RTP-area local music and culture

[grady <grady AT ibiblio.org>]

Saturday, July 26
Dr. Powerful    (http://drpowerful.googlepages.com)
Fortress of Swatches    (http://www.purevolume.com/fortressofswatches)
Ugh, God    (http://www.myspace.com/ughgod)
Bull City Headquarters, Durham

The only ones I know about are Dr. Powerful, and all I really know about 
them is that they're a sort of indie/spacerock band from Sanford. Oh, 
and their drummer Eddie Watkins was the original Polvo drummer.

Dave Cantwell to the rescue:

"Fortress of Swatches is a band you should convince people to see. A 
really cool mathy, loop-pedal guitar and drums duo from Wilmington (!) 
with a youthful, Minutemen-ish enthusiasm I wish we all had. Weird, 
rockin', surprisingly dense songs about stoplights and getting fired and 
fun stuff like that. Highly recommended. The tracks on their PureVolume 
page don't do them justice..."



Saturday, July 26
Beloved Binge    (http://www.myspace.com/belovedbinge)
Light Pollution    (http://www.myspace.com/lightpollution)
Saint Peter Pocket Veto    (http://www.myspace.com/thesaintpeterpocketveto)
Nightlight, Chapel Hill

The countdown is on: Beloved Binge managed to buy themselves a VW 
Vanagon Westfalia, so all the pieces are falling into place for their 
year-long tour starting this fall. See 'em while you can, because you 
know you're gonna miss their off-kilter gtr/drums call-and-response artrock.



Saturday, July 26
Veronique Diabolique    (http://www.veroniquediabolique.com/)
Simple    (http://www.myspace.com/httpwwwmyspacecomsimple)
Fan Tan    (http://www.myspace.com/fantanrock)
Local 506, Chapel Hill

In the 15+ years that I've lived here, I've seen plenty of bands move to 
town en masse: Tangeena Barren, Transportation, Gerty, Fin Fang Foom, 
Beloved Binge, Western Civ . . .

Far fewer are the bands who've moved *away* together, but Fan-Tan are 
among that elite. Formed in Chapel Hill, they live in Brooklyn now.



Saturday, July 26
Transportation    (http://www.myspace.com/transportation)
Bastard Sword
Reservoir, Carrboro

Is it unusual for dudes as scruffy as Transportation's Robbie & Stevie 
to sing so sweetly together? Around here it is, anyway. The music runs 
the gamut of '70s-influenced styles, from Queen to Wings to (on record, 
at least) a bit of Billy Joel piano, but the harmonies are the constant 
Z-factor.



Sunday, July 27
Embarrassing Fruits    (http://www.myspace.com/embarrassingfruitsband)
WXDU 88.7 FM, Durham

Embarrassing Fruits are an indie-rock trio from Chapel Hill. Frontman 
Joe Norkus is a member of the original Trekky Records stable, dating 
back to his high-school band days in Straight No Chaser & Westfalia. 
While at UNC-G he was a member of warbly indie-rockers Mortar & Pestle. 
Embarrassing Fruits are more straight-ahead '90s-style Chapel Hill 
indie-rock; they have a new EP due out in August.

Get a [live] preview at 4:00 p.m. 88.7 FM or wxdu.org.



Sunday, July 27
Capitol City Five
Gospel Jubilators
Sarah P. Duke Gardens, Durham

Duke Performances' Music in the Garden series continues with a couple of 
Triangle-area black a-capella gospel acts. The combined ages of the 
gentlemen in these two groups looks to be about 600 years, and I'd lay 
odds that most of them have been singing since they were old enough to walk.

Rick Cornell wrote an article about the Capitol City Five for the Indy 
earlier this year: http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A258695

The show starts at 7:00 and if it rains, which it often does, there'll 
be a big ol' tent to sit under.



Monday, July 28
Ours    (http://www.myspace.com/oursmusic)
God or Julie    (http://www.myspace.com/godorjulie)
Plain Jane Automobile    (http://www.myspace.com/plainjaneautomobile)
Local 506, Chapel Hill

In case you were on the fence about this Monday-night show of 
out-of-town bands I've never heard of: it's a non-smoking show. So at 
least you won't have to undress on the porch, shower before bed, or go 
to work Tuesday feeling like a TB patient.



Tuesday, July 29
Stella By Starlight    (http://www.myspace.com/stellabystarlightband)
Pictures in Braille
April Covers
Jack Sprat Cafe, Chapel Hill



Tuesday, July 29
Lonnie Walker    (http://www.myspace.com/lonniewalker)
Sunfold    (http://www.myspace.com/sunfold)
Local 506, Chapel Hill

Sunfold are what you get when you rearrange all the members of Annuals 
and have them play the songs of Annuals guitarist Kenny Florence 
instead. They just released a CD last week. Lonnie Walker writes kinda 
wordy songs that sometimes come out sounding a little Dylanesque, but 
more often come closer to later/countryer Pavement.



Tuesday, July 29
Valient Thorr    (http://www.valientthorr.com/)
Early Man    (http://www.earlymanarmy.com)
Monotonix    (http://www.monotonix.com/)
H.O.W.
Volume 11 Tavern, Raleigh

Valient Thorr's first local show since Valient Himself donated a kidney 
to his ailing father a few months ago (He took a few weeks to recuperate 
and then headed out on a European tour).



