A Power Trio of Power Trios Kicks Up Sand at Smokey Joe’s

Published Sunday, January 15, 2012 By amanda_caines. Under Editor : Amanda Caines, Show Review, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Writer: Amanda Caines Tags: Amanda Caines, Broken at Birth, NIHM, Smokey Joe's Cafe, White Knuckle Black Out

NIHM, Broken at Birth, and White Knuckle Black Out at Smokey Joe’s, 1/7/12

Walking into Smokey Joe’s in Charlotte is a lot like stepping into a crab shack at the beach, and the shows that rattle the decks from the inside are a lot more like a party than just any old bar. From the cozy little bar in the back corner, to the waterfall in the ceiling, to the fire pits and ping-pong tables in the sand outside, it’s almost like its own little resort. This unique vibe paired with Charlotte progressive rock/metal band NIHM’s guaranteed raucous good time let everyone in attendance know the party was ON.

Starting off the night, White Knuckle Black Out from Winston-Salem batted out some bluesy metal reminiscent of the classic days of metal with a modern twist. Singer Franz Schroering commanded the vocals and guitar like a baby-faced James Hetfield, while bassist Mitch Walker and drummer Jesse Mabe laid the foundation for this raging power trio, filling the songs with sound even during the piercing guitar solos. Fans banged their heads eagerly to songs like the upbeat “Demon” and thrashy “The End of Me,” while Franz alternated between fierce, brutal growls and melodic, Mudvayne-meets-Nirvana passages. Their song “Relapse,” which they proclaimed is “…about druuuuuuhgs,” said in their best Carolina truck driver impressions, had almost an Alice in Chains feel to the haunting melodies and engaging rhythms.

Speaking of Alice in Chains, the next band, Salisbury, NC’s Broken at Birth did a pretty kick-ass cover of AiC’s “Them Bones.” They delivered the grunge vocal sound and complex time signatures with great skill; all they were missing was the vocal harmony, but I bet I was one of few who were picky enough to notice. Singer/guitarist Rob Featherstone has impeccable pitch and vocal control in both his screaming voice and his singing voice, so there was plenty good going on in the vocal arena. On the rhythm side, Broken at Birth has solid, heavy grooves, akin to the likes of Korn and early SlipKnot or Staind with some apparent influences from the Grunge era. Drummer Rich Joseph boasts precision in complex beats and fast fills with some machine-gun double bass beats.

Last in time slot, but first in insanity of the best kind, came the ambigram-stamped NIHM, whose progressive, yet classic, metal beated like coked-up monkeys on the eager eardrums of listeners. Their ADHD-infused tunes keep fans energized and attentive while pushing the lines of what music can do. Singer Max Johnson booms through the microphone like the mutant offspring of Serj Tankien and Wayne Static, and hits the entire range of styles encompassed within such a gene pool while also tickling the G string…. On the bass guitar, that is. On the screaming, meedly-meedly guitar is Ted Nagel, who channels the late greats like Randy Rhodes in his searingly speedy solos and holds down the chugga-chuggas when called-for. With bass drum beats thundering loudly enough to tickle genitals, Jim Saj kicks up tight beats and grooving vibes. All three of these guys have almost as good chemistry in their witty repartee between songs as they do while in the throes of music. They make a conscious effort to engage the audience as well, which had the crowd in near-constant laughter in what would normally be an awkward pause for many other bands. While on the subject of audience participation, I might add that the NIHM guys asked yours truly and Chad “Cheetah” Longsworth from now-defunct band Born Under Punches to come up and sing backup on their bad-ass, metal interpretation of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” It was sure fun for me, and the crowd just ate it up. The “BUP” guys were invited back to the stage with Cheetah on keys and Carsten on vocals for a cover of “Keine Lust” by German metal band Rammstein. (Video above). NIHM proved once again that they are some of Charlotte’s best showmen and musicians, all rolled into one crazy power trio. If you like metal and you haven’t seen NIHM, shame on you! Check out their Facebook page and make sure to catch their next show near you!

