The third annual North Carolina Brewers and Music Festival will take place in historic Rural Hill in Huntersville May 11. Influential progressive bluegrass musician Peter Rowan, best known for his work with David Grisman and Jerry Garcia in Old & in the Way, will appear with the Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band. The bluegrass group does a combination of Rowan's originals as well as classic songs by the Carter Family and his former band leader Bill Monroe (Rowan was a Bluegrass Boy early in his career).
Western Carolina's Acoustic Syndicate, Charleston's Sol Driven Train, funk outfit Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, jazz-grass quartet Milkdrive, and Asheville's Brushfire Stankgrass round out the roots music bill.
Of course the other attraction is the tasting. Over twenty regional and national breweries will participate and a limited number of tasting tickets, which includes admission to the festival, are available now for $25 here. Discounted tickets are available for designated drivers, evening only attendees, and children 15 and under. A variety of camping options are also available for an additional $12-$35. For more information visit www.ncbrewsmusic.com.
Clicking around YouTube this afternoon to entertain my two-year-old (who sings Sleater-Kinney's "I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone" much to my delight), I stumbled across a concert memory I'd almost forgotten. In May of 1999 (the clip says 2000, but that's clearly the Butchies, who opened that tour, on stage and I lived in Arizona in 2000) I had tickets to see Sleater-Kinney in Chapel Hill. Around 8 p.m. when my roommate's boyfriend, who said he wanted to come with me, didn't show up I left Charlotte and drove two hours by myself to a sold out show - not something I'd normally do. Luckily at the door I ran into a girl who I'd been a bridesmaid with the month before. I sold my extra ticket to her friend.
Just last week I was telling my husband that I'd seen Sleater-Kinney cover Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son." When I clicked on the video of the trio's rendition on YouTube I was surprised to find the performance of that song was actually from that same show.
What a treat to relive it. Watching the band frolic with members of the Butchies, Flin Flon and others on stage, it all come back to me. Although the sound sort of deteriorates, when they immediately roll into the first notes of "Dig Me Out" it's like I'm there all over again. I remember where I stood - center, midway, Corinne Tucker's tank top, the orange t-shirt I bought. I'm not sure, but that might be me whooping at the end.
The band broke up following its fine 2005 swan song "The Woods" (we saw that tour at Ziggy's in Winston-Salem). Guitarist Carrie Brownstein went on to "Portlandia" fame with S-K fan Fred Armisen and Tucker has released two solo albums. Janet Weiss remains a busy time keeper in groups like the female super group Wild Flag (with Brownstein).
My point? My husband complains about his memory, but you never know. Maybe a YouTube clip can jar your's and brighten your (overcast) day. You can watch the clip here. There's a blip of profanity, but I didn't even notice it the first time. Maybe you were there too. If you were lucky.
7:30 p.m. Friday, February 8, Great Aunt Stella Center, 926
Elizabeth Ave. Free (donations accepted).www.folksociety.org
This award winning Celtic fiddler now makes his home in Asheville
where he’s teamed with guitarist David Brown and bagpiper/flutist E.J. Jones.
They bring the music of Scotland, Ireland, Quebec, Brittany and Appalachia to
the Charlotte Folk Society’s latest Gathering.
The Slackers
8:30 p.m. Friday, February 8, Visulite, 1615 Elizabeth Ave. $15.
704-358-9200.
The prolific NYC outfit, who describes its music as “Jamaican rock
n’ roll,” is going strong 17 years after its first release and continues to
stretch the widely-held perception of post ska-punk ska and its boundaries
while still respecting tradition.
Sixpence None the Richer
8 p.m. Saturday, February 9, Neighborhood Theatre, 511 E. 36thSt. $15-$18. 704-358-9298.
With its hit “Kiss Me” and its popular covers of the La’s and
Crowded House, Matt Slocum and Leigh Nash’s band became one of the first
Christian acts to crossover to alternative pop radio. After a hiatus, the band
regrouped in 2007. Five years later it released the new album “Lost in
Transition."
Testament 6:45 p.m. Sunday, February 10, The Fillmore, 1000 NC Music Factory
Blvd. $33.www.livenation.com After its highly successful
2011/2012 tour with Anthrax and Death Angel, cancer survivor vocalist Chuck
Billy, guitarists Eric Peterson and Alex Skolnick and company headline its own
thrashfest following the release of 2012’s “Dark Roots of Earth.” With
Overkill, Flotsam and Jetsam, and 4Arm.
Corb Lund
8 p.m. Tuesday, February 12, Evening Muse, 3227 N. Davidson St.
$10-$12.www.eveningmuse.com
With lyrically amusing (and sometimes serious) songs like “Drink
It Like You Mean It” and “The Gothest Girl I Can” this Juno winning Canadian
songwriter topped the charts in his home country with his latest slice of old
school-inspired honky tonk, “Cabin Fever.”
