New Misfits cover from Superchunk - "Where Eagles Dare"

To celebrate Halloween, Superchunk have released a new cover of the Misfits' classic "Where Eagles Dare."

It was recorded with John Plymale at Overdub Lane in Chapel Hill. It features the entire band on vocals on the chorus. It's a killer two minutes and five seconds. Download or stream the song below.

The band release a Misfits cover last Halloween as well. If you missed "Horror Business" or want to check out again, go HERE.

Butch Walker & the Black Widows party at Lincoln Theatre

All photos by Kevin Norris

On Friday night, Butch Walker and his merry gang of music makers rolled into Raleigh to rock the Lincoln Theatre.

Walker took the stage solo for the first part of the set, playing a series of tunes from his back catalog, starting with an a cappella version of "Cigarette Lighter Love Song." On the old Marvelous 3 songs, he let the crowd sing most of the lyrics, singing nary a word on "Every Monday," but for the band's biggest hit, "Freak of the Week," which he said he's sick of singing, he pulled someone from the crowd to take over vocal duties. To everyone's enjoyment, a young man named Jose really rocked the song.

George Jones announces 2012 dates, coming to Durham

Country legend George Jones was just in the Triangle performing at the N.C. State Fair, but he's already planning to come back in 2012.

Jones' new tour dates include a stop at the Durham Performing Arts Center on Saturday, August 18, 2012. Seeing as the show is almost a year away, ticket info is not available yet, but we'll keep you posted.

Tickets will go on sale at noon on Friday, January 13 via the DPAC box office and Ticketmaster for $37.50 to $67.50.

Win tickets to Scratch Acid at Cat's Cradle

After calling in quits in 1987, noise rock band Scratch Acid reunited earlier this year is on the road again. The band will roll through Cat's Cradle on Wednesday, Nov. 2.

To win a pair of tickets to the show, email trianglemusiccontests at gmail dot com with "Scratch Acid tickets" in the subject line no later than noon on Monday, Oct. 31. We will notify a winner that afternoon. One entry per person, please. Congratulations, Dave S.!

Tickets to the show are $16 in advance, $18 day of and are available through etix. In the Year of the Pig will open the show.

Wye Oak covers The Kinks, Danzig on new 7"

Baltimore duo Wye Oak have taken part in The A.V. Club's Undercover video series during it's initial two runs. Now those covers are going to be released on a special limited edition 7" record. It will also be available as a digital download.

1,000 of vinyl will be pressed which will feature "Strangers" by The Kinks and "Mother" by Danzig. It will be released by Merge Records on November 22. Watch the performances of both songs below.

Wye Oak are frequent visitors to the Triangle. One of their most recent stops as at the Deja Fest in downtown Raleigh in July with Free Energy. Check out photos and a review of the show HERE.

Akron/Family announces winter tour, coming to Raleigh

Photo by Ian McNeil

Experimental folk rock band Akron/Family are hitting the road in early 2012 supporting their latest album Akron/Family II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT.

The tour will bring the band back to The Pour House in Raleigh on Saturday, January 7. Bad Weather California will open the show. Tickets will go on sale today, October 27, HERE for $12.

Download the song "Silly Bears" from Akron/Family's latest album below.

Woods announces December tour, coming to Raleigh

Lo-fi New York band Woods are hitting the road this December supporting their most recent album Sun and Shade, released in June and a new 7" Find Them Empty released in July.

The band will play Kings Barcade in Raleigh on Thursday, December 15 with MMOSS. Tickets are on sale now via etix for $10.

Stream the song "Find Them Empty" from the aforementioned 7" below along with a video of a live performance of the song "Blood Dries Darker."

Ricky Skaggs announces 2012 dates, coming to Greensboro

Veteran bluegrass and country musician Ricky Skaggs and his band Kentucky Thunder are gearing up for continued touring in 2012 in support of his latest album Country Hits Bluegrass Style, released in July.

The tour will bring the band to the fantastic Carolina Theatre in Greensboro on Friday, February 10. Tickets are on sale now HERE for $34.50, $29.50 or $22.50 plus a $2.50 restoration fee.

Check out the song "I Wouldn't Change You If I Could" from Country Hits Bluegrass Style below.

[CANCELED] Brian Johnson of AC/DC announces book tour, coming to Raleigh

Brian Johnson, the singer of AC/DC, released his memoir, Rockers and Rollers: A Full-Throttle Memoir, earlier this year in the U.S. and will hit the road to promote it in early 2012. The shows will feature stories, mostly about his love of automobiles, as well as some music.

