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Arts & Music

Gimme Five! Rob Ruin of Wild Wild Geese

When your house burns down in the middle of a torrential hurricane, it’s a pretty good bet that whatever almighty there is up there is telling you to get the hell out of Florida.  At least that’s what Rob Ruin and his wife Allison thought when in 2004 Hurricane Frances threw a transformer down on their home and left them with little more than some clothes, a Clash LP and a silver hollow body guitar.  The couple took the hit, packed up and moved to Chapel Hill to be near a few long lost childhood friends.

Now, years later, Ruin found a new home and new musical inspiration— first in Spider Bags and now in Wild Wild Geese. The Geese, Ruin, drummer John Jaquiss, bassist Kent Howard, and guitarist/keyboardist Nathan Toben, play spunky garage rock that’s as beautifully noisy as it is playful.  Click on over to their Odessa Records page to download their debut EP Are You a Baby? for free. Then, be sure to head out to The Nightlight Oct 8th where they’ll be celebrating the release of their full length Sorry, Earth, along with their pals Drunk Tigers and Bad Cop.

And now just five questions for one of the geese to gander:

1. If your band were a mother goose story, which would it be?

This is going to sound horribly depressing, but I say this with a smile; I have no clue. I have long had this theory that, being the youngest of three, by the time I was born my mother had kind of given up on the typical childhood teachings that my older siblings and most kids were raised on. It always cracks me up how thin my knowledge is when it comes to nursery rhymes, bedtime stories and the like. Being wild wild geese though, I guess we’d have our own story as the wayward children of Mother Goose herself. I might have to start writing this, hmmm…

2. When did you first think music was something you would like to try?

As long as I can remember, I’ve always been attracted to the raw response people have to music. For me, more than any other art form, music has the potential to completely shift a mood or kill a room with a single change in notes. That said, I remember my father went to England on business when I was younger and he asked the clerk in a record store what “the kids were listening to” in order to bring a hip gift home for my brother and me. He brought home a Simple Minds record and the Cure’s “Disintegration” and let us fight over them. Lucky for me, my brother chose the Simple Minds record. I remember how sad I became popping the cassette in and hearing “Plain Song” for the first time. I think that was when I started thinking about playing and creating these devastating sonic concoctions myself.

3. Describe the last time you totally geeked out about a song.

As any of my friends can tell you, I was the obnoxious, music-pusher friend, cranking a car stereo and forcing passengers to suffer through whatever I was obsessing over at the time. Recently, it has been this track “Ocean City” by Kurt Vile; a warbling, stripped down acoustic pop gem that cross fades into an ambient, spaced out keyboard line. Two instruments, vocals, perfection.

4. Who/what might be a few inspirations or influences that would really surprise people?

My wife and I have a Greater Swiss mountain dog named Meatball that makes the strangest noises when he’s excited. We call it the “woo woo,” and I think all along I’ve just been trying to replicate that musically.

5. What did you want to be when you grew up? (How did that work out?)

The Big three:
1. photographer: I’m terrible at it.
2. chef: I watch a lot of Food Network.
3. musician: I’m havin’ fun with it.

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Help Wild Wild Geese celebrate the release of their new record, Sorry, Earth at The Nightlight Friday, October 8th. And, by all means, give Rob a high five when you see him!

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Arts & Music

Advance Notice: The Week in Happenings 9/27-10/3

Just a few reasons to get out of your house and into the mix.

Mon – 9/27

  • Spider Bags / Strapping Fieldhands / Los Naturales @ The Nightlight – $5
  • Widespred Panic Live in the Classic City 2 CD Release Party @ The Pour House – $FREE!

Tues – 9/28

Thurs – 9/30

  • Dead Confederate / Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band / Aminal @ Cat’s Cradle – $10 adv / $12 at the door
  • Tobacco / Dreamend @ Local 506 – $9 adv / $11 at the door
  • Gmish Klezmer Band / Tarif de Unemployed / Vincent Joos @ The Nightlight – $5
  • Jeremy Blair / Wembley / Le Weekend @ The Pinhook – $5

Fri – 10/1

  • Near Blind James & Harmonica Bob / Johnny Fulsom / The Kinksmen @ Broad Street Cafe – $FREE!