NIHM: http://www.facebook.com/officialnihm

Broken at Birth: http://www.facebook.com/brokenatbirth

White Knuckle Black Out: http://www.facebook.com/pages/White-Knuckle-Black-Out/263291250363026

Smokey Joe’s Cafe: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Smokey-Joes-Cafe/131486229372

Heavy Metal in the Carolinas Community Kicks Leukemia’s Ass Jan. 13-14 at The Money

Originally Published Here: http://shutter16.com/wp/2012/01/09/heavy-metal-in-the-carolinas-community-kicks-leukemias-ass-jan-13-14-at-the-money/

Published Monday, January 9, 2012 By amanda_caines. Under Community Corner, Editor : Amanda Caines, preview, The Money, Uncategorized, Writer: Amanda Caines Tags: Absoulute Convixtion, Akarsha, Anna Love, Autumn's Blood, Cameron Flotow, Descendants of Chaos, Eyes Down, From All Within, Heavy Metal in the Carolinas, Lifecurse, metal, Mick Brooks, Neverfall, NIHM, Rebel Vice, Searching for Sinea, Tearing Down Vegas, The Money, Uproar of Pariah, Wicked Addictions

When Rock Hill metal-head Anna Love learned that her new friend Cameron Flotow had recently received a Leukemia diagnosis and had no insurance, she immediately wanted to help him raise funds to pay the bills. The two met through Cameron’s brother Brian Flotow, who played guitar in one of the local metal bands for which Anna is the business manager. After getting her own bands, From All Within and Akarsha, on board for the show, she asked around to see who else would donate their time to a concert to raise funds for Cameron’s medical bills. With a little promotional help from Carolina metal community, Heavy Metal in the Carolinas (HMitC), the outpouring of support from bands wanting to play for a good cause was overwhelming. “… it was originally just going to be one day, but when I ended up having 14 bands interested, I decided to make it two days,” Anna says of the now two-day festival of bands.

Cameron, an honorably discharged Air Force vet, got the bad news of his diagnosis two weeks after his 21st birthday last year and is taking chemotherapy treatments. According to Anna, Cameron’s leukemia is in remission at the moment, which she attributes to his strong-willed thirst for life. Cameron has two more rounds of treatments to go before he is finished with chemo, and the money raised by this event will literally be a lifesaver for him in offsetting the expenses.

This isn’t the first charitable cause taken on by Rock Hill’s favorite hard rock and metal venue, The Money, nor is it the first benefit put on by the Heavy Metal in the Carolinas community, but both of these entities are working toward a stronger, more cooperative scene in the Carolinas for musicians and less-musically-inclined metal-heads alike. Events like this one are exactly the kind that HMitC founder, Mick Brooks, is looking to help promote. “The idea to book shows under the name Heavy Metal in the Carolinas came to me when I met a woman in the [community] that was struggling to get her kids back from her rich, BMW-driving, elitist, asshole ex-husband. So I booked my first concert as a benefit concert [for her family] and then just started booking shows for fun… but the idea of giving back to the community, as well as people in need within the community, stuck.” Mick started the group in 2011 as a way to meet and network with other musicians when he could find no similar outlet in the Carolinas, but his community on Facebook has since grown to be one of the largest metal music communities in the Carolinas. Now that this little networking startup project has grown to larger proportions, Heavy Metal in the Carolinas possesses the power to help out people like Cameron Flotow who just need a little bit of help before they fall between the cracks in an often heartless society. Put together two metal-heads with good hearts, a benevolent venue owner, a raffle for a free tattoo, and 14 bands donating their time and artistry, and you have a rockin’ good time that simultaneously helps someone in need. The schedule spans two nights at The Money, so that helps ensure that you won’t miss the opportunity to kick leukemia’s ass.

