Hopscotch Spotlight: Friday Edition

In an effort to continue our coverage of Hopscotch '14, The Triangle Beat highlights some of Friday's most anticipated bands taking the stage in downtown Raleigh.  Be sure to add these sets to your evening schedule and head on over to www.hopscotchmusicfest.com for a complete lineup of bands performing on day 2 of the festival.

LONNIE WALKER - City Plaza Stage (5:45pm)

It seems fitting that Friday gets under way with a bit of local flare as Lonnie Walker takes the center stage at City Plaza.  If you've been fortunate to catch this Raleigh based band in recent years, you are well aware of the energy that Brian Corum and friends bring to the stage.  What was once a solo project, Corum later added Eric Hill, Justin Flythe, Raymond Finn, and Josh Bridges to generate a sound that is founded in a steady blend of punk rock and folk Americana.  Lonnie Walker is set to take the stage on Fayetteville St. at 5:45pm.



ST. VINCENT - City Plaza Stage (6:50pm)

Perhaps no other artist performing at Hopscotch '14 has been able to generate as much publicity in the past year as St. Vincent.  Known for her intriguing and complex musical arrangements, St. Vincent has been featured on SNL in recent months and will later join The Black Keys for their tour in late 2014. Much of the buzz about St. Vincent can be credited to the release of her new self titled album, St. Vincent.  As highlighted by Rolling Stone, "St. Vincent is her tightest, tensest, best set of songs to date, with wry, twisty beats pushing her lovable ornery melodies toward grueling revelations."  Be sure to make your way to the city center in time to be a part of what will be nothing short of a unique musical experience.  St. Vincent is also performing on the City Plaza Stage following Lonnie Walker at 6:50pm.

SPOON - City Plaza Stage (8:30pm)

Long time Merge Records artist, Spoon, returns to Raleigh as the Friday night headliner and will close out the evening on the City Plaza main stage.  Since the creation of the band in the late 1990's, Spoon has been a mainstay on the Billboard 200 with each and every album.  It should come as no surprise then that their most recent album, They Want My Soul, has Spoon right back on the charts once again.  Popular tracks such as "Do You" on the newest album highlights the evolution in sound the band has endured, while maintaining the elements that have provided them with continued success over the years.  Rounding out what is an excellant lineup for Friday evening on the City Plaza main stage, don't miss out on Spoon's performance before heading off into the night to catch one of the shows at various venues around Raleigh.  Spoon will also be on the main stage around 8:30pm in the heart of downtown Raleigh.

SINNERS AND SAINTS - Lincoln Theatre (9:30pm)

After the lights have dimmed on the main stage Friday evening, be sure to make your way over to Lincoln Theatre.  Sinners and Saints out of Charlotte will bring an element to Hopscotch '14 that music lovers and folk fanatics are certain to enjoy.

While Perry Fowler and Mark Baran have only been working together since 2011, the two musicians have grown increasingly popular thanks in part to the release of their first full length album, Love and Misery.  Released in early 2014, Love and Misery combines Fowler and Baran's instrumental talents to produce an album that embodies a traditional folk sound while capitalizing on lyrics that all listeners can resonate with.  Making their debut at Hopscotch '14, the folk based duo will be getting things started around 9:30pm for what is sure to be another solid night of music at Lincoln Theatre.

Final Hopscotch Lineup Update

The Final Hopscotch lineup was announced today and the masterpiece is complete!  The finalized performance schedule will be released in July.  VIP passes are nearly sold out, so act fast!
The newly added artists are:

• clipping
• What Cheer? Brigade
• Vaadat Charigim
• Jason Lescalleet
• Ka
• Circuit de Yeux 

De La Soul will play on the City Plaza Stage.  This is the first time a third main stage has been used for this event.  De La Soul will perform on Thursday, September 4.  VIP and 3 day wristbands are still available.

The Hopscotch fest is taking place September 4-6 in various spots throughout downtown Raleigh. The initial lineup for the event was announced today and it includes some notable acts like St. Vincent, American Aquarium, Mastodon, and Sun Kil Moon.  See the full lineup poster below:

VIP and 3-Day wristbands are on sale now at the Hopscotch website. Tickets for individual days will go on sale in June. 

VIP WRISTBAND - $205 - CLICK TO BUY
All Hopscotch Club Shows +
2 City Plaza Headlining Shows +
Priority Access to Club Shows +
Opening Night VIP Reception on Thursday, Sept. 4 +
VIP Tote Bag

3-DAY WRISTBAND - $150 - CLICK TO BUY
All Hopscotch Club Shows +
2 City Plaza Headlining Shows

Forty more bands are still to be released, stay tuned for festival updates.  

This Week at Haw River Ballroom

All of the other venues must be green with envy this week because it's quite obvious that Haw River Ballroom is having the best week ever.  This lovely music venue, located in the former Dye House of Saxapahaw's Cotton Mill, never disappoints.  This week's lineup is no exception with three spectacular shows. 

St. Vincent:

Just six short days ago, singer-songwriter, St. Vincent performed "Digital Witness" on The Colbert Report. On Tuesday, she'll be in beautiful Saxapahaw next to the Haw River to share her latest album, St. Vincent, at
the Ballroom.

St. Vincent, or Annie Clark, is a multi-talented musician who, in addition to writing thought-provoking lyrics,  plays the guitar, bass, and organ.  In an interview with Tom Murphy of Westword Blogs, Clark discussed her lyrics and explained, "I like when things come out of nowhere and blindside you a little bit. I think any person who gets panic attacks or has an anxiety disorder can understand how things can all of a sudden turn very quickly. I think I'm sublimating that into the music."


If you were fortunate enough get to tickets before the show sold out, it's sure to be energetic and memorable. The doors open at 7 and Noveller starts the show at 8.  

Future Islands and Wye Oak:

Wednesday brings two more spectacular acts with Future Islands and Wye Oak.  Future Islands hails from Greenville, NC and is used to living the tour life.  They have performed more than 800 live shows since the group developed in 2006.  The ability to capture the feelings of love lost, daily desires and disappointment is what brings people repeatedly to their shows.  The lyrics and emotion are all too familiar for most people, turning listeners into forever fans. Their new album is titled, Singles, and is available March 24.


 

Joining Future Islands will be Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack of Wye Oak, a Merge Records band.  They produce a folk sound meshed with melodic arrangements and a splash of electro-pop. This album features Jenn sharing her new talent with the bass combined with the reliable interaction of Andy playing the keys, drums and back-up vocals.  Wye Oak's latest album,  Shriek, is available April 29 on the Merge Records website. 

These bands are also playing to a sold out, packed house.  The doors open at 7 and the show starts at 8 with Ed Shrader's Music Beat.

 

 

Houndmouth:

This unforgettable week will close with Houndmouth playing Friday, March 7. This electric-folk band is known for creating bouncy beats with guitar riffs accompanied by melodic harmonies. 

The band was created in  New Albany, Indiana and formed in 2011.  Things progressed quickly once they joined as a quartet and decided on their sound.  Matt Myers, Katie Toupin, Shane Cody, and Zak Appleby have had the fortune of opening for several notable acts; the Lumineers, Alabama Shakes, and Drive-By Truckers, just to name a few.  Supporting bands with such a strong fan base allowed them to gain their own following and are now headlining their own shows. 

Houndmouth is not yet sold out, so get your tickets before they're gone for $15/$17.  The doors open at 7 and the show starts at 8 with rayLand Baxter.

For more details about these shows, please visit the Haw River Ballroom website.