing Arts announces 2011-12 season, Mavis Staples, Herbie Hancock & much more

With the 2010-11 seasons of college performing arts winding down, it's time for the 2011-12 seasons to roll out, and Carolina Performing Arts at UNC is first up.

The schedule is full of some of the usual classical, jazz and dance performances, including trumpeter Wynton Marsalis returning on March 15, 2012, but it's the more contemporary performers that piqued our interest.

Louisiana pianist and composer Allen Toussaint will team up with legendary soul singer Mavis Staples for a performance on September 14, 2011.

2011 Hopscotch Festival lineup is here! Flaming Lips, Guided By Voices & much more

In case you didn't already know, the second annual Hopscotch Festival is hitting downtown Raleigh on September 8-10. We have the lineup, and somehow, the organizers have managed to make it bigger and better than last year.

This year's City Plaza headliners are none other than the wildly psychedelic The Flaming Lips and reunited indie legends Guided By Voices. Guided By Voices will headline September 9 with Drive-By Truckers and The Dodos. The Flaming Lips will headline September 10 with Superchunk and The Light Pines.

There are currently 136 bands on the docket for 2011, and like last year, include a wide variety of both national and local acts. There are only a few repeats from 2010 including local favorites The Love Language and Future Islands. Check out the full lineup below.

Video: A new session from Lost in the Trees featuring a new song

Back in March, Lost in the Trees recorded a session in Denton, TX for the site Violinist Sessions. The set included "Walk Around the Lake" and "Tall Trees," as well as a beautiful new song titled "This Dead Bird is Beautiful."

Watch the videos of the performances below and head to Violinist Sessions to stream the audio alone and read the three question interview with the band.

Lost in the Trees will return home after their west coast tour to play the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Friday, May 13 with The Toddlers. Tickets are available via etix for $12.

The Ladybug Transistor announces summer tour, coming to Raleigh

Photo by Kenji Kitahama

The Ladybug Transistor are gearing up for the release of their new album Clutching Stems, due out on June 7 via Merge Records and wil hit the road shortly after in support of it.

The band will hit Kings Barcade in Raleigh on Saturday, July 16. Tickets are available via etix for $8. James Husband (of Elephant 6 and of Montreal) will open the show.

Download the title track from the band's forthcoming album below and check out photos and a review of their set at XX Merge at the Cat's Cradle in 2009 HERE. You can also find more info on the new album HERE.

Video & download: A new session from The Love Language

The Love Langauge first visited the folks at HearYa for their first session back in 2009 and they recently returned for round two.

Head over to HearYa to download full band performances of "Horophones," "Brittany's Back," "Heart To Tell" and "Two Rabbits" as well as a solo acoustic performance of "Brittany's Back." You can watch nicely shot performances of the last three songs mentioned below.

The Love Language will return home from their current tour soon and as we mentioned before, will be playing a four-night residency at Slim's in Raleigh on May 3-6. Tickets for the May 3 and 4 show are still available via etix for $10, but the four-night pass and tickets for May 5 and 6 are sold out.

New music video from Superchunk - "Crossed Wires"

Superchunk have delved back into the world of comical music videos with their latest clip for the Majesty Shredding tune "Crossed Wires." In it, you'll see a cat run amok, committing armed robbery, punching people and even using some illegal substances. It's odd and rather amusing. Check it out below.

In case you missed the band's last video for "Digging For Something," check it out HERE. It featured The Love Language as the newly reunited Superchunk with only one original member. It's quite funny too.

Aimee Mann plays new songs, classics for sold out ArtsCenter crowd

All photos by Kevin Norris

Singer-songwriter Aimee Mann closed her tour last night in Carrboro at the ArtsCenter, marking her first visit to the Triangle since playing the Carolina Hope Festival in Cary in 2006.

After opening with "High on Sunday 51" by herself, she was joined by longtime collaborator bassist Paul Bryan and keyboardist Jamie Edwards. The group rolled through songs from Mann's last two albums, @#%&*! Smilers and The Forgotten Arm.