January 13 (Friday) at The Money

Uproar of Pariah – Black Metalcore. Sounds like: The Word Alive, Whitechapel, The Black Dahlia Murder, Chelsea Grin, Periphery, Motionless in White, As I Lay Dying, All that Remains, We Came as Romans, Artifex Pereo. http://www.facebook.com/uproarofpariah

Autumn’s Blood – Progressive Metal/Hardcore. Sounds like: Syopsis. Narratives. Labyrinth. http://www.facebook.com/autumnsbloodsc

Akarsha – Deathcore/Death Metal. Sounds like: Atrocious Abnormality, Cerebral Effusion, Blasphemer, Born of Osiris, Devourment, Coathanger Abortion, Arsonists Get All the Girls, Oceano, Impending Doom, Amon Amarth, The Black Dahlia Murder, Rose Funeral, Hatebreed, White Chapel, Carnifex, Wretched. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Akarsha/153586348049393

Tearing Down Vegas – Hardcore/Melodic/Ambient. Sounds like: UnderOATH, Hundredth, Gwen Stacy, Counterparts, Deftones, The Devil Wears Prada, La Dispute, Bring Me the Horizon, The Ghost Inside, Norma Jean, Bad Brains, Gallows, Make Do and Mend, Shai Hulud, Misery Signals, Glassjaw. http://www.facebook.com/tearingdownvegas

NIHM – Metal/Progressive/Hardcore. Sounds like: System of a Down, Sevendust, Sepultura, Soilwork, Mudvayne, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Primus. https://www.facebook.com/officialnihm

Searching for Sinea – Experimental/Melodic Metal. Sounds like: Onward to Olympas, Oh Sleeper, Attack Attack, Lovehatehero, Four Letter Lie. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Searching-for-Sinea/285240663112

Rebel Vice – Metal/ Southern Hard Rock. Sounds like: Volbeat, Pantera, Killswitch Engage. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rebel-Vice/221811641168131

January 14 (Saturday) at The Money

Eyes Down – Heavy Metal, Alternative/Modern Rock – Just starting out, these guys are all veterans of the Charlotte scene and have the promise for a kick-ass show. http://www.facebook.com/eyesdownband

Lifecurse – Melodic Death Metal/Progressive Metalcore/ Experimental. Sounds like: Parkway Drive, The Ghost Inside, August Burns Red. http://www.facebook.com/Lifecurse

Neverfall – Rock/Metal. Sounds like: Metallica, Bullet For My Valentine, Trivium, Pantera, Ratt, Testament, The Sword, Green Day, Anthrax, Alice in Chains, Limp Bizkit, Lamb of God, Shadowsfall, All That Remains, and As I Lay Dying. http://www.facebook.com/NeverFall

Absoulute Convixtion – Rock. Sounds like: Tool, Pink Floyd, Muse, A Perfect Circle, The Smashing Pumpkins, 30 Seconds To Mars, Coheed And Cambria, Killswitch Engage, Five Finger Death Punch. http://www.facebook.com/absouluteconvixtionband

Descendants of Chaos – Metal. Sounds like: Mudvayne, Sevendust, Pantera, Metallica, AX7. http://www.facebook.com/DescendantsofChaos

Wicked Addictions – Southern Metal/Groove Metal. Sounds like: Pantera, Slayer, Metallica, Primus, Mr Bungle, Six Feet Under, Cannibal Corpse, Down ,Corrosion of Conformity, DevilDriver, Lamb of God, Chimaira, Mudvayne, Black Sabbath. http://www.facebook.com/WickedAddictions

From All Within – Partycore/Metalcore/Brutal. Sounds like: Asking Alexandria, Bring Me the Horizon, Suicide Silence, Breakdown of Sanity, Emmure, The Black Dahlia Murder, Trivium, Whitechapel, Lamb of God, As Blood Runs Black, In Flames, As I Lay Dying, Pantera. http://www.facebook.com/pages/From-All-Within/157648550966657

BON JOVI: Dead or Alive?

Originally Published Here: http://shutter16.com/wp/2011/12/20/bon-jovi-dead-or-alive/

Published Tuesday, December 20, 2011 By amanda_caines. Under Editor : Amanda Caines, News, Uncategorized, Writer: Amanda Caines Tags: Dead or Alive, Heaven looks a lot like New Jersey, Jon Bon Jovi

What do bored, unimportant people do with their spare time? They blog and tweet about celebrities, regardless of the truth of their claims.

