RTP-area local music and culture

[grady AT ibiblio.org]

If I can hack this crap out of my bronchiae, I might actually make it to 
some of these:


Wednesday, February 18
The Dynamite Brothers [http://www.dynamitebrothers.com/], Ol' Yeller
The Cave, Chapel Hill



Thursday, February 19
Utah! [http://www.utah-rock.com], The Balance
[http://www.thebalanceband.com/]
Local 506, Chapel Hill

Utah! have a cello, which by itself would only boost them by a
half-point. They know how to use it to make great artrock
("chamber-pop?" -- no, I think they're way more "rock" than that
connotes) music, though, so that's more like a plus-10.

The Balance are fronted by Jim Brantley, who was the last Ashley Stove
guitarist; if you were at the Cover-Up this year, you saw them as
Cream. They have music in the can which I have not heard, and before
Jim emails me to remind me about the CD he gave me, I should confess
that I lost it.



Thursday, February 19
Pro-L [http://futurock.com/proL.php], Black Castle
[http://www.enterblackcastle.com], The Vivaldis, Daughter
[http://www.aumfidelity.com/aum026.html]
Nightlight, Chapel Hill

OK, this confuses even me a little bit, so bear-with: Black Castle are
spazz-out flop-around screamo that's dosed heavily with bleating
keyboards; they've got former members of the dear-departed Witchcraft
By A Picture (whom they resemble more-than-a-little). Pro-L are, I
believe, live-band hip-hop, and they include Cherry Valence/Mothlight
drummer Nick Whitley on drums.

Daughter are from NYC, record for AUM Fidelity, and may or may not be
some combination of the above.



Thursday, February 19
snmnmnm [http://www.snmnmnm.com/]
The Cave, Chapel Hill

snmnmnm are [relative] newcomers to town, part of the current wave of
transplants that started a year or two ago. Dunno what to make of the
current wave--I mean, I can only assume they're *not* moving here to
cash in on the attention, since there isn't any. So welcome, itinerant
musicians, to mild winters (ha!) and ample food-service jobs and the
same 45 people at every show (and every party).

Oh yeah: they have a tuba.



Thursday, February 19
Apple Juice Orchestra [http://www.pidgeonenglish.com/bands.php]
Kings, Raleigh



Friday, February 20
Lambchop [http://www.landlocked.net/lambchop/], The Loan Official
Cat's Cradle, Carrboro

Lambchop were responsible for one of the top-5 shows I have ever seen
in my life (don't ask the other 4, I dunno, but they probably include
Yo La Tengo, Pixies on the Doolittle tour, The Ruins, and about 35
other bands in a 35-way-tie). Last time I saw the 'chop, though, they
were stripped down to maybe a half-dozen members, and I have to
confess, I got bored enough to leave.

I'm told that their new double-album is chock full of genius (haven't
heard it; behind in my CD-buying), SO here's hoping that (a) they
bring a big ol' band and utterly destroy, and/or (b) Fiver pipes in
and reassures me that I'd be a moron to miss this show.



Friday, February 20
The Frequency, Stations, Andy Hayleck and Dan Breen
[http://www.redroom.org/]
Project Space 211, Winston-Salem

Our friends at PS211 in Winston-Salem sent over this note:

"The Frequency is basically the solo effort of Trans Am drummer
Sebastian Thomson. The live band features members of Wooly Mammoth
(aaron claxton)and Squatweiler (rob c, their DC drummer). The album,
written entirely and recorded mostly by Sebastian will be released
soon on Noreaster Failed Industries. They are gonna tear it up like
nobody's biz, ya dig? Andy Hayleck & Dan Breen are from baltimore and
came down to ps211 once before as the improv duo S.N.A.C.K.S. Now they
have a new thing, more out there and exciting than ever. $6"



Friday, February 20
Roxotica, Dragstrip Syndicate [http://www.dragstripsyndicate.com/],
The Dynamite Brothers [http://www.dynamitebrothers.com/], Valient
Thorr [http://www.valientthorr.com/]
Kings, Raleigh

The four poles of local rock insanity. Dynamite Brothers bring the
amped-up spazzmo backwoods blues-punk-boogie; Dragstrip Syndicate
bring the Raleigh-style ROCK; Roxotica bring the ladies-of-metal
usedta-be-tribute, now just step-back she-metal action; and Valient
Thorr are from fucking outer space.



Saturday, February 21
Bellafea [http://www.bellafea.com/], Zetamale
[http://www.zetamale.com/]
Gate City Noise, Greensboro

Shows at Gate City Noise generally start pretty early, like around the
8:00 p.m. timeframe, so get your gardening done early. Bellafea are
half-Carrboro, half-Wilmington; guitar/vox+drums; soft quiet strummy
parts that explode into furious drumming & squalling. Heather has a
disturbingly marvelous ululation in her voice that nobody I know can
replicate during their in-car-singing attempts.

Zetamale are one of those Sleepytime Trio/Bats and Mice offshoots, but
I can't keep it all straight anymore.



