Thursday, September 24, 2015
CLT rapper catches NPR's ear with intimate new video
Charlotte rapper Deniro Farrar proves time and again that he's a complex artist with a checkered past and an enlightened present that includes his two toddler sons Britain and Kaidyn and heading up a book club (his Cult Rap Book Club's first read was "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coehlo). NPR premiered the video for the new track "Nostalgia" on "Songs We Love" Wednesday. (There are a few choice words in the clip).
Farrar's tracks and videos can share the unnerving realism of street life, economic strife, crime and the mistakes made when your world is narrowed by violence, drugs, and poverty. But he also taps into the importance of family, the role of women, and the ability to rise above your circumstances through smarter choices.
Farrar's latest video features his family here in Charlotte and most notably Britain and Kaidyn, who trump every booty shaking video vixen as the two cutest, most charming, eye catching video stars ever. If you follow Farrar on Instagram you are familiar with these two cuties, but the video is more than cute. The biting lyrics dole out both the good and bad of Farrar's West Charlotte upbringing (one of eight children of a single mother). His accounts can be jarring, but he also uses them to fuel his commitment to being a better father.
Farrar's dichotomy as a former `hood and loving father isn't a put-on to sell records either. His younger brother Anthonio "Tune" Farrar was recently sentenced to 18 years in prison for the murder of Benjamin McDaniel, who was shot during a marijuana deal gone wrong according to court records. Farrar admits that at one time he could've just have easily landed in jail. Instead he tries to set an example for others not to repeat his brother's mistakes.
You can bet you'll be hearing more from Farrar in the next year. He is scheduled to release his next EP "Guilty Until Proven Innocent" on Warner Bros Records this winter.
Monday, September 21, 2015
Live music venue closing after two decades
Tremont Music Hall is the latest local music casualty of development in Charlotte. The SouthEnd venue will close after a twenty year run in December, announced owner John Hayes earlier today. Hayes, the venue's third owner, has operated the club for the last five years.
The building, located at 400 W. Tremont Ave., has been sold as development in the SouthEnd neighborhood continues to move down South and Tryon. It was recently announced that the same thing is happening to the prosperous 1500 block of Camden Road which houses Black Sheep, Sirrus Salon, and the neighboring Common Market on Tryon as well as hosts Food Truck Fridays.
Tremont will end its near 21-year run with a local show December 19.
In 2014 the historic Reflection Sound Studio on Central Ave. was sold. The recording studio where James Brown, R.E.M., Whitney Houston, and Robert Plant once recorded is now the site of a towering construction project, one of several condo and apartment complexes being erected on the outskirts of downtown. In March, it was announced that proposed redevelopment in the NoDa neighborhood would force another live music venue - Chop Shop - to close.
"Not only has it been my great honor to own Tremont the past five years but it has been a greater joy to get to know the many fine musicians, wrestlers, and comedians that Tremont has hosted," says Hayes. "Sadly, some things must change as economic prosperity moves into South End. My hope is that the 20 years of Tremont Music Hall will be remembered fondly; as we have worked very hard to make everyone who came through the doors feel like part of the Tremont Family."
The building, located at 400 W. Tremont Ave., has been sold as development in the SouthEnd neighborhood continues to move down South and Tryon. It was recently announced that the same thing is happening to the prosperous 1500 block of Camden Road which houses Black Sheep, Sirrus Salon, and the neighboring Common Market on Tryon as well as hosts Food Truck Fridays.
Tremont will end its near 21-year run with a local show December 19.
In 2014 the historic Reflection Sound Studio on Central Ave. was sold. The recording studio where James Brown, R.E.M., Whitney Houston, and Robert Plant once recorded is now the site of a towering construction project, one of several condo and apartment complexes being erected on the outskirts of downtown. In March, it was announced that proposed redevelopment in the NoDa neighborhood would force another live music venue - Chop Shop - to close.
"Not only has it been my great honor to own Tremont the past five years but it has been a greater joy to get to know the many fine musicians, wrestlers, and comedians that Tremont has hosted," says Hayes. "Sadly, some things must change as economic prosperity moves into South End. My hope is that the 20 years of Tremont Music Hall will be remembered fondly; as we have worked very hard to make everyone who came through the doors feel like part of the Tremont Family."
Friday, September 18, 2015
This week's hot concerts
Janet Jackson
Friday 8 p.m., PNC Music Pavilion, 707 Pavilion Blvd., $26.71 Lawn (only seats left available other than resale seats), www.livenation.com
Friday 8 p.m., PNC Music Pavilion, 707 Pavilion Blvd., $26.71 Lawn (only seats left available other than resale seats), www.livenation.com
With a new album, “Unbreakable,” set for Oct. 2, the most
successful remaining Jackson sibling isn’t skimping on hits and production for
her current comeback tour. She returns for a whopping 32-song, career spanning
set. The hot ticket means only lawn seats are available at regular prices.
