This Week's Shows (3/21 - 3/27)

The Great Backwash:  With SXSW wrapping up in Austin today (Sunday), many bands are returning home or continuing their tours, and thus a second wave of bands are passing through the ATL, contributing to a pretty-good week of music.  Also, for some reason, Eddie's Attic is really stepping it up this week, featuring not only folk royalty Lucy Wainwright Roche, but also the adorable and irrepressible Basia Bulat, the moody Mount Moriah, and emerging stars Lily & Madeline.  Way to go, Eddie's!

You may also note that I've cut down on the number of listings.  Frankly, life is too short to waste time researching backgrounds, styles, and trivia of all of those hardcore, pop punk, and metal bands playing at the three stages of the god-forsaken Masquerade, or all of the unknown singer-songwriters passing through Smith's Olde Bar, and let's face it, Steve's Live Music is nothing but an after-dinner date-night destination for suburban white people.  I'll scan through those venue's offerings and note anything that looks worthwhile, but you don't need to wade through the complete listings and I'm not interested in writing those complete listings.  So there, I said it.   

As always, please keep in mind that musicians and night-club proprietors lead complicated lives and I'm prone to errors, mistakes, typos, and fubars; it's advisable to confirm any of the information below on your own before making plans. 

MONDAY, MARCH 21

★Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, Tedo Stone (Variety Playhouse)

Like James Brown?  Charles Bradley was a JB impersonator before he found his own voice, but the soul styling and hard-work ethic of the master remains.  Plus Bradley is one of the most humble, most grateful and kindest musicians to grace a stage.  

Charles Bradley at Bumbershoot, 2011

Pusha T, Lil Bibby, G Herbo (Center Stage)
The Darkest Before Dawn Tour comes through the ATL.

Lucy Wainwright Roche and Suzzy Roche, Barnaby Bright (Eddie's Attic)

Talk about musical roots: Lucy Wainwright Roche is the daughter of singer-songwriters Loudon Wainwright III and Suzzy Roche, who, along with her sisters Maggie and Terre Roche, make up the vocal group The Roches.  Known for their unique harmonies, The Roches were major influences on the careers of the Indigo Girls, and Lucy has toured as an opening act for the Indigo Girls and the duo is featured on a couple of Lucy's songs.  Lucy is also the half-sister of singer-songwriters Rufus Wainwright and Martha Wainwright (whose late mother Kate was half of the Canadian folk duo Kate & Anna McGarrigle).

Kevin Garrett (Aisle 5)

Alas, not former Celtic great and current Timberwolf Kevin Garnett, but Pittsburgh soul-pop musician Kevin Garrett, now based out of Brooklyn.

Little Simz, Go Dreamer (Vinyl)

Islington, England's Little Simz is a tough-rhyming rapper whose approach is equally effective over jagged and smooth productions. She is also known as an actor for her recurring roles on the BBC's Spirit Warriors and E4's Youngers.

TUESDAY, MARCH 22

Palm, Warehouse, Gnarwhal, Dicaprio (529)

Philadelphia's Palm have been compared to everyone from Guerilla Toss, Women and Deerhoof to King Crimson and Unwound.   Atlanta's Warehouse finds its inspirations in Brazil’s bossa nova and tropicalia movements; their debut album Tesseract is a departure from some of their earlier new-wave material, and highlights more classic rock elements, matched by Elaine Edenfield’s guttural vocals.

House of Peace (Aisle 5)

Not to be confused with the Christian music band of the same name, the House of Peace tour is actually five very diverse international house music, EDM and funk DJs.

Forever Came Calling, Major League, Sudden Suspension, Lights After Dark, Summer Wars (Drunken Unicorn)
Pop punk.  A Masquerade-produced show held at the Unicorn.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23

★Basia Bulat, Daniel Martin Moore (Eddie's Attic)

Basia Bulat is a Canadian folk singer-songwriter known for performing with an autoharp, who became one of the indie world's most talked about newcomers with the release of her first full-length album, 2007's Oh, My Darling.  We've seen her before at Eddie's, as well as The Earl opening for Seattle's Pickwick.

