Melissa Carper
“I don’t think you can get this sound unless it’s borned in ya,” said bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley, when asked about what he called “old-time mountain music.” When Melissa Carper heard those words, something jumped inside her. While staying in the country with a friend, she found an old DVD of Down From the Mountain, the documentary and concert film of the “O, Brother Where Art Thou” soundtrack that featured this particular Stanley interview. She immediately jotted down “borned in ya” on a piece of paper. “I knew I had to write that song,” she recalls. In the Spring of 2023, Carper went back to East Nashville’s Bomb Shelter – the same “analog wonderland” where she’d recorded Ramblin’ Soul and its predecessor, Daddy’s Country Gold, and enlisted the help of her trusted co-producers – Dennis Crouch and Andrija Tokic. “Borned In Ya” would become the title track of the new album, out July 19th via Mae Music/Thirty Tigers. Like much of her writing, the song applies a homespun sensibility – and a bit of humor – to questions about life’s journeys. “I was turning over in my mind what it means to have something ‘borned in ya’,” she said. “The song evolved as I was writing it to be more about having your soul ‘borned it ya,’ and the more life experience you have, you hopefully grow to embody the highest version of yourself that you can be.” “Borned In Ya” could certainly stand as a reflection on Carper’s life in music. “Authentic” might be an overused word to describe an artist’s appeal, but there’s something so natural and true about Carper’s musicality that she must have been born with it: An easy sway to her singing, a precise, but laid back sense of timing. A feel. And, lyrically, she has an instinctive sense for storytelling, both observant and intuitive. As with the message of “Borned In Ya,” these traits have been sharpened by life experiences – including early music influences and the many turns of her career as a performer. Carper, born into a music-loving family, was raised on roots music, immersing herself in a family record collection that featured Hank Williams Sr., Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, and more. The public school music curriculum in her home state of Nebraska gave Carper an opportunity to learn upright bass. “I remember wanting to play bass, to play the biggest string instrument, “ she recalls. Carper performed in her school orchestra – and also in her family’s country band. Led by her mother, the group played a mix of classics and the new country of the 80’s, but it was the old stuff that stuck with the young bassist. Along the way, Carper’s father gave her a collection of Jimmie Rodgers recordings, which made a defining impact. “He combined country and blues and jazz,” she recalls. “All of those elements, and the rawness of those recordings…I can’t quite put a finger on it, but I was obsessed.” Carper earned a music scholarship to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. College didn’t quite take, but while there, she spent hours in the music library, drawn to jazz vocalists like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra, and she discovered seminal blues artist Lead Belly. Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok
WXYC Presents: Forget Him – It’s Valen-time to Dance
WXYC Presents… Forget Him – It’s Valen-time to Dance $5 with UNC One Card, $8 without
Wyatt Easterling, Rod Abernethy
This is a seated show. Wyatt Easterling has always considered himself primarily a songwriter. Nevertheless, his experience in the music industry began long before he began recording on his own. He served as Chief of A&R for Atlantic Record’s Nashville division, and in that role, he signed such artists such as Tracy Lawrence, Michael Johnson, Neal McCoy, and John Michael Montgomery, and co-produced the latter’s multi-platinum debut album, Life’s A Dance. He then partnered with Miles Copeland, and helped found the Nashville Division of Bugle Publishing Group and Firstars Management. After leaving the company, Wyatt decided it was time to focus on his own songwriting efforts. He signed with DreamWorks Publishing before establishing his own publishing company, Terra Nova Music, which employed eight staff writers. He found his own success by writing “Modern Day Drifter” for Dierks Bentley), “Life’s So Funny” for Joe Diffie, and “This Time I’m Taking My Time” for Neal McCoy to name a few. Wyatt’s current plan is to record a series of singles that will eventually be compiled into an album. A self-proclaimed “studio dog” at heart, Wyatt continues to produce two or three albums a year for his various clients. He also hosts his “Song Travelers Songwriting Retreat,” an event he initiated in 2014. The next retreat will be held in North East, Maryland from October 30 thru November 3 , 2025. Now living in North Carolina, Wyatt is putting more focus on performing. “I truly love giving a live performance.,” he says. “If I’m having a good time, that gives the audience permission to have fun too. Ya gotta love that!” Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify Rod Abernethy is a unique blend of an authentic southern folk troubadour, master acoustic guitarist, and award winning songwriter and composer for film, TV and video games and the Overall Grand Prize Winner of the 2021 International Acoustic Music Awards. In 2019 he was the Grand Prize winner of American Songwriter’s Bob Dylan Song Contest. His last album Normal Isn’t Normal Anymore, produced by Grammy nominated producer Neilson Hubbard (Mary Gauthier, Kim Richey, Glen Phillips), received rave reviews from No Depression, American Highways and The Wall Street Journal and was the Top 20 CD of 2021 at No. 11 on the Folk International Folk Charts. Website | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram
Triangle Afrobeat Orchestra, Boom Unit Brass Band
Triangle Afrobeat Orchestra is a high-energy band that gets audiences of all ages moving and grooving with their electrifying performances. The Durham, NC based Triangle Afrobeat Orchestra (TAO) is a diverse, multi-generational, multi-ethnic band founded in 2018 by bassist/composer Vattel Cherry. The members include: a professor of dance; a prison physical therapist; a newspaper journalist; a doctor of pathology, as well as full time musicians, who have toured and recorded internationally. TAO takes its inspiration from: Afro Beat creators Fela Kuti & Tony Allen: Afro Funk pioneer, Geraldo Pino; pianist/singer Nina Simone; trailblazing queen of Funk Betty Davis, British psychedelic funk legends Cymande, and activist/revolutionary Fred Hampton. TAO has performed at: Francis Marion University (Florence, SC); New Belgium Brewery (Asheville, NC); Snug Harbor & Petra’s (Charlotte, NC); Motorco Music Hall & Fullsteam Brewery (Durham, NC); Cat’s Cradle & Carrboro Music Festival (Carrboro, NC); The Pour House Music Hall & Kings (Raleigh, NC). Genre Description: Afrobeat is a music genre which involves the combination of elements of West African musical styles such as Fuji music and highlife with American funk and jazz influences, with a focus on chanted vocals, complex intersecting rhythms, and percussion Linktree Boom Unit Brass Band is the Triangle’s local version of a New Orleans Second Line jazz band. Their powerful sound, which fits somewhere between traditional Second Line bands and the ultra-tight Youngbloods Brass Band, comes from a full line-up of Trumpets, Trombones, and Saxophones plus a funky drummer holding it all together. They are fully loaded and capable of going straight from the parade to the stage. Boom Unit Brass Band has been featured at some of North Carolina’s premiere music venues and festivals. Commanding audiences’ attention with their lively performances, infectious rhythms, and powerful horn arrangements, Boom Unt Brass Band has assembled a dedicated following in North Carolina and raised through the ranks of their brass band contemporaries. They will be celebrating our 10th Anniversary in 2025, and they will begin recording our debut full-length LP very soon. Ten Hut and Fall In to become part of the Boom Unit Brass Band Squad! Linktree | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Bandcamp
Holy Fawn
Arizona quartet Holy Fawn bring an amalgamation of blackened-shoegaze and atmospheric post-metal; imbued with their somber textures, crushing wall of sound, and haunting imagery of nature and dream-like states, Holy Fawn has made waves touring alongside bands like Thrice, Deafheaven, Rolo Tomassi, across North America and Europe. Instagram | Facebook | Spotify | Linktree
Rivalry Night: UNC vs Duke
