This weeks cool shows: Superchunk and more!

THIS WEEK'S SHOWS Thursday, Aug. 28: Richard Bacchus & the Luckiest Girls at Tir na Nog Ricky will also be at Slim's on Sunday, Aug. 31. Friday, Aug. 29: Cy Rawls benefit with Superchunk, Birds of Avalon and The Rosebuds, Cat's Cradle An all-star local-music benefit for Cy Rawls. This will seriously be the show of the year. The following day, eat some steak for Cy with a benefit buffet at Outback. Go even if you're a vegetarian -- you can always load up on mashed potatoes and salad. Here are the details: ANYWAY, after "getting jiggy" with Birds of Avalon, Rosebuds and Superchunk Friday night, come out to a tasty and nutrient-rich buffet lunch at Outback Steakhouse at 3500 Mt. Moriah Rd., near New Hope Commons, at noon Saturday, Aug. 30. For $20, you get chicken AND steak, salad, mashed potatoes and a drink, with ALL PROCEEDS going to the cause. Pay by cash or check (made out to Cy Rawls Benevolence Fund) at the door. Eat in or take out, whatever. There are only 50 spots for this event, so please RSVP through the Evite posted below. Here's the link to RSVP: Friday, Aug. 29: Sir Arthur & the Royal Knights with Dirty Johnny & the Makebelieves, Slim's One of the first shows I documented for my blog was Dirty Johnny & the Makebelieves on Nov. 11, 2005, at Slim's. I remember that date because I also met my friend Flo, who would end up being very special to me, at that show. Unfortunately the video from that show was put on a server that no longer exists. I probably have the original video somewhere, but honestly am not going to look for it right now. Maybe I'll put it up before the show. In the meantime, you can see the original entry, and video from the second time I saw them, here. NOTE: Dirty Johnny will be at Reservoir in Carrboro with Dirty Little Heaters on Thursday, Aug. 28 Saturday, Aug. 30: Raleigh Rumble IV, Vintage Bikes & Rock, Slim's Saturday, Aug. 30: The Club is Open show with Filthybird and more,Cat's Cradle Here's what I had to say last year about the totally awesome and underrated Filthybird. Saturday, Aug. 30: Rachel Riot Birthday Bash,Lincoln Theatre I don't know Rachel Riot, but apparently this birthday bash will feature burlesque and over-the-top Southern rockers Rebel Son. I have a feeling someone will get arrested at this show. NEXT WEEK'S SHOWS Friday, Sept. 5: The Old Ceremony, Cat's Cradle Friday, Sept. 5: Pine State, Local 506 Back in the day, no one, and I mean no one, put on a crazy tent-revival show, or tore up a club, like Pine State. I remember one show in which The Gimp allowed people (including me) to whip him, and another in which Charlie Speight walked around in a sparkly thong and some other guy whose name I forget ate brains out of a can and then threw up on stage. they also played my 1994 Christmas party when I lived in Boylan Heights and got mad when I told them they couldn't bring a gutted-out piano into the house. At some point, they also played music. I don't know who is in this line-up, but I would give anything if they would bring back the Yngwie-loving Japanese guitarist who was briefly in the band. UPCOMING IN GENERAL Thursday, Sept. 11: The Bronzed Chorus, Tir na Nog I can truthfully say this band was one of the most surprising bands I've seen all year. I still don't know what to make of them except to say that they're amazing and that you need to go see them. See the video from the show in April. Sept. 19-21: Sparkcon, venues throughout downtown. I missed the last two Sparkcons because I was in Germany each year. This September I'll be in Raleigh, and I look forward to checking it out.

The debut of Black River

OK, I don't know why, but I somehow thought Black River was going to be a real heavy rock band. I guess because their name brought to mind both Black Sabbath and Green River. As it turns out, they're more alt-country-rock, kind of in the vein as the Cartridge Family, which isn't surprising seeing as singer/guitarist CJ Irwin and guitarist Joe Rechel (who is a really fun-to-watch slide guitarist) are in both bands. Here's video from their debut show, Friday at Sadlack's.

Black River from Mann's World on Vimeo.

