WEDNESDAY 4.28
Chatham County Line — Raleigh, NC’s Chatham County Line play through a single microphone and use traditional instrumentation, but don’t get the idea that the band is just another grouping of campfire-friendly hippies equally as fond of the green grass as the blue kind. Comprised of flat-picker and lead singer Dave Wilson (Tift Merritt and the Carbines), mando player John Teer (Thad Cockrell), three-finger-style banjoist Chandler Holt and bassist Greg Readling (Tift Merritt), CCL pen most of their own tunes, and even throw out the odd murder ballad on occasion. While accomplished players, the band is wise enough to let a few stray blades shoot up here and there, knowing that sometimes there’s nothing more boring than a perfectly manicured lawn. The Room (Davis)
THURSDAY 4.29
Against Me! — Another one of those Trent Reznor/Stephin Merritt one-man-band types, Tom Gabel started Against Me! by hisowndamnself back in 1997 as a 17-year-old. Now on the major-minor punk label Fat Wreck Chords, Gabel has added a few members and subtracted some of the clumsier in-joke numbers that once plagued his songbook. A little Clash-like politics, a little caustic wit, and lots of two-minute tunes. What’s not to like? With No Choice, Kudzu Wish, and Army of Ponch. Tremont Music Hall (Davis)
The Insidious Rays — The band blends surf, country, psychedelic twists, funk and punk rock into their, um, insidious agenda. Irreverent is the modus operandi here and with tracks like “Famous Latino Bike Cops,” “Mr. T’s Nuts,” “Skank Beach,” and “Rock Sex Party,” you pretty much get the picture. These Pennsylvania misfits pour all musical genres into the bucket and sneak up to dump the whole durn thing down your back. Oh yeah, the bassist also plays with Project Object. Visulite Theatre (Shukla)
Tangerine Trousers — Think of this band as contemporary hippies with a laid-back folk-pop groove. It’s all brushed with rootsy banjo, mandolin and accordion tagging along with the rousing harmonies. On the record, Dressed for Success, North Carolina cohorts Caitlyn Cary and Thad Cockrell join in to add their flavors while Chris Stamey and the legendary John Keane chime in with production help. The Detroit sextet’s songcraft is more eclectic than what it seems on first listen. With Rick Spreitzer. The Evening Muse (Shukla)
Waterproof Blonde — This Blonde, or brunette as is the case with vocalist Rachel Hagan, takes plenty of cues from Alanis Morissette and Shirley Manson of Garbage. Her voice holds up to guitar and bass/percussion assault from the boys in the band. The ensuing sound is custom-built arena rock. The band is touring on the heels of their new release, Glitter Lust, and it’s laden with swaths of hooks and rock flash. It works well for the most part but could get dull after a few tunes. The Room (Shukla)
FRIDAY 4.30
The Dagons — The Dagons are touring behind last winter’s release, Teeth for Pearls. The California-based duo has an aquatic fixation (hence the mermaid on the cover and the Philistines’ half-man, half-fish god they’re named after — gotta love them Philistines), but you won’t find much Beach Boys or Dick Dale here. It’s an otherworldly mix of garage, psychedelia and dreamy pop blending big percussion and guitars with spooky vocals. With The Noise. The Room (Schacht)
Don Dixon/Marti Jones — The North Carolinian has probably achieved “legendary” status through his work as both producer (REM, Smithereens, Guadacanal Diary) and musician, though live performances suggest that this walking, talking, singing hook machine is nowhere near hanging it up like most legends do./Ms. Jones carved out her own niche in the mid-80s with a string of pop records for A&M and RCA. She’s been less active in recent years, but she’s blessed with a golden voice, strong back catalogue and inspired taste in covers. The Evening Muse (Schacht)
Elevator Action/Bamboo Kids — Whither “rocking out”? The pure essence of the music we call rock & roll, or been done 10,000 times already? Primal exultant release, or hackneyed formula? Pure rock fury or fashion-dependent fucking off? Thankfully, the question shouldn’t come up tonight, as both bands bring the goods better than U-Haul. Elevator Action, our own glam/punk/pop heroes, have a great new album out soon on MoRisen Records, and early listens suggest a frontrunner for local release of the year. Bamboo Kids — recently touted by the New York Press as “the best unsigned band in New York” — are wasabi to the ears of jaded rock fans wanting their rock drenched equally in sweat, beer, and reverb. The Steeple Lounge (Davis)
Marques Wyatt — House music stalwart cut his teeth early in his career not spinning records, but as promoter for the forward-thinking Acid Jazz label. Wyatt, expert purveyor of jazz-house, dance and house music, is currently signed to OM Records and his latest release Horizons brings forth an artist moving away from remixing/producing into more solo artist territory. Wyatt also has an ear for mixing in proper Latin sounds and influences with enticing results. Tonic (Shukla)
Planet of the Drums — The Lollapalooza of Drum ‘n’ Bass visits Charlotte, featuring US D’n’B king Dieselboy, Dara, AK 1200, and MC J Messinian. See our story in this issue. The show is part of the Plea for Peace tour, also featuring Darkest Hour, Denali and Mike Park. Mythos (Schacht)
SATURDAY 5.1
Baleen — Charlotte’s eclectic quintet are on the verge of releasing the follow-up to Soundtrack to A Normal Life, but the as-yet-untitled new one just missed making the deadline for this show (check back soon for the official CD release show). Nevertheless, the first 100 folks through the doors will receive a three-song EP culled from the forthcoming disc, not to mention the musical voyage through a host of genres — folk, rock, jazz, jungle beats, fusion, and more — that awaits everyone else on board the good ship Baleen. Visulite Theatre (Schacht)
TUESDAY 5.4
Cursive — You have to like the idea behind Tim Kasher and company’s last one, The Ugly Organ. Ostensibly, the record is a concept CD about…concept CDs. Despite the band’s considerable hardcore roots, the record manages a sly sense of humor on a number of cuts and even augments the sheet-metal melodies with some fragile cello lines on a number of songs. Kasher’s poking fun at indie rock from the inside on this one, a thrift-store Jonah with more than enough barbs to deflate that big white whale of pomposity. Better yet, he keeps his tongue firmly planted in cheek, knowing that everything he’s saying about the industry could probably be said about him. Tremont Music Hall (Davis)
This article appears in Apr 28 – May 4, 2004.
