Win tickets to Peter Case at the ArtsCenter

Veteran songwriter Peter Case is currently on tour supporting his latest album Wig!, released in June via Yep Roc Records. He'll play an intimate show in Carrboro at the ArtsCenter on Saturday, Aug. 7 and we have a pair of tickets to give away for one lucky fan.

To win a pair of tickets to the show, email us at trianglemusicblog at gmail dot com with "Peter Case tickets" in the subject line no later than noon on Thursday, Aug. 5. We will notify the winner that afternoon.

Tickets to show are available for $18 in advance via etix.

Before the show, starting at about 6:30 p.m., Case will meet and greet fans across the street from the ArtsCenter at Mill Town, so stop by, say hi, and get an autograph  or whatever suits your fancy.

Album Review: Lost in the Trees - All Alone in an Empty House

The new punched up re-release of Lost in the Trees debut full-lenth album All Alone in an Empty House breathes life and energy into Ari Picker's symphonic pop like it's never been heard outside the band's live performances.

The album rises and falls from the beautiful folk tunes "Song For a Painter," "Love On My Side" and "For Leah and Chloe" to the raw power and energy of "Fireplace" and "A Room Where Your Paintings Hang, the latter of which resembles the raw power of Okkervil River.

Stream Arcade Fire's new album 'The Suburbs' now, Schoolkids celebration tonight

Arcade Fire's highly, highly anticipated third album The Suburbs will be released tomorrow, Aug. 3 in the U.S., but you can stream the entire album now thanks to NPR. Click here to give it a listen.

Also, Schoolkids Records in Raleigh will be celebrating the album's release tonight, Aug. 2. Things will get started around 11:30 p.m. and they will be playing the album and giving away some Arcade Fire and Merge Records goodies to some lucky patrons.

And, in case you haven't heard, Arcade Fire will be webcasting their Madison Square Garden concert on Thursday, Aug. 5 via YouTube. It will be directed by the legendary Terry Gilliam (of Monty Python fame as well as a director of many other excellent films). Check out a really cool promo for the webcast below which features some excellent animation and a bit of the song "Rococo."

August line-up of Local Beer Local Band at Tir Na Nog

It's a new month which means there's a new batch of free shows every Thursday night for the Local Beer Local Band series at Tir Na Nog in Raleigh.

Things will kick off on August 5 with a big show featuring four bands, I Was Totally Destroying It, The Beast, Jews and Catholics and Museum Mouth. I Was Totally Destroying It just released their new 7" which features a killer cover of Big Country's "In a Big Country" as the a-side, which will be available at the show.

Check out the schedule for the rest of the Local Beer Local Band shows in August below. [UPDATE: A few additions and changes have been noted below. Thanks to Tilson for the tip.]

Thad Cockrell giving away latest album 'To Be Loved'

Former Raleigh resident Thad Cockrell, who now spends most of his time in Nashville, TN, released his fourth solo album To Be Loved in 2009, but has now decided to give it away free to whoever will listed. The complete album is available to download via NoiseTrade.com as 256 kpbs mp3s. There is also the option of tipping the artist as little or as much as you'd like in order to show your support.

To Be Loved is well worth checking out as it combines excellent songwriting with a lush, folky soundscape to create an enjoyable listening experience.

Cockrell will perform at WUNC's free Music on the Lawn concert series in Durham at the American Tobacco Campus on Friday, Aug. 20. Check out the rest of his upcoming shows below.