SHOW PREVIEW: Hooterfest! A Female-Fueled Festival Jun 9 @ Chop Shop!

SHOW PREVIEW: Hooterfest! A Female-Fueled Festival June 9… It’s Not What You Think… Published Thursday, June 7, 2012 By Amanda_caines. Under Editor : Amanda Caines, Local Music Scene, Notes From The Underground, Preview, The Chop Shop, Writer: Amanda Caines Tags: Carolina Raptor Center, CRIMSON COUNTESS, Grown Up Avenger Stuff, Luna's Lament, Shotsilk, Shutter 16, Tattermask, The Chop Shop

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.

… But That’s Not All…

In addition to five excellent lady-layered bands to entice your ass to the Chop Shop on June 9th, there’s also a raffle for Carowinds Tickets, a vintage home furnishing from The Atomic Owl (W.Columbia, SC), a one-room paint job from Lewis Painting (Pineville, NC), a copy of Gene Lazo Photography’s book “Blisters On Me Fingers: Working Class Guitar Heroes” featuring some of Tattermask’s guitars and other Charlotte musicians’, pieces of original art by local artists, and some cool owl swag from Carolina Raptor Center. Each Raptor Raffle ticket bought will pay for a feeder rat for the owls, so you’re literally “giving a rat’s ass” when you buy a charity raffle ticket. There’s yet another way to give to Carolina Raptor Center as well, and the event organizers call it “Drink & Donate.” Don’t drink & drive; drink & donate! The celebrated shot of the night will be a “Purple Hooter” shooter, sponsored by NuDay Productions videography (Rock Hill/Charlotte), and the celebrated beer of the night will be a local brew by Birdsong Brewing Company (NoDa, Charlotte). Every time you buy the beer or shot of the night, your drinking money goes to Carolina Raptor Center, so no one can ever tell you your drinking “didn’t do anyone any good.” To Get Into All This Mischief… The cover charge for the evening is a minimum $5, most of which will be donated to Carolina Raptor Center, but you’re welcome to give more to CRC at the door if you’re willing and able. Shutter 16 will be there to cover the show, and Carolina Raptor Center will be there to answer questions and offer you an opportunity to sponsor your OWN owl release party, so we hope to see you out showing your love for hooters of all shapes and sizes at The Chop Shop on June 9 for HOOTERFEST! Follow The Festival: RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/events/247335148696515/ Festival Facebook Page (with hooter pics): http://www.facebook.com/Hooterfest Follow on Twitter: @HooterfestNC Hooterfest 2012 Official Flyer Support Carolina Raptor Center! Http://Www.carolinaraptorcenter.org

