Odd Future announces fall tour, coming to Carrboro

California rap group Odd Future, led by the sometimes controversial Tyler, The Creator, will hit the road on their first nationwide tour this fall in support of their 2010 album Radical as well as Tyler's new solo album Goblin.

The group will play the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Thursday, October 20. Tickets will go on sale on Saturday, August 6 via etix for $20.

The group made a big impression when they stopped by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon earlier this year and delivered an insane performance that ended with Tyler on Jimmy Fallon's back. Check out the performance below.

Stars announces fall tour, returning to Carrboro

Canadian indie pop band Stars released a new collection of demos in June called The Bedroom Demos, and are hitting the road this fall to play a few shows. They played a sold out show at the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro last October and they're coming back.

The band will play the Cradle again on Wednesday, October 12. Tickets are on sale now via etix for $18.

Check out the band's latest music video for "We Don't Want Your Body" from their 2010 album The Five Ghosts below. It features a lot of overly buff, oiled up folks lip syncing and strutting their stuff. It's quite bizarre, but the song fantastic.

The Brewery hosts its final show tonight, demolition on Monday

As many of you may have heard, the long standing Raleigh music venue, The Brewery, will be shutting down after tonight's (July 29) show featuring, appropriately enough, Embracing Goodbye. Current, Set Apart, A Kiss For Jersey, The Demonstration and Sent By Raven will also play.

On Monday, August 1 the building is set to be demolished by a local contractor who purchased the building. The venue was apparently given very little notice about the demolition. The building to the right of The Brewery on Hillsborough Street has already been demolished and the lot cleared. The lots will be used to build a new Kerr Drug store as well as other businesses.

The Civil Wars announce fall tour, coming to Durham

Nashville duo The Civil Wars' star is on the rise. Their debut album Barton Hollow has taken off since it's release in February. On the tour immediately following the release, the band played a sold out show at The Pour House in Raleigh, but this fall, they're moving to a considerably larger room.

They'll play Page Auditorium on Duke's west campus in Durham on Thursday, October 20. Milo Greene will open. Tickets are on sale now HERE for $25 or $22.

[UPDATE: The show in Durham has been postponed because of Joy Williams suffering from laryngitis. Check out the statement posted on the band's website below. The show has been rescheduled to Monday, December 5. Previously purchased tickets are good for the new date, but if you can't attend the new date, call or email Duke ticketing at 919.684.4444 or tickets@duke.edu.

Video: The Love Language mini-documentary of spring tour

Photo by Jessica Amaya

As The Love Language made their way back home at the end of their spring tour with Telekinesis earlier this year, videographer Cheater Slicks joined them for the ride. They documented the final shows of the tour which ended at Local 506 in Chapel Hill.

Check out the product of that trip below, which is a little over 15 minutes and includes variety of behind the scenes footage as well as clips of performances in Philadelphia, Washington DC and Chapel Hill. Check it out below.

The Love Language will play the Lincoln Theatre during the Hopscotch Festival in Raleigh on Thursday, September 8. Festival tickets are available HERE.

Better Than Ezra added to City Fest lineup

The third band for the new Bud Light City Fest series at the downtown Raleigh Amphitheater has been announced and it's another throwback to the 1990s.

Louisiana rockers Better Than Ezra will play it on Saturday, September 17. Like all of the shows, tickets will be just $5 with no service charges at the door.

The band released their latest album Paper Empire in 2009, but are best known for their 1990s work. Check out a performance of their 1995 breakout hit "Good" below.

Neon Indian announces new album & tour, coming to Chapel Hill

Era Extraña album cover

Texas band Neon Indian, led by Mexican-born musician Alan Palomo, are releasing their sophomore album Era Extraña on September 13. A tour will follow the release and the third stop is right here in the Triangle.

They'll play Local 506 in Chapel Hill on Saturday, September 17. Tickets are on sale now via etix for $13.

Download the dreamy song "Fallout" from Era Extraña below if you fork over a working email address. You can simply stream the track below that widget.