Davie Circle || UNC || IG: @daviecirclebandDavie Circle is an alt-country/folk-rock band based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Formed in their tight-knit college town, the group quickly became a mainstay in the local music scene. Their name comes from a historic street where the band spent countless hours rehearsing, and it perfectly captures the spirit of their roots. Blending the free-spirited improvisation of jam bands, the lush harmonies of bluegrass, and the rhythmic groove of jazz with the storytelling traditions of Southern rock and Delta blues, Davie Circle creates a sound that’s undeniably American. Drawing inspiration from iconic acts like The Allman Brothers, The Band, and the Grateful Dead, as well as contemporary voices like Tyler Childers and Zac Brown Band, the band brings a fresh twist to the genres they love, crafting music that feels both timeless and new. The Mechanics || Duke || IG: @clairebarrymusicThe Mechanics is a band of (mostly) engineers from Duke University. They cover everything from indie rock bangers to modern pop hits, while also performing original music written by members of the band. The band features Claire Barry on vocals/songwriting, Grace Davis on guitar/vocals/songwriting, Justin Garcia on guitar, Josh Levy on bass, and Jaden Fisher on drums. With their fun-loving spirit and creative passion, The Mechanics bring the energy to every performance. Weekend Therapy || Duke || IG: @weekendtherapyofficialWeekend Therapy, an Indie Pop/R&B band formed by Tyler Doan, Felix Zhu, Justin Garcia, and Oliver Wang, began their musical journey as freshmen on Duke University’s East Campus jamming together in a dorm room. Each coming from a different musical background, they don’t like to limit themselves to just one genre. They’ve opened for artists NLE Choppa, 070 Shake, and Cafune at Duke’s 2023 LDOC concert and hope to spread their sound to a larger audience outside of Durham, NC. They are the therapy you didn’t know you needed, crafting music that resonates deeply within your soul. The Wallabies || UNC || IG: @the.wallabiesThe Wallabies are an indie rock band formed in Chapel Hill, NC in the fall of 2024. Focused on high energy guitar-driven melody lines, mixing multiple genres with their songwriting. Braless || UNC || IG: @bbralessThe lively, soulful and intense sound of Braless has earned them the title of “The Best Band at UNC” by their listeners. Though not all members are currently attending UNC, the band was formed in 2021 by a group of students with a shared passion for music. The six-piece band got their start in basements and house parties, and have since worked their way up to playing all over the triangle. Braless thrives in intimate environments where they can interact with the audience. Some of their beloved hits include a cover of “Midnight in Harlem” and the original single “Undress Me”, which can both be found on most streaming services! With their smooth, warm saxophone, heavenly vocals, wailing guitar solos, and a tight rhythm section, Braless is the incredible six— a hot, fun band that you just can’t miss!
John Howie Jr and the Rosewood Bluff Album Release Show
When North Carolina’s honky-tonk heroes the Two Dollar Pistols broke up in 2008- leaving behind a legacy that included five full-length CD’s, an EP of duets with Grammy nominee Tift Merritt, and several US and European tours- lead singer/songwriter John Howie Jr. already had the seeds planted for a new group, one that would continue the Pistols tradition of making soulful honky-tonk based music for contemporary times. Bringing drummer Matt Brown over from the Pistols, John recruited pedal steel guitar ace Nathan Golub, christened the new band John Howie Jr and the Rosewood Bluff, and set about writing a new batch of songs. After a solid year of playing live, opening for everyone from Junior Brown to Lucero, plans were made for the band to enter the studio. Brian Paulson (Wilco, The Jayhawks, Uncle Tupelo) was called on to take the producer’s chair, having done a stellar job in that capacity on the Two Dollar Pistols 2004 Yep Roc release, Hands Up! Studio time was blocked off at Kudzu Ranch, owned and operated by Rick Miller (Southern Culture on the Skids). Several months later, the band emerged with Leavin’ Yesterday, an album that expands upon the Pistols trademark sound, adding prominent pedal steel guitar, piano (by DB’s/REM member Peter Holsapple), and strings to the mix for a landmark country music collection that should please Pistols fans, while breaking new ground at the same time. Album opener “Watch Me Fall,” a defiant, ringing kiss-off in the grand tradition of country music, sets the tone for Leavin’ Yesterday. Straight-ahead country-rockers, “Trying Not to Think,” and, “Last Great Guitar Slinger,” sit comfortably next to ballads like, “Downhill,” and classic honky-tonk shuffles like, “Handful of Heartaches,”and, “Back to Basics.” The Jimmy Webb/Glen Campbell influenced “Dead Man’s Suit” comes off “like it could have been Gene Clark…if he’d packed a string section,” according to Shuffle Magazine, while “I’ve Found Someone New,” also featuring a string quartet, bears