Over the past four months I have really started to get back into music. It’s been kinda nice. It can help me relax, help me focus, entertain, get me dancing, shorten a drive, and more. It has been ten years since I really spent any time pursuing or listening to music a whole lot, so getting started again was a challenge. One of the greatest contributors to this personal musical renaissance has been WKNC 88.1.
Over the years I have listened to all different flavors of music, from U2 to Wu-Tang. I find myself drawn mostly to “indie” or “college” rock now which KNC offers in spades. I’ve been introduced to bands like MGMT, Vampire Weekend, Fleet Foxes, The Magnetic Fields, Islands, Sigur Ros and many others. I also get to hear a number of selections from bands that I have enjoyed for years such as R.E.M., The White Stripes, Sonic Youth, and Ben Folds.
One of the great things about WKNC is plentiful listening options. Their radio broadcast includes RDS so I can see the artist info and song titles of things I listen to which is awesome for finding new music and artists I like. They also have great free streaming options for when I am at home or in the office.
There are like a zillion other options I’ve been using to expand my musical horizons as well. I’ll discuss things like last.fm, pandora, Sirius, and friends in future posts.
Earlier this week I saw a post on New Raleigh that The Colony will be having a one night viewing of The Big Lebowski for the 10th Anniversary of the film. I had never seen the it in a theater previously, so I was really excited about the opportunity. People came decked out in all kinds of bowling gear and Little Lebowski Over-Acheiver t-shirts. Watching a movie with lots of serious fans can be a great experience, and this did not disappoint. After the show last night all I could think about was going to the theatre to go check out more classic films. Totally thrilled there are more to come over the summer via Cool Classics at the Colony.
The Colony doesn’t provide the only unique movie viewing in Raleigh. The North Carolina Museum of Art also presents movies throughout the summer on the lawn. NCMA shows a wide variety of film genres from art house films, to Oscar winners, to summer blockbusters, to nostalgic favorites. I’m looking forward to Persepolis, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Michael Clayton, and The Bourne Ultimatum.
Another alternative viewing option comes to Moore Square in downtown Raleigh with their Saturday Movies. Pretty wide variety of films to be seen here as well. For me it’s going to be all about Close Encounters. I saw this movie in the great outdoors when I was camping in Connecticut as a kid. It’s just a killer film to see outside under the stars (or the streetlamp glare I suppose). Either way, definitely one to go see if you are in town over the Fourth of July weekend.
