RTP-area local music and culture

[grady <grady AT ibiblio.org>]

Saturday, February 6
Big Fat Gap    (http://www.bigfatgap.com/)
Gambling the Muse    (http://www.myspace.com/gamblingthemuse)
Pneurotics    (http://www.myspace.com/pneurotics)
Birds & Arrows    (http://www.myspace.com/birdsandarrows)
Mandolin Orange    (http://www.myspace.com/mandolinorange)
Local 506, Chapel Hill

This is a Haiti Benefit with a twist: only Bob Dylan or Tom Petty covers 
are allowed. It's billed as "Dylan vs Petty" but come on people, that's 
kinda like "The Rolling Stones vs. Soul Asylum" or something. Anyway, 
the lineup is big:

BIG FAT GAP
BIRDS & ARROWS
GAMBLING THE MUSE
IT IS RAIN ON MY FACE
MANDOLIN ORANGE
MARY JOHNSON ROCKERS
THE PNEUROTICS
SEMI-FORMAL



Saturday, February 6
Roman Candle    (http://www.romancandlemusic.com/)
Midtown Dickens    (http://www.myspace.com/midtowndickens)
Spider Bags    (http://www.myspace.com/spiderbags)
The Tender Fruit    (http://www.myspace.com/thetenderfruit)
Pour House, Raleigh

This is night two of WKNC's Double Barrel Benefit.

I dreamed the other night that I was seeing The Tender Fruit. Actually I 
was standing onstage, but sorta off to the side, and as far as I know I 
was just watching. Anyway. I never remember my dreams, but thankfully 
this one stuck with me, because I love love love hearing Christy Smith 
sing. Thank you, unconscious mind!



Saturday, February 6
My Majesty in Oxygen    (http://www.myspace.com/mymajestyinoxygen)
The Back Pockets    (http://www.myspace.com/thebackpockets)
BaroN    (http://www.myspace.com/baronnc)
The Pinhook, Durham

12:00 - My Magesty in Oxygen
11:00 - The Back Pockets
10:00 - BaroN



Saturday, February 6
Caltrop    (http://www.myspace.com/caltropband)
Death Came Down the Mountain 
(http://www.myspace.com/deathcamedownthemountain)
HOG
Duke Coffeehouse, Durham

YES! I don't know why the universe has seen fit to bless me with so many 
chances to see the utterly massive heavy blooz-psych genius that is 
Caltrop lately, but I'm not gonna complain, no sir.



Saturday, February 6
Horseback    (http://www.myspace.com/horsebacknoise)
Ghost Hand
Mountains
Tape    (http://www.myspace.com/tapesthlm)
Nightlight, Chapel Hill

Mountains are on Thrill Jockey, but I didn't have time to download & 
listen to their album (even though it was free! I know, how lame is 
that?) so I can't evaluate their publicist's claim that they're much 
more exciting than your average laptop band.

Horseback make no claims, and require no evaluation: their 2009 album 
"The Invisible Mountain" was top-three of the year for me, and its 
distinctive blending of Doom, ambience & Death has carried through for 
me into 2010 in a big way.

Tape are from Sweden! Come on, that's still pretty novel.



Sunday, February 7
Dirty Little Heaters    (http://www.myspace.com/thedirtylittleheaters)
WXDU 88.7 FM, Durham

The Dirty Little Heaters (now with Pink Flag drummer Jessica Caesar) 
have an album coming out on Churchkey in two weeks, and if it's all as 
great as the one song they posted to Teh Internets recently, we'll never 
get to see them again because they'll be too busy getting pedicures from 
Sir Elton John & Sir Paul McCartney. SIMULTANEOUSLY.

In the meantime, you can hear them at 4:00 p.m. on 88.7 FM or wxdu.org.



