RTP-area local music and culture

["DJ Golf" <djgolf AT mindspring.com>]

Akron/Family (Sat. 2/17 at Duke Coffeehouse) are one of my fave recent
bands.  Hard to pin a label on these guys - maybe somewhere inside a
triangle whose points are the "freak folk" of Devendra B./Joanna
Newsom and company, the "New Weird American Underground" sound a la
Jackie O MF, No Neck Blues Band et al, and (possibly the closest point
of reference) the Beatles' "Abbey Road."  Their newest thing ("Meek
Warrior") features a guest appearance by avant-jazz drummer Hamid
Drake, and some free sax blowin' by somebody.  I was hipped to them
via their connection to ex-Swans goth/noise guru Michael Gira, who
"discovered" and produced them & released their stuff on his Young God
label (and hired them to be his backing band on the current Angels Of
Light recordings.)  Their live shows are supposed to be legendary,
with audience members inspired to jump around and yell and stuff.

I'm interested in hearing BIrds of Avalon too.  This show should be
good.

dj golf


On Feb 8, 5:28 pm, g... AT ibiblio.org (grady) wrote:
> Thursday, February 8
> Squirrel Nut Zippers    (http://www.snzippers.com/)
> The Old Ceremony    (http://www.theoldceremony.com/)
> Cat's Cradle, Carrboro
>
> This is the half of the Squirrel Nut Zippers that includes Jimbo,
> Catherine, [I think] original drummer Chris Phillips, and some portion
> of some version of the horn section. Notably absent: Ken Mosher & Tom
> Maxwell. They still haven't quite patched up those bad feelings between
> the two camps.
>
> I wonder if that means they won't be playing any of the Maxwell-penned
> numbers, such as "Hell." Hmm . . .
>
> Thursday, February 8
> Hi-Fi Sky    (http://www.hi-fisky.com)
> Jeffrey Dean Foster    (http://www.jeffreydeanfoster.com/)
> Lynn Blakey
> Local 506, Chapel Hill
>
> Jeffrey Dean Foster was in the almost-caught-the-ring Winston-Salem band
> The Right Profile. He keeps banging away at it, and [I believe]
> self-released his most recent album, so maybe the elusive ring isn't
> such a big deal anymore.
>
> Lynn Blakey was in a great band called Glory Fountain, and is currently
> in another great band called Tres Chicas.
>
> Thursday, February 8
> Beloved Binge    (http://www.myspace.com/belovedbinge)
> Eberhardt    (http://www.myspace.com/eberhardtnc)
> Nightlight, Chapel Hill
>
> Two Durham duos. Beloved Binge have been at it longer; they released a
> CD in their former hometown of Seattle, and then moved here a year or
> two ago & released another one. They make gtr-drums indie-rock with a
> stripped-down K-style aesthetic, though maybe a little more distortion
> pedal.
>
> Eberhardt are also a gtr-drums duo, though occasionally trombone & banjo
> make an appearance as well.
>
> Friday, February 9
> Charles Latham    (http://www.myspace.com/sircharleslatham)
> Midtown Dickens    (http://www.myspace.com/midtowndickens)
> Future Kings of Nowhere    (http://www.thefuturekings.net/)
> Wigg Report    (http://www.synchronizedswim.org)
> Billy Sugarfix    (http://www.soundclick.com/bands/8/billysugarfix.htm)
> Duke Coffeehouse, Durham
>
> This is being billed as the First Annual AntiFolk Southeast
> Extravaganza. What defines AntiFolk? I dunno, but I think it has
> something to do with writing wordy songs & playing acoustic guitar but
> not getting too hung up on sincerity.
>
> Friday, February 9
> Black Skies    (http://www.myspace.com/losblackskies)
> The Needles    (http://www.moonrockneedles.com/)
> Adult Film Makers    (http://www.myspace.com/adultfilmmakers)
> Local 506, Chapel Hill
>
> Black Skies are the heavy rockband of Cat's Cradle doorman Kevin Clark
> (ex-The Man, ex-Smearcase). The Needles are a kinda trashy rockband from
> Wilmington. Adult Film Makers are a rock-n-roll side-project wherein Bad
> Checks/Ghost of Rock/Victory Factory drummer Rock Forbes gets up & sings.
>
> Friday, February 9
> Double Negative    (http://www.myspace.com/thedoublenegative)
> Caltrop    (http://www.myspace.com/caltropband)
> Hex Machine    (http://www.myspace.com/hexmachine)
> Kings, Raleigh
>
> Double Negative are a Raleigh hardcore band made up of a bunch of
> veterans of the 80s NC hardcore scene; remarkably enough, they totally
> kick ass, without any of the overproficiency or metal-crossover issues
> that so many adult-HC bands seem to get tripped up by.
