RTP-area local music and culture

[grady <grady AT ibiblio.org>]

Sure, right when the dang holiday rock doldrums start wearing off, all 
the nice weather's also wearing off; hope you've all got hott ski 
jackets like Robert Biggers (hey Biggie, do the sleeves zip off that 
thing?):


Thursday, January 13
The Trousers, Table, Caspian Sea Monsters
Kings, Raleigh

Longtime Raleigh wildman Russ deSena sent this update about his latest
endeavor: "Table is a new band, with Russ De Sena (Chickens, Halifax,
Night Moose, Degrassi, Kolyma), Tom Cushman (Chickens, The Big
Nowhere), and Brad Womack (T.V. Knife), we debut at Kings barcade on
Jan. 13, 2005.  Tom and I got tired of requests for a Chickens
reunion.  We figured we give them something new instead.  So we are
now Table.  We play with some of the same, classic influences: Black
Flag, Flipper, Crucifucks, Stooges. Also on bill: the Trousers and
Caspian Sea Monster.  Trousers are a hot, Zep blues power trio, with
Jim from Tonebenders and A-65.  CSM is a wild freakrock ride, with
Brian Sliwa (Motocaster).  This show will be very hot."



Friday, January 14
Kapow! Music [http://kapowmusic.net], TV Knife, We Vs. The Shark
[http://www.myspace.com/weversustheshark/], All Astronauts
[http://www.allastronauts.com/], Birds of Avalon
Kings, Raleigh

This is a benefit for WKNC & features a lineup of bands too new/alien
for me to know anything about, as out-of-touch as I am. Except All
Astronauts; they're from Winston-Salem & are utterly overwhelming in a
wall-of-gorgeous-sound kind of way. Thing starts promptly at 10:00 and
I'm not sure enough of the exact order to be willing to
prognosticate.



Friday, January 14
$2 Pistols, The Ohio Farm Cats, Hearts and Daggers
Martin Street Music Hall, Raleigh



Friday, January 14
The Caterpillar, The Shankleys
Local 506, Chapel Hill

This show is a benefit for tsunami relief via the American Friends
Service Committee. The bands involved, in case you've missed the
stories/rumors/what-have-you, are "tribute" bands to The Cure & the
Smiths (you figure out which is which) featuring
current/former/part-time members of Jett Rink, Roxotica, Fashion
Design, Dom Casual, etc, etc. I haven't seen the Caterpillar, but the
Shankleys pretty much ruled on their first show (absence of "How Soon
is Now" notwithstanding) at the Kings Cover-Up last year, and surely
they've only improved with age. And I used to freaking *hate* the
Smiths.



Friday, January 14
The Perfectionists, The Quarantines [http://www.thequarantines.com]
Bickett Gallery, Raleigh



Saturday, January 15
Fashion Brigade [http://www.thefashionbrigade.com/], The Talk
[http://www.the-talk.com], Monsonia [http://www.monsonia.com],
American Aquarium
[http://www.clearchannelnewmusicnetwork.com/artist/americanaquarium],
The Prayers and Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers
[http://www.prayersandtears.com/]
Kings, Raleigh

Night two of the big WKNC benefit, featuring bands about whom I know
not-enough. I do know that Fashion Brigade are from Wilmington & The
Talk are from Charlotte, yet they're driving all this way to play a
benefit for a radio station which, despite its massive wattage
increase, still isn't audible in those cities. Goes to show you
something, and I have no idea what that is.



Saturday, January 15
Bringerer, Shallow Be Thy Name
[http://www.screwmusicforever.com/music/artists/shallow/index.html]
The Cave, Chapel Hill

Shallow Be Thy Name are the king and queen of sweet blackhaired
basement-pop, and are equally loverly whether performing as an
acoustic boy-girl duo or a full band packed with rocker-ringers from
all the best bands in Chapel Hill.

Bringerer are a Chapel Hill slacker-rocker supergroup featuring
ex-members of Chew Toy, Pipe & Zen Frisbee, IIRC, although I haven't
seen them since their first show & for all I know they do nothing but
showtunes now, although their cut-and-paste entry on the WXYC
Bandwidth comp would suggest otherwise.



Saturday, January 15
Genghistron [http://www.genghistron.com/], In The Red
Nightlight, Chapel Hill



Sunday, January 16
Continent [http://216.117.191.68/continent/]
WXDU 88.7 FM, Durham

Continent are the band that formed after the Ladderback broke up in
the wake of singer/guitarist J's defection to Japan (the nation, not
the band). Add Sam Taylor, singer/guitarist for that brilliant 90s
Chapel Hill band El Sucio, and you've got a surefire recipe for
spastic-heavy-insanity. Or something. Find out: 5:00 p.m. 88.7FM or
www.wxdu.org.



Sunday, January 16
Todd Barry [http://www.toddbarry.com/], Portastatic
[http://www.portastatic.com]
Local 506, Chapel Hill

Todd Barry is a comedian. I can't even come close to keeping up with
indie-rock, nevermind the seemingly infinite list of people who
profess to be funny, so don't expect a lot of data from me. That's
what [http://www.toddbarry.com] the web is for.

Portastatic, on the other hand, we know intimately as the
less-and-less-clearly delineated side-project of Superchunk frontman
Mac McCaughan, who/which has been responsible for a giant
double-handful of the best local indie-rock moments of the past year
or two courtesy of 2003's "Summer of the Shark" and "Autumn Got Dark"
CDs.