Sunday, February 7
Cold Cave    (http://www.myspace.com/coldcave)
Nite Jewel    (http://www.myspace.com/nitejewel)
Local 506, Chapel Hill



Monday, February 8
Triangle Soundpainting Orchestra
Nightlight, Chapel Hill

This is the first night of a monthlong residency at Nightlight for 
Triangle Soundpainting Orchestra (should've been the second night, but 
gee thanks Winter Weather). It's meant to be somewhere between open 
practice & performance, so in addition to hearing some of TSPO's 
remarkably skewed avant/pomo music, you'll get a chance to find out a 
little bit about how soundpainting works.

They'll be at Nightlight every Monday in February, but they've planned a 
sort of progression, so you'll get to see/hear/learn new/different 
things each week.



Tuesday, February 9
Jonathan Richman    (http://www.base.com/jonathan/jonathan.html)
Cat's Cradle, Carrboro



Tuesday, February 9
Wood Ear    (http://www.myspace.com/woodear)
Barton Carroll    (http://www.myspace.com/bartoncarroll)
The Pinhook, Durham

10:00 - Barton Carrol
9:00 - Wood Ear



Tuesday, February 9
Screaming Crayons    (http://www.myspace.com/screamingcrayonsnc)
The Second Take    (http://www.myspace.com/the2ndtake)
Local 506, Chapel Hill



Tuesday, February 9
John Howie
Jokes & Jokes & Jokes    (http://www.myspace.com/jokesjokesjokes)
One Wolf    (http://www.myspace.com/onewolfsongs)
Reservoir, Carrboro



Wednesday, February 10
The Breaks
Panda's Matzah Shop
The Real Deal
The Pinhook, Durham

The Breaks are a sort of Pittsboro-based supergroup of [gracefully 
aging] local rockers. Guitarist Steve Carr is better known nowadays for 
his high-end custom amps than for his guitar-slinging, but he's been 
playing in bands around Chapel Hill since the 80s, including in the 
Emperors of Ice Cream with Breaks drummer Brunson Hoole.

And of course singer John Ensslin was in the incomparable What Peggy 
Wants, who had the balls to go Glam when everyone else in town was going 
Grunge, circa 1991.



Wednesday, February 10
The Small Ponds
Laura Cortese    (http://www.lauracortese.com/)
The Cave, Chapel Hill

The Small Ponds is the latest project from Caitlin Cary (ex-Whiskeytown, 
Tres Chicas).



Wednesday, February 10
Marlo Eggplant    (http://www.myspace.com/marloeggplantmusic)
America Reads    (http://www.myspace.com/americareads)
Nightlight, Chapel Hill



Wednesday, February 10
Deleted Scenes
Birds & Arrows    (http://www.myspace.com/birdsandarrows)
Oblio
Slim's Downtown, Raleigh



Thursday, February 11
Ghost Cats of the South
Pros & Cons
One Wolf    (http://www.myspace.com/onewolfsongs)
The Pinhook, Durham

11 - Ghost Cats
10 - One Wolf
9 - Pros and Cons



Thursday, February 11
Naked Gods    (http://www.myspace.com/nakedgods)
Luego    (http://luegomusic.com/)
Bright Young Things
Tir Na Nog, Raleigh

Naked Gods are a Southern Rock band from up near Boone, who inject a 
healthy amount of psychedelia & mountain weirdness into the mix.



Thursday, February 11
The Alcazar Hotel    (http://www.myspace.com/thealcazarhotel)
Graveyard Fields
Come Hell or High Water    (http://www.myspace.com/suzaandsheets)
Nightlight, Chapel Hill



Thursday, February 11
Jimbo Mathus & Tri-State Coalition    (http://www.myspace.com/jimbomathus)
The Cave, Chapel Hill

Jimbo Mathus was in The Squirrel Nut Zippers (and before that the weird 
swamprockabilly outfit Metal Flake Mother), but for the past dozen or so 
years, starting with his Knocked Down Society, he's been working closer 
to his native Mississippi delta blues & country.



