The Get Up Kids mix classics with new tunes at the Cradle

All photos by Kevin Norris

Kansas quintet The Get Up Kids rolled into Carrboro Sunday night with their newly released album There Are Rules. The band had some stiff competition in the area, with UNC playing Maryland at the Dean Dome at the same time, but about 300 people showed up at the Cat's Cradle ready to rock.

The set featured a hefty dose of new material, kicking off with the new album's opening track "Tithe." It was one of seven new tunes that were played during the night, which at many times, seemed to fall a bit flat on the audience, likely because they lack the hooks and pop charm of the band's previous albums.

Album Review: La Sera - La Sera

On the debut record from her new side project La Sera, the Vivian Girls’ Katy Goodman serves up bite size samples of lo-fi twee pop.

“Beating Heart” gives the album a flowing, echo-y introduction and from there on out 60’s doo-wop and folk influences take over in short, hazy bursts. With no songs longer than 2 minutes and 57 seconds, the 12-track La Sera breezes by in about 26 minutes. Goodman’s vocals are sugary, but her delivery is melancholy enough to make them bittersweet instead of cavity inducing.

Def Leppard & Heart announce summer tour, coming to Raleigh

Summer tour announcements are starting to roll out, and there is almost always a few 1980s arena rock mainstays that team up for a tour of the big sheds. This year Def Leppard and Heart are teaming up for a series of summer dates from June to September.

The tour will stop at Walnut Creek Amphitheater in Raleigh on Friday, June 24. Tickets for the show go on sale on Friday, March 4 at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster. Prices are not yet available.

Def Leppard are planning to release a live album titled Mirrorball later this summer. Check out a video below of the band performing portions of some of their biggest hits including "Pour Some Sugar On Me" and "Animal" at a big U.K. festival.

Bob Seger adds spring tour dates, coming to Greensboro

Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band are hitting the road this spring on their first tour since the 2006-2007 Face the Promise Tour. The 2011 dates are few at the moment, but will bring the 65-year-old rocker to the Triad.

The tour stops at the Greensboro Coliseum on Saturday, April 23. Tickets will go on sale on Saturday, March 5 at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster and the venue box office for $65 plus fees.

Seger is expected to release a new album later this year and is expected to play a few new tunes on the tour. In the meantime, stream the Seger classic "Night Moves" below.

New music from Sloan - "Follow the Leader" + new album in May

Photo by Lisa Mark

The Canadian power pop quartet Sloan are celebrating 20 years of being a band in 2011 with the release of a new album titled The Double Cross. Yep Roc records, based in Haw River, N.C., will release the album on May 10.

Download the rollicking leadoff tune "Follow the Leader" below where you can also check out the full 12-song track list for the album.

Band member Jay Ferguson jokingly said of the album "it's our greatest work since Exile on Main St." But he seriously said "I personally feel it's up there with my favorites of ours."

Video: The Mountain Goats play "Birth of Serpents" on Letterman

Last night, February 23, The Mountain Goats made their Late Show with David Letterman debut promoting their forthcoming album All Eternals Deck, out on March 29 via Merge Records. The band performed the song "Birth of Serpents," which you can watch below.

As we've mentioned before, the band will play the Cat's Cradle with Megafaun on Friday, April 8. Tickets are available via etix for $17.

If you haven't already checked it out, download the song "Damn These Vampires" from All Eternals Deck below.

The Boston Pops & Kenny Loggins announce tour, coming to Durham [CANCELED]

Photo by Stu Rosner

In a rather interesting pairing of music talent, the world renowned Boston Pops orchestra will team up with soft rock singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins on a ten date tour of minor league baseball stadiums in August.

Each night, for the first set, the orchestra will perform a set of baseball themed songs, followed by some classics including "Moon River" and "Over the Rainbow." The second set will feature songs by composer John Williams, including music from Star Wars, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones and E.T. Then, to close the night Kenny Loggins will join the orchestra to perform some of his hits including "I'm Alright" and "Footloose."

Okkervil River announces 2011 tour, coming to Carrboro

Photo by Alexandra Valenti

Will Sheff and his gang of musicians known as Okkervil River are gearing up for the release of their new album I Am Very Far on May 10. A tour will follow in June and will bring the group to the Triangle.

They'll play the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Wednesday, June 1. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, March 4 via etix for $16.

