RTP-area local music and culture

[BSC <junk AT hitezone.com>]

Monday February 22 - $7 cover
=95 7:30P Jay Kutchma (of Red Collar)
As the frontman of Durham's seminal band Red Collar Jay has been
honing his brand of anthemic post-punk in a cloud of screaming guitars
and pounding rhythms but has in recent months replaced the haze of
volume and pockets of energy with restrained, focused versions of his
own songs and classic reworked covers for his solo sets.

=95 9P Floating Action
After Seth Kauffman=92s 2006 debut and 2007 follow-up left critics
drawing comparisons as diverse as Motown to the Carribean, Kauffman
returns as Floating Action. This April, Park The Van Records will
release Floating Action=92s self-titled debut, and Kauffman=92s most
accomplished work to date. Once again Kauffman has performed and
recorded virtually every note himself at his home studio, and =96 in an
age where obsessive computer editing and auto-tuning are taking the
humanity out of even most home recordings =96 once again his
refreshingly organic approach to making music is receiving rave
reviews: =93He invokes those classic, soul staples of deep and
penetrating bass lines, simple but ideal and perfect lyrics about the
troubles of love and jingling guitars. He gives you the jitters and
the absolute sway is all his." (Daytrotter).

=95 10P The Generationals (rock)
The Generationals - Anchored by the writing of Ted Joyner and Grant
Widmer, The Generationals (from New Orleans) mix garage, pop and
motown into one of the tastiest aural stews you'll ever enjoy.

=95 11P Hacienda (rock/pop/other)
There is something to get excited about in south-central Texas. In
fact the buzz surrounding San Antonio's Hacienda may signal a rebirth
of young rock n' roll -with emphasis on the "roll"- to the country's
landscape. Formed by cousins Abraham Villanueva (piano/vocals) and
Dante Schwebel (guitar/vocals), together with Abraham's brothers Jaime
(drums/vocals) and Rene Villanueva (bass/vocals), this Mexican-
American quartet blends a raw yet sophisticated style of pop music
with harmonies reminiscent of the Beatles and Beach Boys. As fate
would have it, a demo of 6 songs landed in the hands of Dan Auerbach
of the Black Keys, and the band's life was forever changed. Soon after
they were opening for The Black Keys in Austin Texas, as well as for
Dr. Dog, gaining some much needed exposure. Under Auerbach's watch,
Hacienda would write and arrange more than twenty songs, sending him
demos periodically in preparation for their debut album, ultimately
recording in Dan's own studio in Akron, Ohio.
  In order to keep the integrity of the music, "Loud Is The Night" was
largely captured live in the room with a helping hand from new friends
Scott and Frank of Dr. Dog. With them they worked on existing vocal
harmonies and created new ones, greatly embellishing the album. The
result is a beautiful collection of songs played with integrity and
soul to spare, and while the band is aware of its 60's influences, the
music on "Loud is the Night" is far from derivative, and the finished
product is modern pop music performed with genuineness and taste.
   In 2009, all four members of Hacienda have also joined with Patrick
Hallahan in The Fast Five, performing as the backing band for Dan
Auerbach.

Tuesday February 23
=95 8P Public Nudity Songwriters Night #5
A new series featuring great area songwriters.
Hosted by Greg Humphreys (Dillon Fence, Hobex).
This months guest artists are Matt Douglas and Caitlin Cary of The
Small Ponds

Caitlin Cary is an amazing singer and songstress. She was a founding
member of Whiskeytown, a solo artist with universal acclaim, and a
current member of Tres Chicas.

Matt Douglas is the lead singer and songster for The Proclivities.

Caitlin and Matt came together for Raleigh's annual Love Hangover
show, which features a male/female duo singing love song covers. And
now...they have created the supergroup The Small Ponds.

Hold on to your guppies...

Wednesday February 24
=95 7:30P Open Mic Night
Open Mic is arranged to enable anyone to perform, so all you have to
do is turn up early and get your name down to perform. Originals and
cover music of every style and genre are welcome! Open mic is a great
way to practice your art and can also can be a proving ground for new
talent and material. The audience consists of singers, poets,
songwriters and music lovers so the atmosphere should be warm and
encouraging for everybody.


Thursday February 25
=95 8P RJ Adams (singer/songwriter - funk/r&b/pop/soul)
Music began for RJ at the early age of 7 in the small southern town in
North Carolina. Like most kids, RJ dreamed of becoming a big star like
his favorite music heros Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Prince, Al
Green, james Brown, Sam Cooke and Otis Redding to name a few. RJ Adams
is know for his high energy live performances that keep you moving non
stop.
  Rj=92s music is a breath of fresh air in today=92s world.. His music is
uplifting and positive for all to listen.. In recent interviews Rj was
quoted saying =93 I love all music and all people =85I simply want to
bring back music that is positive , inspiring and not offensive to
anyone.. It=92s okay to sing about love and everyday life and that is
the message in my music and why the album is called Love, Life,
Music ..=94
  RJ=92s first album =93Love, Life, Music gained popularity when RJ
performed a remix of =93RJA=94 on Pay Per View March 2007 and became an
international selling CD in 15 countries.
  Rj=92s new album titled =93Acoustic Soul=94 is being released March 2009
and features some of his best songwriting. Acoustic Soul is full of
soulful, Bluesy melodic songs with no band just a single guitar and
vocal recorded live in the studio with a raw sound displaying RJ=92s
unique vocal sound.
  RJ is often asked to describe his music. He simply says with
confidence, "It's feel good music =93music for everyone..
  One of the largest breaks for RJ was when he performed =93live=94 March
2007 in Las Vegas on Pay Pre-view . The Pay Pre-View event aired in 15
countries where 120 million viewers tuned in world wide.

