I'm on New Raleigh!

Folks, I'm going to start writing a weekly "5 questions with ..." for New Raleigh. My first one, with Brian Walsby, was published tonight here.

I've been a fan of New Raleigh for a while. The folks who run it are all cool, passionate, and eager to cover what's happening in Raleigh. Plus, they're volunteers, which means they are truly excited about what they're covering. They aren't getting paid to do it.

This column won't replace what I'm doing here, but will be a nice compliment. I'll still do my weekly list of shows here, but plan to start including my shows in New Raleigh's calendar. I'll probably start embedding some of my videos on New Raleigh as well, but plan to maintain the bulk of them on Vimeo (update -- still slogging along adding all my old videos to that site).

Local music news round-up

Will try to do this more often:

Bombadil has released a mini-documentary about the making of their new CD (Triangle Music)

Ross is having the same problem with BCHQ as I am. (alt.music.chapel-hill)

If you can stand looking at this photo of a neckbeard, you'll read some good news about IWTDI. (Music.MyNC)

Live Nation to fans regarding U2: Just trust us. (On the Beat)

Nice photos of Pink Flag and Whatever Brains. (WKNC blog)

I may have a new favorite band

If you follow me on twitter, you know that I finally did something I've been planning to do for a while: I tweeted from a show. The show in question was Pink Flag and Whatever Brains at Tir na Nog last Thursday, and the reason is that Pink Flag absolutely rules. Seriously, I hate to gush because that kind of sounds simultaneously insincere and groupie-like, but I just can't think of enough good things to say about this band. First off, they're girls, and of course, I love to see girls because, honestly, it brings back fond memories of my own band days. They're cute and innocent and a little dorky, which is generally a formula for really crappy musicianship, but Pink Flag can actually play. The guitarist and bass player are really good; the drummer is great, plus she smiles the whole time and looks like she's having the time of her life. And they can all sing, and often sing together. I could start trying to connect what they're doing to the whole Riot Grrrl, and try to say something insightful about how they're the daughters of the original movement, but really all you need to know is that they rock. This clip is called "Dirty Hair Party."
Pink Flag from Mann's World on Vimeo. After getting all excited over Pink Flag, you'd think I'd be really pumped up for Whatever Brains, who are pretty much the most talked-about band in Raleigh right now, but they honestly had no impact on me whatsoever. I didn't like them, and I didn't dislike them. They were just kind of there. But I was obviously alone in my opinion because they had a pretty big audience who were all into what they were doing. I'll check them out again and see if they eventually affect me one way or the other.
Whatever Brains from Mann's World on Vimeo. See more photos.

Cool shows this week: Pink Flag and more!

(Pink Flag -- photo by Jude Eden)

THIS WEEK'S SHOWS



SHOW OF THE WEEK

Thursday, March 26: Whatever Brains with Pink Flag, Tir na Nog
Pink Flag manage to be angry and cute at the same time. They're the girls I wish I had been in high school. The Indy's recent review of Whatever Brains' cassette-only release and 7-inch record (which has been picked up for distribution by Matador) describes them as "hooky-and-hissy" and "jagged and noisy," which pretty much hits the nail on the head.

Thursday, March 26: Proof with Medications and Edie Sedgwick, Berkeley Cafe

Friday, March 27: Richard Bacchus & the Luckiest Girls, Slim's


Friday, March 27: John Howie Jr. & The Rosewood Bluff with Mike Slaton, The Cave

Friday, March 27: ASG with Colossus, Black Skies and Power Pellut, Volume 11 Tavern
I liked ASG's "Win Us Over," even if it was more on the polished side than I usually enjoy. Colossus and Black Skies are easily two of the heaviest bands around here.


Friday, March 27: A Rooster for the Masses, Pour House
Check newraleigh.com for a ticket giveaway for this show.


Saturday, March 28: Mike Roy & Rob Watson CD-release party with Kenny Roby's Mercy Filter & the Kennebec Duo, Pour House

Saturday, March 28: A Rooster for the Masses, with Death to the Details and The Authority, The Cave

Saturday, March 28: Caltrop with Curtains of Night and Sled, The Pinhook
Caltrop is part of my personal trio of heavy favorites (along with Colossus and Black Skies). I'm hoping Curtains of Night will grow on me more after I see them live.


Saturday, March 28: COC Blind Volume 11 Tavern
COC Blind is Reed and Karl, plus assorted others, playing the "Blind" in its entirety.