[UPDATE: Titus Andronicus and Future Islands will open the show. That's a hell of a lineup.]

Win tickets to The Get Up Kids at Cat's Cradle

The Get Up Kids are back with a new album, There Are Rules, and they're swinging through Cat's Cradle this Sunday, Feb. 27. Thanks to the great folks at the Cradle, we're giving away two pairs of tickets to the show.

To enter for your chance to win, email trianglemusicblog at gmail dot com with "Get Up Kids tickets" in the subject line no later than 10 a.m. on Friday, February 25. One entry per person, please. We will randomly select a winner Friday around noon.

Tickets to the show are $18 in advance, $22 day of, and are available via etix. Miniature Tigers and Brian Bonz will open the show.

Check out the group's latest video for their new single "Automatic" below.

Phish announces 2011 tour, coming to Raleigh

Since returning to active duty in 2009, jam band Phish are showing no signs of slowing down. The band announced the first leg of their 2011 tour and will be making a stop in the Triangle.

The group will play Walnut Creek Amphitheater (aka Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion) in Raleigh on Saturday, June 18. Tickets for the show will go on sale on Saturday, March 12 at 10 a.m. via the box office and Ticketmaster.

Phish played the big Raleigh shed last July, drawing 12,969 people to the venue.

Phish's latest studio album is 2009's Joy and they released live DVD titled Alpine Valley 2010 in December 2010. Check out a video of the song "Reba" from the DVD if you dare. It clocks in at 12 minutes and 19 seconds.

David Kilgour and the Heavy Eights releasing 'Left By Soft' in April

Singer-songwriter David Kilgour of the New Zealand band The Clean, is preparing to release a new solo record with his band The Heavy Eights. It will be his first solo record since 2007's The Far Now.

The album is titled Left By Soft and will be out on April 26 via Merge Records.

Download the dreamy, six-minute plus song "Diamond Mine" from the new album below. Also, check out the album's full track list below the download.

Album Review: Toro y Moi - Underneath the Pine

In the summer of 2010, as the genre known as "chillwave" was starting to make a splash, singer-songwriter Chazwick Bundick rode that wave to popularity under the name Toro y Moi with his first album, Causers of This. Barely a year later, Bundick has released his sophomore effort, Underneath the Pine, a laid-back and casual listen that's sure to hook any fan of electronic music who hasn't yet caught the chillwave.

The intro gets the album off to a thick and heavy start. Following track "New Beat" is immediately infectious with its '70s-tinged pop synth and smooth beat. Keyboards make up the backbone to this track and much of the rest of the record.

Aimee Mann announces trio tour, coming to Carrboro

The sometimes dreary, yet infectious melodies of Aimee Mann, one of my favorite singer-songwriters, will be filling small clubs on the east coast this spring on a stripped down tour with bassist Paul Bryan and keyboardist Jamie Edwards.

The tour will play the small ArtsCenter in Carrboro on Sunday, April 17. Tickets will be $25 in advance and will go on sale on Friday, February 25 via etix.

Mann's latest album is 2008's @#%&*! Smilers. She has been working on a musical based on her 2005 album The Forgotten Arm, and has been performing new songs written for it at recent shows. Check out a video of her performing two of these new songs, "Conflicted" and "Eiffel Tower," below (both songs are in the same video.

Handsome Furs announce April dates, coming to Raleigh

Photo by Liam Maloney

Canadian duo Handsome Furs are hitting the road in April on a very short US tour that will bring them to the Triangle. There is not a new album announced and the band's latest release is 2009's Face Control.

The tour will come to Kings in Raleigh on Sunday, April 17. Tickets are on sale now via etix for $10.

Download the songs "Radio Kaliningrad" and "I'm Confused" from Face Control below. Check out the music video for I'm Confused" below as well.

Win tickets to Superchunk at Cat's Cradle

The members of Superchunk may currently be galivanting around Japan, but they're headed home soon for a show at Cat's Cradle on Friday, March 4, and the fine folks at Merge Records are offering up a pair of tickets to one lucky Triangle Music reader.

For a chance to win, email trianglemusicblog at gmail dot com with "Superchunk tickets" in the subject line no later than noon on Wednesday, Feb. 23. One entry per person, please. We will randomly select a winner Wednesday afternoon. Congratulations, Amy B., you're our winner!