Johnnyswim
Disco queen Donna Summer’s daughter Amanda Sudano (a former
backup singer for her mom) and husband Abner Ramirez bring their feel good,
foot-stomping, soul-steeped roots music to NoDa for the first time since the
birth of their first child in February (they played here in December during
their Christmas tour).
Skinny Lister
With firm footing in traditional, accordion-guided pub songs and
sea shanties, this blatantly British sextet give the Celtic rock and pub punk
of Americanized bands like Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys a folkier
makeover with shuffling singalongs and
roots music camaraderie fit for a modern day Pogues.
Pokey LaFarge
Evoking an era that’s not yet oversaturated popular music, the witty
St. Louis singer-songwriter taps be-bopping jazz, ragtime, speakeasy blues, and
Western swing with an almost time machine sense of authenticity in look and
instrumentation from his Brylcreem and cuffed jeans to his hip-shaking, finger
wagging dance tunes.
Motorhead
When Motorhead cancelled its 2014 Carolina Rebellion appearance due
its 69-year-old singer’s health, it looked like we might’ve seen the last of
the legendary trio. Recent cancellations still have fans worried, but Lemmy and co. are back for now with a biting new album,
“Bad Magic” and a stacked lineup featuring psychedelic hard rock buzz band
Crobot and fellow metal legends Anthrax. Keep your fingers crossed.
Cherub
On 2014’s “Year of the Caprese,” the smooth Nashville electronic
duo responsible for last year’s earworm “Doses & Mimosas” spikes its
polished take on R&B, hip-hop, and pop tropes with a sense of humor and
self-awareness of the sandbox its playing in (not to mention food references).
Luke Bryan
Since sweeping the American Country Awards in 2012, the reigning
ACMA and CMA’s Entertainer of the Year and recent stadium sell-out has become
arguably the biggest artist in country music. In August his latest album “Kill
the Lights” marked his third release week No. 1, coming in third to Kendrick
Lamar and Drake in 2015 first week sales.
Sham 69
A forerunner of UK punk along with the Sex Pistols, the old
school act most notable for the classic `70s punk call to arms “If the Kids are
United,” is divided into two touring camps (much like the Temptations and
Queensryche). This one is piloted by founding guitarist Neil Harris and
features vocalist Tim V and longtime drummer Ian Whitewood.
Jamey Johnson
Probably the most well-known of the current crop of Nashville
outlaws, the Grammy nominated, Alabaman singer-songwriter headlines SiriusXM’s
Outlaw Country sponsored tour. With his 2012 tribute to Hank Cochran as his
last official release, he’s promised more new music this year.
Friday, September 11, 2015
This week's hot concerts
St. Paul & the Broken Bones
Friday
6:30 p.m., NC Music Factory Fountain Plaza, 1000 NC Music Factory Blvd.,
$10, www.ncmusicfactory.com
The Alabama soul throwback enjoyed one of the biggest jumps from
wowing crowds at the homegrown God Save the Queen City festival two years ago
to drawing accolades from “Spin Magazine” for its performance at Lollapalooza
this year. In between its revival-esque soul has drawn raves and sell-out
crowds. With Alanna Royale.
Van Halen
When the band kicked off its comeback tour here in 2007, fans
flocked to see a lineup they thought wouldn’t last. This marks the group’s
third return since reuniting with David Lee Roth. And the now 24 year old
Wolfgang Van Halen (who moonlights in Tremonti) has come into his own as a member.
With Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band.
ZZ Ward
Two weeks after dropping the “Love and War” EP, the bluesy
singer-songwriter graduates from selling out the Visulite to headlining the
Fillmore where she’ll share her blues and hip-hop-infused take on pop and new
material from the EP - a preview of 2016’s “This Means War” full-length. The
Young Wild open.
Hectorina
After revisiting its ambitious rock opera live earlier this year,
the prolific, quirky rock trio celebrates the release of its new self-titled
album. Its fidgety garage blues and pop romp shifts eclectically from howling
Jack White-esque riffs to falsetto spiked psyche-rock to driving power pop.
It’s like White, Pulp, the Flaming Lips and the Strokes collided.