Trousers, Red Collar, Left Outlet

(the Trousers)
I missed Thursday's big free concert downtown because, well, I just didn't feel like going. No other excuse. Just didn't feel like it. the surprising thing was that, according to the reports I've gotten back, the show was kind of sparsely attended. I did end up going to The Pour House to see one of my favorite local bands, The Trousers, who only play a couple of times a year. There weren't many people at that show either, and when I slipped over to Tir na Nog to check out Regina Hexaphone, THAT show was less-than-crowded too.

What was up? Usually Thursday nights are fairly rockin' in Raleigh. I guess everyone was resting up for today's Puddle of Mudd show. I'm only halfway joking about that. I went down there today to see a friend who was working, and the place was INSANE. That was easily the most crowded of any of the downtown live events I've been to this year. Keep in mind, I haven't actually seen any of the headliners. I usually just go to see the local bands, then leave.

But, back to Thursday. The Trousers were awesome, as were Red Collar. Left Outlet sounded good. They have kind of swirly dark psychedelic sound, similar to what Strange was doing a few years ago, but their guitar player's onstage antics are so goofy that they're distracting. Dude just needs to chill out and play. Check out the videos (top to bottome) from The Trousers, Red Collar and Left Outlet.

The Trousers from Mann's World on Vimeo.

Red Collar from Mann's World on Vimeo.

Left Outlet from Mann's World on Vimeo.

Cool shows this week: Birds of Avalon, The Trousers and more!

THIS WEEK'S SHOWS SHOW OF THE WEEK Part 1! Thursday, Aug. 21: Big outdoor show with Birds of Avalon and more! This is an early show, and free! It's taking place in front of the Progress Energy building downtown. BIRDS OF AVALON (9:30 PM) VIOLET VECTOR AND THE LOVELY LOVELIES (8:00 PM) (Who also play Slim's on Saturday) THE CARTRIDGE FAMILY (6:30 PM) THE HUGUENOTS (5:15 PM) And after BOA finishes their set, you need to head over to The Pour House for ... SHOW OF THE WEEK Part 2! Thursday, Aug. 21: Malarkeyfest with Red Collar,The Trousers, Left Outlet and Magic Mike, the Pour House British-blues-inspired Trousers are easily one of my favorite bands in this area, and rival Dynamite Brothers as my favorite musicians to watch. Guitarist/singer Jim Pendergast plays like he's taking a quiet walk in the park. No muss, no fuss. Just gets it done and does it really well. If you haven't had a chance to see them (and because they play so rarely, you probably haven't), you NEED to see this show. Here is some video from last year. Red Collar's frantic Jawbox-Fugazi-style punk is going to lead them out of the club circuit soon, so you need to catch them now. I have somehow managed to not see Left Outlet (not purposefully), and I don't know exactly who Magic Mike is. Thursday, Aug. 21: Colossus, with Tooth and Grappling Hook, Local 506 (Cy benefit) NWOBHM with an understanding of just how cheesy that genre really is. Friday, Aug. 22: Black River with The Ghost of Saturday Nite, Sadlack's Black River is Arkansas Bill, Ed Root and CJ from the Cartridge Family, and this is their first show. Someone whose opinion matters to me has heard them practice and can't stop raving about them. Here's what I had to say about Ghost of Saturday Nite back in April Friday, Aug. 22: The Ex-Monkeys, Pizza Palace The Ex-Monkeys are Ian and Eddie from Friend Side Monkey, an electronic group that was all the rage round these parts about 10 years ago. Hear what they've been up to recently. Dollface is a bad-ass female guitar player who loves Nick Cave and PJ Harvey. Saturday, Aug. 23: The Magic Babies with Violet Vector & the Lovely Lovelies, Slim's (Rawls benefit) Here's some video from The Magic Babies. Wednesday, Aug. 27: Secondhand Freespace: Local Music Networking Night, Local 506 Not a band, but good info if you are IN a band. Panel Discussion: Booking the Triangle & Beyond Moderated by Grayson Currin (The Independent, Pitchfork, etc) Panelists include local venue booking managers: Dayn Peters - Jack Sprat Glenn Boothe - Local 506 Jenks Miller - Nightlight Mouse Mock - The Cave NEXT WEEK'S SHOWS Friday, Aug. 29: Cy Rawls benefit with Superchunk, Birds of Avalon and The Rosebuds, Cat's Cradle An all-star local-music benefit for Cy Rawls. This will seriously be the show of the year. The following day, eat some steak for Cy with a benefit buffet at Outback. Go even if you're a vegetarian -- you can always load up on mashed potatoes and salad. Here are the details: ANYWAY, after "getting jiggy" with Birds of Avalon, Rosebuds and Superchunk Friday night, come out to a tasty and nutrient-rich buffet lunch at Outback Steakhouse at 3500 Mt. Moriah Rd., near New Hope Commons, at noon Saturday, Aug. 30. For $20, you get chicken AND steak, salad, mashed potatoes and a drink, with ALL PROCEEDS going to the cause. Pay by cash or check (made out to Cy Rawls Benevolence Fund) at the door. Eat in or take out, whatever. There are only 50 spots for this event, so please RSVP through the Evite posted below. Here's the link to RSVP: Friday, Aug. 29: Sir Arthur & the Royal Knights with Dirty Johnny & the Makebelieves, Slim's One of the first shows I documented for my blog was Dirty Johnny & the Makebelieves on Nov. 11, 2005, at Slim's. I remember that date because I also met my friend Flo, who would end up being very special to me, at that show. Unfortunately the video from that show was put on a server that no longer exists. I probably have the original video somewhere, but honestly am not going to look for it right now. Maybe I'll put it up before the show. In the meantime, you can see the original entry, and video from the second time I saw them, here. NOTE: Dirty Johnny will be at Reservoir in Carrboro with Dirty Little Heaters on Thursday, Aug. 28 Saturday, Aug. 30: Raleigh Rumble IV, Vintage Bikes & Rock, Slim's Saturday, Aug. 30: The Club is Open show with Filthybird and more,Cat's Cradle Here's what I had to say last year about the totally awesome and underrated Filthybird. UPCOMING IN GENERAL Friday, Sept. 5: The Old Ceremony, Cat's Cradle Friday, Sept. 5: Pine State, Local 506 Back in the day, no one, and I mean no one, put on a crazy tent-revival show, or tore up a club, like Pine State. I remember one show in which The Gimp allowed people (including me) to whip him, and another in which Charlie Speight walked around in a sparkly thong and some other guy whose name I forget ate brains out of a can and then threw up on stage. they also played my 1994 Christmas party when I lived in Boylan Heights and got mad when I told them they couldn't bring a gutted-out piano into the house. At some point, they also played music. I don't know who is in this line-up, but I would give anything if they would bring back the Yngwie-loving Japanese guitarist who was briefly in the band. Thursday, Sept. 11: The Bronzed Chorus, Tir na Nog I can truthfully say this band was one of the most surprising bands I've seen all year. I still don't know what to make of them except to say that they're amazing and that you need to go see them. See the video from the show in April. Sept. 19-21: Sparkcon, venues throughout downtown. I missed the last two Sparkcons because I was in Germany each year. This September I'll be in Raleigh, and I look forward to checking it out.