New music video from the Mountain Goats - "Estate Sale Sign"

The Mountain Goats are out this summer touring with Bright Eyes and making a stop in August at Lollapalooza, supporting their latest album All Eternals Deck.

The band have released a new music video from the album, an animated piece for the song "Estate Sale Sign." The video is visually stunning as the two characters constantly transform from one creature to the next. Check it out below.

If you missed it in June, check out the Mountain Goats covering "Boxer" by Jawbreaker for the A.V. Club's Undercover series HERE.

The Felice Brothers announce new dates, coming to Raleigh

Photo by Nolan Conway

Eclectic folk rock band The Felice Brothers released their eight album Celebration, Florida in May and have been touring hard since it's release (check out a review of the album HERE). A new round of tour dates in late summer will bring the band to the Triangle for the first time since the album's release.

They'll play Kings Barcade in Raleigh on Sunday, August 28. Tickets are on sale now via etix for $15.

Stream the groovy, danceable song "Ponzi" from Celebration, Florida below.

Ted Leo & the Pharmacists announce fall dates, coming to Raleigh

Photo by Shawn Brackbill

After spending the winter and spring playing solo shows, acclaimed punk singer-songwriter Ted Leo is hitting the road again this fall with his band The Pharmacists.

The band will come to Kings Barcade in Raleigh on Wednesday, October 26. PUJOL will open. Tickets are on sale now via etix for $12.

Leo's latest album is 2010's The Brutalist Bricks. Download the song "Bottled in Cork" from the album below.

Album Review: Dex Romweber Duo - Is that You in the Blue?

Veteran Chapel Hill rocker and singer-songwriter Dexter Romweber has focused most of his attention in recent years on the Dex Romweber Duo, his band with his sister Sara, and now they've released their sophomore album Is that You in the Blue?

Right out the gate, the opening song "Jungle Drums" explodes with thrashing guitars, drums and Romweber's trademark growl. The instrumental "Gurdjieff Girl" is a rip roaring surf instrumental while "Nowhere" conjures up the image of a classic black and white detective movie.

Kanye West & Jay-Z take collaboration on tour, coming to Greensboro

Hip-hop superstars Kanye West and Jay-Z will release their much anticipated album Watch the Throne on August 1 digitally and reportedly on August 5 physically, though some stores including iTunes have slightly later dates. The pair will hit the road in September October (the start of the tour was postponed) performing as The Throne.

The tour will bring them to the Greensboro Coliseum on Sunday, October 30. Tickets will go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. on Monday, August 8 and a special pre-sale will start on Thursday, July 28 Tuesday, August 2 HERE.

Check out the first single from the album, "Otis," below, which features samples from none other than soul legend Otis Redding.

Photos: Huey Lewis & the News rock Cary

All photos by Kevin Norris

1980s and 90s hitmakers Huey Lewis & the News rolled into Cary's Koka Booth Amphitheatre on Sunday night to play songs from their latest album, Soulsville, as well as some classic hits.

I was there to snap a few photos during the first three songs, which you can check out below (and there's the one to the right there). He opened with "The Heart of Rock & Roll," and the band sounded fantastic and Lewis was hamming it up with the crowd.

Weird Al Yankovic announces fall tour, coming to Durham

The pop music parody king "Weird Al" Yankovic returned this year with a brand new album, Alpocalypse, his first since 2006. It features his takes on songs by Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and many more.

Al will take his shenanigans on the road this fall and will make a stop at the Durham Performing Arts Center on Sunday, October 9. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday August 5 starting at $39.50.

Check out his take on Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" below, which he calls "Perform This Way." The video and song take aim at the absurdity of Lady Gaga's public image.

Free Energy & Wye Oak wait out rain, play Deja Fest

All photos by Kevin Norris

Rain may have thrown the schedule a bit out of whack during Saturday's Deja Fest in Raleigh, but both Free Energy and Wye Oak each still performed outside the Lincoln Theatre.

