RTP-area local music and culture

[grady <grady AT ibiblio.org>]

Wednesday, March 10
Simple    (http://www.myspace.com/httpwwwmyspacecomsimple)
Stars of Track and Field
Local 506, Chapel Hill



Thursday, March 11
John Howie & the Sweethearts
Girls Guns & Glory    (http://www.girlsgunsandglory.com/)
Berkeley Cafe, Raleigh



Thursday, March 11
Gray Young    (http://www.myspace.com/grayyoung)
I Was Totally Destroying It 
(http://www.reverbnation.com/iwastotallydestroyingit)
Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun 
(http://www.myspace.com/todaythemoontomorrowthesun)
Tir Na Nog, Raleigh

I Was Totally Destroying It just announced that the best song ("Come 
Out, Come Out") from their latest album, Horror Vacui, has been picked 
up for a Brazilian cellphone commercial. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN8T5a7zVQo
Eons ago, Superchunk did a British Knights commercial . . . and they're 
*huge* in Brazil. Coincidence? What?



Thursday, March 11
Danielson    (http://www.danielson.info)
Ortolan    (http://www.myspace.com/ortolansong)
Ben and Vesper    (http://www.myspace.com/benandvesper)
Local 506, Chapel Hill

I saw Danielson a few years ago at the Local 506, and it was one of the 
more memorable shows I've ever seen, in part for their adorable matching 
uniforms with the applique hearts, but mostly for the sheer utter 
exuberance of their performance. Not recommended if you have a low 
tolerance for sincerity (or highly nuanced/buried/obscured irony); 
highly recommended for everyone else.



Thursday, March 11
The Daredevil Christopher Wright 
(http://www.myspace.com/thedaredevilchristopherwright)
The David Wax Museum    (http://www.myspace.com/davidwaxmusic)
The Pinhook, Durham



Thursday, March 11
The Whisky Smugglers
Spirit Family Reunion    (http://www.myspace.com/spiritfamilyreunionusa)
The Cave, Chapel Hill



Thursday, March 11
Bright Young Things
Mike Roy
J. Roddy Walston and The Business
Slim's Downtown, Raleigh



Friday, March 12
The Loners    (http://www.demonbeachrecords.com/loners.html)
The Love Language    (http://www.myspace.com/thelovelanguage)
Pneurotics    (http://www.myspace.com/pneurotics)
The Travesties    (http://www.myspace.com/travestiesnc)
D-Town Brass
Broad Street Cafe, Durham

This is a benefit for Dirty Little Heaters frontwoman Reese McHenry, who 
underwent some surgery last fall that, not surprisingly, left her with a 
pile of medical bills. I've been giving the same speech for the past 
10-15 years, about how I'd much rather have universal healthcare, and 
*not* have to raise money for our friends willy-nilly via benefits & 
bake sales . . . but as long as we're stuck with what we have, it's 
awesome that so many great bands are willing to chip in & help out. 
Here's the lineup:

  • 9:30P D-Town Brass
  • 10:15P The Pneurotics
  • 11:00P The Travesties
  • 11:45P The Loners
  • 12:30P The Love Language

Note that since Stu McLamb more-or-less dissolved last year's version of 
the Love Language live band, it's unclear what you're going to get 
tonight -- but it'll likely be great, regardless.



Friday, March 12
The Morning Benders    (http://www.myspace.com/themorningbenders)
Miniature Tigers    (http://www.myspace.com/miniaturetigers)
Acrylics    (http://www.myspace.com/acrylicsnyc)
Local 506, Chapel Hill



Friday, March 12
Pierced Arrows    (http://www.myspace.com/piercedarrowspdx)
Shithorse
The Cave, Chapel Hill

The handful of times that Dead Moon played the Local 506, they drew a 
fairly large & passionate crowd of fans. So it's kind of crazy to see 
that Fred & Toody's new band, Pierced Arrows, have been booked into the 
Cave on a Friday night. The website says they're actually selling 
advance tickets at the Cave, so I reckon you should run & get one if you 
have any hope of getting in.



Friday, March 12
Benji Hughes    (http://www.myspace.com/benjihughes)
Skullbuckle
Pour House, Raleigh



Friday, March 12
The Tender Fruit    (http://www.myspace.com/thetenderfruit)
Old Bricks
The Daredevil Christopher Wright 
(http://www.myspace.com/thedaredevilchristopherwright)
Slim's Downtown, Raleigh

I so dearly love The Tender Fruit. If you only half-listen, they may 
strike you as just another gtr/drums southern folk band with an amazing 
singer. Listen closer, though, to Christy Smith's lyrics, and you'll 
realize they're also smart & literate & more than a little dark & 
twisted, in the best possible way.