Two founding members leave Dreamscapes of the Perverse

Here's what John Snead just sent out on myspace:

Robert Daugherty (Guitarist/Vocalist) and John Snead (Drum & Percussion) have decided to part ways with Dreamscapes of the Perverse.




Statement from John:

“Robert and I have decided that it is time to part ways with Dreamscapes of the Perverse. As 2 of the 3 founding members of Dreamscapes, it is with sadness that we announce this news.



There has been a lot of great music written. A lot of amazing shows played. And lots of awesome friendships created since our inception in 2001. There were many long days and nights, much blood and sweat, and a lot of heart and dedication in writing our music and creating the overall style of Dreamscapes of the Perverse. This being said, we feel that it is time for a change and for us to pursue other avenues and musical endeavors. This split is totally amicable. We wish Ron, Adam and Ryan luck with their other projects and future endeavors. For 5 guys that have spent countless hours together rehearsing, on stage and on the road, we know that our personal friendships will continue and we will continue to support them in the future as well.



We would like to thank our families, friends and especially you, THE FANS, for all the support throughout the years!! This has been an amazing ride and could not have been done without the support of all of you! THANK YOU ALL!”

Annuals release new track

Check out "Confessor," the first song off Annuals upcoming CD "Such Fun." They also released their upcoming tour dates, which include a stop at Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh on Oct. 29.

Learn more!

