Yet more interesting stuff from Hopscotch. The fest and Edward McKay Books are sponsoring an author series, taking place the afternoons of Sept. 9-11 at Raleigh City Museum. Check it out:
Partnering with local staples Edward McKay Used Books and Raleigh City Museum, Hopscotch Music Festival proudly announces its Edward McKay Artist & Author Series, featuring discussions with Grammy winners, Grammy nominees, bandleaders and some of the best music critics in the country.
During three late afternoon sessions on Sept. 9, 10 and 11, musicians like Andrew Whiteman of Broken Social Scene and Apostle of Hustle and hip-hop producer 9th Wonder will talk about music’s cultural and social impacts with critics and authors like Spin and Village Voice writer Christopher R. Weingarten and acclaimed author and Duke University professor Mark Anthony Neal. Other guests include Dolph Ramseur of Ramseur Records, Phil Cook of Megafaun and Charlie Smarts of Kooley High, with more panelists to be added as Hopscotch Music Festival approaches.
“Writing about music often feels like such a vacuum. It’s someone tucked behind a keyboard with their thoughts and their headphones, ultimately sending some message out into the world,” says Independent Weekly Music Editor and Hopscotch Curator Grayson Currin about the series. “My goal with this series is to break that vacuum by putting artists and their analysts in the same room and letting them talk about inspirations and ideas.”
Each discussion is free and open to the public, though seating capacity inside Raleigh City Museum is extremely limited. Early arrival is recommended. Tickets for Hopscotch Music Festival—Thursday, Sept. 9–Saturday, Sept. 11 in 10 downtown Raleigh venues—are still available in very limited numbers atwww.hopscotchmusicfest.com.
ABOUT THE PANELS
THURSDAY, SEPT. 9 (Free/ 5–7 p.m.)
North Carolina’s Musical Heritage: Past, Present and Future
From the old-time music and bluegrass that’s moved from the state’s mountains to the litany of jazz and soul icons that have called North Carolina home, this state has a tradition of fostering musical innovators. Several careful students of those lineages will gather to discuss the state’s musical past, how it’s being preserved, and why it has such an important influence on the music being made here now.
The speakers include Durham’s PHIL COOK of Megafaun, a band that blends folk sounds of the past with adventurous experimentation; Concord’s DOLPH RAMSEUR of Ramseur Records, who has helped turn both The Avett Brothers and Carolina Chocolate Drops into international emissaries for the sounds of North Carolina; Raleigh’s MARSHALL WYATT of Old Hat Records, a Grammy-nominated, Bob Dylan-approved label that collects historic recordings and curates them into rich compilations; and Chapel Hill’s AARON SMITHERS, who has traveled the state recording under-documented artists. Hopscotch Curator and Independent Weekly Music Editor GRAYSON CURRIN will moderate the discussion. Cook will also perform as his one-man band, PHIL COOK & HIS FEAT, to begin the discussion.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 10 (Free/ 4–6 p.m.)
Black Mountain College: Legacy and Inspiration
Andrew Whiteman writes, sings and plays guitar in the Canadian bands Broken Social Scene and Apostle of Hustle. Not long after Broken Social Scene confirmed their co-headlining Hopscotch set, Whiteman approached festival organizers about an event that would honor Black Mountain College, the influential interdisciplinary school that opened in western North Carolina in 1933. Whiteman will read his own poetry, as well as that of several Black Mountain acolytes, and discuss the school’s importance with a panel of local poets.
The speakers include Toronto’s ANDREW WHITEMAN, a Broken Social Scene staple who will read from his forthcoming book, Tourism; Durham’s KEN RUMBLE, an installation artist, musician and the author of Key Bridge (Carolina Wren Press, 2007); Durham’s MEG STEIN, an installation artist and musician working and playing in the 715 Washington art collective, along with Rumble; Durham’s CHRIS VITIELLO, a poet and artist and the author of Irresponsibility(Ahsahta Press, 2008); and Raleigh’s CHRIS TONELLI, a professor at N.C. State University, the author of four chapbooks and the founder of the So and So Series. Pitchfork Media Critic and Paste Senior Contributing Editor BRIAN HOWE, an accomplished poet himself, will moderate the discussion. Rumble, Stein and Vitiello will also present a performance inspired by the Black Mountain College happenings of John Cage and Robert Rauschenberg at the start of the event.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 11 (Free/ 4–6 p.m.)
Hip-Hop Planet: Music and Its Work in the World
When people talk about the political importance and immediacy of hip-hop, perhaps no group gets mentioned more than Public Enemy, and perhaps no records more than their It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back and Fear of a Black Planet. With Public Enemy headlining Hopscotch Saturday night, we decided to talk about the social impact that hip-hop has historically had and if that role might be changing.
The speakers include Durham’s 9TH WONDER, the Little Brother cofounder and Grammy winner who has gone on to make music with Jay-Z, Destiny’s Child, David Banner and Murs; New York’s CHRISTOPHER R. WEINGARTEN, “the last rock critic standing” and a scribe for Village Voice,Spin, Rolling Stone and the author of a new book on Public Enemy; Durham’sMARK ANTHONY NEAL, a Professor of Black Popular Culture at Duke University and the author of several books on music and culture; and Raleigh’sCHARLIE SMARTS, a member of the exuberant, emerging hip-hop crew Kooley High. Hopscotch Director GREG LOWENHAGEN and CuratorGRAYSON CURRIN will moderate the discussion. Weingarten will spin his tribute set to It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back before the discussion begins.
No comments:
Post a Comment