PERSONAL REACTION: Charlotteans Sleep Through Toad the Wet Sprocket's Hurricane of Musical Emotion

Just down the road from the bustling basketball game, an exciting reunion of high-quality musicians and a theater-full of fans gathered for an emotional experience. As a 15-year follower of alternative rock band of 90's fame Toad the Wet Sprocket, I had high expectations for the band, which they delivered, but what bothered me was the stone-still audience--seemingly disengaged from what was a fantastic show.

When I arrived, I was surprised to be in the youngest tenth of the concertgoers, which is a rare occasion for me since most concerts I attend are hard rock or metal. The couple in the seats to my right looked very Corporate 30-Something, and the lady to my left had to be in her late 60s. I have to admire a band that can draw such a diverse age group like that. I was a little nervous being there by myself, younger than everyone, and more excited than most. Most people sat down for the opening band Carbon Leaf, but I expected people to stand for the main event... or at least some to... As Glen & Todd rang out the chords for their opener "Something's Always Wrong," I stood up and cheered.... and felt stupid for being the only one standing... I'm not a sheep, and I wasn't going to sit for a concert featuring one of my favorite bands of all time, so I remained standing until, about three songs in, the people behind me "couldn't see" and asked me to sit down... So I went back to the back where I wasn't blocking anyone's view and continued to stand and sing along.

For a band that has been on a 10-year hiatus, they have certainly retained the magic of their musical collaborations and sounded as if they'd been practicing all along without missing a beat. Many of the songs they played were from my favorite two discs of theirs, "Fear" (1991) and "Dulcinea" (1994) and I was quite pleased to hear much more than just their radio hits. "Inside" featuring Todd Nichols on lead vocals was a surprise in particular. I was impressed with how well they were able to duplicate their album sounds at a live show, especially the three-part vocal harmonies, which are a big part of what impressed me about Toad in the first place. They were spot-on their pitches, blended very well, and brought the magic of the CD up a notch with shared time and space in this live setting. Only a select few in the crowd seemed to be sharing in the energy emanating from the stage--most everyone stayed in their seats the entire time and occasionally engaged in what Glen Phillips teasingly called "seat dancing."

Glen was very warm and personable when addressing the crowd, and he and his bandmates gave the impression that they love performing and sharing their creations with eager listeners. They've been touring for about two years, he said, and hadn't released an album since the split in 1998, but they shared two new songs they've written since the reunion and Glen conjectured that they would probably have a new album next year. Each of the two new songs had its own personality, but were both reminiscent of the style of "Dulcinea." One was blues-based, and the other featured soaring guitar harmonies. I can't wait for the next album.

Though it took most of the set for the crowd to wake up to the emotional powerhouse on stage, people stood up for the high-energy hit "Fall Down," which is probably their most rock-oriented song. Looking out upon the crowd of standing, cheering fans, I felt as if this was how the theater ought to have looked all along. I guess it took awhile for the beers to kick in. Maybe all of the excited, youthful folk were down the street watching people dribble (basketballs, that is), but the crowd finally did rouse itself for the finale of "Walk on the Ocean." Spot-on, Toad the Wet Sprocket; spot-on! I still can't wait for the new album.

Seven Reasons to see a Local Band Instead of a Major Label Band

IT'S CHEAPER. That means more money for beer.

YOU KNOW IT'S GENUINE MUSIC. Not just what their record producer thinks you want to hear, or what the music industry tells you is cool. These are the songs that the band bleeds for, and it shows.

THEY WILL APPRECIATE YOU MORE. Ever waited by a big band's tour bus just *hoping* that they'll come out and give you a hastily-signed autograph? Independent bands will sign your stuff, thank you heartily, and sincerely appreciate your support.

YOUR MONEY GOES DIRECTLY TO THE BAND. Your $5-$10 for a CD or a t-shirt buys these people gas/food/shower/etc. as they starve their way across the country, while the $40 you spend on a concert tee at the coliseum buys record producers' yachts and extravagant gifts for their mistresses... while *maybe* $5 goes to the band. Doesn't that make you mad?

