Shakori Hills - Itinerary Fall 2011

Sun sets on the Meadow Stage at Shakori Hills.
Image courtesy of Wild Goose Festival.

Back in April, I had the great pleasure of attending the first day of the spring edition of the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance. I was immediately charmed by the location: Shakori is a peaceful little patch of land nestled in Chatham County, NC that has become a thriving community built on environmentalism, sustainability, and local art and culture. In other words, you couldn't ask for a better place to attend a music festival. It's a utopian vision put into practice, a society of open-minded individuals realizing a dream.

I could go on for pages describing the incredible vibe I felt for one day last spring, but with the fall festival less than two weeks away, it's time to start looking forward to what my next Shakori endeavor has to offer.

Live Review: Fleet Foxes w/ The Walkmen @ Raleigh Amphitheater 9/21

Fleet Foxes (pictured above) performed live at the
Raleigh Amphitheater on September 21st with The Walkmen.

Since the release of their eponymous debut album in 2008, the Seattle-based Fleet Foxes have easily become one of the most talked-about bands in the independent music scene, and with good reason. Their dreamlike folk tunes and intricately crafted vocal harmonies combine for a truly original and inspiring sound which was perfected with the release of their second full length, Helplessness Blues, earlier this year (and each member of the Myxem staff found a place in the top three for it on their "Best of 2011 So Far" lists). This was a show I had been looking forward to for quite some time, and what could have easily gone down as a huge disappointment ended up becoming a pretty memorable experience.

The reason I say this was a potential disappointment was because it rained. I suppose that may be an understatement; the skies opened up and absolutely poured. It was bearable at first. We arrived at the venue in time to get seated before it started sprinkling. The rain remained light but steady until about halfway through the opening act. Maybe I was just impatient due to the inclement weather, but the Walkmen failed to hold my attention. I'd heard great things from friends, but really there wasn't a whole lot that stood out to me. It was some fun, danceable, vaguely garage-y pop rock which might have been enjoyable at a smaller club, but in a rainy amphitheater in the middle of downtown, it really didn't do the trick.

Myxflyx: This Week's Best Of Netflix - 09/23

Click above to watch on Netflix.

 Grant's Pick

Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers
When the vile villain Ivan Ooze is released from the prison where he has languished for millennia, he seeks vengeance against his captor -- the Power Rangers' own mentor, Zordon. The slimy scoundrel also steals the Rangers' power, forcing them to journey to a distant planet to regenerate their powers. But can they return to earth before Ooze turns it into his own personal cesspool?

Do I really need to explain to you why you need to watch this?  It's full of campy Power Rangers goodness that will make for an awesome nostalgia trip if you're an early-twenty something like myself or for a cheesy laugh if you're beyond those days.  Plus you've got to admit seeing the Power Rangers dressed up like ninjas in the middle of the woods doing absurd stunts is pretty hilarious.

Preview: Shakori Hills Fall 2011

Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival will be held Oct 6th-9th.
Click above to visit their official site.

Having fully recovered from the breakneck pacing of Hopscotch, we now set our sights on another of the Triangle's (well, just outside the Triangle) hidden gems: The Shakori Hill Grassroots Festival of Music & Dance, Shakori for short. On October 6th, the sleepy rural community of Silk Hope will erupt to vibrant life as folks of all stripes gather together on its beautiful countryside to enjoy a four day music festival.

The last festival, held in April, boasted 50 bands, including jam-band mainstays (and upstate New York natives) Donna the Buffalo, as well as astonishing sets from Arrested Development and Holy Ghost Tent Revival. As vibrant a musical community as the Triangle is, it featured a fair number of local acts, including Birds and Arrows, Mount Moriah and perennial favorites Midtown Dickens (whom I watched in the rain).

This time around, the organizers have gone all-in, so to speak. They've attracted major national acts, including Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, legendary banjoist Béla Fleck & the Flecktones, up-and-comer Brett Dennen, Dirty Bourbon River Show, The Emmit-Nerishi Band and many, many more. Still, they make a fantastic effort to highlight local talent with Hammer No More The Fingers, Dub Addis and Des Ark. With a grand total of over 50 fifty bands lined up and a boatload of daily activities, there is something for everyone to listen to and enjoy.