RM chats with psych-rock band Crumb ahead of Hopscotch.
Laid-back but never mundane, dreamy but more than just a backdrop—Brooklyn-based band Crumb’s music is everything all at once: nonchalant, unnerving and transient.
“Everything is an influence—probably subconsciously, definitely not consciously,” maintains lead vocalist Lila Ramani. To boot, a little bit of everything is sprinkled throughout their discography—from jazz to psych to shoegaze.
Crumb is set to bring their sparkly dreamscape to Raleigh as a headliner at Hopscotch, closing out the DTR fest on Saturday at Moore Square—one of their only two shows scheduled for the remainder of the year. “We’re focusing more on writing this fall, so no big-time touring,” says Ramani, also noting this will be the first time the band has played in Raleigh in years. Many of the group’s past local gigs were before they got their bearings in the industry—think house shows and smaller venues like Local 506.
Now, Crumb stands on various singles, one EP, three albums and millions of listeners. And their many fans aren’t ones to get a full eight hours of shut-eye: A common time to revel in the quiet, waterlogged melodies is in the dark, when the rest of the world is quiet too.
“I feel like it can be any time of day, but I definitely think a solitary kind of listening makes sense, or a laid-back environment,” emphasizes Ramani. There’s a time and a place for their haze—and “it’s definitely not for the club,” she notes.
But, when performing live, the band translates their hypnotic ballads to be more energetic and upbeat than the recordings. “Our live shows are different, or that’s at least what people have told us—that it’s much more.” Ramani told RM. More upbeat songs—like Balloon, which has a more disco-y feel—usually make the setlist.
Many of the band’s songs from early EPs and albums also make the cut, though Ramani notes the performance behind them feels different than the rendering of a more recent track. “People love them so much, and that’s amazing, but it feels the most removed from where we are now,” she says. “It’s been almost ten years.”
Haoyan of America
The four-piece’s groggy, gaze-y sound has stood its ground from album to album, and on their most recent record, Amama, Crumb appeared to lean even more into their surreal, blissed-out noise with even less vocals than previous albums. “It’s hard to tell from the outside, but I don’t think we had that in mind going into it,” Ramani muses. “Vocals are just another instrument.”
And while that instrument leans more muted on certain tracks, it’s hard to generalize the whole album, she adds. “The lyrics pop a lot more,” and certain songs still spotlight their underwater-sounding winding scripts. Despite both Crumb’s reach and palette expanding in Amama, their songwriting process has remained more or less the same. “In general, it’s been mostly the same thing, and looking forward, we might try to change it up a little more since it’s been so long,” says the vocalist.
In short, Moore Square is set to sparkle with dreamy jazz-psych paired with transient thoughts, making reveling in Crumb’s sound a no-brainer. crumbtheband.com; hopscotchmusicfest.com
Here’s which vetoes the NC Legislature overturned last week.
Since stepping into the role in January, Gov. Josh Stein has vetoed 14 bills—and last week, the General Assembly successfully overturned eight of them. Republicans control the General Assembly, but still needed to flip at least one Democratic vote to successfully override a veto.
In case you need a refresh on NC politics: Three-fifths of both the House and the Senate are required to override a veto. Senate Republicans meet the threshold as long as all members are present thanks to their 30-20 supermajority. House Republicans are one vote short of a supermajority, sitting at a 71-49 advantage on party lines.
Despite the lack of a supermajority in the House, Stein’s remaining vetoes aren’t out of the woods yet. If House Republicans can’t convince any Democrats to flip their votes, House Speaker Destin Hall has the ability to put the bills on the back burner until one or more Democrats are absent (aka a “veto garage”)—as well as call a vote on the vetoed bills any time between now and the end of the session in 2026.
Some of Stein’s remaining vetoes have been overridden in the Senate, but have yet to be called on in the House. Until then, here’s the eight vetoed bills that were overturned in both chambers—and are now law.
The Power Bill Reduction Act This law kills an interim CO2 emissions reduction goal for Duke Energy. The initial bill was focused on making it easier to rebuild homes in floodplains amid the aftermath of Helene, but was stripped of its former language.
Prevent Sexual Exploitation/Women and Minors The bill began as a bipartisan act to enforce consent measures for pornographic websites, but shifted to include controversial measures recognizing only two genders (male and female) under law, require schools to give parents the ability to restrict what students can read in the classroom, and create a database of every school’s library.
Personal Privacy Protection Act This law prevents state agencies from collecting or disclosing nonprofit donor information, and imposes penalties on officials who do so.
Charter School Changes Although critics say it weakens school accountability, this override will redelegate certain charter school responsibilities from the State Board of Education (governor-appointed) to the Charter School Review Board (legislature-appointed).
Summer concert season is well underway, especially here in Raleigh—where an extraordinary lineup of artists have already rolled through town. Think Tyler, the Creator, The Head and the Heart and The Black Keys, with plenty more big names slated to play it up across Oak City venues. In short, the best songs of summer are begging you to come dance and drink along.
Love an incoming artist, but have no one to tag along with? Buy the ticket anyway. As someone who refuses to sit out a concert just because friends can’t come, I’ve gone to numerous live shows alone and found—especially with slower genres—it’s actually preferable over bringing a slew of pals.
And despite not having your normal armor of a group or date, riding solo isn’t awkward or scary.
Spoiler: Not a soul will care if you are there alone. Everyone is looking at the stage, not at you. To boot, musicians love that their music means enough to brave their set alone.