Sat – 10/2

  • Cotton Jones / Pepper Rabbit @ Local 506 – $8
  • Rogue Wave/ Midlake / Peter Wolf Crier @ Cat’s Cradle – $16 adv / $18 day of the show
  • Eric Benet / The Urban Sophisticates / DJ BRORABB / JD White @ Lincoln Theatre – $25 adv / $30 day of the show / $39 VIP
  • Mad Tea Party / Straight 8’s / Stella Lively @ The Pour House – $8

Sun – 10/3

  • Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s / The Lonely Forest / Cameron McGill and What Army @ Local 506 – $10 adv / $12 at the door

Anywhere else?

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Arts & Music

Gimme Five! Phil Blank of Gmish

photo by James G. Northrup

On nice Wednesday nights, if you’re lucky, you can find Leah Schinasi, Jordan Hutchinson, and Phil Blank paused somewhere on the streets of Carrboro playing music.  Equal parts fiddle, clarinet, and accordion, these three join forces as Gmish to play klezmer in a style that blends the flashier concert customs with the downhome dance traditions.

If you ask Phil, though, mostly “they spend way too much time deciphering the complex language of ornaments, phrasing and rhythm from scratchy 78s.”   The fidelity and passion of the tunes they play thanks to all that time head-scratching and busking on the sidewalks around town pays off with wildly fun shows.  But don’t just take my word for it, catch Gmish in full tilt next Thursday, September 30th, at The Nightlight where they’ll be joined by Taraf de Unemployed and Blood Jar Creepers, as well as, folklorist Vincent Joos, who’ll be sharing stories about his recent fieldwork in Romania.

And now just five questions for Gmish’s king of the squeeze-box:

from "The Mysterious Ragmen of Jonkonnu" by Phil Blank

1. If your band were a dance move, what would it be?

A slow draggy dance, with lots of hand movement, shuffling feet, and gazing (what they now call “social
networking”), preferably under a street light.

2. Why did you name the group Gmish (yiddish for mish-mash)?

Leah, the fiddler who thought of it says, “hmm it was a while ago…. I think my idea was that the word
gmish described us as a group, in that we were different people with different histories and backgrounds
(musical and otherwise) coming together to play the same music. Plus it’s just a fun word! “

3. Describe your feelings toward the accordion.

The accordion is the primal ooze of instruments. I have an old beat-up one where you can hear the notes crawl out of it, open their eyes and squint into the sun. It tends to be in the muddled middle of things, sonically and physically. Even motherly maybe? Push!

from "The Lowest of the Low" by Phil Blank

4. Who/what might be a few inspirations or influences that might really surprise people?

Most of my inspiration comes from local traditions to which I was not “kin” but was lucky enough to experience in raw, unamplified and casual contexts. Seeing my wife sing gospel music from her youth and seeing her relationship to it was a demonstration of the emotional potential of that music and an inspiration for me to never (never never ever) try that myself. Hearing David Long play Bill Monroe style mandolin helped me understand the blunt overpowering punch that can be in traditional music. It is something that doesn’t always come across on recordings and seems to be rapidly fading. I once watched my friend Ben Hartlage listen to the Stanley Brothers and I heard the resolute male humility and regret in Carter’s voice (I was always distracted by Ralph’s part.) I’ve been lucky enough to have dozens of these moments and they really gave me an ear for hearing things in klezmer and other musics from the
same period in history.

5. What did you want to be when you were a kid? (How did that work out?)

When I was a kid, I mostly wanted to be left alone to read, draw and play music. So far so good!

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Scoot over to The Nightlight September 30th to see Gmish in action. And, by all means, give Phil a high five when you see him!

Categories
Arts & Music

Advance Notice: The Week in Happenings 9/20-26

Here because you can’t be trusted to know where to find good music every night of the week.