Earlier today, some idiot with a wordpress account created a phony press release that proclaimed “International Rockstar Legend Jon Bon Jovi: Dead at 49!” which was subsequently tweeted and re-tweeted ad nauseam, creating a viral rumor mill of complete crap.

http://dailynewbloginternational.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/international-rockstar-legend-jon-bon-jovi-dead-at-49/

Really, y’all?

The bogus press release has been debunked by a variety of more-credible sources, and even before Bon Jovi’s camp made an official statement, a representative for the “international rockstar legend” has told inquiring (legitimate) news professionals that the claims are 100% false. The “official” proof that Jon Bon Jovi is still alive and well came from the Twitter of Bon Jovi’s photographer friend, David Bergman, with Bon Jovi standing in front of a Christmas tree holding a timestamped sign that says “Heaven looks a lot like New Jersey.” (http://twitter.com/#!/davidbergman/status/148913842259365888/photo/1)

This brings about an interesting discussion on whose news is real and whose is fabricated. This “news report” lacks authenticity, with a variety of red flags lining its paragraphs. Here’s a short list to help you sniff out the bull.

1.) It is the ONLY WordPress entry for the blog. While many legitimate music news blogs are on WordPress due to its convenience and flexibility, if the page still has the placeholder text “Hello World!” at the top, it’s a sure sign of crap.

2.) Check the facts AND the sources. In this case, the source names don’t even match, not to mention that the “sources” were supposedly anonymous… yet the writer names the information sources, the Fire Captain Douglas Gray and someone named “Ruda.” Secondly, the paramedics would not have performed CPR if they’d determined he was in cardiac arrest; they would have used a defibrillator. Lastly, if there were “hundreds of reporters” at the scene, why the hell aren’t any credible news sources reporting about the death?

3.) Check for CONSISTENCY. Not only were the sources kinda iffy, but the first paragraph states that the singer was found in a coma in the Empress Hotel, whereas the second paragraph describes the 911 call as coming from “the home.” Yeah. Busted. I’m not even going to dignify the rest of the article with an appropriate bitch-pickin’ on all the details.

This is only the beginning, but if you catch a whiff of these three surefire smells of bull-dookie, you can be nearly certain that your “news source” has run afoul of reality. Remember, music fans: only YOU can prevent the spread of bogus crap on the internet.

Not All Charlotte Area Venues are Wolves–Venue’s Benefit Show Provokes Cooperative Spirit in The Carolinas

Originally Published Here: http://shutter16.com/wp/2011/12/16/not-all-charlotte-area-venues-are-wolves-venues-benefit-show-provokes-cooperative-spirit-in-the-carolinas/ Published Friday, December 16, 2011 By amanda_caines. Under Editor : Amanda Caines, Photographer: Amanda Caines, Photos, Show Review, The Money, The Ultimate Basement, Writer: Amanda Caines Tags: Akarsha, Amanda Caines, Broken at Birth, Darling Waste, David Kiser, Death of Paris, Dreaming in Color, Duran Duran, Lady Gaga, Lithiasis, Luna's Lament, Manamana, metal, Ozzy Osbourne, Pantera, Roll It Over, Static-X, The Money, The Ultimate Basement, Thermostat, Veritas Aequeas

Ultimate Basement Fundraiser at The Money – Day 2 | December 10, 2011

More Photos Here: http://www.flickr.com//photos/shutter16mag/sets/72157628421642867/show/

In a scene full of greedy con artists and self-serving wolves, one venue and a dozen bands stepped out of the dark to help out a nice guy raise money to re-open his arcade/music venue. Beloved owner of The Ultimate Basement, affectionately nicknamed “Gerb,” enjoyed two days of bands’ support and hospitality courtesy The Money and its new owner, David Kiser. Kiser extended his welcome to Rock Hill via accommodations and meals for Gerb and for out-of-town bands who came to support the cause. By this altruistic outreach to another venue owner, Kiser hopes that the spirit of cooperation will prove contagious and that other Charlotte area venues will step up to the plate, leaving behind petty competition in favor of a stronger network of venues, bands, and fans within the music scene.