He's stopping at the Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh on on Friday, February 10. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, October 28 via etix for $20 (standing) or $30 (reserved seating).

[UPDATE: Johnson's early 2012 dates have been cancelled, including Raleigh. He is reported to be undergoing wrist surgery following an appearance at the Daytona 24-hour race in January. Refunds for the show will be available at the point of purchase.]

Album Review: Hurricane Bells - Tides and Tales

The latest full-length record from Steve Schlitz’s Hurricane Bells, Tides and Tales, is a mixed bag, albeit one with a touch of charm.

Tides and Tales waffles between simple and over-produced songs creating an uneven listening experience. Schlitz wrote, recorded, produced, mixed and released the album almost entirely on his own, but it doesn’t sound consistent.

New music from The dB's - "Revolution of the Mind"

As we've mentioned before, veteran North Carolina pop band The dB's will be releasing their first new album since 1987's The Sound of Music (and the first featuring the original lineup since 1982's Repercussion) in 2012. The album is titled Falling Off the Sky, and as of now, does not have a release date yet.

You can get a taste of the new album by streaming the raucous song "Revolution of the Mind" from it below (you can also download it by clicking the small down arrow found at the top of the widget). It features guest musicians Ira Kaplan of Yo La Tengo and Django Haskins of The Old Ceremony.

Dawes brings timeless rock style to Cat's Cradle

All photos by Kevin Norris

California rockers Dawes rolled back into Carrboro on Saturday for a spectacular show at the Cat's Cradle. It was the band's third stop in the Triangle this year, having played the Cradle in May (review and photos HERE) and at Koka Booth Amphitheatre opening for Alison Krauss in August (review and photos HERE).

The band, especially frontman Taylor Goldsmith, were on fire, burning through a set of tunes from their two albums. The venue was packed and Goldsmith fed off the energy of the crowd, bounding around the stage while he played and roaring when he sang. The energy was circular, as the crowd sang the lyrics back to the band keeping the fire going.

Wild Flag & Eleanor Friedberger cause a frenzy at Cat's Cradle

All photos by Kevin Norris

Female indie supergroup Wild Flag made their way back to the Triangle Friday night, this time with their self-titled debut album in tow. They played to a large crowd at the Cat's Cradle, ripping through their set with infectious energy.

They came out of the gate swinging with "Boom" and did not let up throughout the night. The two frontwomen each filled the roles of rock stars in their own way. Carrie Brownstein had a hip swagger while Mary Timony was more physical, dropping to her knees and even laying on the stage once while playing.

Album Review: Sinful Savage Tigers - The Last Night of the Revels

Chapel Hill singer-songwriter Seth Martin gathered a group of talented local musicians, primarly Andrew Marlin (Mandolin Orange) and Seth Barden (The Brand New Life), to create his sophomore album as Sinful Savage Tigers. The result is a sharp bluegrass album titled The Last Night of the Revels.

The album has one foot planted in folk tradition while the other is in sharp, modern songwriting. It flows and feels like a proper, dynamic album experience, with uptempo stompers ("Still Waiting In Line) to somber ballads ("O, Caroline") and everything in-between. There's not a boring moment to be found.

The Away Team to perform in-store at Schoolkids

North Carolina hip-hop duo The Away Team is set to open for 9th Wonder and Phonte on Sunday, October 23 at the Cat's Cradle. The following day, they'll head to Raleigh to promote their newly released album, Scars & Stripes.

They'll drop by Schoolkids Records on Hillsborough Street at 5 p.m. on Monday, October 24 for a free in-store performance and meet and greet.

Check out the music video for "The Road to Redemption" from Scars & Stripes below.

This week's Local Band Local Beer: Wesley Wolfe, T0W3RS & Spider Bags

This week's free Local Band Local Beer show at Tir Na Nog in downtown Raleigh, which is tonight, October 20, features three fantastic Orange County bands.

Carrboro artists Wesley Wolfe and T0W3RS will be joined by Chapel Hill band Spider Bags. Wolfe just released a new album in September titled Cynics Need Love Too via Odessa Records. Stream the complete album below and download it for free HERE.

As with all Local Band Local Beers shows, it's ages 21 and up and the music starts at about 10 p.m.