Experimental World Indie Rock Band HuDost’s Secret Weapon Against ‘Boring’ Music

Experimental World Indie Rock Band HuDost’s Secret Weapon Against ‘Boring’ Music (Originally published here: http://shutter16.com/wp/2012/04/21/experimental-world-indie-rock-band-hudosts-secret-weapon-against-boring-music/) Published Saturday, April 21, 2012 By amanda_caines. Under Editor : Amanda Caines, Photographer: Meredith Jones, Photos, Show Review, The Evening Muse, Uncategorized, Writer: Amanda Caines Tags: Alternative, Bouzouki, Creative Loafing, Dixie Chicks, Experimental, Harmonium, HuDost, indie, Jeff Hahne, Macedonia, Off the Record, Sarah MacLachlan, Shahi-Baaja, They Might Be Giants, unusual instruments, World Music HuDost at The Evening Muse, April 18, 2012 Musical creativity of bands like HuDost gives me faith in the future of music. I had the pleasure of taking in a set of theirs in “duo” format, consisting of lead vocalist/harmonium player Moksha Sommer and guitarist Jemal Wade Hines, while they answered some “Off the Record” questions from Jeff Hahne of Creative Loafing notoriety. While their set was much more mellow and tame than those I had seen before, the abbreviated ensemble of HuDost delivered it with masterful prowess and emotion. Presenting themselves as an “Experimental Indie World Rock” band, HuDost pushes the boundaries of sound with east-meets-west fusions and then settles right back down with a good ol’ American pop-style tune. Being all over the map is what makes a HuDost show or record an engaging journey for the listener. The “Off the Record” crowd’s journey began with “Hunger,” with an intro adapted from a traditional Georgian healing song sung to infants leading into a psychedelic, almost new-age-sounding tune, with sweet vocals floating on a sea of e-bowed Takamine 12-string and the unusual punctuations of Shahi-Baaja. For those furrowing their brows in confusion at the mention of the Shahi-Baaja, singer Moksha Sommer described it as an Indian harpsichord, and she played it like a steel guitar. In the midst of the music-centered chit-chat between the band and the show’s host/emcee about how much the band enjoyed the harsh note combinations and odd time signatures in the Eastern European music that inspires them, HuDost tossed in a token pop song, “Even When,” that could have easily been mistaken for Colbie Caillat. With a backing track for rhythms and the unusual (for them) appearance of an electric PRS guitar, this straightforward little ditty presented a much more mainstream side of the band. Guitarist Jemal Wade Hines maintained the sensitivity of guitar-work on the aforementioned electric as if it were an acoustic, though, so the sound difference there was subtle—he uses his vast array of effects on his large variety of stringed instruments. Next up came a song called “Korea,” which featured a bouzouki in the hands of Hines, who used this cousin of the lute to sprinkle arpeggiated chords over Sommer’s soulful vocal sustains and the duo’s shared vocal harmonies—so beautiful. Like many of HuDost’s songs, “Arrhythmia,” which followed, found its inspiration in musings on the universal human experience—this time in the form of “loss.” At the outset, we hear the church-organ-esque sound of the harmonium— a squeezebox instrument, much like a bass accordion— and the somber, yet uplifting, chords lift the tune up to its cerebral lyrical content about the firing of neurons, the transitory nature of life, and the oneness of the human race in an “arrhythmia of souls.” Among all the songs brought to the table tonight, the duo professed that this was the newest, and I could see in their tangible excitement (and simultaneous new-song anxiety) in performing it. A funny side note from the interview portion—apparently Sommer wrote this song while driving and had to pull over to record it quickly so she wouldn’t forget it. The sequent song on the set list featured Hines on lead vocal, entitled, “All My Guitars.” Fitting, since he used three different guitars and a bouzouki throughout the set. Hines said that the main riff to the song came to him in a dream about a performance. A familiar Americana vibe, akin to something like Indigo Girls, filled the song with comfortable emotions, but I could feel something a little more creative and quirky injected into this piece—almost as if They Might Be Giants crashed a Dixie Chicks concert—as the occasional minor third found its way into the mostly major mix. The penultimate tune kept in line with the country/Americana vibe—“Waiting.” This one reminded me a lot of Sarah MacLachlan experimenting with crossover country. Once again, the vocal harmonies were the driving force behind the success of such classically simple arrangements such as this one. At this point in the concert, Sommer admitted to having been struggling with laryngitis for the past week—not that it showed in her voice at all—and gave us all a brief giggle at her mention of the microscope photos the Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor took of her vocal cords looking like pictures of a vulva. I appreciate it when musicians can share personal anecdotes; it really adds to the intimacy of a small venue performance. With that, HuDost closed out their mostly “mainstream,” 4/4-timed set with one of their more experimental pieces, “More Sokol Pie,” from one of their older albums, “Seedling,” (2006). The poem around which this song is written comes from the dying words of a Macedonian warrior. Watching only two people perform such a multi-faceting composition with that full a sound was mind-boggling. Hines’ guitar doubled as percussion, and Sommer even banged along a bit, too, while harmonium and guitar intertwined with soaring, Middle-Eastern-sounding vocals that bordered on screaming at times—a truly exhilarating spectacle to take in. I really love watching and listening to musicians like HuDost who shed the shackles of the ordinary and take the risks of the roads less traveled. Please check out HuDost’s website http://www.hudost.com, be sure to catch them the next time they come through your town, and pick up a CD if you are intrigued by what you hear.

Carowinds hires *GASP* an Original Local Artist instead of a Cover Band for VIP Media Event!

