Photos by Jeff Reeves

If The Lollipops was Raleigh’s best kept secret, it wasn’t a secret for very long.

In May of this year, the first collection of songs from Ignatius “Iggy” Cosky, frontman for The Lollipops, hit online music store Bandcamp and began spreading like a wildfire.

A so-called EP, the 14-track “Pop Narcotics” quickly grabbed the attention of locally run DiggUp Tape, who re-sequenced the album for a re-release in August.

If it’s any indication of the fervor through which “Pop Narcotics” was distributed, an early version of the EP starts off with the track “Betty Skelton,” while the version offered on Iggy’s Bandcamp page kicks off with “Take This Knife,” and the DiggUp Tapes version of the album begins with “Black Tar Carpet Ride.”

Suffice it to say, “Pop Narcotics” spread before Iggy or the label could ever “officially” sequence the EP.

Less than a month later, he already had a new collection of songs ready for release in “Your Royal Masochist & The Love Crusades,” further carving his place in Triangle music lore.

Photos by Jeff Reeves

For several folks, Zola Jesus was the axis around which they scheduled their Hopscotch weekends. And when the diminutive-sized lo-fi, Goth rock singer took the stage at Lincoln Theatre, she commanded a presence — never letting up and far from disappointing.

Photographer Jeff Reeves shared his shots from that show.

Photos & Review by Jake Seaton

If there was ever an absolute need for Hopscotch, it is now.

Between the Republican National Convention last week and the Democratic National Convention this week, Raleigh screamed for a break from the political monotony. And somewhat ironically — perhaps fate? — one of the bands to close out Hopscotch’s first night this year was a band called Liars.

But Liars wasn’t my first stop, rather it was right next door at Fletcher Opera Theatre for Matthew E. White and his 30-piece ensemble.

The Richmond-based big man is no stranger to Hopscotch. Last year his improvisatory ensemble Fight the Big Bull took the stage at the Pour House.

But this year White upped the ante with “One Incantation Under God,” a performance of his album Big Inner complete with 30 of his closest friends.

“In January, [Hopscotch curator] Grayson Currin reached out to me and proposed what may well be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: the resources and the platform for a true performance of Big Inner in its entirety — each song and its full instrumentation,” White explained.

Not only was the performance a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” it was also one of the most well-produced and awe-inspiring concerts I’ve experienced.

With orchestration by musical director Trey Pollard and choir direction by Phil Cook, each facet of the performance was finely tuned and expertly delivered. As elegantly delivered as the ballet that will grace that very stage next week.

“I aim to make music … with this gifted ensemble that is greater than anything I can make on my own,” White said. “We will certainly never all be in the same place again and this music may never again be performed like this.”

Next door, the scene was very different. What was Matthew E. White’s waltz was Liar’s mosh pit.

In the massive Memorial Auditorium, three men filled the room with a breed of post-punk I’d never experienced live.

Liars entranced the audience and probably shattered a few ear drums in the process. In fact, I had to back away from the stage because I literally thought my ears were bleeding.

This was not a fault, however, as it was an experience that best suited the trio. A controlled chaas, if you will.

Photos by Nick Pironio

When Flaming Lips was announced as the City Plaza headliner for Hopscotch 2011, everyone pretty much knew the band would bring with them confetti, lights, all-around theatrics and presumably Wayne Coyne’s infamous Space Ball.

But nothing could prepare Raleigh for the total attack on the senses that Flaming Lips would present Saturday night.

Right off the bat, Coyne walked onto the stage to deliver a disclaimer to the audience about not freaking out during his Space Ball walk, as well as the dangers presented by the almost constant strobe of lights.

“If you’re feeling sick, we don’t want you to leave,” Coyne told the audience. “Just close your eyes.”

With the crowd roaring, Wayne walked off stage only to reemerge with his said Space Ball, crashing into the lighting rig that hung over the stage.

It would be a night a chaos and ultimately adulation.

Photos by Tim Lytvinenko

Beyond the music, it’s the people, places and things that make Hopscotch what it is. It is these things that give the three-day music festival a living, breathing personality.

Future Islands packed Kings with a surprise set during Raleigh Denim’s Day Party on Saturday, while a throng of people filled Cabarrus Street for The Rosebuds’ Day Party outside Lincoln Theatre. Meanwhile, Fearless Freaks brought the weird to City Plaza and Flaming Lips brought plenty of confetti.

After Flaming Lips’ epic set, while Hopscotch staff worked to clean-up the quarter-inch layer of confetti left on the south end of Fayetteville Street, Future Islands again took the stage, this time at Lincoln Theatre.

Photos by Tim Lytvinenko

Beyond the music, it’s the people, places and things that make Hopscotch what it is. It is these things that give the three-day music festival a living, breathing personality.

Plus, Soft Company — fronted by The Love Language’s Missy Thangs — performs at The Pour House, Wembley takes the stage at The Union, and The Foreign Exchange brings the house down at Lincoln Theatre.

The madness then continued well into the night at Moving Island for the Discovery After Party.

Photos by James Nix

A Day Party outside Lincoln Theatre presented by The Rosebuds gave way to an energy-packed set from Hopscotch headliners The Flaming Lips in City Plaza.

Durham-based quartet Bombadil then took the stage at Fletcher Opera Theater for the first time since opening for The Avett Brothers at Cat’s Cradle in December 2010.

And closing out the night as well as the second year of Hopscotch was Chapel Hill orchestral folk septet Lost in the Trees, who welcomed an interpretive dancer as they played their last show in the States for a “while.”

Photos by James Nix

With Americans in France and Kingsbury Manx at Kings for the Odessa Fest Day Party, The Small Ponds at Fox Liquor Bar, Drive-by Truckers and Guided by Voices in City Plaza, BRAIDS at The Pour House, and Twin Shadow and The Foreign Exchange at Lincoln Theatre, it’s clear the diversity of Hopscotch’s schedule is key to the festival’s success.

Photos by Tim Lytvinenko

Beyond the music, it’s the people, places and things that make Hopscotch what it is. It is these things that give the three-day music festival a living, breathing personality.

Photos by Jake Seaton

Guitarist Steve Gunn, avant-garde musician Rhys Chatham, Australian jazz trio The Necks and Dinosaur Jr. frontman J Mascis helped ring in the start of Hopscotch 2011 at the Fletcher Opera Theater.

Fletcher is one of three venues added to the Hopscotch Music Festival in its second year.

PHOTOS BY CHRIS REYNOLDS