Music News in Raleigh

Each spring, on the third weekend of May, artists, craftsmen, and musicians amass downtown in Moore Square for Artsplosure’s Annual Spring Festival. In recent years, crowds of approximately 70,000 people have swarmed the streets to celebrate the season and the creative talent on display. The entire event is free to the public, courtesy of Artsplosure, a non-profit corporation that also produces First Night Raleigh.

Koka Booth Amphitheatre has slowly released their summer schedule and it looks like they have saved the best for the end of the season.  On Friday, August 8th, Wilco will land in the Triangle for the first time since 2006 when lead singer Jeff Tweedy played the North Carolina Museum of Art.

Two Raleigh bands are playing a FREE show tonight, Friday, April 18th at Sadlack’s. The T’s and the Suburban Sweethearts will plug in at the open air venue starting at 7 pm. Should be a fresh night for live rock, Big Mama veggie heroes, and High Life tall boys.

This show basically happened already.  Future Islands and Lonnie Walker played a show at Slim’s a couple weeks ago.  Now, Raleigh’s Noncanon is added to a previously enjoyed line-up.  All 3 are set to rock the stage on Friday, April 18th, at the Downtown Events Center.  Click here for more info and full flier

King’s was a nucleus for downtown music and tommorow, April 8th, marks one year since its closing.  The space was a funky, affordable venue that hosted roots music, punk, hip-hop, metal - anything.  Recently there has been talk that Kings will re-open in the old Greenshields space; prior to that we heard rumors that it would be taking over the Martin Street Music Hall space. It seems impossible to piece together what King’s was, but there is hope that its spirit will soon materialize somewhere. 

In honor of the day, our friend Proactive Busy Body, has a slide-show remembering the final night of Kings.

King’s Video below the fold.