YOU CAN SAY YOU "KNEW THEM WHEN." If this band that you like is really good, tell everyone you know to listen... then YOU will be the one who can say, "I knew these guys when they were playing Billy Bob's Bullsh*t Battle of the Bands, and now they're on the radio!" If you were a really loyal fan by the time they're famous, they might even send you free stuff.

YOU CAN ACTUALLY TALK TO THE BAND. If you have questions or need advice about what instruments to buy, or want to know how someone got that famous guitar tone, you can ask. These musicians aren't just going to pack up and hide in their tour buses for the rest of the night--they'll talk to you and answer your questions.

THREE WORDS: STREET TEAM PARTIES. Not only do you get to party at shows, if you know the band members and help promote the shows, you are likely to get invited to the bands' parties for insiders.

BAND REVIEW: S.I.Q.(Society in Question) at The Money 7.10.10

Usually a band's premiere show is riddled with awkward silences, some phasing between instruments in songs, and quiet sympathy claps from all the bar-goers who came to see another band on the bill. (Except the band members' parents, of course, who cheer like crazy.) S.I.Q.'s debut performance was anything but that; they had the crowd at The Money up front, cheering like drunken rednecks, before midnight. Wow.

Five rhythm-hungry metal-heads shot out of the gate with "Stasis," which finished amid an eruption of outpoured support from the previously lackadaisical crowd, to which singer Ashton Johnston appealed, "Now will you all come up to the front?" The band's newest fans happily obliged. Screaming lead guitar lines, spot-on vocal harmonies, and tight rhythms kept the audience engaged, smiling with heads bobbing in time, for the all-too-short half hour that S.I.Q commanded the stage.

Musically, there is little left to critique. Having two very capable vocalists in the band, Johnston and guitarist/vocalist Philip Rich, helped the intriguing vocal lines, complete with perfectly tuned and blended harmonies, mesh seamlessly with the intricate guitar harmonies provided by Rich and lead guitarist James Nelson. Johnston even relinquished the reigns to the lead vocals to Rich for one song, showcasing that, yes, Virginia, some bands have two lead-quality vocalists.

As for guitars, Rich's 7-string baritone guitar caught some attention even before the band played a note, and he gets a helluva sound out of a very small VOX combo amp. Nelson plays a Peavey Valve King half-stack and yet doesn't overpower (also thanks to a good mix by Pete at The Money). He does create some impressive, fingers-smoking solos to soar over the solid rhythms laid down by Rich, bassist Cole Millward, and drummer Corey Butler. For one song, just to be different, the rhythm section took a break, and Johnston and Nelson serenaded the bar with an acoustic song, which displayed a different form of power that echoed the acoustic beginnings of the band. The riffs are catchy and captivating, the music is laid out creatively but intuitively, and every song was executed with a certain unmistakeable precision--the band is well-rehearsed and it shows.

Many new bands are shocked at their first performance by the odd sensation of being onstage, baring their soul's work in front of a bunch of strangers, but S.I.Q. gave very little indication that this was their first performance on a bill with other bands. They remembered to thank the other bands, the venue, and the fans; they plugged their next show; and Johnston made the effort to talk to the audience while the rest of the band was tuning (hey, at least they value being in tune!). What stood out as "green" was their stage presence and member interaction. All four on the front line were hesitant to come out of their zone and interact with each other or the fans beyond facial expressions and in-place movement.

Toward the end of the set, Nelson broke out of his stationary bubble to go stand by Rich in the midst of some serious guitar harmonies, which looks especially neat since Nelson is left-handed and Rich is right-handed--the guitars make a "V" between them. Then on the last song, Nelson began a mutiny on the "fourth wall" across the front ledge of the stage. Rich, Johnston, and Millward followed suit, and the four stood atop the front speakers of The Money to raucous applause. The urge and ability to be mobile while playing is something that comes in time, so with a few shows under their belt, these guys will undoubtedly grow to convey their music physically as well as they do musically.

Another testament to where this band has the potential to go is the standout song "Wash Away," which is their self-proclaimed flagship song--it was the tightest, most polished of the night. ("This band started because of that song." says Rich.) If that's what they can in do in one year with their first song, imagine the potential energy in the rest of that set a few months from now. S.I.Q. entertained heartily with their first official show, and it can only get better from here.