Sister
Sparrow & the Dirty Birds/the Wheeler Brothers
8
p.m. Tuesday, February 12, Visulite, 1615 Elizabeth Ave. $10-$12. www.visulite.com
The petite powerhouse soul singer and
her brass-driven funk band have been causing a stir with its tough and fiery
take on a classic mix. She strikes somewhere between Tina Turner and Nikka Costa fronting a versatile funk band with bite.
Patterson Hood
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 13, McGlohon Theatre, 345 N. College
St. $20. 704-372-1000.
Well known in the Drive-By Truckers for his writing contributions
and the gruff, Southern vocals that help sell that band’s lived-it take on
working class pain and drama, Hood goes it alone with his third solo album and
more intimate concerts which still feature the Truckers’ Brad Morgan and Jay
Gonzalez.
Social Studies/Ramona Falls
10 p.m. Wednesday, February 13, Snug Harbor, 1228 Gordon St. Free.
704-333-9799.
The female-fronted San Francisco dream-rock quintet Social Studies
curbs its desire to experiment on its new album, “Developer,” which is dark,
layered rock that remains simultaneously direct and mysterious. Brent Knopf of
indie-rock band Menomena’s side-turned-full time project, Ramona Falls (who
should win a Grammy for its complicated cd design), glides on an equally
interesting, dark synth-rock plain.
Eoto
8 p.m. Thursday, February 14, Amos’, 1423 S. Tryon St. $17-$20.www.etix.com
This duo has made a name for itself
on the electronic and jam scenes by executing a complex, entirely improvised
live show and for its equally engaging visuals which has the band surrounded by
a lotus flower made of screens which serves as a backdrop for
constantly morphing projections.
Ex Cops is the new band from former Hymns' vocalist/guitarist Brian Harding. Harding grew up in Charlotte before moving to New York to pursue music. It was there that he and fellow Charlottean Jason Roberts (now with Norah Jones' band) started the rootsy rock band Hymns. I adored Hymns' two albums and final EP, "Appaloosa" (I feel fortunate that Roberts handed me a rare physical copy at a show at Snug Harbor since my download became corrupted).
As sad as I was to see Hymns go following those three releases and tours with Sam Roberts and Ben Kweller, it looks like Harding is on to something with his new band Ex Cops (not to be confused with the Gwar mid-`90s uniform-clad side project X-Cops). The five-piece band that grew out of Harding and co-vocalist Amalie Bruun's (ex-Minks) home recordings appears poised for hipster buzz band-om. "Spin" named it one of the Best New Bands of 2012. Finicky taste maker Pitchfork gave its debut album, "True Hallucinations" (out now), a positive review. NPR featured its first single "James" in its All Songs Considered Podcast.
Sadly no hometown tour dates are on the horizon just yet, but Ex Cops is heading to SXSW and you can watch its new Jason Shaltz-directed video for "Separator" on Pitchfork.TV here. Its much simpler video for the track "Ken" is also on YouTube. (Photo credit: Micah Schmidt)
In the metallic/melodic hardcore band Scapegoat, Kit Walters and Spencer Bensch started making heavy music at an early age. Now well into their twenties the pair have taken an entirely new direction with the electro-pop act KIT. KIT plays Suite at The Epicentre tonight, February 6. Doors open at 10 p.m.
Walters was 12 the first time he performed live with Scapegoat. Bensch joined five years later in 2004. At its peak it could draw several hundred fans locally, which is quite a feat for an independent Charlotte band. The group eventually toured Japan and released six albums, but following 2011's excellent "I Am Alien" Walters (who has also worked for other acts as a producer) and Bensch began focusing on pop music with an outfit called the New Renaissance.
If you dug the New Renaissance, who also played live occasionally, KIT is musically heading in the same direction. The pair's potential in their former band suggests that it just might go somewhere. I witnessed a very green Scapegoat early on. They were young and rough around the edges, but with each album showed progress and increasing musical maturity. By the time the band released "Zombie Dog" I found myself blown away by the arrangements and Walters' stellar production skills. You couldn't tell it was a homegrown effort.
The current group has spent a year planning and figuring out just how it wants to present itself in an increasingly crowded industry (hence the name change). So keep an eye - and ear - out. Seeing its first official live show could someday be something to talk about.
At one point during Meow Meow’s opening night performance at
Stage Door Theater Monday, the cabaret singer threw a leg over an audience
member’s shoulder as he and two other men (also recruited from the crowd) awkwardly
lifted her into the air. The crowd was in stitches as she twisted in their arms firing out instructions (“My
face to the front,” “Turn me”).
Opening night wasn’t a sellout, but it wasn’t a bust either.
