RTP-area local music and culture

[grady <grady AT ibiblio.org>]

Saturday, August 22
Bowerbirds    (http://www.bowerbirds.org)
Megafaun    (http://www.myspace.com/megafaun)
ArtsCenter, Carrboro

Bowerbirds and Megafaun are currently touring the country on the 
strength of their respective sophomore releases, "Upper Air" and "Gather 
Form & Fly." We've loved them for years, of course; now, apparently, 
everybody else does too (4 stars in Rolling Stone for Megafaun? OK, it 
was a psych-focused sidebar by longtime freak David Fricke, but still . . .)



Saturday, August 22
Mondo Topless    (http://www.mondotopless.com/)
Pinche Gringo    (http://www.myspace.com/pinchegringoband)
Rough Hands    (http://www.myspace.com/roughhandsband)
The Cave, Chapel Hill



Sunday, August 23
Western Civ.    (http://westerncivrock.com)
Sleeping in the Aviary
The Cave, Chapel Hill



Monday, August 24
Crackow Now    (http://www.myspace.com/crackownow)
Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun 
(http://www.myspace.com/todaythemoontomorrowthesun)
The Cave, Chapel Hill

Crackow Now are a new Durham-based organ/drums duo.



Monday, August 24
Systems
Vessels of Energy    (http://www.myspace.com/energiaband)
Flashlights    (http://www.myspace.com/flashlightsmusic)
Nightlight, Chapel Hill



Tuesday, August 25
Pink Flag    (http://www.myspace.com/pinkflagnc)
Jessica Hopper Book Tour    (http://girlsguidetorocking.com/bio.html)
Nightlight, Chapel Hill

Rockcrit/musician Jessica Hopper wrote a book called the Girls' Guide to 
Rocking, which is sort of like an accompanying textbook for all the 
Rock-n-Roll Camps for Girls that have sprung up around the country over 
the past half-dozen years.

Joining her to rock out after her reading (or whatever she's doing) are 
all-woman Durham postpunk band Pink Flag.



Tuesday, August 25
Battle Rockets    (http://www.myspace.com/battlerockets)
Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun 
(http://www.myspace.com/todaythemoontomorrowthesun)
Slim's Downtown, Raleigh



Wednesday, August 26
Secondhand Freespace Panel Discussion 
(http://www.myspace.com/2ndhandfreespace)
Local 506, Chapel Hill

This is a panel discussion & Q&A about radio (college radio, mostly, 
though "internet radio" is also represented). I suppose we'll talk about 
whatever it is that people in the audience want to hear about, with the 
overall purpose being to de-mystify the whole shebang, from how stations 
operate to (most importantly for this audience, I suspect) how music 
gets selected for air.

The thing starts at 7:30, so you'll be able to get to bed at a decent 
hour. Oh yeah, and it probably goes without saying: non-smoking!

Panelists:
Ross Grady – Local Music Director, WXDU
Montgomery Morris - Music Director, WXYC
Ned Norland – Founder, No Love For Ned, NoLoveForNed.com
Kelly Reid – Former Head Music Director, WKNC

Moderator: Steve Gardner - Label Manager, Yep Roc Records



Thursday, August 27
John Howie
Cat's Cradle, Carrboro

This is actually an outdoor afternoon show held in the parking lot in 
front of the Cradle & the ArtsCenter. John Howie led the $2 Pistols 
throughout their long tenure as the Triangle's finest honky-tonk country 
band.

Things get underway around 4:30 . . . if I were you, I'd build in some 
time to eat some of the fine fine brisket served up by the Q-Shack right 
there on the edge of the parking lot.



Thursday, August 27
Jason Kutchma
Beer Y'all    (http://www.beeryall.com)
Stuart McLamb
Local 506, Chapel Hill

This is a screening of the NC beer/rock documentary Beer Y'all, 
accompanied by solo sets from Jason Kutchma of Red Collar & Stu McLamb 
of the Love Language.



