WEDNESDAY, FEB. 18
Crowntown Showdown It’s a monthly event that we’re a sponsor of and we’ll support it until the cows come home. What other chance do you have to see a handful of bands for a low price? We don’t get any profit from it – we only support the bands and try to get you off your ass and out to the show. This time around, it’s Elonzo, Megan Jean & the Klay Family Band, Kenni Falls, Transmission Fields, Jared Allen & Co. and Sea of Cortez. Double Door Inn (Jeff Hahne)
THURSDAY, FEB. 19
U-Melt NYC quartet’s progressively-charged grooves and jamming underscore the veteran musicianship that’s lit with jazzy keys, funky guitars and a solid rhythm section. The key to its fluid sound is the combination of unattached (to any genre) improvisation tinged with a knowing interplay. The jams aren’t overly spacey and are just funky enough to suit any occasion. The Mumbles will open. Double Door Inn (Samir Shukla)
Son Volt In retrospect, the bigger story was how Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy lasted as long as they did in Uncle Tupelo, not that they split up. Tweedy’s an extrovert, and his well-documented creative restlessness makes Wilco a compelling story; the reserved Farrar, on the other hand, evolves by burrowing deeper into the country rock templates of Dylan and Crazy Horse Young (with the occasional nod to Revolver and Pleased to Meet Me). Still, for those content to follow an artist fully committed to this ethos, the nuance is just as compelling, and on stage Farrar gets a six-string boost from one of the best young twang-guitarists in the business, Chris Masterson. Alvin Youngblood Hart opens. Neighborhood Theatre (John Schacht)
The Noises 10 The record deal with Jive may have fallen through, but that doesn’t mean these guys don’t have talent. They pack the Visulite and Snug Harbor every time they play, but this time around, it’s a little bit different. They’re at a different venue and they’re going “unplugged” for an acoustic recording session. Probably well worth getting in and checking out. The Evening Muse (late show) (Hahne)
FRIDAY, FEB. 20
Ben Sollee The unusual combination of Sollee’s oh-so-soulful and pleading voice, think Al Green and Marvin Gaye, along with his sparse cello plucking and playing marks Sollee as an intriguing new solo presence on the scene. Sollee has arrived with lyrically astute songs, the politically lit “A Few Honest Words,” and sinewy renditions, Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come,” from his new debut album Learning to Bend. He is classically trained yet rooted in soul. Visulite Theatre (Shukla)
Hellblinki Sextet File this anachronistic Asheville co-op under Gypsy Rock, with all the attendant Waits/Brecht/Django/Gogol Bordello references that apply. Nobody’s reinventing the wheel here, but then this particular mode of musical transport has roots as old as the Romani themselves, and rarely fails to seduce. Last year’s Oratory was the band’s best and most concise statement yet, meaning of course that its boleros and waltzes and blues and flamencos came from all over the musical map. With Sonic Death Rabbit and Andy the Doorbum. Snug Harbor (Schacht)
SATURDAY, FEB. 21
The Shockwaves Sloppy is good. This Atlanta punk-and-garage combo stumbles and fumbles over the instruments but struts out rocking nonetheless. Last summer’s release Pankastroika is kooky on the spy movie theme tip, yet is decidedly cocky. The band is more punk than hardcore, and takes cues from both the West Coast (Dead Kennedys) and early Brit punk. Also on the bill: Southside Punx, Murder Media and IED. Milestone (Shukla)
The Stellas This young Rock Hill/Charlotte-based quartet do the power-alt-pop thing with agreeable enough aplomb. Consisting of bass player Josh Knight, vocalist/guitarist Adam Middleton, drummer Jacob Worden and newest Stella Shaun McFall, the Weezer-worshipping wee ones also seem to have cut their teeth on a solid stack vintage vinyl from the likes of The Kinks, The Zombies, and The Hollies, with a little Cobain and The Cars thrown in for roughage. With Nathan Morris & Joanna Lynne; No Second Troy & Last November. The Evening Muse (Timothy C. Davis)
SUNDAY, FEB. 22
Umphrey’s McGee You know they plan on “kicking out the jams,” so to speak, and sure there’ll be plenty of new stuff from the band’s January album, Mantis. The band, which was formed in Notre Dame, leans toward the prog-rock side of jam street. With plenty of albums – and Jammy Awards – it’s sure to be a long night. Neighborhood Theatre (Hahne)
This article appears in Feb 17-24, 2009.