Though prior obligations rendered me unable to make it to the Day 1 show, which included Veritas Aequitas, Darling Waste, Death of Paris, Akarsha, and Lithiasis, folks who had been there were still raving about it. Day 2 started off with a band called Thermostat from Greer, SC, that immediately brought us back to the heyday of Dimebag Darrel with their heavy, mosh-worthy guitar grooves and aggressive vocals. Jonathan Smith jack-hammered on the double bass in near-perfect precision while Danny Cline and Larry Richter busted out the bass and guitar riffage with some killer squeals and lightning-fast guitar solos. Michael Sellers on the vocals added to the Pantera effect of the band, and he definitely enjoyed unbridled use of the “F” word throughout the set. Kiser was sure Sellers could’ve set a Guinness World Record for the number of times he used the word while Thermostat was on stage.

Next up was a surprisingly good, youthful band: Dreaming in Color from Boone, NC. This ferocious fivesome came out with axes blazing, setting a quick pace with their infectious, upbeat riffs that would sustain the music-electricity throughout their set. I liked the tag-team screaming/melodic vocals of Ben Dunlop and Pat Tarpey—the trade-offs added a versatility to the sounds of the night that even Ben’s wide range of screaming vocal timbres couldn’t have offered alone. Ben also made a point to get the crowd involved in the music, and it showed. Fans crowded around guitarist Gary Vinson as he wailed through some fast-paced guitar shredding. Gary and Pat harmonized on several riffs, which always get bands mega points in my book. Right before they closed out their set, they pulled out a terrific cover of Ozzy’s “Bark at the Moon,” which, except for some odd guitar scale meanderings during the solo, was pretty spot-on.

Broken at Birth from Salisbury, NC, took the stage after that, and brought out good screaming tones over cool riffs and tight rhythms that all adds up to a less-industrial Static-X type sound. While the band clearly has talent and energetic music going on, they would greatly benefit from upping their physical expression of the music and making more of an effort to engage the crowd. The music has a lot of potential if they can get the crowd up in front, paying full attention.

A “Yankee” band from Baltimore, MD, came up next: Roll It Over. These guys had some cool riffage and were really excited about what they were doing. The strongest piece in the band was definitely drummer Brady Molinaro, though his pop-star appearance betrayed him a bit as a metal drummer. Surprisingly, the band pulled out a pop cover to close out their set: Lady Gaga’s “Pokerface.” As a fair-weather fan of Lada Gaga’s, I’d have to say I was unimpressed. While it’s cool to switch genres and play something un-metal in a heavier fashion, you’ve got to NAIL it, and they didn’t. The band has a well-defined personality to it, though, so as long as they stick to originals, they’re pretty impressive.

Second-to-last on the list for the evening, the lovely ladies of Luna’s Lament hopped on the stage with an acoustic guitar and a couple of borrowed bongo players (okay, so one was a djembe). Though an unfamiliar setting for women of metal, acoustic shows allow for more showcasing the beauty of the intricate vocal harmonies blossoming between Morgan Riley and Kim “Kimniption” Karnes. The only thing that didn’t quite fit was the screams—I found it a bit jarring in the otherwise-groovy and intoxicating set. The bongos and djembe, manned by Paul Lashway of Manamana and Adam Smith of A Light Divided, added to the exotic feel, and in the peaceful spirit of the evening, former drummer Michael “Digi” Biggerstaff came up to jam along with the ladies. I know this band is eager to get back to full-on electric performances, but I’m definitely digging the “unplugged” version in the meantime.

Closing out the night, the always-entertaining, never-duplicated Manamana had a new set of tricks up their sleeves for the eager crowd at The Money. Paul Lashway pounds passionately on the drums with Neil Peart precision while channeling some mixture of the Mad Hatter, Gene Simmons, and Animal. Carmen Piro, Damon Patrinos, and John Piro tear it up on the guitars (that’s riht, there’s 3 guitars), and howl like rabid wolves while Stephen Sues brings up the low-end on the bass. Speaking of wolves, the band brought up a friend, Briana Strickland, to howl with them on a cover of Duran Duran’s “Hungry Like the Wolf.” Was it the most skilled cover of the song I’d ever heard? Well, no—but it was certainly the most entertaining. Carmen stripped off a layer of clothing, revealing a shirt that bore “Das Wulfie” for a little game of cat-and-mouse during the song. David Kiser, Gerb, and I really just couldn’t stop smiling and giggling throughout the song. Then, as an early Christmas gift, Manamana turned on their softer side for a guitar-fueled rendition of Pachelbel’s “Canon in D.” I’m a sucker for Classical music, and for Manamana—they are so much fun to experience.

