RACING THE CURE: A BENEFIT FOR OLIVER GANT MARCH 23

Speaking as a survivor of the dreadful shit eating disease known as Cancer, I immediately applaud every single person involved in putting on this amazing night of live music around downtown Raleigh.

 The line up and cause is worthy of planning your entire weekend around it as if you were headed to ACL, SXSW or our very own HOPSCOTCH MUSIC FESTIVAL.

Kings, Tir Na Nog, The Pour House and The Lincoln Theater are opening their doors and their hearts to allow some of the areas truly great bands to perform for a cause of the highest importance: the life a 2 year old child stricken with Cancer and raising awareness and money towards finding a cure for this God awful rapist of a disease.


I must ad a personal note about the nightmare Jed Gant and his family are going through right now.  During my treatments for a brain tumor and bone cancer, the hardest and most memorable part was seeing children dealing with the same pain and sickness with which I was suffering.  Instead of Yo Gabba Gabba and learning to crawl, these children know needle pricks, medicine, pain and sickness.  As a parent I can't imagine what Jed Gant is going through.  From the bottom of my heart, I wish Oliver and his family all the prayers and love I can muster.

More info from THE INDEPENDENT 

FOLK WHAT YOU'VE HEARD AT WHITE COLLAR CRIME SATURDAY MARCH 24

This Saturday night at White Collar Crime:  folk rock meets hip hip and beyond with Lazerus, Boabab and Birds and Arrows!

BEN FOLDS WITH THE NC SYMPHONY MARCH 22

The original piano playing, heartbroken, bespectacled underdog himself has risen above being dumped and working at Chick- Fil-A to produce several astonishingly brilliant albums over the past decade or 2.  Serving as front man of his first group Ben Folds Five, Ben Folds released their self titled album in 1995 which was shortly followed by Whatever and Ever Amen , a major accomplishment for Ben and the gang. "Brick", a morose ballad regarding the emotionally charged process of handling an abortion at a young age was a smash hit as well as the angst filled "Song for the Dumped".  Naked Baby Photos followed as well as The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, both excellent albums which showcased Fold's musical talent, humor and openness to new technologies in the studio.   

Since going solo, Folds has released several pieces of work including 2001's Rockin the Suburbs and a series of live performances.    He also appeared as a judge on NBC's The Sing Off.

Ben Folds is performing with The North Carolina Symphony March 22nd at Meymandi Concert Hall.   

STRANGE LADY AT WHITE COLLAR CRIME SAINT PATRICK'S DAY EVENING!

Being Irish has little to do with the amount of unbridled partying one can do on March 17th, the day we honor Saint Patrick for leading all the the snakes  off the Emerald Isle using his magic flute. At least that's the story I go by.  Either way, what a day to eat, drink and drink and drink some more.  Fortunately for everyone in Raleigh, Strange Lady will perform at WHITE COLLAR CRIME the evening of this special Celtic holiday.  Webb Bostic and his crew are a jam band and they make no bones about it.  They can crush anything from Talking Heads' Cross Eyed and Painless to most any Grateful Dead or Phish tune, plus they have plenty of originals.  The bartenders at White Collar Crime are fully prepared for a big night with the dance floor set to vibrate.   Bring your ass to WHITE COLLAR CRIME this SATURDAY NIGHT!

BOWERBIRDS

THE CLEARING

A fresh and intense folk rock duo gaining traction in today’s music culture is an achievement of consequence. Raleigh-based Phillip Moore and Beth Tacular who comprise Bowerbirds have parlayed their voices into two albums since 2006 that maintain a fresh consistency and a haunting beauty.

The Clearing, the Bowerbirds third and most recent offering, is a mature combination of Moore’s softly sung narrative and Tacular’s ethereal vocals and accordion play that melds with unlikely fuzzy guitar riffs sewn through a few of the heavily layered tracks.“In the Yard” and “Hush” occasionally channel bits of Brian Eno’s Another Green World- an oddity fitting in with the environmental nature of the album.

The modern ingredients of indie folk are all there:  Swirling strings and choir- like oh’s and ah’s build a strong foundation beneath the architecture of every track. Each detailed bar accentuates the multi-faceted story the Bowerbirds tell within the bewitching environs of The Clearing.   Phil and Beth are seemingly entangled among the briars and thorns of a working relationship, both expressing the ups and downs of being together and apart as a musical entity and a romantic item.  No easy chore, with such emotionally charged work to be done.    

