RTP-area local music and culture

[grady <grady AT ibiblio.org>]

Saturday, February 21
A Rooster for the Masses    (http://www.myspace.com/aroosterforthemasses)
Pneurotics    (http://www.myspace.com/pneurotics)
The Proclivities    (http://www.myspace.com/theproclivities)
The Pinhook, Durham



Saturday, February 21
Joe Romeo & the Orange County Volunteers 
(http://www.myspace.com/joeromeomusic)
Local 506, Chapel Hill

This is a CD-release party for the new Joe Romeo & the Orange County 
Volunteers CD. I haven't heard it, but knowing Joe, it'll be chock full 
of lovely melodies and weird fractured narratives.



Saturday, February 21
Projexorcism
Soundpainting Orchestra
The Circuitry Dance Patrol 
(http://www.myspace.com/thecircuitrydancepatrol)
Nightlight, Chapel Hill



Saturday, February 21
The Vinyl Strangers    (http://myspace.com/Thevinylstrangers)
Aminal Music    (http://www.myspace.com/theaminalmusic)
The Cave, Chapel Hill



Saturday, February 21
Brass Bed    (http://www.myspace.com/brassbed)
Lamb Handler
Slim's Downtown, Raleigh



Sunday, February 22
Jandek    (http://tisue.net/jandek/)
Gerrard Hall, UNC, Chapel Hill

The representative from Corwood is making the trek from Houston to 
Chapel Hill, and as is his practice, he'll be appearing with a pickup 
band of locals. In this case, that means Anne Gomez (Blue-Green Gods, 
HMS Cervix, Cantwell Gomez & Jordan) on bass, John Darnielle (Mountain 
Goats) on keys (!), and a drummer from Richmond who's played with Jandek 
before.

The canonical Jandek website says that the typical plan is for the 
Corwood rep. to practice once with the band before the show; sets last 
anywhere from 1 to 3 hours, with 2 being the most common. Beyond that, 
all bets are off.



Sunday, February 22
Whatever Brains    (http://www.myspace.com/whateverbrains)
Icy Demons    (http://www.myspace.com/icydemons)
Local 506, Chapel Hill

This is a non-smoking show (!). Whatever Brains are from Raleigh, and 
they've just released a fucking awesome fuzzed-out Buzzcocksy single on 
Bull City Records, *and* they can totally top its brilliance onstage. 
Highly recommended.



Sunday, February 22
Sleepsound    (http://www.sleepsound.org/)
Cinemasophia    (http://www.myspace.com/cinemasophia)
On the Beach    (http://www.myspace.com/onthebeachrock)
Reservoir, Carrboro



Tuesday, February 24
Ian McLagen & the Bump Band    (http://www.ianmclagan.com)
Berkeley Cafe, Raleigh

Ian McLagen (Faces/Small Faces, plus sideman stints with various other 
little bands like the Rolling Stones) has been living & playing in 
Austin for the past 15 years; this isn't a reunion or nostalgia trip, 
it's just a lifelong musician doing what he does best.



Wednesday, February 25
... Trail of Dead ...    (http://www.trailofdead.com/)
Red Collar    (http://www.myspace.com/redcollarmusic)
Funeral Party    (http://www.myspace.com/funeralparty)
Midnight Masses    (http://www.myspace.com/midnightmassesandtheendofdays)
Cat's Cradle, Carrboro

Red Collar's as-yet-unreleased album "Pilgrim" has been making the 
rounds, leading to a series of back-of-the-bar conversations that go 
something like "have you heard the new Red Collar? Oh my god!" Hopefully 
they actually get around to releasing it one of these days.



Wednesday, February 25
Marah    (http://www.marah-usa.com/)
Local 506, Chapel Hill

This is actually only part of Marah, doing a sit-down acoustic type of 
thing, so you presumably won't get nearly as much of the giant 
horns-and-backup-singers E-Street Band vibe as you hear on the albums.