By the end of the night, Gerb’s ear-to-ear smile couldn’t have been melted off his face—the feeling of generosity and cooperation present in the walls of The Money over the weekend truly overwhelmed him. The next morning, Gerb posted on Facebook that “This last weekend, you all made me and my hospitality seem like a New York cab driver dealing with a non paying hooker….. y’all put me to shame!” I’m equally overwhelmed—without the hooker references—and I challenge all fans, bands, and venues to set aside their competitive spirits and instead show genuine support and reverence for one another so we can make Charlotte and The Carolinas a highly-anticipated destination for music.

Boisterous Bands Flaunt Face Fuzz as Fundraiser for Beards BeCAUSE

Originally Published Here: http://shutter16.com/wp/2011/12/13/boisterous-bands-flaunt-face-fuzz-as-fundraiser-for-beards-because/

Published Tuesday, December 13, 2011 By amanda_caines. Under Amos Southend, Editor : Amanda Caines, Photos, Show Review, Uncategorized, Writer: Amanda Caines Tags: Amanda Caines, Amos Southend, Beards BeCAUSE, Evelynn Rose, Grown Up Avenger Stuff, The Spiveys

Beards BeCAUSE Benefit | Amos’ Southend | December 9, 2011

More Photos Here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shutter16mag/sets/72157628408052037/show/

In their down-to-earth, working man attire, I expected Charlotte band Evelynn Rose to kick off the Beards BeCAUSE benefit with music akin to Nickelback’s redneck radio rock, but instead they brought out soaring, emotional melodies to the scene at Amos’ Southend Friday night. Singer “Joe,” sporting a festive beard for the event to go along with navy blue coveralls and a large beanie hat, belted out the desperately artistic cries of a man truly sublimating intense anguish into beautiful tunes. Underneath Joe’s powerful melodies, guitarists Chris and Josh along with bassist Thomas wove a wall of sound, articulated by meticulous tempo of drummer Mike, keeping this fearless fivesome afloat. All the while, there was a barbers’ booth set up in the back, measuring face fuzz length and trimming back to non-Mountain-Man beard length. (One participant came dressed up as a lumberjack—big, bushy beard-appropriate.)

Next on stage came The Spiveys, whose singer/guitarist Adam Middleton also flaunted his face follicle prowess with a beard. Adam is a singing contradiction of self-deprecating chit-chat between songs and boisterous, emotive bouncing with the music that pulses electricity throughout each Spiveys’ set. Going to-to-toe with Adam both musically and in bouncing-height is guitar/vocal co-conspirator Jesse Reaves. Setting the scene for infectious, head-bobbing, retro-infused tunes, are the steady-yet-complex rhythms laid down by drummer Jacob Worden and bassist John Rutherford. All that being said, the best thing about The Spiveys is not just that they’re a good band, but that they present a variety of different rhythmic and stylistic patterns—sometimes within the same song, like the rhapsodic “Inadequate.” While I prefer seeing this band in cozier venues than Amos’, the set was still smile-evoking and head-bob-inducing.

Moving into the headlining timeslot for the night, event-goers saw giant, white banners that looked like a creative use of bed sheets carried onto the stage. A curious sight to those not in-the-know, the sheet-prop setup was an interesting backdrop to the announcements of the Beards BeCAUSE award winners. Female-fronted headliners Grown Up Avenger Stuff really drive home the somewhat humorous polarity of a charity benefitting battered women’s shelters fueled by a masculine, grunt-inspiring beard-growing competition. While vocalist Deirdre Kroener proved not to be a bearded lady, guitarist John Thomsen had enough chin decoration to go around. Drummer Tyler Thomsen made a valiant attempt with a mustache, however. Once the Avengers took the stage, onlookers finally figured out what those sheets were all about—hidden in the vast whiteness was some glow-in-the-dark painted pictures, visible only in black light, which flooded the stage intermittently during the set. Deirdre also used her arms as a phosphorescent canvas, painting “MUSIC” and “LOVE” on her arms. Paired with the throwback feel of the band’s songs, the black light spectacle almost gave Amos’ the feel of a roller skating rink in the ’80s.

