VIDEO: HNMTF at the Coffeehouse, 4/4/09

05 Apr 2009, Posted by Andrew Hibbard in Concert, Playground, 2 Comments

Hammer No More the Fingers headlined at the Duke Coffeehouse last night as part of Viking Storm II. Here’s video of “Viking Storm.” We’re working on some technical issues right now, but we should have more video coming soon so be sure to check back.

LIVE: Viking Storm II, Duke Coffeehouse, 4/5/09

05 Apr 2009, Posted by Kevin Lincoln in Concert, Playground, Review, 1 Comments

The second night of Hammer No More the Finger’s “Friends of Hammer festival”/CD release party (for debut LP Looking For Bruce) dominated the Coffeehouse last night. The event—comprised of five bands over a lengthy but energetic five hours—featured Viking Storm Ale brewed by sponsor Triangle Brewing Company, the UNC-Villanova game projected onto a screen behind opening-opening act The Beast and a number of concertgoers dressed up in their best Viking attire. Attendance was somewhat sparse at the beginning, but over the course of the evening the Coffeehouse grew filled to capacity, culminating in a packed mosh-pit environment for Hammer’s set.

Durham’s The Beast—taking the stage first of the five, around 9 pm—got the festival started on an upbeat note. The band’s fusion of jazz and hip-hop was a fitting showcase for MC Pierce Freelon’s politically love-oriented lyrics and his lively stage presence. Freelon made multiple references to the Viking theme, obtaining on separate instances an axe and a horned helmet from the audience, and his best piece of crowd banter came when he urged the crowd to “put your motherf—ing Viking Ales in the sky!” He sported a gray tank-top with “VS”, for Viking Storm, written on it in big, bleeding letters, and The Beast finished their set with a rendition of Hammer’s death-metal ode to the weekend’s motif, “We Pray for Viking Storm.”
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Battle of the Bands, Duke Coffeehouse, 3/21/2009

22 Mar 2009, Posted by David Graham in Concert, Music, Playground, 0 Comments

Last night 1210 Duke and UNC bands squared off at the Duke Coffeehouse to see who was least square. The show was put on by Duke’s Campus Concert Series.

I was actually a judge for the show, so I’m not going to say much here–I guess I already got my say. For the record, though, winners were UNC’s Huguenots, a great, poppy, riffy band (and easily the night’s nattiest dressers). By winning, they earned a cash prize and a chance to play at LDOC. If you’re itching for a sneak preview, check out their show this Friday at the Coffeehouse with Physics of Meaning, another great CH band.

Finalists–two from each school–were the Huguenots and Lafcadio (props for a compelling take on “Black Is the Color of My True Love’s Hair”) from UNC and the Soulless Dogs and Tauri Wind from Duke. They’ll all get the chance to play at future CCS shows.