Oh no! Don't run out of beer!!

Brewgaloo, a new beer and food truck festival, took place in Raleigh's City Plaza on Saturday and it was a wild success.  This was our view from the stage at 6pm.

Only problem?  They needed more beer!  The event was very well organized and, as it was put together by Shop Local Raleigh, featured some terrific local breweries and food trucks.  The crowd was much larger than expected, resulting in some beer "outages" and even most of the food trucks ran out of grub by around 7p. I should know, I was in line at 7p at the Baguettaboutit truck and missed the cutoff.

That's okay. As with all first year events, lessons are learned and errors are corrected.  All in all, it's yet another feather in the cap for our thriving region.

If you like beer, food trucks, and live music, you don't have to wait long for the next festival...make plans for the NC Beer and Band Festival at the Lincoln Theatre on Saturday, May 12th.  Similar concept to Brewgaloo, and unlimited samples of amazing NC beers for just $25 in advance. Details and tix at www.lincolntheatre.com.

Foster
Radio 96.1

Free music after work? Yes, please!

In some ways, "Alive After Five" was ahead of its time.

From 1986 to the middle part of the last decade, this after-work concert series took place in downtown Raleigh and featured, for the most part, local bands playing cover songs on Thursday evenings in the summer.  You could even (hooray!) bring your own beer.

The demolition of the Fayetteville Street pedestrian mall and the advent of Downtown Live (which featured huge headliners for free on Saturdays in the Summer) spelled the end of "Alive After Five".   In many respects, that was too bad...because a Thursday after-work concert series is a very good thing.

Ironically, Raleigh had an after-work concert series before downtown Raleigh was cool.  Progress Energy and RBC Bank had not built their headquarters downtown.  Restaurants like The Oxford, Buku, and Sono didn't exist.  ABC-11 hadn't created their super-cool "window on the world" studio on Fayetteville Street.  City Plaza at the end of Fayetteville Street wasn't hosting events like Winterfest and Raleigh Wide Open.  Heck, you couldn't even drive a car down Fayetteville Street.

The transformation of downtown Raleigh didn't happen overnight, but it's clear that a new after-work concert series befitting of the new City of Oaks was due, and thus the creation of "Oak City 7".

Oak City 7 is a Thursday after-work summertime concert series that begins May 31st and takes place over seven Thursdays.  It is reflective of how our area has changed - stellar local and regional bands playing Folk, Americana, and Bluegrass will provide the entertainment.  A wide selection of local and craft beers will be available (there were no local or craft beers in these here parts until the 2005 repeal of a law that "capped" alcohol content of beers in NC at 6%.)  It will take place over a two-block span of Fayetteville Street, surrounded by a vibrant bar and restaurant scene.

There are lots of reasons to be proud of where we live...get ready for another one.

Foster
Radio 96.1

Anything Scotty McCreery CAN'T do?

I woke up feeling like a slouch today.

Not getting enough exercise.  Not eating well enough.  Not getting enough sleep.  Then the first headline I read when I get to work today is this:

MCCREERY TOSSES COMPLETE GAME THREE-HITTER

Well, great.  Just what the world needs is another overachiever.  Actually, you know what?

That's exactly what the world needs.

Here's a kid who wins American Idol, becomes an instant country superstar, makes Garner famous, yet still goes back to finish high school, is pitching complete game shutouts for his high school baseball team, and has committed to going to the school he grew up dreaming of attending, NC State.

I think maybe I'll go for a bike ride after work.

Foster
Radio 96.1

Why Skipping The Opener Is Not Always A Good Idea

When I saw Cake last week at Raleigh Amphitheatre, the band made a joke that no one was opening for them, so they'd open for themselves:  play an hour set, then take a break and come back and play another set.  Lead singer John McCrea joked to the effect of that's why you should never miss the opener.  Give the opener some respect.

With that in mind, I was glad I got to the Lincoln Theatre early last night and caught the opening acts for Candlebox.  The second opener, a power-pop quartet from Washington, DC, was called Honor By August. 

I'm really glad I saw them.  I'm no music critic, but I've seen enough shows and enough crappy opening bands to know when there's a good, tight group on stage in front of me.  The band's got some pretty melodies, which contain some deep, and some not-so-deep lyrics.  The picture above does them justice in that at least they all match--last night, they looked to me like the strangest bunch of rag-tag musicians.  From my faraway eyes, the lead singer looked like a grown up Bud Bundy, the bassist like he was a Comic-Con geek trying to be cool, the lead guitarist was a Jimmy Page in training and the drummer?  Well, his suspenders and jaunty hipster hat (like the one he's wearing in the shot above) made him seem like he fit the mold the least.  Yet, what looks like a group of people that don't fit really do fit.  HBA is a genuine, hard working band who hooked me. It's not often I leave a show saying, "I'd like to see that band again."  In fact, that's only happened to me three times in my entire career/time going to shows.   Look them up on iTunes, or on their website, found here.



