This week's hot concerts

Reeve Coobs

Friday  7:30 p.m., Neighborhood Theatre, 511 E. 36^th St., $10-$12. www.neighborhoodtheatre.com  

As a singer-songwriter she’s been a fixture (and one time Near Miss) in Charlotte for years, so it’s surprising that her new album is also her debut. If you’ve seen her folky solo acoustic performances and think you know what to expect, “What Love is All About” is a fully-realized collection that weaves a remarkable voice through a number of subtle genre changes.

Black Lips

Friday  9 p.m., Chop Shop, 399 E. 35^th St., $15. www.chopshopnoda.com   

Leave it to the Atlanta garage rock foursome, whose reputation was sullied and stoked by on stage vomiting (and worse) in its infancy, to document its rare tour of the Middle East in the film “Kids Like You and Me.” The live show follows Wednesday’s screening of the film.  

Drake

Saturday  8 p.m., Time Warner Cable Arena, 333 E. Trade St., $40.95-$117.40. www.ticketmaster.com

On one hand hip-hop’s hottest solo artist is on fire with his thirteenth No. 1 single and new album that - like his live show - focuses almost solely on the rapper/singer. But his tour with Miguel and Future has been plagued with cancellations (including Raleigh) and rumors of Future’s exit after boastful, anti-Drake comments about the opening act's aptly titled “Honest.”

Todd Snider’s What the Folk

Saturday  8 p.m., Visulite, 1615 Elizabeth Ave., $22-$25. www.visulite.com

You really couldn’t ask for a better caliber of songwriters than the group Snider’s put together with fellow Americana/left of Nashville songwriters Hayes Carl, Elizabeth Cook, and Bobby Bare, Jr. The foursome is only doing a handful of shows together, so consider this a rare treat.

Taking Back Sunday

Sunday   7 p.m., The Fillmore, 1000 NC Music Factory Blvd., $37.50. www.livenation.com  

Having finished recording a new album (set for Spring release) earlier this month, the longrunning post-hardcore/emo outfit is back on the road unveiling some of its new material. Two-fifths of this long-running post-hardcore, emo outfit calls Charlotte home now, so consider this a homecoming.

Tim Kasher

Monday   8 p.m., Tremont, 400 W. Tremont Ave., $12-$15. www.tremontmusichall.com 

The Cursive frontman’s second solo album, “Adult Film,” tackles aging, maturity, and adult relationships with creative carnival-like musical gusto and grabbing, introspective lyrics that mark his band’s best work. Laura Stevenson, who appears on the album, is among the show’s openers.

Nik Turner’s Hawkwind/Spindrift

Tuesday   8 p.m., Tremont, 400 W. Tremont Ave., $12. www.tremontmusichall.com  

If you’re looking to visit the Wild West or outer space then this bill provides a soundtrack. Hawkwind founder Turner’s set of trippy psychedelia includes tracks from his former band’s “Space Ritual” album. Spaghetti-Western aficionado Spindrift revisits its recent ghost town tour and 2014 film on the new disc “Ghost of the West.”

New Found Glory/Alkaline Trio

Wednesday  7:30 p.m., The Fillmore, 1000 NC Music Factory Blvd., $32. www.livenation.com

Pop-punk’s apparently not dead with NFG, who has a new live album out, still in rotation on MTVU (the new clip for “Connect the Dots”). Its paired with the horror punk trio who still manage to mine fresh ideas out of the dark imagery, lyrical twists, and chiseled guitar riffs that it’s long stocked its arsenal with on the 2013 album “My Shame is True.”

The Royal Concept

Thursday  8 p.m., Visulite, 1615 Elizabeth Ave., $12-$15. www.visulite.com 

The show stealer on last year’s tour with Atlas Genius and Wolfgang - this Swedish alternative pop combo is breaking at radio in the US with the new track, “On Our Way.” The live juggernaut headlines the Three of Clubs Tour with the curiously named NYC bands American Authors and Misterwives - the last of which sound like the Bee Gees meet Martha Wainwright.