The South will rise again

Yes, I know that last night's show was all about Shooter Jennings, but I have to say Rebel Son and Sons of Bill totally stole the show from him in completely different ways. I also want to quickly note that dozens of people were taking photos and capturing video throughout the show, and no one from the Lincoln had a problem with it, so my little fiasco with The Sword must have been due to the band rather than the club. Angela wrote a much better blog about Raleigh's Rebel Son, analyzing the ways in which they mix the punk ethos with white trash imagery and sell it back to their legion of devoted fans, who may or may not be in on the joke. Part of that joke is that two of the band members are from New York. She took down the blog, but might tweak it and republish it. If you're her friend on myspace, check it out. The other part of that joke (or maybe schtick is a better term) is the blatant South will rise again, Confederate flag-waving attitude that pretty much is the essence of what Rebel Son does. You could make a comparison to Lynyrd Skynyrd, one of my favorite bands ever, who walked a similar fine line with their pro-working man Southern pride. But where Skynyrd were more nuanced, Rebel Son is right there in your face, which is exactly where they want to be. They are talented musicians, and entertaining showmen, and singer/guitarist Lee Johnson is a clever lyricist. But, as someone who grew up surrounded by rednecks, some of whom I love dearly, I just think the whole thing gets old after a while. Check out the video for "Redneck Piece of White Trash." I wish I'd captured Johnson's rant against the Glenwood South crew that preceded this song. I particularly like the fact that you can see the viewfinder of the dude capturing video right in front of me. Next up were Charlottesville's Sons of Bill, an amazing alt-country group featuring three incredibly talented young brothers. Their set was equal parts rockin' and reflective. The song I captured was more reflective. Unfortunately I don't know the name of it. Finally Shooter Jennings was on. I'll admit, I've never listened to much of his stuff, but I liked what I heard enough to go back and check him out. Still, he didn't inspire me to talk about him the next day like Rebel Son and Sons of Bill did. I also somehow managed to NOT get video of this show, which is strange because I could have sworn that I took some. Finally, a couple of random notes on the evening. This show was one of maybe two I've been to in my entire life where there was a line for the men's room, but not for the women's. After the show Angela and I walked up to our normal watering hole, The Landmark, but when we tried to leave after last call, there was suddenly some sort of major brouhaha in the street with people fighting, cops blocking the street and gun shots ringing out. I've heard various rumors of what may have been going on, but haven't seen any official news about it. If someone knows for sure what went on, please let me know. 

Suburban Sweethearts from Mann's World on Vimeo.

FKON rock Tir na Nog

Durham's Future Kings of Nowhere certainly made a big impression Thursday at Tir na Nog, which was awesome to see. I'm certainly guilty of being Raleigh-centric, and I know some of my friends are too. Anyway, my friend Angela strongly compared them to Red House Painters -- to the point where she was almost convinced that FKON's singer/guitarist had been in RHP. Having never really listened to them, I can't say if I agree, but I generally trust her judgment on musical issues. Here's some strange-sounding video from the show. Evidently I was right in the loudest spot for the drums.

Future Kings of Nowhere from Mann's World on Vimeo.

Menconi article on cy

David Menconi has a nice article on Cy Rawls here.

This week's cool shows: Cy benefit with Polvo, Double Negative and more!

COMING UP NEXT WEEK
Thursday, Aug. 14: Future Kings of Nowhere, Tir na Nog


Lump Gallery benefit with Phon and Schooner, Lump Gallery,
From Lump's Facebook: Lump gallery/projects will hold its second annual benefit party on Friday, August 15, from 7-11 pm. The event will feature performances from Phon and Schooner. Donations will be accepted at the door.

Now entering its 13th year, Lump has brought emerging conceptual art to a wider audience in the Triangle. In the process, Lump has been proud to play a vital role in the rebirth of Raleigh's downtown area. Lump has featured many local national and international artists, giving them an exhibition venue not normally available in this area.

Proceeds from this benefit event will help Lump to continue operations for the next year.

For information about Lump, go to www.lumpgallery.com and www.lumpdocket.blogspot.com . For additional information about the benefit event, call 919-821-9999. Lump is located at 505 S. Blount Street in lovely downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. This is EARLY -- 7 - 11 p.m.