Butch Walker schedules "Drinking With Strangers" signing in the Triangle

Butch Walker's memoir, Drinking with Strangers: Music Lessons from a Teenage Bullet Belt, is being released next Tuesday, Oct. 25, and the rocker-turned-author has scheduled a handful of book signings to coincide with tour stops, including one right here in the Triangle.

Walker will be at the UNC Bulls Head Bookshop on the second floor of Student Stores on UNC's campus next Friday, Oct. 28, at 1 p.m.

The Georgia native surely has some tales to tell, from his teenage years touring China in a hair metal band to working as a producer and songwriter for the likes of Pink and Avril Lavigne and his own "mid-level success" (his term) as a solo artist. The first chapter of Drinking with Strangers is currently available for download on Walker's facebook page, and all but guarantees the rest of the 200-odd pages will be a interesting read for those interested in the inner workings of the music business.

Win a signed vinyl from The Rosebuds

In celebration of The Rosebuds' hometown show at Cat's Cradle tonight, we have one more special giveaway for a lucky reader — a signed vinyl copy of the band's latest album, Loud Planes Fly Low.

For a chance to win, email trianglemusiccontests at gmail dot com with "Rosebuds vinyl" in the subject line no later than noon tomorrow, Oct. 20. We will notify the winner tomorrow afternoon. One entry per person, please. Congratulations to our winner, Mike B.!

And just a friendly reminder that The Rosebuds will take the stage at Cat's Cradle tonight with Hospitality and Heather McEntire. Doors open at 8, the show starts at 8:30 and tickets are $14 and available through etix.

New music from Bombadil - "Laundromat"

The local lads in Bombadil are getting closer to the release date of their new album All That the Rain Promises which is due out on November 8. The band have shared the album's quirky third track "Laundromat" with everyone, which you can stream below.

As we previously mentioned, the bad will celebrate the release of the new album at the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Saturday, November 12. Tickets are available via etix for $12.

Crystal Antlers announces fall tour, coming to Durham

Energetic out California indie rock band Crystal Antlers are heading out on tour this fall in support of their new album Two-Way Mirror.

The band will make a stop at The Pinhook in Durham on Friday, November 4. Local bands Old Bricks and Free Electric State will open the show. Advance tickets are available for $8 plus fees HERE or will be $10 at the door.

Check out the music video for "Knee Deep" from the new album below.

Hospitality to release debut album in January

The latest band to join the Merge Records family, Hospitality, is gearing up to release their debut album early in 2012. Their self-titled release will be out on January 31. Check out the full track list as well as a download of the song "Friends of Friends" below.

They'll be opening for The Rosebuds at the Cat's Cradle on Wednesday, October 19. Tickets are available in advance for $14 via etix.

The band also played the Hopscotch Music Festival last month. Check out a few photos of their set HERE and a track list and tour dates below.

Win tickets to Wild Flag at Cat's Cradle

Wild Flag will roll through Cat's Cradle on their nationwide tour in support of the group's self-titled debut album this Friday night, Oct. 21, and we've got a pair of tickets to give away courtesy of Merge Records.

In order to win, email trianglemusiccontests at gmail dot com with "Wild Flag tickets" in the subject line no later than 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 19. We will notify the winner that afternoon. One entry per person, please. Congratulations, Leslie B.!

Tickets to the show are $15 adv/$17 day of and available through etix. Eleanor Friedberger will open the show.

Album Review: Tyler Ramsey - The Valley Wind

The Valley Wind is slow, quiet and doesn’t break any new ground. It should be boring, but it isn’t.

Planted in Neil Young and doused with generous reverb, The Valley Wind blossomed into something undeniable gorgeous. The songs are open and free flowing. Tyler Ramsey isn’t trying to be anthemic, but the music still can fill a room (or, I guess, a valley).

Despite these traits, the record doesn’t wander. It is purposeful with the music moving forward. There are some ruts, but never last long. “Angel Band” drags, but Ramsey is aware and puts the urgent “When It’s Done” right after.

The Knux announces fall tour, coming to Chapel Hill

Indie rock hip hop duo The Knux released their sophomore full-length album, Eraser, in September. Now, they're hitting the road for a late autumn tour starting in November that will bring them to the Triangle.

They'll play Local 506 in Chapel Hill on Monday, November 20. Jordy Towers will open the show. Tickets are on sale now via etix for $9.

Check out the music video for the infectious song "Run" (which is NSFW) from Eraser below, which features Kid Cudi.

