Pervert.
I know what you’re thinking: girls + rock ‘n’ roll. Sure, there will be both of those things at Hooterfest, Saturday, June 9, at The Chop Shop in Noda, but the “boobs” are secondary to the true hooters: baby owls at Carolina Raptor Center.
What? Owls?!
Yes, owls. Where do you think the booby nickname of “hooter” came from in the first place? Every Spring at Carolina Raptor Center, baby owls are brought in from around the Carolinas for care & rehabilitation. The rehabbers at Carolina Raptor Center feed them, give them a medical check-up with their resident veterinarian, “Dr. Dave,” and match them with a surrogate parent owl who will teach them how to hunt and how to fly. Then, when the owlets are ready, they send the now-grown owls back out into the wide world, often in the same area in which they were found! In a world where humans all-too-often use their resources and minds to destroy wildlife and wildlife habitat, it’s really heartwarming to see some humans using their technological powers to give nature a hand instead. Each of the bands on this bill recognizes the importance of supporting Carolina Raptor Center, so these bands are all donating their performances so that all the donations collected at the door can go straight to the charity. (We won’t prattle on about owls here, but there’s a LOT of information on the orphan owlets on Carolina Raptor Center’s Rehab Blog: http://crc-rehab-blog.tumblr.com for those who REALLY give a hoot!)
Speaking Of The Bands On The Bill…
Each band for the evening’s entertainment is fueled by at least one female. Some of the bands are full-on, females-only groups! Either way, the ladies and the men who play in bands with them run the gamut of rock from pop-rock alternative all the way to heavy rock and alternative metal:
GROWN UP AVENGER STUFF(http://www.grownupavengerstuff.com) – This group’s quirky amalgamation of rock, pop, grunge, punk, and metal delivers oscillations between girl-next-door pop charm and punk-rock screaming bad-ass. Vocalist Deirdre Kroener seasons her vocals with one part 50’s housewife, one part Broadway star, and one part Courtney Love on a bender. The musical styling of the band behind her goes toe-to-toe with her, boasting an arsenal of assorted tempos, moods, and genres anywhere from the likes of The White Stripes or The Beatles all the way to Hole or Weezer. If you don’t like the style they’re playing right now, wait five minutes—it’ll change.
SHOT SILK (http://www.facebook.com/shotsilk) – Not only does Shot Silk have the requisite powerhouse female singer in the group, the controllers behind the guitar and drums are females as well when they belt out their grungy, blues-infused rock. Bassist “Elf” doesn’t feel left out, though – Hayley (guitar) says he’s “The perfect guy for my girl band.” They are still pretty green in the scene, with only a year under their belts, but they don’t sound like noobs – that’s for sure. Progressive rhythms and unexpected twists and turns in their driving rock riffs keep things interesting and provide a bit of a ’70s throwback sound that rings a little bit of Jethro Tull or Santana mixed with Tool. Hooterfest will be Shot Silk’s first show back on the scene after singer Katie Dunn’s maternity leave. Now when people say she’s one “Hot Mama,” that can be taken literally.
TATTERMASK (http://www.tattermask.com) – Newly returned to the Charlotte music scene, Tattermask, with hooters on both the singer and the bassist, is out for blood with all new material in 2012. The band’s guitar-driven sound punctuated by expressive drums and bass satisfies the metal-lovers while Amanda’s nearly-pop-style vocals keep the band within the reins of mainstream rock. Tattermask focuses on writing music that not only sounds cool, but also holds deeper meaning, intertwining the lyrics and music in a way that makes it easy for the energy to course through the sound waves into the ears and minds of all available listeners at live shows.
LUNA’S LAMENT (http://www.facebook.com/lunaslamentband) – With guitar riffs ablaze from Kim “Kimniption” Karnes’s guitar and fire-engine-red hair screaming atop the head of singer/screamer Morgan Riley, Luna’s Lament runs the gamut of sounds of a rock show. Groovy melodic interludes give way to thrashy breakdowns and velvety-smooth vocals cash in mid-song for a more aggressive tone. Luna’s has been around for a really long time, but has really come into its own in the last couple of years after having added a female vocalist to the mix. The feminine touch they bring to an otherwise male-dominated genre of melodic metal makes them stand out as a band, but that’s not to say they don’t keep up with the boys as well.
CRIMSON COUNTESS (http://www.facebook.com/crimsoncountess)– Boasting the heaviest sound of the bunch as well as the highest count of female rockers in the band, Crimson Countess wages an all-female assault on stereotypes about melodic metal. All these ladies can charm you one minute and melt your face off the next with their versatile sound. Guitarist Jenna DeGrove adds another dimension of the connection between Crimson Countess and Hooterfest with her owl tattoos, one on each arm! The band recently added an additional guitarist who will surely bring even more energy and dimension to this already up-and-coming, all-girl band.
