Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

ASU Hosts Double Dose of N.C. Indie Rock

Annuals and Pico Vs. Island Trees Represent New Trend at Legends

Story by David Brewer

After years of seemingly unending jamband dominance at campus shows, ASU’s Appalachian Popular Programming Society is beginning to pass on the jam in favor of trendy indie rock acts. In the coming weeks, Legends will host two of the genre’s rising stars with a show featuring Raleigh-based Annuals on Thursday, March 27, and former North Carolina band Pico Vs. Island Trees on Wednesday, April 2.

Annuals

Annuals consists of Adam Baker, Kenny Florence, Zack Oden, Nick Radford, Mike Robinson and Anna Spence. While Baker is chiefly responsible for writing and arranging the music and lyrics, all six members are multi-instrumentalists and play different roles as sound creators in the live setting.

The band’s roots were planted in 2000 when Baker began recording his songs in his basement daily while skipping school. With a handful of demos floating around, Baker decided that it was time to take the plunge and release a full-length record. Terpsikhore Records agreed to put out the first Annuals release called Lay Down Dry, now out of print. After the release of Lay Down Dry, the band took to the stage, playing scattered shows and a few East Coast tours.

Annuals combines dense, keyboard and percussion-driven, harmony-laden arrangements that mine Baker’s grand pop sensibilities

In 2005, Ace Fu Records signed Annuals and the band’s sophomore effort Be He Me followed shortly thereafter. Baker and company recorded the majority of Be He Me at home, with the exception of additional mixing/producing in Los Angeles and New York City. The disc hit stores in September 2006, earning rave reviews while further raising the band’s profile.

The band’s Thursday, March 27, show at Legends will start at 9:00 p.m. Tickets are $7 in advance for students and $10 for all others.

Pico Vs. Island Trees

Affectionately referred to as “Pico” by their friends and fans, Pico Vs. Island Trees has some of the freshest faces on the growing Nashville pop scene. The band’s roots extend all the way back to a 7th grade talent show, when vocalist Bryan Carter and guitarist Jeremy Bullock initially cemented their musical union.

The boys’ search for a band name ended when they watched a classroom film about the famous 1982 Supreme Court case against the Island Trees School District, that, according to the video’s main character, sounded "like a rock band."

Operating as a weekend band for several years, the members of Pico opted to follow their dreams in lieu of higher education, heading to California to record a CD with Duran Duran and Joe Jackson producer David Kershenbaum.

With undeniably catchy pop hooks instantly grabbing listeners, Pico Vs. Island Trees is perhaps the latest and greatest three-chord wonder, able to churn out pop songs with genuine feeling and emotion without resorting to trite and angst-ridden clichés.

The band’s Wednesday, April 2, show at Legends is a part of A.P.P.S.’ Backstage Concert Series and will start at 9:00 p.m. The show is $4 for students in advance and $5 for all others.

For more info on either show or to purchase tickets, click to www.apps.appstate.edu.

Want To Go?

What: Annuals
Date: Thursday, March 27
Time: 9:00 p.m.
Location: Legends
Cost: $7 for students in advance/$10 for all others

Want To Go?

What: Pico Vs. Island Trees
Date: Wednesday, April 2
Time: 9:00 p.m.
Location: Legends
Cost: $4 for students in advance/$5 for all others