Crooked Fingers rocks Orange County Social Club's anniversary bash

All photos by Kevin Norris

Eric Bachmann brought his band Crooked Fingers to the Cat's Cradle on Saturday night, not only to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Orange County Social Club, but also to celebrate the release of their new album, Breaks in the Armor.

Even though it was the first show of the band's new tour, they sounded tight. Liz Durrett complimented Bachmann's vocals fantastically, especially when she shared lead on the duet "Sleep All Summer."

Win tickets to Liam Finn at Casbah

Touring on his latest album, FOMO, Liam Finn will play Casbah in Durham with Marques Toliver on Monday, Oct. 17.

To win a pair of tickets to the show, email trianglemusiccontests at gmail dot com with "Liam Finn tickets" in the subject line no later than 9 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 17. We will notify the winner that morning. One entry per person, please. Update: Congratulations, Jonathan B.!

Tickets to the show are $10 in advance and $13 day of, and are available through etix.

Check out our review of FOMO here and Finn's video for his new single "Cold Feet" below the jump.

Win tickets to The Rosebuds at Cat's Cradle

Photo by Ashlie White

After touring the country with Bon Iver this summer, The Rosebuds are returning to the Triangle for a show at Cat's Cradle next Wednesday, Oct. 19.

To win a pair of tickets to the show, email trianglemusiccontests at gmail dot com with "Rosebuds tickets" in the subject line no later that noon on Monday, Oct. 17. We will notify the winner that afternoon. One entry per person, please. Update: Congratulations, Eric G.!

Tickets to the show are $14 and available through etix. Hospitality and Heather McEntire will open.

Megafaun announces new fall tour dates, coming to Saxapahaw

Photo by Sara Padgett

Having just wrapped their first U.S. tour in support of their new self-titled album, local rising stars Megafaun will be hitting the road again in November. The dates will keep the guys in the south in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving.

This time around, the band will hit the Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw on Friday, November 11. Bowerbirds will open the show. Advance tickets are on sale now HERE for $12.

If you haven't had the pleasure of listening to the band's self-titled album, it's still streaming at RollingStone.com. Check it out.

They Might Be Giants announces big fall/winter tour, coming to Raleigh

Photo by Shervin Lainez

The quirky experimental pop band They Might Be Giants released their fifteenth studio album Join Us in July, which is also the band's first album that's not been a children's album since 2007's The Else. The band are touring through the fall and winter supporting it and are coming back to Raleigh.

They'll play the Lincoln Theatre on Wednesday, February 15. Tickets are on sale now via etix for $22.

Check out the music video for the opening track from Join Us, "Can't Keep Johnny Down," below. It stars actor Rip Torn, who you may know as Don Geiss 30 Rock, Chief Zed in Men in Black or one of his many other roles.

Paul Simon announces fall tour, coming to Durham

Legendary singer-songwriter Paul Simon is on the road this fall touring in support of his latest album, So Beautiful or So What, and has added a show in the Triangle.

The tour will stop at the venue that's become a regular stop for many music icons, the Durham Performing Arts Center. The show is on Thursday, December 1. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, October 21 via the box office and Ticketmaster with prices starting at $59.

Check out a video of Simon and his band performing the song "The Afterlife" from So Beautiful or So What below.

Stars shine at the Cat's Cradle, play new songs

All photos by Kevin Norris

Canadian indie pop band Stars rolled into Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Wednesday on their way down to Florida for the DeLuna Festival.

The band rocked a set heavy on songs from the band's most recent album The Five Ghosts and also hit a healthy number of tunes from their previous two albums, In Our Bedroom After the War and Set Yourself on Fire.

Fountains of Wayne announce winter dates, coming to Carrboro

Power pop band Fountains of Wayne will hit the road again this winter in support of their latest album, Sky Full of Holes, released in August via Yep Roc Records (check out our review of the album HERE).

The band will play the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Saturday, February 11. Tickets are on sale now via etix for $20.

Check out the band's new music video for "The Summer Place" from Sky Full of Holes below.

This week's Local Band Local Beer: North Elementary, Butterflies & Idiot Family

This Thursday's (October 13) Local Band Local Beer show at Tir Na Nog in downtown Raleigh features a trio of excellent local indie rock bands.

The bill is headlined by North Elementary and features sets by Butterflies and Idiot Family. Check out songs from each of the bands below, including full album streams of North Elementary's Southern Rescue Trails and Butterflies' Residual Child (use the left and right arrows to change songs).

