Go see Pontiak this Thursday at The Reservoir

I'm telling you early so you can make sure to mark your calendars. Baltimore's Pontiak, whose "Valley of Cats" CD was one of my 2006 favorites, will be at The Reservoir in Carrboro this Thursday, and you should go. They have a brooding, bluesy, darkly psychedelic sound, but just when you get comfortable with that, they throw in something funky, almost reggae-like. If you like Vietnam, Chapel Hill's Red Smokes White or Greensboro bands All Night and Tiger Bear Wolf you should definitely check this show out. Pontiak is touring in support of a new album, which I haven't heard yet, but which, I understand, you'll be able to get at the show. Plus, it's at Reservoir, which I haven't had the pleasure of checking out yet. On a separate note, my love affair with Midnight Movies continues. Their new CD, "Lion the Girl" sounds like something Tex Watson would have listened to on an 8-track on his way to Sharon Tate's house. Shimmering and ominous at the same time.

Introducing: Burly Time Records

UPDATE FROM GRAYSON: the other owner of the label is brad cook from megafaun/deyarmond edison.

Grayson Currin, music editor for the Indy, has started his own label, and is having a free show next Friday (May 4) at 305 South. The first two records are from Bowerbirds and Horseback. Here's the line-up from Grayson:

>
> Friday, May 4
> 305 South
> 305 S. Dillard St
> Durham, NC
> Free!
9 p.m.
>
> Burly Time Records CD Release Party
> Sets by:
> Bowerbirds
> Horseback
> Des Ark
> Heather McEntire (Bellafea, Un Deux Trois)
> Megafaun
> Pykrete

Save the Ta Tas Benefit Show!

Repost from Viva La Venus.

SATURDAY, April 28, 2007

Volume 11 Tavern
658 Maywood Ave.
Raleigh, NC
919-839-0079

Your $10 donation at the door will benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Come on out and rock with some great breast-weilding bands!!

Show starts at 9:00 PM, with music performances by:

Cori Yarkin - from Orlando, FL! (http://www.myspace.com/coriyarckin)
Viva la Venus (http://www.myspace.com/vivalavenus)
Bully - from Virginia Beach, VA! (http://www.myspace.com/bullyva)
Lactose Quervo (http://www.myspace.com/lactosequervo)

Also featuring art by Glitter Girl, Amber Walden, and Moneequaa (so bring some extra cash!!) AND a tattoo booth with hot people showin' it off for ya! You can even get pierced!!

More info:
Volume 11 Tavern: http://www.myspace.com/volume11tavern
Breast Cancer Research Foundation: http://www.bcrfcure.org/

Here's what you should do this weekend

Signalfest has an impressive line-up of techno, hip-hop, bhangra and more, including a lecture and set by Detroit techno pioneer Derrick May on Thursday, and free-speech activists Negativland on Friday. You may not see me over there on Saturday, because I'm still hoping to score tickets to the World Beer Festival here in Raleigh.

Repost on SignalFest

Got this from FrequeNC Records on Myspace:

WHY YOU MIGHT WANT TO BUY A FESTIVAL PASS ($30) INSTEAD OF JUST COMING TO OUR PARTY - - - - - - - -

yeah people, the fest is definitely stronger than last year in a lot of ways, you can do your own research but there’s a lot of great stuff and $30 isn’t so bad if it gets you into all these venues all weekend.... and it’s not just progressive house - there’s hip-hop, rock, ambient, all types of shit

frequeNC RECORDS hype show pics........

THURSDAY NIGHT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

UNC CAMPUS SOMEWHERE - DERRICK MAY - one of the 3 founding fathers of detroit techno gives a talk TECHNO AS A BLACK AMERICAN ARTFORM and dj set along with big time detroit producer/dj STACEY PULLEN - come see what unc shelled out $15,000 for - holy shit, that better be cool for all that cash! (NOTE: $12 or $6 with fest pass, NOT INCLUDED IN WEEKEND PASS)

FRIDAY NIGHT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NIGHTLIGHT - broken fader cartel crew (nicest guys ever, idm styles), a drop in silence from g-boro who were awesome last year, calmer - ambient/exp (from brooklyn, so it’s gotta be good, right)

CAT’S CRADLE - NEGATIVLAND my personal anti copyright heros (and they have a workshop thing too), crystal castles, and the nein

SATURDAY NIGHT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NIGHTLIGHT - our party, of course......