Tuesday, March 31: The Ex-Monkeys, The Cave

NEXT WEEK'S SHOWS

Wednesday, April 1: Secondhand Freespace panel on Online Marketing, Local 506
David Rose - KnowTheMusicBiz.com
Jed Carlson - Reverbnation.com
Lindsey Kronmiller - Merge Records
Mike Robinson - Annuals
Moderated by Heather McDonald - About.com: Music Careers

Wednesday, April 1: Langhorne Slim, Cat's Cradle

Wednesday, April 1: Black Skies, Reservoir Bar


Thursday, April 2: North Elementary with I Was Totally Destroying It, Tir na Nog

Thursday, April 2: The New Romans, with Fan Tan, Pinhook

Friday, April 3: North Mississippi All-Stars, Lincoln Theatre

Saturday, April 4: Scott Phillips, Royal Bean
Scott from Goner. Early show (8 p.m.)

Saturday, April 4: Transportation, The Cave

Saturday, April 4: Bluegrass festival with Old Habits, The Pit

Saturday, April 4: Brian Walsby/Melvins double release show, Tir na Nog
With Double Negative, The Loners, Goner and Des Ark

Sunday, April 5: Caltrop, Reservoir Bar

Tuesday, April 7: Neko Case, Fletcher Theatre

UPCOMING IN GENERAL

Thursday, April 9: The Magpies, Tir na Nog

Thursday, April 9: The Haw River Rounders, Pinhook

Friday, April 10: Bombadil, Lincoln Theatre

Friday, April 10: Shake It Like a Caveman, Sadlack's

Saturday, April 11: Urban Sophisticates, Lincoln Theatre

Thursday, April 16: John Howie Jr. and the Rosewood Bluff with Gambling the Muse, Pinhook


Thursday, April 16: Magic Babies with The Huguenots, Tir na Nog

Thursday, April 16: John Howie Jr. and the Rosewood Bluff, with Gambling the Muse, The Pinhook

Thursday, April 16: IRATA with Count Von Count, Reservoir Bar

thursday, April 16: A Rooster for the Masses with Natalie Portman's Shaved Head, Local 506

Friday, April 17: North Elementary, Pinhook

Friday, April 17: Kenny Roby, Sadlack's


Friday, April 17: The Whistlestop, Pour House

Friday, April 18: Duo Fest with Beloved Binge and Mecca Normal, Pinhook

Saturday, April 18: Starmount, Sadlack's

Monday, April 20: 420 Fest with H.O.W. and Black Skies Volume 11

Tuesday, April 21: Dreadg with Torche and Maps and Atlases The Brewery

This week's cool shows: Sorry About Dresden and more!

(Sorry About Dresden) THIS WEEK'S SHOWS Friday, March 20: American Aquarium, Lincoln Theatre Friday, March 20: Steep Canyon Rangers, The Pour House Old-time bluegrass from Asheville. SHOW OF THE WEEK Friday, March 20: Embarrassing Fruits with Sorry About Dresden and Blag'ard Local 506 Sorry About Dresden is the long-running other band from I Was Totally Destroying It drummer James Hepler. Blag'ard is a two-man Chapel Hill pop-rock freak show. I'm not that familiar with Embarrassing Fruits, but what little I've heard sounds like they would have been right at home playing a house party with Polvo in 1991. Saturday, March 21: Johnny Cash Birthday Celebration, The Pinhook Sunday, March 22: Bill Frisell and Greg Leisz, Great Hall UNC Student Union 7 p.m. free show sponsored by the UNC Southern Folklife Collection. Tickets are required and will be available through the UNC Student Union Box Office. NEXT WEEK'S SHOWS Thursday, March 26: Whatever Brains with Pink Flag, Tir na Nog Pink Flag manage to be angry and cute at the same time. They're the girls I wish I had been in high school. The Indy's recent review of Whatever Brains' cassette-only release and 7-inch record (which has been picked up for distribution by Matador) describes them as "hooky-and-hissy" and "jagged and noisy," which pretty much hits the nail on the head. Friday, March 27: Richard Bacchus & the Luckiest Girls, Slim's Friday, March 27: ASG with Colossus, Black Skies and Power Pellut, Volume 11 Tavern I liked ASG's "Win Us Over," even if it was more on the polished side than I usually enjoy. Colossus and Black Skies are easily two of the heaviest bands around here. Friday, March 27: A Rooster for the Masses, Pour House Saturday, March 28: Caltrop with Curtains of Night and Sled, The Pinhook Caltrop is part of my personal trio of heavy favorites (along with Colossus and Black Skies). I'm hoping Curtains of Night will grow on me more after I see them live. UPCOMING IN GENERAL Thursday, April 2: North Elementary with I Was Totally Destroying It, Tir na Nog Tuesday, April 7: Neko Case, Fletcher Theatre Thursday, April 9: The Magpies, Tir na Nog Wednesday, April 1: Langhorne Slim, Cat's Cradle Friday, April 3: North Mississippi All-Stars, Lincoln Theatre Saturday, April 4: Scott Phillips, Royal Bean Scott from Goner. Early show (8 p.m.) Saturday, April 4: Brian Walsby/Melvins double release show, Tir na Nog With Double Negative, The Loners, Goner and Des Ark