Saturday, February 21
Kudzu Wish [http://kudzuwish.tripod.com/], Tiger Bear Wolf, Fire
Parade [http://fireparade.topcities.com/ ], Skyline Awake
[http://www.skylineawake.com/]
Ace's Basement, Greensboro

Kudzu Wish and TigerBearWolf are two Greensboro bands who're working
the same side of the street--big, slightly out-of-control guitars,
yelping, kinda-desperate singing, lots of dynamics and freaked-out
squiggly moments. They both released albums last year that would've
made my top-20 had I bothered to make a top-20.

It's a Saturday so I don't know when the first band will start
(sometimes things at Ace's start right at 9:00, and sometimes they
don't) but you probably have time to catch at least part of the show
at Gate City Noise as well.



Saturday, February 21
Mates of State [http://www.matesofstate.com], Da Hawnay Troof
[http://www.hawnaytroof.com/], The Like Young
[http://www.thelikeyoung.com/]
Cat's Cradle, Carrboro



Saturday, February 21
Ian Davis & Jason Bivins
[http://www.umbrellarecordings.com/bivinsdavis/bdinfo.html], New Loft
Ensemble [http://www.people.vcu.edu/~jghapher/newloft/]
Nightlight, Chapel Hill

Walt Davis forwarded a vaguely descriptive email from one of the New
Loft guys:

"Anyway, we're a trio, New Loft, based in Richmond VA, and we do
basically free improv, sax, electric bass/sax, and drums, kind of in
the expressionistic/energy vein."

Ian Davis plays percussion, Jason Bivins plays guitar; they improvise
together. There may or may not also be a Crowmeat Bob outfit on the
bill as well.



Saturday, February 21
Fake Swedish [http://fakeswedish.4t.com/index.html], The Spinns
[http://www.thespinns.freeservers.com/]
The Cave, Chapel Hill



Saturday, February 21
The Butchies [http://www.mrlady.com/butchies.html], Cuntry Kings
[http://www.geocities.com/nc_kings/], Roxotica
Go! Studios Rm. 4, Carrboro

Butchies never really went away, but if they had, then they'd be back!
They're back! I think it's necessary to call them power-pop, as they
were never really about that "punk" adjective that occasionally got
tossed around. Cuntry Kings are a notorious/celebrated (pick yr
adjective) drag-king show from around NC somewhere. And Roxotica, of
course, would apparently like to see you in yr PJs while they flog you
into submission with wave upon wave of she-metal fury.



Saturday, February 21
The Comas [http://www.plastiquerecords.com/thecomas/], Evening Pines
Local 506, Chapel Hill

I haven't seen the Comas in years; until I get over this goddamn chest
cold, I probably won't be seeing them anytime soon, either. Would
somebody with stronger lungs than I please give with an update on what
this version is all about?



Sunday, February 22
Hank Williams III [http://www.hank3.com/], Scott Biram
[http://www.scottbiram.com/]
Cat's Cradle, Carrboro

I asked my friend M about Hank Williams III, as she's got an
autographed glossy on her cube-wall and I figured she'd know the
low-down. She said "He's got a king-hell tattoo on his arm. Even if he
can't write worth a damn." Which then evolved into a discussion of
whether or not he was better back when he was making cowpunk records
of other peoples' songs, or now that he's told Nashville to fuck off,
more or less, and is some sort of redneck punkrocker.

I haven't heard either, so I wouldn't know. My impression is that this
tour will be much more skewed towards the redneck punk, but when
you're talking about the heir to the Hank Williams genes, I guess you
really never know. Speaking of the genes, M says "And tell the girlies
to stop throwing their cheap whorish undies on stage. He doesn't need
the encouragement."



Sunday, February 22
Volcano, I'm Still Excited [http://www.volcanoimstillexcited.com/],
Zetamale [http://www.zetamale.com/]
Go! Studios Rm. 4, Carrboro



Tuesday, February 24
The Nein [http://www.thenein.com/], The Narrator, Hotel Motel
Go! Studios Rm. 4, Carrboro

Hotel Motel have just finished up their debut EP, and it's kinda sorta
like if Anne Gomez took Watt's place in the jazzier later Minutemen,
and they covered Lee Hazelwood and Rod Stewart. Wait, the Rod Stewart
cover isn't on the EP, and it's sort of a surprise at the end of their
set, so forget I just said that.

The Nein have adopted the brilliant tactic of releasing a series of
EPs rather than a full-length album, for which I love them very much.
As with their debut, the new one is sorta split between songs on which
Finn kinda wails angstily, and songs where they bust out the massive
rhythm section and the killer hooks. I'm partial to the latter, but
then I'm a sucker for a good popsong.



Wednesday, February 25
Kenny Roby
The Cave, Chapel Hill

Kenny Roby fronted Six String Drag, back in the 90s, a
roots/country/gospel outfit who drew influences from Springsteen,
Costello, Sahm and The Band, as well as Ralph Stanley and the Louvins,
and who were at their best when they sported a horn section. His solo
work since their breakup has explored all those areas, and more; he's
one of the best songwriters in the state, and his voice is more than a
match for his songs.



Wednesday, February 25
Legendary Shack*Shakers [http://www.cockadoodledont.com/], The
Moaners
Go! Studios Rm. 4, Carrboro



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