BLEND (former shitlands dancehall) - lot’s of ambient and avant composer styles including pacific before tiger and the most awesome PULSOPTIONAL who have a cd finally!!!!!

CAT’S CRADLE - souls of mischief, masta ace, black milk (detroit, who has a beat making workshop)

AND THERE’S MORE, GO TO THEIR WEBSITE AND CHECK IT OUT www.signalfest.com/newsite/

Why you should check out 305 South

(vintage clothing store inside 305 South) I realize 305 South is old news to a lot of you, but keep in mind that I live in Raleigh, and we Raleighites have an almost pathological fear of venturing outside the Beltline. But with Kings now kaput, I thought it was time to check out a venue, and some bands, that I'd heard a lot about but hadn't actually experienced. 305 South is an absolute treasure. For those of you who haven't been, it's a self-styled "anti-mall," a warehouse-garage-type complex with club space, a CD store, a comics store and vintage clothing shop run by the original owner of the Untidy Museum. The garage doors in the club space open up, and they have no neighbors to complain, so there's even a little outdoor seating area. Anyway, they also serve delicious and dirt-cheap empanadas and tamales, both meat and vegetarian. I spoke to Melissa, who owns the CD store, which specializes in "dark, alternative media," and she said that they show movie matinees each Saturday at 3 pm. Store hours for the shops are Tuesday through Saturday, 1-8 p.m. 305 South reminds me of some of the best clubs I've ever been in: It has the industrial feel and homegrown DIY spirit of the original Miracle House in Greensboro; it has the same kinds of funky shops that used to line the alley to Clawson's, the club I went to in Beaufort back in high school, and it has the laid-back, almost squatter-like feel of one of my favorite Berlin rock clubs. I found out that Midtown Dickens is going to have an all-day event there on May 12, so I will definitely check it out again. My only real complaint is that the lighting wasn't good for taking photos. Beloved Binge was the first band. They were described to me as quirky, which is a troublesome genre for me. Some quirky I like a lot, and some quirky I loathe. Luckily I really liked Beloved Binge. Check out their video below.

Beloved Binge from Mann's World on Vimeo.

The highlight of the evening was definitely the Ex-Members (above). Featuring members of Gerty and The Butchies, they're fun, danceable-but-still-rockin' New Wave. Like Pylon, but not quite as spare. For some reason they kept reminding me of the Gossip, which is totally wrong, because they sound nothing like them. But then I realized the common element is that Gossip drummer Hannah Blilie and Ex-Members drummer Melissa York both have a natural feel for disco beats, without making making the song sound like a Donna Summer record. Here's their video. I don't know the song title, but it was probably my favorite one that they did.

Ex-Members from Mann's World on Vimeo.

I'm going to reserve judgment for now on Whigg Report. Last night I just wasn't into them, though I think it had more to do with an energy let-down after The Ex-Members. Whigg Report has an interesting set-up where the drummer stands and has a foot-pedal attached to a tambourine. One guy plays acoustic guitar, while another guy switches between a keyboard and a sax. I heard elements of Velvet Underground and Sonic Youth, so I think they're probably a very interesting band, and I will check them out again.

Whigg Report from Mann's World on Vimeo.

Check it out: Steve Howell Band at the Hideaway

The Hideaway is quickly becoming one of my favorite spots in Raleigh. They consistently have good bands, they tend to start shows a little early and allow artists to play two sets, and they have a good sound system. The only problem is that they don't have a late-night menu, and every time I go, I suddenly CRAVE their ribs. Check out the video of The Steve Howell Band, who I saw there last night. Steve was in the Backsliders, and is known to guitarists throughout the Triangle because he teaches and works at Harry's Guitar Shop. Also in the band are Pee Wee Watson, who was in Nantucket and PKM, Scott Miller from Six String Drag, and Jon Heames from Motorolla/Motocaster.

