Mobile
Thursday, September 28, 2017
CL Editor Mark Kemp Talks Latin Music on LAC Conexión's Facebook Live Stream
Posted By Creative Loafing Staff on Thu, Sep 28, 2017 at 7:25 PM
In the lead-up to the Latin American Coalition's 27th Latin American Festival on Saturday, Oct.. 14, the Coalition's LAC Conexión devoted its Facebook live stream today to a discussion of the evolution of Latino music offerings in Charlotte over the past 15 or so years. LAC Conexión invited Creative Loafing editor Mark Kemp, who has focused much of his music writing on coverage of Latino music in Charlotte since arriving back in North Carolina in 2002, to speak on that evolution.
Kemp began in Charlotte as entertainment editor at The Charlotte Observer, where he reported on local Latino bands such as La Rua, the band of Tony Arreaza, who now books music for the annual Latin American Festival. Arreaza's goal has been to include not just traditional Mexican styles but expand the lineups with styles from across the Latin American world, from his native Venezuela to Colombia, Argentina and other countries. Arreaza has also booked artists who experiment with rock and jazz.
Arreaza and the Conexión team talked with Kemp about these developments and interviewed one of the bands that will appear at this year's festival, the Venezuelan ska-based band Desorden Público.
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Music / News Lute's Dreamville debut, West 1996 Pt. 2, due on Friday
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Tue, Sep 26, 2017 at 7:52 PM
Nearly two years ago, Charlotte rapper Lute announced he had signed with J. Cole's Dreamville label. His debut album for the label, the long-awaited West 1996 Pt. 2, is finally set for release this Friday, Sept. 29, 2017.
It's a big moment for the 28-year-old rapper, born Luther Nicholson, who was on the verge of leaving the music industry just before he got signed. The father of a newborn, Lute's priorities had changed and he knew he had to do right by his daughter and hold down a day job. He was on the verge of releasing an album that was going to be his farewell to the rap game when a 2 a.m. phone call from J. Cole changed his world.
Instead of saying goodbye, he's waited two years to say, "I'm back." The story is told in a short documentary, Lute: Still Slummin', that was released last week. The film lets Lute tell the story of his signing and gives insight into his home life.
Since his signing, he's been on tour with Cole and was featured on 2015's Revenge of the Dreamers 2 album, but this is the moment fans, and Lute himself, have been waiting for.
We've been expecting big things from Lute ever since his debut mixtape, West 1996, put him and his crew, Forever FC, on the map. The talented lyricist with the old-school flow earned a Creative Loafing Best of Staff Pick award for Best Local Rapper back in 2012. We've been looking forward to the new release for quite some time and can't wait to see what's in store for his burgeoning career.
It's a big moment for the 28-year-old rapper, born Luther Nicholson, who was on the verge of leaving the music industry just before he got signed. The father of a newborn, Lute's priorities had changed and he knew he had to do right by his daughter and hold down a day job. He was on the verge of releasing an album that was going to be his farewell to the rap game when a 2 a.m. phone call from J. Cole changed his world.
Instead of saying goodbye, he's waited two years to say, "I'm back." The story is told in a short documentary, Lute: Still Slummin', that was released last week. The film lets Lute tell the story of his signing and gives insight into his home life.
Since his signing, he's been on tour with Cole and was featured on 2015's Revenge of the Dreamers 2 album, but this is the moment fans, and Lute himself, have been waiting for.
We've been expecting big things from Lute ever since his debut mixtape, West 1996, put him and his crew, Forever FC, on the map. The talented lyricist with the old-school flow earned a Creative Loafing Best of Staff Pick award for Best Local Rapper back in 2012. We've been looking forward to the new release for quite some time and can't wait to see what's in store for his burgeoning career.
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Live Reviews / Photos / setlist Colter Wall, Tyler Childers prove country music still has life left
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Thu, Sep 21, 2017 at 10:59 PM
Colter Wall, Tyler Childers, Blake Berglund
Neighborhood Theatre
Sept. 20, 2017
Not all country has gone pop. While award shows and radio might have you thinking that country music has lost its soul, there's plenty of artists out there worth paying attention to. Colter Wall, who performed at the Neighborhood Theatre with Cody Jinks in April, returned on Wednesday night with Tyler Childers and Blake Berglund. The trio proved that talented singer-songwriters aren't an extinct species in modern country music. The co-headlining show packed the NoDa venue with a good portion of the crowd clearly there to see Childers. Fans sang along to every word of his nearly 90-minute set, including a handful of captivating songs he played solo to start it off. Plenty of people stuck around for Wall's baritone vocals. Keep an eye out for either of these guy's return trip to town. You don't want to miss them.
Neighborhood Theatre
Sept. 20, 2017
Not all country has gone pop. While award shows and radio might have you thinking that country music has lost its soul, there's plenty of artists out there worth paying attention to. Colter Wall, who performed at the Neighborhood Theatre with Cody Jinks in April, returned on Wednesday night with Tyler Childers and Blake Berglund. The trio proved that talented singer-songwriters aren't an extinct species in modern country music. The co-headlining show packed the NoDa venue with a good portion of the crowd clearly there to see Childers. Fans sang along to every word of his nearly 90-minute set, including a handful of captivating songs he played solo to start it off. Plenty of people stuck around for Wall's baritone vocals. Keep an eye out for either of these guy's return trip to town. You don't want to miss them.
Listen Up: Faye Gets Twee On 'Local Vibes'
Episode 10
Posted By Ryan Pitkin on Thu, Sep 21, 2017 at 10:21 AM
Fresh off the Hopscotch Festival in Raleigh, Susan Plante and Sarah Blumenthal of Charlotte band Faye came by the studio to chat with Mark and Ryan about Riot Grrrl comparisons, how Self Aware records started as a zine and why learning about their spirit animals made Susan cry.
