“We don’t do the drives that you hear on NPR, where you tell people to call in for two days. Our way of doing that is asking for money but giving people great nights of music in return.”
Program Director Michael D’Argenio, as published in the Feb. 12, 2014 IndyWeek
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Double Barrel Benefit poster designed by Vince Carmody
Double Barrel Benefit is WKNC’s signature event. Since Double Barrel Benefit’s humble beginnings in 2004, the annual two-night concert event has presented numerous incredible North Carolina acts, including The Mountain Goats, Future Islands, Spider Bags, Annuals and Megafaun. With the generosity of the bands who donated their time and talent, the venues who hosted us, the staff who planned it all, the sponsors who donated money and goods/services, and of course all who attended, WKNC has raised $90,000 in the event’s first 17 years.
| # | Date | Location | Night 1 perfomers | Night 2 performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Double Barrel Benefit | Jan. 16-17, 2004 | Kings Barcade | Proof, The Greatest Hits, The Cartridge Family, The Pink Slips, Schooner | The Kickass, The Dynamite Brothers, Strange, Shadow of a Great Name, Sedona |
| Double Barrel Benefit 2 | Jan. 14-15, 2005 | Kings Barcade | Kapow! Music, TV Knife, We vs The Shark, El Boa, All Astronauts | American Aquarium, Monsonia, The Prayers & Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers, The Talk, The Fashion Brigade |
| Double Barrel Benefit 3 | Feb. 3-4, 2006 | Kings Barcade | The Capulets, DeYarmond Edison, TV Knife, The Dynamite Brothers | A Rooster for the Masses, Cinemechanica, We vs The Shark, The Trousers |
| Double Barrel Benefit 4 | Feb. 2-3, 2007 | Kings Barcade | The Mountain Goats, The Old Ceremony, The Prayers & Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers, Megafaun | Future Islands, TigerBearWolf, Annuals, The Nein |
| Double Barrel Benefit 5 | Feb. 1-2, 2008 | The Pour House | Annuals, The Never, The Future Kings of Nowhere, North Elementary | Red Collar, Fin Fang Foom, Sorry About Dresden, Tooth |
| Double Barrel Benefit 6 | Feb. 6-7, 2009 | The Pour House | Bowerbirds, Schooner, Lost in the Trees, Lonnie Walker | Polvo, Birds of Avalon, Violet Vector & the Lovely Lovelies, I Was Totally Destroying It |
| Double Barrel Benefit 7 | Feb. 5-6, 2010 | The Pour House | Max Indian, Bellafea, Veelee, The Light Pines | Roman Candle, Spider Bags, Midtown Dickens, The Tender Fruit |
| Double Barrel Benefit 8 | Feb. 4-5, 2011 | Kings Barcade | The Old Ceremony, Bright Young Things, Luego, Cassis Orange | Hammer No More The Fingers, Yardwork, King Mez, HaLo, Kid Future |
| Double Barrel Benefit 9 | Feb. 3-4, 2012 | The Pour House | The Future Kings of Nowhere, Birds and Arrows, Organos, MAKE | The Kingsbury Manx, Gross Ghost, Naked Gods, Heads on Sticks |
| Double Barrel Benefit 10 | Feb. 1-2, 2013 | The Pour House | J Kutchma and the Five Fifths, Lilac Shadows, Jenny Besetzt, The Lollipops | Spider Bags, Wesley Wolfe, Some Army, Oulipo |
| Double Barrel Benefit 11 | Feb. 7 & 14, 2014 | Cat’s Cradle & Lincoln Theatre | The Love Language, Hammer No More The Fingers, T0W3RS, GHOSTT BLLONDE | Mount Moriah, Bombadil, Loamlands, Daniel Bachman |
| Double Barrel Benefit 12 | Feb. 7 & 14, 2015 | Lincoln Theatre & Cat’s Cradle | Spider Bags, Lonnie Walker, Mac McCaughan, No Love | Eternal Summers, Elvis Depressedly, Museum Mouth, Body Games |
| Double Barrel Benefit 13 | Feb. 13 & 20, 2016 | Kings & Cat’s Cradle | Des Ark, Schooner, Museum Mouth, Naked Naps | Deniro Farrar, Professor Toon, SkyBlew, Earthly |
| Double Barrel Benefit 14 | Feb. 24-25, 2017 | Kings | DJ Paypal, Ace Henderson, ZenSoFly, Sand Pact | Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, See Gulls, Astro Cowboy, Infinity Crush |
| Double Barrel Benefit 15 | Feb. 2-3, 2018 | Kings | Well$, Diaspoura, Jooselord Magnus, RGB | The Future Kings of Nowhere, Pie Face Girls, The Muslims, Drugcharge |
| Double Barrel Benefit 16 | Feb. 1-2, 2019 | Kings | Kate Rhudy, Max Gowan, Real Dad, Das Drip | Young Bull, M8alla, GRRL, Moon Racer |
| Double Barrel Benefit 17 | Feb. 7-8, 2020 | Kings | Pat Junior, DOTWAV Media, King Gino, Vacant Company | Truth Club, Junior Astronomers, Black Surfer, De()t |
| Double Barrel Benefit 18 | March 11-12, 2022 | The Pour House | Black Haüs, BANGZZ, Basura, Sweet homé | Elijah Rosario, NunAfterHours, Kenny Wavinson, Permanent |
| Double Barrel Benefit 19 | Feb. 3-4, 2023 | Kings | Juxton Roy, Fading Signal, Austin Royale, Chainletter | Pictures of Vernon, KHx05, Teens in Trouble, MEGABITCH |
| Double Barrel Beneift 20 | Feb. 16-17, 2024 | Kings | Saphron, Jasmyn Milan, Jiu-Jitsu, Persimmon | Jooselord, Sayurblaires, Rachel Hirsh, mxllghxst |