As for the music, this set of Grown Up Avenger Stuff’s brought out several of the less-familiar tunes, even to an avid listener. That’s not to say that there weren’t a bunch of the hits, either—and some of their most-loved tribute songs. Deirdre’s costume of a simple white polo, skinny jeans, and calf-high boots was a bit too “soccer mom,” but at least the comparison ended there. After all, who knows a soccer mom who can scream out “Bulls on Parade” with great gusto? No show is complete without technical snafus, and some tuning wonkiness between John Thomsen’s guitar and Hunter Thomsen’s bass left Deirdre singing “Pretty New” in an a cappella duet over Tyler Thomsen’s drumming. Luckily, the incident didn’t deter the crowd from clamoring for an encore, which Grown Up Avenger Stuff heartily obliged, bringing forth the quote of the night from Deirdre: “Do you want a happy song or an angry song… Well… Anger and happiness are close to the same thing.” The band is certainly an envoy of fierce happiness, and a great addition to the finale of a fabulous fundraiser fueled by face fuzz.

Rock Hill, SC’s “Moulin Rouge,” The Money, is Hell-bent to Shed its Seedy Underbelly

Originally Published Here: http://shutter16.com/wp/2011/11/16/rock-hill-scs-moulin-rouge-the-money-is-hell-bent-to-shed-its-seedy-underbelly/

Published Wednesday, November 16, 2011 By amanda_caines. Under Editor : Amanda Caines, The Money, Writer: Amanda Caines Tags: Agent Orange, Club, David Kiser, local music, Ratt, Rock Hill, South Carolina, The Ataris, The Money, Wheatus, Winthrop University

As someone who grew into adulthood in Rock Hill, I can’t tell you how many times I swore I would never again set foot in The Money. It is, and always has been, the bar that Rock Hill loves to hate, but it looks like times are changing. New management is hell-bent on making a great, college-friendly music venue out of what has historically been a sketchy little dive.

On paper, it looks like it would be an excellent place to play and to hang out, and for those who are willing to venture in the doors despite the rumors and reputation, it really is. It’s within drunken stumbling distance of Winthrop University; some really good national, regional, and local bands grace the stage; and it’s pretty accessible and easy to find (straight shot down Cherry Road from SC exit 82B on I-77). Since it opened its doors in 1970, there have even been some well-known national acts in the bar, such as Ratt, Agent Orange, The Ataris, and Wheatus, for starters. The cover charge is always reasonable, and the drinks are affordable at normal price and surprisingly cheap on special. The bar boasts some top shelf liquors, a Jagermeister dispenser, and, my personal favorite, a draft beer wall, tapped-in to over a dozen great craft and import beers (and the cheap shit, too, if you’re into that).

With that glowing review, “Why the hell wouldn’t people want to go there?” you might wonder. Due to some unfortunate choices on the part of former managers/owners and some uncontrollable circumstances, the place has gotten a horrendous reputation, with Winthrop students and Rock Hill denizens, alike, labeling the place “un-cool” and “unsavory.” Horse-shit. This bar is every bit as safe as any bar I’ve visited in Charlotte or Columbia, if not safer, and is one of the nicer bars in Rock Hill. Unfortunately, some negative press in the past year or so heaped undue blame on the club, which made breaking out of its seedy history difficult. The Money has stepped up its vigilance significantly, though, as a positive by-product of the negative situation. They are in the process of installing a digital infrared system as part of round-the-clock club security.