Happy Halloween Playlist 2013

It's my favorite holiday again. Time to get my Joey Ramone and Frankenstein ready for trick or treating. But before I go I thought I'd post another Halloween playlist. Last year's list was fairly easy. But having used those usual suspects the Misfits, Siouxsie's "Halloween," Rob Zombie, and Wednesday 13, I had to dig a little deeper this year. Some of these are truly creepy (our own Andy the Doorbum's "The Sisters," Siouxsie's "Obsession," and Boss Hog's "Texas" are simply ominous). Others are pure fun ("Pet Sematary," "Werewolf Women," and "Lake Pontchartrain"). Others just carry on scary Halloween themes - ghosts, zombies, and the like.

I've included the video for "Pet Sematary" because my son is Joey Ramone for Halloween and because it's one of my very favorite Ramones' songs. Happy Halloween gentle readers.

“Halloweenhead” - Ryan Adams

“Candy Song” - Tuscadero

“Sadie” - Alkaline Trio

“The Sisters” - Andy the Doorbum

“Is There a Ghost” - Band of Horses

“Living Dying Living/In a Zombie World” - The Accused

“The Killing Type” - Amanda Palmer

“Texas” - Boss Hog

“Pet Sematary” - Ramones

“Obsession” - Siouxsie & the Banshees

“Bring Me Your Daughter…To the Slaughter” - Iron Maiden

“Your Ghost” - Kristin Hersh

“Monster” - L7

“Lake Pontchartrain” - Ludo
“The Angels and the Darlas” - Say Hi To Your Mom

“Werewolf Women of the SS” - Rob Zombie

“The Undertaker”  - Southern Culture on the Skids

CLT composer tells cinematic stories without words

Charlotte composer, The Man from RavCon, knows how to tell a story with nary a word. He recently released the album, “Skyscraper,” which takes its listener on a retro adventure in their mind. What’s interesting is he’s not necessarily dictating where that adventure takes place. Sure there are cues like Ennio Morricone spaghetti-western style pieces and a Pink Floydian-like guided tour of space and time on “The Fugitive” (his wife comes up with the titles - a note, which as the wife of an instrumental musician, I adore). But other than the titles, instrumentation, and arrangements there’s no words giving you directions on what to think.

For me “Cloud Teaser” with its swishes phasing in and out in the background sounds like a sci-fi superhero theme from the `70s (it could be my “Flash Gordon” love kicking in). When I hear opening track “The Balloon” I'm following a cartoon character (say, a duck) through some simple tasks like going to the airport and getting on a plane, buying milk at the grocery store. It's childlike and playful. Maybe it's just my visual mind, but I enjoy that sort of escape.

Instrumental music is an interesting animal. There are some highly successful acts now like Explosions in the Sky, but that success is still the exception to the rule. My husband’s family often asks him why his band has no vocals. I think there are people out there that don’t see the point without vocals, but living with an instrumental musician I’ve grown to appreciate the space instrumental music creates and the imagination it fosters. You can listen and paint your own picture, build your own storyline in your mind. The Man From RavCon fills some of those colors in for us without cluttering the page. On a side note the Tyler Strouth's cover art reminds me of "Metropolis," which may help nudge along that sci-fi aspect in my mind when I'm listening to the record.

There’s certainly mystery in The Man From RavCon’s compositions. The Man himself is actually Charlotte native Mike Brown, who played in a band called the Ravelers until 2004. Brown assumed the identity of The Man From RavCon in 2010 and began releasing records. “Skyscraper” is his sixth. He doesn’t perform it live, instead focusing on recording soundtrack-ready music that often draws on vintage cinema and cinematic-sounding bands like the Moody Blues and Pink Floyd.

“I don't usually have images when I compose the songs, though I usually come up with the initial ideas while sitting on the couch with a guitar and watching old cult films with the sound turned down,” explains Brown, who, along with his wife Peggy, pairs some of his music with old movie footage, like the “Trip To the Morgue” above. The song appears as a bonus track on the CD version of “Skyscraper.” It’s also pretty appropriate for Halloween week. 

“The videos are really determined by the feel I get from the tune after it's completed, and also depend on what Public Domain footage I can find to match with that mood,” Brown says. Another clip for “The Fugitive” is online as well here.