Philly's Free Energy blasted out a short set of infectious power pop. While most of the set was from the band's James Murphy produced debut album Stuck on Nothing, they showed off a new tune as well. The song is called "Hangin'" and will be released as a single in late summer according to the band.

Junior Boys hit the road this fall, coming to Carrboro

Canadian electro pop duo Junior Boys released their fourth full-length album It's All True in June, and as these things go, they're hitting the road this fall to support it.

The band will come back to the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Monday, October 10. Tickets will go on sale on Wednesday, July 27 via etix for $13.

Stream "Banana Ripple, " the epic 9:15 closing track from It's All True, below.

Hayes Carll announces fall dates, coming to Carrboro

Old school country crooner Hayes Carll released his fourth full-length album Kmag Yoyo (& Other American Stories) in February, and he's been touring heavily to support it. The tour will continue into the fall and bring him back to the Triangle.

He'll play Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Tuesday, November 8. Singer-songwriter Caitlin Rose will open. Tickets are on sale now via etix for $15.

Check out Carll's latest music video for "Another Like You," which features the incredible vocals of Cary Ann Hearst and an appearance by James Carville and Mary Matalin at the end.

Aretha Franklin announces new dates, coming to Durham

The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, is planning to play sporadic shows throughout the summer and fall, and and currently include a stop in Triangle. She has a bad track record, canceling her last three shows here, two in Cary and one in Chapel Hill.

Maybe will be the one that sticks, as she's scheduled to play the Durham Performing Arts Center on Sunday, October 16. Tickets will go on sale at noon on Friday, July 29 via the box office and Ticketmaster for $67 and up.

UPDATE: Once again, Ms. Franklin is letting Triangle fans down. Her Oct. 16 show at DPAC has been pushed back to Feb. 9. The show is sold out and tickets will be honored for the February performance. The delay is due to the rescheduling of  an event in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. in Washington D.C., which was rescheduled due to Hurricane Irene. If you're keeping track at home, that's four scheduled performances and four postponements or cancellations in the Triangle since 2005. I don't know about you, but my money's on an early February blizzard in Durham.

The Head and the Heart announce fall tour, coming to Raleigh

After spending the summer opening shows for The Decemberists, Seattle indie folk band The Head and the Heart are heading on a headline tour.

The tour will stop at the Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh on Thursday, September 22. Thao With The Get Down Stay Down and The Devil Whale will open the show. Tickets are on sale now via etix for $15.

Subpop released a remastered version of the band's self-titled debut album in April. Download the song "Lost in My Mind" from the album below.

Interview: Dexter Romweber on 'Is that You in the Blue?'

Photo by Judy Woodall

On July 26, Chapel Hill rock and roll legend Dexter Romweber and his sister Sarah Romweber will release their second album, Is that You in the Blue?, as the Dex Romweber Duo. The duo will play a CD release show at the Cat’s Cradle on July 22 to kick off a new tour promoting the album.

Triangle Music was able to chat with Dexter Romweber to talk about the new album, upcoming tour and how music is his mission.

The Olivia Tremor Control & The Music Tapes announce tour, coming to Durham

Athens bands The Olivia Tremor Control and The Music Tapes, both of which are Elephant 6 collective groups, are hitting the road this September and headed our way.

They'll wrap up the tour at the Casbah in Durham on Saturday, September 24. Tickets are available now via etix for $13.

The Music Tapes just released a new EP in June titled Purim's Shadows (The Dark Tours the World which you can stream in it's entirety HERE. Stream the song "I Have Been Floated" by The Olivia Tremor Control below.

Willie Nelson announces fall tour, coming back to Durham

The Red-Headed Stranger, country legend Willie Nelson, is touring steadily this year as he usually does, and his new fall dates will bring him back to the Triangle.

Nelson and Family will return to the Durham Performing Arts Center, which he last played in 2009, on Thursday, October 20. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 29 via the box office and Ticketmaster. Prices are $48.50 to $78.50.

