James Phillips of Bombadil releasing solo album in August

Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist James Phillips of Bombadil is gearing up for the release of his debut solo album, 29 Days, due out on August 28. The album is recorded under the name Sumner James.

Phillips wrote and recorded all 10 songs from the album during the month of February in Portland, OR. The album is electronic music, a big departure from Bombadil. Check out the dance pop song "Home" and the experimental track "One Week Since You've Been Gone" below.

29 Days will be available on CD and download and there will also be a limited 7-inch that will include a download of the entire album.

Milo Green announces big fall tour, coming to Chapel Hill

Up-and-coming Los Angeles lush pop band Milo Greene (a fictitious entity and not someone in the band) is hitting the road on a hefty fall headlining tour in support of their recently released self-titled album. The fall dates will follow a busy summer for the band which will include a stop a the Lollapalooza festival.

The band will play Local 506 in Chapel on Friday, October 19. Lucius will open. Tickets are on sale now via Etix for $10.

Check out the band's performance of "1975" from The Late Show with David Letterman on July 25 below.

Kathleen Edwards announces fall dates, coming to Saxapahaw

Canadian singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards is hitting the road again this fall in support of her latest album Voyageur and she'll be coming back to the Triangle.

Edwards will play a special trio performance with Jim Bryson and Gord Tough at the Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw on Friday, October 26. Tickets are on sale now via Ticketfly for 20.

Check out a new song from Edwards, "Middle of the Road," below which is a bonus track from Voyageur.

The Love Language covers Jay Reatard, Frank Black

Photo by Jason Arthurs

The new album from The Love Language may not be coming out until next year, but the band recently recorded a few new covers for Aquarium Drunkard's Lagniappe Sessions.

The songs are "Nightmares" by the late Jay Reatard and "I Will Run After You" by Frank Black and The Catholics. Head HERE to download or stream the songs.

The cover of "Nightmares" will be on a forthcoming 7" split with Spider Bags. We'll hopefully have more details about the release to share with you soon.

The Zombies play a stunning set at the Cat's Cradle

Veteran English pop band The Zombies came to Carrboro on Sunday night to share their legendary 1960s pop with a packed house at the Cat's Cradle. Founding members Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent led the five-piece outfit through a 21-song set of timeless hits, songs from their newer releases and other songs from the members' respective careers.

Out the gate, the band dug back to the mid-1960s with two classics "I Love You" and "Can't Nobody Love You." Blunstone's voice sounded rich and full as he belted out songs he originally recorded almost 50 years ago.

The Indigo Girls announces fall tour, coming to Durham

The Indigo Girls are hitting the road again this fall in support of their latest Beauty Queen Sister, released in 2011, and they'll be stopping in the Triangle.

The band will play the Durham Performing Arts Center on Friday, October 19. The Shadowboxers will open. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, August 3 via the venue box office and Ticketmaster for $35 to $55.

Check out the music video for "Making Promises" from Beauty Queen Sister below.

Men Without Hats announces fall tour, coming to Durham

Men Without Hats, yes the the Canadian band that brought us the awesomely cheesy song "The Safety Dance" in 1983, are hitting the road this fall in support of their new album Love in the Age of War. While the band is still billed as Men Without Hats, the only original member is frontman Ivan Doroschuk.

The tour will stop at the Motorco Music Hall in Durham on Sunday, November 25. Right the Stars will open. Tickets are on sale HERE for $10.

Check out a video of the band performing "The Safety Dance" at the SXSW in 2011 below. It actually sounds pretty cool and is complete with bad dancing.

Mark Eitzel to release 'Don't Be a Stranger' in October

Singer-songwriter Mark Eitzel has had a bit of a rough few years. He had a heart attack last spring which delayed the production of new material, and his band American Music Club is said to have imploded, according to a Merge Records press release.

But those obstacles have been overcome and his new solo album Don't Be a Stranger will be released on October 2 via Merge Records.