the influence of Billy Sherill’s 1970’s “Countrypolitan” productions as found on the George Jones and Charlie Rich records of the day. The album-closing title track rings out with 12-string Rickenbacker, pedal steel, and gorgeous harmonies. With Leavin Yesterday finished, Howie put together a crack band capable of capturing all of the moods in the country music idiom and doing full justice to his songs. Along with Golub on steel and Brown on drums, electric/upright bassist Billie Feather (The Bo-Stevens, Darnell Woodies) signed up, as did telecaster hero Tim Shearer (Hearts and Daggers), with Howie front and center on lead vocals and acoustic guitar. Response to the album – as evidenced by great reviews, airplay on Little Steven’s Outlaw Country, and choice slots at the Ameriserv Flood City Music Fest and an opening spot for country music legend George Jones – has been overwhelmingly positive. The fan base Howie built with Two Dollar Pistols and prime song placement in hit films like Jeepers Creepers and hot TV shows like Weeds and United States of Tara continues to grow. Two Dollar Pistols fans mourning the loss of North Carolina’s finest traditional country/honky-tonk band need not have worried. While the Pistols may be gone, one listen to Leavin’ Yesterday by John Howie Jr. and the Rosewood Bluff should prove that, as the Charleston City Paper says, “Howie’s best years may still be ahead of him.” Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram
Arm’s Length
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Pet Symmetry
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L.A. Witch
L.A. Witch have always exuded an aura of effortless cool, whether it manifested as the Americana noir and laconic back-to-basics rock n’ roll of their self-titled debut or the blistering austere adventurism of their sophomore album Play With Fire. The band—comprised of Sade Sanchez (guitar/vocals), Irita Pai (bass), and Ellie English (drums)—began as an informal affair, but the sultry and beguiling reverb-draped songs they created caught on with the public, moving the project beyond the insular space of the band’s friends and peers in Southern California into the broader world. On their latest album, DOGGOD, the trio push their craft beyond their previous creative and geographical confines, opting to craft the material in Paris, recording the tracks at Motorbass Studio on the Rue de Martyrs. DOGGOD explores broader swaths of sonic terrain, employs a greater arsenal of tones, and probes larger existential and cosmic themes, all while retaining the band’s signature sense of the forbidden, the forsaken, and the foreboding. DOGGOD is a way of tackling the universal riddle tangled in the spiritual nature of love and devotion. “I feel like I’m some sort of servant or slave to love,” says Sanchez. “There’s a willingness to die for love in the process of serving it or suffering for it or in search of it… just in the way a loyal, devoted servant dog would.” The album title is a palindrome fusing together DOG and GOD—an exaltation of the submissive and a subversion of the divine. It’s a nod to the purity of dogs and an acknowledgement of their unconditional love and protective nature that’s at odds with the various pejoratives associated with the species. “There is this symbolic connection between women and dogs that expresses women’s subordinate position in society,” Sanchez explains. “And anything that embodies such divine characteristics never deserved to be a word used as an insult.” These conflicted explorations of love and subservience manifest themselves in L.A. Witch’s fusion of their trademark smooth and smoky garage alchemy with a newfound utilization of post-punk’s disciplined reserve and icy instrumentation. Album opener “Icicle” captures the band journeying out of the proto-punk, psychedelia, and gritty riffage of the ‘70s into the chorus-drenched guitars and forlorn minimalism of Joy Division and early The Cure. A parallel is drawn between romantic suicide and martyrdom that carries over into the second song, “Kiss Me Deep.” Here Sanchez describes a love so pure that it transcends time and carries over into multiple lifetimes. It’s a song about passion delivered in the worldly and wounded stoicism of early goth pioneers. From there, the band segues into the lead single “777,” a song about devotion to the point of death. A propulsive beat, a driving distorted riff, and Sanchez’s ethereal vocals come together to create a song that’s both dire in its fatalism and sensual in its faithful passion. Website | Facebook | Instagram | Linktree | YouTube