★Summer Twins, The Shivas, Black Linen, Koko Beware (529)

Summer Twins are sisters Chelsea and Justine Brown, who write dream-pop and rock 'n' roll songs with a touch of California sun. They formed in 2008 with a focus on singing pop harmonies atop garage rock inspired by the ’50s and ’60s. We saw Seattle's The Shivas at an early-day KEXP show at Portland's The Doug Fir during MFNW (RIP) 2013 (dude-I-was-there video below), and later had brunch at the table next to them at the diner upstairs.

Astronauts ETC, Harriet Brown, Skybison (The Earl)

Oakland, California's Astronauts ETC are a "supermelodic pulp/arena pop" band touring after their appearances as SXSW.

A Night of David Bowie with The Ziggy Stardust Tribute (Terminal West)

These Bowie tribute shows are becoming a regular thing around town - this one will feature Timi Conley, Andrew Hanmer, Jay Rodgers, Chris McKay, Kristoffer Dede Giddens, Michael Wegner, and John James.

Real Friends, Movements (The Masquerade)
Sold Out

Kitten, Keeps, The Greeting Committee (Hell at The Masquerade)

LA quartet Kitten play '80s post-punk-influenced dance-rock and synth pop, fronted by dynamic (and very young) lead singer Chloe Chaidez,

Dreamers, Arkells (Purgatory at The Masquerade)

Brooklyn indie pop-rockers Dreamers play infectious rock in the vein of Surfer Blood and the Vaccines.  Arkells are an alternative rock band originally from Hamilton, Ontario that are named after Arkell Street near McMaster University.

Sad Fish, Misery Loves Chachi, Friendship, Lea Lea (Mammal Gallery)

Sad Fish plays Brazilian freak surf rock.   Atlanta's Misery Loves Chachi is an indie, dream-pop band combining chill-wave, Motown and African rhythms with post-modern chord changes and jazz harmonies. Friendship are from Philadelphia, and Lea Lea is an Atlanta-based experimental folktronica performer.

The Gordon Vernick Quartet (Red Light Cafe)

Every Wednesday night, The Gordon Vernick Quartet performs a few numbers and then invites other musicians and singers to join them on stage for a jam session. The quartet features Kevin Bales on keyboard, Marlon Patton on drums, Craig Shaw on bass, and Dr. Gordon Vernick on trumpet. There's no cover charge and plenty of free parking. Whether you're a professional or amateur musician, you're welcome to sit in; everyone who wants to perform will be given a chance to play.

THURSDAY, MARCH 24

Hippie Sabotage, Alex Wiley, Kembe X (Terminal West)
Sold Out.

★Mount Moriah, Elephant Micah (Eddie's Attic)

Steeped in the dark, misty mountain lore of their Appalachian homeland and brimming with the fuzzed-out dark twang of their pasts, North Carolina-based alt-Americana outfit Mount Moriah blend the neo-traditional indie folk of the Low Anthem with the fire and brimstone of Sixteen Horsepower. Formed in the late 2000s by Heather McEntire and Jenks Miller, both of whom had spent considerable time at the opposite end of the folk spectrum as members of Bellafea (post-punk) and Horseback (psych-metal), respectively, the project grew out the pair's long friendship and shared love of American folk music.  After some drastic shifts in sound and line-up, the band's sound has settled into a sweet, melancholy strain of folk music.  Their song Calvander was recently selected by Minnesota Public Radio as The Current Song of the Day.

Jenks Miller (left) with Rose Cross at Hopscotch Festival, 2014

The Broadcast, Autumn Attics (The Earl)

Described as a modern day “Grace Slick meets Led Zeppelin,” Asheville’s The Broadcast is led by female powerhouse Caitlin Krisko.  Drawing much of their sound from 70s classic rock, The Broadcast are known for their explosive live performances.

