Lots in store in 2004
With a great year for local music in ’03 under our belt now, the bar has been raised for Triangle music. Here in the wild western part of the Triangle, last year saw the diversity of local music strengthened, with new sounds and old favorites rubbing up against each other like so many shoulders bumping in a dark club. Durham had a stellar year with musicians putting down new roots there, and busy labels like Pox World Empire put forth original music from all corners of the area. New bands like Des Ark and Protean Spook pushed through with aggressive, exploratory music that tinkers with the idea of a North Carolina “sound” once more. The Cradle went non-smoking. We lost two mainstay local record stores, Radio Free Records in Durham and Lost City in Chapel Hill. But Ground Zero Records continues to grow in Chapel Hill, and so the evolution process continues and local music benefits. These are just a few examples of how things are going strong in the Bull City and Chappie and the surrounding environs. Aside from the expected flux of the musicians and their resources, venues and audience in any given locale, 2003 was very good to Triangle musicians. Here’s raising a glass to 2004 and all the fruits it may bear.
The News Ticker
The Evil Wiener tribute record I Can’t Get That Evil Wiener Song Out of My Head is at the pressing plant now, and the date for the release party is (naturally) Feb.14, Valentines Day, at Local 506. Billy Sugarfix and pals will be playing the music and those who did covers will be singing the songs, a process Hypno-Vista Records’ Ron Liberti, which is releasing the record, describes as “kinda like Evil Wiener-oke.
Durham’s Little Brother was just featured on the Okay Player tour with The Roots from Dec. 29 through January 3. The Roots performed live sets of covers of some of their favorite new acts, including Little Brother, as well as songs of the other special guests like Aesop Rock, Jean Grae, Mr. Lif, Vast Aire, SA Smash, Skillz, Little Brother, J-Live, Dice Raw, Pete Rock & CL Smooth.
Durham based singer-songwriter Jamie Anderson is now recording her eighth album for her own label, Tsunami Recordings. It will be produced by Kiya Heartwood of the popular folk duo Wishing Chair. She’s performed all over the country, and in our area at the ArtsCenter in Carrboro, the Festival for the Eno, Six String Cafe, and many others. She also teaches guitar and songwriting at the ArtsCenter. Anderson’s style ranges from pop songs to bluegrass. For more information, visit www.jamieanderson.com.
Portland rock group The Standard, who released a full-length on Touch and Go Records in 2002 entitled “August,” have just relocated to the Triangle and have a new record coming out on Yep Roc Records in March. They’ll be out on an East Coast jaunt in the coming weeks, with a gig at Go! Studios on Saturday, Jan. 10. 
