News
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
News Local musician Eric Krauss has died
Posted by Jeff Hahne on Tue, Feb 7, 2012 at 11:47 AM
Local musician Eric Krauss, 40, died over the weekend. Krauss was active in the Charlotte music scene throughout the 1990s and 2000s, playing with bands including Lodestar, Helicopter, Come On Thunderchild and Virginia Reel. Details of his death aren't yet known, but word quickly spread through the Charlotte music community early this week.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, Feb. 9, at Hankins and Whittington Funeral Home, 1111 East Boulevard, Charlotte. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m., with the memorial service beginning at 7 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Humane Society of Charlotte, 2700 Toomey Ave., Charlotte, N.C. 28203.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
News Soul Train founder Don Cornelius found dead
Posted by Jeff Hahne on Wed, Feb 1, 2012 at 1:00 PM
Soul Train founder Don Cornelius, 75, was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound on Wednesday.
The television show helped bring soul and dance music to a broad audience beginning in August 1970, when the Chi-Lites, Jerry Butler and the Emotions appeared on the premier telecast. Among the performers on the show during its 35-year history were James Brown, Ike & Tina Turner, The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, David Bowie, Elton John, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Beastie Boys, Mariah Carey, Justin Timberlake, The Black Eyed Peas, and countless others including Charlotte artists Jodeci, Anthony Hamilton and Fantasia Barrino.
Cornelius' famous signoff on each episode was, "...and as always in parting, we wish you love, peace... and SOUL."
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
News Sugar Glyder signs to ORG Music
Posted by Jeff Hahne on Wed, Jan 18, 2012 at 12:06 PM
Charlotte rock quartet Sugar Glyder has signed with ORG Music with a new album planned for 2012. Formed in 2008, Sugar Glyder has played more than 300 show over the last two years, sharing the stage with acts such as Silversun Pickups, Matt & Kim, Manchester Orchestra and Neon Trees.
The band — Bobby Mathews, Chris Rigo, Daniel Howie and Emily Aoyagi — garnered plenty of attention at their 2011 SXSW performance in Austin, Texas, which led to their being signed by ORG Music.
Here's the video for their song "Song Holiday":
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
News / New Releases Former Charlotte musician releasing Los Amigos Invisibles documentary in March
Posted by Jeff Hahne on Tue, Jan 17, 2012 at 1:34 PM
Juan Miguel Marin, formerly a member of the Charlotte Latin-alternative quintet La Rúa, will celebrate the world premiere of his feature film, La Casa del Ritmo, A Film About Los Amigos Invisibles, at the Miami International Film Festival in March.
The film shares the musical journey of Los Amigos Invisibles over the last 20 years through conversations with each of the six original band members, as well as David Byrne (Talking Heads)
and Yale Evelev - both formerly of Luaka Bop — and a concert shot in New York City in March of 2011 at the Highline Ballroom. Marin worked on the film with his wife and former CL photographer, Catalina Kulczar-Marin, and Ecuadorian director Javier Andrade.
As a part of La Rúa, Marin toured with Los Amigos Invisibles in 2005 and 2006 and was inspired by the band's hard work, devotion to their music and commitment to their fans. Marin, an Ecuadorian artist/musician who is now based in N.Y.C., had a chance encounter with LAI bass player Jose Rafael Torres in 2010 in which the two discussed the band's 20-year anniversary taking place in 2011.
News Simplified video shoot on Wednesday
Posted by Jeff Hahne on Tue, Jan 17, 2012 at 10:08 AM
Charlotte rock band Simplified will be filming a video for their song "Screaming at the Ceiling" on Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 6 p.m. at the Nascar Plaza in Uptown Charlotte. Fans who know the words and can sing along could be given the chance to be featured. Better start learning the lyrics...
Thursday, January 12, 2012
News UPDATE: Fun police want to stop entertainment after midnight
Posted by Jeff Hahne on Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 1:14 PM
UPDATE: This post contains updated information in regards to the Jan. 17 meeting.
Charlotte's fun police are at it again. The City Council was expected to vote next week on a new proposal that would put a stop to entertainment of all kinds after midnight inside bars and restaurants within 400 feet of a residential area. While information was released suggesting a vote on the proposal would take place at the Jan. 17 meeting, the item has been tabled until early spring of 2012, after the council has had a chance to revisit the noise ordinance. There would also need to be a public hearing before any vote could take place.
