February lineup of Local Band Local Beer at Tir Na Nog

Shards

February is here, so we have a new month of free Thursday night shows coming up at Tir Na Nog in Raleigh for the Local Band Local Beer series.

Things will kick off on February 3 with a metal/punk/hardcore show featuring Shards, RBT, Thieves and Squall.

The rest of the month's headliners are Gray Young, NAPS and River City Ransom. Check out the full February schedule below. We'll keep you updated if any of these lineups change since they've been a bit tenuous recently.

Slow Runner announces new album, hefty tour with William Fitzsimmons

Damage cover art

One of our favorite and most under-appreciated bands around, Slow Runner, are preparing to release their fourth full-length album titled Damage in March and are launching their biggest tour ever to promote it.

They'll hit the road with their old pal William Fitzsimmons, who they toured with in 2008. The tour stops at the Pour House in downtown Raleigh on Sunday, April 10. Tickets will be $12 in advance and will be available HERE soon.

Fitzsimmons new album titled Gold in the Shadow is due out March 27 via Netwerk Records. Check out the music video for the "The Tide Pulls From the Moon" from the album below. Josh Kahler of Slow Runner is prominently featured in it, playing multiple instruments. There is also a brief shot of Jay Clifford, formerly from Jump, Little Children.

Avett Brothers working on new album with Rick Rubin

It looks like our guess back in October that The Avett Brothers had started working on a new album at Echo Mountain Studio in Asheville was right (check out the video we posted of the band performing a song in the studio HERE).

Billboard is reporting that the band are once again working with producer Rick Rubin and as of now, they have about 13 songs tracked, but plan on recording more, getting that number up to about 25 songs.

The band are not adhering to a particular schedule or deadline and are going to let the songs develop until they're happy with them. That means there's no tentative release plan yet. They will be testing out some new songs at upcoming shows, so if you want a taste of the new music, you'll have to see them live.

Peter Bjorn & John announce spring tour, coming to Carrboro

Swedish trio Peter Bjorn and John are gearing up to release their sixth full-length album on March 29 titled Gimme Some. The band will hit the road in late April on a short  North American tour that will bring the group to the Triangle for the second date.

They'll play the Cat's Cradle on Friday, April 29. Tickets go on sale on Friday, February 4 via etix for $15.

Check out the spastic music video for the jittery song "Breaker, Breaker" from Gimme Some below. You can also download the song via the widget below the video if you're willing to fork over a valid email address. Just click the down arrow on the right side of the widget.

Video: Carolina Chocolate Drops & Luminescent Orchestrii perform "Short Dress Gal"

Nonesuch Records released the anticipated self-titled EP from Carolina Chocolate Drops and Luminescent Orchestrii on Tuesday, January 25 and now a performance by the groups is out.

The groups along with beatboxer Adam Matta performed "Short Dress Gal" at the Bowery Ballroom in New York last year and it was filmed with multiple cameras. The result is an funky, sharp version of the old jazz tune. Watch it below.

Carolina Chocolate Drops will perform at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh on Saturday, August 27. Details are still "to be announced."