This week is Episode 10, which is some sort of milestone, right? Either way, catch up with past episodes on our iTunes page, or on Stitcher.
![[From left] Mark Kemp, Sarah Blumenthal, Susan Plante and Ryan Pitkin.](https://media.fdncms-media.com/charlotte/imager/u/blog/5942911/faye_copy.webp?cb=1734183712)
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Videos / Music Charlotte singer-songwriter Bart Lattimore releases the ultimate 'dad' video
Posted By Mark Kemp on Wed, Sep 20, 2017 at 1:09 PM
It's not often you run across a song that's just pure, 100-percent love — no sarcasm, no cynicism, no negativity of any kind. Bart Lattimore has managed to do that. There's little doubt that the well-loved Charlotte singer-songwriter's new video will only make him more well-loved.
The song, "That's What Daddies Do," is a moving tribute to the singer's daughter, Evie, and the video is a collaboration between Lattimore and Modern Primitives drummer Phillip Gripper, who recorded and mixed the song and also contributes percussion and glockenspiel.
In the video, Lattimore picks a Yamaha F325 and lovingly sings to Evie, who follows him around with her own little no-name flea-market acoustic.
"I wrote the song about six months before my daughter was born — hence the part about taking care of my pregnant wife," Lattimore tells CL. "I wanted to tell my story about fatherhood, from pregnancy on through raising our child.
"It's a short little ditty," he adds, joking, "but I figure that by the time she is all grown up, the song could be about two hours long."
Says Gripper, "Bart and I have been working on songs and videos, and this is our best yet. Bart is probably the best songwriter I know. Expect more from us."
Lattimore is in the process of recording his first full-length album.
The song, "That's What Daddies Do," is a moving tribute to the singer's daughter, Evie, and the video is a collaboration between Lattimore and Modern Primitives drummer Phillip Gripper, who recorded and mixed the song and also contributes percussion and glockenspiel.
In the video, Lattimore picks a Yamaha F325 and lovingly sings to Evie, who follows him around with her own little no-name flea-market acoustic.
"I wrote the song about six months before my daughter was born — hence the part about taking care of my pregnant wife," Lattimore tells CL. "I wanted to tell my story about fatherhood, from pregnancy on through raising our child.
"It's a short little ditty," he adds, joking, "but I figure that by the time she is all grown up, the song could be about two hours long."
Says Gripper, "Bart and I have been working on songs and videos, and this is our best yet. Bart is probably the best songwriter I know. Expect more from us."
Lattimore is in the process of recording his first full-length album.
Monday, September 11, 2017
Brad Paisley brings the guitar slingers to Charlotte
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Mon, Sep 11, 2017 at 8:23 PM
Brad Paisley, Dustin Lynch, Chase Bryant, Lindsay Ell
PNC Music Pavilion
Sept. 8, 2017
Nearly one year ago, Brad Paisley performed in Charlotte and brought a party with him. While past shows have highlighted his humor, Friday night at PNC Music Pavilion was different. Paisley brought a couple of guitar slingers with him to show a bit more of the rock side of today's pop-country landscape. Usually, Dustin Lynch would fit right in on a "country" lineup, but he was the odd man this time around. The night got started with Lindsay Ell, who found time to provide a couple of shredding moments. Next up, Chase Bryant conjured up his rock 'n' roll soul to win over the crowd. Lynch's heartfelt lyrics were a slight curveball to what was to come - a nearly two-hour set from the guitar slinger himself, Paisley. His humor was out, he had two bars on stage, but his fretwork was front and center a bit more after the acts he followed. The opening acts on this night weren't only a warmup, they were a precursor of what was to come.
Brad Paisley setlist
Last Time for Everything / Purple Rain
Old Alabama
Perfect Storm
Online
One Beer Can
Crushin' It
This Is Country Music/Love and War
American Saturday Night
Ticks
I'm Still a Guy
Celebrity
Then
She's Everything
River Bank
Grey Goose Chase
Waitin' on a Woman
When I Get Where I'm Going
Water
Whiskey Lullaby
I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)
Mud on the Tires
Today
Encore
Alcohol
PNC Music Pavilion
Sept. 8, 2017
Nearly one year ago, Brad Paisley performed in Charlotte and brought a party with him. While past shows have highlighted his humor, Friday night at PNC Music Pavilion was different. Paisley brought a couple of guitar slingers with him to show a bit more of the rock side of today's pop-country landscape. Usually, Dustin Lynch would fit right in on a "country" lineup, but he was the odd man this time around. The night got started with Lindsay Ell, who found time to provide a couple of shredding moments. Next up, Chase Bryant conjured up his rock 'n' roll soul to win over the crowd. Lynch's heartfelt lyrics were a slight curveball to what was to come - a nearly two-hour set from the guitar slinger himself, Paisley. His humor was out, he had two bars on stage, but his fretwork was front and center a bit more after the acts he followed. The opening acts on this night weren't only a warmup, they were a precursor of what was to come.
Brad Paisley setlist
Last Time for Everything / Purple Rain
Old Alabama
Perfect Storm
Online
One Beer Can
Crushin' It
This Is Country Music/Love and War
American Saturday Night
Ticks
I'm Still a Guy
Celebrity
Then
She's Everything
River Bank
Grey Goose Chase
Waitin' on a Woman
When I Get Where I'm Going
Water
Whiskey Lullaby
I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)
Mud on the Tires
Today
Encore
Alcohol
-
Live review: Fiona Apple, The Fillmore (9/26/2012) 16
Fans ate it up, but it was a trainwreck of tragic and frustrating proportions.
-
Frank Ocean tops Village Voice Pazz & Jop poll
Annual critics list creates requisite buzz