Originally Published Here: http://shutter16.com/wp/2012/04/04/carowinds-hires-gasp-an-original-local-artist-instead-of-a-cover-band-for-vip-media-event/ Published Wednesday, April 4, 2012 By amanda_caines. Under Community Corner, Editor : Amanda Caines, Local Music Scene, Photographer: Amanda Caines, Photos, preview, Show Review, Videographer: Amanda Caines, Writer: Amanda Caines Tags: Alive After Five, Amanda Caines, Bale & Smyth Company, Based on a True Story, Battle of the Bands, Bullettprooff, Butterfly Corpse, Carowinds, Carowinds Ticket Discounts, Funk Rock, Lucky Five, NF52, Spring Break, SXSW Festival, Windseeker Our friendly, neighborhood theme park is not only making history with its 301-foot, tallest-ever-built-at-the-park “Windseeker” ride, Carowinds is also breaking new ground in the Charlotte corporate world by hiring original music artist Lucky Five for its VIP media event instead of the usual cover-slinging, weekend warrior band. Amid a flurry of TV cameras, tuxedo-clad strawberries, and excited/nervous VIPs ready to soar to the top of the new tower ride, Lucky Five took the stage and provided masterful background sound to the event. Just like at most corporate events, the band members realized they were not the main attraction. Furthermore, the element of being the soundtrack to the other hubbub was magnified by the 301-foot monstrosity that is Windseeker, operating just behind them. Still, the guys thought it pretty cool to perform in a place where they’re surrounded by rollercoasters and tall, shiny towers full of screaming riders. Adding to the whimsy of the event, Lucky Five’s song “On and On” features the lyric line “It’s like a rollercoaster loving you,” which fit in perfectly with the setting of the show. The humor of this juxtaposition was not lost on the event-goers or on the band. I could see each of the band members smile as they realized the line was quite appropriate to the venue. Guitarists Shago Elizondo and Jonny Fung said they hadn’t made the connection between the lyrics and the location until they were on stage playing the song. A couple of the more attentive members of the audience had an amused smirk on their faces, too. Although it outwardly appeared that no one was listening, with the ground in front of the stage relatively void of the usual group of transfixed listeners, the guys received tons of compliments from people between sets and after the performance. The staff at Carowinds expressed their satisfaction with their choice of bands—Lucky Five blended right in with the upbeat, playful mood of the event. Even if the lack of direct attention was a significant change from the front-and-center, paparazzi onslaught that the band experienced earlier in the month at the indie rock Mecca that is the SxSW Festival in Texas, this is probably the first gig that involved a free preview of a record-breaking ride as part of the perks. Two of the guys in the band were brave enough to ride the huge tower—which they said was very cool, though they recommend waiting awhile before riding if you’ve just eaten something. Carowinds continues its support of local music with their “Live, Plugged, & Local” high school rock band competition throughout the week of Spring Break (April 2- 6) with Bale & Smyth Company, Bullettprooff, Butterfly Corpse, Based on a True Story, and NF52, in that order, performing at 3pm each day this week at the park. I’ve really got to hand it to Carowinds for recognizing that there is real songwriting talent in the Charlotte area and utilizing that talent in a corporate event setting. Hopefully other large, Charlottean businesses and corporations will follow suit (cough, cough: ALIVE AFTER FIVE, cough) and put some original artists on their event stages as well. Watch out, cover bands: we original bands you’ve been laughing at are fighting for a share of that corporate turf. More Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shutter16mag/sets/72157629367063582/ Want to ride the 301-foot-tall Windseeker at Carowinds? Your best bets for cheap tickets are either buying online at www.carowinds.com or grabbing a coupon from your neighborhood Jersey Mike’s sub shop. Carowinds is open this week for spring break, and every Saturday and Sunday until it changes to daily operation the week of Memorial Day. Check out Lucky Five either on Facebook or at their website, www.luckyfiveband.com to hear some fantastic, retro-fueled funk rock—and jump on that quickly if you want to say you “knew them when…” because these guys are on the verge of joining the big leagues. Buy Lucky Five’s Albums on iTunes