Album Review: I Was Totally Destroying It - Preludes

I Was Totally Destroying It’s Preludes sounds bigger, tighter, and more focused than their previous release, Horror Vacui, but it’s not as much fun to listen to.

The band’s sound is much more defined this time around. Before they were battling back and forth between mainstream and indie pop sounds and now they’ve settled somewhere in between both with a heavily 80’s rock influenced sound. No doubt inspired by the many U2 tribute concerts the band has played, the guitar sound on Preludes owes a lot to The Edge.

Chatham County Line and fans brave impending storm in downtown Raleigh

All photos by Kevin Norris

The wind was whipping in downtown Raleigh early Saturday afternoon as Chatham County Line took the stage to play the Planet Earth Celebration.

Though the wind rough at times throughout the set, a decent-sized crowd hung out to watch the quartet play songs spanning their entire catalog, starting with the title track from their latest album Wildwood.

"Confederate Solider" was a nice inclusion from the band's 2006 album Speed of the Whippoorwill as well as a fantastic version of the John Hartford tune "Tear Down the Grand Ole Opry."

2011 Music in the Gardens series at Duke to host Lost in the Trees, Hammer No More the Fingers & more

One of the best parts of summer in the Triangle, Duke Performances' Music in the Gardens series, is just around the corner. The shows are held at the beautiful Duke Gardens every Wednesday during the summer starting on June 1.

For a streamlined list of 2011 performers scroll to the bottom of the post, as we'll run through them in more detail below.

This season will kick off with the Grammy-nominated Louisiana Cajun music band Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys on June 1. It is specifically noted for this show that space will be provided for dancing, so that will be fun.

Album Review: Mount Moriah - Mount Moriah

Heath McEntire of Bellafea and Jenks Miller of Horseback seem like and unlikely pair to play hauntingly beautiful alt-country music, but when they join forces as Mount Moriah, that's exactly what happens.

The self-titled debut album features simple, yet brilliantly written and arranged songs that always let McEntire's voice sit front and center.

From the opening moments of "Only Way Out," the music fits the song perfectly with slightly overdriven guitars and beautiful pedal steel guitar that perfectly compliments the melody and vocals.

Chatham County Line playing Planet Earth Celebration

This Saturday, April 16 is not only Record Store Day, but it also the day that the Planet Earth Celebration is going on in downtown Raleigh.

The event is free and this year there will be two 45-minute sets from Chatham County Line on the main stage on Edenton Street. There will also be performances by Viswas Chitnis and Countdown Quartet. Check out the full music schedule below.

Check out photos and a review of Violet Vector and the Lovely Lovelies rocking the event back in 2009 HERE.

John Butler Trio & Gomez announce summer dates, coming to Raleigh

The Australian folk rock jam band John Butler Trio is teaming up with eclectic British band Gomez for a few U.S. dates this summer, one of which is in the Triangle.

They'll be playing the Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh on Wednesday, July 20. Tickets for the show will go on sale on Friday, April 15 via etix for $29.50.

[UPDATE: Due to Ben Ottewell having vocal issues, Gomez has had to cancel their remaining tour dates including Raleigh. But, and this is a big but, Ian Ball of the band will still play the show solo, opening for the John Butler Trio.]

Record Store Day in-stores are going to rock

In addition to all the great exclusive releases available at local record stores on Record Store Day, Saturday, April 16, there will also be some great in-store performances at some stores.

First, Schoolkids Records in Raleigh will be hosting four bands starting with Radical Classical at 11 a.m., then the Dex Romweber Duo at noon (who will play Motorco Music Hall later that night) and The Raveonettes at 4 p.m. (who will play the Cat's Cradle later that night) and Adventure at 4 p.m. (who will play Local 506 the night before, Friday April 15). Adventure are no longer scheduled to perform.

Loretta Lynn extends 2011 (now 2012) tour, coming to Durham

Country legend Loretta Lynn is celebrating more than 50 years making music and is extending her 2011 tour into the fall, which will bring her to the Triangle.

She'll play the Durham Performing Arts Center on Sunday, October 23. Tickets will start at $35 and go on sale on Friday, May 20 at 10 a.m. via the box office and Ticketmaster.

