Categories
Miscellany

PDF version of today’s Citizen (with Mill) now up!

Here are the links:

regular section: http://www.ibiblio.org/carrborocitizen/print/citizen040110.pdf

Mill: http://www.ibiblio.org/carrborocitizen/print/printedmill/mill0410.pdf

Categories
Arts & Music

Advance Notice: The Week in Happenings 3/29-4/4

As for me, I’ll be singing “Roscoe” to myself pretty much constantly until Saturday night …and, you know, everyday after that.

Mon – 3/29

  • King Khan & the Shrines / The Fresh & Onlys / Junkers @ Cat’s Cradle – $14 adv / $16 day of the show
  • Animal Alphabet / Jacquelyn Lee @ Local 506 – $FREE!

Wed – 3/31

  • Junior Astronomers / O God the White Whale @ Local 506 – $FREE!
  • CHADSTOCK featuring Chad Byrne (of Robosapien) / Cougar Poacher / Dave and Kerry Cantwell / Freaky Charlie @ The Nightlight – $TBA
  • Casual Curious CD Release Party with Workday/Schoolnight @ The Pinhook – $5

Thurs – 4/1

  • Mr. Mouse’s 10 Year Anniversary Party featuring Brandon Herndon & John Pardue @ The Cave – $TBA
  • I Was Totally Destroying It / Ben Davis and the Jetts / Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun @ The Pinhook – $5

Fri – 4/2

  • Brett Harris CD Release Party featuring Luego / Bright Young Things @ The Nightlight – $TBA
  • The Whispers & Stephanie Mills @ DPAC – $37.50-59.50

Sat – 4/3

  • HWYL / Stratocruiser / Swaso @ The Cave – $TBA

Sun – 4/4

And? Please share.

Categories
Arts & Music

Gimme Five! Nathan Tarr of Wood Ear

Nathan Tarr was a stranger in Pittsburgh.  Moving there from Greensboro in 2002 had meant not only losing his comfort, but also leaving behind two bands.  The uneasiness inspired him to put pen to paper, melody to guitar and churn out a string of songs that, though he kept them quiet for a while, ended up as the initial blast of Wood Ear. With a sound that tiptoes on the edges alt.country, Wood Ear nods in the direction of bands like Uncle Tupelo’s world weary nouveau traditionalism, but strays from their melancholic restraints. Combining straightforward licks, Tarr’s gnawing vocal, and lyrics obsessed with the ticking clock of time, Wood Ear’s music is a battle between apathy and ardor.

With only a 6 song EP to its record (released in 2006), it’s hard to tell where Wood Ear will go in the future, but with Tarr and his steady crew of accomplices (Nathan Golub [of Fontana, the Rosewood Bluff, etc], Frank Andolina [of Fontana], Nic Brown [Longwave, Skeleton Key, Snuzz], and Krystal Black [of Dirty Version, Killing Frost, Vireo]) to back him up, it promises to be an entertaining ride. Check in to hear how Wood Ear’s evolving on Thursday, April 8th at The Pinhook where they’ll be joined by (our friends) Butterflies and Cassis Orange.

Now just five little ole bitty questions:

1. If your band were one of The Golden Girls, which would it be?

I wish I could say Sofia, but Dorothy is probably most accurate.

2. When can listeners expect a new Wood Ear record?

Rather than releasing a proper record, I’m going to release a series of singles on the website (soon to come). I’ll have two new songs out by May and four or five more by the end of the year.

3. Describe your feelings about “alt.country.”

I could take it or leave it.  People know what sound you are describing when you use it but it seems pretty ridiculous in this day and age with the lines between genre’s being blurred as much as they are.

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

I’ve listened to a lot of Bad Brains and Born Against in my time.  Lately I can’t stop listening to Converge.  I also really like Carole King.

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

I don’t remember having strong ambitions for being anything as a kid but when asked I think I said biologist or rock star.  I guess it turned out all right since I’m a biologist and I’m sure to be a rock star after this interview.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Walk on over to The Pinhook on April 8th to hear Wood Ear for yourself and come on back around these parts next week for the newest installment of five.  And by all means, be sure to give Nathan a high five when you see him!

Categories
Miscellany

PDF version of today’s Citizen now up!

