Shakori Hills Festival, Oct. 8-11

This Pittsboro-based semiannual festival is about more than just the music, (although that’s the biggest draw), with steps toward environmental sustainability that vary in size from a  solar panels project meant to offset the electricity used for the festival to separate waste containers for compost, trash and recyclables placed throughout the festival grounds. There’s even a biodiesel shuttle that picks up festivalgoers from Carrboro, Chapel Hill and Durham.

Many local music acts are booked each time and as with most festivals there’s almost too much to do. So here’s a quick and dirty breakdown of recommended (mostly) local artists:

Thursday Oct. 8

• 5:15 p.m. Midtown Dickens at the Meadow Stage (The Durham self-described punk-folk quintet just self-released their newest “Lanterns” in September, which has received quite a bit of attention from UNC’s The Daily Tar Heel and Duke’s The Chronicle. )
• 6 p.m. Haw River Rounders at the Dance Tent (The all-acoustic Durham band channels the spirit of jug music from the 1920s and 30s.)
• 9 p.m. Roman Candle at the Meadow Stage (One of the festival’s more pop-leaning acts, Paste magazine calls the Chapel Hill band’s latest release “Oh Tall Tree in the Ear” a “modern-rock masterpiece.” )
• 10 p.m. The Hotwires at the Cabaret Tent (Expect energetic traditional bluegrass and a lot of instrumentals from the Raleigh-based band. )
• 11 p.m. dub Addis at the Meadow Stage (This roots reggae band hails from Ethiopia and resides in Durham.)

Friday Oct. 9

• 4 p.m. Cyril Lance at the Meadow Stage (Carrboro-based Lance has decades of blues jamming experience.)
• 7:30 p.m. The Duhks at the Meadow Stage (These Afro-beat playing Canadians are an expected addition to the festival lineup and actually have a sustainability project of their own.)
• 10:30 p.m. Kellin Watson at the Cabaret Tent (The Asheville folk rock songstress is no stranger to the festival’s other acts as her latest release “No Static” features fellow performer The Duhks.)
• 11 p.m. Holy Ghost Tent Revival at the Grove Stage (This Greensboro-based group’s genre is too difficult to define, but one definite thing is that they inspire a swinging good time. Check out the band’s music video for “Getting Over Your Love” to get a taste of their sound.) 

Saturday Oct. 10

• 2:30 p.m. The Never at the Meadow Stage (The Chapel Hill group builds upbeat pop upon three-part harmonies.)
• 6 p.m. Chatham County Line at the Meadow Stage (The Raleigh bluegrass quartet is kind of a big deal in Norway and is currently supporting its 2007 collaboration with Jonas Fjeld “Amerikabesok” and 2008 release “IV,” which track’s “Birmingham Jail” was named one of the best songs of 2008 by the Independent Weekly. Check out the band’s 22-minute  edition of Sessions at Studio B at NBC-17 in Raleigh on Music.MyNC.)
• 10:30 p.m. Lost in the Trees at the Grove Stage (The Chapel Hill folk makes music equally beautiful and complicated with a lineup that includes most musical instruments imaginable.)
• midnight The Jackets at the Cabaret Tent (An acoustic side project of Chatham County Line’s fiddle/ mandolin player John Teer and banjoist Chandler Holt.)

Sunday Oct. 11

• 1 p.m. The Grady Girls at the Meadow Stage (The Ithaca, N.Y., quartet carries on the tradition of southwest Irish dance music.)
• 1:30 p.m. Big Fat Gap at the Grove Stage (There’s a good reason this Chapel Hill bluegrass outfit is repeatedly mentioned on TMFN.)
• 8:30 p.m. Donna the Buffalo with Jim Lauderdale and friends at the Meadow Stage (Who better to close out the festival than its founders DTB?)

Check out the full festival schedule and ticket info. [map]

(Don’t fret if you can’t make this installment, the spring edition is on April 22-25, 2010.)