Willie Nelson's latest studio album is 2010's Country Music, which features his take on classic country songs. Check out a live performance of the lone Nelson original from the album, Man With the Blues below.

tUnE-yArDs announce hefty fall tour, coming to Carrboro

Experimental group tUnE-yArDs, which is essentially just songwriter and musician Merrill Garbus, just released their sophomore album w h o k i l l in April, and are now gearing up for a busy fall supporting the release.

The tour will bring them to the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Wednesday, October 5. Pat Jordache will open the show. Tickets are on sale now via etix for $12.

Stream the single "Bizness" from w h o k i l l below. You can also download the song HERE if you're willing to give a working email address.

Album Review: Roadside Graves - We Can Take Care of Ourselves

Roadside Graves, who honed their ramshackle sound on 2010’s You Won’t Be Happy With Me EP, are back with their newest full-length, We Can Take Care of Ourselves, a companion piece to S.E. Hinton’s classic novel The Outsiders.

The album isn’t a retelling of The Outsiders or even an analysis, but it ruminates on the same themes and references the characters and settings. The scrappiness of the band fits the mood well as does their folk rock style.

String arrangements, such as those on “All Over the World,” add a cinematic flair to We Can Take Care of Ourselves suggesting the album is meant to be more of a soundtrack. Like a soundtrack, knowing the source material is not necessary, but it certainly adds to the experience. For instance, “Teenagers are Tired” is still a gorgeous and moving acoustic ballad whether or not the listener is thinking about Ponyboy and Johnny, but the experience is more immersive if they are.

Guided By Voices' Hopscotch performance to be their final show

It was already amazing that indie rock giants Guided By Voices were going to be coming back to the Triangle to headline the City Plaza stage at the Hopscotch Festival on Friday, September 9, but now it turns out the show will be their last.

The band only has a few scattered performances left this year, and frontman Robert Polland recently said that the reunion of the original lineup will end with the Raleigh gig. This news is sure to make the demand for tickets rise, so if you want to catch the show, you'd better get your tickets now.

Ra Ra Riot announces fall tour, coming back to Carrboro

Syracuse band Ra Ra Riot are becoming regular vistors to the Triangle in the fall, and when they hit the road this fall on another round of dates supporting their 2010 album The Orchard, they're coming back again.

They'll return to the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro for their third annual fall show at the venue on Friday, October 28. Delicate Steve and Yellow Ostrich will open the show. Tickets will go on sale via etix on Monday, July 25 for $16.

Download the song "Boy" from The Orchard below.

2011 NC State Fair lineup: Tift Merritt, Dionne Warwick & more

As summer rolls on, it's time to start thinking ahead to the fall, which means the 2011 North Carolina State Fair. The lineup of the concert series in Dorton Arena has been announced, and features some typical fare as well as a few nice surprises.

Former Raleigh resident and gifted singer-songwriter Tift Merritt will play October 16, country legend George Jones will play October 18, R&B hitmaker Dionne Warwick will play October 20 and 1970s rock band Kansas will play October 22.

There is still one question mark on the October 15 show, but you can check out the rest of the schedule below including ticket prices, ranging from $5 to $15. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on Monday, August 1 via etix.

The Ladybug Transistor brings laid back pop to Kings

All photos by Kevin Norris

Brooklyn quintet The Ladybug Transistor made a stop in Raleigh Saturday evening for a show a Kings supporting their new album Clutching Stems.

The band sounded great as they rolled through a set heavy on songs from the new album, starting out with the soaring "Caught Don't Walk." The band's lush pop filled the room, captivating the small, but attentive crowd.

After playing the groovy "Breaking Up on the Beat," they flashed back 14 years, taking a request for the the classic "Rushes of Pure Spring" from their 1997 album Beverley Antonale.

Hopscotch Music Festival 2011 day parties announced

As you may remember from last year, the Hopscotch Music Festival extends far beyond the three-night festival itself and into the daytime. The speaker series was announced on Wednesday, and now we have the details of the many day parties going on September 8-11 (a day longer than the festival).