Eitzel plans to tour the U.S. late this year to support the album. We'll let you know if he and his band will come to the Triangle. Check out photos and a review of American Music Club's fantastic duo set at XX Merge in Chapel in 2009 HERE.

Megafaun closes out summer at Duke Gardens

Photos by Kevin Norris

Local superstars Megafaun returned to Duke Gardens on Wednesday evening to close out the 2012 season with bang (the band first played the Gardens in 2009).

After opening with the quirky instrumental "Isadora," Phil Cook has some problems with his banjo. Being the incredibly adaptable band they are, he simply didn't use it on the ballad "The Longest Day" making for a sparse, yet beautiful arrangement.

They rolled through the rest of the set including ballads like "Hope You Know" and "You Are the Light," classics like "Second Friend" and "The Fade" and jams of "Kaffman's Ballad" and "Heretofore."

New music from the Mountain Goats - "Cry for Judas"

As we previously reported, the new album from the Mountain Goats, Transcendental Youth, will be out October 2 via Merge Records. The band has released the first single from the album, "Cry for Judas," which you can stream or download via the widget below.

John Darnielle will play two solo sets (one will be rarities and the other will be metal covers) at the Hopscotch Music Festival in September. Tickets are available HERE.

The Mountain Goats will also play the Reynolds Theater at Duke with acapella group Anonymous 4 on Saturday October 6. Tickets are on sale now HERE.

Toro Y Moi announces 2012 dates, coming to Durham

South Carolina musician and songwriter Chazwick Bundick, better known by his stage name Toro Y Moi, released a collection of some of his early work, dubbed June 2009, earlier this year. He'll play a few scattered shows in the coming months which will bring him back to the Triangle.

Toro Y Moi will play Motorco Music Hall in Durham on Wednesday, September 26. Tickets are on sale now HERE for $15.

Check out the song "Girl Problems" from June 2009 below. Bundick also recently recorded a song with Tyler the Creator which you can check out HERE.

New music from Tift Merritt - "To Myself"

Tift Merritt's new album Traveling Alone won't be out until October 2 (check out more details HERE), but she has just released the first single, "To Myself." The song is now available via download services including iTunes and you can also stream the song below.

As we mentioned a few weeks ago, Merritt will play a big free show at the Carborro Town Commons on Friday, September 21, with Megafaun and Mandolin Orange. Check out more info about that show HERE.

Merritt will spend much of the remainder of 2012 on the road. Check out her current tour schedule below.

Album Review: Sugar - Copper Blue (Reissue)

The re-release of Sugar’s Copper Blue isn’t just for folks who loved it the first time around. It’s also for 20-somethings like me who have a post-1992 knowledge gap. Recently renewed interest in the 80’s underground and hardcore scenes – Michael Azerrad’s "Our Band Could Be Your Life" playing a large role in this – provided many an education on the pioneers that led to Nirvana’s breakout Nevermind including Bob Mould’s Hüsker Dü.

With so much pre-Nirvana music to dig into, it was easy to ignore the ripples it sent into 90’s. I had no idea about Sugar and no idea about the amazing Copper Blue. Thankfully, Merge Records changed that.

Heart announces 2012 tour, coming to Cary with Alejandro Escovedo

The rock band Heart have become regular visitors to the Triangle over the years and they'll come back on their 2012 tour in support of their forthcoming album Fanatic, out on October 2. This time, they'll bring singer-songwriter Alejandro Escovedo along as the opening act.

They'll play the Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary on Sunday, October 14. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 27, via the venue box office and Etix for $39.50 to $59.50.

Check out the title track from Heart's forthcoming album Fanatic below.

Win tickets to Megafaun at Duke Gardens

Megafaun will close out Duke Performances' Music in the Gardens series tomorrow night with a show that's sure to be a rollicking good time.

For a chance to win a pair of tickets to the show, email trianglemusiccontests at gmail dot com with "Megafaun tickets" in the subject line no later than 1 p.m. TODAY, July 24. We'll be notifying the winner this afternoon, so keep an eye on your inbox.

