Steve Kimock Crazy Engine @ The Arts Center

Steve Kimock is performing at The Arts Center in Carrboro this Wednesday night. He is a validated wizard of the electric guitar and will surely blow away who ever ventures out to see his show. Over the last 20 years Kimock has developed his own style and engineered his own sound by toying and manipulating his amplification equipment. He is a tried and true guitar virtuoso and creator of sounds unheard of by most. Organist Melvin Seals of the Jerry Garcia Band will be joining Kimock for this performance.

TROIKA 2009

A full on showcase of all things local and musical is happening in Durham tonight and all through the weekend for the 2009 Troika Festival. Full schedule and venue information can be seen HERE.

Featured artists:

Megafaun, Pipe, Bowerbirds, The Love Language, Dex Romweber Duo, Birds of Avalon, The Moaners, Red Collar, Schooner, Lud, Future Islands, Whatever Brains, Hammer No More The Fingers, Molly Bancroft, Bellafea, EAR PWR, Caltrop, The Travesties, Lonnie Walker, Aminal, Butterflies, D-Town Brass House of Fools, Humble Tripe, Jasmé Kelly, The Proclivities, The Ringing Cedars, Sequoya, Tin Star, The Dirty Little Heaters, The Future Kings of Nowhere [solo], The Loners, I Was Totally Destroying It, The Bronzed Chorus, Liza Kate, LA Tool & Die, Jews & Catholics, Citified, Pink Flag, The Huguenots, Grappling Hook, Maple Stave, Scientific Superstar, Veelee, Regina Hexaphone, The Dry Heathens, Rat Jackson, The Beast, Embarrassing Fruits, Max Indian, Ryan Gustafson, The Pneurotics, Ghost Cats, Beloved Binge, Tea & Tempests, Three Days in Vegas, Pistil, The ExMonkeys, Dynamite Brothers, The Desmonds, Gray Young, Brett Harris, Luego, The Tender Fruit, Wembley, Bright Young Things, All Your Science, Sea Cow, Veronique Diabolique, Mount Moriah, Birds and Arrows

Also this weekend The Pour House in Raleigh is hosting Patty-Palozza, a benefit concert for long time friend Patrick Felder who recently underwent a rather unpleasant medical procedure.
Friday: Big Foot Groove, Triple Wide, The Oatmeal Conspiracy, and Waylandsphere. Doors open at 7:00 pm.
Saturday: Scarlet Virginia, Transient, Vintage, Richard Bacchus and the Luckiest Girls, and Left Outlet. Doors Open at 8:00 pm.

Leonard Cohen @ DPAC 11-3-09

At age 75 Leonard Cohen is touring the world. It's not a sad attempt to jump back into the biz or anything. He's trying to rebuild the fortune he amassed over the last 40 years. The sadness lies thick in his current situation as his manager and life long trusted "friend" stole his money a few years back. What a sleazeball. Who would take from a man who has enlightened and inspired so many important musicians? Cohen is revered by the likes of Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, and a virtual who's who list of the best and brightest in songwriting. In the face of this misfortune, Leonard Cohen has courageously embraced the opportunity to travel the world and perform for old and new fans.

Toubab Krewe - Halloween Night @ Cat's Cradle

Asheville's Toubab Krewe is coming to Cat's Cradle Halloween night. Metro has paid well deserved attention since their incarnation several years ago. A live album and more adventures overseas later, TK is a certified resident on both the world music scene and the jam band circuit. Their performance on a night like Halloween will surely be one to remember.

Roger Daltry at DPAC 10-28-09

Roger Daltry of The Who is coming to The Durham Performing Arts Center October 28th. What else needs to be said? The frontman from one of the most important rock bands in history is performing near you. Buy tickets here.

Remember Soul Coughing?

Mike Doughty, former captain of 1990's sugar free jazz ensemble Soul Coughing is bringing his solo show to The Arts Center in Carrboro Tuesday night. If anyone remembers Soul Coughing for anything, it should be its masterpiece Ruby Vroom. Mixing up hip hop, cool beats, jazz-rock, and clever samples, Vroom is still one of my favorite albums to play in the car. Doughty is out supporting his latest record, Sad Man Happy Man.

GALACTIC @ Cat's Cradle 10-25

Funk merchants Galactic are performing this Sunday at Cat's Cradle. While they've always been a mainstay on the college/ funk / jam band scene, the New Orleans based ensemble has , in recent years, broken the restraints of its apparent life sentence in that world. The introduction of electronic experimentation and taking notes from DJ's and other performers in that medium have lifted them to a loftier height. In the beginning Galactic was glued down to a certain pace by a front-man, who in many ways gave the group an inborn N'awlin's flavor, but also restricted a powerful troop of musicians from cultivating their sound to its full potential. Nowadays it’s a whole new ballgame. Drummer Stanton Moore is typically the highlight of the show banging on his customized kit unlike any others out there. It's full on funk and jazz with just the right touch of DJ beats, electro-pulse, and good ole fashion rock

Dr. Dog at Cat's Cradle 10 - 21

Many bands today attempt to create a passable mixture of psychedelic rock and a sound of their own that separates them from the rest of the gang. Dr. Dog is the leading contender in this race to be passable and respectable in a world of carbon copies and reruns. For about five years the Philly based quintet has collected a devoted fan base and made a name for themselves on the independent rock scene. The Beach Boys and The Beatles are obvious influences along with 90's alternative outfits like Guided by Voices. See them this Wednesday night at Cat's Cradle.

This Weekend

The Moderate will be performing at the Pour House this Saturday night in support of their debut album, The Rest is Up to You. Singer / songwriter Jim Dempsey and drummer Drew Marks grew up together in the great city of Raleigh and attended UNC-Chapel Hill together. The Moderate was born and continues to grow in our nation's capitol where they both reside today.

You can purchase The Rest is Up to You on I-Tunes. Read praise for The Moderate and The Rest is Up to You from Washington's DCist Magazine.

Lucero

Cat's Cradle welcomes Lucero to the stage Saturday Oct. 13th. Some say they fall into the Alternative Country genre, but I disagree. Lucero is Lucero. I advise anyone who enjoys the sounds of hard drinking, southern road warriors to check out their live show.