Busts were a actually running gag. The singer positioned herself on the floor
so she wouldn’t be distracted from her song by her own ample cleavage, but it
was the busting of guts that was most common. Those gut-busting gags often involved help
from an audience that was more than game to hold her microphone or rub her leg.
In asking for assistance she worked with the crowd’s strengths (“Does anyone
know French?” “Can anyone play piano?”). One guy played a bit of Billy Joel’s “Piano
Man” while her regular pianist set up the DVD player which he projected on to…well
you just have to see it.
That’s the thing about such a funny and original one woman musical.
You don’t want to give much away or you’d spoil the fun. Although wait until you see what she does for the burlesque number and how she wears her evening gown.
What you should know is Meow Meow is the alter ego of
Melissa Madden Gray, an Australian actress and singer who is well known for her
performances in London’s West End. As Meow Meow she won the Edinburgh Fringe
Festival Prize in 2010 (the same place Blumenthal found the hilarious must-see mock
rock duo Die Roten Punkte).
The quick-witted would-be starlet performs in a sparkly slip
dress with heavy makeup and frizzed hair that makes it look like she woke up
boozy. Although she comments on the show as its happening and even pops a few
pills when her 17-minute timer buzzes mid-song, there’s never a real threat
the show won’t go on. She tells of her breakup, her career highlights ("this
off, off, off Broadway theater" is not one of them), and sings of love, loss,
politics, and communism in a number of languages. There’s a lot of French, a
little German, a bit of Japanese, and English too. She even covered Radiohead’s
“Fake Plastic Trees.”
One of the funniest things is her cues to the lighting crew,
sometimes called out mid-song. While those aforementioned bits are all funny,
it wouldn’t work if Gray couldn’t sing. She can. In fact her voice is quite moving at times.
The act is billed as kamikaze
cabaret. If that means in-your-face, artsy musical-comedy, then it’s a good
description. She’s bawdy and brash, but not offensive. You don’t have to know anything about cabaret or understand French to “get it.”
Still on the fence? The
acts she’s toured and worked with might sway you - Amanda Palmer, Dresden
Dolls, Pink Martini’s Thomas M. Lauderdale, and John Cameron Mitchell of “Hedwig”
fame.
With the Democratic National Convention here recently, there’s been a
lot of talk in the last year about Charlotte’s quest to become a top-tier (or
at least second-tier) city. One of the things that signals a city’s rise is its
support for the arts and that includes avant garde entertainment like Meow Meow
that’s all the buzz overseas or in NYC. Local promoters and bookers are doing a
pretty good job of getting Charlotte this kind of edgy entertainment whether
its EDM, world music or some difficult to describe send-up or stage show. For
instance “Spank! The 50 Shades Parody” begins its run this week as well and unusual
shows like Die Roten Punkte and Celebrity Autobiography have graced Blumenthal’s
stages over the past few years. Support for these events varies, but it seems
like things are moving in the right direction. Meow Meow has that kind of big
city buzz.
Reunited rockers Soundgarden and Alice in Chains head up the bill for the third annual Carolina Rebellion festival, which announced its lineup Friday. The two-day event, which took place in Rockingham last year, takes place May 4 and 5 and moves to Charlotte Motor Speedway's Rock City Campgrounds in Concord.
Alice in Chains will headline Saturday, May 4 with Limp Bizkit (bringing Hunter Huss High School's Fred Durst back to the area), Deftones, Three Days Grace, Papa Roach, Bullet for My Valentine, Halestorm, Asking Alexandria, Sick Puppies, In This Moment, Device (with David Draiman), Young Guns, Otherwise, Aranda, Tracer, and Monstro.
Sunday's lineup features Soundgarden (pictured), Rise Against, Bush, 3 Doors Down, Buckcherry, Volbeat, Hollywood Undead, All That Remains, Steel Panther, Pop Evil, Escape the Fate, Nonpoint, Thousand Foot Krutch, Red Line Chemistry, Heaven's Basement, and American Fangs.
Bands will perform on three stages and fans will have the opportunity to meet many of the artists in the autograph signing tent sponsored by f.y.e.
Weekend passes and single day tickets go on sale to the public Friday, February 8 at 10 a.m. EST at www.CarolinaRebellion.com.. All are general admission. Weekend passes start at $99 (plus fees). Single day tickets begin at $59.50. Parking is included with admission. Discounted internet presale tickets will be available for $89 February 6 and 7. For access visit the festival's Facebook page or subscribe to its newsletter at www.CarolinaRebellion.com.
Discounts are also available for active military. Please visit www.CarolinaRebellion.com for details on that along with information on camping, hotel, and VIP packages. Camping and hotel packages include admission to the Friday night pre-festival campground party.
Courtney Devores has been writing about music and entertainment in Charlotte for 16 years and has been a regular contributor to The Charlotte Observer since 2003.
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