Mon – 9/20

  • Murder by Death /  Samantha Crain / Ninja Gun @ Local 506 – $12 adv / $14 at the door
  • 500 Miles to Memphis @ The Cave – $TBA

Tues – 9/21

  • Open Mic with Jonathan Thompson @ The Pinhook – $FREE!
  • Bobby Bare Jr. / Blue Giant @ Local 506 – $8 adv / $10 at the door

Wed – 9/22

  • Signal Fest 2010: Pac Div / Kooley High / Actual Proof / King Mez / Dow Jones (with DJ Complete) @ Cat’s Cradle – $12 adv / $14 day of the show
  • Bassnectar / Eskmo / Filastine @ Lincoln Theatre – $21 adv / $26 day of the show

Thurs – 9/23

  • Wild Wild Geese / Whatever Brains / The Super Vacations @ The Cave – $5

Fri – 9/24

  • The Wailers / Duane Stephenson / DJ Ras J @ Cat’s Cradle – $24 adv / $27 day of the show
  • Unknown Hinson / Johnny Hiland @ Lincoln Theatre – $15 adv / $18 day of the show
  • Loudon Wainwright III & Friends: A Tribute to Charlie Poole @ Reynolds Theatre – $42 / $36 / $5 for Duke Students

Sat – 9/25

  • Shithorse / Diminished Men @ The Cave – $5
  • Signal Fest 2010: The Beast / The Alpha Theory / Mr. Invisible @ Local 506 – $6 adv / $8 at the door
  • Cuntry Kings / Mosadi Music / Nicky Click @ The Pinhook – $TBA
  • Carolina Chocolate Drops / Joe Henry @ Reynolds Theatre – $38 / $32 / $5 for Duke Students (SOLD OUT)

Sun – 9/26

Anywhere else?

Categories
Arts & Music

Gimme Five! Joe Norkus of Embarrassing Fruits

“The vanishing frontier is not going to save our modern fears,” or so goes a line from the Embarrassing Fruits (Joe Norkus, Lee Shaw and John Neville) new record, Frontier Justice.  Delivered in sedate deadpan over a trundling riff, the lyric is a peak at the album’s thematic bent—the realization that growing up is as much about accepting that nothing really changes as it is about trying to make them.

The slacker-maturity of that sentiment is as much a reflection of the band’s evolution as it is the player’s personal journeys.  From their debut split 7’ Sumr Stupid Drunk Fun to the First Time EP to last year’s Community/ Exploitation, the musical push has always been about stumbling toward enlightenment.  It’s an arc that’s garnered them cheers for their “easy going spirit” and pop-rock reverie and that now sees them amalgamating indie/classic/post-rock influences with confident, collaborative abandon.  And you can catch them in the act and help them celebrate the release of Frontier Justice at Duke Coffehouse this Friday when they’ll be joined by Midtown Dickens and Lonnie Walker.

And now just five flustering questions for Joe-fruit:

1. If your band were a fruit, which would it be?

A durian – especially when we’re on tour

2. What can listeners expect from the new album?

Aural orgasm…..No but seriously -  there’s more collaboration. Our bass player has been writing more and singing/playing guitar on some stuff. A lot of it has a more classic rock feel, mixed w/ the nineties sounds on some of our earlier records. We worked really hard on little lead guitar things. We recorded it to tape too, so there’s a bigger, warmer sound.

3. Describe your last or most embarrassing moment.

Richmond VA, @ Nara Sushi (had to be there)

4. Who/what might be a few inspirations or influences that might really surprise people?

Motorhead, Stone Temple Pilots, Babasonicos, Pappo’s Blues, Bonnie Prince Billie, Lil Wayne

5. What did you want to be when you were a kid? (How did that work out?)

I wanted to be a chef, and an artist, and later on a rock star. I cook for me and my girlfriend, I do web design and graphic design, and I play in a band called Embarrassing Fruits, so as far as the first 2 things go, my life worked out pretty well. 😉

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Head out to the Duke Coffehouse this Friday to help Embarrassing Fruits celebrate the release of their new record, Frontier Justice. And, by all means, give Joe a high five when you see him!

Categories
Arts & Music

Advance Notice: The Week in Happenings 9/13-19

Here because you can’t be trusted to know where and when to find great music every night of the week.