Wednesday, February 25
Arms and Sleepers    (http://www.myspace.com/armsandsleepers)
Workday/School Night
Andrew Weathers
Nightlight, Chapel Hill



Wednesday, February 25
Burning Rays    (http://www.myspace.com/burningrays)
Zed's Dead    (http://www.myspace.com/zedsdead27)
Supervision
Bullets Reign    (http://www.myspace.com/bulletsreign)
Marvell Building, Durham



Thursday, February 26
Mitch Easter    (http://www.mitcheaster.com/)
Embarrassing Fruits    (http://www.myspace.com/embarrassingfruitsband)
Western Civ.    (http://westerncivrock.com)
Local 506, Chapel Hill

This is a CD-release party for transplants (from Alabama) Western Civ. 
Their new one is called "Shower the People You Love with Gold," and it 
sorta lies at the intersection of "Dirty" St. and "Brighten the Corners" 
Blvd. It was recorded by Mitch Easter (who brings some version of his 
band to the bill tonight as well), and thus the drums sound *awesome*.



Thursday, February 26
Aminal Music    (http://www.myspace.com/theaminalmusic)
Raised By Wolves    (http://www.myspace.com/raisedbywolves1)
Tir Na Nog, Raleigh

This is another installment in the "Local Bands, Local Beers" series at 
Tir na nOg.



Thursday, February 26
Puritan Rodeo    (http://www.thepuritanrodeoshow.blogspot.com/)
Jokes & Jokes & Jokes    (http://www.myspace.com/jokesjokesjokes)
The Alcazar Hotel    (http://www.myspace.com/thealcazarhotel)
Reservoir, Carrboro

CD-release show/party for the Alcazar Hotel.



Friday, February 27
All Your Science
Fictional Detectives    (http://www.myspace.com/fictionaldetectives)
Electric Funeral
David Eisenband
Armadillo Grill @ the Bryan Center, Duke W. Campus, Durham

These Friday-afternoon shows at Duke start at around 5:30. Be sure 
you're there when All Your Science play; you'll start out amazed at how 
many different sounds Dave Z. can pull out of his tiny backpack drumset, 
but that'll quickly morph into more general amazement at how freakin' 
good they are.



Friday, February 27
Black Skies    (http://blackskies.us/)
Pontiak    (http://www.myspace.com/pontiak)
Harvey Milk    (http://www.myspace.com/harveymilk)
Local 506, Chapel Hill

This is an EARLY SHOW. Seriously. Local 506 has this thing called the 
First Friday Dance Party, which starts around 11:30, so their 
first-friday rockshows begin at like 8:00 and go til 11:00.

Harvey Milk! One of the best shows EVER at the Lizard and Snake. I don't 
usually remember specific details about rockshows, but I clearly 
remember the fucking amazing drumkit, with its rack toms that didn't 
stop, demurely, at the traditional 10-12-14" lengths, but instead 
stretched out to lengths of 2 or more feet, ending in angled, flaring, 
saxophone-like bells.

Anyway, Harvey Milk. From Athens, but more likely from some other 
galaxy, like Superman, where the air is thinner or the gravity higher or 
some other way to explain their supreme, unearthly sludgyness.



Friday, February 27
Jason Ringenberg    (http://pages.sbcglobal.net/rmhodge/index.html)
Charlie Louvin    (http://www.charlielouvinbros.com)
Berkeley Cafe, Raleigh



Friday, February 27
Polynya    (http://www.myspace.com/polynyapolynya)
Pomegranates    (http://www.myspace.com/pomegranatesart)
Corey Hart    (http://www.coreyhartmusic.com/)
Nightlight, Chapel Hill



Friday, February 27
Burning Rays    (http://www.myspace.com/burningrays)
Rocket Surgeon
Jack Sprat Cafe, Chapel Hill



Saturday, February 28
In the Year of the Pig    (http://www.southernloveprod.com/ityotp.htm)
Jamie Stewart    (http://www.myspace.com/xiuxiuforlife)
Duke Coffeehouse, Durham

In the Year of the Pig = SO HUGE. Two drummers (and not just any 
drummers, but rather the mighty Dave Cantwell and brilliant 
multi-instrumentalist Jenks Miller), guitar, bass, and Aaron Smithers' 
two-string bass-derived fuzz machine. Massive grooves, like one of those 
drilling machines they used to build the Chunnel.



