News: Vibes, Creative Loafing Charlotte

City officials set sights on restaurants, bars... again

Jeff Hahne — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 12:07:00 -0500

UPDATE: You can read Ryan Pitkin's story from the meeting here.

We thought this issue went away, but it's rising up from the ashes to provide headaches to area restaurant owners and musicians once again.…

Frank Ocean tops Village Voice Pazz & Jop poll

Mark Kemp — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 09:39:00 -0500

We're a little late in linking the Village Voice's annual Pazz & Jop poll, and if you're a music geek you've no doubt already checked it out. But for the rest of you, the Voice's 2012 poll looks a little like Creative Loafing's own best-music lists this year.…

Paul McCartney fronts Nirvana

Mark Kemp — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 15:29:00 -0500

OK, so it would have been cooler if John Lennon had fronted Nirvana last night. (Actually, it would have been cooler if Kurt Cobain had fronted Nirvana last night, but I digress.)

We gotta admit it: our hopes and expectations were pretty damn low when we heard "the cute Beatle" would be filling in for the late Cobain during Wednesday night's Nirvana "reunion" at the 12/12/12 Concert to benefit victims of Hurricane Sandy.…

Indian classical music master and Beatles collaborator Ravi Shankar dies

Mark Kemp — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 08:35:00 -0500

He opened Western ears to non-Western sounds.

Not only that, but Indian classical music composer Ravi Shankar, who died Tuesday at 92, helped change the course of popular music around the world when he became a teacher and mentor to Beatles guitarist George Harrison.…

Moogfest renamed 'Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit' for 2013

Jeff Hahne — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:14:00 -0500

The Asheville, N.C., festival formerly known as Moogfest has been renamed as the Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit for 2013 due to Moog Music Inc. deciding not to re-license the name to AC Entertainment.

From 2010 to 2012, Moogfest hosted a variety of acts including Massive Attack, Thievery Corporation, Orbital, Tangerine Dream, Jonsi, Richie Hawtin, Carl Craig and Brian Eno.…

Rapper cancels Charlotte date after gang death threats

Eric Tullis — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 17:55:00 -0500

Earlier today, Charlotte's NBC affiliate station, WCNC, reported that Rick Ross had cancelled gigs in Greensboro tonight and Charlotte tomorrow because of death threats from a North Carolina faction of the Gangster Disciples. News of the threats immediately went national.…

"Gone Gone" singer/songwriter Grey Revell releases EP for charity

Pat Moran — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 17:36:00 -0500

Charlotte singer/songwriter Grey Revell may be best-known these days for his YouTube sensation "Gone Gone," featured in a Hewlett-Packard TV ad that's swept across Latin America and Eastern Europe, creating a viral-like buzz everywhere, it seems, but here at home. Now, Revell is using his talents to help two young babies whose mother, a friend of Revell's, died during childbirth.…

Avett Brothers bassist Bob Crawford walks for St. Jude benefit

Jeff Hahne — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 11:23:00 -0500

Ever since August of 2011, when it was announced that Avett Brothers bassist Bob Crawford's daughter was battling brain cancer, fans have shown their support and inquired for updates. Hallie, who is about to turn 3, has finished her chemotherapy and recently started preschool, but that doesn't mean there aren't other children who need help.…

Avett Brothers added to 2013 MerleFest lineup

Jeff Hahne — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 11:47:00 -0500

UPDATE (1/2/13): The Avett Brothers have been added to the Sunday lineup for Merlefest.

The 26th annual MerleFest, scheduled for April 25-28, 2013, on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, N.C., announced its initial lineup including special remembrances of the late Doc Watson by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and an all-star tribute assembled by Sam Bush.

The four-day festival, which is known for its unique mix of traditional and roots-oriented music, will celebrate the life and music of Watson, who died on May 29, 2012.…

Ben Folds wants to perform at a Charlotte Bobcats game

Jeff Hahne — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 16:57:00 -0500

Musician Ben Folds, who grew up in Winston-Salem, N.C., hit Twitter on Sunday to pitch his band, Ben Folds Five, as a pit band for a Charlotte Bobcats game this season.

Folds sent out Twitter messages to his followers:

(and this one to Bobcat player Mike Kidd-Gilchrist):

And the Bobcats replied:

Ben Folds Five had their first hit with "Brick" in the mid-1990s.…

Led Zeppelin's "Celebration Day" comes to Charlotte

Jeff Hahne — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 10:48:00 -0400

In December of 2007, legendary rockers Led Zeppelin came together for a one-night-only reunion concert at London's O2 Arena to pay tribute to Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. More than 20 million fans applied for the 18,000 available tickets in what was the band's first headlining show in 27 years.…

Janelle Monáe rocks the body politic (and covers Hendrix and the J5)

Mark Kemp — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 18:30:00 -0400

The Democratic National Convention 2012 isn't offering much in terms of "wow factor" on its music sked this week, but the first day lifted off to an extraordinary start when Janelle Monáe, in black trousers, a white shirt and suspenders, launched into "Little Wing" on a downtown stage under a canopy emblazoned with the words "We Make It Possible." Monáe and her band ripped into the oft-covered Jimi Hendrix classic as if no one — not Derek and the Dominos and not Stevie Ray Vaughan — had ever done it before.…

Local student designs Lil Wayne album cover

Jeff Hahne — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 10:34:00 -0400

Jesse Diebolt, a recent graduate of Myers Park High School and incoming freshman graphic design major at UNC Charlotte, had his artwork selected to be the cover of Lil Wayne's upcoming Dedication 4 mixtape.