Tickets to the show are $12, or $5 for Duke students and employees and free for children 12 and under. Show time is 7 p.m.

A.C. Newman announces new album, fall tour

The New Pornographers' frontman Carl Newman, who records solo as A.C. Newman, will release his third full-length album this fall (details are still TBA) and will hit the road to support it.

Newman will play Motorco Music Hall in Durham on Saturday, October 27. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, July 27 HERE for $15. Pre-sale tickets will be available via Etix on Wednesday, July 25.

Check out a video of Newman and his band performing the Leonard Cohen song "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" below.

Chris Robinson Brotherhood announces 2012 tour, coming to Raleigh

With The Black Crowes on an indefinite hiatus, Chris Robinson started a new band called Chris Robinson Brotherhood. They just released their debut album titled Big Moon Ritual in June and will be on the road for much of 2012 supporting it.

The band will play the Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh on Saturday, November 3. Tickets are on sale now via Etix for $18.

Stream the funky song "Rosalee" from Big Moon Ritual below.

The Evil Tenors to release debut EP 'Peach Fuzz'

Nathan White (of the band Nathan Oliver) has joined forces with Roy Elturk (of Oblisk) to form a new band called The Evil Tenors. The band also features John Harrison (of North Elementary), Mas Sato (The Sames) and Stuart Cullinan (Tennis & the Mennonites).

They'll release the Peach Fuzz EP on August 28 via Pox World Empire and the Potluck Foundation. Check out the full track list and stream the entire EP below. Reid Johnson (of Schooner) contributed vocals to the songs "Living With Ghosts" and "Out of Reach."

Minus the Bear announces new album & big fall tour

Seattle rockers Minus the Bear will release their fifth full-length album, Infinity Overhead, on August 28 and will hit the road on a big fall tour to support it.

The tour will bring the band back to the Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh on Monday, October 1. Cursive and Caspian will open. Tickets are on sale today, July 20, via Etix for $22.50.

Check out a teaser trailer for Infinity Overhead below and stream the song "Lonely Gun" at RollingStone.com.

Chatham County Line returning to Fletcher this winter

Local string band Chatham County Line have been generating quite a bit of buzz lately around the release of their new live album and DVD Sight & Sound. The release features performances from the band's performance at the Fletcher Opera Theater in Raleigh during the summer of 2010. The band will return to the venue early next year.

Chatham County Line will play Fletcher on Friday, February 13. Tickets will go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. on Monday, August 20 via the Progress Energy Center box office and Ticketmaster for $25 to $27 according to Ticketmaster ($27 to 29 according to the Progress Energy Center's website). A pre-sale for Pinecone members will begin on Monday, August 13.

Check out the performance of "Closing Town" from the Sight & Sound DVD below.

Midtown Dickens & friends bring charming folk to Duke Gardens

Photos by Kevin Norris

Isolated storms steered clear of Duke Gardens on Wednesday evening which meant that Midtown Dickens and a cavalcade of friends were able to play quirky folk for a lawn full of excited fans.

The band stumbled through through the first part of the set having issues with guitar straps and playing the right harmonica, but the rough-and-tumble nature of the set adds to their charm. Their set felt like hanging out with a bunch of friends who were playing music and sharing an evening with each other.

That sentiment was highlighted by many aspects of the set which early on included singing "Happy Birthday" to Catherine Edgerton and bringing her a cake on stage. This was followed by a cover of Des Ark's "The Artistic Possibilities Of Sub-Standard Housing & Food Stamps."

The Who announces Quadrophenia tour, coming to Greensboro

Rock legends The Who (Roger Daltrey and Pete Townsend) are hitting the road this year on a big North American tour performing their classic 1973 album Quadrophenia in its entirety as well as additional songs.

The tour will skip the Triangle, but will come to the Greensboro Coliseum on Friday November 9. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 27, via Ticketmaster for $39.50 to $129.50 (plus fees).