Grown Up Avenger Stuff, Lucky Five, Hello Handshake, and Heyrocco Rock Amos’

Originally Published Here: http://shutter16.com/wp/2012/02/04/show-review-grown-up-avenger-stuff-lucky-five-hello-handshake-and-heyrocco-rock-amos/

Published Saturday, February 4, 2012 By amanda_caines. Under Amos Southend, Editor : Amanda Caines, Local Music Scene, Show Review, Writer: Amanda Caines Tags: Amanda Caines, Colbie Caillat, Coldplay, Dave Matthews Band, David Gray, Grown Up Avenger Stuff, Hello Handshake, Heyrocco, Hu Dost, Lucky Five, Maroon 5, Robert Palmer

Grown Up Avenger Stuff, Lucky 5, Heyrocco, and Hello Handshake | Amos’ Southend | January 27, 2012

As into music as I’ve always been, I haven’t come across many bands in Charlotte that pull out instruments on stage that make me go, “WTF is that?!” Not one, but two of the bands at Amos’ this past Saturday did that.

Openers Hello Handshake win the award for most unusual instruments I’ve seen used onstage. They even beat out alternative/world rockers Hu Dost (http://www.hudost.com/) while still staying pretty mainstream. I recognized the guiro and the theremin (though I must admit to never having seen the latter in a live stage performance before), but then brand-new keyboard-and-random-percussion-player, Susan Plante, brought out a musical contraption I’d never seen before. It looked like a cross between a bagpipe and an accordion—regardless, it sounded cool and blended will with the carefully-woven web of psychedelic sound. ­­ Susan boasts some pipes of her own: a perfect vocal complement to lead vocalist Bobby Bellamy.

Soothing sounds akin to the likes of early Coldplay emanated from the next band, Heyrocco, from Charleston, SC. All three sporting the iconic underage Xs on their hands, Heyrocco boasts a pretty mature sound for relative young’uns whose clean-cut look seemed more fitting for a high school talent show than a large music hall. They did some very interesting things, musically, working with unusual-but-fitting drum beats and creative bass lines, layered with twinkling alternative-rock-style guitar chords. Nathan Merli’s vocals work with the early 2000s alternative rock vibe, coming out strong, versatile, yet with an adult contemporary tone to them, sort of like a marriage of Colbie Caillat and David Gray. The band really shone with the song “Alaska,” where they all rocked out in a much more physical way than in the rest of the set’s offerings. The crowd, however, definitely dug their disco-esque finale, “Rave Monks,” which reminded me a little bit of Franz Ferdinand—in a good way. Definitely an ass-shaker of a tune.

Following the awesomeness that Hello Handshake and Heyrocco had already brought to the table, Lucky Five really, truly blew me away with a healthy dose of funky rock. Each member of this band is sick-talented, with each member playing at least two instruments during the course of the performance. Sound-wise, they’re like a Renaissance ’80s band, with a Huey Lewis & The News-meets-Maroon 5 vibe to the songs, with a dash of Stevie Wonder in vocalist/pianist Marques Nash. Offering great songwriting full of infectious hooks, musicianship like a heavier Dave Matthews Band, and charismatic stage presence, Lucky Five is the textbook definition of a great band. If these guys don’t make it big, something is seriously wrong with the music industry today. They, too, brought out an instrument I’d never seen before that ended up being some type of vocal synthesizer that looked a bit like a clarinet. That was just cool. Apparently a lot of the music they played was freshly written, so that might explain the excitement teeming from the stage—and right back at them from the crowd—as Lucky Five performed. I really couldn’t do much but stand there, bewildered, at the performance.