>
> Caltrop are uber-heavy; they make songs like the earth cracking in two.
>
> Saturday, February 10
> Veronique Diabolique    (http://www.veroniquediabolique.com/)
> The Cave, Chapel Hill
>
> This is the early (7:30-ish) show. Veronique Diabolique are, of course,
> the French Goths of Durham. They're especially fond of Valentine's Day,
> so the proximity of the holiday should make for a particularly Gothic
> evening.
>
> Saturday, February 10
> Scott Biram    (http://www.scottbiram.com/)
> Black Diamond Heavies    (http://www.blackdiamondheavies.com)
> Hideaway BBQ, Raleigh
>
> Saturday, February 10
> Fake Swedish    (http://fakeswedish.4t.com/index.html)
> Bringerer    (http://www.myspace.com/bringerer)
> Hope, Star & Browning    (http://www.lowcityrecords.com/)
> Local 506, Chapel Hill
>
> Fake Swedish are reuniting, perhaps just for this show, perhaps for
> more, I'm not sure. You should assume it's just for this one show, and
> make damn sure you make it out to see them; they were truly one of the
> great local bands of the last five years. All snappily dressed and in
> love with 70s brit-rock, psych, and Scott Walker.
>
> Bringerer are also making a rare appearance; I dunno if their
> disappearance counted as a breakup or just a hibernation, but either
> way, catch 'em while you can.
>
> Saturday, February 10
> Twilighter    (http://twilighter.net/)
> Warm in the Wake    (http://www.warminthewake.com/)
> The Cave, Chapel Hill
>
> Twilighter are a far stranger band than they used to be, a couple of
> years ago. Or so their new record would suggest; it's sung primarily by
> a man whose voice falls somewhere in the neighborhood of Lou Reed or
> Gordon Gano, with music falling generally somewhere between country-rock
> and the later Velvet Underground. Sometimes he's joined on vox by Sonar
> Strange, who was in Foreign Bodies & Safehouse back in the 80s. There's
> a weird feeling about the whole thing that's not entirely unpleasant.
>
> Saturday, February 10
> Caltrop    (http://www.myspace.com/caltropband)
> Hex Machine    (http://www.myspace.com/hexmachine)
> Tiger Bear Wolf    (http://www.tigerbearwolf.com)
> Nightlight, Chapel Hill
>
> Heavy & slow (Caltrop) meets slightly-less-heavy and faster (Tiger Bear
> Wolf). TBW are from Greensboro, and they fall somewhere between
> Motorhead and the Allman Brothers.
>
> Sunday, February 11
> The Cartridge Family    (http://www.cartridge-family.com/)
> WXDU 88.7 FM, Durham
>
> The Cartridge Family are a Raleigh rockband who come from somewhere near
> the intersection of Blonde on Blonde, Exile on Main Street, and the New
> York Dolls. 5:00 p.m. 88.7 FM or wxdu.org.
>
> Sunday, February 11
> The Dave Rawlings Machine
> (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&frie...)
> Cat's Cradle, Carrboro
>
> This is what I read elsewhere about how the Dave Rawlings (longtime
> Gillian Welch guitarist/partner-in-crime) Machine thing works:
>
> "Dave Rawlings does whatever he wants at the shows. Clearly, it is a duo
> show with Gillian Welch adding her guitar touch and background vocals.
> Dave sings songs he's written and decides what covers they'll do. At the
> Asheville show, just like many other "Machine" shows, he lets Gillian
> sing lead on one song late in the second set. She did "White Rabbit" in
> Asheville. Expect the unexpected..."
>
> I haven't seen this thing in action (well, I've seen Gillian 2-3 times,
> and I think Dave is probably the best guitarist I've ever seen--I
> haven't seen him lead the show, though), so don't go taking my word, or
> the word of the anonymous person I quoted, for anything. But here's the
> setlist from the Asheville show in December:
>
> I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
> Diamond Joe
> I Hear Them All
> Elvis Presley Blues
> Stagger Lee
> Country Girl
> Knuckleball Catcher
> Jack-A-Roe
> Lonesome Hobo ->
> Call Me The Breeze
>
> Casey Jones
> Untitled
> I Pity The Poor Immigrant
> To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High)
> White Rabbit
> The Sunny Side Of Life
> Racing In The Street
> Tired Eyes
> Queen Jane Approximately
>
> Tear It Down
> Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
>
> Jackson
>
> p.s. he's also playing the Flying Anvil in Greensboro on Saturday the
> 10th . . .
