The Sammies

What makes us unique is that we never intended to be a band," admits Frank Backgammon, guitarist and lead singer of The Sammies. "I'd play guitar when I was younger and people would cringe and ask me to stop. I thought I sucked." It must have come as a pleasant surprise to Backgammon then, that the band's 2006 debut for MoRisen Records (produced by John Agnello) earned critical praise and landed song placements in the major motion picture Employee of the Month as well as NBC's "Friday Night Lights." "When people started asking us to play, and actually came out to shows,"says Backgammon humbly, "I was shocked.
Yet it's their live shows that have helped the band develop a rabid fan base. "We could powersmall cities with all the energy that is gathered at our live shows," says Backgammon. "They're loud, spastic and at times, semi-possessed."
It's that attitude that The Sammies captured on their sophomore effort for MoRisen,appropriately titled Sandwich. Recorded at Mitch Easter's Fidelitorium, Sandwich draws from the band's multitude of influences including punk, indie, southern and classic rock. Easter has recorded albums for the likes of R.E.M., Pavement and Wilco and as Backgammon gushes, "We were just smitten to be around a place where the bands we adore worked!"
The brothers' initial jam sessions took place when Frank was home for long weekends fromschool at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In their earliest incarnation, The Sammies began playing parties including a memorable Fourth of July bash for which the stage was the bed of an old pickup. "We took the money from that and recorded five songs. Then we got our first real gig, and I think we got paid in beer, which was fine by us at the time," Backgammon says. "Now we get beer and food!"
I Was Totally Detroying IT
Start Time: 11:00
Hailing from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, I Was Totally Destroying It (Iwtdi) have been swinging sledgehammers at barriers since early 2007. Can a band whose ages span seventeen years demonstrate the chemistry to keep them cohesive? Can a band toe the line between mainstream palatability and indie-rock influence while appealing to a wide range of audiences? Can a bumblebee overcome the ratio of its wing span to its mass and produce enough lift to take flight? We now know that the answer to all of these questions is a resounding YES.
Mixing indie rock veterans James Hepler (Sorry About Dresden, Erie Choir) and John Booker (Strunken White, io) with talented young upstarts Rachel Hirsh (Aok), Curtis Armstead (Places to Live), and Joe Mazzitelli (Lemming Malloy) has so far been a recipe for awesome. A unique blend of 80's rock- think Outfield and The Cure- and 90's indie rock such as Superchunk, Velocity Girl, and The Anniversary, leaves listeners' palates assaulted by pop flavor. Iwtdi sweat and slave over their songs, leaving no aural opportunity unvisited. Their lyrics belie the sweet, sunny suggestions of their upbeat melodies, inviting you to listen in on their conversations about self loathing, fear, and intimacy. The end result is a feast of music worth sinking your teeth into.
IWTDI self-released their first record in October of 2007 to a pleasantly surprising degree of success. Local press loved it, and in January of 2008, Iwtdi was predicted to be one of the area's "Great 8 Bands of 2008" by local McClatchy outlet, the Raleigh News and Observer. Their local success led the band to embark on a three week Us tour in Summer '08. As soon as they returned home, they invaded the studio once more, recording a whole new set of rock gems. This time they enlisted the production savvy of Motion City Soundtrack lead guitarist Josh Cain (and also lead singer, Justin Pierre, who co-wrote a track on the upcoming full length), who then invited Iwtdi on a glorious three day tour of the Southeast in September. On October 28, 2008, Iwtdi released a free,seven song Ep called Done Waiting.
In 2009, on the heels of their free Ep, Iwtdi team up with Greyday Records to assail your pop sensibilities once more with a limited edition, 12" vinyl, dual Ep consisting of four brand new songs which make up The Beached Margin and the seven original Done Waiting tracks. And before you can regain your composure, they will hit you again with Horror Vacui, the sophomore full length due to reach stores October 13th. Iwtdi are focused, eager, hard-working, and talented. Their efforts have earned them shows with the likes of Cursive, Billy Bragg, Portastatic, Conor Oberst,Polvo, Motion City Soundtrack, and Superchunk. You'll know why when you listen to their music.
THE GROVES
Start Time: 10:00
In 2006 the four members of the Groves locked themselves, and their instruments, in Brent Cotten's (guitarist) attic for hours each day. Engulfing his entire home in cables and compromised recording equipment, the Groves passionately and painstakingly self-released their debut album "Kaleidoscope". In the summer of 2007 The Groves played their first show at Spazzatorium Galleria in Greenville, NC opening for personal friends Lonnie Walker. Never heard before, the Groves instantly transformed the empty room into a packed, excited and vibrant spectacle. Since then The Groves have continued to hone their skills and have been showcasing their Kinks inspired Alternative/Pop at venues all over North Carolina including the Cats Cradle, The Pour House, Berkeley Café and the Lincoln Theater. Now a winner of the Gorilla Production's Battle of the Bands, the Groves maintain a sizable fanbase in the Raleigh area. Playing both their highly requested older hits "Home Alone" and "Mess" as well as their more recently written hit "Dive Down", the Groves prove just how eclectic Pop-Rock music really can be.
YOU TONIGHT
Start Time: 9:00
Formed in early 2009, You Tonight is a band of four like minded musicians from Charlotte NC. Performing mostly original material and covers of classic rock and 90's alternative songs, You Tonight are a unique band blending many different musical styles into their own sound. Influences include Kings of Leon, The Raconteurs, Band of Horses, and Weezer. You Tonight consists of Jesse Reaves on vocals and lead guitar, Gray Wise on vocals and rhythm guitar, Kyle Butler on bass, and Russell Wilson on drums and backup vocals. Their debut Ep will be released in summer of 09 and many shows are either booked or in the works, so be sure to catch them sometime soon!