Saturday, March 13
Cantwell, Gomez, Jordan    (http://www.cantwellgomezandjordan.com)
Wigg Report    (http://www.synchronizedswim.org)
Air Waves
2702 Lawndale, Durham

This is a house show at Craig's house, 2702 Lawndale. The other day I 
pulled out the live bonus CD from the last Wigg Report album, Like 
Blammo Fast, and was reminded yet again that there's not a better band 
in Durham. They're just freaking perfect in every way.

Which is not to give short shrift to Cantwell Gomez & Jordan, who are 
*also* freaking perfect in every way . . . and yet totally different 
than the Wigg Report. Mysterious!



Saturday, March 13
A Rooster for the Masses    (http://www.myspace.com/aroosterforthemasses)
Dry Heathens    (http://www.myspace.com/dryheathens)
Bustello    (http://www.myspace.com/bustellomusic)
Broad Street Cafe, Durham

Ben Clarke used to sing for the remarkable Pixies-meet-rockabilly-croon 
band Metal Flake Mother, back in the early early 90s, and he's 
apparently been carrying their distinctive sound around with him ever 
since. His new band is Bustello, and if they sound like nothing else 
around here, it's in part because they sound so much like MFM (who 
themselves sounded like nothing else around at the time).



Saturday, March 13
Hank Sinatra    (http://www.hank-sinatra.com/)
Killer Filler    (http://www.myspace.com/killerfiller)
The Dex Romweber Duo 
(http://www.bloodshotrecords.com/artist/dex-romweber-duo)
Pour House, Raleigh



Saturday, March 13
Embarrassing Fruits    (http://www.myspace.com/embarrassingfruitsband)
Jason Kutchma
Speed Governor    (http://www.myspace.com/speedgovernor)
The Pinhook, Durham



Saturday, March 13
Transient
Lamb Handler
Slim's Downtown, Raleigh



Sunday, March 14
Billy Sugarfix    (http://www.soundclick.com/bands/8/billysugarfix.htm)
WXDU 88.7 FM, Durham

Billy Sugarfix put out an album last year, Summer Tempests, that 
essentially redefined his entire 20-year career. Sure, he'd written 
plenty of love (and loss) songs before -- they were a staple of the Evil 
Weiner repertoire. But the hallmark of those songs was their goofiness, 
with their candy & cat metaphors & their sugary hooks.

Summer Tempests, Billy's first proper solo album, is a much darker 
affair. The love is mostly past-tense, and the mood is frequently one of 
bipolar anxiety & intermittent despair.

The songwriting is lovelier than ever, though. Hear it for yourself at 
4:00 p.m. at 88.7 FM or wxdu.org.



Sunday, March 14
These Are Powers    (http://www.myspace.com/thesearepowers)
Lemonade    (http://www.myspace.com/bananasandecstasy)
MNDR    (http://www.myspace.com/mndrtronica)
The Pinhook, Durham

Rare Sunday show for the Pinhook, to accommodate the presumably 
SXSW-bound These are Powers.

10:30 - These are Powers
9:30 - Lemonade
8:30 - MNDR



Sunday, March 14
Lake Inferior    (http://www.myspace.com/lakeinferiormusic)
Here We Go Magic    (http://www.myspace.com/herewegomagic)
Local 506, Chapel Hill



Monday, March 15
I Was Totally Destroying It 
(http://www.reverbnation.com/iwastotallydestroyingit)
En Serenade    (http://www.myspace.com/enserenade)
Mobley    (http://www.myspace.com/mobleyband)
Local 506, Chapel Hill



Tuesday, March 16
Juan Huevos    (http://www.myspace.com/juanhuevos)
Kool Keith    (http://www.koolkeith.co.uk/)
Cat's Cradle, Carrboro



Tuesday, March 16
Cantwell, Gomez, Jordan    (http://www.cantwellgomezandjordan.com)
Jay Cartwright
Zevious
Nightlight, Chapel Hill

Last fall Cantwell Gomez & Jordan had their 10th-anniversary show, and I 
think it was apparent to everyone there that they're in no danger of 
slowing down or burning out in their second decade. They are still the 
gold-standard of frantic high-energy jazz-punk-skronk-pop.



Tuesday, March 16
North Elementary    (http://www.northelementary.com)
Mobley    (http://www.myspace.com/mobleyband)
Aminal    (http://www.myspace.com/theaminalmusic)
Pour House, Raleigh



Tuesday, March 16
Dexter Romweber    (http://www.dexterromweber.com)
The Cave, Chapel Hill



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