Shut up and dance! It’s a mantra chanted by generations of club floor denizens. As another phase of musicians embraces dancing as self-expression, rockers letting it all hang out, learning moves and taking inspiration from forebears, the quintet Out Hud, coming to Local 506 Tuesday, April 19, is proving itself acutely clever and distinct from […]
Chris Toenes
Posted inNews
Holland tunnels through again
Chapel Hill musician Michael Holland recently finished recording his follow-up to his Appalachian-influenced solo debut Bootlegger’s Dreams. Holland, with twin brother Mark, formed enigmatic blues-rock group Jennyanykind, producing their own work and other artists in their studio, Big John’s. This relationship with fellow musicians works well, as Holland elaborates: “Much of it was recorded with […]
Posted inNews
No neck, no blues, no problem
Shrouded in mystery thick as a monk’s cloak, the loose eight-piece collective known as No Neck Blues Band has been quietly honing their amalgamation of ethnic folk, psychedelia and performance-based improv. Their visit to the Nightlight on Sunday, April 3, is part of their first extensive tour in several years. Their headquarters in NYC, known […]
Posted inNews
in combinations
Always a crowd pleaser, Brave Combo mixes up styles with strong sections of polka, rock ‘n’ roll and Latin jazz in their signature sound. Their rich music embodies the tapestry of spirit in American culture. This Sunday night’s Cat’s Cradle show is also a fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and kicks off with locals […]
Posted inNews
Woody Sullender
“I was re-identifying with the vague notion of ‘Southernness’ at the same time that I was running into a certain impasse on the guitar. I don’t really play much ‘old-time’ banjo,” says Woody Sullender. The banjo’s metallic twang echoes through early American music, from hillbilly tunes to the country blues of Dock Boggs. Though the […]
Posted inNews
Duke Coffeehouse revival
Duke Coffeehouse is a nondescript brick structure located discreetly on East Campus and nestled among green cubes of grass, patches of trees and the more stately looking buildings for which Duke University is known. Hidden within is a storied past, kept behind its walls of eclectic murals depicting flying saucers, aliens and fantastical creatures. Who […]
Posted inNews
No more backsliding
Before he got delivered, Steve Howell was afflicted with honky-tonk-itis, backslid and mired in twang, looking for a way out. “I had gotten farther and farther from wanting to grab an electric guitar and take an amp and put it on ten,” he laughs about his antics with his former group the Backsliders. Although Howell […]
Posted inNews
in strong medicine
It’s Mardi Gras season, and how better to get some of that fiery New Orleans goodness in ya’ than courtesy of Dr. John ? The Night Tripper’s blend of soul and jazz stands alone, delivered in his gritty, Gulf Coast growl. Come see this unique songwriter in the ArtsCenter’s intimate space on Thursday, Feb. 10 […]
Posted inMusic
Still traveling the space waves
With its guiding lights in the great beyond, the Sun Ra Arkestra sails on by chris toenes Brilliant jazz innovator Sun Ra–given name: Sonny Blount–grew up around Birmingham, Ala., though he always claimed a more distant place of origin. His philosophy of being and nothingness included his descent from Saturn to teach through music. The […]
Posted inNews
Back to the Fold
Pop music fans in the Triangle know how to welcome a veteran player back to town. Ben Folds’ Thursday night, Jan. 27 appearance at Duke’s Page Auditorium sold out in less time than it takes him to slam out a chord on the old Steinway. After all, it’s been a few years since he’s had […]
