WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 8
HELLBOUND GLORY Self-described as Scumbag Country, the band’s singer/rhythm guitarist Leroy Virgil (hell if that’s not a country crooner name) plucks and howls in and out of dives and gin joints. Playing dry, dusty country music, the Reno-based outfit tells drinking stories — lots of them, while the guitars twang and sashay into true blue country haunts. All you need is a couple of cowpoke hats dancing face to face. With Cattletruck. $6, The Evening Muse, www.theeveningmuse.com (Samir Shukla)
THURSDAY, SEPT. 9
SIN ROPAS Former Red Red Meat bassist Tim Hurley and his missus Danni Iosello are Sin Ropas. The multi-instrumentalist duo’s eclectic compositions are best enjoyed in dim, flickering lights. They take their time winding around genres and musical byways with lo-fi swirls, muffled vocals, lost-and-found electronica flourishes and the rootsy zip of banjo. This is a fab triple bill with our own Houstons and Italy’s Father Murphy. $7-$9, The Milestone, www.themilestoneclub.com (Shukla)
FRIDAY, SEPT. 10
DJ RASHAD & CAPTAIN CRUNK Maybe Chicago-style juke music is what Charlotte’s party scene has been missing all this time. When was the last time you really danced in a spot? Sure, juke caters toward those with footwork but otherwise, what’s not to love? DJ Rashad is a name synonymous with the subgenre, and his sweat-inducing and ass-bouncing creations will not disappoint. $5, Dharma Lounge, www.dharmacharlotte.com (Mike McCray)
KOTTONMOUTH KINGS The musical equivalent of a tinfoil-wrapped packet of seeds-n-stems, Kottonmouth Kings is the answer to the (musical?) question, “What do you get when you combine Everlast, a Sublime cover band, Hot Topic, Myrtle Beach and a work release program?” Used to be that people liked to get all smoked up and then throw on Sticky Fingers or 461 Ocean Boulevard. Them days is over, it appears. There’s nothing to see (not to mention listen to) here that Cypress Hill didn’t do 10 times better, earlier and more consistently. Skip it, spark it and throw on Paul’s Boutique instead. No sense in harshing yourself any more than you have to. $29, The Fillmore Charlotte, www.livenation.com (Timothy C. Davis)
THE BLACK KEYS We’re pretty sure that this show won’t be affected by pigeon shit. In the meantime, we can expect that The Black Keys is going to do its best to steal the spotlight from headliners Kings of Leon. The blues-rock duo has been gaining popularity over the years, and is touring in support of its latest album, Brothers. Opening for Kings of Leon with The Whigs. $49.35-$71. 7:30 p.m. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. www.livenation.com (Jeff Hahne)
SATURDAY, SEPT. 11
WAKEY! WAKEY! Give Mike Grubbs (piano and vocals) his due for concocting rather intriguing pop. W!W! is essentially Grubbs’ muse while the band runs the gamut of cohesive, happy piano-pop. Sure he rubs shoulders with Joe Jackson and Ben Folds on his way to compositional props, but Grubbs has the talent and the moxie to pull off his own stash of original, memorable tunes. With Matt Hires and Brandon Kirkley & The Firecrackers. $8-$10, Tremont Music Hall, www.tremontmusichall.com (Shukla)
RICHARD BUCKNER For the uninitiated, Buckner’s strained, bear-like yowl is hard to mistake — like Jay Farrar of Son Volt, it’s as much an instrument as the guitars and pedal steel. Like a truck, it might not have much high end, but the torque it creates is considerable. Sometimes Buckner’s lyricism tends toward the more abstract, and one wonders why he just doesn’t hit the feeling head on. Then you hear him sing, and you know. It’s like hunting deer with a bazooka. With Darden Smith, Dean Fields. $12, 10:30 p.m., The Evening Muse, www.theeveningmuse.com (Davis)
SUNDAY, SEPT. 12
SHARON VAN ETTEN Throwing a singer-songwriter label on someone doesn’t tell you much, and if you add in folk, it can cause people to run for the hills of mediocrity. Van Etten showcases a deeper emotion and there’s Brooklyn grit evident in her smoky vocals. Sure, this one could have been at the Muse, but something feels right about it being held within the graffiti walls of The Milestone. With Marissa Nadler and Second Hand Stories. $8-$12, The Milestone, www.themilestoneclub.com (Jeff Hahne)
PUBLIC ENEMY Few rap groups have the cultural impact of PE’s movement at its strongest. Even with Flavor Flav becoming famous for reality show shenanigans and Chuck D doing talk radio, their music is undeniably influential to an entire generation of hip-hop heads. Believe this hype. Fucked Up, The Banned & Crew Grrl Order are also on the bill. $30-$35. Amos’ Southend, www.amossouthend.com (Mike McCray)
TUESDAY, SEPT. 14
SIMPLIFIED With songs like “High Everyday,” this local Charlotte band has good reason to sing. Aside from a loyal fan base, the band — comprised of Clee Laster, Chris Sheridan, Tim Lail and Chris Lych — has just kicked off its annual Labor Day tour and promises an awesome show for anyone into guitar with a funk twist. Seamlessly blending melodic lyrics with syncopated beats, Simplified will satisfy even the deepest musical cravings. Free, The Rusty Rudder, www.therustyrudder.net (Debra Renee Seth)
This article appears in Sep 7-13, 2010.
