Mysteryland Announces Line-Up for its First USA Festival

Last summer, it was announced that one of the largest electronic music festivals in the world would finally make its debut in the good ol' USA. This Memorial Day weekend, Mysteryland, which has been going strong in its home country of the Netherlands since 1993, will be taking residence at the hallowed site in Bethel Woods, NY where the original Woodstock was once held. Dutch promotion outfit ID&T made their first major mark on America last September when they hosted TomorrowWorld, the US version of the legendary TomorrowLand held each year in Belgium, in Atlanta to rave reviews (that pun was terrible, I'll show myself out).

Raleigh's 2012 Hopscotch Festival Announces Lineup

The Roots are one of the headliners at the third
annual Hopscotch Music Festival, Sept 6th-8th.

Those of you who've been reading Myxem for a while know that we're huge proponents of the annual Hopscotch Music Festival in downtown Raleigh, NC and have been anxiously awaiting this year's lineup. Well, at approximately 12:01AM on Wednesday April 18th, that wait was over. This year's festivities will be headlined by hip-hop all-stars (and Jimmy Fallon's favorite co-workers) The Roots, legendary noise pop pioneers The Jesus & Mary Chain, and influential introverts Built to Spill. Also of note: the one-of-a-kind solo set from John Darnielle (a.k.a. the Mountain Goats) consisting of 50% acoustic Mountain Goats rarities and 50% heavy metal songs covered on a grand piano, Matthew E. White performing his currently unreleased 5-track album with a gospel choir and full string section, and what is certain to be an electrifying performance from quirky Pittsburgh MC Danny Brown. Also, according to the official press release, "New York guitarist Ben Greenberg, who performs as Hubble, will offer the world premiere of a piece called Lag, in which he uses the Internet as a delay pedal." Not sure how exactly that will work, but I'm excited to find out.

3-Day Wristbands and VIP wristbands are on sale now for $110 and $165 respectively, with single day passes and City Plaza tickets going on sale in July when the performer schedule is announced. Check out the full lineup after the jump and be sure to check out the festival website for details and ticket information.

Shakori Hills Spring 2012 - The Undercard

With over 60 bands attending the four-day festival,Shakori Hills' spring 2012 iteration has more than enough variety to please every taste. The full list of performers, including a schedule of events is over on Shakori Hill's official website, but we're going to be taking the weeks leading up to the festival to introduce you to some of the acts we're most excited about.

---

Jim Avett

 WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

Sunday, Cabaret Tent: 5:00pm
  

After 35 years of running his own welding company, Jim Avett has returned to his true passion: making music. He first recorded a collection of gospel music, Jim Avett and Family, featuring his daughter Bonnie, and sons Scott and Seth Avett (yes, those Avett Brothers). In 2010 and 2012, he released albums of original tunes, ranging from lighthearted rock n' roll to soulful true country ruminations of boyhood memories and loss. All of Avett's endeavors are marked with an unwavering honesty and an unflappable charm, and Shakori Hill's Cabaret Tent is a perfect, intimate setting to experience the earnest, heartfelt songwriter up close.

Bonnaroo Announces 2012 Comedy Lineup

A few short months after dropping a stellar list of bands for 2012's Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival (including Radiohead, the Beach Boys, Bon Iver, Phish, Skrillex, Das Racist, tUnE-yArDs, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers just to name a few), the folks behind the four-day affair in Manchester, TN announced their hotly anticipated comedy lineup, which has been a festival mainstay since 2005. This year's roster of funny folk does not disappoint. We already knew Aziz Ansari would be performing since his name was announced with the initial offering of bands, but he will now be joined by comedy greats such as Steven Wright, Brian Posehn, and "World Champion" Judah Friedlander (perhaps best known as supernerd Frank on 30 Rock). The festival's official website promises more names have yet to be announced, but be sure to check out the full list so far after the jump.

Myxem Picks 'Em - Shakori Hills Fall 2011

Click above to listen to this week's playlist.