Check out the song "Cut My Hair" from Quadrophenia below.

Bell X1 releasing new live album, announces North American tour

Irish band Bell X1 are gearing up for the release of a new live album, Field Recordings, on July 20. They'll hit the road on an acoustic North American tour this fall to support it and will come to the Triangle.

The band will play a special seated show at the Casbah in Durham on Sunday, October 7. Tickets are on sale now via Etix for $12.

Stream the song "In Every Sunflower" from Field Recordings below.

The Temper Trap announces fall tour, coming to Carrboro

Australian band The Temper Trap (who reside in London) just released their sophomore album, The Temper Trap, in June and will hit the road on a second leg of their North American tour this fall which will bring them to the Triangle.

The band will return to the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Tuesday, October 16. The Neighbourhood will open. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 20 via Etix for $20. Pre-sale tickets will be available via the band's ticketing service starting today, July 18.

Check out the music video for "Trembling Hands" from The Temper Trap below.

Future Islands coming to Chapel Hill on Friday

Triangle regulars Future Islands were set to open for Passion Pit on a run of dates ahead of the release of their new album, but the those July dates were canceled yesterday (the Passion Pit show in Raleigh as well as other fall dates are still on). These cancellations left Future Islands with some time on their hands which is good news for the Triangle.

The band will play an intimate show at Local 506 in Chapel Hill this Friday, July 20. Lilac Shadows will open. Tickets are on sale now via Ticketfly for $8.

Check out the rest of the new dates below which includes new shows in Asheville, Atlanta and Richmond.

Tennis announces fall tour, coming to Carrboro

Photo by Erin Algiere

Colorado band Tennis are gearing up to hit the road again this fall in support of their latest album Young & Old and they'll return to the Triangle.

They'll play the Cat's Cradle in Carbboro again on Tuesday, October 9. Wild Belle will open. Tickets will go on sale at Friday, July 20 via Etix for $13.

The band performed the song "It All Feels the Same" on the Late Show with David Letterman back in April. Check out that performance below.

Mutemath announces fall tour, coming to Raleigh

Photo by Colin Gray

New Orleans quartet Mutemath is hitting the road this fall in support of their latest album Odd Soul and will make a stop in the Triangle.

The band will play the Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh on Tuesday, October 9. Civil Twilight will open. Pre-sale tickets are available now HERE for $22.50. Public tickets will go on sale soon via Etix for the same price.

Check out the music video for the song "Prytania" from Odd Soul below.

Girl Talk extends 2012 tour, coming back to Raleigh

Wildly popular mashup artist (a weird but accurate term) Girl Talk has extended his summer tour plans and they now in include a stop in the Triangle this fall.

He'll play a rather odd venue, The Longbranch, which has typically been a country club in the past, on Thursday, September 20. The venue is around the corner from the Disco Rodeo, which he played the last time he came though the area in January 2011. G-Side will open. Tickets will go on sale soon are on sale now via Etix for $20.

Check out the song "Let It Out" from Girl Talk's latest full-length album All Day below.

Ben Folds Five sets release for new album, 'The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind'

Ben Folds Five has announced the release date and artwork for their first album in 13 years, The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind, and fans have just two short months to wait.

The album will be available Tuesday, September 18. Fans who supported the project via PledgeMusic contributions will receive early delivery. The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind will be released by ImaVeePee Records and Sony Music Entertainment.

Release of the album comes less than a week into the band's North American tour and two days after their show at Cary's Booth Amphitheatre, so hopefully local fans will have the opportunity to hear the new material live.

New music from The Old Ceremony - "Fairytales and Other Forms of Suicide" & "Star by Star"

The Old Ceremony's new album Fairytales and Other Forms of Suicide will out in about a month, on August 21 to be exact, and now they band has started to share some new music with the public.

Stream the title track from the album below and check out the song "Star by Star" on Spinner.