Tickets to the show are $14 and available through etix. Veelee will open.

Album Review: Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion - Bright Examples

When I first put on Bright Examples, the second album from husband and wife duo Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion, I was surprised.

Much of the expected traditional country twang is gone. In its place is a pastoral folk sound reminiscent of late 60’s and early 70’s. After learning how much has changed for the couple in the last five years - a move from South Carolina to Massachusetts and two children - it made sense that their music would change along with them.

With help from members of Vetiver and The Jayhawks, Guthrie and Irion have recorded a gorgeous album that gets more rewarding with every listen. Bright Examples is more laid back than a hippie in a recliner, but the constant motion within its layers prevent it from dragging.

Punch Brothers return to woo Lincoln Theatre crowd

Photo by C. Taylor Crothers

Punch Brothers returned to the Triangle on Friday night to perform at Raleigh's Lincoln Theatre. They seemed glad to be back, especially considering the success of their November show at Cat's Cradle, and though the crowd was chatty at times, they were glad to have them.

A wide range of covers made up most of the group's set, with artists ranging from The Beatles to Radiohead. Their version of Josh Ritter's "Another New World" was chilling It seems like they pull out a different Radiohead cover with each round of touring — this time, it was "2+2=5" off of Hail to the Thief.

[UPDATED] Rihanna & Cee Lo Green announce summer tour, coming to Greensboro

Pop stars Rihanna and Cee Lo Green, both of which preformed at the 2011 Grammys, are teaming up this summer for a North American tour that will take them across the U.S. and Canada.

The pair will hit the Greensboro Coliseum on Saturday, July 16. Tickets for the show will go on sale on Friday February 26 at 10 a.m. for $19.75, $39.75, $59.75 or $99.75.

[UPDATE: Cee Lo Green has backed out of the rest of Rihanna's tour including the Greensboro show. It is said to be due to scheduling conflicts due to his filming of the NBC show "The Voice" and then he'll work on a new album. Since Green wasn't the headliner, you're out of luck if you bought your ticket to see him.]

The Chapin Sisters announce spring shows, coming to Chapel Hill & Raleigh

Photo by Sita Marlier

The sibling duo The Chapin Sisters, who are thedaughters of Tom Chapin and nieces of Harry Chapin (that's quite a lineage), are hitting the road this spring in support of their latest album Two, released in September 2010.

They will come to Local 506 in Chapel Hill on Saturday, April 9. Tickets are on sale now via etix for $10.

[UPDATE: The Chapin Sisters will also play the Berkley Cafe in Raleigh on Sunday, April 10. Tickets for the show are also $10 and will be available soon via etix.]

The Mountain Goats pre-orders come with demo cassette

The Mountain Goats new album All Eternals Deck be will be out on March 29, but those who pre-order the album now may get an added bonus when the album ships.

The first 500 pre-orders on Merge Records website will receive a special hand-colored cassette featuring demos for the songs on the new album as well as two non-album songs. The cassette is dubbed All Survivors Pack and you can check out the track list below.

Also, the band will perform on the Late Show with David Letterman much sooner than the release, on Wednesday, February 23. Be sure to tune in or set your DVR.

Smith Westerns extend massive tour, coming to Raleigh

Photo by Jaein Lee

Chicago band Smith Westerns are tour relentlessly these days supporting the release of their sophomore album Dye It Blonde. They'll open shows for Wilco and Yeasayer in late spring and played Chapel Hill in January and now they'll return to the Triangle in April.

The band are set to play a special after party for the opening of the Contemporary Art Museum in Raleigh on Friday, April 29. The after party is at Kings and tickets are on sale now for $10 via etix.

Stream the song "All Die Young" from Dye It Blonde below and also watch the music video for the song "Weekend."

Royal Bangs announce new album & tour, coming to Chapel Hill

Tennessee rockers Royal Bangs will release their third full-length album titled Flux Outside on March 29 via Glassnote Records and will kick off a hefty tour to support the album the following day in North Carolina.

After playing Greenville and Asheville, quite an odd routing choice, the band will come to Local 506 in Chapel Hill on April Fools Day, Friday, April 1. Tickets are $10 and available now via etix.

Stream or download the bombastic song "Grass Helmet" from Flux Outside via the widget below (click the down arrow on the right side to download).