Steve Howell Band from Mann's World on Vimeo.

Cool show alert

Steve Howell Band tonight at the Hideaway in Raleigh. Steve used to be in the Backsliders, and is a guitar genius. For those of you who play guitar and frequent Harry's, a lot of the Harry's employees are in this band, including (from what I understand) Pee Wee Watson, who was in Nantucket and the severely underrated PKM. I'm heading there tonight after Bickett.

Cool shows this weekend

If you live in Raleigh, it's time to get out of town for the weekend. I plan on going to the Warhol Party at Bickett on Friday, seeing the Ex-Members on Saturday, and probably Thunderlip on Thursday.

Thursday Thunderlip @ the RESERVOIR, Chapel Hill N.C.
W/ Collosus, BLACK SKIES,

Friday

Warhol Party at Bickett (see above)

Night Prowler, Bon Scott-era AC/DC tribute at Volume 11

BLowOut on Broad St. Punk Fest (6:00pm-1:00am) (descriptions from Kim)
Description:

Antagonizers
(www.myspace.com/antagonizers)
catchy sing along choruses with rocknroll over tones. Plenty of back ups through and through.At times you'll smile and wanna hold your beer high, at others you'll wanna grin and let your fists fly.
---------------
Blood Red River
www.myspace.com/bloodredriver 60's style surf/skate music. This band will bing you back in time with a unique yet familiar sound.
---------------
Simple Assault (www.myspace.com/simpleassault)
Home grown hardcore…..with bongos. Must see
---------------
Dead to Society
(www.myspace.com/deadtosociety101)
Dead To Society just formed recently and hails from Durham, North Carolina. They shared a dream to bring back the old school sound of punk rock and hardcore. And in my opinion, that's exactly what they are doing.
---------------
The Black Sheep (www.myspace.com/anuphillbattle)
Real punk music that will put you back into the mosh pit
---------------
Mother Vinegar (www.myspace.com/mothervinegar)
Mother Vinegar original sound has been described as "Tom Waits and Ravi Shankar being assaulted by Joe Satriani and Gibby Haynes." Mother Vinegar is a four-piece rock band whose intense rock sound will move you.



Saturday (descriptions from Kim)

Beloved Binge, Wigg Report, and Ex-Members @ 305 South

The Wigg Report and Beloved Binge are 2 very quirky bands. The Hatchet described the Binge as "An acquired taste, like tzatziki sauce." They have improved over the last few weeks.

http://www.myspace.com/thewiggreport
http://www.myspace.com/belovedbinge

Cool local band

I didn't shoot this video -- it was brought to my attention. Thanks again to Kim and Laura. Edit: Somehow I put this up without saying who the band is! They are the Future Kings of Nowhere.

This week's Show of the Week: Kylesa at Volume 11

Unfortunately I'll be out of town, but that doesn't mean you can't check this out:

Kylesa, Tooth ,Crosslaws ,& Buildings To Dust at Volume 11


Doors @ 8:00 Located @ 658 Maywood Ave. Raleigh 27603 one block from State Farmers Market off Lake Wheeler Rd.

If you want to know about Kylesa, check out the video I shot of them in November. Just be aware that the picture quality on this one is terrible:

(video removed)

Battle needs bands

The 2007 VPS Unsigned Battle of the Bands is still looking for bands, volunteers and sponsors. If you're interested, check out the Web address on the above flyer.

Check out the Pitchfork review of the new Rosebuds CD

They gave it a 7.7. Read it here.