The band hasn't announced any tour dates yet in support of the new album but they're certainly coming. We'll keep you posted. Check out photos and a review of their recent show at Duke Gardens HERE.

Tift Merritt, Megafaun & Mandolin Orange to play free show in Carrboro

Three of the Triangle's favorite artists, Tift Merritt, Megafaun, and Mandolin Orange are teaming up for a free show this fall that will certainly be the talk of the town.

The three acts will play Carrboro Town Commons from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, September 21. Tickets are free with a voucher which you'll be able to get at the Cat's Cradle as well as other local businesses starting on Monday, August 6.

[UPDATE: Tickets are available for free starting on Monday, August 6 at CD Alley, Schoolkids Records, Jesse's Coffee & Bar and the Cat's Cradle. They will also be available via Etix.] 

The show is presented by Cat's Cradle and the Town of Carrboro.

Superchunk plays deep cuts, classics at the Cradle

Photos by Kevin Norris

Thursday night brought hometown heroes Superchunk back to their home court, the Cat's Cradle. As the band had been teasing on Twitter leading up to the show, they pulled out some deep, deep cuts for the set.

They dug deep right out the gate, opening with the 1993 b-side "Home at Dawn." Other rarities included "Ribbon," "The Majestic" and "Cool," all of which sounded fantastic.

The band played with the intensity and energy that their shows are known for. Mac McCaughan bounded around the stage and Laura Ballance pogoed through much of the set. The energy was especially high during recent set mainstays like "Crossed Wires," "Cast Iron" and "Digging for Something," as well as the band's new single, "This Summer."

Sharon Van Etten announces fall tour with Damien Jurado

Rising singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten is hitting the road this fall on a new U.S. tour in support of her latest album Tramp, released earlier this year. She'll take fellow acclaimed singer-songwriter Damien Jurado out for the run which will come to the Triangle.

They'll play the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Friday, October 26. Tickets are on sale now via Etix for $15.

Jurado will also play the Hopscotch Music Festival in Raleigh on Friday, September 7. He'll play the Berkeley Cafe at midnight.

Mandolin Orange plays to wall-to-wall crowd at Motorco

All photos by Kevin Norris

Wednesday brought more rain to the Triangle, which led to another Music in the Gardens show being relocated to Motorco Music Hall. Fans flocked to venue to welcome local folk band Mandolin Orange back from a midwestern tour in droves, packing the venue slightly beyond comfort.

The band played the show as a quartet and sounded fantastic as they made their way through a fantastic set of rich folk tunes. The band used the hometown gig to play some new songs for the crowd which they plan on recording soon.

Hopscotch announces 2012 schedule, speaker series lineup

The 2012 Hopscotch Music is less than two months away and everyone can now start planning their voyage through downtown Raleigh. The schedule is now available and viewable HERE and we also have our own version of the schedule available as a PDF HERE.

The festival also announced this year's Edward McKay Used Books & More Cultural Series which will featuring a bunch of great musicians and writers including Matthew E. White, M.C. Taylor, Skip Metheny, Samantha Crain, Peter Holsapple, Catherine Edgerton, Arnold Dreyblatt and many more. Check out the details HERE.

And one more thing. Single day tickets are now on sale HERE. A Thursday ticket is $55 and Friday or Saturday is $75.

TRKfest 2012 lineup announced, Des Ark, Hammer & more

It wouldn't be summer in the Triangle without Trekky Records' big annual party, TRKfest. Weather permitting, this year's festival will return to Piedmont Biofuels in Pittsboro on Saturday, July 21 (last year's event was moved to the Haw River Ballroom due to rain).

This year's lineup features a few performances you won't find anywhere else. First is Lost Skulls, a Misfits cover band featuring Ari Picker of Lost in the Trees, Stu McLamb of The Love Language, Nathan Toben of The Toddlers and TJ Maiani of Gross Ghost. They're supposed to be performing in Danzig style, so that will be something to see.

