RTP-area local music and culture

[grady <grady AT ibiblio.org>]

Saturday, January 31 - Sunday, February 1st
Raleigh Undercover    (http://www.raleighundercover.com/)
Tir Na Nog, Raleigh

This is a festival inspired by the classic Great/Kings Cover-Up, wherein 
many fine local bands donned ridiculous wigs & moustaches and learned 
short sets by some of *their* favorite bands. Punches were rarely 
pulled: over the years, the Cover-Up saw blistering sets by such 
supposed untouchables as Big Black, Danzig, Jesus Lizard and Fugazi, as 
well as more standard tribute-band fare such as Tom Petty & Eddie Money 
(and, inexplicably, a year of two Cures).

The demise of Kings left a lot of raw nerves *and* giant gaping hole 
where the Cover-Up used to be. This festival (renamed Raleigh Undercover 
in deference to those raw nerves) is taking its best shot at filling 
some of that gaping hole. Here's the lineup (as always, who's covering 
whom is a closely-guarded secret):

Saturday Jan. 31
I Was Totally Destroying It
Static Minds
The Nevers
The T’s
Hearts and Daggers

Sunday Feb. 1
Mike Roy
Gray Young
Skillet Gilmore/Marc Smith/Bartholomew Brothers
one more act TBA.



Saturday, January 31
Cantwell, Gomez, Jordan    (http://www.cantwellgomezandjordan.com)
The Scott Waite Debacle    (http://myspace.com/scottwaiteisbenevolent)
Reaux Sham Beaux    (http://www.myspace.com/reauxshambeaux)
Bull City Headquarters, Durham

This is gonna be the last Cantwell Gomez & Jordan show for several 
months, due to recording & impending-parenthood-related 
responsibilities. You *will* miss them, a lot, so here's yr last chance 
to take some of the sting out of that. Here's what Dave Cantwell has to 
say about it:

SCOTT WAITE DEBACLE=The songs of the slightly obsessive, somewhat nutty, 
very interesting, and utterly friendly Scott Waite. The guy recorded a 
record by himself with bizarre Steely Dan-type changes and some of the 
weirdest drumming you'll ever hear. The Debacle is the band Scott 
assembled to help him bring his twisted, beautiful vision to live 
audiences all across...Durham.

CGJ=is going on hiatus for several months--at least until early summer. 
This here is our last show before the sabbatical. (We are going to be 
recording for a split 12" EP with ChapelHill noise freex Femme Covert, 
but no shows for a good while...)

REAUX SHAM BEAU=is a band I do not know, but the song on their Myspace 
page is pretty good: A cool, spazzy, happily sloppy punk somewhere 
between Unwound and Arab on Radar and Saint Peter Pocket Veto. Sort of.



Saturday, January 31
Annuals    (http://www.myspace.com/annuals)
Jessica Lea Mayfield    (http://www.myspace.com/jlmayfield)
What Laura Says    (http://www.whatlaurasays.com)
Cat's Cradle, Carrboro



Saturday, January 31
The Loners    (http://www.demonbeachrecords.com/loners.html)
Dry Heathens    (http://www.myspace.com/dryheathens)
The Homewreckers    (http://www.myspace.com/jackandjillhomewrecker)
The Pinhook, Durham

The big news of 2008 (some of it, anyway) was the announcement that 
Durham's Churchkey Records had corralled the Loners into recording & 
releasing a follow-up to their debut, which came out back in the dark 
ages of ~2002 or so. Tonight they join their Churchkey labelmates the 
Dry Heathens (a band whose fondness for the Replacements can truly be 
listed as a plus), and fellow Durhamites the Homewreckers.



Saturday, January 31
Transportation    (http://www.myspace.com/transportation)
The Travesties    (http://www.myspace.com/travestiesnc)
Fan Tan    (http://www.myspace.com/fantanrock)
Local 506, Chapel Hill

The Travesties are Tim, Vespah & Viva from the original Jett Rink 
lineup, plus Doug White on keys and Chuck Garrison on drums. They're a 
little less spazzy & a little more soulful than Jett Rink.

Transportation you've probably seen or heard of by now. Fan Tan started 
in Chapel Hill but then relocated to New York.



Saturday, January 31
Clang Quartet    (http://www.myspace.com/clangquartet)
Boat Burning    (http://www.myspace.com/boatburning)
ODIST    (http://www.myspace.com/enjoyodist)
Douglas Ferguson    (http://www.myspace.com/douglasferguson)
Nightlight, Chapel Hill

Boat Burning's Andy Fekete sent this info about the show:

Boat Burning brings together musicians from Chapel Hill's Amps Do 
Furnish A Room collective, Killer Filler and The Old Ceremony for 
intense live instrumental improvisation using prepared electric guitars, 
cello and drums.

Focusing exclusively on live free-form composition, Boat Burning eschews 
set pieces, which means we are essentially working without a net each 
time we play out. What you'll hear will be unique, created entirely in 
the moment ... and then after you've heard it, gone forever. Like so 
many good things, the music -- spacey/edgy, delicate/brutal, 
noisy/beautiful "hard ambiance" -- is totally, 100% ephemeral.