Brown adds: “I've always enjoyed instrumental music and cult films. I get a lot of enjoyment out of creating moods and images without lyrics. I feel sometimes that lyrics are just an afterthought thrown onto a good tune just because people expect to hear someone telling them what to think.”

As for not playing them live he says: “I enjoy recording more than I ever enjoyed live performances. I can continuously create new music without having to rehearse it over and over again just to play it over and over again live. With modern technology, I really have no need for a band, and I find I can get things done a lot easier this way. Besides, as I've grown older, my tolerance for hanging out in bars has thinned considerably.”

Check out more on The Man from RavCon here. 

Beach Fossils' tour brings CLT native back Monday

When Dustin Payseur started coming into my record store when he was 11-years-old I would’ve never predicted that his album would someday make my top albums of the year. I can pretty much guarantee 2013’s “Clash the Truth” will. His band Beach Fossils plays Chop Shop Monday with Kurt Vile.

In February 1997 the Cotswold Record Exchange relocated to East Blvd. We left behind a few young regular customers in the Cotswold neighborhood (namely a girl named Paige), but we gained a few others in Dilworth. Dustin and his friend Taylor (who Payseur says is now a fitness instructor) were frequent customers. They’d come in together or with Payseur’s older sister.  They’d peruse the used section and occasionally try to talk us out of free promo cds. My co-worker told me she got them to clean the bathroom in exchange for promos. I don't know if that's true, but I like that story. 

Those two kids introduced us to Insane Clown Posse - way before it was a craze. I think we might’ve introduced them to the Suicide Machines. We played the Detroit punk band's second album constantly. I remember a bit of pride washed over me when one of them bought a copy. Although they might've sold it back to us used a couple weeks later - they did that too. 

I always had a soft spot for our regular customers. When I left the store for good two years later, I left a note taped to the register telling all the ones I could remember goodbye. For some reason I never forgot Dustin and Taylor. Now I know why.

Last winter Sirius/XMU put tracks from the upcoming Beach Fossils’ record in regular rotation. I’d heard of the band, but didn’t know much about them amid the Beach Houses and Best Coasts. When our babysitter mentioned one day that her friend’s brother was in Beach Fossils. We put two and two together and figured out it was Payseur. I guffawed in disbelief. I could not believe the same kid was leading this indie rock buzz band out of Brooklyn.

Then I got the record. The opening guitar and bass part of the title song “Clash the Truth” stopped me in my tracks. It has the sad, longing, dark romanticism of the best songs off a John Hughes’ soundtrack mixed with a deep, direct sort of spooky Jesus and Mary Chain vocal without the fuzz. You can hear that same sort of thing on “Generational Synthetic,” for which the group released a new video this week that you can watch above.

I didn’t really know Payseur at all, but listening to how far he’s come makes me proud of that kid. A lot must've happened between ICP and his band's sophomore album, both musically and personally (his lyrics are insightful and smart as well). I wrote a story about him last Spring when “Clash the Truth” came out. You can read it here. Payseur spoke of those years between frequenting the Record Exchange and struggling to get through school and out of Charlotte. I’m telling this story again from a more personal perspective because I’m just that tickled that his record is that good.

It just shows you can’t predict what a person will become at age 12 or 13. I hope I remember that when my boys are older. Adolescence is messy. It’s painful. And it’s often a time to delve into bad music that your parents hate before coming out on the other side of that fog with a better understanding of what’s good (for me it was hair metal). Payseur said after ICP he discovered `80s punk, Bob Dylan, psychedelic music, and bands like Television and the Velvet Underground. That’s all evident in the swirl that is Beach Fossils. But don’t just listen to me. Go to Chop Shop Monday (really, what else is going on Monday?) and welcome Payseur back to his hometown. The show with Kurt Vile & the Violators, Beach Fossils, Bo White y su Orquesta and VBA begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15. Go to www.chopshopnoda.com for tickets and more information.

