Bands did not have to travel far to show off local talent at WKNC’s Double Barrel Benefit 10 at the Pour House Friday and Saturday nights.
The lineup highlighted by Spider Bags and Lilac Shadows of Carrboro, and Oulipo of Raleigh, meshed with folk and indie-rock outfits to produce a homogenous festival.
Lilac Shadows’ performance Friday night energized the predominately student crowd, with an energetic presence despite a keyboard malfunction pre-performance.
Double Barrel marked Lilac Shadows’ first performance in nearly half a year, and band member Sam Logan said on stage, “It feels good.”
“[Double Barrel] was the most fun I’ve had in a long time,” Logan said.
Logan felt Lilac Shadows’ most recent EP was quick, if not rushed, and he wanted to take his time writing and recording for a new album that is slated for release near Hopscotch 2013.
“We recorded the EP really fast, so we want to take our time on this,” Logan said.
Jenny Besetzt, a five-piece band from Greensboro, performed shoegaze-inspired rock defined by ambient guitar and synthesizer beneath guttural vocals Friday along with an indie-pop performance by aptly named Lollipops.
Members of WKNC gave praise to the bands for their performances, many of which gave thanks back. Jason Kutchma of JKutchma and the Five Fifths gave his account of what the station means to him.
Kutchma, who blended folk, rock and pop in his headlining performance Friday night, began with a speech. Kutchma said after agonizing attempts distributing his music, he heard himself first on WKNC; it was a moment Kutchma said he wouldn’t forget.
“It was so nice that someone out there cared about [my music],” Kutchma said. “I feel like it legitimized me.”
Kutchma, who sounded something of a southern Bruce Springsteen, said his influences have varied from John Lennon, early Bob Dylan and Springsteen, but that he attempts to keep to a style his own.
Against the indie-rock mantra of the weekend, Oulipo, composed partially of N.C. State students, performed eclectic music saturated with synthesizer, voice modulation and technical drumming.
Timmy Matthews, guitarist for Oulipo and junior in communications, said the performance may not have been the band’s largest in size, but may have been their most important performance to date.
Matthews said he thought the band’s first performance at the Pour House was successful and enjoyable.
“I was very impressed with it,” Matthews said. “I thought the crowd was very responsive.”
Matthews said the band plans to release a new track in two weeks and is currently working on an album for summer release.
Headlining the night, Spider Bags, a three-piece group out of Carrboro, made noise with psych-style punk and alarming stage presence.
Nick Murphy, senior in chemical engineering, said he enjoyed the performance for its music and raucous attitude.
Murphy said he liked the exciting stage presence given by Spider Bags’ bassist and guitarist.
“The singer laid down and played a solo, I just thought that was really punk,” Murphy said. “I liked how the bassist got on the speakers, I thought that really amped people up.”
The tenth Double Barrel Benefit brought several flavors of local indie-rock together, proving the music surrounding the Triangle is still a force to be reckoned with.
Kate VanVorst, a senior in parks, recreation and tourism management, raffles off a PBR hat at Double Barrel Benefit on Saturday Feb. 2 2013. The two night concert raised money for N.C. State's radio station WKNC.