Here’s the link:

http://www.ibiblio.org/carrborocitizen/print/citizen032510.pdf

Categories
Arts & Music

Advance Notice: The Week in Happenings 3/22-28

If you aren’t confused about where you should be Thursday night (to say nothing of Friday), then you should really get your head checked.

Tues – Sat – 3/23-27

  • Black Banjo Gathering Reunion on the campus of App State in Boone, NC featuring: Corey Harris, Alice Gerard, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Riley Baugus, Otis Taylor, John Cohen, Gail Gillespie, and Joe Thompson among many others.

Tues – 3/23

  • The Ruby Suns / Toro y Moi / It is Rain in my Face @ Local 506 – $8
  • Dark Water Rising / Red Pony / Gossip Grows on Trees @ The Pinhook – $5

Wed – 3/24

  • Sgt. Dunbar & The Hobo Banned @ The Cave – $5

Thurs – 3/25

  • Shearwater / Wye Oak @ Local 506 – $10 adv / $12 at the door

Fri – 3/26

  • Dirty Little Heaters (CD Release Party) / The Loners / The Moaners / The Big Death Scene @ The Pour House – $7
  • Transportation / Minor Stars @ The Cave – $TBA
  • Drug Horse Joint EP Release Party (2 new songs from 3 bands): Max Indian / Ryan Gustafson / The Light Pines @ Local 506 – $7
  • Jason Isbell $ The 400 Unit / Caleb Caudell & The Bayonets @ Lincoln Theatre – $13 adv / $15 day of the show
  • Let Feedback Ring Festival: Gray Young / Jason Kutchma / Solar Powered Sun Destroyer / Finn Riggins @ Slim’s Downtown – $5

Sat – 3/27

  • Wilco @ DPAC – $35 SOLD OUT (but worth the risk of standing outside the venue for tickets)
  • Reggae Relief for Haiti featuring dub Addis / Jam Rock / Mickey Mills and Steel / Arif (from The Anchants) / Curry Don / Sparkles of Positivity Nelson / D.H.I.M. Reggae Band / The 7 Experience / Truth and Rights @ Cat’s Cradle – $10 suggested donation
  • J Gore & The Alternative @ The Cave – $TBA
  • Let Feedback Ring Festival: Caltrop / Static Minds / The Huguenots / Termperance League (ft Bruce Hazel) @ Berkeley Café – $?

Sun – 3/28

  • Lawrence Arabia / Gossip Grows on Trees @ Local 506 – $8

Anywhere else?

Categories
Arts & Music

Gimme Five! Billy Sugarfix

summertempests“I should rent some movies / Lock myself in my room / Try to get my drinking under control / Post a new entry to a blog that no one reads / And concede / That I’m getting old,” Billy Sugarfix reasons in the first lines on the first track (“Out Like a Lamb”) of his latest record Summer Tempests.  But, if you’ve caught even a whisper of any of Sugarfix’s incredibly creative output, then you know that isn’t reason, it’s madness and it’s exactly the opposite of what needs to happen. No concession, no “getting older” so-called maturity should impede the art that so seemingly nonchalantly flows through his head and out to his fingertips onto blogs and televisions and especially into speakers.

Sugarfix has made an ineffable mark on the local scene.  A montage of his time might note his rambles rocking out as one third of the much beloved Evil Weiner, his jaunts busking solo, his moments crafting pop vocal gems as one half of Password to Larkspur Lane, and even his side business creating custom serenades.  That foreshortened list of credits alone would be evidence enough of his energy and  drive, but, ever the entertainer, it’s also not the end for Sugarfix.  Just recently, he’s started a new project, Billy Sugarfix’s Carousel, a five piece chamber pop ensemble that features a few familiar faces.  Curious ears can catch this chapter of the Sugarfix experience live at The Nightlight on Saturday, March 20 where the Carousel will be joined by The Houston Brothers, Anna Bullard, and John Harrison of North Elementary.

And now just your standard nonstandard five question interrogation:

1. If your band were a movie, what would it be?ed wood

Ed Wood, and by that I mean the biographic film directed by Tim Burton.  When you boil it all down this film is about a bunch of oddly skilled misfits who pool their resources to make something really unique, which is what I hope to do with Billy Sugarfix’s Carousel.