Saturday, February 28
Blue Dogs    (http://www.bluedogs.com/)
John Howie, Jr. & The Rosewood Bluff 
(http://www.myspace.com/twodollarpistols)
Berkeley Cafe, Raleigh

Former $2 Pistols John Howie Jr climbs back into the saddle with his new 
band, The Rosewood Bluff.



Saturday, February 28
Billy Sugarfix    (http://www.soundclick.com/bands/8/billysugarfix.htm)
Waumiss    (http://www.myspace.com/waumiss)
JaGhetto
Dave Walker
Nightlight, Chapel Hill



Saturday, February 28
Resist Not    (http://myspace.com/resistnot)
Run Dan Run    (http://www.myspace.com/rundanrun)
The Kodiak Farm Boys
The Pinhook, Durham



Saturday, February 28
North Elementary    (http://www.northelementary.com)
Whale Watchers    (http://www.myspace.com/thewhalewatchers)
Sir Arthur and His Royal Knights 
(http://mannsworld.blogspot.com/2007/08/sir-arthur-his-royal-knights.html)
The Popular Kids
Pour House, Raleigh

This is a CD-release party for the new North Elementary CD, Not For 
Everyone, Just For You, which is far-and-away their best album yet.



Saturday, February 28
Brett Harris
Oscar Begat    (http://www.reverbnation.com/oscarbegat)
Bright Young Things
Jack Sprat Cafe, Chapel Hill



Saturday, February 28
Lonnie Walker    (http://www.myspace.com/lonniewalker)
Motor Skills
Gospel Years
Slim's Downtown, Raleigh

Lonnie Walker were one of 8 bands feted in the 2009 News & Observer 
"Great 8" feature. They're a sorta-wordy, sorta-countryish rockband, who 
remind me [a little bit] of certain aspects of Pavement or Bob Dylan.



Sunday, March 1
The Watson Twins    (http://www.thewatsontwins.com/)
Ben Kweller    (http://www.kweller.net)
Cat's Cradle, Carrboro



Sunday, March 1
des_ark    (http://www.des-ark.org)
Yardwork    (http://www.myspace.com/wetdigitalredstorm)
Register
Nightlight, Chapel Hill

Show of the month. des_ark you know about, although if you haven't seen 
them lately, you might *not* know that they're a monster three-piece, 
featuring Durham drummer Evan Rowe (Maple Stave, Grappling Hook) and 
Greensboro guitarist Noah Howard (Strunken White, TigerBearWolf) in 
addition to Aimee Argote.

Yardwork are from Charlotte; they're an 8-piece (or so) band of freaks 
who put out my favorite release of 2008. Multiple drummers, glorious 
chiming guitars, glockenspiel, banjo, anything else they can find lying 
around, and everyone in the band singing at the top of their lungs. 
Their show at BCHQ was phenomenal.



Monday, March 2
Tapes'N'Tapes    (http://www.tapesntapes.com/)
Wild Light    (http://www.myspace.com/wildlight)
Cat's Cradle, Carrboro



Monday, March 2
Turbo Fruits    (http://www.myspace.com/turbofruits)
Bass Drum of Death    (http://www.myspace.com/johnbarrettmusic)
Local 506, Chapel Hill

Times are tough; the Bass Drum of Death is one guy, John Barret, who 
plays guitar, sings, and yes, stomps on a big ol' bass drum. He's on Fat 
Possum.



Tuesday, March 3
Rosewood Thieves
The Whisky Smugglers
Jordan & the Sphinx    (http://www.myspace.com/servant4good)
Local 506, Chapel Hill



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