This week's hot concerts

Gary Hoey

Saturday  8 p.m., Tremont, 400 W. Tremont Ave., $17-$20. www.tremontmusichall.com

Whether tackling squealing solos, metal licks, rippling surf, meaty Southern rock, or (as of late) electric blues or interpreting others’ works as instrumentals, the renowned musician picks a mean, gnarly guitar. He hits Charlotte before rocking NASCAR fans Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.

Michael Buble

Saturday  8 p.m., Time Warner Cable Arena, 333 E. Trade St., $68.60-$118.15. www.ticketmaster.com

The not quite new millennium’s answer to Sinatra may sound like a romantic, easy-going crooner, but he’s also a charismatic entertainer who puts on a memorable concert fit to win over jaded rock fans as well as charm mom and pop.

Annual Halloween Fiasco!

Saturday  8 p.m., The Milestone, 3400 Tuckaseegee Rd., $10. www.themilestoneclub.com

Local bands like Serfs, Bo White, Secret Hospital, and Hectorina “dress up” for Halloween as classic acts covering the Bee Gees, Billy Idol, the Descendents, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Interpol, Violent Femmes, and Bikini Kill for the Milestone's annual Halloween party.

Band of Heathens/Greg Humphreys

Saturday  8:45 p.m., Visulite, 1615 Elizabeth Ave., $12-$15. www.visulite.com 

With one foot firmly rooted in Asheville now (co-founder Ed Jurdi resides there now), the Austin Southern roots rock band is re-energized with a new lineup on its latest album, "Sunday Morning Record." Carolinian Humphreys' new solo album is more in line with that folky Americana sound, but the former Dillon Fence frontman hasn't lost the soul he mined in his other band Hobex. 

Selena Gomez

Sunday  7:30 p.m., Time Warner Cable Arena, 333 E. Trade St., $40.25-$78.60. www.ticketmaster.com 

This year’s headlines focused on the Disney pop star’s relationship with Bieber and role in the controversial “Spring Breakers,” but more importantly the actress (who’s picking interesting projects) still knows her way around an irresistible dance-pop song and remains more wholesome than Miley.

Beach Fossils/Kurt Vile

Monday  8 p.m., Chop Shop, 399 E. 35^th St., $15. www.chopshopnoda.com

Beach Fossils’ Dustin Payseur finally returns to his hometown with his Brooklyn-based indie band whose lo-fi album “Clash The Truth” is one of the best records of 2013. Prolific headliner and Sirius/XMU favorite Kurt Vile is an equally buzzed about songwriter who makes dreamy, odd, listenable indie-rock somewhere between Ben Kweller and Beck.

Pearl Jam

Wednesday  7:30 p.m., Time Warner Cable Arena, 333 E. Trade St., $81.90. www.ticketmaster.com

The `90s rock giant with the least drama continues to prove its 1994’s Most Likely to Succeed title was well deserved, having eclipsed most of its peers in longevity and consistency with legendary old-fashioned rock  n’ roll live shows that haven’t let up - they played 3 and 1/2 hours in NYC recently.

Gwar

Thursday  7:30 p.m., Tremont, 400 W. Tremont Ave., $22-$25. www.tremontmusichall.com

Who better to celebrate Halloween with than these metal monsters from outer space? Get ready to get messy and bloody in the slave pit as these veteran theatrical rockers deliver sci-fi horror madness on stage. With White Chapel, Iron Reagan, and Band Of Orcs.

Cults

Thursday  7:30 p.m., Visulite, 1615 Elizabeth Ave., $18. www.visulite.com  

The indie duo behind the inescapable “Go Outside” (currently in a Nokia Lumina commercial) proves success wasn’t a fluke with its sophomore album, “Static,” further pushing the fantasy of `60s girl group singer waking up in NYC circa 2010 to make deliciously sweet, modern alt-pop. The band has some special Halloween treats in store for fans - so come costumed if you can. 

St. Paul and the Broken Bones

Thursday  9 p.m., Chop Shop, 399 E. 35^th St., $10-$12. www.chopshopnoda.com

The retro soul revival is alive and well in Alabama thanks to cats like this intense band leader with a big voice and stage persona. He’s surrounded by a crop of A-list horn players and beat keepers that help create a big classic soul sound.