Finally, it was time for Grown Up Avenger Stuff. Every time I see them, it’s a bigger production, and this show’s theme was clearly “circus.” Blacklight-illuminated signs on the stage pointed out the attractions, and vocalist Deirdre Kroener sported a sequined ringmaster’s coat with a slicked-back hairdo that reminded me of the models in Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love” video. Deirdre, and likewise John and Hunter Thomsen, decked herself with glow-in-the-dark paint that shone in the dark moments like something from a techno club. The kicker of the night’s circus theme, though, hung from a long, purple, silk curtain draped in front of center stage—an aerial silks performer! As Grown Up Avenger Stuff rang out the first chords to “Wish,” a song they rarely play live lately, the sequin-clad acrobat climbed up the silk curtain with great skill and grace, proceeding to perform lovely feats of strength and flexibility. It was captivating. The sonic backdrop of GUAS’s hard-edged indie rock perfectly mirrored the balance of strength and grace in the silky acrobatics going on in the foreground. Luckily this performance was free of any stage demons that are commonplace in local music—of course I might not have noticed any technical difficulties with a beautiful blonde hanging gracefully in front of the stage. Even if a bit distracting, the Avengers’ new tricks from show to show keep even the most seasoned fan coming back again and again just to see what they’ll do next.

Hello Handshake (indie alternative): http://www.hellohandshake.org/

Heyrocco (adult alternative): http://heyrocco.tumblr.com/

Lucky Five (funk/blues/rock): http://www.luckyfiveband.com/

Grown Up Avenger Stuff (indie rock/grunge): http://grownupavengerstuff.com/

“Don’t Go See Tool February 4!” Says Charlotte’s Fusebox Poet

Originally Published Here: http://shutter16.com/wp/2012/01/24/preview-dont-go-see-tool-february-4-says-charlottes-fusebox-poet/

Published Tuesday, January 24, 2012 By amanda_caines. Under Editor : Amanda Caines, preview, The Saloon, Writer: Amanda Caines Tags: Amanda Caines, Bojangles' Coliseum, Bombshell, Charlotte Music, Death of Paris, Drew Cyphers, Fusebox Poet, local scene, Maynard James Keenan, NC Music Factory, Pat Gerasia, Preview, superbowl eve, The Saloon, Tool

Fusebox Poet drummer Pat Gerasia would normally be the last person to tell someone not to go see a Tool concert, so when he asked me to come review his band’s “Superbowl Eve” show February 4 at The Saloon at NC Music Factory, I asked, “…and why the hell would I do that when Tool is playing that same night at Bojangles’ Coliseum?”

“This would be a whole lot easier for me if Tool wasn’t one of my favorite bands!” he replied, “Danny Carey is one of the reasons why I play drums to begin with.” But he then listed some pretty decent reasons to see Fusebox Poet instead. The crux of the matter here epitomizes the differences between following local/unsigned bands versus huge, radio-promoted national acts.

Reason #1: FREE ADVANCE TICKETS. Just email FBPtickets@yahoo.com asking about said tickets, and they will mail you some with a little personal note from the band, thanking you for supporting the Charlotte scene. If you wait and purchase tickets at the door, they’re still only $10– a far cry from the $55.95 or more you’ll pay for a Tool ticket (and that’s for the nosebleed seats!).

Reason #2: SUPERBOWL EVE = FREE SHIT. Tool isn’t going to raffle off jack-diddly, and their t-shirts are at least $20. News flash: they won’t give you one for free, even if you beg. The Superbowl Eve show boasts raffles, giveaways, and other chances for free shit and fun activities. Your local bands work their asses off to show you a good time, and they’re willing to invest in the opportunity to impress you by offering you free stuff if you will come listen. At Bojangles’ Coliseum, the only thing you might get for free is the flu.

Reason #3: MAYNARD DOESN’T GIVE A RAT’S ASS IF YOU COME OR NOT. Not one bit. He might not even talk to you during the show (he’s notorious for not addressing his audiences), so he’s certainly not going to talk to you afterward. Fusebox Poet’s singer, Drew Cyphers, is actually a pretty nice guy and will definitely chat with you after the show, “and maybe even give you a hug (if you buy a t-shirt– haha),” Pat jokes. All the guys in the band can get pretty chatty, actually– I just saw them perform this weekend at Art Bar in Columbia, and each one of them was out there, big smiles on their faces, meeting and chatting up new folks and old fans alike. Huge national bands don’t care that much about fans, and they don’t have to care. They show up, you shell out your hard-earned dough and feed their huge, rock star egos, and then everybody goes home (or to their tour vehicles, whatever).