To wit, “solo dating” or embarking on experiences usually meant for two or more, is trending—and concerts are no exception to the long laundry list of things usually reserved for pairs and groups. Solitude and fun, found. Here, find our best tips for heading to a live show alone.
Wear What? Wear an outfit you feel confident and comfortable in. Usually, I opt for something low maintenance—it will help kill the awkward jitters. Plus, it’s better for dancing around. As usual, protect the dogs with sneakers or boots, especially if it’s a standing-only venue.
Getting There Plan transportation ahead of time, and keep that phone charged in case an Uber is needed after the show.
Sight-Seeing The best part about riding solo? A good spot is easy to come by. If you want the barricade, more power to you—but if not, find a place where you can blend in with the crowd, but still have a good view.
Bottoms Up Grab a drink. It doesn’t have to be an adult bevvy, but having something to hold and sip on will preoccupy your hands and help disperse any awkward vibes.
Friends Along the Way A concert is the perfect place to make friends, if you feel so inclined. Everyone there already has at least two things in common: love for live music and love for the artist. Strike up a convo with those around you—but if you’re getting the hang of solitude, no pressure.
Let Loose As aforementioned, everyone else is watching the music, not you. So chill out, dance around, cry, mosh, sing along—the world is your oyster. Remember the solo concert MO: No one cares you’re by your lonesome. And in a venue full of concert-goers who love music just as much, are you really alone?
Happy Hopscotch to all who celebrate! It’s that time of year again—the 15th annual DTR indie music fest is back Sept. 4–6, once again hailing NC for the complex sound haven it is while spotlighting acclaimed music across all genres and from around the world, plus up-and-coming artists and household names.
Known to consistently predict the next big names in indie, Hopscotch has hosted the likes of up-and-comers Japanese Breakfast, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman long before their breakout. Bottom line: Even if some names don’t ring a bell (yet), trust—you’ll be seeing and hearing a lot more from them soon. Until then—here’s how to make the most of the three-day rhythmic romp.
Soundcheck? Two stages, one in City Plaza and one in Moore Square, will showcase the headliners, and an array of smaller venues around DTR will host Day Parties to give the smaller names a stage (P.S. Day Parties don’t require a pass to attend!).
Lineup Legends? Earl Sweatshirt and Built to Spill will headline Thursday, with My Morning Jacket and Godspeed You! Black Emperor on Friday, and Sparks and Crumb on Saturday—all with opening support from the likes of Geese, Superchunk, Florry and more.
Pick Your Pass 🎫GA tickets |$160+ Access to three days of live music at both stages, plus late-night comedy sets
🎫VIP tickets |$340+ Additional perks including VIP swag bag, priority access to late-night sets and VIP-only amenities at both stages
Map Your Moves Use the Hopscotch app to locate your can’t-miss sets ahead of time—the walk between stages doesn’t take long, but it will feel a lot longer when your fave artists play within minutes of each other.
Garrett Poulos, courtesy of Hopscotch Music Festival
Bag the Rules It’s prime time to break out the belt bag, or skip the bag entirely and keep those hands free for fist pumping and dancing. Pro tip: Any bag larger than 13 x 15 inches must be clear.
Weather or Not It’s a rain or shine event, which is great until you forget a poncho (s/o to anyone who braved the Soccer Mommy set of 2023). Check the weather in the morning and pack accordingly.
Cool Kicks Read: Comfy boots or sneakers are the only choices. Your feet will thank you.
Hot Shopping If you’re after merch for a specific artist, head to the merch booth at their stage on the day of their set. And don’t forget to check out the festival merch—it’s designed by local artists.
Not able to Hopscotch? Follow us on socials for a behind the scenes look at the fest!
Every summer has one defining song—one tune forever linked to the memories of the season. Last year, Sabrina Carpenter’s buzzy “Espresso” battled Blood Orange’s cult-fave “Champagne Coast.” Dua Lipa ruled the charts with “Dance the Night” in 2023, and in 2022, a Stranger Things cameo catapulted Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” into anthem status—while 2021 was practically soundtracked by Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves” all year. So what will reign supreme in 2025?
Maybe we won’t know until the season fades—or a late-breaking banger drops. After all, the song of the summer might not match the charts. Still, RM’s got a solid list of top contenders. So, queue ’em up and let the vibes decide.
“Summertime” | The Sundays This bright and clear song circa 1997 is an obvious revival pick thanks to its TikTok virality—NTM its very fitting title.
“Fame is A Gun” | Addison Rae Miss Rae’s music always stirs up some controversy—will we ever know if her mic is on? Put your feelings aside to get down to this electro-pop track conjuring up memories of brat summer.
“Manchild” | Sabrina Carpenter Who doesn’t love a hint of Sabrina sass on their playlist? The reigning princess of summer pop understood the assignment and belted out another hot girl summer anthem climbing the charts.
“Charlie’s Garden” | Djo Whether you know Djo as Steve from Stranger Things or just Joe Keery, his mellow Beatles-esque track will have you daydreaming about basking in the sun.
“Sally, When the Wine Runs Out” | Role Model Last summer, “brat” became a badge of honor. This summer? Divas are so back—just ask Saint Laurent Cowboy, whose pop ballad racked up 7 mil streams in just two weeks. One listen and you’ll totally get it.
“Leave Me Alone” | Reneé Rapp Our reigning raunchy NC pop provocateur earns a spot with her bratty, almost-rock banger dripping in sassy lyrical bite.
“What Was That” | Lorde Do we hear Lorde summer? This new synth-pop tune channels memories of her “Ribs” era, and we are here for it.
