Moss of Aura, Jonny Alright added to Hopscotch lineup

The Hopscotch Music Festival kicks off in just a few hours, and we have a couple of final schedule replacements to share.

• Tonight at 9:30 p.m. at the Pour House Music Hall, Future Islands member Gerrit Welmers will perform as Moss of Aura replacing Dauwd.
• Saturday at midnight at the Berkeley Cafe, Jonny Alright will replace UBT. 

Check out our updated, printable schedule HERE, and a day parties schedule HERE.

Happy Hopscotching!

Jill Andrews announces summer dates, coming to Raleigh

Singer-songwriter Jill Andrews is hitting the road in June on a short run of shows which will kick off right here in the Triangle.

Andrews will play a full band show at the Berkeley Cafe in Raleigh on Friday, June 21. Josh Oliver will open. Advance tickets are on sale now via Etix for $10.

Andrews debuted a new song, "Rust or Gold," on Grey's Anatomy earlier this month which is now available to download via the usual services. Check out the song below.

Samantha Crain announces winter tour, coming to Raleigh

Songstress Samantha Crain will release a new album on February 19 via Ramseur Records titled Kid Face, but before the release, she'll hit the road on a winter tour that will kick off in the Triangle.

She'll play the Berkeley Cafe in Raleigh on Wednesday, January 23. Sunmer James will open. Tickets are on sale now via Etix for $10.

Crain will also play Wilmington the following night, January 24, and then two nights at UNC Pembroke, January 25 and 26. Check out the full schedule below.

Check out the song "Never Going Back" from the forthcoming album Kid Face below.

JEFF the Brotherhood announces June tour, intimate Raleigh gig

The Hopscotch Music Festival has been bringing great bands to the Triangle outside of one three-day weekend a year in September, and now they're bringing Nashville duo JEFF the Brotherhood to Raleigh to play an intimate show that will kick off the band's headlining tour.

The brothers (the band is comprised of two siblings) will play the Berkeley Cafe on Wednesday, June 13. Heavy Cream will open. Tickets are on sale now via Etix for $10.

Check out the music video for "Bummer" from JEFF the Brotherhood's latest album We Are the Champions below.

Hopscotch 2011 Day 2: John Vanderslice at Berkeley Cafe & Hospitality at The Union

All photos by Kevin Norris

During night two of Hopscotch, troubadour John Vanderslice took the stage at the Berkeley Cafe for a rousing solo set.

The opening lines of "Trance Manual" received a hearty cheer from the receptive crowd. He seemed to be in good spirits and asked that the venue's disco ball be turned on, which added a bit of sparkle to the fairly drab room.

He launched into "Pale Horse," prefaced by saying it is a "call to arms" written after George W. Bush was elected to his second term in 2004. After that killer performance, I left the venue to explore more music the festival had to offer.

Hopscotch Day 2: Sharon Van Etten, Bowerbirds & Fucked Up

Bowerbirds
All photos by Emily Price

By 10:30 p.m. The Pour House was all ready one in, one out in anticipation of Sharon Van Etten. The back half of the room was overly chatty and it’s a shame because they missed a really incredible set.

Van Etten has a new band that gives her songs a fullness that wasn’t there before and doesn’t take anything away from her strikingly honest delivery. There’s a look in her eye that suggests a range of emotions from pain to defiance to joy. It’s impossible to take your eyes off of her. When she comes to the climax of a song, her eyes widen, she looks up and it’s unmistakeable that Sharon Van Etten is as earnest a performer as there is.

Jay Clifford announces April tour, playing Raleigh & Carrboro

After a bit of dormant period as far a live shows are concerned, songwriter Jay Clifford is returning to the road this month for a series of duo shows with Slow Runner instrumentalist Josh Kaler.

There are two Triangle shows. The first is at the Berkley Cafe in Ralegih on Thursday, April 15. Haley Dreis and Jeremy Current will open the show. Tickets are available via etix for $10.

The second show is at the Cat's Cradle on Wednesday, April 21. Steven Fiore and Jeremy Current will open that show. Tickets are available via etix for $12.