Weenie Roast
The End celebrates 20 years mixing the `90s rock the station
built its reputation on (Stone Temple Pilots, Live, Blues Traveler) with
current dance pop (Passion Pit, Bleachers), established live favorites
(MuteMath, Langhorne Slim, Kopecky), buzz bands (X Ambassadors, Catfish &
the Bottlemen), and new rock (IAmDynamite, Atlas Genius).
Steve Earle & the Dukes
Saturday 7:30 p.m., McGlohon Theater, 345 N. College
St., $20-$39.50, www.blumenthalarts.org
At 60 and at the end of his seventh marriage, the modern
Americana legend lets the blues loose on his sixteenth studio album, “Terraplane.”
His recent shows with the Mastersons acting as both opening act and part of the
Dukes, focus on Texas blues, a few covers, hits, and fan favorites from his
storied career.
Chris Robinson Brotherhood
With the Brotherhood the Black Crowes frontman takes what he
calls a “farm-to-table” approach to music and the music business, digging
deeper into his funky Southern rock roots and releasing homegrown, limited, live
recordings. His latest is “Betty’s Blends, Volume Two,” which was mixed by
Grateful Dead archivist Betty Cantor-Jackson.
Slum Village
With T3 the only surviving member of the influential group that
launched J Dilla’s career (Dilla died in 2006, followed by the death of
cofounder Baatin in 2009), the renowned Detroit hip-hop group is now a duo. It’s
2015 album “Yes!” is marked by Dilla-produced tracks that were recorded before
his death. With Aswell, Lute, and Keyza Soulsay.
Los Enanitos Verdes
The Argentinian rock trio is like the South American equivalent
to the Police, U2, and Duran Duran rolled into one - that is a Latin rock giant
that’s concerts draw tens of thousands and whose career extends over three
decades. The group brings award winning Spanish-language rock back to the
Fillmore.
Leverage Models
With a knack for danceable art-rock and complex, lively
synth-pop, upstate New York producer and frontman Shannon Fields creates the
soundtrack to the `80s movie you never knew you missed and employees numerous
musician friends in the process. The band returns for Shiprocked! on the way
home from playing Hopscotch Fest this weekend.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Avetts announce annual New Year's location
Uptown may be a little quieter on New Year's Eve this year. Earlier this week Widespread Panic, who have spent several recent years ringing in the New Year at Time Warner Cable Arena announced it will rock in 2016 in closer to home in Atlanta. Today the Avett Brothers' announced that its annual New Year's Eve gig will return to Greensboro Coliseum Complex. The group last celebrated the New Year there in 2013.
Tickets for the Dec. 31, 2015 show go on sale Friday, Sept. 18 at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster.com, by phone, and at the Greensboro Coliseum box office.
The Avetts' sold out Carolina NYE shows date back to its early days at Neighborhood Theatre. The group moved on to Belk Theater and most recently to TWC Arena, but has alternated between different NC cities since its rise in popularity.
The band is reportedly working on its ninth studio album with Rick Rubin.
Tickets for the Dec. 31, 2015 show go on sale Friday, Sept. 18 at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster.com, by phone, and at the Greensboro Coliseum box office.
The Avetts' sold out Carolina NYE shows date back to its early days at Neighborhood Theatre. The group moved on to Belk Theater and most recently to TWC Arena, but has alternated between different NC cities since its rise in popularity.
The band is reportedly working on its ninth studio album with Rick Rubin.
Local trio helps usher in a new season of SyFy zombies
The song was originally included as a bonus track on the digital version of the group's debut album "Might Could" and is now available as a single on iTunes. "Might Could" was one of the best local releases of 2014, boosted by songwriter Slade Baird's songwriting and the band's rocking Americana chemistry and punk attitude, which translates well live.
"Z Nation" is the SyFy network's take on the zombie apocalypse. The action dramady stars DJ Qualls ("Supernatural," "Perception") and Kellita Smith ("The First Family," Bernie Mac's wife from "The Bernie Mac Show").
Amigo, who is working on the follow-up to "Might Could," isn't the first Charlotte artist to have their work included in a SyFy original series. Singer-songwriter Jon Lindsay's music appeared on the series "Haven" (a show I watch religiously).
Although I don't catch "Z Nation" every week (small children and zombie shows don't really mix), I do watch when I can. I considerate it less of a downer than "The Walking Dead." It's campy, but it can turn serious. The episode where DJ Qualls' Citizen Z, his dog, and his conscience receive a visitor from outside his Alaskan compound is quite compelling. It's nice to see an actor who is often used for comic relief ("Supernatural," "Road Trip") get a chance to flex his dramatic skills.
Qualls also appeared in a 2010 movie called "Amigo." Coincidence?
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