Friday, Aug. 15: The Bleeding Hearts with Goner and The Loners, The Pour House
Powerhouse triple bill with three of the most beloved bands in Raleigh, all of whom are on a roll. Bleeding Hearts are riding high after their Little Steven plug, Goner is still working their awesome "Rock 'n' Roll Always Forgets" CD, and The Loners have been sounding better than ever recently.


Friday, Aug. 15: Kolyma, Sadlack's
EARLY (7 p.m.) show with a new bass player.


Saturday, Aug. 16: Girls Rock N.C. party, Piedmont Biofuels
A great show for an amazing cause. Here's what organizer Amelia Shull had to say about it. On another note, I really need to make it out to Piedmont Bioguels to find out what the big deal is out there.

Subject: Party in Pittsboro for Girls Rock NC, Saturday August 16th 4:30 on Join us at the Piedmont Biofuels/Abundance Foundation compound, where Women from the Women's Rock Retreat play their songs, camp Directors' bands play, plus lots of local women and girls perform. Bring a picnic dinner, and your families (and BYOB) and join us for all the fun!

Featuring:
Side Effects
Cleavage and the Booby Traps
Rhythm Sects
Roxcetera
Velvet
Above Gravity
Midtown Dickens




Saturday, Aug. 16: The Never with Un Deux Trois, ArtsCenter
The Never, with their amazing harmonies and storytelling abilities are worth the price of admission alone, but winsome girly trio Un Deux Trois is the icing on the cake.


Saturday, Aug. 16: The Infamous Sugar, Sadlack's
Another Early show (7 p.m.). Suge has been recording, so come out and hear what he's been working on.



SHOW OF THE WEEK!
Sunday, Aug. 17: Rawls benefit with Polvo, Cantwell Gomez & Jordan, Fin Fang Foom and Double Negative, Magic Babies, Cat's Cradle
Another all-star benefit with a little something (stylistically that is) for everyone. NOTE: Double Negative will also be playing the night before at Cat's Cradle with The Melvins and Big Business.



UPCOMING IN GENERAL


Saturday, Aug. 23: The Magic Babies with Violet Vector & the Lovely Lovelies, Slim's (Rawls benefit)
Here's some video from The Magic Babies.




Friday, Aug. 29: Cy Rawls benefit with Superchunk, Birds of Avalon and The Rosebuds, Cat's Cradle
An all-star local-music benefit for Cy Rawls. This will seriously be the show of the year.

The following day, eat some steak for Cy with a benefit buffet at Outback. Go even if you're a vegetarian -- you can always load up on mashed potatoes and salad. Here are the details:

ANYWAY, after "getting jiggy" with Birds of Avalon, Rosebuds and
Superchunk Friday night, come out to a tasty and nutrient-rich buffet
lunch at Outback Steakhouse at 3500 Mt. Moriah Rd., near New Hope
Commons, at noon Saturday, Aug. 30. For $20, you get chicken AND
steak, salad, mashed potatoes and a drink, with ALL PROCEEDS going to
the cause. Pay by cash or check (made out to Cy Rawls Benevolence
Fund) at the door. Eat in or take out, whatever. There are only 50
spots for this event, so please RSVP through the Evite posted below.

Here's the link to RSVP:



Friday, Aug. 29: Sir Arthur & the Royal Knights with Dirty Johnny & the Makebelieves, Slim's
One of the first shows I documented for my blog was Dirty Johnny & the Makebelieves on Nov. 11, 2005, at Slim's. I remember that date because I also met my friend Flo, who would end up being very special to me, at that show. Unfortunately the video from that show was put on a server that no longer exists. I probably have the original video somewhere, but honestly am not going to look for it right now. Maybe I'll put it up before the show. In the meantime, you can see the original entry, and video from the second time I saw them, here.

Saturday, Aug. 30: Raleigh Rumble IV, Vintage Bikes & Rock, Slim's

Saturday, Aug. 30: The Club is Open show with Filthybird and more,Cat's Cradle
Here's what I had to say last year about the totally awesome and underrated Filthybird.



Friday, Sept. 5: The Old Ceremony, Cat's Cradle


Friday, Sept. 5: Pine State, Local 506
Back in the day, no one, and I mean no one, put on a crazy tent-revival show, or tore up a club, like Pine State. I remember one show in which The Gimp allowed people (including me) to whip him, and another in which Charlie Speight walked around in a sparkly thong and some other guy whose name I forget ate brains out of a can and then threw up on stage. they also played my 1994 Christmas party when I lived in Boylan Heights and got mad when I told them they couldn't bring a gutted-out piano into the house. At some point, they also played music. I don't know who is in this line-up, but I would give anything if they would bring back the Yngwie-loving Japanese guitarist who was briefly in the band.