For establishments in areas such as Elizabeth (Kennedy's, Philospher's Stone, etc.), Plaza Midwood (Snug Harbor, Common Market, etc.) and anywhere outside of uptown, this would mean no live or recorded music, no karaoke, no comedians, no playing pool or other entertainment-related activities after midnight. (In other words, it would affect some of the city's better music clubs in some of its more artistically adventurous neighborhoods. Uptown establishments would not be affected.) Does anyone else hear the Footloose theme song in their head?
As it stands now, restaurants are defined as establishments that serve food while any place that has social entertainment is called a nightclub. Restaurants that offer various forms of social entertainment can undergo code enforcement due to the current Charlotte laws; and nightclubs are not allowed within 400 feet of residentially zoned areas. The committee is looking at the current laws and any possible changes that should be suggested to the city council.
Ed's Tavern posted comments and information online that are making rounds on Facebook and other social networking sites.
We're dedicating a little Iggy and the Stooges to the city's Fun Police. Enjoy — then scroll down below the video to find the right local representative to write and tell how you feel about the proposal. Stay tuned — we will let you know when the council decides to discuss and/or vote on the proposal.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
News Red Hot Chili Peppers postponed
Posted by Jeff Hahne on Wed, Jan 11, 2012 at 11:35 AM
Unlike a lot of postponements that are due to poor ticket sales, the Jan. 25 concert at Charlotte's Time Warner Cable Arena has been postponed to April 6 due to foot surgery on lead singer Anthony Kiedis.
Kiedis recently underwent surgery to remove a crushed bone and correct a detached tendon in his foot.
Tickets for the Jan. 25 show will be honored at the rescheduled show in April.
Monday, January 9, 2012
News / Concert Announcement Coachella lineup announced
Posted by Jeff Hahne on Mon, Jan 9, 2012 at 7:20 PM
The 13th annual Coachella Music Valley and Arts Festival, held in Indio, Calif., in April announced their lineup today. Headliners are The Black Keys, Radiohead and Dr. Dre w/ Snoop Dogg. Among other performers are the recently reunited At the Drive-In, Florence and the Machine, Arctic Monkeys, Explosions in the Sky, Girl Talk, Girls, Tim Armstrong, Jimmy Cliff, Bon Iver, The Shins, St. Vincent, Beirut and plenty of others.
Coachella will be held on two weekends, April 13-15 and April 20-22 this year.
Friday, January 6, 2012
News / On TV / Awards Charlotte Symphony chorus director receives Grammy nomination
Posted by Jeff Hahne on Fri, Jan 6, 2012 at 3:17 PM
Scott Allen Jarrett, the Charlotte Symphony’s director of choruses and assistant conductor, received a Grammy Award nomination for "Best Choral Performance" as part of his performance with the Miami-based choral ensemble Seraphic Fire’s recording of "Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem."
The chorus’ performance of "Brahms’ Ein Deutches Requiem" debuted at number six on the Billboard Classical music charts last September. The recording, which uses Brahms’ own transcription for two pianos, features Jarrett as a pianist. He has been involved with Seraphic Fire since 2005 and maintains an active role within the ensemble as keyboard collaborator.
"I am so proud to be a part of such a fantastic project,” Jarrett said in a press release. “Seraphic Fire has grown over the years into one of the country's premier choral ensembles, and it's tremendously rewarding to know that our work is being recognized at such a high level."
Currently in his eighth season as director of the Charlotte oratorio singers, Jarrett is a Boston resident. He travels weekly to Charlotte.
Friday, December 30, 2011
News Matrimony signs with Columbia Records
Posted by Jeff Hahne on Fri, Dec 30, 2011 at 9:46 AM
Charlotte folk-rock quintent Matrimony signed a record deal with Columbia Records, they announced during their Dec. 29 concert at the Visulite Theatre. The band is currently writing new material for an album they hope to release in the first half of 2012.
The band originally began as the duo of Jimmy Brown (guitar, vocals) and his wife, Ashlee Hardee Brown (vocals, keys). They self-released their debut album, The Storm & The Eye, in August of 2010.
After going through a few lineup changes, the band is currently completed by Jordan Hardee (bass), C-J Hardee (mandolin, banjo) and Alex Watson (drums). Jordan Hardee is the former drummer for Charlotte rock band The Paper Tongues.
The group played at SXSW in 2011, gaining the interest of record labels, while continuing to tour around the United States.
Their most recent single, "Obey Your Guns," was released for free online.
Columbia Records and its subsidiaries are home to a variety of artists including The Avett Brothers, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Adele, Beyonce, Pearl Jam, Foster the People, Cults and J. Cole.