=95 10P Jo Gore and The Alternative (alternative/soul/blues)
Jo Gore spent a good potion of her childhood singing at Spring Hill
Baptist, located in Columbus County, NC. Jo=92s father, A.K. Gore was
the church pianist, and the two would play and sing throughout the
region. =93Spring Hill Baptist was a typical southern black church.
There was plenty of soul, field hollerin, spirituals, call-and-
response=85people sung and played by ear. Noone fell asleep.=94 Jo has
developed a style that borrows from early gospel rock and rollers and
charismatic quartet singers like Rosetta Tharpe, James Cleveland, Joe
Ligon, and Harvey Watkins Jr. Her heavy vibrato, improvisation, and
interpretation of melody is quite reminiscent of the great vocal jazz
and gospel stylists of the 50=92s and 60=92s. =93It=92s no secret that I ha=
ve
tried to pattern myself after Sarah Vaughan. She had such an amazing
vocal range and such beautiful vibrato. I worship this woman.=94 Jo Gore
performs along with renowned acoustic guitar player Bo Lankenau. They
are both a part of the band called =91The Alternative.=92 When asked to
describe the music, Jo says =93It=92s a mix of rock, jazz, and blues with
some interesting world beats.=94 The group has been performing
extensively in the triangle and hopes to secure a label soon. Growing
up worlds apart in NY and NC, Jo and Bo found a common musical ground
listening to the classic blues, soul, rock, jazz, and folk music of
the 50's and the 60's along with current genres of today. Influenced
by everyone from Robert Johnson to Sarah Vaughan to Tina Turner to Amy
Winehouse. Their style is a refreshing mix of new and old that ranges
from slow melancholy musings to upbeat in-your-face dance music. Bo
writes the music and lyrics about issues that are important to both he
and Jo. Issue's like standing up for one's belief's, life's regrets,
home, family, war, the environment, relationships..etc.  Helping bring
the songs to life are their talented band mates, Steven Coon (electric
guitar), Leon LB (bass) and Bakru Hunsel (drums).

Friday February 26
=95 8P Gilbert Neal (pop/soul/funk/acoustic)
Gilbert Neal is one of the more revered musicians among musicians in
the Chapel Hill/Raleigh DIY pantheon. Adept at bass, guitar,
keyboards, able to improvise Queen-esque vocal interplay on the fly,
an arranger and singer par excellence, it is easy to forget that on
Neal's two solo outings, he has, among other things, crafted some of
the most likable, DANCEABLE grooves to come out of that hotbed of indy
music.
   Born in Buffalo, NY, Neal's first guitar was a Hait, which his
mother bought at Brand Names, a catalog store on Union Road. "My first
year or so with my guitar was an exercise in tuning all the strings to
the same tone with maybe a 5th or two thrown in. My early raga-like
drones were a perfect, almost undetectable forgery of those early
Beatles hits. Kidding."
   After cutting his teeth in bands like Man Against Mauve, East of
Idaho, and The Murk, Neal moved to Raleigh, NC. He formed Vibraspank
with a group of guys who, like him, had a love of the dry funk of
bands like The Meters and Sly Stone.
  Neal played bass more often than not, and this became his primary
instrument. He has a college degree in Musical Performance, primarily
in Voice. In his career, he has sung in a 40's revival group, a comedy
music group that parodied TV commercials, a country band, played
guitar and sang lead in a Raleigh funk band (Cabarrus Street
Allstars), played bass for very large productions of well-known
Broadway and off-Broadway musicals, been a Musical Director for a
Buffalo dinner theater, played bass guitar for radio commercials,
written copy for same, acted in productions in college (Neal was Doc
Gibbs in =93Our Town=94 at Buffalo State).
   But it isn't until you listen to Neal's two solo outings that you
truly grasp the humor, the pathos, the anxiety and sadness, the hope
and redemption, and the seemingly endless rhythmic inventiveness of
this young soul, this funk-loving renaissance man singing about Van
Gogh, inappropriate tumescence, George Bush, and his own evil twin
ruining parties.

=95 10P River City Ransom (rock/concrete/indie) - $5 Cover
River City Ransom Is NOT from Oklahoma, California or the UK. River
City Ransom is a five-piece rock and roll band from Raleigh, NC who
play aggressive indie rock with loud post-punk choruses. In fact, I=92m
sure there are seven or eight more subgenres you could tag onto this
band- but let's be honest; subgenres are fucking stupid. River City
Ransom plays rock music, and its good.