Thursday, Sept. 11: The Bronzed Chorus, Tir na Nog
I can truthfully say this band was one of the most surprising bands I've seen all year. I still don't know what to make of them except to say that they're amazing and that you need to go see them. See the video from the show in April.



Sept. 19-21: Sparkcon, venues throughout downtown.
I missed the last two Sparkcons because I was in Germany each year. This September I'll be in Raleigh, and I look forward to checking it out.

Lindsay Lohan, meet the Bleeding Hearts

In the almost-too-weird-to-believe category, Norwegian newspaper Aftonbladet has issued a call for Lindsay Lohan to cover the Bleeding Hearts' "Rehab Girl," which has enjoyed considerable success since getting big-upped by Little Stephen. At least, I think that's what this article says -- that's what Joe Yerry says it says. But since I don't read Norwegian, and I don't think Joe does either, I decided to consult the Google translator. I don't think it reads Norwegian either. From what I gather, the Aftonbladet folks really dig the CD's album cover, which isn't surprising seeing as the band couldn't keep their promo posters, featuring semi-naked local model Luva, from being stolen.

Read Little Stevens sommarkrönika - exklusivt for Aftonbladet

NEW YORK. Ärade landsmän!

Sweden känns numera as my other hem, so I känner that I get called is so.

Today's krönika would actually have varit my sista, but it has varit so cool to håll in touch with is, as I have bestämt for me to write in fyra veckor till.

And that håll each touch with what is good in life, it is also veckans theme in my radioshow. Där shelves, we just now Film Noir-genre.

We will be tända a födelsedagsljus for legendary regissören John Houston, which började the entire grejen with the brilliant movie "Riddarfalken from Malta" 1941.

But it is not everything. Nine lyssnar which has also (o) the trip to höra undertecknad make a Humphrey Bogart-imitation of a alldeles speciellt fruktansvärt ways.

Bättre songs that when we play världens coolaste song - it's here veckan.

It fits in under the category popkultur that means something - alltså the one in the normal case, återfinns of 50 - and 60-talsplattor.

The song is called "Rehab Girl", and believe it or ej, but it's not about Amy, Britney, Lindsay or Courtney.

The group is The Bleeding Hearts from Raleigh, North Carolina, and they can also be my röst for lyckats have to create this year's coolaste album cover.

Nine hittar their skiva at doublenaughtrecords.com, and mig hittar ni that vanligt in undergroundgaraget now this weekend.

Sunday night videos

Sunday was the type of evening typical in Raleigh rock. Either there's nothing going on, or there are at least two great shows happening at once. Luckily Sunday's shows were staggered, which allowed me to catch Dirty Little Heaters at Slim's, Man Will Destroy Himself at White Collar Crime, and Suburban Sweethearts back at Slim's. The video of Dirty Little Heaters really doesn't do them justice, so I'll leave that off. Here's video of Man Will Destroy Himself (which is really dark) and, below that, Suburban Sweethearts.

Tonight in Raleigh: Two things for you to do

First off, there's the Dirty Little Heaters and Suburban Sweethearts at Slim's. This is a benefit for Cy, and is also an EARLY show. So don't stroll in at 11:30 and get mad because you've missed most of the show. You've been warned. From Suburban Sweethearts: I know it's a Sunday night and all, but that's all the more reason to squeeze one more rockin' evening into your weekend...

Tonight we'll be playing with the fantastic Dirty Little Heaters, and we'll also have donations for Cy Rawls and selling "I Heart Cy" shirts. All of this money goes directly to Cy and his family....

This is an EARLY show!! The Dirty Little Heaters will be starting at 9:30 sharp!

C'mon out, childrens!! Let's have some good times and show some love for Cy...

 The second thing is Man Will Destroy Himself and Richard Bacchus at White Collar Crime. Somehow, the idea of MWDH playing White Collar Crime really tickles me. This show is FREE and starts at 10 p.m.! I suggest you do the downtown stumble and walk back and forth between shows. From MWDH: 21+ only, but yep, it's free. you can't beat that.