Win tickets to The Budos Band at Cat's Cradle

Photo by Kisha Bari

The bitter cold of winter is finally starting to break, so it's a good time to go check out some live music this weekend and we're here to help. Thanks to the Cat's Cradle, we have a pair of tickets to give away for The Budos Band's show this Sunday, February 20 with D-Town Brass and DJ Ras J.

To enter for your chance to win, email trianglemusicblog at gmail dot com with "Budos Band tickets" in the subject line no later than 10 a.m. on Friday, February 18. One entry per person, please. We will randomly select a winner Friday around noon.

Stream the groovalicious tune "Unbroken, Unshaven" from The Budos Band's lastest album The Budos Band III below.

New music from I Was Totally Destroying It - "Regulators"

We just told you not too long ago that I Was Totally Destroying are releasing their new album Preludes on April 12 via Greyday Records. Now you can get a taste of the album by streaming the song "Regulators" below.

In addition to Preludes, the band also plan to release a second new album in 2011 called Vexations, and the band are offering a sort of deluxe package for $25 that will get you both albums and a bunch of extras including a 7", early downloads of the albums and bonus tracks. Check out more on that HERE.

For now though, we'll focus on Preludes, so stream "Regulators" below and check out the full track list for the album below the stream. [UPDATE: You can now download the song as well. The link is above the stream.]

B.B. King announces new tour dates, coming back to Durham

85-year-old blues legend B.B. King was the first artist to play the Durham Performing Arts Center when it opened in 2008, and now he's set to return in June.

He'll play the venue on Friday, June 3. Tickets will start at $38 and will go on sale on Friday, February 25 at 10 a.m. via the venue box office and Ticketmaster.

Check out a video below of B.B. King perform the classic "The Thrill Is Gone" with Eric Clapton at the 2010 Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago. He may be getting up there in age, but the man can still play.

Album Review: Telekinesis - 12 Desperate Straight Lines

Telekinesis' sophomore release 12 Desperate Straight Lines shows a deeper, moodier musical side of Michael Benjamin Lerner while maintaining the hooks and pop sensibility.

Driving, dirty Joy Division-esque bass is front and center on many of the album's tracks. The driving bass of "Please Ask for Help" gives Lerner plenty of room for a dreamy melody line swirling over it.

"50 Ways" features a thunderous chorus that could blow the doors off of an arena. In the midst of bass-heavy rock is a jaunty, piano pop version of the song "Dirty Thing," originally found in a rougher form on the EP Parallel Seismic Conspiracies.

Wiz Khalifa announces spring tour, coming to Raleigh

Pennsylvania rapper Wiz Khalifa is preparing to release his third album on March 29 titled Rolling Papers, which features his hit single "Black and Yellow" released in 2010. He'll immediately hit the road to support the album which will come south right away.

The tour will stop at the Raleigh Amphitheater on on Friday, April 1, making it the second announced show of the venue's second season (read about the first HERE). Tickets will go on sale Friday, February 18 at 10 a.m. via the Progress Energy Center box office and Ticketmaster.

Check out the music video for the song "Black and Yellow" below.

Album Review: East River Pipe - We Live In Rented Rooms

On his seventh album, We Live In Rented Rooms, singer and songwriter FM Cornog continues to do a lot with very little.

Cornog’s patient rhythms and restrained dynamics - along with plenty of reverb - create cold echos in empty spaces. The robotic beats of a drum machine add to the chill throughout album.

At first, the music seems only to set the stage for the tragic characters in the lyrics, but some of the most gorgeous moments occur when the singing stops.

After the grim tale of a man crippled by an internet pornography addiction, the final minute of “Tommy Made a Movie” brightens and the harmonies begin to pulse. It’s hopeful and beautiful.

Video: Arcade Fire win album of the year Grammy, perform "Month of May" & "Ready To Start"

Tonight was a huge night for Arcade Fire and their Durham-based label Merge Records. After losing two Grammy awards earlier in the night to The Black Keys, Arcade Fire pulled out a last minute win in the one category that matters most — album of the year.

They beat out Lady Gaga, Eminem, Lady Antebellum and Katy Perry to win the award. As they emerged from backstage, they looked stunned and giddy as they accepted the award from Kris Kristofferson and Barbara Streisand immediately following their performance of their lone punk tune "Month of May." After accepting the award, they played an encore of the song "Ready To Start." Watch the performances and the band accepting the award below.