Learn more about the band and become a fan on Facebook and Reverbnation, or see them at Tremont Music Hall for a Battle of the Bands on August 8th (contact the band for tickets).

Grown Up Avenger Stuff at The Milestone

It is a rarity in the Charlotte music scene these days to find a band with good players, catchy songs, and an exciting stage show. Not only does Grown Up Avenger Stuff fit that bill, they are also cool, fun people with more personal integrity than you can shake a stick at. They're such strong supporters of the local scene, they even covered a local band's song! ("In Stereo" by The Stellas)

Though the band's sound is clearly unique, it still bears resemblance to the grunge heyday of the mid '90's--the closest comparison would be Patsy Cline meets Weezer with a dash of Nirvana. Deirdre (above) is all smiles and off-the-wall comments before the show and dynamite on stage, running the gamut from soft, velvety ballads to angsty screams of "WHAT HAVE I DONE!?!" It's fantastic. John & Bradley (on guitar & bass, respectively) crank out the grungy rock riffs in perfect harmony and slow it down for the more lyrical numbers with great style. Keeping the steady backbeat is the duty of the mysterious drummer, Mr. Black, who hides behind thick-rimmed glasses and beats the rhythm on the skins with the ferocity of an overly-caffeinated octopus. Such a band deserves a good sound mix, which The Milestone's sound tech certainly delivered (it's great to actually hear the lyrics!).

Great music isn't all that Grown Up Avenger Stuff has to offer; they also have a definite image they portray onstage with exaggerated glasses, trench coats, and trendy outfits (for Deirdre, that is). As the band took the stage, they handed out 3D glasses to members of the audience to enhance the stage show, which whimsically accentuated The Milestone's colourful lighting. The resulting light show brought back the fancy of childhood fun... and then there were bubbles :) With 3D colour, bubbles, spy vs. spy-esque costumes, and fun lyrics like "I think your cocoa pebbles could be superfly," it's like a throwback to better, funner times (yes, I just said "funner"). When you get a chance, GO to a show. Grab a CD. Enjoy :)

Pictures from The Milestone 2-13-2010:

BAND REVIEW: The Social Network

The Social Network

I had never encountered this band before (but you can always count on Grown Up Avenger Stuff to book interesting fresh talent), but they were quite interesting. There were three of them, but it wasn’t your typical three-piece… it was just vocals, drums, and BASS GUITAR… no guitar or piano or… yeah, just bass. I really like the originality of that, actually, and while they were setting up and checking sound levels, I wondered whether or not they’d pull it off. They started off with a Rage Against the Machine cover, which, thanks to some kind of beefy bass effect, actually sounded good. The bassist (whose poufy red hair gave him the look of a less-weird version of Carrot Top) had good agility, so all the guitar-led riffs were there and came across well—until the guitar solo. Then it would’ve benefitted from a loop pedal to play the main riff while he went off on the solo—it was good, and the bassist is rather amazing, but it just sounded so empty. By the second or third song, I started to notice that the drum parts weren’t quite all there, either. When they played “Everlong” by Foo Fighters, it sounded a bit like a bunch of drunk people trying to play Rock Band and missing notes. Finally they explained why it was that things sounded so weird: their drummer couldn’t play the show, so the guy who’s usually their GUITARIST was the one playing drums… which explains both the less-than-stellar drumming and the lack of a guitar player. Quite a ballsy move to play a show without an actual drummer or a guitarist. Oddly enough, with a little tweaking, it would work as a regular lineup. The drums weren’t that bad, it was just apparent that he hadn’t practiced regularly—he clearly has some talent there if he chooses to pursue it. As far as vocals, I couldn’t hear them that well, but nothing was off-key enough to make me cringe and I could tell the rhythms were right. I loved the use of the CB radio and the bullhorn. My friends and I all agreed that was pretty nifty, and was a point by which to remember the band (in addition to that whole no-guitarist thing). There was one song where there was some kind of weird pterodactyl scream at the end… feel free to lose that, guys. One of the last songs was another Rage Against the Machine cover in which the guitar solo was once again played on another instrument—vocals. Actually, I liked that a lot better than the bass solo, because it reminded me of myself singing along to guitar solos on the radio. It’s funny, it gets the music across, and there’s still the bass support for the main riffs during the solo. They need to pick one or the other Rage cover, though, or at least alternate between shows, otherwise it starts to look like a Rage tribute band. All in all, it was fun to watch the band, and I would see them again--especially if they keep the odd lineup.

