ANTiSEEN Charlotte ain’t got a lot that’s original, but ANTiSEEN certainly fall under that category, although some of the members are scattered now. You have a Libertarian politician on guitar, and a wrestling-mad lead singer who breaks beer bottles over his head and has rather limited views on multiculturalism, folding tables, thumbtacks, rebel flags and more, all tied together with one of the best rhythm sections in the area. No wonder the guys are on like their 20th record by now. Their newest, The Boys From Brutalsville, was finally released on a rather large indie, TKO Records. Opening is Hairball, ex-Sunny Ledfurd guitarist Ryan Hunter’s newest project, a profane-yet-pointed throwback to when punk could be funny without being, say, Green Day. Friday, Tremont Music Hall. — TCD
Aqualads / Mistle-tones Nice little Christmas warm-up here, featuring Charlotte’s favorite surf purists, the Aqualads, playing another in a series of occasional gigs for the ostensibly broken-up band. Along with the multiple CL award winners are the Mistle-tones, featuring Charlotte’s own Mookie Brill and Belmont Playboy and general badass Mike Hendrix. I have no idea what they might be playing, but considering the resumes of the two, I’d feel safe placing a bill or two on “Christmas rockabilly.” Tuesday, Double Door Inn. — TCD
Black Eyed Dog Asheville-area country rockers Black Eyed Dog have a new limited-edition CD out, titled Distance In Between. A kind of less-obtuse and gothic Son Volt, the band deserves regular Charlotte gigs. Heck, their touring drummer is from Charlotte: Lou Ford’s Darrell Ussery, who also plays on the record. Throw in some raw-but-refined production by Ted Comerford and a mix job by none other than Mitch Easter, and you have the makings of a keeper. With The Houston Brothers. Saturday, Evening Muse. — TCD
Choke Their Rivers With Our Dead Delightfully dissonant sledgehammer noise/punk with a Southern flair (not that you can tell what they’re saying most of the time, but rather in spirit), from Stanley, NC, if my memory serves me. The aural equivalent of barbecue soaked with gasoline instead of vinegar sauce, CTRWOD are likely Charlotte’s answer to Atari Teenage Riot. Who knew anybody ever posed the question? With The Assistants and others. Recommended, and not only because the band name’s so damn cool. Wednesday, December 26, Fat City. — TCD
Hobex Why not just give Greg Humphreys props for fronting the hardest working band in show business, at least in our neck of the woods? Why not give another listen to the wonderful record Wisteria, that may be lost in the shadows of the listening pile? The sweet Carolina soul-rock and pop of Hobex rings true this year and any other year. Saturday, Visulite. — SS
The Houston Brothers What’s offered in our fair city is a smorgasbord of many really talented bands. The good thing is the “play and swap scene” local musicians have created to produce a harvest of side bands and projects. The Houston Brothers are one such outfit (consisting of Matt and Justin Faircloth) that creates a jazzy aura of moody, ambient sounds with warm acoustic and electric instruments. The multi-instrumentalists released i take care of you recently, and it’s one of the most potent records to run across my desk the whole year. Saturday, The Evening Muse. — SS
King Johnson Band King Johnson pumps out a jazzy flavored blues groove with heaps of New Orleans style funk. What more do you need for the mighty Double Door’s 28th anniversary shindig? The album Luck So Strange, released earlier this year, cements the sound as it showcases their wares with gruff vocals and beats to add a twist to traditional blues. In the end, it’s the dual horn attack of sax and trombone that separate and help define their sound. Saturday, Double Door Inn. — SS
Leisure McCorkle The Nappy Superstar is back in town, with a new bag of gifts for the faithful. This gig is said to be a band show, which means McCorkle’s Joe Jackson-on-Pop Rocks ditties ought to have bassist Mike Mitschele along to help them sink into your head. Not that it’s needed. One thing the guy can do is write hooks, whether or not the major label types are bitin’. Tuesday, Mojo. — TCD
Snagglepuss / Babyshaker This is the dynamic duo holiday hoedown of the month. DJ Mark Lynch kicks off the fun. Then, perky rockers Babyshaker provide the raw brew of punk, glam and garage in their own take on everything post-rock. Frontman Scott Weaver later puts in overtime and jumps in with the rock & roll roadshow known as Snagglepuss, with its posse of hot young talent boppin’ heads with veteran tag team champions Nicholls/Pitkin, to keep things on the party tip all night long. Saturday, Fat City. — SS
Sunny Ledfurd The funk and the pimpin’ rhymes flow like thick syrup, while the rap-metal attack keeps getting sharper at every turn for our fair heroes. The local boys have been given the keys to the big leagues with their debut album, The White Disk (MCA). OK, so the raps may be layered with extra cheese, but the beats, the boom and musicianship keep slapping my head and beckon me to take the funk home. Carry on, brothers. Saturday, Tremont Music Hall. — SS *
This article appears in Dec 19-25, 2001.
