Well, I can't say many of you heeded my advice to go see Shake It Like a Caveman last week because I was one of three people who showed up at the Double Down last Thursday. Saturday's show at Sadlack's was slightly better attended. Blake (akak Shake It) is a trooper for performing anyway. Here's what you missed.
The last time I traveled down Highway 55 from Durham, I was on a quest to find a place called Uncle Frenchey's Jamaican restaurant so I could take a picture of the interior for the Web site I edited. I have no idea if Uncle Frenchey's still exists, but I thought about that as I drove up and down that stretch of 55 Friday night, trying to find Papa Mojo's. My reason for venturing out into strip mall land: Shake It Like a Caveman, who put on a phenomenal performance back in December at Sadlack's, was scheduled to play there.
Shake It Like a Caveman is basically one guy named Blake, who sometimes performs with another guitarist, and sometimes handles the drums, guitar and harmonica duties himself. At this particular show he was essentially on his own, but spontaneously accompanied by a washboard player who apparently was moved by the spirit to just join in on his own. Papa Mojo's is a Cajun restaurant/club tucked into a corner of a mostly Indian strip mall, and the owner plays zydeco music with his own band, Mel Melton & the Wicket Mojos, so spontaneous washboard-playing isn't really unusual there. Blake usually plays with his own small drum kit, and a mic fashioned from the hand set of an old phone, but he made do nicely with the mic and kit that the Zydeco band allowed him to use.
I sat down and had a good view of him for this video, but was blocked when the washboard player suddenly jumped on stage, so forgive the moving around.
The thing I love about Tir na nOg's Thursday Local Band Local Beer series (other than the free music and beer samples) is that it takes a bit of a risk and features bands from Chapel Hill and Durham. Thursday, I caught Durham's Hammer No More the Fingers (above), and Chapel Hill's I Was Totally Destroying It (below).
Last night I went down to Slim's to see Sir Arthur & the Royal Knights and Rocket Cottage, but since it's a work weekend for me, I had to take off before the bands got started. I do have two late-breaking shows to tell you about for tonight.
1. Shake It Like a Caveman is playing tonight at Double Down, a club that's quickly becoming the only reason to go to Glenwood South.
2. Billy Warden & the Floating Children are reuniting this afternoon for the Goodbye Schoolkids bash over in Chapel Hill. Here are the details sent out earlier today by Cat's Cradle:
Hi Catlist... it's thecat here, with some late breaking Cradle news!
Just wanted to let everyone know about an exciting addition to our "So Long Schoolkids Records" show that's taking place tomorrow, Saturday April 5th.
That will be a very special reunion performance by Billy Warden And The Floating Children, the band which actually played the very first "in store" show at the last Schoolkids location on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill!
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Here is the updated schedule for Saturday's FREE show ( donations are strongly encouraged, with all going to benefit the Orange Co. Elementary Music Program) :
Doors open at 4:30
5:00-5:30 Billy Warden And the Floating Children 5:45-6:15 Hammer No More the Fingers 6:30-7:00 The Heist & the Accomplice 7:15-7:45 Wil Donegan & the Apologies 8:00-8:30 Michael Rank & Mark E. Smith ( from Snatches Of Pink) 8:45-9:15 North Elementary 9:30-10:00 Schooner 10:15-11:00 Watch second half of Final Four game at the bar or on the screen. 11:00-11:30 Ben Davis & the Jetts 11:30-on: celebration and rehash of Tar Heel victory
In order to fit in all the acts that have stepped up to Rock one last time for Schoolkids and for the Orange County Elementary Music Program, AND give everyone who cares a chance to watch the Final Four UNC-Kansas game, as you can see we have arranged an elaborate schedule for the show, and an equally elaborate video setup to project the game near our stage, as it happens! We will also have the big screen TV on in the bar area.
EVERYONE who can should do their best to show up early for Billy and the FLoating Children at 5 PM, this will be a performance not to be missed!!
And bring an extra 10-spot to drop in the donation basket, to help make sure kids in the local schools keep their musical education coming.
ALSO don't forget tonight's show at Cat's Cradle with the great Gary Louris from the Jayhawks, and opener Vetiver.
Thanks-- hope to see you all this weekend!
-thecat
Finally, it looks like there's a new music blog in the area. Audio Jacket has just started with a nice review of Thursday's Red Collar show.
First, I want to thank Jeff Carroll for passing along a copy of this year's Have a Holly Raleigh Christmas. If you haven't checked it out, it's a collection of local musicians covering Christmas tunes, and it's available at store's throughout town. Proceeds will benefit the Community Music School, so check it out.
Last night I went out without my camera, and you know what that means: I saw something I wish I could have documented. Asheville one-man-band Shake It Like A Caveman was at Sadlack's, playing a selection of blues tunes, including some by R.L. Burnside. I think the best thing about his set-up was the sawed-off phone handset he used for a microphone, which unfortunately didn't want to stay properly duck-taped to the mic stand.
After Sad's I headed out to rural Garner to catch Joe Swank and the Zen Pirates at the White Oak Grill, a cinder-block establishment with a hand-lettered sign and a distinctive "someone's going to get hit over the head with a pool stick tonight" vibe. Apparently the folks at Budweiser had sprung for some nice banners advertising the show. However, they mis-identified the band as the VEN Pirates. Anyway, the band sounded good, everyone was cool and no fights broke out (at least not while I was there). I didn't eat, but I hear that the onion rings and meat-lovers pizza were both quite tasty. Thanks to Alex, who bought me a White Oak Grill beer cozy with the slogan, "Where good friends & cold beer meet at!!!"