Tues – 9/14

  • Those Darlins / Strange Boys / Gentlemen Jessee @ Local 506 – $8 adv / $10 at the door

Wed – 9/15

  • Jay Clifford / John Wessley Satterfield / Jason Adamo @ Cat’s Cradle – $10 adv / $13 day of the show
  • Holy Fuck / Indian Jewelry @ Local 506 – $12 adv / $14 at the door

Thurs – 9/16

  • Sera Cahoone / Sea Wolf / Patrick Park @ The Nightlight – $10 adv / $12 at the door
  • The Small Ponds CD Release Show! with Bright Young Things & The Tomahawks @ The Pour House – $8
  • Shooter Jennings & Hierophant / A Thousand Horses @ Cat’s Cradle – $15 adv / $18 day of the show

Fri – 9/17

  • The Old Ceremony CD Release Show! with Lifted Praise Gospel Singers @ Cat’s Cradle – $10 adv / $12 day of the show
  • The Sanctified (Night 1): Megafaun / Fight the Big Bull / Justin Vernon of Bon Iver / Sharon Van Etten @ Duke – $26 / $5 for Duke Students
  • Holy Ghost Tent Revival / House of Fools / Paleface @ Lincoln Theatre – $5 adv / $7 day of the show
  • Transportation / Wild Wild Geese @ The Pinhook – $5

Sat – 9/18

  • Laura Veirs & The Hall of Flames / The Watson Twins / Led to Sea @ Local 506 – $10 adv / $12 at the door
  • The Moaners (Record Release Party) / Ryan Gustafson / DJ Steph Russ @ The Nightlight – $5
  • Local Label Slam! Pox World Empire Records @ The Pinhook – The artists of Pox (Nathan Oliver, Organos, Anna Bullard, Felix Obelix, etc) will be out in full force, you should be too. $5
  • Free Electric State / Left Outlet / Goner / Decoration Ghost / On the Take @ The Pour House – $7
  • The Sanctified (Night 2): Megafaun / Fight the Big Bull / Justin Vernon of Bon Iver / Sharon Van Etten @ Duke – $26 / $5 for Duke Students

Sun – 9/19

  • The Sanctified (Night 3): Megafaun / Fight the Big Bull / Justin Vernon of Bon Iver / Sharon Van Etten @ Duke – $26 / $5 for Duke Students
  • Drive-By Truckers / The Henry Clay People / American Aquarium @ Lincoln Theatre – $22 adv / $25 day of the show

Anywhere else?

Categories
Arts & Music

Gimme Five! In the Year of the Pig

In their press release, the men of In the Year of the Pig make it all sounds so simple: “Aaron Smithers plays bass. Robert Biggers plays drums. Lincoln Sward plays bass. Dave Cantwell plays drums. David Harper plays guitar. Zeke Graves plays synthesizers.”  Six names, a double up on the rhythm section, a side of synthesizer and that’s it.  One listen to the band’s latest record, 2010’s Jamón, you know it’s not.  This music isn’t simple,  so much as heavy, distorted, meditative, impulsive, noisy, syncopated.  It’s a barrage of words clamoring to define a band that throws in equal parts cerebral focus and improvisational wit to make music that defies genre, but leans on the dynamic local scene.  And you can catch them in full celebration of that and all things In the Year of the Pig at the Hopscotch Fest this Saturday night at The Berkeley Cafe.

Now just the five hardest questions in faux business:

1. If your band were a pork product, which would it be?

photo source: Chip Millard's weblog

– I don’t know what kind of pork product we would be, but we do take great pleasure in investigating the full range of culinary possibilities available with the noble beast.
Recently we have been exploring regional hot dog styles.  We made our first trip to Paul’s Place in Rocky Point, NC a couple months ago.  Very enjoyable.   Perfecting home preparations of both the Sonoran Dog and Carolina Slaw Dog styles has been a fantastic journey as well.

Tip of the hat to Skeenie’s Hot Dogs in West Virginia too.
We profess no allegiance to either Eastern or Lexington style barbecue, choosing instead to keep our hearts open and our minds clear of distraction.

We also stand by Diana Kennedy’s technique of preparing carnitas at home, however, the confit method recently proposed by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt certainly merits some investigation.