Locals, buzz bands play free bday bash Friday

It's been a big year for rock band Junior Astronomers with its first national label release, "Dead Nostalgia" and national tours with the Weeks and fellow Charlotteans HRVRD. One of the group's most successful local events has long been Terrence and Philip's birthday show. Friday marks the fifth annual birthday concert at Tremont Music Hall. If those names sound familiar guitarist Philip Wheeler and singer Terrence Richard, who turn 26 and 27 respectively this week,  just so happen to share the names of those two Canadian "South Park" characters (although this year's flyer plays off another animated duo).

For it's fifth year T&P pull out all the stops by inviting unfortunately named, over-the-top punky Nashville buzz outfit Diarrhea Planet, whose wild and ridiculous live shows have quickly become legendary in indie circles, to share the bill. Charlotte's Little Bull Lee and Old Soles round out the bill.

The annual birthday gig started at the Milestone and moved to Tremont's Casbah for its second year. It has since taken place in Tremont's big room where around 550 fans gathered last year to bounce and sing along with Junior Astronomers. Over 500 people is a pretty impressive feat for a local act. There's something special about witnessing that many people supporting local music. It's something I might've seen in the mid `90s, but it doesn't happen that often now unless said band is generating Avetts/Matrimony-sized national buzz.

Admission is free for those 21 and over and $5 for those under 21. The show starts at 9 p.m. For more info click here.

NIN, Bassnectar at mountain festival this weekend

Nine Inch Nails, Bassnectar, the Orb, and Pretty Lights are among the headliners at the inaugural Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit in Asheville this weekend. The three-day festival, which picks up where Moogfest began, begins Friday with Purity Ring, Deltron 3030, Daniel Johnston, Half Japanese, Silver Apples, Neutral Milk Hotel, XXYYXX, Baths, Claude Vonstroke, Laurel Halo, Jherek Bischoff, Rustie, Sparks, and Amerigo Gazaway. Those acts, along with Bassnectar, play across five venues - the ExploreAsheville.com Arena, Orange Peel, Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, Diana Wortham Auditorium, and Asheville Music Hall.

Saturday's lineup includes NIN, Animal Collective, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Gary Numan (pictured, top), Chromatics, Actress, Big Black Delta, the Bug, Robert Delong, Ital (Live), Raime, Cashmere Cat, Sorne, I Speak Machine (Tara Busch), Zola Jesus and JG Thirlwell, and Bosnian Rainbows. Saturday also marks the US premier of King Britt's FHLoston Paradigm featuring Pia Ercole - a new-meets-old electronic music experiment of sorts.

Pretty Lights, Cut Copy, and the Orb close out the festival Sunday along with Pantyraid, Schlomo, Disclosure, Jessie Ware (pictured above, bottom), Tourist, Adventure Club, Alan Howarth, Mount Kimbie, William Basinski, How to Dress Well, T. Williams, Ulrich Schnauss, Autre Ne Veut, and Darkside.

There's also much more than music going on, especially for electronic musicians and those into home recording. Panels include an inventors roundtable discussion and an artist spotlight with veteran electronic musician Gary Numan (best known in the mainstream for his `80s hits "Cars"). There's also demonstrations with the guys behind Waves Audio and Trash_Audio, a craft beer sampling, and a number of DJs and regional acts performing at other venues throughout town.

Electronic music and the mountain mecca of Asheville may seem mutually exclusive - us city folk usually think of banjos and drum circles when we think of the mountains - but our Northwestern neighbor was home to Moog synthesizer inventor Bob Moog and began hosting Moogfest in his honor in 2010. Moogfest split with the organizers of what's now Mountain Oasis earlier this year giving Asheville two electronic music festivals - the annual Halloween weekend festival now known as Mountain Oasis and Moogfest, which retained the name. Moogfest will take place in the Spring.

Mountain Oasis still pays tribute to Moog though with Dr. Bob's Interactive Sonic Experience, which lets patrons of all ages get their hands on theremins, synthesizers, oscilloscopes, and other Moog creations.

Weekend passes are $199.50 here. Single day tickets are $74.50 (Sunday) to $84.50 (Friday and Saturday). For more information go to http://mountainoasisfestival.com/.