THURSDAY 5.23
Scrappy Hamilton — Asheville band merges a sack of American music styles — from Dixieland jazz to a boozed up jug band, a brass band to New Orleans R&B — and gives it a name, Stomp Rag Boogie. OK, what it boils down to is rootsy fun where Squirrel Nut Zippers butt heads with Appalachian mountain music. The whole mishmash and crashing of genres comes up as a delightful mix in the end. Ism will open. Highly recommended. Fat City (Shukla)
FRIDAY 5.24
Capitol City Dusters — These Dusters are a trio fronted by Alec Bourgeois, who led the long-running DC band Severin through the years, and have a freshly released record, Rock Creek, on the seminal DC label Dischord. The combo play emotive and dissonant, stop-go rock & roll with killer guitar riffs sewn into every tune and served up with all the trimmings of punk defiance. Also on the bill are Cold Sides (featuring ex-members of White Octave) and Uzi Ari. Tremont Music Hall (Shukla)
Cigar Store Indians — Rockabilly and swing band, by way of Crabapple, GA, make you feel like you’re juking the joints circa 1962, not 2002. The peppy band sways the crowd with a twang and, when the moment is right, burst into a full blast rockabilly/swing tidal wave. It’s all documented on their newest CD, Guest List. The live disc leaves no stone unturned in the quest for reverb, greased hair and rolling bass. The Stragglers are also on the bill. Visulite Theatre (Shukla)
George Jones — The Possum is back and strong as ever, as evidenced by his last offering, The Rock: Stone Cold Country. The record sounds best with a beer and a smoke (strong coffee and a greasy hamburger at bare minimum), and is equally moving whether in a relationship or in the process of breaking one up (Jonesy looks at marriage like no one since Roger Miller). Jones’ smoke-cured voice still moves in like a storm cloud, and his lyrics still cut to the bone with little sonic or studio anesthetic. Yes, Nashville’s ass is still grass, and the Possum is indeed still the lawnmower. Appearing at Speed Street. Tryon Street (Davis)
Unknown Hinson — The enigmatic Hinson’s star is rising fast in certain music circles, so appearances like this might not last forever. For those unfamiliar with his work, Unknown (Danny Baker) is sort of a vampirish, early rock demon with a foul mouth and a penchant for gunplay. And he hates drugs and hippies. And he likes what he calls “womerns.” Sounds like a Republican to me. With Jem Crossland & The Hypertonics. Double Door Inn (Davis)
SATURDAY 5.25
Beaver Nelson — Austin-based tunesmith Nelson sings a familiar song. Despite having recorded for the better part of the last 10 years, Nelson doesn’t have much work in the record bins, mostly due to record company disease (the old bait-and-switch is now the sign-and-drop). Like many a talented young songwriter, Nelson signed young and was summarily spit out early, despite a folksy, rough-hewn acoustic sound that’s drawn raves from Austinites and the press alike. Still right around 30, Nelson’s got more than enough time to make up for that which he lost in record limbo. Good stuff. The Evening Muse (Davis)
Crisis — Charlotte band seems to have transported back in time to bring us harmony-filled songs that could qualify as long lost Beatles, Byrds or Neil Young B-sides. This gig is the CD release for their new set of tunes collectively titled Nothingtown. Local pop maestro Jamie Hoover produced and recorded the disc, giving it a warm, cozy sound. It’s like finding an obscure, psychedelic-pop 7″ record in the attic that stays on your turntable for countless spins and elbows its way to become a favorite ditty. Bayou Kitchen (Shukla)
Scott Carpenter & The Real McCoys — Buffalo’s Carpenter and his crew have an energetic take that unapologetically tips its hats to the sound and aura of Jason and the Scorchers. The band is on the road hyping the newly released set of live tunes, Just the Way You Like ‘Em! If raw and energetic rock is the way you like it, then this bunch provides the goods. Double Door Inn (Shukla)
Snagglepuss — The younguns of Snagglepuss take a few favorite records, break them and then glue the pieces into a slab of vinyl that sways from punk rock to glam rock to headbutting horns and keyboards, racking them up as a top party band in town. Like-minded colorful combos, Confederate Fagg and Rockefeller Horsecollar, will sandwich them this evening. Fat City (Shukla)
WEDNESDAY 5.29
Bill Mize — Mize is a Tennessee acoustic finger style guitarist and past winner of the National Finger Style Guitar Competition. One of his pieces, “The Road Scholar,” was also included on the Narada Records Masters of the Acoustic Guitar CD, and he’s released four records independently during his career. In other words, Mize is a mighty fine player, and anybody who’s ever given the acoustic guitar a try is likely to learn a thing or two from watching him play. The Evening Muse (Lynn Farris)
King’s X — While not the prototype for grunge and the “alternative” sound that some writers would have you believe (to paraphrase Freud, sometimes a band is just a band), spiritualistic King’s X have carved out a nice little niche in the music world with their brand of melodic thrum. Guitarist Ty Tabor, bassist Doug Pinnick and drummer Jerry Gaskill might not be Nirvana as far as power trios go, but when they blend some three-part harmonies with the heavy-yet-airy guitar work they’re known for, you’ll be enlightened. Amos’ Southend (Davis) *
This article appears in May 22-28, 2002.