With the excitement building (I spent time this weekend getting my camping gear ready) for Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, we dedicate this week's playlist to the incredible artists the organizers have lined up this year. Pulling down large names like Bela Fleck & the Flecktones and Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings speaks to the reputation this festival's been building as an up-and-comer. Never forgetting its roots, situated in the hills outside of the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Triangle, they also offer an impressive array of local talent, from The Old Ceremony, Hammer No More The Fingers, and Big Fat Gap. Other bands that piqued our interest include the pyschedelic stylings of Noot d'Noot, the roaring bluegrass of The Emmitt-Nershi Band and Brett Dennen's thoughtful folk-pop.

Click the banner above to listen to this week's playlist, highlighting Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival's lineup!

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.

Hopscotch '11 - Day Three Review

The Myxem crew awoke battered and beaten on Saturday morning; two full days of Hopscotching can really kick your ass. Regardless, this was our big day and we were going to enjoy the hell out of it. I was about thirteen years old when I first heard the Flaming Lips. I was an awkward eighth grader who listened to a lot of classic rock and watched a lot of VH1, where they played a clip of "Do You Realize??" during just about every commercial break. It was this that inspired me to check out the whole album, which led me to the Soft Bulletin, which led to Clouds Taste Metallic, and the rest is history. Today would be my first time ever seeing the Lips live, a moment that my awkward teenage years had been building up to. Needless to say, I was feeling pretty good about the whole thing. But, before that glorious moment, there was lot on the agenda: bands to see, day parties to attend, and a whole lot of walking around.

Hopscotch '11 - In Brief - Day One

We got a late start today. We had planned to be at the Big Boss day party held at Sadlack's Heroes, but as the rumor spread that it'd been closed down due to a noise complaint we decided to sit tight and catch up with a few episodes of Friends. Which was by no stretch of the imagination a waste of time.

By the time we had made it downtown, it was with just enough spare time to be one of the first through the door for Dinosaur Feathers. These boys took King's Barcade through the roof. I cannot possibly think of a better opener for King's incredible line up, and I hazard to say it'd be difficult to name a band I'd rather have seen as my first band of Hopscotch 2011.

We made a mistake and left King's, as they were counting people as they exited and letting the same number of people in, it seemed re-entry was unlikely. We lamented our bad luck, but forged on to Cassis Orange down at The Union (which is kind of a haul from King's). The two and half songs we caught were amazing. There were some technical issues with a sample going awry and it was pretty difficult to see, as The Union does not have a stage.

Hopscotch '11 - Eats - Beasley's Chicken + Honey

Beasley's Chicken + Honey is located at 237 S Wilmington St.
Image from New Raleigh

If you're wandering around downtown, or even if you've recently been displaced by the unfortunate incident at Sadlack's Heroes (apparently closed after a noise complaint), fear not: right down the road is a great place to weather the storm and get your hands on some fresh brewed tea and some out of this world fried chicken.

This is, hands down, the best fried chicken I've had. Now, I don't consider myself a connoisseur exactly, but I am certainly no stranger to dipping poultry in breading and hot oil. My surprise came as Beasley's Chicken + Honey managed to take that simple concept, douse it with class and upgrade the whole concept to something purposeful and tasteful, a nearly gourmet experience. From the dijon-honey sauce to the amazing (and obviously handmade) biscuits, the chefs combine attention to detail with that feel good down home style and serve it in generous portions. Even the tea is purchased by 1/2qt in re-purposed mason jars.

Hopscotch Announces Day Party Lineup

After announcing an incredible lineup, featuring headliners The Flaming Lips, Guided By Voices performing their final show, Lost in the Trees and about a hundred and fifty other equally remarkable acts (full list here), Raleigh, NC's Hopscotch Music Festival announced their equally incredible day party lineup.

The day partying starts on Thursday with a kickoff party at Sadlack's Heroes featuring Chip Robinson, Olympic Ass Kicking Team and others. On Friday, Tir Na Nog hosts Duo Sets, where performers pair off from Mandolin Orange, Birds and Arrows and others. Kings will also be rocking it on Friday with Transportations, Shit Horse, Americans in France and Wild Wild Geese. The Pour House will be hosting a Three Lobed Recordings party, featuring Year of the Pig, The Moaners and Monsonia.