Video: Mumford & Sons, The Avett Brothers & Bob Dylan perform at the Grammys

The Grammys announced a last-minute performance earlier this week would team up the legendary Bob Dylan with North Carolina favorites The Avett Brothers and their U.K. counterpart Mumford & Sons and that performance happened tonight, February 13.

It featured "Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise" from The Avetts, "The Cave" from Mumford & Sons and then everyone joined Bob Dylan for a rendition of the classic "Maggie's Farm." Dylan sounds pretty rough these days, but you've got to admire his spunk as pulls out a few crooner moves while performing. Watch the video below thanks to The Audio Perv.

Carolina Chocolate Drops win a Grammy!

The Triangle's own traditional string band the Carolina Chocolate Drops have won a Grammy! In the pre-telecast portion of the awards, the Drops won the award for Best Traditional Folk album for Genuine Negro Jig, beating out Luther Dickinson & The Sons Of Mudboy, The John Hartford Stringband, The John Hartford Stringband and Ricky Skaggs.

This great news follows the news earlier this week that principal Carolina Chocolate Drops member Justin Robinson is leaving the group. Beatboxer Adam Matta and multi-instrumentalist Hubby Jenkins will join the group, and Robinson is still expected to perform with the group from time to time. Robinson is certainly leaving the group on quite a high note.

Yes announce spring US dates, coming to Durham

British prog rock band Yes are still alive and kicking and have been recording their first studio album since 2001 is Los Angeles. The album is expected to be out later this year, but for now, the band are preparing for a month long U.S. tour this spring dubbed Rite of Spring Tour.

The band will play the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) on Thursday, March 24. Tickets for the show wil go on sale on Friday, February 19 at 10 a.m. via the DPAC box office and Ticketmaster. They will start at $35.

Stream the classic eight and a half minute Yes tune "Roundabout" as well as the 1980s hit "Owner of a Lonely Heart" below.

Phosphorescent announces spring tour, coming to Raleigh

The fantastic indie folk band Phosphorescent, led by singer-songwriter Matt Houck, are preparing to hit the road this spring in support of their 2010 album Here's To Taking It Easy. Download the song "The Mermaid Parade" from the album below.

The tour will bring the band to Kings in downtown Raleigh on Monday, May 9. Tickets are $12 in advance and are available via etix now. An opening act(s) hasn't been announced yet.

Phosphorescent has been in the Triangle quite a bit in the past few years. We caught the band's set opening for David Gray at DPAC in April 2010. Check out a review and photos of that show HERE.

New music from Hammer No More the Fingers - "Steam"

Photo by Elizabeth Vitale

We just brought you the news about Hammer No More the Fingers new album Black Shark yesterday, now we have a song from the album for you to check out. Download the song "Steam" below and enjoy the quirky riffage and overall catchiness.

The full track list of Black Shark as well as details of the band's upcoming tour complete with two Durham performances is available HERE. The new album will be out on April 5 via Churchkey Records.

Avett Brothers, Mumford & Sons to perform at Grammys with Bob Dylan

North Carolina superstars The Avett Brothers are set to perform at the Grammy Awards on Sunday night, February 13, with Bob Dylan and U.K. rising stars Mumford & Sons. The trio of performers will take part in a salute to acoustic music. Witha ll that talent, it should be quite an amazing performance.

Another notable performances Sunday night include Arcade Fire, Cee Lo Green with Gwyneth Paltrow and Muppets, Muse and Eminem with Dr. Dre. The show will air on CBS on Sunday at 8 p.m. We'll post some videos of the better performances on Monday for those who don't get or want to tune into the show.

Steve Miller Band & Gregg Allman announce spring tour, coming to Cary

The spring and summer tours are starting to roll out and this April an interesting pair of classic rock artists for a run of dates. That pair is Steve Miller Band and Gregg Allman.

Their brief run will stop at Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary on Wednesday, April 20. Ticket info isn't available yet, but we'll keep you posted.

Gregg Allman had liver transplant surgery in June of 2010, leading the Allman Brothers to not play their annual gig at Walnut Creek Amphitheatre for the first time since the venue opened. This will be his first gig in the Triangle since October 2009.