Kings final night

Too tired to write much. Last night was a lot of fun, though some stage-diving fool marred my Birds of Avalon experience. Most of the bands were great, though the first one was a little too down-beat for me. The Dynamite Brothers were exceptional as usual. I think I'm ready to officially declare them the best band in the Triangle -- and I mean that they're the best band, and the best musicians. This is a band that really is the sum of its parts. I saved my card space for bands I'd never recorded before, so, enjoy these two videos by The Loners and Birds of Avalon.

Birds of Avalon from Mann's World on Vimeo.

(Birds of Avalon)

The Loners from Mann's World on Vimeo.

(The Loners)

Volume 11 is cool

Actually, I'm a little conflicted about telling folks to go to Volume 11 Tavern. The place is so nice and so clean (my friend K rightly declared you could eat off the ladies room floor) that I kind of don't want a bunch of people in there trashing the place. Still, with Kings closing, it's great to find another club that's clean, professional, has a great sound system, good beer selection (cash bar only, though) and is willing to take a chance on bands like Kolyma and Hem of His Garment. It's also easy to get to: just take S. Saunders Street south of downtown and turn right on Maywood, or Lake Wheeler Road south of downtown and left on Maywood. It's not too far from the Farmer's Market. So, go there. Just don't puke on the floor or steal the hair care products from the ladies room. Kolyma was a (wo)man down that night (Jennifer was sick), so this video isn't truly representative of them. Hem of His Garment is interesting in theory: about 10-12 people, all guitars, basses, some keyboards and a sax all making noise. But it was a very slow build up with everyone playing what sounded like the same thing, without any distinctive layers, so it lost my attention pretty quick. It would make great background music for a movie, so I think they should consider incorporating film or other visuals into their show. We left after about 20 minutes, so perhaps it became more interesting after that. Actually, the best part of the entire evening was, as we were walking out, noticing that there was one spot near the bar where, if you stood a certain way, HOHG's noise would actually shake your lungs. It didn't happen anywhere else in the club. Just there. Anyway, here's the Kolyma video:

Kolyma from Mann's World on Vimeo.

Raleigh native wins Junior Boys video contest

For Christmas I gave my boss a mix CD of some of the best music I heard last year (he likes good music -- always a great quality in a boss). Included on that CD was Junior Boys' "In the Morning." Well, just to prove what a small world it is, my boss' son, Calvin Frederick, just won the Junior Boys' video contest for that very song! This is an awesome video, so please check it out!

Podcast: A Farewell to Kings

http://www.rockthetriangle.com/podcasts/20070406_podcast.mp3


As I'm sure you're all aware, this weekend is the last for the Raleigh nightclub Kings, which is closing to make way for a parking lot across from the new convention center. Of course, they're going out in style with a series of shows from some of the club's most popular bands. Friday night's show begins right at 8:25, and includes local hardcore band Double Negative and yacht rockers TV Knife. Sunday's show, which happens at 4 pm, is by a band called Mommie, a kid's rock band with former Connells singer Doug MacMillan, Kings co-owner Ben Barwick, and Motorolla guitarist Bo Taylor, among others. This show really is for kids, but don't worry, the bar will be open too.

The big show of the weekend, though, is on Saturday, with Black Taj, Birds of Avalon, Dynamite Brothers, The Loners and more. Unfortunately, contrary to what the Kings Website says, The T's are not playing.



In honor of Kings' last weekend, I'm going to play a track by Black Taj called Octastone. Black Taj includes Kings co-owner Steve Popson, and his old Polvo bandmate Dave Brylawski. Then I'm going to play the song "Can I Ride," which was on the first Polvo double 45, recorded back in 1990.

Next up will be Birds of Avalon's "Bicentennial Baby." Birds of Avalon, who will have their CD-relase that night, includes another Kings co-owner, Paul Siler, and his wife Cheetie Kumar. Paul and Cheetie have been in several bands together, including Glamourpuss, which released a split-45 with the Patty Duke Syndrome back in 1994. I'm going to play "Sweet -n- Low" off that record. Enjoy, and I'll see you this weekend at the show.

N&O article on Kings

Check out David Menconi's article on Kings in today's paper.