Here's what you should do this weekend

Signalfest has an impressive line-up of techno, hip-hop, bhangra and more, including a lecture and set by Detroit techno pioneer Derrick May on Thursday, and free-speech activists Negativland on Friday. You may not see me over there on Saturday, because I'm still hoping to score tickets to the World Beer Festival here in Raleigh.

Repost on SignalFest

Got this from FrequeNC Records on Myspace:

WHY YOU MIGHT WANT TO BUY A FESTIVAL PASS ($30) INSTEAD OF JUST COMING TO OUR PARTY - - - - - - - -

yeah people, the fest is definitely stronger than last year in a lot of ways, you can do your own research but there’s a lot of great stuff and $30 isn’t so bad if it gets you into all these venues all weekend.... and it’s not just progressive house - there’s hip-hop, rock, ambient, all types of shit

frequeNC RECORDS hype show pics........

THURSDAY NIGHT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

UNC CAMPUS SOMEWHERE - DERRICK MAY - one of the 3 founding fathers of detroit techno gives a talk TECHNO AS A BLACK AMERICAN ARTFORM and dj set along with big time detroit producer/dj STACEY PULLEN - come see what unc shelled out $15,000 for - holy shit, that better be cool for all that cash! (NOTE: $12 or $6 with fest pass, NOT INCLUDED IN WEEKEND PASS)

FRIDAY NIGHT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NIGHTLIGHT - broken fader cartel crew (nicest guys ever, idm styles), a drop in silence from g-boro who were awesome last year, calmer - ambient/exp (from brooklyn, so it’s gotta be good, right)

CAT’S CRADLE - NEGATIVLAND my personal anti copyright heros (and they have a workshop thing too), crystal castles, and the nein

SATURDAY NIGHT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NIGHTLIGHT - our party, of course......

BLEND (former shitlands dancehall) - lot’s of ambient and avant composer styles including pacific before tiger and the most awesome PULSOPTIONAL who have a cd finally!!!!!

CAT’S CRADLE - souls of mischief, masta ace, black milk (detroit, who has a beat making workshop)

AND THERE’S MORE, GO TO THEIR WEBSITE AND CHECK IT OUT www.signalfest.com/newsite/

Why you should check out 305 South

(vintage clothing store inside 305 South) I realize 305 South is old news to a lot of you, but keep in mind that I live in Raleigh, and we Raleighites have an almost pathological fear of venturing outside the Beltline. But with Kings now kaput, I thought it was time to check out a venue, and some bands, that I'd heard a lot about but hadn't actually experienced. 305 South is an absolute treasure. For those of you who haven't been, it's a self-styled "anti-mall," a warehouse-garage-type complex with club space, a CD store, a comics store and vintage clothing shop run by the original owner of the Untidy Museum. The garage doors in the club space open up, and they have no neighbors to complain, so there's even a little outdoor seating area. Anyway, they also serve delicious and dirt-cheap empanadas and tamales, both meat and vegetarian. I spoke to Melissa, who owns the CD store, which specializes in "dark, alternative media," and she said that they show movie matinees each Saturday at 3 pm. Store hours for the shops are Tuesday through Saturday, 1-8 p.m. 305 South reminds me of some of the best clubs I've ever been in: It has the industrial feel and homegrown DIY spirit of the original Miracle House in Greensboro; it has the same kinds of funky shops that used to line the alley to Clawson's, the club I went to in Beaufort back in high school, and it has the laid-back, almost squatter-like feel of one of my favorite Berlin rock clubs. I found out that Midtown Dickens is going to have an all-day event there on May 12, so I will definitely check it out again. My only real complaint is that the lighting wasn't good for taking photos. Beloved Binge was the first band. They were described to me as quirky, which is a troublesome genre for me. Some quirky I like a lot, and some quirky I loathe. Luckily I really liked Beloved Binge. Check out their video below. The highlight of the evening was definitely the Ex-Members (above). Featuring members of Gerty and The Butchies, they're fun, danceable-but-still-rockin' New Wave. Like Pylon, but not quite as spare. For some reason they kept reminding me of the Gossip, which is totally wrong, because they sound nothing like them. But then I realized the common element is that Gossip drummer Hannah Blilie and Ex-Members drummer Melissa York both have a natural feel for disco beats, without making making the song sound like a Donna Summer record. Here's their video. I don't know the song title, but it was probably my favorite one that they did. I'm going to reserve judgment for now on Whigg Report. Last night I just wasn't into them, though I think it had more to do with an energy let-down after The Ex-Members. Whigg Report has an interesting set-up where the drummer stands and has a foot-pedal attached to a tambourine. One guy plays acoustic guitar, while another guy switches between a keyboard and a sax. I heard elements of Velvet Underground and Sonic Youth, so I think they're probably a very interesting band, and I will check them out again.

Check it out: Steve Howell Band at the Hideaway

The Hideaway is quickly becoming one of my favorite spots in Raleigh. They consistently have good bands, they tend to start shows a little early and allow artists to play two sets, and they have a good sound system. The only problem is that they don't have a late-night menu, and every time I go, I suddenly CRAVE their ribs. Check out the video of The Steve Howell Band, who I saw there last night. Steve was in the Backsliders, and is known to guitarists throughout the Triangle because he teaches and works at Harry's Guitar Shop. Also in the band are Pee Wee Watson, who was in Nantucket and PKM, Scott Miller from Six String Drag, and Jon Heames from Motorolla/Motocaster.

Cool show alert

Steve Howell Band tonight at the Hideaway in Raleigh. Steve used to be in the Backsliders, and is a guitar genius. For those of you who play guitar and frequent Harry's, a lot of the Harry's employees are in this band, including (from what I understand) Pee Wee Watson, who was in Nantucket and the severely underrated PKM. I'm heading there tonight after Bickett.