[UPDATE 2: The rescheduled DPAC show has been postponed once again. The show has a new date, which is Saturday, April 7. Tickets for the previous dates will be honored. Lynn had knee surgery in the fall, and reports say that she needed additional time to heal, causing the second postponement.]

Avett Brothers keep on touring, coming to Greensboro

The Avett Brothers are still hitting the pavement hard in support of their latest album I and Love and You which was released in 2009. After finally playing the Triangle again in October 2010, the band will return to the Triad again this fall.

They'll play the new White Oak Amphitheater at the Greensboro Coliseum on Saturday, October 8. A portion of the proceeds from the show will benefit the Gate City Rotary Club. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, Apri 15 at 10 a.m. for $42.50 or $37.50 plus fees via Ticketmaster.

In other band news, they recently had to reschedule some April tour dates in Texas because Scott Avett's second child being born. Congrats to him.

Bill Callahan announces summer tour, coming to Chapel Hill

On the heels of the release of his new album Apocalypse, which is out now, singer-songwriter Bill Callahan is gearing up for a summer tour that kicks off on June 14 in Albuquerque, NM.

The tour will come to Local 506 in Chapel Hill on Friday, July 15 with Ed Askew opening the show. Tickets go on sale on Friday, April 15 via etix for $13.

Stream the song "Drover" from Apocalypse below. While you're down there, you can also check out Callahan's NPR Tiny Desk session from about a year ago which is quite impressive.

Record Store Day releases aplenty, The dB's, Superchunk, Ryan Adams, Polvo & more

Record Store Day is back this weekend, Saturday, April 16, and will be celebrated with tons of exclusive releases from bands big and small.

First, you need to know where to go. There are a number of local stores celebrating this year including Schoolkids Records and Edwards McKay Used Books and More in Raleigh, Bull City Records and Offbeat Music in Durham, CD Alley in Chapel Hill and All Day Records in Carrboro. Not all stores will carry each release, so check with the store before seeking out a particular item.

Now onto the releases. The dB's will be releasing a 7" vinyl teaser of their new album due out in 2012. The 7" will feature the song "Picture Sleeve" and "Write Back."

New music video from Lost in the Trees - "Alone in an Empty House"

Lost in the Trees have released a new music video for the title track from their amazing album All Alone in an Empty House. The video is as dark, yet quite beautiful, just like the very emotional, dark lyrics of the song which are about frontman Ari Picker's troubled upbringing.

The band act out some of the darkest moments of the video including a shotgun and knife showdown in the kitchen and hanging from a tree flanked by flaming ropes. Watch the video below to see it all for yourself.

Huey Lewis & the News announces summer tour, coming to Cary

The groovy pop sounds of Huey Lewis and the News will be hitting the road this summer, hitting venues across the U.S. and will be heading our way.

The venerable pop band will come to Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary on Sunday, July 24. Ticket info is not available yet, but we'll keep you posted. Tickets will go on sale of Friday, May 13 at 10 a.m. Lawn seats are $35 and reserved seats are $50.

The band released a new album of covers called Soulsville in 2010, which is their first new studio album since 2001's Plan B. This hits are really where it's at though, so check out the music video for the classic "If This is It" below.

Album Review: Jonny - Jonny

The debut self-titled record from Jonny, a collaboration between Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub) and Euros Childs (Gorky’s Zygotic Munci), has an identity problem. It moves in three different directions and never settles in.

Jonny starts out with the band playing the role of a rather playful garage band. Songs like “Wich is Wich” and “Candyfloss” are light, upbeat and full of good humor. Nothing feels serious and there’s plenty of electric organ to go around. The 60’s inspired sound might just make a few listeners do The Twist.

The Rosebuds announce 'Loud Planes Fly Low' tour, coming to Raleigh

Photo by Ashlie White

After trying out some beautifully sad new songs from Loud Planes Fly Low in Chapel Hill last week (see photos and a review HERE) and doing it again at Tir Na Nog in Raleigh on April 21, the band will hit the road in support of the album in true in June, following the June 7 release.