Shepherds, Deep State, Mighty (529)

Atlanta post-punk noise/soul outfit Shepherds is fronted by guitarist Jonathan Merenivitch (Janelle Monae, Del Venicci, Dog Bite, and probably more).

Shepherds at Artlantis

The Malah, Universal Sigh (Aisle 5)

The Malah are a live-electronic trio who have been playing their organic, electro-grooves since 2003.

Sam Outlaw, Whitney Rose (Vinyl)

Sam Outlaw is a country music singer-songwriter who calls his music "SoCal country," country music refashioned with a Southern California vibe of the classic honky-tonk and troubadour pop.

Teedra Moses, DJ Tabone (The Loft)

Teedra Moses is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter born and raised in New Orleans to a gospel singing mother, and brings a little bit of that fervor to her own vocal style.

Jeff Austin Band, Brit La Palm, Seth Winters (Music Room at Smith's Olde Bar)

Jeff Austin is a member of Yonder Mountain String Band.

Supersuckers, Jesse Dayton, Dead Soldiers (Star Community Bar)

Supersuckers are a party band that formed in 1988, playing a gleefully trashy brand of throttling, rockabilly-flavored garage punk. Their lyrics are a raucous, over-the-top celebration of sex, booze, drugs, Satan, and whatever other vices the band can think of, all glorified with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Save for an abrupt and temporary detour into hardcore honky tonk, their approach stayed relatively consistent through the '90s.

Upstate Rubdown, Cortez Garza (Red Light Cafe)

Upstate Rubdown is a group of rowdy musicians dedicated to creating fun and provocative acoustic pop music, with clever rhythms and harmonies. The band's influences range anywhere from traditional to classical and from jazz/show tunes to funk, with a shared love of soul, motown, and classic R&B, for a unique sound.

FRIDAY, MARCH 25

★★Marshall Allen+James Harrar: Soloriens Tetrad, Faun and a Pan Flute, To Too My (Mammal Gallery)

2014's set by legendary Sun Ra alto saxophonist Marshall Allen and experimental filmmaker and musician James Harrar, performing together as Cinema Soloriens, was one of the highlights of that year.  This year, they're performing as Soloriens Tetrad, and percussionist Klimchak and guitarist Chris Yonker (Hello Ocho) will join in for the performance.  Atlanta avant-gardists Faun and a Pan Flute and To Too My open.

Ruby Velle and the Soulphonics (The Earl)

An Atlanta institution since 2007 featuring soulful lead vocals and a full horn section, Ruby Velle & the Soulphonics make earthy old-school '50s and '60s-style R&B.  Upon arriving in Atlanta from Gainesville, Florida, they landed a residency at the Star Bar and built a strong local following, and in 2010 and 2011, Creative Loafing voted them Atlanta's best soul band.

Shampoo, Crown Larks, Omni, Clothes (529)

Atlanta synthpop band Shampoo say they sound like "solo George Michael and the Congos songs where the high harmony dude sings lead."

Anderson East, Andrew Combs (Terminal West)

Athens, Alabama (the other Athens) singer and songwriter Anderson East's music is a potent, heartfelt fusion of soul, rhythm & blues, gospel, early rock & roll, and a dash of country.

Karbomb, Seagulls, Campaign, Spray Tan, Breaux (Star Community Bar)

This will be an LP release party for the Karbomb/Seagulls split album.

Yacht Rock Revue (Variety Playhouse)

Performing Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon and The Beatles’ Abbey Road.

Norma Jean, He Is Legend, Forevermore, Rival Choir (Drunken Unicorn)

Norma Jean is a heavy, loud, rock 'n' roll band from Atlanta.

Jerry Garcia Band Cover Band, BYOG (Aisle 5)

I think the title's pretty self-explanatory.