There will be tons of bands performing across downtown Raleigh during those days. Check out a alphabetical list of all the bands playing these parties below and view our streamlined PDF of the day parties and other events, which include a basketball tournament and bike race HERE.

[Canceled] The Monkees extend 45th anniversary tour, coming to Durham

1960s made for TV pop act The Monkees are extending their 45th anniversary tour into the fall, which features three of four original members, Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork.

The tour will come to the Durham Performing Arts Center on Thursday, September 1. Tickets will go on sale Saturday, July 23 at 10 a.m. via the box office and Ticketmaster. Prices start at $45.

[UPDATE: The Monkees have canceled the all of their upcoming tour dates including the Durham show. The band has blamed their management for booking the new leg of the tour without their approval. If that's the case, they're certainly not running a tight ship at Monkees HQ.]

Cityfest Live is the new Downtown Live in Raleigh

The free Downtown Live concert series each summer in Moore Square Park in Raleigh died in 2010 as the new amphitheater opened. A replacement series has been talked about since then, but is now finally on the books.

The series is called Bud Light Cityfest Live, and while the shows won't be free, tickets will only be $5. There will be five shows in total this year at the Downtown Raleigh Amphitheater.  Two shows have been announced so far and they are quite similar to the old Downtown Live lineup.

Ed Kowalczyk, the former lead singer of Live, will perform on Saturday, August 27, and Rusted Root will perform on Saturday, October 1. Presumably there will be opening acts too, which haven't been announced yet. We'll keep you posted as the details of the series fill out.

Video: The Avett Brothers play new song for 'CMT Unplugged'

The Avett Brothers recently filmed a set for CMT Unplugged and took the opportunity to play a brand new song which may be on their next album. The song, titled "The Once and Future Carpenter," is a melancholy ballad.

Other songs performed during the set were "Laundry Room," "January Wedding," "And It Spread" and "Where Have All the Average People Gone," a Roger Miller Cover. What the full set, which starts with the new song, below.

The Avetts will return to North Carolina to play the White Oak Amphitheatre in Greensboro on Saturday, October 8. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster for $37.50 or $42.50.

Lost in the Trees beat the rain, play new songs at Duke Gardens

All photos by Kevin Norris

Lost in the Trees frontman and songwriter Ari Picker flew down from Boston to reunite with his band for a big show at Duke Gardens Wednesday night. The lawn was packed with fans braving the gloomy skies to see the Triangle band play their signature brand of symphonic folk.

The band took the opportunity to play a handful of new songs during the set, which are being recorded for a new album due out in 2012. The songs were warmly received, though the crowd responded most to the familiar songs from the band's releases.

New music video from Superchunk - "Learned To Surf"

Superchunk is back with another music video from their latest album Majesty Shredding, released last year. After the humorous video for "Crossed Wires featuring a criminal cat, the new one captures the band where they're at their best, on stage.

The new video is for "Learned to Surf," which is one of the older songs from the album, at least publicly speaking. It was first released on the EP Learned to Surf in 2009. The video features footage from the band's last two tours of Brazil, the one earlier this year and the previous one in 1998.

Megafaun announces fall dates, celebrating album release in Carrboro

Photo by Sara Padgett

First came the teaser video for the new album, then the first song, "These Words," and now Megafaun is rolling out their tour schedule in support of their self-titled album. They'll pop across the Atlantic for some European dates in late summer before returning home for the album release tour in September.

The big hometown show will be at the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Thursday, September 22. Perry Owen Wright will open the show. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, July 15 via etix for $12.

The band last played the Cradle in April with the Mountain Goats. Check out a review of that show HERE.

Hopscotch announces speaker series with big names

As September draws closer, more Hopscotch special events are being finalized, and now we know the details of the Artist and Author speaker series.

The event is held each day of the festival, September 8-10, from the 3 to 5 p.m. at the Raleigh City Museum. Speakers featured over the the three days include Wayne Coyne (of The Flaming Lips), Patterson Hood (of Drive-By Truckers), John Vanderslice, Peter Holsapple and many more.