2. When did you start collecting Busby style hats?

Evil Wiener has a song called Marching Band.  When it first came out Ron Liberti and Groves Willer got me this really nice red one to wear when we played the song.  I ended up wearing it until it was all but destroyed.   When it became absolutely un-wearable I began looking for a replacement.  I couldn’t find one exactly like it so I just began collecting every one that I came across.   Ever since I started this collection I have been given constant positive reinforcement in the form of questions such as this one, so as long as you all keep asking me about it I’ll keep collecting them.  I currently have 17.

billysugarfix3. Describe your feelings about performing. (Why do you often wear a mask, costumes, etc?)

I use the mask to represent a devil may care attitude and an absolute commitment to entertain.  I will admit though, that I’ve felt my guitar style is so simplistic that it isn’t enough to carry a performance and I therefore wear the mask to compensate for the lack of finger-picking and lead lines.   I’ve recently started being a lot more serious about guitar playing and have decided to temporarily discontinue the use of masks, and to compensate for my developing skill by surrounding myself with brilliant musicians such as those in the Carousel (Justin Blatt-Viola, Sara Zaleta-vocals, Doug Vuncannon-Double Bass, Wendy Spitzer-Oboe)

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

Enya.  I like Enya.  Yes that’s right…the Celtic New Age “Sail Away” lady.  I think Orinoco Flow is a brilliant piece of music.  So there.

Another huge influence that deserves mentioning is the Trekky Yuletide Orchestra.  Seeing all those strings, brass,  and woodwinds work in a rock club setting really kind of set me on the path to writing for and incorporating  classical instrumentation into what I’m doing.

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

I was dead set on being a fighter pilot until I discovered that the Air Force no longer used bi-planes.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Take a ride on Billy Sugarfix’s Carousel this Saturday, March 20 at The Nightlight.  And by all means, when you see him give Billy a high five!

Categories
Miscellany

PDF version of today’s Citizen (and 2010 Gardening Guide) now up!

Here are the links:

Citizen regular section: http://www.ibiblio.org/carrborocitizen/print/citizen031810.pdf

2010 Gardening Guide special section: http://www.ibiblio.org/carrborocitizen/print/specsections/GardenGuide2010.pdf


Categories
Arts & Music

Advance Notice: The Week in Happening 3/15-21

Mid-week you are advised to be more creative than to stumble into the nearest crappy Irish themed bar.  I mean, really.

Mon – 3/15

  • I Was Totally Destroying it / Mobley / En Serenade @ Local 506 – $5

Tues – 3/16

  • Dexter Romweber (solo) @ The Cave – $TBA
  • Music Trivia Night @ The Pinhook – Win a round, win a pitcher. Enough said. $FREE!

Wed – 3/17

  • Unknown Hinson / Blood Red River @ Berkeley Café – Unknown Hinson, a musician, performance artist (?), and the voice of Early on the Squidbillies, is a total nut. See: this.  Wednesday night there’s going to be a sideburn and beehive contest at the show, which is enough of a reason in itself to advertise it. I mean, right?  $15
  • Fruit Bats  / Blue Gient / The Singleman Affair @ Local 506 – $10 adv / $12 at the door
  • St. Patty’s Day with Penny Prophets / Randy Whitt’s Celtic Celebration @ The Cave – $TBA
  • St. Patrick’s Day Mug Night with Waylandsphere / The Oatmeal Conspiracy / Triple Wide @ The Pour House – $6

Thurs – 3/18

  • The Black Lips / Box Elders @ Cat’s Cradle – …because even though that one guy spits loogies in the air and catches them in his mouth, at least he doesn’t pee on stage anymore (as my friend Austin warned me one time). Oh and also because they make great gritty rock’n’roll. $10 adv / $12 day of the show

Fri – 3/19

  • The Mercury Program / Fin Fang Foom @ Local 506 – $8
  • Dance Party to Benefit Choice USA @ The Pinhook – $5

Sat – 3/20

  • Billy Sugarfix / Anna Bullard / John Harrison / Houston Brothers @ The Nightlight – $TBA
  • The Rosebuds / Mount Weather @ Cat’s Cradle – $10 adv / $12 day of the show ((editors note: This show has been canceled.))
  • Athens Boys Choir / 8 inch Betsy / Pink Flag / Pariah Piranha @ Local 506 – Should you be confused about who Athens Boys Choir is this video is a decent primer. $7
  • Dance Party to raise funds for sending people to the Human Rights Conference at the Hague @ The Pinhook – $5

Sun – 3/21

  • Deerhunter / Schooner / Free Electric State @ Cat’s Cradle – $14 adv / $16 day of the show
  • Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Dale Ann Bradley, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass @ Raleigh’s Meymandi Concert Hall – $40-$50 for PineCone members, $45-$55 public

Where else?

