Mac McCaughan testifies before Senate committee

Read what the Superchunk leader/Merge Records founder had to say on the subject of "The Future of Radio" last week before the Senate Commerce Committee.

Troika Music Festival this weekend!

There's so much good stuff on here that it's difficult to know where to begin. I have been advised to check out Future Islands at 9 p.m. at Bull City Headquarters on Thursday. I can also say that Megafaun, who are on the same bill, are worth checking out. And since I have STILL not seen FKON, I might actually have to make it out to Durham on Friday night. Here's the full schedule: The 2007 Troika Music Festival will run November 1st, 2nd and 3rd with an extra special show on November 16th at Duke Coffeehouse. Thursday, November 1 Duke Coffeehouse Crowell Building, Duke's East Campus, Durham, NC All Ages — BYOB/Coffee Bar/Snacks $8.00 • The Dry Heathens 11:15 pm • Shakermaker 10:30 pm • Bull City 9:45 pm • Sleep Sound 9:00 pm James Joyce 912 W. Main Street, Durham, NC 21 and Over — Menu/Bar Free • Hundred Air 10:30 pm • Nathan Oliver 9:45 pm • Regina Hexaphone 9:00 pm Bull City Headquarters 723 N. Mangum Street, Durham, NC All Ages — Alcohol-Free Space Free • Melissa St. Pierre 11:30 pm • Megafaun 11:00 pm • Hazerai 10:30 pm • Push Pull 10:00 pm • Maple Stave 9:30 pm • Future Islands 9:00 pm Broad Street Cafe 1116 Broad Street, Durham, NC All Ages — Food and Bar $8.00 • Malcolm Rollick 10:00 pm • Dom Casual 9:15 pm • Sound of Singles 8:30 pm Marvell Event Center 119 W. Main Street, Durham, NC 18 and Over — Bar and a good time! $8.00 • Quitzow 11:15 pm • Setting Sun 10:30 pm • Can Joann 9:45 pm • Wedlock 9:00 pm Alivia's Durham Bistro 900 W. Main Street, Durham All Ages — Bar and good food! Free • Mingus Young 12:00 am • Resist Not 11:15 pm • Thought Speak 10:30 pm • Ships 9:45 pm • The Busy World 9:00 pm Friday, November 2 Duke Coffeehouse Crowell Building, Duke's East Campus, Durham, NC All Ages — BYOB/Coffee Bar/Snacks $8.00 • Luego 11:30 pm • Fontana 10:45 pm • The Future Kings of Nowhere 10:00 pm • The Lodger 9:15 pm • Gray Young 8:30 pm James Joyce 912 W. Main Street, Durham, NC 21 and Over — Menu/Bar Free • Beloved Binge 10:30 pm • Citified 9:45 pm • Carol Bui 9:00 pm Bull City Headquarters 723 N. Mangum Street, Durham, NC All Ages — Alcohol-Free Space $8.00 • Dirty 5 Thirty 11:00 pm • Kerbloki 10:30 pm • The Scott Waite Debacle 10:00 pm • Lam! Lam! 9:30 pm • Sawteeth McTweety and the Particles 9:00 pm • Nicky Click 8:30 pm • Anaturale 8:00 pm Broad Street Cafe 1116 Broad Street, Durham, NC All Ages — Food and Bar $8.00 • Gambling the Muse 11:30 pm • Soft Company 10:45 pm • Dan Bryk 10:00 • Oscar Begat 9:15 pm • The Pneurotics 8:30 pm Marvell Event Center 119 W. Main Street, Durham, NC 18 and Over — Bar and a good time! $8.00 • Armored Uprise 11:15 pm • Livalie 10:30 pm • Expire 9:45 pm • Glorydive 9:00 pm Alivia's Durham Bistro 900 W. Main Street, Durham All Ages — Bar and good food! Free • Mark Doughtery 12:00 am • Noncanon 11:15 pm • Dylan Gilbert 10:30 pm • Sequoya 9:45 pm • The Watercallers 9:00 pm Ringside 308 Main Street, Durham, NC 18 and Over — Bar $8.00 • Grappling Hook 11:45 pm • Jew(s) and Catholic(s) 11:00 pm • Pulsoptional 10:15 pm • The Late Virginia Summers 9:30 pm Saturday, November 3 Duke Coffeehouse Crowell Building, Duke's East Campus, Durham, NC All Ages — BYOB/Coffee Bar/Snacks $10.00 • David Bazan 11:15 pm • All Smiles 10:30 pm • Plumerai 9:45 pm • David Karsten Daniels 9:00 pm Bull City Headquarters 723 N. Mangum Street, Durham, NC All Ages — Alcohol-Free Space Free $10.00 • The Everybodyfields 11:00 pm • Bodies of Water 10:00 pm • Phosphorescent 9:00 pm • Ben Davis and The Jetts 8:30 pm • Bellafea 8:00 pm • Ex-Members 7:30 pm • Richard Bacchus and The Luckiest Girls 7:00 pm • New Dawn Fades 6:30 pm • On the Take 6:00 pm • Opening Flower Happy Bird 5:30 pm • Midtown Dickens 5:00 pm • (BREAK) 4:00 - 5:00 pm • Eberhardt 3:30 pm • Sweater Weather 3:00 pm • Fan Tan 2:30 pm • Simple 2:00 pm • Betty and The Boys 1:30 pm • The Drowsies 1:00 pm Friday, November 16 Duke Coffeehouse Crowell Building, Duke's East Campus, Durham, NC All Ages — BYOB/Coffee Bar/Snacks $20.00 • Les Savy Fav 11:45 pm • Des Ark 10:30 pm • Boy/Girl 9:45 pm • Veronique Diabolique 9:15 pm • Cantwell Gomez and Jordan 8:30 pm