As always, the Local Band Local Beer shows are ages 21 and up with the music starting around 10 p.m.

Matthew and the Atlas announces fall tour with The David Mayfield Parade, Lauren Shera

U.K. tour promotion company Communion, headed by Mumford and Sons member Ben Lovett, is bringing a tour to the U.S. for the first time this fall headlined by Matthew and the Atlas (who opened for Mumford and Sons in Raleigh earlier this year). U.S. artists The David Mayfield Parade and Lauren Shera will open each night.

The tour will come to the Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh on Sunday, November 6. Tickets are on sale now via etix for $12.

Download a few free songs from Matthew and the Atlas HERE, including a cover of The Pogues' classic "Fairytale of new York."

Album Review: Crooked Fingers - Breaks in the Armor

Crooked Fingers’ Breaks in the Armor is Eric Bachmann’s most natural record under the moniker and sounds like the product of truly honest song writing.

On this album, Bachmann isn’t experimenting with new sounds or styles; he’s embracing everything he’s done so far. The result is an organic mix that resists easy classification, but it feels like Breaks in the Armor is a singer/songwriter approach to indie rock.

New music from She & Him - "The Christmas Waltz"

We're not even made it to Halloween yet, but today, we've got the first Christmas music of the year for you.

As we previously told you, She & Him will release a Christmas album on October 24 titled A Very She & Him Christmas via Merge Records. The opening track on the album is the classic "The Christmas Waltz," which you can now stream or download below (download by clicking the down arrow on the right side of the player).

Amy Ray announces December dates, coming to Durham

Singer-songwriter Amy Ray, one half of the duo Indigo Girls, is heading out on the road this December to play a trio of rock shows in a few select southern cities.

She'll play Motorco Music Hall in Durham on Saturday, December 10. Tickets will be $12 in advance and should be on sale soon HERE.

Indigo Girls just released a new album titled Beauty Queens Girls on October 4 and Ray's latest solo release is 2010's MVP Live. Check out a performance of the song "Put It Out For Good" filmed in 2009 below.

Jay Clifford brings new music, classics to the Cat's Cradle

All photos by Kevin Norris

Singer-songwriter Jay Clifford brought his tour supporting his new album Silver Tomb for the Kingfisher to the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro Thursday night.

Clifford was accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Josh Kaler on guitar, pedal steel, banjo and more as well as a three piece string section, making the set lush and beautiful. While the tour is in support of the new album, they only played three songs from it, "Standing on the Shoulders of Giants," "Strange Inversion of Reasoning" and "Vale of Tears.

WKNC celebrating 45th birthday with Stu McLamb, Lonnie Walker & more

The undisputed king of college radio stations in the Triangle, NC State's WKNC, is celebrating it's 45th birthday this year. To mark the occasion, there will be a big free show at Kings in Raleigh on Friday, October 14.

The show will feature Stu McLamb (of The Love Language), Lonnie Walker and Juan Huevos as well as a dance party to close the night featuring Hidden Cat.

McLamb's set will be all cover songs and the Kings' show listing is encouraging people to request songs, though it's not clear how you're supposed to do that. You could try leaving a message on Stu's Facebook Wall.

In memoriam: Steve Jobs changed the way I listen to music

The earliest memory I have of using an Apple product was in middle school, though I believe I may have used them even earlier. Like many of us, an Apple computer helped me learn to type, keep my math chops sharp and even forge a river along the trail to Oregon.

It wasn't until many years later that Apple returned to my life, first in our college newspaper's production desk and then shortly after graduating, when I bought my first iBook G4 to use as a tour manager. It was on the road that I was introduced to the iPod, which changed my life forever.

New music video from Dex Romweber Duo - "The Death of Me"

The sibling duo the Dex Romweber Duo are back with their second music video from their new album Is That You in the Blue?

Like the previous video for "Jungle Drums" (check it out HERE), the new clip for the sexy song "The Death of Me" was shot at Marsh Woodwinds in Raleigh. This one features for than performance, as there's some romantic drama as the band performs. Check out the video below.

The band will be on tour with The Meat Puppets in late October and early November. Check out the dates below.

Drake announces Club Paradise Tour, coming to Greensboro

R&B and hip-hop star Drake will release his sophomore album Take Care on October 24 (the release has been pushed back to November 15), which will be followed by a tour dubbed the Club Paradise Tour. The tour will bring him to our neighbors to the west, the Triad.