SATURDAY, MARCH 26

★Lily and Madeleine, Shannon Hayden (Eddie's Attic)

Lily & Madeleine are a folk-pop sister duo from Indianapolis.  The New York Times wrote that "the thing that flags them as extraordinary is their sibling vocal blend, deep and seamless and relaxed."

★Nomen Novum, FiatNil, Pamela_ & Her Sons, Anticipation (529)  

A record release show for Atlanta's admirable Deer Bear Wolf Records, featuring Nomen Novum, FiatNil (Graham Moore and Magicicada). Pamela_ & Her Sons, and a DJ set by Anticipation.

Nomen Novum opening for Future Islands at Variety Playhouse, February 27, 2015

★Dale Watson & His Lonestars, Cold Heart Canyon (Music Room at Smith's Olde Bar) 

Dale Watson is a Texas Country singer, guitarist, songwriter, and self-published author based in Austin. He champions "Ameripolitan" as a new genre of original music and has positioned himself as a tattooed, stubbornly independent outsider who is interested in recording authentic country music, and as a result, has become a favorite of critics and alt-country fans.

Rusted Root (Variety Playhouse)

Pittsburgh's Rusted Root are known for their fusion of acoustic, rock, world and other styles of music, with a strong percussion section that draws from African, Latin American, and Native American influences. The band achieved fame in 1994 with its platinum-selling album When I Woke, which included hit single Send Me On My Way. The song has been featured prominently in many films and commercials, and Rusted Root has sold more than three million albums worldwide.

A-Wa, Jaffa Road (Terminal West)

The Atlanta Jewish Music Festival Purim Party.  According to NPR, Israeli sister act A-Wa (Tair, Liron and Tagel Haim) "pull inspiration from their Yemeni Jewish roots, as well as exploring commonalities with their Arab neighbors, including language; the band usually sings in Yemeni Arabic."  NPR's All Songs Considered even singled them out for mention among the myriad bands at SXSW, especially after they sang a lullaby in Bob Boilen's hotel room.  The video for their song Habib Galbi (Love of My Heart) was filmed near their home village in the barren desert of Israel's far south. 

Newark Wilder, Fake Flowers, Sea Ghost (Drunken Unicorn)

Newark Wilder’s debut album, Vanessa Atalanta, produced by Luciano Giarrano at East Atlanta's The Cottage, is a diverse cornucopia of psychedelic punk that utilizes sneering guitars, punchy basslines, steadfast drums, and the swagger of frontman Benjamin Kinzer, a classically trained cellist.

Hot Rod Walt & the Psycho-Devilles, The Royal Hounds, Little Lesley and the Bloodshots (Star Community Bar)

Rockabilly.

Bongzilla, Black Cobra, Kings Destroy, Lo-Pan (The Earl)
Madison, Wisconsin's Bongzilla play an extremely thick and heavy, powerful mega-rock laced with homegrown, psychedelic sludge-core.

India Shawn, MeLo-X, Boyslashfriend, Kiya Lacey (Aisle 5)
LA singer and songwriter India Shawn utilizes a fearless experimentation with R&B elements and her smooth voice to connect with listeners.  India’s songs have spiritual and emotional components, and in 2013, Solange Knowles featured India’s popular track, I’m Alive, on her Saint Heron compilation album

Reza Sadeghi (Center Stage)

Reza Sadeghi is an Iranian pop singer and songwriter who has been singing since his childhood, when he began chanting the  Qur’an at school.

Junior Boys, Jessy Lanza, Borys  (The Loft)

Hamilton, Ontario-based electronic pop group, Junior Boys are a duo influenced by a number of underground and commercial sectors, including post-disco, arty synth pop, minimal techno, U.K. garage, and certain contemporary rap production styles.

SUNDAY, MARCH 27

★Takenobu (Eddie's Attic)
A CD release show for the Andrew Bird of the cello.

