When the last notes of the 2013 Hopscotch Music Festival finally decayed and there was time to reflect on the raucous weekend in Raleigh, it became clear that both the event and the city have come incredibly far. 10 years ago, downtown Raleigh was among the last places one would name to hold a cutting-edge, nationally significant music festival. With the 4th Hopscotch in the books, it’s now hard to imagine Raleigh without it, not to mention the many new venues, restaurants, breweries, and businesses that have shared in a collective surge of growth – not specifically because of the festival, but as part of a larger change.
As for the music, Hopscotch never fails to deliver a one-of-a-kind mix of legendary artists, willfully obscure curiosities, things that are outright strange, and things on which most everyone can agree. Local acts are treated as lovingly as headliners, and relentlessly experimental bands are regarded as utterly normal. Most importantly, the attendees, many of whom traverse miles of city streets over a three day span, rarely share exactly the same experience. Here are the ten most memorable experiences from one perspective.
Big Daddy Kane (Friday, Lincoln Theater) – Taking the place of the injured Action Bronson, Big Daddy Kane – who now resides in nearby Durham – showed he’s still got the ability to get a crowd hyped. This show was indulgently old school. It featured b-boy dancers, a lengthy segment of remembrances based on Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth’s “They Reminisce Over You”, Kane mingling freely with the audience, and trips through touchstones like “The Wrath of Kane”, “Smooth Operator”, “Ain’t No Half Steppin’”, and “I Get The Job Done”.
The Breeders (Saturday, City Plaza) – The Breeders’ Last Splash is one of those undeniable classic albums, loved by many and at least respected by most. The band’s performance of the whole thing at Hopscotch certainly drove that point home, because they drew the largest crowd of the weekend. Bookended by a Guided By Voices cover and their timeless college-radio-glory version of The Beatles’ “Happiness Is A Warm Gun”, Last Splash made for fine, revelatory Saturday night listening.
John Cale (Saturday, Memorial Auditorium) – Given the festival’s history of showcasing avant-garde, experimental, dorm room and drone acts, many thought John Cale’s set would be along those enigmatic lines, given his history. Instead, the late-night curious concertgoers found Cale, one of the founders of The Velvet Underground, fronting a powerhouse rock act. Offering straightforward, melodic rock with a few prog and jazz flourishes, Cale’s set was, stunningly, one of the most normal moments at Hopscotch 2013.
Holy Ghost! (Friday, City Plaza) – Big Daddy Kane wasn’t only act called into service due to cancellation, though the Hopscotch attendees had much more lead time on Holy Ghost! The Brooklyn duo decked out their intensely rhythmic disco-synth-pop with a full band and made quite an impression during their first ever show in Raleigh. It’s a crowded genre, but there’s enough beat and enough heart in Holy Ghost’s music to make it stand out.
Kurt Vile & The Violators (Thursday, Lincoln Theater) – Kurt Vile’s set was one of the most anticipated of the weekend, and he delivered in his own ambling way. Shrouded in hair and singing just at the edge of mumbling, Vile steered his band, The Violators, though a set of his best shambling, woozy songs. The setlist included songs from his acclaimed new album, like the title track “Wakin On A Pretty Daze” and the fractured midtempo stomp of “KV Crimes”.
Low (Saturday, Fletcher Opera Theater) – Low’s elegiac, heartfelt music found a perfect home at Fletcher Opera Theater. The room is sonically perfect, almost like using headphones, and the ambiance is reverent. It’s like the church of Hopscotch – once you enter the theater, respect and attention are demanded. With soft mallet percussion, pillowy bass, and guitar that got ornery only a couple of times, Low matched the space with muted, calmly beautiful material like “Monkey” and “Holy Ghost”.
The Rosebuds (Thursday, Memorial Auditorium) – The Rosebuds are one of Raleigh’s most endearing indie-rock outfits, and they provided one of the weekend’s finest shows with a full performance of Sade’s Love Deluxe. The Memorial Auditorium stage was bathed in rose-colored light as the duo and their assembled band patiently made their way through Sade’s sensual masterpiece. It worked surprisingly well and the band was clearly enjoying the experience, even if some more restless audience members did not.
Spiritualized (Saturday, City Plaza) – As the sole proprietor of Spiritualized, Jason Pierce has been re-imagining himself for over two decades. In 2013, the band sounds at least something like you’d expect, psychedelic leanings and grandiose ideas intact. Before a backdrop of mind-expanding visuals, Pierce sat stage right and led the ensemble through wave after wave of aural space-rock overload. Touching on the chemical, the emotional, and the, um, spiritual, his sprawling songs lent a melancholy and inspiring vibe to the state capital’s main street.
Terry Anderson and the Olympic Ass-Kicking Team (Thursday, Tir Na Nog) – Musically, there are a hundred more interesting things to do at Hopscotch than see Terry Anderson. But the festival often leads its attendees on unexpected journeys, and negotiating the schedule becomes more about where you happen to be instead of where you think you should be. At that moment, seeing Anderson and his team of ass-kickers dole out their no-frills southern rock at one of the best spots in the city was perfect.
Wold (Thursday, Kennedy Center) – Sometimes, musical experiences are memorable for reasons other than quality. While we tend to remember our greatest experiences fondly, there are others that leave permanent mental scars, like a childhood trauma. Thurston Moore (who was all over town during Hopscotch) may have given Saskatchewan’s Wold a hearty “thumbs up”, but many in the two-dozen-strong crowd were sticking their thumbs in their ears. Wold’s fifth show ever definitely lived up to the “harsh noise” billing.