Bowerbird’s declaration of staying power is evident within the dreamy landscape of the record.  Whether they make it as a couple or not, Phil and Beth have taken flight as Bowerbirds and can remain at the loftiest heights if they continue making music like this.

Bowerbirds are: Beth Tacular; vocals, accordion. Phillip Moore; guitar, vocals. Mark Paulson; violin, vocals. 

-Dan Reeves

HEARTLESS BASTARDS quick review

As expected, Erika and the gang performed flawlessly to a decent sized, but not sold out, group of screaming fans.  Each number grew louder and more powerful climaxing, in my opinion, with "The Mountain", a song which fully exhibits the musical power of the entire group.  Guitarist Mark Nathan sat down at his pedal steel and proceeded to make it's strings cry out just as loudly as Erika Wennerstrom's graveled chorus: "when you see there's smoke there's fire". A guest singer and mean spirited merch girl sang back up on a few tunes, something new for Heartless Bastards.  Most noticeable was the intense drum work  of Dave Colvin who hit each fill out of the park as well as bassist Jesse Ebaugh's slippery thumps which went above and beyond the call of duty as a time keeping bass player.  In short, the entire show was an exercise in good old fashion loud rock and roll.  Heartless Bastards are one of a kind and will continue to blow the doors off venues across the world as they grow stronger and stronger as a truly forceful band.

THE WAR ON DRUGS with WHITE RABBITS at LINCOLN THEATER MARCH 9th

Originally formed by  Kurt Vile, The War on Drugs is a Philadelphia based rock outfist ripping up the  music scene as we speak.  Their first record, Wagon Wheel Blues turned heads and pricked ears among the indie set, including high marks from Pitchfork.com, who claimed The War on Drugs as "best new band."   Their sound channels bands and artists like The Clash, Warren Zevon, Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen to name a few.  TWD is out in support of their latest record, Slave Ambient.

Catch them with White Rabbbits at The Lincoln Theater  Friday March 9. 

HEARTLESS BASTARDS this Thursday March 1 at Cat's Cradle

Around 2003, Cincinnati Ohio's Heartless Bastards formed and took the indie rock scene by storm ( hey, that rhymed.)  Led by Erika Wennerstrom  who's vocals can best be described as "buzz saw like", the quartet produces a sound unlike any other. An intoxicating  blend of soaring lap steel and guitar with catchy chord progressions and Wennertstom's gargled concrete voice hits hard and leaves listeners dumfounded  After the release of  All This Time in 2005 (a great year for music), Heartless Bastards were flying high, surpassing the White Stripes among other huge acts on many "best of " lists around the country.

The first time I heard "The Mountain", one of their more popular songs, I had no doubt in my mind that the person singing (Erika Wennerstrom) was a dude.   After seeing them a few times over the years, I can personally verify that they put on one hell of a show.  See them at Cat's Cradle this Thursday night.

THIS WEEKEND February 24th and 25th

This Friday evening at White Collar Crime , Raleigh guitarist Mike Herrigan and his band The Ramblers will take the stage for their second performance the rapidly expanding rock club downtown.  Herrigan hones in his musical talent from influences including Phish, Widespread Panic, The Allman Brothers, and many more among the Jam Band genre.  If anything, this show will indeed have everyone moving and shaking.  Local musician from Raleigh bands such as Burgeon and Waylandsphere will join the Ramblers on Bass and vocals.  

At Kings Barcade catch The Infamous Sugar, Torpor, Noncanon and Lazy Janes:  Friday 2-24 at 9:30

At The Local 506 in Chapel Hill check out Other Lives and WIM: Friday 2-24 at 9:00 

THE OATMEAL CONSPIRACY at WHITE COLLAR CRIME FRIDAY 2-17

Get down to White Collar Crime this Friday evening for a performance from Raleigh's finest funk, rock and soul outfit THE OATMEAL CONSPIRACY!

Led by saxophonist Mitchell Morton, TOC has created a major buzz for themselves playing relentlessly  around the triangle for the better part of decade.  With a sound all their own, meshing pop, jazz, rock and funk with great song writing, the quartet always has the audience on their feet. The latest addition to the group, bassist Matt Levine,  has fortified this with his slap heavy thumps and clever play on the fret board.

The Oatmeal Conspiracy is out supporting their new EP, I Just Have Did, available on I-tunes.