“Getting To Know…” is a new feature where we shine a spotlight on the people that make the Triangle music and arts scene so special.
George Hage is a Charlotte-born and Raleigh-based designer and musician whose work you have most likely encountered at a music festival or out and about downtown. He’s worked with festivals like Dreamville, World of Bluegrass, and Hopscotch. Plus, he has designed logos and art for Transfer Co. Food Hall, and The Rink at Red Hat Amphitheater. Hage (pronunciation rhymes with “mirage”) is also an accomplished comic artist and has built relationships in that world at conventions like HeroesCon in Charlotte and NC Comics Con in Durham. You may have even seen him in a X-Men comic in 2012.
When he’s not drawing, Hage is the principal songwriter, singer, and guitarist in the band Jack The Radio, the band he formed in 2005 with his N.C. State University roommate, A.C. Hill. In the early days, Jack The Radio had a bit of a minimal setup. “We were just a two-piece and a computer,” Hage recalls. In 2009 Jack The Radio expanded to a full band and released their first record “Pretty Money” two years later. While the lineup has seen changes, it’s still going strong. Their latest album “Under Lonely Light” was released in 2024. You also might have heard their music on shows like Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, and Boardwalk Empire.
I met up with Hage to talk about his work and about what makes the Triangle such a special place for musicians and artists.
Tell us when you started illustrating.
“I always drew growing up, but in high school and college I started taking it a bit more seriously. I also started playing music around then, so I started tying my art and visuals to my music. When Jack The Radio formed we really didn’t have money for art, so the band was kind enough to let me come up with some stuff. I did a lot of the early posters for the band, which led me to doing stuff for other bands around town.”
What are some of your favorite projects you’ve worked on?
“For local stuff, I’m really proud of Posterscotch, which formed in the early days of Hopscotch. Chris Williams, Skillet Gilmore, and a bunch of other artists created a companion to the Hopscotch Music Festival that was screen printed, mostly concert posters. That was really when I started doing screen printing locally with AdAm Peele, another amazing artist. That was also where I got to meet a lot of the local Triangle artists and found that community of people.”
Your art is all over town. You can see it at Transfer Food Co., and The Rink at Red Hat, among other places. Is there a design you’re the most proud of?
“I’m proud of them all, but the most commented on is the Dreamville letters. That was a really special project. The first three years of the festival, we made these custom letters spelling out ‘DREAMVILLE.’ It was 40-plus feet wide and 6 feet tall. It was the first big 3D installation I had done, and after the festival we made a few more letters because we realized we could spell out ‘RALEIGH,’ and those letters are what you see up now at Transfer Co. Food Hall. That design has led to lots of other work for me, including the ice skating rink they have at Red Hat Amphitheater in the winter.”
How did Dreamville find you?
“They went through Artsplosure, an arts organization here in Raleigh that also puts on a festival and also helps out with other events and street festivals around town.”
Speaking of art, I saw on your website that outside of Raleigh you’ve also made an appearance in the Marvel universe (Gambit #2). How did that happen?
“That was awesome. I was into comics as a kid and got back into them as an adult. I started going to comic cons like HeroesCon in Charlotte and NC Comic Con in Durham as an artist to meet people and sell records and comics that I had worked on. At those I was able to connect with all these artists in the comic industry and Clay Mann was cool enough to include me in Gambit #2 in 2012. My mom didn’t believe me when it first happened.”
Let’s talk about the early days of Jack The Radio. What was the scene like in 2009?
“That was a really exciting time for me. Hopscotch had its first year in 2010 so we were seeing lots of big bands coming through Raleigh. There were lots of other great festivals but Hopscotch really took things to another level and provided local bands with bigger opportunities. Red Hat Amphitheater opened around that time too so it was a really exciting time to be in downtown Raleigh.”
Who were some of your favorite artists around that time?
“Oh man, so many. American Aquarium was really starting to lift off at that time. I was also really into the scene in Carrboro at the time with Ryan Gustafson and Josh Moore. Also H.C. McEntire and her band Mount Moriah.”
Jack The Radio has had their music placed in a lot of TV shows, commercials, and movies. How does that work?
“We were working with ReverbNation, a company that was based out of the Triangle. We submitted some music to them, and a year later we had three songs on an episode of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. We were all huge fans of Bourdain so we lost our minds. It was a complete surprise and the coolest thing. We’ve also been lucky enough to have our music on shows like Modern Family, in some Hallmark movies, and also in some NASCAR stuff. Growing up in Charlotte, I wasn’t too far from the speedway so that was really cool to me. We’d go to races every summer.”
Let’s talk a little bit more generally about life in the Triangle. How would you describe the music scene here to somebody who isn’t familiar?
“We’ve got a really diverse scene, and I don’t know if it’s because of all the universities that bring people and jobs to the area, or other factors. North Carolina as a whole is very eclectic. The godfather of funk, George Clinton, is from here and so are all these legendary jazz and bluegrass legends. You really see that in the Triangle because we have crazy good bluegrass, jazz, funk, rock, Americana. That exists in other parts of the state but it feels more concentrated here. The amount of talent continues to blow my mind.”
Who are some of the local artists you’re most excited about right now?
“I feel like the crew at Sleepy Cat Records is doing some really cool stuff. I also feel like the All Y’all Records crew has some really cool stuff happening in the Americana space. I love the records that Fancy Gap and Skylar Gudasz have put out recently. The list goes on and on.”
Are there any trends you’re seeing locally that you’re excited about?
“I love seeing so much collaboration and people not being afraid to cross genres. I think it’s cool to see so many artists feature on each other’s songs. It’s a nice way to feel the energy of other artists.”
Favorite restaurant in the Triangle?
“My wife’s and my favorite restaurant, Capital Club 16, just closed, sadly, so we’re in the market for a new favorite restaurant. I’ll say that Centro is a common favorite. We also love going to Transfer Food Co. and trying something different every time.”
Favorite venue to play?
“That’s so tough, but we do really love playing The Pour House. The crew there is so great. It’s also fun to hang out down at Slim’s. We co-host a day party there during Hopscotch every year and it’s always one of my favorite days of the year.”
Any other spots you want to shout out?
“Two come to mind. Munjo Munjo is one of my favorite art shops. They always have something new and funky and off the beaten path. And then we also love Person Street Bar. It’s probably our favorite place to grab a drink in town.”
What are you working on in 2025?
“Right now I’m working on a couple new art projects. I also just finished up some T-shirt designs for a denim clothing brand called Devil Dog Dungarees. I’m also working on some new stuff for Red Hat Amphitheater. For Jack The Radio, we’ve got some new music coming out soon that we’ll release as an EP and we’re also talking about a Tom Petty covers EP that we’re all pretty excited about.”
Madison Grace Photography