2. When did the idea to form In the Year of the Pig come up? (aka How’d you guys get started playing together?)

–  There is an origin story comic book, illustrated by Chicago silkscreen artist Keith G. Herzik, that is available at our shows.  Email if you want one but don’t want to see a show.  The name came from an infatuation with a 1968 documentary film about the Vietnam War by Emile de Antonio, highly recommended.  We started in 2005 because we had a good name that needed using, a very nice landlord, and upstairs neighbors who were friendly folklorists.  Essentially we had a place to practice, a very, very supportive local music community, and Nightlight.  It seemed silly not to take advantage of it and play some music.  It’s grown over the years from the original duo of Bear and Fox to the current six-piece of Aaron Smithers, David Harper, Dave Cantwell, Lincoln Sward, Robert Biggers, and Zeke Graves.

3. Describe your typical band practice.

7:30 PM: arrive early and head over to Tienda Don Jose for a Topo Chico and a 32 oz. Carta Blanca.
7:45 PM: sit in alley and discuss world events as other folks arrive.
8:00 PM: get stuff inside and see what equipment is broken this week.
8:15 PM: Cantwell leads a brief service.
8:20 PM: break.
8:27 PM: tuning.
8:30 PM: jams.
9:00 PM: more jams.
9:30 PM: even more jams.
10:00 PM: maybe even more jams.
10:15 PM: discussion that maybe we really are just a jam band.
10:30 PM: David Harper distributes theory worksheet for homework with a firm hand and serious countenance.

4. Who/what might be a few inspirations or influences that would really surprise people?

the sword of the lictor
quality ingredients
Karp<
1970’s American cinema (the New Wave)
Charles Portis
Sanford & Son
Robb Walsh
Karp
common courtesy
James P. Johnson
The Allegheny Jubilee
good vegetables
good meat
good fish
Guy Klucevsek (particularly “Boeves Psalm,” originally composed by his friend and colleague Lars Hollmer
Sound poetry
Lady Muleskinner Press
Los Vampiros de Lalo Treviño (conjunto and musica norteña in general)
Mingo Saldívar
Esteban “Steve” Jordan. El Parche. [RIP]

5. What did you want to be when you grew up? (How did that work out?)

photo by pj sykes

– A folklorist.  Isn’t that what every kid wants to be?
– When I was in High School we had to go once a week to a home room class.  The program that required this was called PATHS.  It had something to do with trying to get students to think about their future and higher education.  My PATHS teacher was the ROTC instructor.  He had all the typical military mannerisms that you would expect from a High School ROTC instructor.  One day we were going around the class talking about what we wanted to be when we grew up.  When the ROTC instructor came up to me and asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I told him that I wanted to be a garbage man in NYC.  This was obviously the wrong answer, because he proceeded to give a verbal beat down using my last name alot and ultimately saying that I was going to end up working at the 7-11 serving him coffee.  Sometimes I like to think about where that ROTC instructor ended up.  I bet he is wearing a diaper.
– A champion.  Yes, seems to have worked out great.

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Rush out to hear In the Year of the Pig at Hopscotch this Saturday night at the Berkeley Cafe. And, by all means, give the boys a high five when you see them!

Categories
Arts & Music

Advance Notice: The Week in Happenings 9/6-12

The word of the week is Hopscotch. Sure, it’s a child’s game, but more importantly it’s the Indy Weekly’s fantastic new music fest due to take the Triangle by storm this weekend.  With a line-up of acts that includes Public Enemy, Panda Bear, Best Coast, Marissa Nadler, Broken Social Scene, Sharon Van Etten, Bear in Heaven, The Love Language, The Rosebuds, and No Age to just name a pitiful few, it promises to be an epic weekend of music.  Look in this week’s Indy for a bigger preview of the fest including a suggested (slightly insane) itinerary drumming up by yours truly.  Hope to see you there.

Tues – 9/7

  • Skylar Gudasz & The Ugly Girls / Arlo & The Otter / Supreme Fiction @ The Nightlight – $5
  • Open Mic! with Jonathan Thompson @ The Pinhook – $FREE!