Birds of Avalon to celebrate new album at Kings

Raleigh quartet Birds of Avalon released their long awaited self-titled album digitally on January 11 and the band are preparing to celebrate the release with a big hometown show in February.

The band will play Kings in downtown Raleigh on Saturday, February 26 with Lonnie Walker. Tickets for the show are just $6 and are available now via etix.

We gave you the track "Invasion" from Birds of Avalon's new album back in November. Check that out HERE. Download another track from the album, "Shadowy End," below.

Hammer No More the Fingers releasing sophomore album in April

Durham trio Hammer No More the Fingers made quite a splash in the Triangle in 2009 with the release of their debut album Looking For Bruce. Now the band are gearing up to release the follow-up titled Black Shark, which will be out on April 5 via Churchkey Records.

A lot of details about the album are not available yet, but the Tracks will include "Leroy" and "The Agency." Check out the full track list below.

The band will launch the album with a big hometown release show at Motorco Music Hall in Durham on April 1. We'll bring you details of the show once they're available.

Guster announces new tour dates, coming to Durham

Pop trio Guster, who are augmented by a few extra players live, are hitting the road in 2011 to continue supporting their latest album Easy Wonderful, released in October.

The new dates will bring the band to the Carolina Theatre in Durham on Wednesday, April 27. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, February 11 at 10 a.m. via the Carolina Theatre box office and Ticketmaster for $26.50.

I believe this will be the band's first show in the Triangle since playing with The Avett Brothers at N.C. State in 2007 (at that point, The Avetts were opening for Guster; that would be reversed here and in a lot of places these days).

Pretty Lights announces spring tour, coming to Raleigh

Derek Vincent Smith, better known by his moniker Pretty Lights, has come a long way in a last few years. In early 2009, he played The Pour House, then later that year and in early 2010, he moved up to the Cat's Cradle and Lincoln Theatre. In 2011, he's made a leap.

On his upcoming spring tour, Pretty Lights will perform at the Raleigh Amphitheater on Tuesday, April 19, making this show the first of the venue's second season. Michael Menert and Paper Diamond will open the show. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, February 18 at 10 a.m. via at the Progress Energy Center box office and Ticketmaster.

Pretty Lights just released a series of free, previously unreleased tracks via his website which includes remixes of Kanye West, Pink Floyd, Jay-Z, Steve Miller Band and more. Head HERE to download.

Gross Ghost releases 'Lip City' EP for free

The Mike Dillon led Raleigh group Gross Ghost has been making a name for itself around the Triangle with their online demos and live shows since 2008.

The band have now, well actually back in December to be honest, released a free digital three song EP titled Lip City, featuring a tight six and half minutes of music, including the dreamy pop tune "Lurker," which clocks in at a minute and twenty four seconds. If you saw The Love Language play a stripped down acoustic set in 2010, you probably heard them cover "Lurker." The other two songs, "Leslie" and "Meltdown" are solid too.

Download the EP via Gross Ghost's Bandcamp page. Don't ignore this one, because these songs are excellent.

Pinback announces spring tour, coming to Carrboro

San Diego duo Pinback are preparing to hit the road this spring even though there's still no word yet on the band's new album. The duo played special sets in California in January celebrating their first two albums, This is a Pinback CD and Blue Screen Life. It's unclear whether the new tour will celebrate their early work or span their entire career.

Either way, Pinback are coming to the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Monday, May 2. Tickets are available now via etix for $14.

Download two songs from the band's latest album Autumn of the Seraphs, released in 2007 via Touch and Go Records.

Album Review: Veelee - The Future Sight

The debut album from Chapel Hill’s Veelee is a clinic in how to use repetition effectively in music.

The repetition begins with the album art of The Future Sight. The same photo is repeated seven times and each time it’s sightly shifted. The sixth and seven repetitions reveal something new: the name of the band and the album.

Veelee’s music unravels itself in a similar way. The seven songs vary nicely from track to track, but all share in the use of repetition. They start with persistent rhythms in the drums and often end in hypnotic, droning vocals. Throughout each song guitar and various percussion instruments augment the listener’s perception ever so slightly.

Birds and Arrows previewing new album in Carrboro

Chapel Hill trio Birds and Arrows are preparing to release a new album in the spring titled We're Gonna Run, but the band will be offering up a full performance of it much sooner.

