Contributors: Grant Britt, Rick Cornell, Grayson Currin, Kathy Justice, Robbie Mackey, Chris Toenes
Thursday, August 31
The Vints, Pale Blue Dots, Slim’s
Nick Pyll and Kevin Wing of Raleigh’s acoustic-rock duo The Vints breathe new life into the somewhat washed-out category of the singer-songwriter genre. Pairing major chord constructions with the slightest hint of Deep South twang renders their collaborations as raw and earthy, and their dusty-throated voices follow suit. Here, unpolished works best: Added gloss would diminish the soulful honesty. Rowdy Nashville-based rockers The Pale Blue Dots share the stage and the down-home theme with a quirky combination of country maxims and dirty garage rock pulse. Free/10 p.m. —KJ
Friday, September 1
The New Heathens, Slim’s
The New Heathens’ Heathens Like Us is one of those from-out-of-nowhere (or, in this case, New York City) treats that makes it possible to keep the faith. They do some city-street-level reporting a la Marah’s Kids in Philly, but they can also go heartland on you. The album’s opener sounds like “Maggie May” done NYC roots-rock style, and things close with a cover of Keith Christopher’s “For Cryin’ Out Loud.” Alleys and endless highways, early Rod and the Yayhoos–how can you go wrong? Free/10 p.m. –RC
A Rooster For the Masses, Proof, Swashbuckler, Kings
Borrowing from the tradition of D.C., Chicago and any other city where guitars are angry and drums beat you up, Raleigh’s Proof write songs that stare you dead in the eyes and dare you to utter the prefix “post-.” Rooster, on the other hand, can’t pull off a stoneface: pumping fists and bouncing legs. Not as serious, but just as impressive. 10 p.m. –RM
USAISAMONSTER, Cantwell, Gomez & Jordan, Clang Quartet, Boyzone, Nightlight
This league of pedal pushers hauls their gear right past the pitcher’s mound and out to far left field. USAISAMONSTER lugs hunks of frayed bass choogle through an ADD-addled forest of aggro-hunches and metal lurk. They’re one of noise base Load records’ more literal and direct shouters. Jump on the train of our local cadre of CG & J and the one-man Clang. Boyzone starts. $6/10 p.m. –CT
Snatches of Pink, Like a Love Affair, Brothers Grim, The Pour House
A strange bill: Chapel Hill’s Snatches of Pink turn sleaze into art–their 2006 monster, Love is Dead, is all dirty rock riffs, blaring horns, hoarse vocals and tambourine. Meanwhile, Raleigh’s Like A Love Affair land far from sleeze–working the familiar popcore blueprint set out by Jeresey boys Thursday or Taking Back Sunday. Raleigh’s Brothers Grim kicks country into hard-rock gear. $5-$7/ 10 p.m. –RM
Saturday, September 2
Will Hoge, Local 506
Mix the soul of Jeff Buckley with the bluster of the Black Crowes, add the Southern rock of The Georgia Satellites with the songwriting flair of Springsteen and turn up the heat. What pops out of the oven is the hardest-rocking Americana commercially available, wrapped up in a package called Will Hoge. With a touring schedule that Hoge himself calls “ridiculous,” he’s out to spread the word with a scorching live show that puts the magic back in rock. $10/9:30 p.m. –GB
Presidents of the United States of America, Moore Square Park
Parts of Presidents of the United States of America’s 2004 album, Love Everybody, portrayed frontman Chris Ballew as a part-time, poor-man’s version of Lifter Puller/Hold Steady songwriter Craig Finn, all obsessed with finding redemption by finding fucked-up situations and laying them straight down on the brotherly love line. It worked, but PUSA’s bread and butter is still the kitsch-heavy pop-punk that turned “Lump” and “Peaches” into quirky kid hits in 1995. If you’ve missed all of Raleigh Downtown Live, this one is worth making. Jason Adamo, Hobex, Terry Anderson & The Olympic Ass-Kickin’ Team, Mickey Mills and Denny Diamond open. Free/2 p.m. –GC
Comedy Nite, Nightlight
The bridge between Triangle music and comedy has extended substantially in the last few years, and this corral of comic relievers is proof positive. Look for the Rosebuds’ Kelly Crisp, Dave Bjorkback of Razzle and Torch Marauder, along with Trent Bowles, D.C. Nahm, and the ubiquitous Cy Rawls to bring the funny. Of course there’s music, too: hip hop from Crash and Mas. 10 p.m. –CT
Death & Taxes, Wrenn Mangum, Kelley & the Cowboys, The Pour House