--a.c.--

BAND REVIEW: Senseless Beatings

This is such a great band name because everyone loves to see a senseless beating every now and again. I had seen these guys before at SK Net Café a few months ago, but all of a sudden they’re a full band. That’s cool. While many bands I see are unremarkable, I remembered this band from last time because they have a flutist. This is the first local band I’ve seen that had a flute (unless you count the Winthrop University Wind Ensemble), and he’s pretty good, too. Early on in the set, they busted out with the “Ghostbusters” theme song, which was by-and-large very well done. As an opening band, they made a mistake playing it so early in the set, as some of the later bands’ fans trickling in later would have remarked on the cover and remembered the band later. Another song of theirs I recognized was the “Dolphins” song… Which, honestly, was better in the guitar-flute duo arrangement.. The original version boasted a cute simplicity, whereas adding too much “flair” to it took out the “overly-honest kindergartner” charm that the original acoustic version had. Kind of the way the Austin Powers movies were a cute spoof at the beginning, but became all gimmicky in the end. The full band actually added gusto to the rest of the performance, especially the bass player—he’s good. Keep him, but teach him some other between-song filler besides the Seinfeld theme song (or have someone tell stand-up style jokes between songs so the Seinfeld theme has some context). All in all a pretty good performance… which I would have been able to tell you all if you’d stuck around for the other bands’ performances.

--a.c--

VENUE REVIEW: The Neighborhood Theatre - Charlotte, NC (NoDa District)

Nestled in the heart of NoDa is an old movie theatre (complete the the old-timey lighted sign out front) that has been converted into a unique music venue. The particular event for the evening is a Battle of the Bands, so the place is packed with fans, bands, and merchandise tables. Upon entering the venue, there are several different and interesting t-shirts on display with a variety of bubbly fangirls manning the money boxes. The whole room is abuzz with anticipation of the competition to come.

As the lines of bright stage lights dim for the beginning of the evening's performances, the fans shuffle into the main chamber of the theatre for the show. High above the fans is the biggest fan in the room--a ceiling fan, probably 15 feet or more in diameter--manufactured by a company aptly named "Big-Ass Fans." Unlike many of the other venues in the Charlotte area, the stage actually has a large curtain that opens and closes, presenting a lush backdrop for the bands instead of the usual cinder blocks or scribble-covered walls. Creative lighting and a variety of colors and flashing frequencies add to the general ambiance of the stage room. For those standing in the front near the stage, it's a challenge to find a spot where there are no flashing lights beaming into your face, but there are lines of theatre chairs in the back half of the room, a second floor balcony, and a side-stage balcony for those who prefer to avoid being flashed by the stage lights.

Sound-wise, standing in mid-room, it seemed generally a bit muddy, and vocals did not come through the mix particularly clearly. Guitars were a bit fuzzy (granted, some guitarists like it that way), but bass and drums came through alright. Despite vocals being a bit on the quiet side, it was nice not to hear the random feedback that accompanies most local band shows. Since the venue hosts national acts, too, it makes sense that the sound operators really know what they're doing.

The amenities for drinking were good--a good variety of high-quality beers from across the U.S. (and a couple of imports--the usual suspects), though at $4 to $4.50 per draft is a bit pricey. There was plenty of semi-quiet room to talk to people between bands, and lots of room for merchandise selling for bands (and the bathrooms weren't scary).

The Good:

--Lighting & Stage setup

--Beer selection

--Lots of room for merch displays

--Several places to sit/stand

The Not-so-Good:

--Beer prices

--Sound mix on mids could've been better

--Ticket price was pretty high for a local show ($15)

It was a cool little place. I heard they're having to close, though, which is no fun. Hopefully the efforts to keep it open will be fruitful.