A few things happening this week

Let's skip over Halloween for the moment, and go on to a few things happening later in the week.

Longtime producer/musician Jeff Carroll is hosting a release party for Have a Holly Raleigh Christmas Vol.II, proceeds from which will benefit the Community Music School. The party is Thursday, Nov. 1, 7 p.m. at Amra's and it's free. So if you're not still hungover from the Motley Crue tribute band at Slim's the night before, come out and celebrate a good cause. But, like I said, I'll get to Halloween in another post.



Also on Thursday is Band of Horses, perhaps my current favorite band, at Lincoln Theatre with The Drones. Band of Horses also includes former Archers of Loaf bass player Matt Gentling. Tickets are $15 in advance, $17 at the door.




Since Friday is First Friday, Lump is showing Teenbeat 432, a retrospective of the design work of Mark Robinson, Teenbeat Records founder and member of the D.C. bands Unrest, Grenadine and Air Miami. The opening reception is from 7 to 11 p.m. on Friday, and the exhibit continues through Dec. 1


Finally, I caught part of Jac and Lutie Cain's wedding party Sunday at the Pour House. Check out the photo of Lutie rockin' in her veil. And check out the video of her band, The T's.

The T's from Mann's World on Vimeo.

Videos from The Hold Steady and more!

(Videos removed)

Last night I caught The Hold Steady, along with Art Brut and Demander at Lincoln Theatre. I had really been looking forward the The Hold Steady, but, man, I was not prepared to pay $18 to get in. A friend of mine at work accused me of always "bitching" about the price of shows. Well, I'll bitch about having to pay $18 to see a band in a club! I noticed that the lead singer from Train is performing at Lincoln Theatre next week, and it's $25 to get in! Back in 1989, I paid $25 to see the Rolling Stones at Carter Finley (and I had good seats, too). I thought at the time I was paying a mint. I don't care who it is -- it just doesn't sit right with me to pay that much to see a band in a club. It reminds me of the story Dion tells about why he didn't get on the plane with Buddy Holly. He could have afforded the $36 for the flight, but that was the same amount he had paid years before for rent in New York. The symbolism made him decide not to get on the plane.

Having said that, all three bands rocked, and were definitely worth my $18. Demander, a female-led three piece that sounded a good bit like The Sugarcubes, was playing when I walked in. They grew on me as I watched them, so I bought their CD, "The Unkindness of Ravens," which turned out to be more focused and exciting than their live show. I don't like their name, though. I can't remember it. I keep wanting to call them Defender, which would be a great name. I think more bands should name themselves after classic '80s video games. WHY WON'T SOMEONE TAKE MY ADVICE AND NAME A BAND WIZARD OF WOR?

Art Brut were up next. I had one friend tell me he was going to get there early specifically to see them, and another tell me he was going to avoid them at all costs. I ended up liking them, dare I say it, MORE than The Hold Steady. Real English, dancey new wavish pub rock. Their front man was a funny, sloppy beer-budget version of Bryan Ferry, and gave shoutouts to both Birds of Avalon and the Mountain Goats (see the first video, below). After their set I ran into Cheetie and Paul, who were mystified as to how this band knew about them. Cheetie's suggestion was that maybe they hype a local band each night, and ask the sound man at each venue who they should mention. Since they know the soundman at the Lincoln, maybe he suggested them. All this is speculation of course. If anyone has seen Art Brut in another town, I would like to know if they do this schtick elsewhere.



