WEDNESDAY 5.7
Drums and Tuba — The adventures of Drums and Tuba bring you guitars and other objects with the original, you guessed it, drums and tuba shredding diverse genres — electronica to rock, punk to funk — and tossing it all into a basket. The trio has several records under its belt and the cacophony only gets better with repeat listens, even occasionally imitating Tom Waits doing an odd Moby b-side. The Room (Shukla)
Roy Book Binder — A self-professed musical gypsy, Binder learned his craft (blues guitar, not book binding) from none other than the legendary Rev. Gary Davis. He’s a walking Sandburg-ian compendium of country blues, and probably hasn’t gotten the credit he deserves due to the fact he’s of, er, the Caucasian persuasion in a form where the right color often helps seal one’s “authenticity.” Never mind the musicologists — here’s Roy Book Binder. The Evening Muse (Davis)
THURSDAY 5.8
The Avett Brothers — The boys have a new one set to come out on Ramseur Records, to be titled A Carolina Jubilee. This is the hometown launch for the record, which I have yet to hear. Were I pressed, I’d imagine Scott and Seth Avett and bassist Bob Crawford haven’t strayed too far from their last record, Country Was, which, as ragged as it sounded in spots, became one of my favorite local releases in years. Fine brotherly harmonizing, forceful and economical picking, and a snake-like way with rhythm allow them to go straight to your spinal column without the need of anything like, say, a drummer. George Washington Bookstore & Tavern, Concord (Davis)
Doria Roberts — Roberts’ approach to folk music has some connection to like-minded sisters such as Ani DiFranco. Doria has her own agenda, though, and the musical output, a tad more on the R&B tip then rock, revolves around activism on the gay/lesbian front. Her songs and spoken word are touched with humor and have the necessary edge to stand out in the milieu of singer/songwriters. Roberts’ playing is also strong and adds proper backdrops to tales from the other side, providing a varied platform to reach a wider audience. The Evening Muse (Shukla)
FRIDAY 5.9
Gene Farris — The Chicago-based Farris ought to feel right at home in these parts, as Liquid Lounge is fast becoming a second home for a lot of A1-level Chicago dance artists. Farris’ style is a bit funkier than you might expect, relaxed and textured with bits of disco and rough-edged house providing traction in the mix. Good stuff. Liquid Lounge (Davis)
SATURDAY 5.10
Cross Canadian Ragweed — Don’t get me wrong. I don’t have a problem with people releasing songs in a commercial, unless those songs are melodramatic, paint-by-the-numbers jobs. I’ve heard Steve Earle comparisons with these guys, but for the life of me, I just don’t see it. Anyways, the lead singer is named Cody Canada, and…oh, forget it. The phrase “meat and potatoes?” Sometimes it means no-nonsense. Other times it just means bland. Amos’ Southend (Davis)
Laurence Juber — Juber was the lead guitarist for Paul McCartney’s Wings and he’s released numerous solo recordings that span many years. His finger picking guitar style has a flair for building moody rhythms that are warm and flawless. His odes to Paul and the Beatles, as in the solid record LJ Plays the Beatles, are ear-opening studies on guitar. Neighborhood Theatre (Shukla)
SUNDAY 5.11
Josh Lederman Y Los Diablos — Pretty damn cool Irish folk-rock band with rollicking numbers strolling alongside jigs and punk laced rockers. There’s even a touch of Cajun element added to the whiskey soaked party. You’ll have to look twice to see they’re not from the emerald isle but hark from the northern trenches of Boston. If you dig the Pogues mixed with the Scorchers, this’ll fill your cup pretty close to the rim. Ri Ra (Shukla)
TUESDAY 5.13
The Greenhornes / The Sights / The Talk — By God, a show with a bunch of bands starting with “The” where the “The” is not the story (Of course, there’s the kings of such bands, The The, but that’s another story entirely). The Greenhornes really impress, managing to sound perfectly vintage (Yardbirds, perhaps a more ragged version of the early Stones) yet still maintaining that new car smell. The Sights, as anyone who’s ever been lucky enough to see them live can attest, deserve stardom on a much larger scale. Drummer Dave Shettler attacks the kit like it took his lunch money, and singer/guitarist Eddie Baranek rocks out the hard-psych-rock nuggets like a man twice his size (roughly that of Prince, I think). Charlotte’s own The Talk open up the show, which ought to be a nice fit. Tremont Music Hall (Davis)
WEDNESDAY 5.14
The Benjamin Circle — Turntables, cello, trumpets and flugelhorn are strange bedfellows indeed for a rock band, or even a post-rock band. The Benjamin Circle find a way to make suitable use of the above instruments along with guitar and percussion treatments for an eclectic spin. An intriguing show to relieve your mid-week doldrums. Double Door Inn (Shukla)
This article appears in May 7-13, 2003.