Since current owner David Kiser (also partial owner to other Charlotte area music venues) took over, The Money has gotten a serious facelift that includes changes on the inside and out. Just driving by on Cherry Road, you can see the fresh coat of beige paint, accented with cream-colored trim, and the brand new neon lights that proudly blare the club’s name. Inside, you’ll find cleaner walls, more sanitary bathrooms (with toilet paper!), and a beefed-up stage outfit, both visually, with some updated lighting, and sonically, with some upgraded P.A. speakers. The back patio, now rid of its old, rotting-wood benches, presents a beach-like feel, complete with bamboo-veneered tiki bar that even has a functional beer refrigerator. It’s like a whole new club. If you don’t believe me, they’ve got transformation pictures up on their Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/TheMoneyRH). Their dot-com site has gotten a facelift as well and actually bears useful information about the bands and the beers (http://www.themoneysc.com).

For those like me who have had a bad experience at Rock Hill’s favorite place to hate, skepticism that this time will be different is understandable. The venue has changed hands several times without much to show for it. However, drive by some time and see for yourself. Then, if you’re brave enough to challenge your assumptions, give The Money another shot.

Charlotte’s Identity Crisis Show Brings New Formats and New Fans

Originally Published Here: http://shutter16.com/wp/2011/10/30/show-review-charlottes-identity-crisis-show-brings-new-formats-and-new-fans/ Published Sunday, October 30, 2011 By amanda_caines. Under Editor : Amanda Caines, Photographer: Dianna Augustine, Salvador Deli, Show Review, Writer: Amanda Caines Tags: Amanda Caines, Charlotte Identity Crisis, Evelynn Rose, Grown Up Avenger Stuff, Hello Handshake, musical chairs, The Between, The Chelsea Daggers, The Jupiter Tide, The Spiveys To a veteran of the local music scene, there is little more exciting than hearing a local band you love covering another local band you love—and that’s exactly what happened Friday night at NoDa’s Salvador Deli. The event was the “Charlotte Identity Crisis,” which featured the bands of Charlotte in an ADHD-style lineup playing a little of their own music spiked with covers of other Charlotte local bands’ songs. The good news is there is a wealth of talent in the city to choose from. Grown Up Avenger Stuff Kicking off the night was Evelynn Rose, whose style brought listeners back to the mid-to-late nineties with their mellow-but-heavy rhythms with strong, melodic vocals. While they didn’t play any Charlotte-based covers, their music was genuine and even exciting at times. They were more of a last-minute addition to the bill to cover the departure of another band, however, and spent their time onstage promoting their “real” gig the following night. Regardless, their all-too-short set was very enjoyable. Grown Up Avenger Stuff From there on out, the short, 5-song set that Evelynn Rose performed seemed like Schindler’s List in comparison—length-wise, not content-wise, that is. Each band that followed got a grand total of two songs to rock out before the next band replaced them onstage. At first, it seemed like just a colossal cluster-fuck in stage transitions, but the increased crowd retention that resulted from catering to shrinking attention spans made all the trouble seem worth it. Having each band take the stage at least a couple times helped give fans an incentive to stick around and hear other bands when they might have otherwise been on their merry ways. Being a free show in the pedestrian-friendly NoDa district as well, the Identity Crisis was sure to bring in a bunch of passersby who, because of this format, heard more music than they might have with the traditional gig landscape. The ingenious use of a projector screen with the name of the current band on stage brought even better recognition for each band among intentional attendees and lucky drop-ins. The bands were not all completely thrilled at the musical-chairs-esque use of the stage, but the bustling crowd still around toward the end of the show was a fine reward. The six bands in this rockin’ revolver consisted of Grown Up Avenger Stuff, The Spiveys, The Jupiter Tide, The Chelsea Daggers, The Between, and Hello Handshake. For me, the highlight of the night was The Spiveys’ mostly straightforward take on Grown Up Avenger Stuff’s “As Mary Said,” a song that GUAS rarely plays anymore. I found myself almost giddy with excitement and purchased a download card of The Spivey’s “Let’s Panic” album immediately after their first set. The next best of the night was The Jupiter Tide’s rendition of The Chelsea Daggers’ tune. Evelynn Rose pleasantly surprised me by how much heavier their tunes sound in a live setting, too. I will refrain from my usual technical ticks and suffice it to say this was a groundbreaking, great idea, and I had an excellent time.