Takenobu at 529, July 5, 2013

MFNW Day Four Retrospective

It would be unfair to compare Friday, Day 4 of MFNW, to the epic dimensions of Day 3, but that would be true of almost any day of your life.  In the scale of days of your life, there's the largely forgotten day of your birth, the unforgettable first time making love, the miraculous birth of your first child, and the totally awesome Day 3 of MFNW, in about that order of specialness.  Day 4 of MFNW wasn't at the same level as Day 3, but how can any day with performances by Animal Collective, Washed Out, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and Ty Segall be considered anything less than awesome?

For starters, the rain of the day before had stopped. The sun still hadn't come out, however, resulting in a rather cool and cloudy, although not at all unpleasant, day. 

The music started with a 10:30 am set by The Shivas for KEXP at the Doug Fir.  Exhausted from the day before, I almost didn't go ("Who are The Shivas again?"), but at the last moment I found my energy, rallied, and made it across town in time to catch an energetic and enjoyable set from the young band, who played surf-tinged garage rock reminiscent of Austin's The Strange Boys.  

The KEXP photo nazi was still patrolling the audience forbidding people from taking any pictures at all with any type of camera, so these pictures are from www.kexp.org.

Speaking of which, KEXP also posted the entire Shivas performance on line ("Dude, I was there!"). 

I skipped breakfast to make it to the Fir by 10:30, so as soon as The Shivas set was over, I went upstairs to the Doug Fir's diner and ate some vegetarian chili and black coffee, the breakfast of champions.  The people at the next table looked familiar, and I quickly realized it was The Shiva's drummer with what I assume were her parents, and they were soon joined by the rest of the band.

After breakfast, the next band up was Georgia's own Washed Out.  Not seeing any sign of the KEXP photo nazi around, I resumed taking my own pictures (without flash, of course, in accordance with the sign by the entrance).

We previously saw Washed Out just the weekend before at Bumbershoot, but that in no way diminished the enjoyment of seeing them again a week later.  In fact, in ways, it enhanced the enjoyment.

KEXP also posted a video of the entire Washed Out set for our second "Dude-I-Was-There" moment.

The third band of the day at The Doug Fir was Seattle's Beat Connection at 2:30 pm.

We also saw Beat Connection at Bumbershoot, coincidentally on the same day as Washed Out, but that in no way etc.

Beat Connection were kind enough to again bring along their three-piece Butternut Horns section.

After Beat Connection, North Carolina's The Love Language were scheduled to play at 4:30 pm.  However, since I had just seen The Love Language the day before at the totally awesome Day 3 Marmoset party, and since there would be a 90-minute wait until their set, and since I was still dragging butt not only from Day 3 but from the entire previous week of Bumbershoot and MFNW, I left the Doug Fir to eat a more substantial meal than chili and coffee, wash up, and get ready for the evening's performances at the Pioneer Courthouse Square, Portland's "Living Room."

I had missed the Pioneer Courthouse Square sets the day before, being as I was at the totally awesome Marmoset Party, which was probably just as well, as it rained and rained hard during that time.  Day 4, however, was getting noticably cooler, and, for the only day of the entire week up in the Pacific Northwest, I had to break out the hoodie that I had packed.

So as it turns out, the first Pioneer Courthouse Square performance of MFNW 2013 for me was a band, Haerts, of whom I had never heard.

They weren't bad at all but somehow never quite clicked with me.  I couldn't quite figure out what they were doing, or where their music was supposed to be taking us.  I subsequently came to realize that part of the reason for my lack of involvement was that I was watching the show from a comfortable but distant position on the steps way toward the back of the Square, back by the food and beer vendors and the more talkative element of the audience.  My sight line was unimpeded, but that distance tends to let one be easily distracted from the music, and without a familiar song or sound to hook me in and hold my attention, it wandered and I became disaffected.  So what I'm trying to say here, Haerts, is that it wasn't you, it was me.

