RTP-area local music and culture

[DJ Golf <djgolf AT mindspring.com>]

And by me in this post, for his sage advice in urging me to arrive
early and check out the two fine opening bands.  (Early arrival also
had the added bonus of Mrs. Golf finding a place to sit.  And if Mrs.
Golf is happy, DJ is happy.)

Mrs. Golf especially liked Noncanon.  She bought their CD, even.  I
dug them too.  They're kind of low-key and would probably be brilliant
playing in a quieter, more intimate setting.  The revelation for me,
tho, was Des Ark.  Holy shit.  Why have I not seen them before?  Maybe
because my friends simply said "Des Ark is good" instead of "Des Ark
is the pissed-off sister of the Immortal Lee County Killers."  (And
also capable of some absolutely wrenching acoustic material, which
again would have been brilliant in a quiet setting.)  This would have
made me go out of my way.

I enjoyed Polvo more & more as the evening went along - did anybody
else think they started off with about 70% enough volume?  Couple of
songs about 3/4 of the way thru were primo - "Feathers of Forgiveness"
in particular.  I also was somehow unaware of the level of fanaticism
they inspire in some folks (Sat nite for said folks was probably like
me seeing Mission of Burma in NYC a few years back.)  Mrs. Golf was
hearing them for the first time and said they were "the punk rock
version of Yes."  I admire the freshness of her perspective at times.
(That was a positive review, BTW.)

And, I did see some people I hadn't seen in quite a while.  Who no
doubt will all be at Drive-By Truckers this week and X on the 27th.
Does the Cradle have a senior discount?