Check out the full lineup of speakers below. For more details on the topics of each event, head HERE.

The Wombats announce fall dates with The Postelles, coming to Chapel Hill

U.K. indie pop band The Wombats released their second full-length album, The Wombats Proudly Present: This Modern Glitch, in April and they'll be crossing the Atlantic this fall to play shows across the U.S. with New York band The Postelles.

They'll come to Local 506 in Chapel Hill on Tuesday, October 25. The Static Jacks will round-out the three band bill. Tickets go on sale on Friday, July 15 via etix for $10.

Check out the music video for "Our Perfect Disease" from The Wombats' new album below, where you'll also find a widget where you can download the song "123 Stop" from The Postelles' self-titled debut album.

Girls announces new album & fall tour, coming to the Triangle

California indie band Girls will be releasing their sophomore album Father, Son, Holy Ghost on September 13, and you guessed it, they're hitting  the road this fall to support it.

The tour will hit the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Saturday, September 17. Tickets will go on sale on Friday, July 15 via etix for $14.

Details of the album have not been announced yet, but the band did post a mysterious album widget on their Facebook page. Check it out HERE.

Crooked Fingers rejoin Merge Records, new album in October

If the hive of activity surrounding the Archers of Loaf reunion tour and re-release of Icky Mettle in August wasn't enough, Eric Bachmann is returning to his main recording project Crooked Fingers this fall.

Merge Records will release the new Crooked Fingers album Breaks in the Armor on October 11. The album was recorded in Athens, GA, which Eric Bachmann now calls home. The album's 11 songs will feature backing vocals by singer-songwriter Liz Durrett.

Check out a trailer for the album below, which features a new song and beautiful shots of Bachmann and Durrett along along a stretch of rural highway.

Elvis Costello extends 'Spectacular Spinning Songbook' tour, coming to Durham

Elvis Costello and the Imposters have been showing off the songwriter's expansive catalog and his exuberant personality on the revived Spectacular Spinning Songbook Tour, which features a giant wheel on stage, spun by guests to determine some of the songs included in the set. The wheel is massive and the staging is elaborate (check out a video of someone spinning the wheel below to get the song "(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea)."

The tour has been extended and it's coming the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) on Thursday, Septmber 22. Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, July 15 at noon via Ticketmaster and the box office for $39.50 to $79.50.

[UPDATE: The start of the tour has been delayed until September 24 in Atlanta due to a serious illness of a close family member. The DPAC show is among the postponed dates. A rescheduled date is in the works and the venue is encouraging people to hang on to their tickets which will be good for the new date.]

Win tickets to The Ladybug Transistor at King's

The Ladybug Transistor is on tour supporting their latest album, Clutching Stems, and will make a stop at King's in Raleigh this Saturday, July 16. Thanks to the folks at Merge Records, we have a pair of tickets to give to one lucky reader.

To enter our drawing for a pair of tickets to the show, email trianglemusicblog at gmail dot com with "Ladybug tickets" in the subject line no later than Wednesday, July 13, at 3 p.m. We will randomly select and notify a winner that afternoon. One entry per person, please. Duplicates will not be counted.

Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 day of show. Doors are at 9 p.m. James Husband and T0W3RS will open the show.

Click here for our review of Clutching Stems.

Arctic Monkeys announce fall tour with Smith Westerns, coming to Raleigh

British rockers Arctic Monkeys just released their fourth album, the suggestively titled Suck It and See, in June, and now are planning a fall tour with up-and-coming indie band Smith Westerns.

The tour will bring the bands to Disco Rodeo in Raleigh on Wednesday, October 12. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 15 via etix for $24.

Check out the Arctic Monkeys music video for "The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala" from Suck It and See below.

Foo Fighters extend fall tour, heading to Charlotte

The monstrous  rock band Foo Fighters released their seventh album Wasting Light in April and have been crisscrossing the globe since its release playing arenas, festivals and even some fans' garages. They've extended their U.S. tour this fall and will be coming to North Carolina.