Finally, The Hold Steady came on. I started off the evening up in the balcony, and got some crappy video as a result. If Bruce Springsteen was a dweebish, drug-obsessed Minnesotan with a button down shirt and a really raspy voice, he'd be Craig Finn. But most impressive to me was guitarist Tad Kubler, who won my heart by slinging his guitar, Yngwie-style, backwards around his back, and then ended the set by using some strange Theramin-like item to create sonic chaos. After the show I ran up to the roadie and asked if it was a tiny Theramin. He showed it to me (it fit in his hand) and said it worked with light. I don't know enough about guitar electronics to know what that means, but it sounded cool. Other than Craig and Tad, I enjoyed watching the band's keyboard/accordion player, who looked like a cross between Gallagher and a minor henchman from The Godfather.

Here are two Hold Steady videos.

New Thunderlip!

Wilmington's Thunderlip has had a bit of a rough time lately. For a while, it seemed like they couldn't keep a bass player, yet every time they played live, they still had amazing energy. But now, with their second CD, The Prophesy, they seem ready to put the past behind them, and finally hit their stride.

The first thing to note, is that, as good as this CD is, it doesn't truly capture the band's live energy, which is phenomenal. As far as full-on rock 'n' roll energy, they're one of a handful of bands in the state (Valient Thorr being one of the others)who truly know how to rock a stage. I think it would have been awesome if they'd recorded the CD live in front of an audience. Nevertheless, The Prophecy is still a solid, heavy record with plenty of Thin Lizzy-style double-guitar leads. If that's your thing, I think you should buy this CD, but make sure you catch them truly in their element.

Hear part of "Mister Informer"

Jim Lauderdale video

(Video removed)

I had big plans Sunday to catch Jim Lauderdale during his early (7 p.m.!) show at the Hideaway, then head down to Slim's for The Makes Nice and Sir Arthur. Turns out I underestimated how much an early, acoustic show would make me NOT feel like rocking later. Anyway, here's Jim Lauderdale, who told me himself he is NOT from Beaufort, performing "Chances."

A whole bunch of Annuals news!

Tour, new tracks and a video! This is almost too much to digest. Take note that the Annuals will be at Cat's Cradle on Oct. 27. Here's what the press release says: After a summer of touring around the world playing festivals such as Glastonbury, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, as well as getting voted in for the UK's ATP vs. the Fans, ambitious Raleigh, NC six-piece Annuals are excited to announce their new signing to Canvasback/Ace Fu, starting with a 20-date fall tour co-headlining with labelmates and friends Manchester Orchestra. This homecoming tour will be a particularly special one for both bands, as Annuals and Manchester Orchestra have recorded a one-of-a-kind split 7-inch, covering the others' songs (mp3s below), to be sold exclusively at their shows. Annuals cover Manchester Orchestra's "Where Have You Been," and Manchester Orchestra cover Annuals "Brother." As a special added bonus, the artwork for the 7-inch split features each band reinterpreting the others' album cover. The band is also preparing for the release of their digital-only EP entitled Frelen Mas (Be He Me B-Sides), which contains b-sides from the Be He Me sessions and also includes their cover of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." Details to follow. After a final stop at Iceland Airwaves the band will return to the states to kick off their fall tour in Atlanta Oct. 26th (dates below). Annuals/Manchester Orchestra Tour Dates: October 26 - Drunken Unicorn - Atlanta, GA October 27 - Cat's Cradle - Carrboro, NC October 28 - Rock and Roll Hotel - Washington DC October 30 - Northstar - Philadelphia, PA October 31 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY November 1- Great Scott - Boston, MA November 2 - Le Gymnase - Montreal, QUE November 3 - Mod Club - Toronto, ONT November 5 - Shelter - Detroit, MI November 6 - Subterranean - Chicago, IL November 7 - Varsity - Minneapolis, MN November 10 - Crocodile Café - Seattle, WA November 11 - Plaza Club - Vancouver, BC November 12 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, OR November 14 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA November 15 - Troubadour - Los Angeles, CA November 16 - Epicentre - San Diego, CA November 17 - The Clubhouse - Tempe, AZ November 19 - HI-Dive - Denver, CO November 20 - The Bottleneck - Lawrence, KS Frelen Mas EP Tracklisting: 1. Nah Keseyi 2. River Run 3. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot 4. Misty Coy 5. Sewn to Kites 6. Such a Mess 7. Ease My Mind 8. Frelen Mas Check out the video for "Carry Around"! (Takes a while to load.) Can someone tell me where they're playing croquet? I want to go there!