He'll play the Greensboro Coliseum on Sunday, November 20. Kendrick Lamar will open the show. Tickets go on sale on Friday, October 7 at 10 a.m. via the box office, Ticketmaster and LiveNation for $29.75 to $69.75 plus fees.

[UPDATE: Drake has cancelled his upcoming Carolina dates including Greensboro. The reason given by Live Nation is "scheduling issues." Ticket refunds are available at the point of purchase.]

Stream Ryan Adams' new album Ashes & Fire

Ryan Adams new album Ashes & Fire is being released on Tuesday, October 11, but the album is available to stream in it's entirety now via the SoundCloud widget below.

Unfortunately, as far as touring is concerned, Adams is falling back into old habits and currently has no plans to return to the Triangle (his last show here was in 2005). The closest date currently scheduled is in Baltimore, MD on December 4. Check out his full tour schedule along with the album stream widget below.

Adele cancels remaining U.S. dates including Durham

As Adele has become one of the biggest stars in the world this year, but her ability to keep up with her demanding touring schedule proved problematic earlier this year when she canceled a series of U.S. dates. Now it's happened again.

Like the cancellations earlier this year, the reason given this time is also vocal strain. Adele posted a long explanation and apology on her website, which you can view HERE.

The cancellations include the sold out show at the Durham Performing Arts Center this Saturday, October 8. Refunds will likely be available at the point of purchase.

Stream T0W3RS' Summertime EP, free Raleigh show this month

The Carrboro quartet T0W3RS celebrated the release of their new EP, Summertime, at Kings last week, but the official release is today, October 4.

The EP's namesake come's from the band's cover of Lonnie Walker's "Summertime." The other tracks are "Over & O'ver (& Over AGAIN), "Sparrow, Don't Wait for all the Things in Youth" and "Versailles." Stream all four songs via the widget below (use the buttons on either side of "play" to change tracks) and head over to the band's Bandcamp page to order the cassette.

Album Review: Waters - Out in the Light

Waters’ Out in the Light is supposed to distance Van Pierszalowski from his previous band Port O’Brien. This is a break up album and Pierszalowski wants you to know he’s taking things in a new direction.

The obvious change is to make things louder. Port O’Brien had more quiet songs than loud songs and Waters has flipped the ratio. This means more electric instruments and bigger drum beats.

It also means layers of fuzz over most songs. It adds some welcome grittiness to songs like “For the One,” but sometimes, like on “Back to You,” it feels forced (like when your always-happy, never-mad friend tries to show anger with a silly “grrr!”)

Bob Crawford taking leave from Avett Brothers to care for ailing daughter

There is sad news from The Avett Brothers camp. Bassist Bob Crawford announced in a posting on the band's website that he will be taking an indefinite leave from the band to care for his young daughter Hallie.

Hallie was found having a seizure in her crib and after an MRI, it was discovered that she had a brain tumor a quarter of the size of her brain. Doctors were able to remove 90% of the tumor, but had to be placed in a temporary coma and undergo a second surgery.

Will Hoge marks album release with set at Lincoln Theatre

All photos by Valerie Marino

Will Hoge played his first-ever headlining set at Lincoln Theatre Saturday night as he celebrated his latest album, the aptly-titled Number Seven, which was released last Tuesday.

While Hoge had played the venue many times before as an opening act, he owned the stage that night with a career-spanning 24-song set that showcased his talents not only as a phenomenal songwriter, but as a superbly charismatic performer.

It’s clear that there are no tricks up Hoge’s sleeves on stage aside from an arsenal of solid songs and talented players, but Hoge did take the opportunity, as he often does, to show off his vocal power as he stepped off mic for a verse of “Dirty Little War.” It’s a move that never gets old, and fans were quick to cheer as Hoge’s voice filled the cavernous venue.

Lindsey Buckingham dazzles Durham with career spanning set

All photos by Kevin Norris

Virtuoso guitarist and Fleetwood Mac co-frontman Lindsey Buckingham brought the Seeds We Sow Tour, named after his fantastic new album, to the newly renovated Carolina Theatre in Durham.

Buckingham took the stage alone, playing the first six songs solo, explaining that it was a way to reconnect with his formative years when he was teaching himself to play the guitar. He kicked things off with "Shut Us Down" and wrapped the solo portion of the set with two Fleetwood Mac classics, "Never Going Back Again" and the ferocious "Big Love."