Thursday, August 27
Kenny Roby    (http://www.kennyroby.com)
Shawn Luby
Broad Street Cafe, Durham



Thursday, August 27
Kah Isbin    (http://www.myspace.com/kahisbin)
Invisible River    (http://www.myspace.com/anonymousmonk)
Eleanor Murray    (http://www.myspace.com/eleanormurray)
Nightlight, Chapel Hill



Thursday, August 27
Dexter Romweber and the New Romans 
(http://www.myspace.com/dexterromweber)
The Cave, Chapel Hill

Dexter Romweber's New Romans are the large band assembled by Dave 
Schmitt to showcase Dex's more baroque tendencies . . . folks like Louis 
Prima & various lounge/exotica acts have been Romweber influences all 
along, but the rawness of the Flat Duo Jets, and Dex's subsequent duos, 
have meant that the public only thought of him as a rockabilly artist.

The New Romans, with their horns & female backing vocalists, will change 
any lingering impression you may have.



Thursday, August 27
Huguenots    (http://www.myspace.com/thehuguenotsmusic)
The Stars Explode    (http://www.myspace.com/thestarsexplode)
Tir Na Nog, Raleigh

This week's Local Bands, Local Beers features the skinny-tie britpop of 
Huguenots and the power-pop of The Stars Explode.



Thursday, August 27
The Moderate
Ascella Vega    (http://www.myspace.com/ascellavega)
The Pinhook, Durham



Friday, August 28
The Begin-Agains    (http://www.myspace.com/thebeginagains)
Oh, Mother    (http://myspace.com/ohmotherband)
Papermoons    (http://www.myspace.com/thepapermoonsband)
Bull City Headquarters, Durham

One thing to remember about BCHQ: even if it cools off outside as the 
evening progresses, it won't get any cooler inside. Dress appropriately.



Friday, August 28
des_ark    (http://www.des-ark.org)
Mount Moriah    (http://www.myspace.com/mountmoriah)
Midtown Dickens    (http://www.myspace.com/midtowndickens)
Duke Coffeehouse, Durham

This is an album-release party for the new Midtown Dickens album, 
"Lanterns." It's a different sort of record than their debut -- there's 
a thread of loss and regret that runs through it, though it's tempered 
by the optimism of folks who believe they've seen the worst & survived.

They're also a different band than they were when they recorded their 
debut . . . they've coalesced in a more-or-less permanent five-piece 
configuration, still focused around the singing & songwriting of Kym 
Register & Catherine Edgerton.

Also appearing: Mount Moriah, the country/folk arm of the Jenks Miller 
creative empire, and des_ark in her solo configuration.



Friday, August 28
The Wusses    (http://thewusses.com/)
Tir Na Nog, Raleigh

The Triangle's favorite (and longest-running) yacht-rock band makes one 
of its rare appearances onstage. These guys are all gazillionaires a 
hundred times over, so when they do get together to play a show for the 
people, you can be sure it's for love, not money. Two hours of solid 
soft-rock hits, baby.



Friday, August 28
Embarrassing Fruits    (http://www.myspace.com/embarrassingfruitsband)
Veelee    (http://www.myspace.com/seeveelee)
Free Electric State    (http://www.myspace.com/freeelectricstate)
Local 506, Chapel Hill



Friday, August 28
Ponchos From Peru    (http://www.myspace.com/ponchosfromperu)
Lake Inferior    (http://www.myspace.com/lakeinferiormusic)
The Land Mammals    (www.myspace.com/ghostcatsofthesouth)
The Pinhook, Durham



Friday, August 28
The Bottle Rockets    (http://www.bottlerocketsmusic.com)
Olympic Ass Kicking Team    (http://www.terryandersonrocks.com/)
Berkeley Cafe, Raleigh



Friday, August 28
Rocket Cottage
Prostitute Hostage    (http://www.myspace.com/prostitutehostage)
Shards    (http://www.myspace.com/shardsnc)
Nightlight, Chapel Hill

Three Raleigh rockbands from the more-abrasive end of the spectrum. 
Rocket Cottage is the latest band to feature the guitar stylings of Russ 
DeSena (the Chickens, Kolyma, too many others to count). Prostitute 
Hostage is a new band with Kolyma frontwoman Miriam Martian, as well as 
local rock photographer Jodi Donkel.