Saturday, January 31
The Howlies    (http://www.myspace.com/thehowlies)
Slim's Downtown, Raleigh



Sunday, February 1
Caltrop    (http://www.myspace.com/caltropband)
WXDU 88.7 FM, Durham

Caltrop return to WXDU after a triumphant 2008, which saw the release of 
their debut full-length "World Class," a near-perfect showcase of their 
fusion of metal wallop and psych/stoner expansiveness. They're one of my 
favorite bands, and they never fail to astonish in a live setting. Be 
astonished: 4:00 p.m. 88.7 FM or www.wxdu.org.



Monday, February 2
Dry Heathens    (http://www.myspace.com/dryheathens)
The Howlies    (http://www.myspace.com/thehowlies)
Pinche Gringo    (http://www.myspace.com/pinchegringoband)
Local 506, Chapel Hill

The Howlies are a garage-rock band from Atlanta, I believe. Pinche 
Gringo is the sometimes-1-man, sometimes-2 band of Josh from the Spinns. 
The Dry Heathens are pissed off, and they're from Durham.



Monday, February 2
Man Will Destroy Himself
Call the Paramedics
Waiting Mortuary
Slim's Downtown, Raleigh



Wednesday, February 4
Boyzone    (http://www.myspace.com/boyszone)
Wanko Honcho    (http://www.myspace.com/havingarager)
Cloacal Kiss    (http://www.myspace.com/cloacalkissband)
Yohimbe    (http://www.myspace.com/partywithyohimbe)
Marvell Building, Durham



Wednesday, February 4
Ryan Gustafson    (http://www.myspace.com/ryangustafsonmusic)
Willie Breeding    (http://www.myspace.com/williebreedingmusic)
Distrails    (http://www.myspace.com/distrails)
Nightlight, Chapel Hill



Thursday, February 5
The Physics of Meaning    (http://www.thephysicsofmeaning.com/)
Lost in the Trees    (http://www.lostinthetrees.com)
Albina Savoy    (http://www.myspace.com/albinasavoy)
Nightlight, Chapel Hill

Physics of Meaning & Lost in the Trees: two local takes on chamber-pop 
of the highly-emotive variety.



Thursday, February 5
Gray Young    (http://www.myspace.com/grayyoung)
The White Cascade    (http://www.myspace.com/thewhitecascade)
Nolan Smock & The Charming Youngsters 
(http://www.myspace.com/thecharmingyoungsters)
Reservoir, Carrboro



Friday, February 6
Dirty Little Heaters    (http://www.myspace.com/thedirtylittleheaters)
Rat Jackson    (http://www.myspace.com/ratjacksonmusic)
Teh Vodak    (http://www.reverbnation.com/vodak)
Ryan Eagan
Armadillo Grill @ the Bryan Center, Duke W. Campus, Durham

Another in the Duke-sponsored Campus Concerts Series, meaning it's 
on-campus, free, and starts at around 5:30. Theme of the week: drunken 
garage-rock, from three of the Triangle's finer (and/or drunker) 
exponents of the genre.



Friday, February 6
Jen Richelson    (http://www.myspace.com/jenrichelson)
Wembley    (http://www.myspace.com/wembleystadium)
All Your Science
The Pinhook, Durham

Wembley are one of my favorite local bands currently working; their 
self-titled debut full-length of late 2008 was in my top-10 (and WXDU's 
overall local top-10 as well). I got my copy from 'em for free at a 
show, which is probably the only reliable way to get one, so that should 
be incentive enough.



Friday, February 6
Schooner    (http://www.schoonermusic.com)
Bowerbirds    (http://www.bowerbirds.org)
Lost in the Trees    (http://www.lostinthetrees.com)
Lonnie Walker    (http://www.myspace.com/lonniewalker)
Pour House, Raleigh

This is night one of the WKNC Double-Barrel Benefit, featuring the 
stripped-down avant/eco folk-pop of Bowerbirds, the bipolar pop of 
Schooner, the emo chamber-pop of Lost in the Trees, and the 
semi-shambling Pavementy [and/or Dylany] folk-rock of Lonnie Walker.



Friday, February 6
The Homewreckers    (http://www.myspace.com/jackandjillhomewrecker)
Princess and the Criminals    (http://myspace.com/princessandthecriminals)
Rad Racket
Jack Sprat Cafe, Chapel Hill



Friday, February 6
The One Night Stand
Local 506, Chapel Hill

I'm not entirely certain that I have a handle on the whys & wherefores 
of this show, but I *do* have an email from the organizers:

the concept is for local musicians to write an original song that is a 
spoof of a particular genre. Kind of like your sell-out hit that never 
was. The show will be a judged competition consisting of one song per 
performer/group and our one absolute rule is that the song performed has 
to be original. Some of the people/bands that have signed on so far are 
Billy Sugarfix, Adam Price, John Harrison, Paul Finn, Joe Romeo, Whitney 
Skillcorn from Robosapien and different members from Death Came Down the 
Mountain, Caltrop, and Impossible Arms Some people are performing songs 
solo and others will (obviously) have backing bands or be full-on 
ensembles. Some of the amazing genres that will be covered in the 
competition are wizard metal, pop country, AM gold/ feel-good folk, and 
reggae, and beatbox. In addition to the song competition, we will be 
running a free raffle all night with all sorts of inspiring prizes 
(think gift certificates from Time Out type of gems). Doors will be at 9 
with the show starting at 10, and there is no cover charge.