The cover features Lil Wayne as a Trukfit character holding a skateboard.…

Rock & rap arms race at the two political conventions

Pat Moran — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 13:19:00 -0400

The Republican and Democratic conventions are locked in an entertainment arms race. As they have with Super PACs and redistricting/gerrymandering, the GOP has so far outspent and out-maneuvered the Dems, securing at least eight big-name acts to the Democrats’ two.…

So long, old buddy: SXSW creative director Brent Grulke dies at 52

Mark Kemp — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 08:33:00 -0400

The music world lost a huge friend and tireless supporter Monday when Brent Grulke, the creative director of the South By Southwest Music Festival and Conference in Austin, Tex., died from a heart attack after undergoing oral surgery. He was 52 and leaves behind his wife Kristen, 6-year-old son Graham, and music-industry friends and acquaintances literally all over the world.…

It wasn't God who made Kitty Wells famous...

Mark Kemp — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 12:35:00 -0400

Since the death of country music's first female megastar, the great Kitty Wells, earlier this week, the blogosphere has been flooded with tributes and links to stories. One of her more recent interviews was with Wall Street Journal music writer Barry Mazor, who talked to the Queen of Country in 2008 in conjunction with the opening of a Kitty Wells exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville.…

NoDa Records launches Kickstarter campaign

Jeff Hahne — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 11:40:00 -0400

NoDa Records launched its Kickstarter campaign today in hopes of raising $50,000.

The idea behind NoDa Records is a self-contained collective of bands — Asleep in the Weeds, Bums Lie, JuiceBox and The Wormholes — that, over the course of six months, will shoot each other's videos, help record each other's music and film documentaries of the entire process.…

Chuck Prophet brings San Francisco love letter to Charlotte (7/18/2012)

Mark Kemp — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 12:42:00 -0400

Legendary proto-alt country singer/songwriter Chuck Prophet, who came to prominence as a member of the '80s Southern California Paisley Underground band Green on Red, has announced a last-minute tour stop in Charlotte. Prophet, whose latest album, Temple Beautiful, is a poignant homage to San Francisco, will play at the Double Door Inn on Wednesday, July 18.…

Hopscotch announces 2012 schedule

Jeff Hahne — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 09:55:00 -0400

The 2012 Hopscotch Music Festival announced its schedule today for the event being held in Raleigh on Sept. 6-8.

On Thursday night, music will start at 8:30 in 14 different clubs around the city.…

The Money set to close, re-open as Firewater 110

Caroline Pate — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 15:00:00 -0400

David Kiser doesn't want to be known as the guy who killed The Money, which closed today. The current president of the Rock Hill club is behind the caterpillar-butterfly transformation of The Money into Firewater 110, which opens on July 6.…

BBC Southern rock doc includes two CL Charlotte voices

Jeff Hahne — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 10:14:00 -0400

Earlier this spring, the British Broadcasting Corporation began airing what may be the definitive documentary on the golden age of Southern rock. It features extensive interviews with icons ranging from Gregg Allman and Bonnie Bramlett to Mike Mills of R.E.M. and Patterson Hood of the Drive By Truckers.…

Future Flavas Music Summit at the Blake Hotel (6/16/2012)

Caroline Pate — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 14:29:16 -0400

Plenty of music label and industry representatives will be on hand this weekend as the 2nd annual Power 98's Future Flavas Music Summit offers a backstage peek at the music business.

Taking place at The Blake Hotel on June 16, this year's summit will focus on "Taking It to the Next Level," with four block panels of music industry professionals discussing legal basics, contracts, production, promotion and radio play.…

Fleetwood Mac's Bob Welch dies at 66

Jeff Hahne — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 09:42:02 -0400

Guitarist and singer Bob Welch, who helped Fleetwood Mac transition from pure blues musicians into more lightweight pop artists, died on June 7 from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was 66.…

May the circle be unbroken: a tribute to two Carolina legends

Mark Kemp — Wed, 30 May 2012 12:23:00 -0400

A friend had converted the old movie theater in downtown Randleman into a concert space and he was bringing Doc Watson to town. I was a teenager living down the road in Asheboro and thrilled to be seeing the North Carolina folk legend perform live at the newly christened Old Liberty Music Hall.…

Doc Watson dies at age 89

Jeff Hahne — Tue, 29 May 2012 20:50:00 -0400

Doc Watson died on Tuesday, May 29, at age 89. He had undergone colon surgery last week and was still at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C.

The icon and influential guitarist, born Arthel Lane Watson, was a master of both finger-picking and flat-picking styles which helped lead the guitar into the spotlight of folk music.…