Beth Orton announces new album & fall tour

British singer-songwriter Beth Orton is gearing up for the release of her first album in six years this fall. She'll release Sugaring Season on October 2 and hit the road this fall to support it.

She'll play the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Saturday, September 22. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, July 13, via Etix for $25.

We don't have any music from the new album to share with you yet, but Check out the video for Orton's 1999 song "Stolen Car" below.

[UPDATE: Check out the song "Something More Beautiful" from Sugaring Season below.]

Stars announces new album & fall tour

Canadian indie pop band Stars will release their sixth full-length album on September 4 titled The North. The band will hit the road on a big fall tour to support it which will bring them back to Carrboro.

The band will play the Cat's Cradle on Wednesday, September 26. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, July 13, at 10 a.m. via Etix for $22. Each ticket purchased includes a free download of the aforementioned new album The North.

Stream the song "The Theory of Relativity" from The North below. You can download the song HERE if you're willing to share a working email address.

Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra announces fall tour

Photo by Shervin Lainez

Dresden Dolls singer-songwriter Amanda Palmer is gearing up for the release of her third solo album on September 11 titled Theatre is Evil. She'll hit the road with her band The Grand Theft Orchestra in the fall to promote it.

She'll come to the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro three days after the release, on Friday, September 14. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, July 13, via Etix for $22. A pre-sale starts today, September 10, at Palmer's website.

Check out the very NSFW music video for the catchy song "Want It Back" from Theatre is Evil, below.

Ben Folds Five announces fall dates, returning to the Triangle

Chapel Hill legends Ben Folds Five has been warming up with festival dates this spring and summer as they worked on their first album in 13 years. With the album wrapped, the trio will make a stop in the Triangle this fall before a run of dates in the UK.

Ben Folds Five will play Cary's Booth Amphitheatre on Sunday, September 16. Kate Miller-Heidke will open. Tickets are $49.50 for reserved seats and $39.50 for lawn and will go on sale Friday, July 13, at 10 a.m. via Etix and the venue box office.

Check out a video of the band playing "Underground" at Bonnaroo last month.

The Mountain Goats releasing 'Transcendental Youth' in October

Prolific singer-songwriter John Darnielle and his band The Mountain Goats are back with a new album titled Transcendental Youth, out on October 2 via Merge Records.

The album features twelve new songs recorded at Overdub Lane in Chapel Hill and will feature horn arrangements by Matthew E. White, leader of the Virginia band Fight the Big Bull. For a detailed account of how the album came to be, check out Darnielle's post about in on the Mountain Goats' website.

Win tickets to Mandolin Orange at Duke Gardens

Mandolin Orange has been on the road and working their way across the country and back to their North Carolina home. The band will play Duke Gardens as part of Duke Performance's Music in the Gardens series this Wednesday.

For a chance to win a pair of tickets to the show, email trianglemusiccontests at gmail dot com with "Mandolin Orange tickets" in the subject line no later than noon tomorrow, Tuesday, July 10. One entry per person, please. Congratulations, Jeff S.!

Tickets to the show are $12, or $5 for Duke students and employees and free for children 12 and under.

Janis Ian announces fall tour, coming to Carrboro

Photo by Peter Cunningham

Singer-songwriter Janis Ian, best known for her 1975 hit "At Seventeen," will hit the road on a fall tour playing mostly smaller rooms on the east coast.

Ian will play the ArtsCenter in Carrboro on Saturday, October 13. Ticket information is not available yet but we'll keep you posted.

Check out a video of Ian performing "At Seventeen" at a concert in West Palm Beach in 2009 below.

Win tickets to see Midtown Dickens and friends at Duke Gardens

As we mentioned yesterday, next week's Midtown Dickens show at Duke Gardens, part of Duke Performances' Music in the Gardens series, is sure to be a great one. The band will be joined on stage by members of Megafaun, Lost in the Trees, Hammer No More the Fingers, Bowerbirds, and The Tender Fruit on Wednesday, July 18.