About those "Long Live Oregonians" signs around the stage.  At first, I thought it was just some sort of provincialism ("Hurray for us!) but I later came to learn it was the slogan for Cover Oregon, which is the state-run health insurance exchange set up under the Affordable Care Act (aka, Obamacare).  Cover Oregon were one of the co-sponsors of the festivities to encourage young people to sign up for health insurance.  None of the well documented problems in accessing the federal insurance exchange web site affected Oregon, as they were among the handful of states with the wisdom to take the initiative and set up their own exchange, as encouraged by the ACA. In fact, I've read that a full 10% of the Oregonian uninsured got coverage on the first day of eligibility.  But I digress and don't want to bother the gentle reader with reminders of political realities (meaning, that's exactly what I'm trying to do).  

After Heaerts, the next band up was Baltimore's Dan Deacon.

How to describe Dan Deacon?  His set was as much audience participation as it was artistic performance, and he encouraged the crowd to engage in barrier-breaking activities like turning around and waving at all of those people, like me, sitting on the steps toward the back of the Square.

Deacon himself performed not on the stage but down in the audience, removing yet another barrier, this time between performer and participant.

One fun feature of the set was an ersatz dance contest, wherein the dancers would randomly tag a spectator to indicate it was their turn to get up and dance to Deacon's zany electronic beats in the middle of the crowd. This meant that individuals had to spontaneously get up and do something, anything, creative and entertaining for the rest of the audience, often with very humorous results. 

I think the facial expressions of the two young women in the upper right of the picture below aptly capture the reaction of much of the audience.

After the dance contest, inhibitions were sufficiently broken down to allow just a general dance party.

After Dan Deacon, Animal Collective, another Baltimore band, headlined the Pioneer Courthouse Square set. 

We last saw Animal Collective at Atlanta's Tabernacle almost a year ago, although much of their set, including the stage design, were similar to that show last year.  That's nor a bad thing - Animal Collective put on a great show, and that night at Pioneer Courthouse Square was no exception.

However, due my distance from the stage and all of the distractions around me, it still wound up taking me nearly half of their set to finally get engaged and really appreciate their performance.  At the time, I blamed it on the sound system or on the band themselves, but I now realize it was all on me.

MFNW captured a scene from the Animal Collective set with the courthouse itself in the background, and used it as their "thank-you-and-farewell" message for the 2013 festival.  

That was the end of the Pioneer Courthouse Square sets, but that wasn't the end of the day.  After Animal Collective, I was hoping to make it across town to the club Branx to hear Wooden Indian Burial Ground, but I got there in time to hear only the last couple notes of the very last song of their set.  

No problem, because the main reason I wanted to go to Branx was to see the headliner, Portland's own Unknown Mortal Orchestra. 

Even though it was pretty chilly outside, it felt about 90 degrees inside Branx, a dark club that appeared to be illuminated by no more than two or three red, 40-watt light bulbs.  But regardless, UMO put on the best set I've heard from them, with guitarist Ruban Neilson unleashing some furious and intense guitar leads. The set felt like more of a statement about Neilson's place in the guitar-god pantheon than just another home-town concert.  Just incredible, incendiary stuff.

It's a long walk back from Branx to my hotel in NW Portland, but fortunately, Dante's, the club where I ended Day 1 (Redd Kross) and Day 2 (Murder By Death), was almost at the half-way point. Better still, as I passed, Ty Segall was playing, and I was able to flash my VIP wristband to the bouncer and walk right in past the people waiting outside in the "one leaves, one enters" stand-by line. 

An unexpected treat:  I had no idea that I was going to be able to fit this set into the day's schedule.

And that, after I walked the remaining distance back to my hotel after Segall's set, was Day 4.  Eight bands, including one of my favorites (Animal Collective), two Bumbershoot stand-outs revisited (Washed Out and Beat Connection), two new discoveries (The Shivas and Haerts), the inspired lunacy of Dan Deacon, a major statement from Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and a "surprise" (at least to me) set by Ty Segall.

Not a bad day at all.  And the rain had quit for the rest of the week.