>
> Sunday, February 11
> Oxford Collapse    (http://www.oxfordcollapse.com/)
> Thunderbirds Are Now!    (http://www.thunderbirdsarenow.com/)
> Fan-Tan
> (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&frie...)
> Local 506, Chapel Hill
>
> Fan-Tan is the new band with Kuki and Sandee (ex-Fashion Design), plus
> Ryan Dunlap, who I believe has done time in North Elementary. This is
> their first show.
>
> Monday, February 12
> Deerhoof    (http://deerhoof.killrockstars.com/)
> Harlem Shakes    (http://www.myspace.com/harlemshakes)
> Maple Stave    (http://www.maplestave.com)
> Cat's Cradle, Carrboro
>
> I heard a song from the latest Deerhoof CD on the radio this morning,
> and by god, I think they've grown on me almost enough to say I like 'em.
>
> This is a state that most of my friends have been in for some time now,
> of course, but between the flighty vox and the short-attention-spanness
> of the whole thing, I've just never really been down with the 'hoof (not
> that those things are necessarily good examples of why-not, inasmuch as
> they'd just as readily describe most of my favorite bands. No matter.)
> Seeing them on the last tour didn't really push me in either direction,
> either.
>
> If I were going, which I ain't, I'd be certain to show up early enough
> to see Maple Stave.
>
> Monday, February 12
> Costes    (http://costes.org)
> Mr. Natural
> Clang Quartet    (http://www.myspace.com/clangquartet)
> Jason Crumer    (http://www.dadadrumming.org/jasoncrumer/)
> Buddy Ship
> Nightlight, Chapel Hill
>
> OK, so those of you who follow(ed) the life of Lisa Crystal Carver,
> former Rollerderby publisher/editrix, all-around badass
> self-chronicler/filthy degenerate/sweet New Hampshire girl . . . ummm .
> . . oh yeah, ya might remember Costes, Lisa's scabrous & scrawny French
> first husband. Get this: he's not just a character in a memoir, he
> actually exists, and he's going to bring his sex/poop-obsessed French
> noisemaking ass to Nightlight on a Monday night in February, just for you.
>
> But surely you already knew that.
>
> Local noise master Jason Crumer (Aluminum Noise, American Band,
> Facedowninshit, etc) will be collaborating with [apparent] Lightning
> Bolt side-project Buddy List. And Clang Quartet will be performing his
> latest interative advance in noise/percussion Jesus appreciation.
>
> Monday, February 12
> Chip Smoak    (http://asimpleband.net/)
> Jen Richelson    (http://www.myspace.com/jenrichelson)
> Fuse, Chapel Hill
>
> Chip Smoak is the frontman for the band Simple; Jen Richelson writes and
> sings somewhat-Catpowery songs, and plays in The Rose Marie.
>
> Tuesday, February 13
> Jonathan Richman    (http://www.base.com/jonathan/jonathan.html)
> Cat's Cradle, Carrboro
>
> Heh heh, you know, that guy from "There's Something About Mary"? I saw
> Jonathan Richman one time in the late 80s, which was always a perilous
> thing to do, as at that time he was really adamantly opposed to playing
> much/any of his older material. That wasn't really what did me in,
> though; it was the codeine cough syrup I was on, and the subsequent 12
> hours of unstoppable "Ice Cream Man" looping in my brain (and I don't
> even think he played it that night, so go figure).
>
> I'm told he's less inclined against his earlier material nowadays, and
> I've never taken codeine since then, so maybe we're both OK.
>
> Wednesday, February 14
> Dexter Romweber    (http://www.dexterromweber.com)
> The Cave, Chapel Hill
>
> This is the early (7:30ish) show. Every song Dexter sings is a song of
> love, one way or another, and I can't think of a finer way to celebrate
> The Horrible Institution.
>
> Wednesday, February 14
> Scott Miller    (http://www.thescottmiller.com)
> Gerald Duncan
> Hideaway BBQ, Raleigh
>
> Scott Miller used to be in the V-Roys; Gerald Duncan used to be in the
> seminal 80s SC->NC band the Accelerators.