They'll be playing the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte on Tuesday, November 8. Social Distortion and The Joy Formidable will open the show. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 15 via Ticketmaster and Livenation for $31.50 to $51.50.

Album Review: Eleanor Friedberger - Last Summer

On her solo debut, Last Summer, Eleanor Friedberger presents a musical scrapbook from the summer of 2010 in New York City.

Each song tells a single story, paints a portrait of a landmark or invokes a mood. She compares 2010 to other summers, often lamenting the increased presence of technology in present day. All together the songs provide a sometimes wistful, sometimes sombre view of the summer in the city.

Last Summer is ripe with nostalgia, but isn’t overly reliant on wishy-washy synths or do-wop harmonies. The music sizzles with variety and interesting instrumentation that shifts from song to song. “My Mistakes” is clap-inducing pop with unusual percussion and a sax solo. “Inn of the Seventh Ray” is full of psychedelic flourishes and reverb.

Liam Finn announces fall tour, coming to Durham

Singer-songwriter Liam Finn released his second full-length album FOMO in June via Yep Roc Records, and he's hitting the road this fall to support it.

The tour is currently scheduled to wrap up at the Casbah in Durham on Monday, October 17. Maurice Toliver will open the show. Tickets are on sale now via etix for $10.

Finn has been touring with a band for the first time this year, so hopefully they'll be with him on the fall dates, which would make the Durham show his first full band gig in the Triangle.

Peter Wolf Crier announces new album & fall tour, coming to Chapel Hill

Photo by Cameron Wittig

Minneapolis duo Peter Wolf Crier will be releasing their new album Garden of Arms on September 6 and will hit the road shortly afterwards to support it.

The tour will bring them to Local 506 in Chapel Hill on Monday, October 3. Milagres will open the show. Tickets are on sale now via eitx for $10.

Download the song "Right Away" from Garden of Arms below.

Win tickets to Lost in the Trees at Duke Gardens

Lost in the Trees will close out the outdoor portion of this year's Music in the Gardens series next Wednesday with what is sure to be a set of lush, orchestral pop songs.

To win a pair of tickets to the show, email us at trianglemusicblog at gmail dot com with "Lost in the Trees tickets" in the subject line no later than noon on Monday, July 11. We will notify the winner that afternoon.

The band will take the stage at 7 p.m. Tickets to the show are $10 or $5 for Duke students and employees and, as always, children 12 and under are free.

New music from Megafaun - "These Words"

We just told you last week about the new self-titled Megafaun album due out on September 20, and now we have some new music from it to share with you.

The song is titled "These Words," and it is very different sound from the band.  I'll save you any weird categorizations or adjectives and tell you to download or stream the song below.

One thing is for sure though, based on this track, we can't wait to hear the whole album and see what other new colors they're painting with.

Okkervil River announces new 2011 dates, coming to Raleigh

Photo by Alexandra Valenti

Okkervil River can't seem to get enough of the Triangle, because they're hitting the road again this fall and are coming back. They just played a sold out show with Titus Andronicus and Future Islands at the Cat's Cradle in June.

This time around, the band will play the Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh on Tuesday, September 13. Tickets will go on sale via etix on Saturday, July 9 for $16. Wye Oak will open the show

Okkervil River released their sixth full-length album I Am Very Far in May. Check out the music video for "Wake and Be Fine" from the album below where you can also download the song.

Holy Ghost Tent Revival gets crowd dancing at Motorco

All photos by Kevin Norris

With storms rolling through the Triangle all day Wednesday, Holy Ghost Tent Revival's Duke Gardens performance was moved to Motorco Music Hall.

By the time the Greensboro band took the stage and launched into "Lovinman," the room was packed to the back. The band noted that the crowd was the largest they'd ever played for in the Triangle.

The band's energetic live show, similar to that of The Avett Brothers and Dr. Dog, blends swing and jazz with classic blues, soul and rock and roll, for a sound that connects with the masses.