It’ll be a throwback Saturday night courtesy of the classic-sound bluegrass and country of Richmond, Va.’s Death & Taxes and Mount Airy’s Kelley & the Cowboys. Also on the bill is another Richmond-ite, Wrenn Mangum, who likes things a little rougher–as in the sounds of primal rockabilly. And, on an anagramic note, a band from, say, Austin or San Antonio should jump all over the name Death & Texas. Those with Raleigh Downtown Live stamps get in free. $6/10 p.m. –RC
Sunday, September 3
The Sammies, Birdmonster, Lincoln Theatre
Probably the most marketable rock band in Charlotte’s growing MoRisen stable, The Sammies deserve all of the anglophile comparisons to Franz Ferdinand and The Cure they get. But, unlike the dead archdukes, these four party-loving rural boys never seem pushy, and, unlike Robert Smith, they seem convinced that they’re not doing anything important. After all, they have a (fantastic) song about the Carolina Panthers: They’re just dudes playing well-primed, big-guitar rock ready for more than a garage. Californian tourmates Birdmonster fuel an angularity addiction, turning Walkmen thrust into a shambolic frenzy that threatens to fall apart with each measure. Luckily, it doesn’t. $7/8 p.m. –GC
Monday, September 4
Cheyenne Kimball, Cat’s Cradle
Cheyenne Kimball might just be the first legit product of the reality age: the 16-year-old Cali girl never saw a day of the ’80s, growing up online, swimming through Celebreality, and texting votes to FOX phone numbers since she was in a trainer. Then, of course, there’s her music career: jumpstarted by a win on NBC’s 2003 Idol-spinoff America’s Most Talented Kid, and later “revitalized” by one of those catapult-to-fame MTV reality series. At the ripe age of 16. Seriously, this girl is the voice of a new generation. Unfortunately that voice has a bunch of boring things to say. Ignore them and sing along to the pretty melodies. $10/7:30 p.m. –RM
Tuesday, September 5
Local Band/Local Beer, Tir Na Nog
Like you have anything better to do on Tuesday night. There are $2.50 pints of a featured local beer, free pint glasses to the first 100 folks who order a local brew after 7 p.m., and music from a local band: Genius. The weekly feature is co-sponsored by ACE Adventure Center and 100.7 The River–“Where It’s All About the Music.” Apparently, there’s room for beer, too. This week’s band is Just the Snare? by way of Chapel Hill and Durham. –RC
John Ralston, Carter Gaj, The Busy World, Local 506
Vagrant Records continues to struggle with its emo-versus-literati identity crisis: Bands like The Get-Up Kids, The Alkaline Trio and Dashboard Confessional put the label on the map, though their roster also boasts The Hold Steady, Paul Westerberg and, now, The Comas. Singer-songwriter John Ralston epitomized that conflict, as he can nail the lonely-man-in-a-room chill when he’s not over-emoting the whole deal. Carrboro’s Carter Gaj mixes The Beatles with The Beach Boys with Randy Newman with a smile-while-singing flair. Or maybe it’s pizzazz. Locals The Busy World headline. $7/9 p.m. –GC
Wednesday, September 6
The Supersuckers, Lincoln Theatre
The Supersuckers can bring the rock, as the young people are fond of saying, and they’ve brought it successfully and loudly for a helluva long time now. They also, as folks of my age and rootsy bent are fond of saying, can bring the country. With any luck, the newly renovated Lincoln Theatre will get a lot of both. Lead ‘sucker Eddie Spaghetti opens with help from Jordan Shapiro, so there might even be some astrograss in the house. $12-$15/8 p.m. –RC
Ward Williams, Steve Fiore, Local 506
Jump, Little Children is on hiatus, and bassist Ward Williams is taking a break from the alt.pop scene with his own self-titled experiments in string-based rock. The sound is magnetic: Haunting strings overlay acoustic riffs with swelling choruses to pack a heavy emotional punch, especially on “Better Days Are Yet to Come,” his empathetic ode to teenage suffering. $8/10 p.m. $8/10 p.m. –KJ
Cities, Gray Young, Reservoir
Reservoir’s quiet beauty lies in its ability to run a medium-sized show with a hefty lineup like this and sublimely just pass the hat or call it a benefit. With Cities able to lock into their big-sound vibe, this one could turn on the sprinklers at Al’s Car Wash next door. 10 p.m. –CT
