RTP-area local music and culture

[grady <grady AT ibiblio.org>]

On New Year's Day (well, at night, I guess) at Kings they're showing the 
video from this year's Cover-Up. Worth going just to see Rawls doing 
David Yow, which I fear too many of you missed the first time around 
(you didn't hear it from me, but you may have another chance coming up 
pretty soon). Otherwise:


Wednesday, December 29
Fake Swedish [http://fakeswedish.4t.com/index.html], Hard Lessons
[http://www.thehardlessons.com/], The Weather
[http://www.theweatherrocks.com]
Local 506, Chapel Hill

The Weather and Fake Swedish are both working a 60s UK mod/psych
thing, and since nobody's awarding points or medals or anything, I
won't bore you with prognostication on who's winning. It's a big fat
tie, OK? Although I think I like Fake Swedish's hair better. In any
case, we're talking about Rock Music that remembers a time just before
the fateful Pop/Rock schism, and, like me, refuses to take sides.

I'm told the Hard Lessons are from Detroit, and try to bridge the gap
between Motown and the MC5. Or maybe I just made that up. It's catchy,
though.



Wednesday, December 29
Jule Brown [http://www.julebrown.org]
The Cave, Chapel Hill

Mark says Jule Brown are a last-minute addition to the Cave schedule
tonight, and will be playing from 11 til 2, due to a documentary being
filmed. What kind of documentary? Is Groves finally getting the
attention he deserves?



Thursday, December 30
The Quarantines [http://www.thequarantines.com], Cities
Kings, Raleigh

The Quarantines sent along some froo-frah via email, in which they
described their friends from Chapel Hill in Cities, and the kids in
Cities described the Quarantines. After extracting the enthusiastic
presskit boilerplate, here's what was left:

Cities on the Quarantines:

"Raleigh . . . subtlety . . . simple hooks, animated bass promenades .
. . drum work . . . Cure . . . Built to Spill . . . indie rock."

The Quarantines on Cities:

"Chapel Hill . . . quartet . . . Sunny Day Real Estate . . . Rites of
Spring . . . Interpol . . . tight live . . . unforeseen mood swing . .
. kiddies."



Thursday, December 30
Can Joann [http://www.canjoann.com/], Feeding the Fire
[http://www.feedingthefire.com/]
Local 506, Chapel Hill





Friday, December 31
Tres Chicas, Countdown Quartet [http://www.countdownq.com/], Kenny
Roby's Mercy Filter [http://www.kennyroby.com]
Martin Street Music Hall, Raleigh

Skillet Gilmore (did you see him in the N&O before Christmas, buying a
fake tree for his mom?) sent along the following about the Martin St.
NYE thing:

"Chicas are 1st, at about 10. Followed by Mercy Filter (Kenny Roby's
new unit featuring local hotrods and members of The Houston Bros.)
Countdown Quartet hits the stage just after the balls drop. All bands
are playing full sets and will be dropping in on each other's sets
just to keep things interesting. (Chicas with horns? Kenny surrounded
by women? Caitlin playing tuba with Countdown?) We'll see. Hope to see
a bunch of ya there."

It's worth pointing out that some of the highest high-points of the
90s roots-rock scene in Raleigh came courtesy of Kenny's previous
band, Six String Drag, most particularly when the members of Countdown
Quartet were sitting in as their ad-hoc horn section.



Friday, December 31
Jett Rink [http://www.jett-rink.com/], Kung Flude
[http://www.kungflude.com/], Fake Swedish
[http://fakeswedish.4t.com/index.html], The Young Idea
[http://www.theyoungidea.com]
Local 506, Chapel Hill

Somebody better make sure the Kung Flude dudes bring their clip-on
ties, because it's Tie Night at the 506 for sure. Dunno if, since it's
New Years, white bowties will be worn, but we can only hope. Bring a
few extra if you've got 'em, we'll see how many we can pin on Dave
Perry.

OK, so Kung Flude = transplanted Chapel Hillians (so, y'know, they try
harder) making boozy punkrock & breaking ceiling tiles kung-fu-style.
Jett Rink bring as much mayhem as you can get while still being
danceable, and they wear the skinny ties, as do the Young Idea. Fake
Swedish wear the wide ties & they wear their 60s/UK revivalism
underneath their topcoats, so it just peeks out over the tops of their
vests.



Saturday, January 1
Art Lord and the Self Portraits [http://www.ideasforhousecrafts.com]
Martin Street Music Hall, Raleigh

Art Lord = guys with weird facial hair from Greenville NC playing
strangely plaintive-yet-catchy synth-dance-pop.



Sunday, January 2
eNtet [http://www.umbrellarecordings.com/]
Local 506, Chapel Hill

This is another Free Show at the Local 506. People, if the guy comes
around with the bucket for the bands, for chrissake, throw a buck or
three in there. Conversely, bands, if you've got two much-loved and
local-chart-topping CDEPs under your belts, please, mention them
onstage & maybe give folks a chance to buy them.

eNtet are, I'm led to believe, another agglomeration of Micro-East
Collective alumni, which generally means an evening of raptly
following the [metaphorical] musical ball as it flies from one side of
the stage to the other. Only scratch that, it's not merely a ball,
it's that laser-equipped hovering thing that Luke does light saber
training with in Star Wars.



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