Friday, February 12
Torch Marauder    (http://www.torchmarauder.com)
Proof    (http://www.prooftheband.org)
Local 506, Chapel Hill

This is kind of complicated. To wit:

NC Comedy Arts Festival Presents COMICS & CHORDS
Featuring:

COMICS @ 9:00:
Chris Fox (Greensboro, NC)
Trent Bowles (Raleigh, NC)
Ghuffran Ali (Chicago, IL)
Carolyn Castiglia (New York, NY)

CHORDS @ 10:00:
Proof
The Torch Marauder

Yes, you read that right, the caped, blue-skinned crusader has re-united 
with his video alter-ego (um, I guess . . . I can't imagine him putting 
on a show without himself) and has plotted his triumphant return to 
local stages. Viva Torch!



Friday, February 12
The Weight
Spider Bags    (http://www.myspace.com/spiderbags)
The Fox Hunt
The Goddamn Rattlesnake
2702 Lawndale, Durham

Last-minute house show booking. Here's what Craig said:

We've got some GREAT bands passing through town on Friday and when they 
needed a last minute show in the area, I knew it was up to me and good 
ol' 2702 Lawndale (Layabout House) to step up to the plate!!

SPIDER BAGS are the good citizens who brought this opportunity to my 
attention, and they probably need no introduction - this will be their 
THIRD (!!!) time playing here at the house, edging up on Reid from 
Schooner for the title of "Most 2702 Lawndale House Show Appearances." 
They're one of the best live bands in the Triangle or anywhere and their 
LP from last year "Goodbye Cruel World, Hello Crueler World" (Birdman 
Recs.) was amongst my favorites of '09! http://myspace.com/spiderbags

THE WEIGHT are an NYC (by way of GA) beer-soaked big country-rock band 
with classic rock tendencies - think The Band (duh), The Stones, Gram 
Parsons, Uncle Tupelo, etc. Their most recent LP "The Weight Are Men" 
came out on the always awesome The Colonel Records back in '08. 
http://www.myspace.com/theweightnyc

THE FOX HUNT (from their website) "meld the bright harmonies and 
acoustic instruments characteristic of early country/folk with rough, 
smoky, rock and roll lyrics and arrangements." On tour from W. Virginia! 
http://thefoxhunt.net + http://myspace.com/lefoxhunt

THE GODDAMN RATTLESNAKE are also NYC-based and share some members with 
The Weight. They play some sweet banjo/mandolin/fiddle driven 
country-folk. Lots of drinkin' and heartbreak, lots of great harmonies! 
http://www.myspace.com/thegoddamnrattlesnake

This one will start at 9PM and since it's a Friday we'll be partying a 
bit after the bands! BYOB and bring some loot for the touring bands if 
you have some to spare!



Friday, February 12
Sequoya    (http://www.myspace.com/sequoya)
Jeremy Blair from Effingham
Broad Street Cafe, Durham



Friday, February 12
Ruscha    (http://www.myspace.com/ruscha)
Zardoz
Nightlight, Chapel Hill



Friday, February 12
Demolition String Band    (http://www.demolitionstringband.com/)
The Moaners    (http://www.themoaners.com/)
Pneurotics    (http://www.myspace.com/pneurotics)
The Cave, Chapel Hill



Saturday, February 13
New Town Drunks    (http://www.newtowndrunks.com/)
Children of the Horn    (http://www.childrenofthehorn.com/)
The Kinksmen    (http://www.myspace.com/jeffhoo)
The Squares
The Pinhook, Durham

1 - Mardi Gras Dance Party
12 - The New Town Drunks
11 - The Kinksmen
10 - The Squares
9 - Children of the Horn



Saturday, February 13
Lonnie Walker    (http://www.myspace.com/lonniewalker)
Gross Ghost    (http://www.myspace.com/grossghost)
Onward Soldiers    (http://www.myspace.com/onwardsoldiers)
Berkeley Cafe, Raleigh



Saturday, February 13
Butterflies    (http://www.myspace.com/butterfliesnc)
Graveyard Fields
The Mugs
Local 506, Chapel Hill



Saturday, February 13
Chip Robinson
Demolition String Band    (http://www.demolitionstringband.com/)
The Moaners    (http://www.themoaners.com/)
Slim's Downtown, Raleigh

Chip Robinson used to be in an amazing Raleigh alt-country/cowpunk band 
called The Backsliders; nowadays he lives in NYC.