Wed – 9/8

  • Colour Revolt / Turbo Fruits @ Local 506 – $8
  • The Toddlers / Sin Ropas / Father Murphy / Kellie Ann Grubbs @ The Nightlight – $5
  • Killer Filler / The Mission Creeps @ The Cave – $5

Thurs – 9/9

Fri – 9/10

  • D-Town Brass / JazzHandzz / The Hem of His Garment @ The Nightlight – $5
  • Lewis Black @ DPAC – $30 and up
  • Sons of Bill / Apache Relay @ Local 506 – $10
  • Pagan Hellcats CD Release Party with Three Days in Vegas @ Broad Street Cafe – $FREE!

Sat – 9/11

  • Buddy Guy: Bull Durham Blues Festival @ DPAC – $35 and up

Sun – 9/12

  • Andre Williams / The Goldstars @ Local 506 – $9 adv / $11 at the door

Anywhere else?

Categories
Arts & Music

Gimme Five! Phonte & Big Pooh of Little Brother

On “Not Enough,” a track off Little Brother’s 2005 major label debut The Minstrel Show, Phonte Coleman makes a decisive declaration about his and Thomas “Big Pooh” Jones’ work ethic: “We spent the last year writing rhymes doing shows and chopping records / And traveled all around the world to spread the message / ‘Cause ain’t no rest for the weary when it comes to my team / We only sleep on December the 32nd.”

Five long years later though, and if you believe the noise, all that’s gone by the wayside.  There is no such thing Little Brother anymore.  The duo have broken up and moved on just after releasing their fourth full length, 2010’s Leftback.  A few months of perspective and a quick glance at the calendar though and Big Pooh and Phonte are back performing together.  The only thing being left back is the drama. Little Brother is doing just fine.

With a loyal crew of collaborators (notably DJ Flash, Christopher “Khrysis” Tyson, and Mischa “Big Dho” Burgess), Big Pooh and Phonte are working as fiercely as ever to churn out the slick, astute old school hip-hop stylings that made them paydirt from the beginning.  There’s no telling what the future holds, but in the meantime these men are here to claim the mic. And you can hear them in action this Saturday, September 4th, at the Cat’s Cradle where they’ll be bringing down the house with a little help from Chaundon, Jozeemo, Joe Scudda, Roc C.

And now just five questions for the big men of Little Brother:

1. If Little Brother were a TV show, which would it be?

PHONTE: The Odd Couple
BIG POOH: I’ll agree with Tay, definitely The Odd Couple

2. What’s a typical writing session like?

PHONTE: I generally compose my lyrics on the spot and Pooh usually comes in with his pre-written.  Sometimes we’ll both go in the studio with nothing and just see what happens; it varies.

3. Describe the dynamic between you two.

PHONTE: Yin and yang.   From a musical standpoint, I’m (typically) more laid back while Pooh is more in your face; its like the difference between a finesse runner and a fullback.  But you need both to win the game.
BIG POOH: Definitely yin and yang. I always compare it to putting together a puzzle. Tay likes to take pieces out of the box one by one always glancing at the cover to check his progression while I dump the entire box out and go for it.

4. Who/what might be a few inspirations or influences that might really surprise people?

PHONTE: Queen Latifah is a big inspiration for me.  I never would have guessed that the same girl who did ‘Wrath Of My Madness’ at 19 would be up for Emmy and Grammy Awards and doing spots for Cover Girl some years later.  Watching her evolution over the years has been really inspiring for me.
BIG POOH: For me I would say Magic Johnson. His transition after basketball has been unbelievable. To be so passionate about one thing most of your life (basketball) and then to venture into the business world with the same passion and have an enormous amount of success is something I can only pray for.

5. What did you dream of being when you were a kid? (How ’d that turn out?)

PHONTE: I wanted to sing and dance like Michael Jackson and rap like Big Daddy Kane.  Needless to say, I’m still workin on it.
BIG POOH: I always dreamed I would be a teacher and coach. Some say I’m teaching now.

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Check back next week to see who else will take up the challenge of facing down the five. Be sure to join Little Brother this Saturday night at the Cat’s Cradle.  And, by all means, give Phonte and Big Pooh a high five when you see them!