Trouble Walkers at Slim's

Last week I hyped the Trouble Walkers on the advice of local alt-country maven Molly Flynn. After seeing them Thursday at Slim's, I understand why she's so into them. They're country-punk sleaze, and really do kind of sound like what they put under "sounds like" on their Myspace page: "The Ramones drank a bunch of moonshine." Check out the video for "Snakes on Crosses."

Trouble Walkers from Mann's World on Vimeo.

Review of "World Class" by Caltrop

Believe it or not, reviewing a CD that's amazing is actually more difficult than reviewing one that sucks. There are only so many ways to say that it's awesome, that it rocks, that you should go out and buy it and/or see the band when they next play live. That's kind of the dilemma with Caltrop's second CD, "World Class" (Holidays for Quince). It's so damn good that I'm having a difficult time coming up with anything insightful to say about it. I even had a difficult time deciding which song to include here. Finally I went with "Junn Horde," even though I don't think it's actually the most cohesive song on the CD ("The Phlogston Command" gets that honor), and even though it's not necessarily guitarist Adam Nolton's best playing (the freakout solos in the middle of "Bloodroot" are more mind-blowing). But "Junn Horde," with its plodding, angry bass and marching drumbeat is most distinctive in its menacing stomp. A bonus for fans of the first CD: They've re-recorded and tightened up "Slice-o-Lator." 

Videos from Leslie and Richard Bacchus with a special guest

Tuesday's big show at Slim's was Charleston, S.C., cock-rockers Leslie, who were just as loud and rockin' as when they came through last year. Check out the video for "Devil Ain't Ready."  Richard Bacchus & the Luckiest Girls opened up, but this time they had a special guest, Reese McHenry of the Dirty Little Heaters, who played second guitar on "Degenerated" as Ricky mugged for my camera.  

 

Cool shows this week: Dirty Little Heaters, Trouble Walkers and more!

(Dirty Little Heaters -- Sunday at Slim's; photo by Gavin)




Thursday, Aug. 7: Bowerbirds, Local 506
The last U.S. stop before going to Europe with Bon Iver.



Thursday, Aug. 7: Trouble Walkers with The Cartridge Family, Slim's

The Trouble Walkers are alt-country-punk from Charlotte with members of Lou Ford
and David Childers and the Modern Don Juans. You know the Cartridge Family -- they're playing second so drummer Stephen Gardner can finish an early set with his other band, The T's, around the block at Pour House.
Trouble Walkers will also be at Local 506 on Sunday, Aug. 10


Thursday, Aug. 7: The T's with The Young Dubliners, The Pour House
The T's open. See Cartridge Family, above, for more details.



Friday, Aug. 8: Starmount with Whalewatchers, Slim's
Check out video from Starmount here


SHOW OF THE WEEK!
Sunday, Aug. 10: The Dirty Little Heaters, Slim's
Awesome, angry girl rock. Check out the video from their recent show at Tir na Nog here.


Sunday, Aug. 10: The Moaners, The Cave
Another awesome girl band. The Moaners aren't as angry as the Dirty Little Heaters, but they will rock you just as hard, especially when Melissa starts playing the saw.


COMING UP NEXT WEEK
Thursday, Aug. 14: Future Kings of Nowhere, Tir na Nog


Friday, Aug. 15: The Bleeding Hearts with Goner and The Loners, The Pour House
Powerhouse triple bill with three of the most beloved bands in Raleigh, all of whom are on a roll. Bleeding Hearts are riding high after their Little Steven plug, Goner is still working their awesome "Rock 'n' Roll Always Forgets" CD, and The Loners have been sounding better than ever recently.

Saturday, Aug. 16: The Never, ArtsCenter

Sunday, Aug. 17: Rawls benefit with Polvo, Cantwell Gomez & Jordan, Fin Fang Foom and Double Negative, Magic Babies, Cat's Cradle
Another all-star benefit with a little something (stylistically that is) for everyone.



UPCOMING IN GENERAL


Saturday, Aug. 23: The Magic Babies with Violet Vector & the Lovely Lovelies, Slim's (Rawls benefit)
Here's some video from The Magic Babies.




Friday, Aug. 29: Cy Rawls benefit with Superchunk, Birds of Avalon and The Rosebuds, Cat's Cradle
An all-star local-music benefit for Cy Rawls. This will seriously be the show of the year.