Sunday, February 14
Schooner    (http://www.schoonermusic.com)
WXDU 88.7 FM, Durham

Schooner are releasing a download-only EP, The Duck-Kee Sessions, this 
week via cytunes.org. Though you won't be able to see it via radio, one 
of the cool aspects of the EP (apart from the music itself) is that 
local artists & musicians have done a bunch of custom "cover art" that 
you'll be able to buy at the release party (2/19, The Pinhook). So you 
can have your digital cake & eat it too.

In the meantime, tune in at 4:00 to hear Schooner playing their 
world-famous Valentines Day Medley live on the air. 88.7 FM or wxdu.org



Sunday, February 14
Wanda Jackson    (http://www.wandajackson.com/)
The Lustre Kings    (http://www.lustrekings.com/)
Berkeley Cafe, Raleigh

Yes, *the* Wanda Jackson, originator of such vintage rockabilly insanity 
as "Hard Headed Woman" and "Funnel of Love." Apparently she's not only 
still alive, but was recently inducted into the Rock-n-Roll Hall of 
Fame. And she's playing in Raleigh at the Berkeley at 7:00 p.m.

I'm a huge fan of Wanda's vintage 50s/60s output & I suppose I would 
suggest that one might want to do some judicious YouTube searches before 
heading out to check out the now 72-year-old queen of rockabilly.



Sunday, February 14
Jason Anderson    (http://www.indiepages.com/wolfcolonel/)
Cassis Orange
2702 Lawndale, Durham



Sunday, February 14
The Foreign Exchange    (http://www.theforeignexchangemusic.com)
Cat's Cradle, Carrboro

The Triangle may be a musical hotbed, but our talent isn't always of the 
variety that attracts Grammy attention. So it's worth mentioning that 
recent Grammy nominees The Foreign Exchange are half the brainchild of 
NC's own Phonte Coleman (soon-to-be-ex-Little Brother).



Sunday, February 14
We Landed on the Moon    (http://www.welandedonthemoon.com/)
Lake Inferior    (http://www.myspace.com/lakeinferiormusic)
Lions at Lunchtime    (http://www.reverbnation.com/lionsatlunchtime)
Elsinore    (http://www.myspace.com/elsinoremusic)
Local 506, Chapel Hill



Monday, February 15
Tortoise    (http://www.trts.com/)
Disappears    (http://disappearsdisappears.blogspot.com/)
Cat's Cradle, Carrboro



Monday, February 15
Triangle Soundpainting Orchestra
Nightlight, Chapel Hill

Every Monday in February, the Triangle Soundpainting Orchestra are 
holding a combination open rehearsal/performance/master class in the 
basics of soundpainting, which is a form of gesture-based collective 
improvisation.



Monday, February 15
Love Hangover
Pour House, Raleigh

The Love Hangover is a long-running (geez, it seems like it has been 
most of a decade) post-Valentines Day Raleigh tradition, originally 
started by Richard Alwyn of The Luxuries. The basic idea: male/female 
duets, a little bitterness, a little heartbreak, a little reality-check.

Caitlin Cary & Matt Douglas
Sara Bell & Phil Cook
Alexandra Day and Hunter MacDermut
Karen Kletter & Aly Khalifa
Rachel Hirsh & John Booker 



Tuesday, February 16
Jokes & Jokes & Jokes    (http://www.myspace.com/jokesjokesjokes)
The Cave, Chapel Hill



Tuesday, February 16
Joe Hero    (http://www.myspace.com/joeheroband)
Local 506, Chapel Hill



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