The tour will kick off in at the Brooklyn Arts Center in Wilmington on Friday, June 10. Ivan Howard has been living in Wilmington for quite a while.

The following night, Saturday, June 11, the band will play Kings Barcade in Raleigh. Ticket info is not available yet, but we'll keep you posted. Tickets are on sale now via etix for $10.

Archers of Loaf prep reunion tour, coming to Carrboro

Photo by Kevin Norris

It looks like Archers of Loaf enjoyed their secret reunion show at the Cat's Cradle in January, because dates are starting to pop up for a reunion tour this summer.

The band will return to the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro where this all started on Friday, August 19. Tickets will go on sale on Saturday, April 16 via etix for $20.

[UPDATE: Electric Owls and Schooner will open the show. The show is also sold out.]

Check out our review and photos of Archers of Loaf's amazing January show HERE. Check out a video of the band playing "Might" and "Web in Front" from that show below.

The Mountain Goats, Megafaun charm packed Cat's Cradle crowd

All photos by Kevin Norris

Friday night brought a much anticipated show to the Cat's Cradle that sold out long before the date. It was none other that the double-bill featuring local heavyhitters The Mountain Goats and Megafaun.

The Mountain Goats were celebrating the release of their new album All Eternals Deck and a healthy dose of the 22-song set was pulled form the album. "Birth of the Serpents" was a particularly striking song, preceded by John Darnielle sharing that the song was written about an old friend that died.

Album Review: Slow Runner - Damage Points

With their latest release, Damage Points, Charleston-based Slow Runner drops a moody pop bomb on the masses.

The album opens in true, grandiose Slow Runner fashion with a wall of strings and woodwinds before Michael Flynn's voice comes in backed only by a stark piano. He draws you in gently before the rest of the band joins in to crank up the volume halfway through the song.

It's in this dichotomy where the band excels —simple melodies and solid songwriting, backed by lush arrangements and beats that easily get your head bobbing. "Auto-Happy" is one such tune, jam packed with synth and a driving beat.

Destroyer brings mellow grooves to the Cat's Cradle

All photos by Kevin Norris

The Cradle was packed on Thursday night as high-voiced troubadour Dan Bejar, known as Destroyer, came to share his mellow, groove-laden new album, Kaputt, with the masses. Backed by a seven-piece band including saxophone and trumpet, Bejar delivered songs from the album and a few older tunes that thrilled fans.

Bejar was the shy rockstar of the night, not playing an instrument during the set and crouching down or casually shaking a tambourine during instrumental sections, which were plentiful throughout the set. Quite a few of the songs ended with jams.

The Rosebuds play an intimate set at UNC

All photos by Kevin Norris

Local indie heroes The Rosebuds took the stage Thursday night at the recently-renovated Historic Playmakers Theatre at UNC. Though they got off to a late start, the group delivered an hour-long set that was just gentle enough, and a great appetizer for those who stopped by en route to the Destroyer show in Carrboro.

Kelly Crisp and Ivan Howard front the band, but the evening's performance featured other area musicians including Bowerbirds' Mark Paulson on bass and Lost in the Trees' Leah Gibson and Jenavieve Varga on cello and viola, respectively. The strings added another layer to the music that really helped it shine, particularly on "Life Like" and "Nice Fox."

30+ bands playing benefit show in Carrboro this weekend

This weekend, music will be filling Carrboro from morning to night as more than 30 bands take part in a two-day event on Saturday, April 9 and Sunday, April 10 called Carrboro Gets the HINT.

The show will be free and is being held to raise awareness of the group HINT, which is the Future of Music Coalition's Health Insurance Navigation Tool which provides musicians with advise about health insurance options.

The event will be held at Jesse's Coffee & Bar at 401 E. Main St., which will rotate between the indoor stage and the patio stage. The lineup includes The Tomahawks, Ben Davis & the Jets, Brett Harris, Justin Robinson & the Maryonettes, Luego and more. Check out the full schedule below, which runs rom 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Sunday.

New music video from Megafaun - "Carolina Days"

Local trio Megafaun have been hard at work on a new album, but stepped back to film a video for the song "Carolina Days" from their mini-album Heretofore, released last September.