Sarah Borges announces new dates, playing Raleigh

Feisty Boston singer songwriter Sarah Borges and her band the Broken Singles, who released their third full-length album The Stars Are Out last March via Sugar Hill Records, have announced some new tour dates which includes a stop in the Triangle. The band will play the Berkley Cafe in downtown Raleigh on Thursday, March 25. Tickets for the show will be $10.

Check out the music video for "Do It For Free" from The Stars Are Out below along with band's upcoming tour schedule. You can also check out some live concert bootlegs at archive.org.

Tim Easton to play Raleigh on spring tour

California singer-songwriter Tim Easton will release his fifth album titled Porcupine on April 28 via New West Records. With that in mind, Easton will hit the road in April on a US tour that is currently slated to run through June. He will play the Berkley Cafe in Raleigh on May 12. No other information is available for the show yet.

Download the rockabilly inspired track "Burgundy Red" from Porcupine and check out Easton's upcoming tour dates below.

Tim Easton - "Burgundy Red" (mp3)

Tim Easton US dates:
04.16.09 - Juneau, AK - Rendevous
04.18.98 - Juneau, AK - Alaska Hotel
04.27.09 - Fort Wayne, IN - Brass Rail
04.28.09 - Rock Island, IL - Rock Island Brewing Co
04.29.09 - Minneapolis, MN - 400 Bar [Tickets]04.30.09 - Chicago, IL - The Hideout
05.01.09 - Columbus, OH - Rumba Cafe
05.02.09 - Whitesburg, KY - Summit City
05.03.09 - Charleston, WV - Mountain Stage @ Cultural Center Theater
05.05.09 - Arlington, VA - IOTA Club
05.06.09 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge [Tickets]05.07.09 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's [Tickets]05.12.09 - Raleigh, NC - Berkley Cafe
05.14.09 - Athens, GA - Flicker Bar
05.15.09 - Jacksonville, FL - Cafe Eleven
05.16.09 - Orlando, FL - Will's Pub
05.20.09 - New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jacks
05.21.09 - Houston, TX - Rudyards
05.22.09 - Austin, TX - The Mohawk
05.26.09 - St. Louis, MO - Off Broadway
06.05.09 - Los Angeles, CA - The Mint

Chatham County Line plays Session in Studio B

Chatham County Line stopped by NBC 17 studios back in December to play a "Session in Studio B." During the performance, the band ripped through "The Carolinian," "Country Boy/City Boy," "Chip of a Star" and "Let It Rock" from their most recent album IV. Watch the performance below.

Oh, and apparently The Raconteurs have opened the door for more mainstream country acts. Who knew?

The band will be joining Norwegian star Jonas Fjeld on his upcoming tour of Norway and will rehearse on stage at the Berkley Cafe in downtown Raleigh on February 12. Tickets for the Raleigh show are on sale now for $10 via etix.com. Chatham County Line played on Fjeld's new album Brother of Song which does not have a US release date. Thanks to On the Beat for this info.



Related posts:
Chatham County Line to play benefit for Columbus County Schools
Tift Merritt, Chatham County Line make the AMA's top of 2008

Knowledge is power

It's a sad fact these days that the "music business" is much more about business than music, and your business savvy could potentially get you farther than your best song.

Keep yourself and your band from getting screwed over by learning some of the basics of the business of music.

Raleigh-based music management firm Murphy to Manteo will host a crash course entitled "On the Record — Breaking Your Band" at the Berkeley Cafe on Sunday, Jan. 28 from 2-4 p.m.

The directors of MTM, who have in the past managed acts such as Hootie and the Blowfish and Cowboy Mouth, will provide and overview of how record labels work, what booking agents look for in a young band, the importance of publishing and the roles of attorneys, producers and managers.

Bands are encouraged to bring their CD, publicity photo and press kit to the seminar. One act will be randomly chosen for a free mini-consultation and critique at the end of the event.

Tickets for the seminar are $12 in advance or $15 at the door and can be purchased at Berkeley Cafe, Schoolkids Records in Chapel Hill and Raleigh or by visiting www.mtmfirm.com or by calling their office at 859-5333. The Berkeley Cafe is located at 217 West Martin Street in Raleigh.