=95 10:30P I Was Totally Destroying It (powerpop/rock/indie)
Hailing from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, I Was Totally Destroying It
(IWTDI) have been swinging sledgehammers at barriers since early 2007.
Can a band whose ages span seventeen years demonstrate the chemistry
to keep them cohesive? Can a band toe the line between mainstream
palatability and indie-rock influence while appealing to a wide range
of audiences? Can a bumblebee overcome the ratio of its wing span to
its mass and produce enough lift to take flight? We now know that the
answer to all of these questions is a resounding YES!

Mixing indie rock veterans James Hepler (Sorry About Dresden, Erie
Choir) and John Booker (Strunken White, io) with talented young
upstarts Rachel Hirsh (A-OK), Curtis Armstead (Places to Live), and
Joe Mazzitelli (Lemming Malloy) has so far been a recipe for awesome.
A unique blend of 80's rock- think Outfield and The Cure- and 90's
indie rock such as Superchunk, Velocity Girl, and The Anniversary
leaves listeners' palates assaulted by pop flavor. IWTDI sweat and
slave over their songs, leaving no aural opportunity unvisited. Their
lyrics belie the sweet, sunny suggestions of their upbeat melodies,
inviting you to listen in on their conversations about self-loathing,
fear, and intimacy. The end result is a feast of music worth sinking
your teeth into.

=95 11P Rat Jackson (rock/alternative)
Hello Ladies! Tad Jackson here, fearless leader of the world famous
Rat Jackson Band. Some of you may be asking yourselves, "how did I get
here? What is it about these four men that utterly disables my
computer navigating skills? Why do I feel feverish?" Well don't worry
ladies, you are in no danger (yet). You have simply become another
victim of the onslaught of hot humid passion that is The Rat Jackson
Band.
   Rat Jackson will take care of you. We want you to have a good time.
We want you to succeed in life. And we want you to pay the occasional
cover and wander over to the nearby rock club and witness nothing
short of a miracle. This band will change your life and give you a
reason to continue being beautiful - just ask your sister, who took
our advice a long time ago and look how far she has come!   Tad.

Saturday February 27
=95 8P Trees Leave (americana/folk rock/indie)
  Letting go, or running from the past is the prominent theme of the
songs that decorate =93Run,=94 the debut album of Trees Leave. The ghosts
that haunt this Nashville, Tennessee alternative-folk-rock duo have
been coming back to life in their songs for years. Trees Leave have
been playing music together for close to a decade. The last couple of
years, though, have been the most productive and satisfying for them.
They have crafted a sound that marries their Bluegrass roots with
their love of Rock, Blues and Traditional Country music. Trees Leave=92s
preferred brand of Americana mixes raw, emotional lyrics with equally
jarring melodies and instrumentation. Whether they are plugged in or
sitting on the back porch, the urgency in their music and performance
is hard to ignore.
   Usually performing as a duo, they share rhythm guitar duties when
the other is impressing on their signature instruments. Cobi
Ferguson=92s polarizing guitar riffs and Wyatt Espalin=92s fiery fiddle
solos add spice to their live performances and keeps audiences
guessing what will come next. When the venue suits it, Trees Leave
performs with a backing band and their songs do not hesitate to meet
them at the next level. The listener is caught off guard with the
twists of irony, winks of wit and sighs of sorrow of the characters in
their songs.

=95 10P Simeon (down-tempo/visual/concrete)

=95 10:30P Bustello (indie/rock)

=95 11P The Breaks (pop rock from the basement of '79)
Skewed pop narratives from the basement of '79. Savvy Chappy vets deal
the pop rock all tight, no slight.

Sunday February 28
=95 7P Second Shift a capella w/ Duke's Out Of The Blue - $10 cover
20% of all ticket sales will go to Haiti Earthquake Relief via The Red
Cross

Tickets on sale now, just CLICK HERE.

Second Shift is an adult a cappella group located in the Triangle
(Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, NC). We're a co-ed, non-profit
group that sings a wide variety of song styles. Founded in January
2007 as The Looney Tunes, we reformed as Second Shift in September
2009.  Our members come from as far apart as Apex and Hillsborough and
have a wide variety of singing experience.

Out of the Blue (OOTB) is Duke's award-winning and oldest female a
cappella group. Since 1980, we have toured Club Med, performed in
Carnegie Hall, performed live on Turkish Television, competed in
SOJAM, sung the National Anthem at Duke basketball games, and
entertained audiences at countless local, out-of-state, and overseas
venues. Out of the Blue has appeared on multiple BOCA (Best of College
A cappella) CDs and is consistently recognized and awarded by the
Contemporary A Cappella Society (CASA). We love singing, traveling,
and performing and hope to share our love of music with every audience
we perform for.

--
The Broad Street Cafe
1116 Broad Street
Durham, NC  27705
www.TheBroadStreetCafe.com