In true Megafaun fashion, the video is quirky as hell, featuring their own version of North Carolina history. Joe Westerlund is back as God (you may remember that he dawned Jesus-esque robes for the band's Take Away Show released in April 2010). Watch the "Carolina Days" video below.

Megafaun are playing a sold out show at the Cat's Cradle on Friday, April 8 opening for The Mountain Goats. Also, Phil Cook's new solo album Hungry Mother Blues will be out on May 10 via Trekky Records. Check out more on the album including a song download HERE.

Times New Viking announces tour, coming to Chapel Hill

Photo by Jo McCaughey

Lo-fi Ohio Rockers Times New Viking are gearing up for the release of their Merge Records debut Dancer Equired, which will be out on April 26. They'll hit the road a month after the release on a month long tour.

They'll play Local 506 in Chapel Hill on Thursday, June 2. Ticket info is not available yet, but we'll keep you posted.

Download the song "Ever Falling in Love" from Dancer Equired below. If you pre-order the album from Merge, you'll get a poster and a temporary tattoo in the shape of the band's homestate, Ohio.

Album Review: The Huguenots - The Huguenots

The Huguenots have never been shy about their 60s and 70s influence, and they let it fly on their self-titled debut album.

The album kicks off with a strummy guitar riff in "When It's Wrong, which reminiscent of The Who's "Pinball Wizard," before shifting gears with a solid groove and a little psychedelia.

"Your Little Nothing" sports a hooky chorus and great call and response between the lead and backing vocals. "I Would Say" is a fantastic little pop gem which chugs along in the verses thanks to a solid bass groove and a memorable melody.

Ke$ha announces summer tour, coming to Raleigh

Pop star Ke$ha will be hitting the road this summer behind her latest release Cannibal, which features the hit single "Who R Who We R." After spending the spring in large clubs, she'll move up to amphitheaters and arenas in the sumer on the Get $leezy Tour.

The tour comes to the downtown Raleigh Amphitheater on Tuesday, August 9. LMFAO and Spank Rock will open the show. Ticket info is not available yet, but we'll keep you posted. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, April 15 at 10 a.m. via the usual places.

Check out the music video for her latest single "Blow" below, which features Dawson's Creek star James Van Der Beek. It's quite odd, but mildy amusing.

Hopscotch announces free April shows, new festival venues

To celebrate the announcement of the 2011 Hopscotch Music Festival lineup which will be announced on April 20, there will be three free shows across the Triangle on April 21, 22 and 23.

The big show will be at Tir Na Nog in Raleigh on Thursday, April 21 featuring The Rosebuds, Heads on Sticks, DJ SPCL GST and a fashion show hosted by Revolver Consignment. It starts at 10 p.m.

On Friday, April 22, Spider Bags, Last Year's Men and more will play The Cave in Chapel Hill. It starts at 9 p.m.

And finally, on Saturday, April 23, Schooner, The Loners and more will play The Pinhook in Durham. It starts at 9 p.m.

April lineup of Local Band Local Beer at Tir Na Nog

April is here and like usual, we're bringing you the lineup for WKNC's free Local Band Local Beer series at Tir Na Nog in downtown Raleigh.

Things kick off on April 7 with North Elementary and Organos. The following week, on April 14, Goodbye, Titan, Minor Stars and Monsonia will play.

The Rosbuds, Heads on Sticks and DJ SPCL GST will play the April 21 show as part of the Hopscotch announcement launch party series.

The second half of The last show of April hasn't been announced yet, but as always, we'll keep you posted (Twitter is the best way to get updated info).

Amor de Días announces spring tour, coming to Carrboro

Photo by Grant Wilkinson

New the Merge band Amor de Días we told you about in March are gearing up for a North American tour immediately following the release of their debut album Street of the Love of Days on May 17.

The tour will come to the ArtsCenter in Carrboro on Thursday, May 19. Damon & Naomi will open the show and the entire tour. Ticket info is not available yet, but we'll keep you posted.

If you haven't already downloaded the song "Bunhill Fields" from Street of the Love of Days, do that HERE where you'll also find more details about the album.