The following day, eat some steak for Cy with a benefit buffet at Outback. Go even if you're a vegetarian -- you can always load up on mashed potatoes and salad. Here are the details:

ANYWAY, after "getting jiggy" with Birds of Avalon, Rosebuds and
Superchunk Friday night, come out to a tasty and nutrient-rich buffet
lunch at Outback Steakhouse at 3500 Mt. Moriah Rd., near New Hope
Commons, at noon Saturday, Aug. 30. For $20, you get chicken AND
steak, salad, mashed potatoes and a drink, with ALL PROCEEDS going to
the cause. Pay by cash or check (made out to Cy Rawls Benevolence
Fund) at the door. Eat in or take out, whatever. There are only 50
spots for this event, so please RSVP through the Evite posted below.

Here's the link to RSVP:



Friday, Aug. 29: Sir Arthur & the Royal Knights with Dirty Johnny & the Makebelieves, Slim's
One of the first shows I documented for my blog was Dirty Johnny & the Makebelieves on Nov. 11, 2005, at Slim's. I remember that date because I also met my friend Flo, who would end up being very special to me, at that show. Unfortunately the video from that show was put on a server that no longer exists. I probably have the original video somewhere, but honestly am not going to look for it right now. Maybe I'll put it up before the show. In the meantime, you can see the original entry, and video from the second time I saw them, here.

Saturday, Aug. 30: Raleigh Rumble IV, Vintage Bikes & Rock, Slim's

Saturday, Aug. 30: The Club is Open show with Filthybird and more,Cat's Cradle
Here's what I had to say last year about the totally awesome and underrated Filthybird.



Friday, Sept. 5: The Old Ceremony, Cat's Cradle


Friday, Sept. 5: Pine State, Local 506
Back in the day, no one, and I mean no one, put on a crazy tent-revival show, or tore up a club, like Pine State. I remember one show in which The Gimp allowed people (including me) to whip him, and another in which Charlie Speight walked around in a sparkly thong and some other guy whose name I forget ate brains out of a can and then threw up on stage. they also played my 1994 Christmas party when I lived in Boylan Heights and got mad when I told them they couldn't bring a gutted-out piano into the house. At some point, they also played music. I don't know who is in this line-up, but I would give anything if they would bring back the Yngwie-loving Japanese guitarist who was briefly in the band.


Thursday, Sept. 11: The Bronzed Chorus, Tir na Nog
I can truthfully say this band was one of the most surprising bands I've seen all year. I still don't know what to make of them except to say that they're amazing and that you need to go see them. See the video from the show in April.



Sept. 19-21: Sparkcon, venues throughout downtown.
I missed the last two Sparkcons because I was in Germany each year. This September I'll be in Raleigh, and I look forward to checking it out.

Video from The Whistlestop

Saturday I caught The Whistlestop's jam-packed CD-release performance at The Pour House. They put on a great show, and the audience was a great deal more attentive than when they played Tir na Nog a few weeks back. Check out the video for "What They Don't Tell You."

The Whistlestop from Mann's World on Vimeo.

Cytunes needs your help!

I am helping out with Cytunes, the local music Web store to benefit Cy Rawls. We are currently in need of two things: someone to donate Web design services and someone to donate mastering services. If you can help us out, please send e-mail me at mannsworld@gmail.com.

Bleeding Hearts on the radio -- Party this Sunday!

the band just posted this on myspace. Should be a great party. Get there early enough for one of Gary's bloody Mary's. Rock Music Fan, We know Sundays are hectic. Yardwork, Home Depot, Bed Bath and Beyond......bullshit! Get over your hangover and tune into Little Steven's Underground Garage at 7:00 pm Sunday Aug 3rd, locally on 96Rock or Sirius 25, where he'll be featuring The Bleeding Heart's "Rehab Girl" (off our new album, Nothin' On But The Radio*) as The Coolest Song In The World This Week! We'll all be listening at Slim's Downtown. Come join us! If that's not enough, tune into 96Rock at 9:00 where they'll be interviewing us live after the show....if we can get our giant, ego-swollen heads into the studio..... RHTS The Bleeding Hearts *Pick up your own copy at www. myspace. com/thebleedinghearts or www. thebleedinghearts. net