Friday, February 6
Secret Boyfriend    (http://www.myspace.com/scrtboyfriend)
Todos Somos Ninjas    (http://www.myspace.com/todossomosninjas)
Stress Ape    (http://www.myspace.com/stressape)
Sewn Leather    (http://www.myspace.com/sewnleather)
Nightlight, Chapel Hill



Saturday, February 7
Cowboy Junkies    (http://www.cowboyjunkies.com/)
Lincoln Theater, Raleigh



Saturday, February 7
Polvo    (http://www.southern.com/southern/band/POLVO/index.html)
Birds of Avalon    (http://www.myspace.com/birdsofavalon)
Violet Vector and the Lovely Lovelies 
(http://www.myspace.com/violetvectorandthelovelylovelies)
I Was Totally Destroying It 
(http://www.reverbnation.com/iwastotallydestroyingit)
Pour House, Raleigh

Night two of the WKNC Double Barrel Benefit. Polvo hopefully require no 
introduction, beyond perhaps quick verification that they're firing on 
all cylinders & should be un-missable, if yr smart.

Birds of Avalon are a massive rock machine; they oughta be packing the 
RBC Center but the world sucks, so you're in luck, they're playing the 
Pour House.

Violet Vector and the Lovely Lovelies are kinda inexplicable, but it 
involves dayglo minidresses and the Wall of Sound. Bells. Lots of bells.

I Was Totally Destroying It admitted the other day (on Dave Menconi's 
blog) that their covers turn out better than their originals, and for 
once I can agree with 'em.



Saturday, February 7
The Houstons
Mark Holland's Rhythm Force    (http://www.myspace.com/mhollandsrhythmforce)
The Cave, Chapel Hill

Mark Holland's former band Jule Brown burst into flames last month & was 
completely destroyed; the Rhythm Force is the phoenix.



Saturday, February 7
Monsonia    (http://www.monsonia.com)
In the Year of the Pig    (http://www.southernloveprod.com/ityotp.htm)
Grappling Hook    (http://www.myspace.com/torchmaraudersgrapplinghook)
The Pinhook, Durham

Grappling Hook: extended space-prog bass/drums/organ jamz with Dave 
Bjorkback/Torch Marauder's crazed scifi/fantasy vocals slathered overtop 
it all.

In the Year of the Pig: multi-bass, multi-drum deep/heavy groove mayhem.

Monsonia: Shellac-style crankiness.



Saturday, February 7
Bull City    (http://www.bullcitytheband.com/)
Rat Jackson    (http://www.myspace.com/ratjacksonmusic)
Pneurotics    (http://www.myspace.com/pneurotics)
Jack Sprat Cafe, Chapel Hill



Saturday, February 7
Bellafea    (http://www.bellafea.com/)
The Curtains of Night    (http://myspace.com/thecurtainsofnight)
The Andalusians    (http://www.myspace.com/theandalusians)
Nightlight, Chapel Hill

Like standing in the path of a tornado that just flattened an icepick 
factory.



Saturday, February 7
The Morning Benders    (http://www.myspace.com/themorningbenders)
The Submarines    (http://www.myspace.com/thesubmarinesmusic)
Kyle Andrews    (http://www.myspace.com/kyleandrews)
Local 506, Chapel Hill



Monday, February 9
The Boxing Lesson    (http://www.myspace.com/theboxinglesson)
Local 506, Chapel Hill



Monday, February 9
Phon
Human Adult Band    (http://www.myspace.com/humanadultband)
Dead Man    (http://www.myspace.com/deadmansweden)
Radio Moscow    (http://www.myspace.com/radiomoscow)
Nightlight, Chapel Hill

Dead Man: hippie jamz (folk to boogie to something heavier) from Sweden 
(really!)

Radio Moscow: ditto, but from Iowa



Tuesday, February 10
Bull City    (http://www.bullcitytheband.com/)
The Parlor Mob    (http://www.myspace.com/theparlormob)
Cat's Cradle, Carrboro



Tuesday, February 10
Panda Force    (http://www.myspace.com/pandaforceband)
Precore    (http://precoreband.com)
The Calamity Jane    (http://myspace.com/thecalamityjane)
Marvell Building, Durham



Tuesday, February 10
Farewell Flight    (http://www.myspace.com/farewellflight)
Local 506, Chapel Hill



Tuesday, February 10
Americans in France    (http://www.myspace.com/americansinfrance)
Rooftop Vigilantes    (http://www.myspace.com/rooftopvigilantes)
Reservoir, Carrboro


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