Categories
Arts & Music

Gimme Five! Stuart Edwards of Old Bricks

old bricks A gutturally honest new addition to the local scene, the music of Old Bricks combines splintered narratives, fragile vocals, and a cobweb-cluttered aural-field of effects and drum bursts.  Centered on the confessionally-tinged songs of Stuart Edwards and filled out with the help of Andy Holmes, the music is a bewitching blend of art and ache.  Though the project initially cut teeth in Nashville, it’s found its legs here nearer to their homesteads in Rocky Mount.

Thus far, they’ve released one EP and now, to our great luck, a debut LP collection of tunes, Farmers (available for preview over at IndyWeek).   If you really want to see what these guys are up to, you can catch them live (along with The Daredevil Christopher Wright and The Tender Fruit) at Slim’s in Raleigh on Friday, March 12th.

And now, five questions and five answers:

1. If your band were a president, who would it be?

Teddy Rooseveltteddy roosevelt

2. When did you decide it was time to share this music?

Never planned on not sharing it

3. Describe the perfect midnight snack.

cereal

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

tv on the radio

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

NBA star-dream died in sixth grade

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Even if that was a abbreviated,  be sure to toss a high five at the Old Bricks when you catch ’em out. And check back next week!

Categories
Miscellany

PDF version of today’s Citizen now up!

Here’s the link:

http://www.ibiblio.org/carrborocitizen/print/citizen031110.pdf


Categories
Arts & Music

Advance Notice: The Week in Happenings 3/8-14

Break into the spring with a show or four.

Mon – 3/8

Tues – 3/9

  • Mount Moriah / Sandwitches / Filthybird @ The Nightlight – Heather McEntire may bounce around genres (Bellafea – Rock / Un Deux Trois – Pop / Mount Moriah – Country), but damn is she good at it. $5

Wed – 3/10

  • Stars of Track and Field / Simple @ Local 506 – $6 adv / $8 at the door
  • Wolf Nipple Foofarah: An Acoustic Group Musical Happening @ The Pinhook – Bring along your acoustic instruments and prepare to jam. All skill levels welcome. $FREE!

Thurs – 3/11

  • The David Wax Museum / The Daredevil Christopher Wright @ The Pinhook – $5
  • Jim Avett / Amelia’s Mechanics / Carolina Roadkill @ The Pour House -Yes, that Jim Avett or those Avetts. $6 adv / $8 at the door
  • Spirit Family Reunion / Whiskey Smugglers @ The Cave – $6
  • Danielson / Ortolan / Ben & Vesper @ Local 506 – $10 adv / $12 at the door

Fri – 3/12

  • The Morning Benders / Miniature Tigers / Acrylics @ Local 506 – The Morning Benders make fun, addictive, pavement-lite pop rock. I’ve had their record Talking Through Tin Cans on sporadic rotation since I stumbled on this gem of a video sometime two summers ago.  Pro-Tip: go to this show.  $10
  • Pierced Arrows / Shit Horse @ The Cave – To quote the Cave,” Pierced Arrows, the Portland-based trio comprised of legendary members Fred and Toody Cole of the seminal punk band Dead Moon and drummer Kelly Halliburton are coming.” No joke. Advance tickets are on sale now. $10

Sat – 3/13

  • Mega Haiti Benefit Dance Party featuring: Scientfiic Superstar / Anamanaguchi / Sabre Pulse / Henry Home Sweet (UK) / Starscream / Virgo 9 / Barron / DJ Yammy @ The Nightlight – $5 suggested donation
  • Dexter Romweber Duo /Hank Sinatra / Killer Filler @ The Pour House – $8 adv / $10 at the door

Sun – 3/14

  • Patrick Street @ The ArtsCenter in Carrboro – Legendary Irish musicians join forces and show off their virtuosity for the betterment of everyone-in-earshot’s coming St. Patrick’s Day.  $25 / $23 for ArtsClub members

Anywhere else?