Alli


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Van Halen - The Review

I was pretty lucky to have been in Charlotte on September 27, 2007.  That was the very first show Van Halen performed with David Lee Roth in 23 years, and it was special.  There was electric chemistry, affection, and the band was in stellar form.

Fast forward to April 21, 2012 and VH is back on the road.  Diamond Dave is now 57, and Eddie's son Wolfgang is now 21 (can you believe he was only 16 when they toured last time)?  Having seen both shows, here are my takeaways:

1. DAVE NEEDS TO TAKE IT DOWN A NOTCH.

I know, telling David Lee Roth to take it down a notch is like telling a lion to be a vegetarian.  The vocal difference between the first and second halves of the show Saturday night was staggering.  The opening number ("Unchained") was clean, tight, and his vocals were pristine.  By the latter part of the show when the band tore through hits like "Hot For Teacher" and "Panama", he was straining. The guys at the soundboard cranked the guitars up so loud to compensate, it muddled and distorted the whole sound.

Strangely, it seemed Dave was starting songs an octave or two higher than he needed to - in the middle of a long world tour, DLR would be best served to start lower and save his voice.

2. YOU WON'T MISS MICHAEL ANTHONY.

So maybe it wasn't fair for Eddie to kick out the original bassist in favor of his son.   But the name of the band isn't "Anthony", and the ascent of Wolfgang Van Halen was inevitable from the time he was born.  The good news is, Wolf is really good.  He's far more confident on stage this time around, and his harmonies with dad leave nothing to be desired.  The kid's got the goods.

3. EDDIE IS SOBER

You can tell from the picture above that Eddie Van Halen has gained some weight (he was always bone thin), and he doesn't take his shirt off once during the show (which he used to do every show).  His sobriety has resulted in a positive lack of drama this tour, and he plays with an air of satisfaction and enjoyment not seen before.

4. THAT VIDEO SCREEN!

You have to see it to believe it, but the massive HD screen that spans the stage is the coolest I've ever seen. The band uses it to great effect - like instantly playing Roth's high kicks back in slow motion, getting up close shots of Eddie's guitar tapping technique, and a terrific angle of Alex's drum solo.

All in all, it was a great night and completely worthwhile.

Foster
Radio 96.1

Wanna be in Iron Man 3?

While I was visiting my mom in San Francisco last week, a friend at dinner spoke about her son, who is a successful cameraman in the film industry.  Not surprisingly, he lives in Hollywood.  What may surprise you is that none of the filming he does is in Hollywood.

Because of tax breaks, movies are now filmed in cities like Toronto, Detroit, and (I knew she was about to say it) Wilmington, North Carolina.  Her son is actually leaving the film business because he's tired of the travel.  

It's true, Wilmington, NC is the Hollywood of the East.  "Empire Records", "Nights In Rodanthe", "The Crow", "Sleeping With the Enemy", "Weekend At Bernies", "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", and "Blue Velvet" were all filmed in Wilmington.  TV shows?  "One Tree Hill", "Eastbound and Down", "Dawson's Creek", and "Matlock" have all called Wilmington home.

Next month, filming begins on their biggest get yet - "Iron Man 3".  

Thousands showed up at Crabtree Valley Mall last weekend for an open casting call, and there's one more this Saturday, April 21st from 10a-1p at Independence Mall in Wilmington.  

So....RTP is the new Silicon Valley and Wilmington is the new Hollywood.  Poor California.  And I mean that literally.

Foster 

Radio 96.1

Reason 6,742 Why I Love Living In Raleigh

Last night, I went to Raleigh Amphitheater and saw Cake play.  They were great, and it was the perfect laid-back rock and roll night to end what was a very busy weekend for me.  But this blog isn't about Cake and their show.  This blog is about the venue. 