The band will play the album at the ArtsCenter in Carrboro on Friday, February 11 and in addition to playing the songs, they'll be sharing stories about the music led by host by Tom Maxwell who will broadcast the performance at a later date on The Universal. It probably won't be that much different than they're usual shows, because if you've seen them live, you know they like to tell stories, they'll just have someone to guide them this time.

Tickets are $10 in advance and available via etix. Each person who attends will receive a download card that will give them access to five song from We're Gonna Run. That's not a bad deal at all.

Robert Plant & Patty Griffin shop at Schoolkids

Here's something really cool. After their show Wednesday night at Memorial Auditorium in Raleigh, Robert Plant and Patty Griffin had a day off before playing Charleston, SC. Apparently, the decided to hang out in Raleigh on their day off and did a little shopping at Schoolkids.

According to Schoolkids' newsletter, the pair spent about an hour shopping and were "wonderfully nice people." Check out the photo of them at the store there to the right. See everybody, it's cool to buy music, especially at Schoolkids.

Check out a video below of Plant performing the Led Zeppelin classic "Tangerine" at Memorial Auditorium.

J Roddy Walston & The Business announce tour, coming to Raleigh

Photo by Glynnis McDaris

The funky, soulful and undeniably charming rock of Baltimore group J Roddy Walston and The Business will be filling clubs across the country this March as the band continue supporting their self-titled album released in 2010.

The tour will come to Kings in downtown Raleigh on Sunday, March 27. Tickets are available now via etix for $9.

Download the songs "Brave Man's Death" and "Don't Break the Needle" from the self-titled album below and check out the funky video for the song "Don't Break the Needle" below that. You won't be sorry that you did.

I Was Totally Destroying It releasing 'Preludes' in April

Photo by Jason Arthurs

Local rockers I Was Totally Destroying are preparing to release the follow-up to their 2009 album Horror Vacui (check out our review of that album HERE). The new set of tunes is titled Preludes, and will be out on April 12 via Greyday Records.

The band released a short video about the making of the album, featuring interviews and studio clips as well as some snippets of the new songs. Check it out below.

I Was Totally Destroying it will celebrate vocalist and keyboard player Rachel Hirsch's 21st birthday with a show at Motorco Music Hall in Durham on Saturday, February 12 with Free Electric State, The Sammies and Wesley Wolfe. Tickets are just $5 at the door.

The Submarines announce spring tour, coming to Chapel Hill

Pop duo The Submarines, best known for the song "You, Me & the Bourgeoisie" featured in Apple's iPhone 3G ads a fews years ago, are gearing up to release a new album. It's called Love Notes/Letter Bombs, and will be out on April 5 via Nettwerk Records.

A tour will follow the release and will bring the band to Local 506 in Chapel Hill on Friday, April 29. Tickets for the show are available now via etix for $10. An opening act has not been announced yet.

Head over to Filter Magazine's website to download the song "Birds" from Love Notes/Letter Bombs.

The Damnwells new album & tour, coming to Raleigh

Rock duo The Damwells (formerly a quartet but are joined by more musicians live) are gearing up for the release of their new album No One Listens To the Band Anymore on March 15. As these things tend to go, the band will follow the release with a tour.

They'll play Kings in downtown Raleigh on Tuesday, March 29. Harper Blynn and Howard Jennings will open the show. Tickets are available now via etix for $10.

Download the song "She Goes Around" from The Damnwells forthcoming album via the widget below. Also check out the very lo-fi music video for the song "Werewolves" below that widget.

Big Star's 'Third' to get a third performance in Chapel Hill

Appropriately enough given that the album is titled Third, the Chris Stamey led tribute to Big Star's album Third/Sister Lovers will get a third performance in Chapel Hill.

This performance won't be the same as the previous two shows at the Cat's Cradle. This will be a more stripped down, acoustic performance, featuring Chris Stamey and members of Lost in Trees, Old Ceremony, Birds & Arrows, The dBs, NC Symphony, Mayflies USA and the Tomahawks as well as guest vocalists Brett Harris, Sidney Dixon and Greg Humphreys.

The show is on Tuesday, February 15 at the Historic Playmakers Theatre in on the UNC campus. Tickets are $15 for the public and $8 or $10 for students. They're available now HERE.