Friday, August 28
Aminal    (http://www.myspace.com/theaminalmusic)
Jack Sprat Cafe, Chapel Hill

This is a CD-release party . . . not sure if that means the dual EPs 
that came out earlier this year, or if it's new stuff.



Friday, August 28
The Loners    (http://www.demonbeachrecords.com/loners.html)
Bright Young Things
Torpor
Slim's Downtown, Raleigh



Saturday, August 29
Superchunk    (http://www.superchunk.com)
Regina Hexaphone    (http://www.reginahexaphone.com)
The Kinksmen    (http://www.myspace.com/jeffhoo)
Rey Norteño    (http://www.myspace.com/reynorteno)
Central Park, Durham

This is an afternoon/evening show, outdoors, at the Durham Farmers 
Market pavilion in Durham Central Park. It's a benefit for the Coalition 
to Unchain Dogs (you can find out more about that here: 
www.musicforfences.org)

The big news, obviously, is that Superchunk will be performing, only 
their third (and probably final) show of 2009. If you made it out to 
XXMerge, then you know that their set was one of the highlights of the 
week . . . every time they play, they seem to bring twice the energy of 
most bands half their age.

Also on the bill are the country-rock of Regina Hexaphone, the Kinks 
tribute/local supergroup the Kinksmen, and Raleigh's Rey Norteno, who 
may very well be the kings of Norteno.



Saturday, August 29
Annuals    (http://www.myspace.com/annuals)
Birds of Avalon    (http://www.myspace.com/birdsofavalon)
The Never    (http://www.trekkyrecords.com/never.html)
Hammer No More the Fingers    (http://www.hnmtf.com)
Cat's Cradle, Carrboro

This is a CD-release show for the new Hear Here compilation of Triangle 
bands, which was put together by some folks in Raleigh (all but one of 
the tracks were recorded at the new Flying Tiger Sound Studios in 
Raleigh). The lineup on the CD is more heterogeneous than most local 
comps, with fairly balanced representation from the three Triangle 
cities, but also from the various genres, from indie-pop to Raleigh 
hardrock to hip-hop.



Saturday, August 29
Juan Huevos    (http://www.myspace.com/juanhuevos)
Gross Ghost    (http://www.myspace.com/grossghost)
Pros & Cons
Local 506, Chapel Hill



Saturday, August 29
I Was Totally Destroying It 
(http://www.reverbnation.com/iwastotallydestroyingit)
Tir Na Nog, Raleigh

This is their 24-song "IWTDI plays U2" set.



Saturday, August 29
Gray Young    (http://www.myspace.com/grayyoung)
Battle Rockets    (http://www.myspace.com/battlerockets)
Goodbye, Titan    (http://www.myspace.com/loudestsilenceever)
Jack Sprat Cafe, Chapel Hill



Saturday, August 29
Rat Jackson    (http://www.myspace.com/ratjacksonmusic)
Pistolero    (http://www.myspace.com/pistoleroband)
Aminal    (http://www.myspace.com/theaminalmusic)
The Cave, Chapel Hill



Saturday, August 29
Colossus    (http://www.myspace.com/thecolossuswillcrushyou)
The Mishaps
Slim's Downtown, Raleigh



Sunday, August 30
DJ Nasty Boots
Ear Pwr    (http://www.myspace.com/earpwr)
DJ Family Vacation    (http://1200problems.org)
Toro Y Moi    (http://www.myspace.com/toroymoi)
Nightlight, Chapel Hill



Sunday, August 30
Pistolero    (http://www.myspace.com/pistoleroband)
Starmount    (http://www.myspace.com/starmountmusic)
Slim's Downtown, Raleigh



Monday, August 31
Motor Skills
Old Bricks
Sea Legs
Slim's Downtown, Raleigh



Tuesday, September 1
Denison Witmer    (http://www.myspace.com/denisonwitmer)
Brooke Waggoner    (http://www.myspace.com/brookewaggoner)
Local 506, Chapel Hill



--------> http://www.trianglerock.com <--------