For a chance to win a pair of tickets to the show, email trianglemusiccontests at gmail dot com with "Midtown Dickens tickets" in the subject line no later that noon on Monday, July 9. We will select and notify a winner that afternoon. One entry per person, please. Congratulations, Brion V.!

Tickets to the show are $12, or $5 for Duke students and employees and free for children 12 and under.

Chatham County Line playing two free shows celebrating 'Sight & Sound'

As you probably already know, Chatham County Line will release their new live album and DVD Sight & Sound on Tuesday, July 10. The band has just announced two free Triangle shows to celebrate the release.

First, the band will stop at Sadlack's on Hillsborough Street to play an "out-store" for Schoolkids Records at 1 p.m. on July 10. The band played there when they released Wildwood in 2010 and it was fantastic (check out photos and a short review HERE).

Later that day the band will head to Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill for an in-store performance at 7 p.m.

Members of Megafaun, Lost in the Trees & more to join Midtown Dickens at Duke Gardens

When Duke Performances rolled out the 2012 Music in the Gardens lineup back in back in April, Midtown Dickens show on July 18 was listed as "Midtown Dickens + Special Guests." Those guests have now been revealed and there are quite a few of them.

Joining the band will be Phil and Brad Cook of Megafaun, Drew Anagnost and Mark Daumen of Lost in the Trees, Joe Hall of Hammer No More the Fingers, Leah Gibson of Bowerbirds and Christy Smith of The Tender Fruit. With all of those folks on board, it will surely be a special evening.

Tickets for the show are on sale now HERE for $12 (tickets for Duke students and employees are just $5). We'll be giving away a pair of tickets to the show starting tomorrow so keep an eye out for that.

Hopscotch announces four artist cancelations & three additions

Azure Ray

There is some bad and good news about the artist lineup for the 2012 Hopscotch Music Festival.

First, the bad news. Four performers, Death Grips, Duchess Says, Strand of Oaks and High Wolf, have cancelled their scheduled performances. The good news is that there are three fantastic new additions to the lineup. Azure Ray, Killer Mike and Baobab will now hit the festival in September.

The festival will offer ticket refunds to people who were planning to come to the festival specifically to see one of the cancelled acts. If you want a refund, contact Etix HERE.

NC legend Andy Griffith dead at 86

One of North Carolina's treasures, actor, comedian and musician Andy Griffith, passed this morning, July 3, at the age of 86. Reports state that he passed at his home on Roanoke Island at about 7 a.m.

Though Griffith is most widely known as Sheriff Andy Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show and lawyer Ben Matlock on Matlock, he started as a musician and graduated from UNC with a degree in music where he was also a member of the men's glee club.

He recorded a number of gospel and country albums during is lengthy career and could be heard singing in many episodes of The Andy Griffith Show and even Matlock. He was inducted into the Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Christian Music Hall of Fame in 2007.

Win tickets to Superchunk at Cat's Cradle

Superchunk has a new single out, "This Summer," and to celebrate the season itself, the band will be playing a hometown show at Cat's Cradle next Thursday, July 12, along with Gross Ghost.

For a chance to win a pair of tickets to the show, email trianglemusiccontests at gmail dot com with "Superchunk tickets" in the subject line no later than noon on Friday, July 6. We will randomly select a winner that afternoon. One entry per person, please. Congratulations, Jeffrey L.!

Tickets to the show are $15 and available via Etix. Doors are at 8 p.m. and the show will begin at 9 p.m.

New music video from Hiss Golden Messenger - "Blue Country Music"

Hiss Golden Messenger maybe prepping a new album (check out a performance of a new song HERE), but the 2011 album Poor Moon has just been re-released on CD by the Tompkins Square Label.

A new music video for "Blue Country Mystic" has just been released which you can enjoy below. Also download or stream the song "Westering" from the album below as well.

Hiss Golden Messenger will play the Hopscotch Music Festival in downtown Raleigh this September.