Durham

Live Review: Hiss Golden Messenger @ 9:30 Club — 1/15/20

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MC Taylor fronts Hiss Golden Messenger at 9:30 Club on Jan. 15, 2020. (Photo by Casey Vock)

Anyone entering the 9:30 Club would have known immediately they weren’t attending any ordinary show. After all, you weren’t really passing into the familiar concrete space of the popular club at the end of the U Street Corridor. Rather, you were stepping foot into some sort of old-time fortune-teller’s boutique, a sacred space for sorcerers or sorceresses, or maybe some secret place of worship.

But, for what, those unfamiliar with Hiss Golden Messenger were probably unsure.

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Live Review: The Mountain Goats @ 9:30 Club — 4/26/19

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Mountain Goats perform at 9:30 Club on April 26, 2019. (Photo by Mark Caicedo)

I’m way late to the party when it comes to The Mountain Goats but my excuse is that the musical road that brought me to John Darnielle and company was very long and winding. To say the least. It finally took me to 9:30 Club to see the band recently.

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Preview: Moogfest 2019 @ Durham, NC, 4/25-4/28/19

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Daniel Miller (Photo by Joe Dilworth)

Moogfest, the top synthesizer festival and conference, celebrates its 15th anniversary in Durham, North Carolina, on April 25-28, 2019. The festival will feature a keynote presentation by Martin Gore of Depeche Mode as well as Daniel Miller of Mute Records, along with performances by Thomas Dolby, Kimbra, GAS, Tim Hecker (performing with the Konoyo Ensemble), Matthew Dear, US Girls, and more.

Moogfest recently released the full schedule of events for this year’s festival. Here is our list of the Top 10 things to see and hear at Moogfest 2019!

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Ticket Giveaway: Moogfest 2019 @ Durham, NC, 4/25-4/28/19

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Martin Gore (Photo by Travis Shinn)

Moogfest, the top synthesizer festival and conference, celebrates its 15th anniversary in Durham, North Carolina, on April 25-28, 2019. The festival will feature a keynote presentation by Martin Gore of Depeche Mode as well as Daniel Miller of Mute Records, along with performances by Thomas Dolby, Kimbra, GAS, Tim Hecker (performing with the Konoyo Ensemble), Matthew Dear, US Girls, and more.

You can win a pair of general admission tickets to go with Parklife DC!

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Live Review: The Dead Tongues @ Jammin Java — 2/17/19

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The Dead Tongues perform at Jammin Java on Feb. 17, 2019. (Photo by Matt Ruppert)

I walked around Jammin Java on Sunday, its brick walls reflecting the stagelights, crowd slowly filling in. My wife asked if I wanted a beer; we went to the bar, where a gaggle of musicians ordered drinks, special opener Molly Sarlé holding a bouquet of white and yellow flowers. Ryan Gustafson, also known by his stage name The Dead Tongues, walked away last, but not before I could say, “I’m really looking forward to the show.” He stopped, turned, looked me in the eyes, telling me “Thanks so much,” with a hand on my shoulder.

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Live Review: HC McEntire @ Jammin Java — 2/2/19

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HC McEntire at Jammin Java on Feb. 2, 2019. (Photo by Matt Ruppert)

I remember when I first saw HC McEntire play on a stage with Mount Moriah, knees shivering with the music, her voice echoing off the tin ceiling and walls of Boot and Saddle in Philly. Cavernous, passionate, and ultimately transformative, in many ways. I read my journal from around that show and it has a quote I think is worth sharing – “Shimmying, we are alive,” which is a reference to the song, “Hail, Lightning” from their eponymous album.

Her recent show at Jammin’ Java was equally transformative.

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Music Park: Sylvan Esso @ The Anthem — 7/26/18

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Sylvan Esso dazzles a packed The Anthem on July 26, 2018. (Photo by David LaMason)

There’s a magic that Amelia Meath (vocals) and Nick Sanborn (producer/sound engineer) create. It’s an infectious feeling generated by Amelia’s compelling voice and energetic dance moves — itself buoyed by the soundscapes formed and molded by Nick’s panel of sounds. Over the past two LPs (2014’s self-titled Sylvan Esso and last year’s What Now), the North Carolina-based Sylvan Esso created beat-soaked tunes that stick in your head. But it’s their live show that’s a force to behold.

On Thursday night at The Anthem, the duo pulled no punches.

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Don’t Miss: Sylvan Esso @ The Anthem, 7/26/18

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Sylvan Esso (Photo courtesy Paradigm Talent Agency)

Sylvan Esso, the electropop duo of Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn, released What Now, their second studio album in 2017, and this year the band released a new single — “PARAD(w/m)E.” Sylvan Esso soon start a summer tour, and they will perform at The Anthem on Thursday, July 26.

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Music Park: Alex Zhang Hungtai @ Moogfest — 5/19/18

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Alex Zhang Hungtai in a video still from “Pierrot” (Photo courtesy WFS Communicatons)

Alex Zhang Hungtai, the nomadic musician formerly known as Dirty Beaches, settled down for at least an evening at Moogfest 2018 recently to play a set of avant-garde jazz.

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