Three Lobed and WXDU bring Hopscotch day show

Whether you’ve snagged a one-day pass, a three-day pass or no pass at all, this weekend belongs to Hopscotch Music Festival. This Friday, Three Lobed Recordings and WXDU will collaborate for the second time to host the third annual free day party at King’s Barcade in Raleigh.

The North Carolina-based record label and Duke’s radio station have assembled a massive range of music. The mostly instrumental lineup stretches from “solo electric guitar to solo banjo” and through “cacophonous, improvised guitar and drum explorations” to “punk or American acoustic,” creating an eclectic series of forty-minute sets.

The acts are all distinguished from the Hopscotch Music Festival lineup—most of the performers will not play at Hopscotch at all, aside from the day party. “It’s heavy on folks who are not playing the festival otherwise,” said Cory Rayborn, Duke alumnus and founder of Three Lobed Recordings. “If you don’t come to the day show, you’re not going to see these folks.”

These folks include the likes of Thurston Moore, most well known for his work with Sonic Youth, who will perform with John Moloney as the Caught on Tape Duo. Tom Carter will likely bring more experimental sounds with his only solo show of the festival, and Jenks “Horseback” Miller—a member of Durham's Mount Moriah—will set the tone as the first act of the lineup.

“You show up, and you watch for forty minutes. Maybe you like it or you don’t. The next thing’s probably totally new,” said Jake Cunnane, Duke senior and General Manager of WXDU. “All that needs to connect is one thing. If you respond really deeply to one thing, that’s enough. Durham is so interesting that way. You have a hardcore aggressive metal project, or a popular Merge [Records] band; if you have any kind of investment at all, you have the chance to make it something broader.”

The day party connects the larger Hopscotch Musical Festival to Durham’s backyard and adds in a Duke presence through the work of WXDU. “I have a big spot in my heart for ‘XDU,” said Rayborn. “When I started my label in 2000, they were the first folks I provided material to.” The radio station will live-broadcast the entire program with snippets of commentary or spontaneous interviews with musicians, and merchandise will be available for purchase from all acts. Black Twig Pickers will provide music between sets.

The indoor venue “fills up, but in an awesome way” according to Cunnane, who emphasized the inclusiveness and accessibility of the day show. Durham attendees can take the Bridge Bus to the show for “an introduction to Durham proper.” He explained that the day show provides an organic opportunity for audience members to be exposed to an entire network of musicians and to be a part of a “very participatory event and culture.”

The day show is complementary to the festival itself—which runs Thursday through Saturday nights—while offering unique and distinctive acts for even those without Hopscotch wristbands. Put on by a local record label and radio station, the event will be welcoming for an all-ages audience with the promise of the unexpected. “I just want everyone to see the music. I think it’s important that anyone who wants to see something should be able to see it,” said Rayborn.

“When you come to school, there’s this clear expectation to move forward academically and socially,” said Cunnane. “But it’s equally important to take the same attitude toward culture. There are unprecedented opportunities; people with different tastes are all around, and Durham itself has such a wealth of things to take advantage of while you can. It’s a prime time.”

The Three Lobed Recordings / WXDU Hopscotch Day Show will be on Friday, Sept. 6 from noon to 5:30 p.m. Event is free and held at King’s Barcade in Raleigh. For more information, visit http://hopscotchmusicfest.com

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