>
> Thursday, February 15
> Love Hangover
> Kings, Raleigh
>
> This is the umpteenth annual Love Hangover, wherein various local duos
> get together on the 15th and sing songs of love lost, rejected,
> disdained, ignored or forgotten. This year's lineup:
>
> Caitlin Cary & Scott Phillips (Tres Chicas/Goner)
> Billie Karel & Roger Gupton (Memphisto/Hotel Lights)
> Caroline Mamoulides & Brian Quast (The Bettys/Cherry Valence)
> Lynn Blakey & Peter Holsapple (Tres Chicas/dBs)
>
> Thursday, February 15
> Greg Klaiber's Grabass Revue
> Fighting Poseidon    (http://www.myspace.com/fightingposeidon)
> Dr. Powerful    (http://drpowerful.googlepages.com)
> Reservoir, Carrboro
>
> Greg Klaiber's Grabass Revue features 2 members of Eyes to Space, along
> with guitarist Greg Klaiber, playing polka standards
> poppunk/metal-style. Fighting Poseidon is a buncha guys from other
> defunct bands, like Kudzu Wish & Alli with an I, making
> poppunk/indie-rock. Dr. Powerful are from Sanford, and they've got
> ex-Polvo drummer Eddie Watkins.
>
> Friday, February 16
> Killer Filler    (http://www.myspace.com/killerfiller)
> The Cave, Chapel Hill
>
> Killer Filler is the surfy/garagey/organy 60s-style instrumental combo
> of Crispy Bess, who played keyboards in Southern Culture on the Skids
> during their baroque period.
>
> Friday, February 16
> The People Under the Bridge
> (http://www.duckonbike.com/artistinfo.asp?artistid=378)
> Mingus Young    (http://www.mingusyoung.com/)
> Vibrant Green    (http://vibrantgreen.iuma.com)
> Local 506, Chapel Hill
>
> Friday, February 16
> The Futurists    (http://www.myspace.com/thefuturists)
> Electric Sunshine
> Proof    (http://www.prooftheband.org)
> Kings, Raleigh
>
> Did I read somewhere that Electric Sunshine is the new band of Eddie
> Taylor (ex-Loners)? Proof are way overdue to release their second album;
> they're a Raleigh three-piece, heavy on the circular dynamics.
>
> Friday, February 16
> DMVB    (http://www.myspace.com/dmvb)
> Embarrassing Fruits    (http://www.myspace.com/embarrassingfruits)
> Ships
> Remote Islands    (http://www.remoteislandsrockgroup.com)
> Nightlight, Chapel Hill
>
> Saturday, February 17
> Spider Bags    (http://www.myspace.com/spiderbags)
> Kingsbury Manx    (http://www.thekingsburymanx.com/)
> Big Fat Gap    (http://www.bigfatgap.com/)
> Michael Holland    (http://www.bigjohnsrecords.com)
> Hearts and Daggers    (http://www.heartsanddaggers.com/)
> Cat's Cradle, Carrboro
>
> This is a benefit show for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Kingsbury
> Manx are our own new-psych pastoralists; Spider Bags make filthy boozy
> country-rock--they are the Cocksucker Blues of Chapel Hill. Michael
> Holland's most recent album consisted of cut-and-pasted instrumental
> tracks provided by local bluegrass band Big Fat Gap, over which he laid
> vocals that meandered between old-time and ever-so-paranoiac.
>
> Hearts and Daggers are from Raleigh, and they released an excellent
> little cowpunk EP last year, "A Home for my Lonely Tears."
>
> Saturday, February 17
> Cough    (http://www.myspace.com/cough666)
> Descolada    (http://www.myspace.com/descolada)
> Caltrop    (http://www.myspace.com/caltropband)
> Black Skies    (http://www.myspace.com/losblackskies)
> 305 South, Durham
>
> This show was booked by Chaz, I believe, but his website said it was set
> for 305 South, so that's what I'm listing. I can't get MySpace to behave
> today, so I'm unable to hear/grab you any music by Descolada, who are
> from Asheville. Caltrop & Black Skies I've probably rambled enough
> about; Caltrop are huge & mega-heavy--I always visualize big iron safes
> dropping out of the sky, one after another. Black Skies are the band
> that formed from the ashes of The Man, and they're fronted by Kevin
> Clark, who's often manning the door at Cat's Cradle.
>
> Saturday, February 17
> Birds of Avalon    (http://www.myspace.com/birdsofavalon)
> Akron/Family    (http://www.younggodrecords.com/product.asp?P_ID=37)
> Duke Coffeehouse, Durham
>
> Saturday, February 17
> James Dunn
> Remote Islands    (http://www.remoteislandsrockgroup.com)
> Viswas
> Bickett Gallery, Raleigh
>
> -------->http://www.trianglerock.com<--------
> -- ch-scene: the list that mirrors alt.music.chapel-hill 
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