Reason #4: IF YOU’RE IN A BAND AND YOU SHOW UP, FUSEBOX POET WILL RETURN THE FAVOR. Directly quoted from Pat: “We’re only asking you to show up and support. We’ll mail you tickets and you show up for free. We’ll be happy to come out to one of your shows and you can take our money. Consider it an investment! Let’s be friends.” So many bands whine about “Support Your Scene,” but you never see their faces out at other bands’ shows. I see these guys out at other people’s shows all the time, so I know they aren’t kidding. Charlotte’s rock scene needs a boost, and Fusebox Poet is among those willing to invest in the scene’s future. In a similar situation to aforementioned “Reason #3,” Maynard isn’t going to “return the favor” by coming to your show, and he certainly doesn’t give a rat’s ass about your band or our city’s rock scene. Fusebox Poet does.

Die-hard Tool fans are probably going to laugh from their shrines to Maynard, “Stinkfist” blaring from their computer speakers in the background, at Fusebox Poet’s request and shell out $75 to stand on the sticky floor of Bojangles’ Coliseum for a group of guys who don’t give even a shart about you, but, hey, it’s worth a shot to ask anyway.

Fusebox Poet (Hard Rock like Foo Fighters, Trapt, Evanescence) shows its stuff at “Ditka’s Superbowl Eve Rock Concert” at The Saloon at NC Music Factory on Saturday, February 4, 2012, along with supporting bands Bombshell (Indie-Rock like Plain White T’s, Blink-182, Muse) and Death of Paris (Pop-Rock like Garbage, Paramore, Gwen Stefani). Show starts at 8pm, advance tickets are free via snail mail by emailing FBPtickets@yahoo.com, or $10 at the door. Click bands’ names to hit up their pages for sample tracks and more information. RSVP via Facebook and get directions: http://www.facebook.com/events/188893167868750/

Metal Musicians Band Together to Raise Funds for the Uninsured

Originally Published Here: http://shutter16.com/wp/2012/01/17/show-review-metal-musicians-band-together-to-raise-funds-for-the-uninsured/

Published Tuesday, January 17, 2012 By amanda_caines. Under Editor : Amanda Caines, Photographer: Alan MacNorton, Photos, Show Review, The Money, Writer: Amanda Caines Tags: Absoulute Convixtion, Amanda Caines, Anna Love, Descendants of Chaos, Eyes Down, Heavy Metal in the Carolinas, Lifecurse, Neverfall, The Money, Wicked Addictions

This past weekend, 13 bands and a handful of metal-promoting organizations showed their charitable sides in raising money for a 20-year-old guy with leukemia, Cameron Flotow. Anna Love from the Facebook-run group “Heavy Metal in the Carolinas” got all of these bands together for a good cause, and The Money presented a willing vessel to hold all of that metal. While I missed day one of the 2-day benefit because I was busy geeking out at Amy Lee in Clemson, SC, I came in for day two, and even 24 hours later, I’m still working on un-melting my face.

As I pulled in to The Money’s infamous parking lot, I heard NeverFall doing their sound check. I hustled in and took my usual skulking spot to have a listen. The bar teemed with good friends of mine and new friends yet to be met, and I met in-person a bunch of people with whom I’d only exchanged snarky Facebook comments until now. It seemed almost like a heavy metal episode of Cheers in there.

NeverFall took the stage and started their set to a tsunami of excited applause. People in the crowd converged on the edge of the stage to have their faces melted with some well-selected metal covers. I highly enjoyed the guitar solos wailed out masterfully by lead guitarist Drew Durham. My only beef with the set was the intro to their Metallica cover of “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” which I thought could have used a little more rehearsal. It’s not an easy song to crank out, granted, but the bass intro was a little dicey, and the guitar lick was off-time from the drums until they broke into the main riff of the song. After that, NeverFall went back to kicking ass. The guys also pulled out a cover of Slayer’s “Raining Blood” that got venue owner David Kiser all kinds of excited.