Rob Delaney Live At The Cat's Cradle

Terry and I took a trip to Chapel Hill, NC, the epicenter of what has been one of the most fruitful independent music scenes (think James Taylor, Ben Folds, Superchunk, Archers of Loaf, et al), to see the hilarious and unnaturally tall Rob Delaney unleash a flurry of his trademark off-color humor. What we got instead was a Cavalcade of Stars-esque evening that speaks volumes about the collaborative artistic atmosphere surrounding the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Triangle.

Delaney came out first, unleashing a barrage of his A-grade material. At points, I was actually crying from laughter. After this initial series of jokes, he called Mac McCaughan of the legendary Superchunk to the stage. McCaughan, armed with an acoustic guitar, ran through an even mix of old and new Superchunk with surprising results. While it was, obviously, in no way a Superchunk set, the solo-acoustic arrangements added a sort of earthy and rugged element to the familiar songs and provided for an interesting introduction to their new material. The big surprise, however, was what happened next.

Myxaroo: Saturday & Sunday's Schedule

Presuming I can still walk and haven't been completely demolished by the first two days of rain and heat, I will continue to get down on Saturday and Sunday. Both very full days, but I'm excited mostly for Saturday's lineup, which kicks off with Cheer Up Charlie Daniels, Abigail Washburn and Old Crow Medicine Show. Just when I think I've had enough banjo, I move on to Deer Tick and Mumford and Sons. How can one complain, however, about a night that ends with Buffalo Springfield & Girl Talk?

Myxaroo: Thursday & Friday's Schedule

 

Happy Music Monday, everyone. Myxaroo is Myxem's Bonnaroo coverage. We've already begun covering some of the awesome bands on the undercard, like Walk the Moon (album review here) and Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside, but it seemed as good a time as any to highlight exactly what we'll be attending during the four-day music festival. Below, the first half (Thursday/Friday) of the Official Myxaroo Schedule...

Myxaroo: Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside

Bonnaroo is pretty tight this year, a lot of great names stack one after another all throughout their schedule. I've already mentioned a bit about Walk The Moon, but as I dug a bit deeper into the undercard this year, I've been finding more and more to love. Most recently, it's been Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside. This Portland, OR band has been making some serious waves lately; most recently they've opened for the Avett Brothers at the Crystal Ballroom. With infectious songcraft and a genuine old time vibe, Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside are a perfect fit for fans of the Avetts, the Felice Brothers, et. al., but their tunes transcend the throwback movement and stand alone as one of the best things to come out of it. You can get in touch with them on Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, Tumblr and their own website. Check the video of "Not An Animal" being performed live below:

Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside are playing June 11th at 7:00pm at Cafe Where?

NC Natives Lost in the Trees Added to ATP Lineup

By request of Elephant Six's reclusive mastermind, Jeff Mangum, Chapel Hill, NC natives Lost in the Trees have been added to All Tomorrow's Parties already stellar lineup. Lost in the Trees have really blown up in popularity lately. After signing to Anti-, they played some excellent sets at SXSW that were picked up by NPR. It's great to see deserving bands getting respect, and when that respect comes from Jeff Mangum, it means even more.

Moogfest 2011 Announces Initial Lineup

One of the most exciting new festivals of last year was Asheville, NC's Moogfest, a 3-day celebration of the spirit of legendary synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog. Last years festival brought acts such as Panda Bear, Girl Talk, and MGMT to a handful of Asheville's venues. Today, Moogfest has announced the initial lineup for their 2011 festival, and it's quite impressive: the Flaming Lips, Passion Pit, and Tangerine Dream gill the three headlining slots while the undercard includes other acts that owe a debt to Moog's innovations such as Chromeo, Crystal Castles, and influential electro-punk-rockers Suicide, performing their groundbreaking 1977 eponymous debut in its entirety. The festival takes place October 28-30, 2011 and ticket prices range from $149.50 to $379.50 and will be on sale starting Saturday, June 4th. Check out the lineup so far and get more details at www.moogfest.com.

Image courtesy of Moogfest.com