Categories
Arts & Music

Advance Notice: The Week in Happenings 8/30-9/5

Just a few more reasons to get out of the house and into the mix.

Mon – 8/30

  • Natalie Merchant @ DPAC – $28 and up

Tues – 8/31

  • Binary Marketing Show / Cracker Creeptactular / Deluxe Handcuffs @ The Nightlight – $5

Wed – 9/1

Thurs – 9/2

  • Gods of Harvest / McKenna Oaks / Horsehead Fiddle Choir @ The Pinhook – $5
  • The Numbers / Decoration Ghost @ Local 506 – $6

Fri – 9/3

  • The Bastages / A Rooster for the Masses @ The Cave – $TBA
  • Dexter Romweber and The New Romans / Coma Cinema / Gobble Gobble @ The Pinhook – $5

Sat – 9/4

  • Little Brother / Chaundon / Jozeemo / Joe Scudda / Roc C @ Cat’s Cradle – $18 adv / $20 day of the show
  • Free Electric State / Saint Solitude / Birds and Arrows @ Local 506 – $7
  • Crooked Cabaret Talent Show and Benefit for the Prison Books Collective @ The Nightlight – $4

Sun – 9/5

  • Dexter Romweber (solo) @ The Cave – $5

Anywhere else?

Categories
Arts & Music

Gimme Five! Ben of Ben Davis and the Jett$

Ben Davis and the Jett$‘Round about ten years ago, on the eve of welcoming a son into the world, Ben Davis happily decided to get down to the serious business of being an adult.  Settling down theoretically meant packing up his belongings and hanging up his punk rock aspirations (and relentless touring schedule).  But, ten years, three records (2001’s The Hushed Patterns of Relief, 2003’s Aided & Abetted, and 2010’s Charge it Up!), and a split 7” (2007’s The Battle of the Beards) later, and if anything, Davis has happily discovered his family is just new inspiration for an even broader musical ambition.

First as a solo-project and then along with his backing band The Jett$ (Eric Wallen, Megan Culton, Andy Willard, and Benji Shirley), Davis has explored everything from sparse pop to punchy, anthemic rock.  Where the first release employed cello, piano, and a wash of guitars to moody ends, the latest release (Charge it Up!) plugs into a charging aesthetic, eschewing gauzy texture for straightforward, attacking guitars and melodies to match.  It’s a sound fostered thanks to a lot of energetic touring, and it’s a live show you can see for yourself this Friday August 27th at The Nightlight where they’ll be joined by Controlled Storms, Last Year’s Men, Pointless Forest.

Now just the five hardest questions in faux business:

1. If your band were an Elton John album, which would it be?
It would have to be Empty Sky…because the Jett$ need to fly free.

2. What first made you think music was something you’d like to try?
Both of my parents are musicians so it’s always been something I was around.  Of course, they all read music , teach, and are actually talented.  I’m the slacker of the family for sure.

3. Describe how your sons have influenced your music.
Well, when my first son was born I went through a phase of introspection and writing quieter stuff. I now have another son who is 2 and a half  and we are all ready to get loud and stupid 24/7.  My older son Rick is just turning 11 and plays drums and has his own bands.  He has been putting on his own shows and flyering and stuff since he was 5 without any push from me. He’s pretty amazing. I know a bunch of band parents with kids who have bands and are in 4th and 5th grade. The crop of young rockers in the Triangle is going to be insane.

4. Who/what might be a few inspirations or influences that might really surprise people?
NPR. Audio books. Woody Durham. Sleep Deprivation. Coffee. –   Probably not that much of a surprise to anyone.

5. What did you dream of being when you were a kid? (How ’d that turn out?)
In third grade I had a serious air guitar full on band.  We would have practice every day after school and get really into it and get mad at each other if we messed up.  So mostly the dream worked out perfectly.  I’ve been lucky enough to hang out with a ton of awesome musicians, play great shows, but I’m mostly still faking my way through it all.

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Ben Davis and the Jett$ play The Nightlight this Friday day, August 27.  And please, by all means give Ben a high five when you see him!