Wednesday, July 30
The Armed Forces    (http://www.myspace.com/thearmedforces)
Merch    (http://www.myspace.com/merch)
Fire in the Woods    (http://www.myspace.com/fireinthewoods)
Nightlight, Chapel Hill



Thursday, July 31
Beloved Binge    (http://www.myspace.com/belovedbinge)
Fire in the Woods    (http://www.myspace.com/fireinthewoods)
Roxcetera    (http://www.myspace.com/roxcetera)
CCB Plaza (aka The Bull's Balls), Durham

These Thursday-evening downtown-Durham shows start *early* (like 
5:30ish) and end pretty early as well. Beloved Binge you know about by 
now, I trust. Roxcetera is the newly-reincarnated form of that great 
weird all-woman indie-metal band Roxxotica -- a little older, maybe a 
little wiser, and with a couple of different members.

Fire in the Woods has Jim-Bob Aiken of the Strugglers, and Abby Pearce 
(Roxcetera, ex-Erie Choir) & some folks whom I don't know.



Thursday, July 31
The Heavy Pets    (http://www.myspace.com/theheavypetsraleighnc)
Sir Arthur and His Royal Knights 
(http://mannsworld.blogspot.com/2007/08/sir-arthur-his-royal-knights.html)
Tir Na Nog, Raleigh



Friday, August 1
Tres Chicas    (http://www.treschicas.org/)
Monologue Bombs    (http://www.myspace.com/themonologuebombs)
Pour House, Raleigh



Friday, August 1
Opening Flower Happy Bird    (http://www.myspace.com/openingflowerhappybird)
Embarrassing Fruits    (http://www.myspace.com/embarrassingfruitsband)
Hammer No More the Fingers    (http://www.hnmtf.com)
Local 506, Chapel Hill

This is a CD-release party for the new Embarrassing Fruits EP.



Friday, August 1
The Invisible Hand
The Sibling Project    (http://www.thesiblingproject.com/)
The Tourist    (http://www.myspace.com/thetouristnc)
Dylan Gilbert
Nightlight, Chapel Hill



Friday, August 1
Jule Brown    (http://www.julebrown.org)
The Cave, Chapel Hill



Friday, August 1
Grass Widow    (http://www.myspace.com/grasswidow)
Devour
Slim's Downtown, Raleigh

This is a benefit (the first of many, I hope) for our man Cy Rawls, whom 
you probably know, even if you don't think you know him, since you've 
been at a show with him (if you've ever been at a show anywhere, that is).



Saturday, August 2
des_ark    (http://www.des-ark.org)
The Mountain Goats    (http://www.themountaingoats.net/)
Mount Moriah    (http://www.myspace.com/mountmoriah)
Beloved Binge    (http://www.myspace.com/belovedbinge)
Megafaun    (http://www.myspace.com/megafaun)
Bull City Headquarters, Durham

This is an all-day show/fest/benefit put together by Kym Register 
(Midtown Dickens) and Rebekah Meek (Eberhardt), to raise transgender 
awareness, here & in India. The full lineup:

11:30am-1:00: Chef Shirle's Traveling Vegan Brunch ($8)
12:30-1:30: Arty Lovelight and his Pickled Piano
1:30-2:00: Silent Auction/Door Prizes Begin!
3:00-3:40: Timothy Thomas Cleary
4:00-4:40: Shawn Luby
5:00-5:40: Allelai (Will Hackney)
5:40-6:00: DJ Mel York
6:00-6:40: Des Ark
7:00-7:40: Shayne O'Neil (of Future Kings of Nowhere)
8:00-8:40: Beloved Binge
9:00-9:40: Embarrassing Fruits
9:40-10:00: DJ Mel York
10:00-10:40: Mount Moriah
11:00-12:00: Megafaun
12:30: John Darnielle (Mtn. Goats)
Late Night: DJ Mel York



Saturday, August 2
Sweet By and By    (http://www.myspace.com/sweetbyby )
Aminal Music    (http://www.myspace.com/theaminalmusic)
The Cave, Chapel Hill



Sunday, August 3
Shakermaker    (http://shakermaker.org/)
WXDU 88.7 FM, Durham

Shakermaker make British-invasiony pop but with ample doses of pedal 
steel, courtesy of member Jesse Moorefield's dad Thomas. "Frenchie," the 
first song on their self-titled 2nd CD, is about a perfect as a song can 
get; don't tune in late & miss it. 4:00 p.m. @ 88.7 FM or wxdu.org.



Sunday, August 3
Clang Quartet    (http://www.myspace.com/clangquartet)
Boyzone    (http://www.myspace.com/boyszone)
Ariel Pink    (http://www.arielpink.com/)
Unicornicopia    (http://www.myspace.com/unicornicopia)
Ami Dang    (http://www.myspace.com/amritakd)
Nightlight, Chapel Hill



Sunday, August 3
The Tremors    (http://www.tremorsrockabilly.com/)
David Lee and His Mercenaries
Local 506, Chapel Hill



Monday, August 4
DJ Nasty Boots
Extreme Animals    (http://www.paperrad.org/extreme/)
Secret Boyfriend    (http://www.myspace.com/scrtboyfriend)
Fortress of Amplitude    (http://www.paperrad.org/fortress)
Nightlight, Chapel Hill



Tuesday, August 5
The Begin-Agains    (http://www.myspace.com/thebeginagains)
Jonesin'    (http://www.myspace.com/jonesinpunx)
Bull City Headquarters, Durham



Tuesday, August 5
Leslie    (http://www.myspace.com/leslierock)
Richard Bacchus & the Luckiest Girls 
(http://www.myspace.com/richardbacchus)
Slim's Downtown, Raleigh



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