Sarah Borges rocks

I wouldn't have thought good honky tonk could come from Boston, but Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles proved me wrong last night. She's a pint-sized girl with a big voice, and a phenomenal backing band, including a guitarist with an incredibly natural feel for his instrument. Check out the video. This is the first song they played last night at the Hideaway.

(Video removed)

Coming up on Sunday at the Hideaway is North Carolinian Jim Lauderdale, who, I was told last night, is from Beaufort. But when I checked that online today, I see that he's from Statesville. Maybe I'll get to chat with him on Sunday and find out the scoop. Following Jim (it's an early show), The Makes Nice and Sir Arthur and His Royal Knights will be at Slim's. The Makes Nice include a former member of The Champs, but my understanding is that they're much more pop-oriented than that band.

Music for a good cause

Folks, this is an awesome charity that I wholeheartedly support. The Coalition to Unchain Dogs goes to homes where dogs are being kept on chains and offers to build fences. Please support them by checking out the concert below. Here's the info straight from one of the Coalition's members: Enjoy an evening of music and help raise money to unchain dogs. 100% of the proceeds will go to buy supplies to build fences for dogs that have been chained. To date, 30 dogs are now free and happy. Help us free more dogs! Saturday, October 13, 2007 5:00-6:30PM $10 in advance $12 at the door Cash ONLY at door Bands performing: Competent Drummer, Sequoya, Beloved Binge, Jon Shain, Jamie Purnell and Bull City Bring lawn chairs/blankets No coolers or pets For tickets or concert information go to www.unchaindogs.net

Perm and Skullet podcasts

I've somehow missed this but The Perm and The Skullet is now podcasting!

Manchild 3/Melvins CD released

I just got my copy of Brian Walsby's Manchild 3, which partially chronicles his adventures on the road last year with The Melvins. The book, which was released by Bifocal Media, also includes a pretty rare eight-song CD of early demos by The Melvins. Walsby got a copy of the demos when they were released in 1987 and held on to them, even after the band lost theirs, and eventually ended up with the only copy. So, for fans of the band, and fans of Walsby's atwork, this is a must-have. Check out Dime Lined Divide, from the CD -- as well as other Bifocal Media stuff such as Des Ark and The Cherry Valence -- on the label's Myspace page.

Kennebec re-recorded

I mentioned in a previous post that I was sad to miss Kennebec at SparkCon. I haven't seen them in a while, but really liked them when they first started out in 2004. Anyway, I scored a copy of their new CD, and was pleasantly surprised to hear that they've re-recorded several of my old favorites, and I'm happy to report they sound better than ever. Check out "Can't Figure Why," one of my old favorites, re-recorded and still sounding amazing. Finally, I have to say I'm really digging Band of Horses from Mount Pleasant, S.C. They'll be at Lincoln Theatre on Nov. 1.

New smoking policy at Local 506

If you're a smoker who patronizes Local 506, you can no longer smoke up front near the band. Owner Glenn Boothe outlines the new policy in an e-mail to the Guitartown group:

Firstly, Local 506 has a new policy regarding smoking. Smoking is now
prohibited in the room where bands play; however, smokers are welcome to
smoke in the room where the bar is. This is still an experiment to see if
this can work and I think so far the results have been positive. But we
appreciate your continued cooperation (and welcome any feedback you may
have.)

And because our Sundays are all booked in October, we are moving our 506
Music Trivia Nights to Tuesdays this month: it will be held on Tuesday,
10/16 and Tuesday, 10/30. With that said, because there are good shows at
the Cat¹s Cradle on those nights (Cat Power and Shout Out Louds
respectively) - the start-time for trivia will move up to 7pm allowing
people to do both (trivia normally lasts about 2 hours.) If you haven¹t
been able to make it out on a Sunday, please join us this month. Each
member of the winning team wins a pair of tickets to any Local 506 show.


Glenn's message also included the band's upcoming schedule, which included some pretty exciting shows including The Golden Dogs on Nov. 19 and Pylon(!) on Nov. 5.

Short and sweet

OK, I'm a little behind here, so I'm basically going to put these movies up without comment. Friday, I caught a fully functional Cartridge Family (above) at Sadlack's before heading to the bikerfest downtown. Actually I went to see Kenny Roby and The Houstons, but since the bikerfest was happening at the same time, I actually saw part of Great White too. All I can say is Jack Russell is actually looking a lot better these days.

The Cartridge Family from Mann's World on Vimeo.

(Cartridge Family)

Kenny Roby from Mann's World on Vimeo.

(Kenny Roby's Mercy Filter)