When I think about all the different places in my life I have seen bands, whether large or small or somewhere in-between sized venues, I have to say that the Raleigh Amphitheater is one of my favorites.  It seats around 6,000, which is a pretty decent size.  But the fact that it's right downtown, in a city that I've adopted as my city--makes it all the better.  The acoustics are pretty great at the Amphitheater, but what really makes it the most interesting, fun venue is this:

That's the Raleigh Convention Center Shimmer Wall, and it's the backdrop for the Raleigh Downtown Amphitheater.  It's gorgeous, and, in my opinion, one of the best things that this city has done to make us look like a real, hip, modern little Southern city.  What makes it shimmer are these individual pieces that reflect and move with the wind; colored lights are shone on it at night for effect.  It's what artists see from the stage at the Amphitheater, what I can't stop turning around to check out during shows there.  

I didn't live here before Raleigh went through its transformation, and was lucky enough to move into town just as the Convention Center was finishing. So, I never remember a time that the Shimmer Wall wasn't around.  I never get tired of looking at it, and I'm thankful that someone had the foresight to put the Amphitheater there so many more visitors who come to town and want to be entertained by great live bands--people who aren't familiar with the City of Oaks--can see what a cool little place we are, as evidenced by the back side of the Convention Center.  Welcome to concert season, people.  I'll see ya Downtown and around the city this summer.


Alli


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Mmmmm...Beer...

So, this weekend, despite my better judgement, I'm going to roll out to World Beer Festival in downtown Raleigh.  I say, "despite my better judgement" because a fun event like this downtown always has the potential for me to get out of control.  I tell you, so that you will see me, and keep me in check. Keep me in check! 

Now, granted, I'm not going to form a drinking team like the guys in the movie Beerfest.  (Although, if you are in the mood for a ridiculous comedy, do your self a favor and check the movie out.) I don't even know if it's safe to do some of the stuff that they do in the movie.  

But seriously, you can learn a lot at World Beer Festival.  There are sessions on why beer tastes the way it does, sessions on learning about beer and so much more.  Also, there's food and duh...beer.  

Have a great time if you're going to Beer Fest, or doing anything outside this weekend.  And, remember, if you see me in Moore Square Saturday night, keep me in check!

Alli


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Why we're better than San Francisco

OK, I'm not really going to make the argument that the Triangle is better than San Francisco - even though here it's MUCH cheaper, safer, less congested....well, that list could go on for awhile.  San Francisco is my hometown and I think it's the greatest place on Earth, however....

When you read the news about how so many other areas are bankrupt and doing nothing but slashing, it's nice to get off the plane at RDU and see this:

While SFO has made significant improvements to its international terminal, the domestic terminal in San Francisco is still a dump.

The point is, we constantly see progress here - we see it in the revitalization of downtown Raleigh, the American Tobacco complex in Durham, the many businesses that have chosen to call the Triangle home, and yes - in our awesome new airport, which is the first thing visitors to our area see.

It may not be fair to compare us to San Francisco, but then again we don't have to anymore.  We're in a class all our own.

Foster
Radio 96.1

All Jazzed Up For Tax Day

Yes, I'm aware that Tax Day isn't actually April 15th this year, but it still is known as that in my head.  Why am I excited, you ask?  Well, the weather's warm, it's bound to be a beautiful weekend (fingers crossed!) and our once a month Sunday Funday will include this band:

That band is Cake.  I really like them, and am looking forward to spending my tax refund with them at Raleigh Amphitheatre on Tax Day, April 15th.  Won't you join me? I've never seen them before, but I'm pretty sure, based on their cheeky song titles it'll be really fun.



Alli



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The New Album is Here! Well, Sorta.

                                         Photo by Me'Lani Santos, IamZormak Photography
                                             




You know I love the Jason Adamo Band.  So I'm excited to say I've heard their new album, "Bricks and Mortar," in full and it's amazing.  Upbeat when it needs to be, in my opinion a great Saturday afternoon soundtrack album.
 

Jason himself is a great guy, an even better musician, and you can see him all OVER the Triangle before he and the band embark on a country-wide tour in May.    Do you want to help him get funded for the tour AND get a copy of his CD before it comes out June 5th?  You can hit up the tour donation page, here.

See Jason with and without the band on these dates in these places:

Tonight, 9 pm:  Hibernian Raleigh

Tomorrow, 10 pm Amra's Raleigh

Thursday dinner show 6:30 pm The Mint, Raleigh

Friday 7 pm Sullivan's Raleigh

Sunday, April 15, Sunday April 22, Sunday April 29: Southland Ballroom (Full Band)

Friday, May 11th (tour stop!)  Lincoln Theatre 

Get thee to a show!

Foster and I have decided that Jason needs to get on The Voice.  The man has talent, and does Raleigh proud.

Alli


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