Last week, I had the privilege of attending the Hopscotch Design & Music Festival in Raleigh, NC and it was an absolute delight. While the opportunity presented itself as a work trip, I was fortunate enough to attend many of the shows outside of work obligations. Having lived in North Carolina for five years, I was thrilled to return and support the local music scene that I'd grown to love. From the welcoming staff to making new friends (as well as reuniting with old ones) to discovering new music, it was a wild six days of soul-swelling enjoyment.

Our first morning there, my co-worker Jessica and I posted up in the local coffee house, Joule, to do some work before our first event. As soon as we walked in, the hostess asked, "Would you like to be seated near an outlet?" We both looked at each other in shock -- shock of kindness. Being from New York, the land of over-crowded coffeeshops and keeping to yourself, this is not a question we were accustomed to. It was, however an insight to the friendly and inclusive atmosphere this festival and city lives by.

"That would be wonderful," we replied. 

While working, we struck up conversation with a guy next to us who we'd see again later on. His name was Steve.

Later that day during our event, I met Jessica's friend Guillermo. He was a festival photographer who she had met at Hopscotch the previous year. Steve then stopped by the tent and we showered him with swag. Slowly, and without realizing it in the moment, our clan was forming.

Throughout the evening, I also got to see my mother (which was pretty darn cool) and reunite with an old college friend, Lisa. We hadn't seen each other in years and fell out of touch toward the end of school though, somehow, when seeing her it was like no time had passed. We picked up right where we left off, shooting sarcasm back and forth. Over the weekend, I visited her at the Raleigh Arts Collective, a fantastic garage space for artists in the area to rent out as a work/studio space. It's hella cool with shipping containers-turned-mobile offices out front, tools aplenty and the cutest dog, Bean, running around...not to mention a community garden in the works down the road. If you're in the area, I urge you to swing by..

That evening, we met up with Guillermo and Steve at a local bar & pool hall, Circa 1988. Guillermo's friends Paul, Donald and Kurt came by and we all just gelled. This was our festival clan and that was that. No questions asked, no declarations made; it just was. I saw these guys each day for the remainder of the trip and they undoubtedly made this trip what it was, inviting us out to dinner with them, showing us around the city and hopping from bar to bar, show to show.

Over the next few days, I got to see some incredible bands including TV on the Radio, Tycho, Cashmere Cat, Wovenhand, Jack the Radio, River Whyless, and Skylar Gudasz, the last three of whom are North Carolina natives. North Carolina was where my love for music and, most specifically, live music really took hold. While living there, I spent many-a-nights out at the bars seeing various local talent. In attending Hopscotch, I felt really grateful being able to return to this state I consider my other home and to experience some of the local acts out on the scene now.

Per festival standards, the sleep was slim and the fun was plenty.

Hopscotch, you've creative a beautiful festival that provides your local talent and businesses a platform to share their work and interact with both the local Raleigh and grander Music communities in a supportive and inclusive atmosphere. Thank you for an incredible week,  

And to my new friends, see you next year.

xxChris

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Photos of Wovenhand, Jack the Radio, and River Whyless by Guillerno Delgado

Photo of Cashmere Cat by Chris Laine