Next came Lifecurse with possibly the most brutal performance of the night. This was certainly the band to catch when you like your metal ultra-heavy. Think an extra-brutal Slipknot without the poppy choruses. Screamer Will Moss engaged the stylistic range from low, demonic gutterals all the way up to rabid wildcat on a moment’s notice and grabbed the audience’s attention at every turn. With the amount of hyped-up movement coming from every band member onstage, it’s no wonder the crowd got amped up and started moshing along.

With a wildly different style, Absoulute Convixtion grabbed the mics for the next segment of the show. They definitely presented the most melodic vocals of the night, complete with some vocal harmonies. New singer Corey Tossas makes a fantastic addition to the band, creating a deeper dimension of hard rock for the band than ever before. Overall, the band’s sound is a cocktail of Creed and Cold with a twist of Deftones, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The band’s cover of Tool’s “Stinkfist” definitely got the gist of the song, and I am betting they will hone in on it with even more detail as they break in the newbie vocalist. The high point of the set for me was the ballad “Nothing Is,” with soaring vocals over catchy, chunky riffs. This band definitely can do the heavy rock ballads with the best of ‘em.

Bearers of murderously heavy breakdowns, Descendants of Chaos, kicked off their set with some bone-crushing riffage from guitarists SIC and Solice, dressed up with nifty cymbal-work by drummer Justin Page. Vocalist Trip Hodge wins the prize for the night for crowd participation. He had us all screaming along with his mantra of “Save your republic!” in the politically-charged anthem, “Remember the Scar,” that challenges people to stand up against politicians’ attempts to strip us Americans of our rights. With vigor like that coursing through the veins of a bunch of metal-heads, it goes without saying that there was some serious moshing to be had with the Descendants. While pretty much everyone else was enjoying the hammering double bass drums, I was most impressed with the slower songs with great vocal harmonies—that goes to show you the kind of versatility these guys have in their metal styles.

Wicked Addictions stepped up next to deliver a highly-energetic dose of head-banger delight. The crowd at the edge of the stage was just a blur of thrashing long hair, flying through the air, while the band, deeply in-tune with each other both musically and in their movement onstage, batted out some seriously intense tunes. DJ Griffin’s vocals boast a full-throated screaming tone with lyrics bursting with fiery hatred and malevolence that would strike terror in the heart of any opponent. While songs like “Method to Murder” and “Stalk and Kill” stirred listeners into an absolute frenzy, I was more partial to the grooves of “Lost Cause.” Clearly well-rehearsed, Wicked Addictions definitely wins the “Tightest Band” award for the night.

Tying up the ends of the night came fresh-on-the-scene band Eyes Down. These guys stood out among all the other bands on the bill with a unique sound that was kind of like the result of Nirvana turning industrial. I definitely heard a lot of early Deftones-esque riff constructions alternating with thrashy passages akin to those of Static-X. Darrin Crane’s reverb-soaked vocals perpetuate the Deftones parallel, and his outer-spacey guitar solos contribute to the Nirvana vibe—but with a bit more technical prowess—while drummer Michael “Digi” Biggerstaff lays the industrial beats as a foundation. I greatly enjoyed the wide variety of experimental elements present in the songwriting. Tracy Putnam’s screams and rap flows interjected a cool, new angle to the music. Not only did Eyes Down kick ass musically, but they put on one hell of a show. Putnam and bassist Andrew Bujorian, especially were all over the stage and Putnam even ventured into the mosh pit for a bit. All four of the guys in the band had a common uniform of a disheveled white dress shirt garnished with a loosened black necktie as if they had all just gotten off from their jobs at Evil, Inc. They also had an interesting twist on the concept of a backup dancer with a hooded guy in an orange inmate jumpsuit with “YOU” emblazoned on the back like some kind of sick sports jersey. He banged his head and stood mostly obedient to his musical masters. I would definitely say Eyes Down was my favorite all-around production of the evening.

I was fabulously impressed with this shindig that Anna Love of Heavy Metal in the Carolinas put together, and Cameron Flotow definitely has a big chunk of change to put toward his mounting medical bills now, thanks to a bunch of his charitable, head-banger brethren. I look forward to checking out each of these bands again in other settings, and I will definitely hit up the next benefit that Heavy Metal in the Carolinas puts on because I know it will be a rockin’ good time.

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