This is a big weekend for Saxapahaw! They are hosting the annual Redbud Festival and there will be bluegrass music and other events from Thursday until Sunday. It should be one helluva hoedown.
Come on out if you want to bid on a farm tractor or if you want to hear some bluegrass!!
In case you didn’t already know, a giant wave of electronic music is about to crash into Chapel Hill. Next weekend (April 7 & 8, 2006), Uzi, Ben, TJ and a bunch of other coolies will be hosting signalfest — The Southeast Electronic Music Festival.
Tickets are only $30 (not $25 as previously stated) for a two-day pass or you can buy tickets to each show/venue individually. However, since the biggest lightswitch rave event (which will be held at Penang) costs $20, you might as well get a weekend pass and see everything you can. I hope to see you there.
For some reason, my newly upgraded wordpress 2.0.2 is showing “No Comments” when indeed there are comments. I have searched the WP Codex and google, but have not found anything useful about this bug. If you know a fix, please let me know. Thanks!
Considering the number of great rock bands that have broken up or otherwise imploded in recent years, it is easy to conceive how Doug Martsch and his little group from Idaho could usurp the Indie throne and become the guiding force of real rock music in 2005. Built to Spill has definitely been one of the consistently spectacular touring rock acts to catch over the past decade or so. (Well, if you could get a ticket before they sold out to rabid local fans and loyal tour followers.)
They played here on Thursday May 19, 2005. I am so thankful to Doug and the gang for regularly visiting the Cat’s Cradle here in downtown Carrboro. Needless to say, I had a blast! And it was an opportunity to test out the new camera in low light club settings. Some of the shots turned out really well. And the others are “artsy.”
Click to see the concert picture gallery
So I have come to realize that I just don’t have the time (or energy or dedication) to be a hardcore daily blogger. That’s okay. I never wanted to be a nerd on that grand of scale anyway. I wish I could just post directly from my brain and not have to waste time using a keyboard or searching for old links or whatever. Then again, you might be a bit terrified if I were posting direct via cerebral cortex. Ahhh… We can always dream, can’t we?
I want to see this movie, like, so bad. Even if some big wig movie execs want to squash it. Well, actually because big wig movie execs want to squash it. Stealing Innocence sounds like the kind of movie we should all be watching these days.
I happened upon the movie link while browsing Nina Gordon’s website. If you’re old enough to remember Veruca Salt (the rock band, not the fantasy character) then you may know who Nina is. I haven’t heard her solo record, but now that I know it exists I will be looking for it in my local record shop. Regardless, she offers some sound clips on her site and even a cover version of the N.W.A classic “Straight Outta Compton.”
Okay, my little homies and homettes — Back to my ever increasing stack of books. Sunday is fer readin’.
I’ve been waiting patiently for at least six years hoping to see Sam Prekop after I became fully engrossed with his eponymous cd from 1999. Tonite at the Carrboro Artscenter I was not let down. Hypnotizing and gorgeous. From two guys with guitars.
And who knew that Carrboro’s cutest ghost girl/sushi waitress was in a band? Indeed, it was a pleasant surprise to see that Caroline made up one half of Shallow Be Thy Name. Quirky songs, made more-so by their stripped down acoustic performance. A show that was definitely worth the price of admission.
Why do all the crazy ones always have to be so attractive? Oy. I haven’t a clue what Kelly Osbourne’s music sounds like and frankly I don’t care. If I had to extrapolate from the insane behavior she displayed on her family’s MTV circus act, I imagine that her songs would terrify me. Regardless, this picture is so hot I had to put it on the page for posterity. Or something.
Imagine if Axl Rose had some musical talent. Actually, imagine if Axl Rose had a lot of musical talent and could play all the instruments in his band by himself.
Then imagine that his songbook went well beyond November Rain and Sweet Child O’ Mine. Like, into the realm of rap, funk, country, oldies, and 70′s rock. It’s almost too much to imagine isn’t it?
With that picture in mind, I give you McRorie. This dude wails.
To a large portion of folks who see this link/artist, it will be a joke. “Oh, look at that buffoon, totally out of style and out of touch. Aren’t we so much more interesting.” And I’ve got to admit, on first look, his act can be pretty funny. But the more time you spend with McRorie, the more you realize how much of a screaming success this guy is. Sure, he may be ignored by a portion of the NYC/LAX promoter crowd, but this guy gets out there on stage every night (okay, I don’t know that he performs every night) and rocks his soul and those of his audience members for hours.
McRorie covers musical territory unlike many artists I’ve heard of. He can cover rap hits like “In Da Club” and “Bust A Move.” His range spans Old School (“The Message”) and New School (“Hey Ya”). He knows old time rock and roll, like Elvis’ “All Shook Up” and can swing right into a Kylie Minogue pop hit. McRorie ain’t afraid to perform moving ballads like “Imagine” or “What A Wonderful World,” yet can rock you to St. Louis and back with tunes from Judas Priest, The Doors and KISS. He has also built up a repertoire of original classics.
So, basically we’re all sitting around tapping on keyboards and laughing while this guy is out there living his dream. He gets to schedule the gigs he wants, play the music he wants and have rad personal style. Try pulling that off with your elastic waistband pants and Treo 650. McRorie is amazing and I’d love to see him perform live someday.
For those about to rock, McRorie, we salute you.
All I’m saying about this crap on a stick is that if you watch this video you will be changed forever. He thinks he is the Jesus, but instead he is only re-tah-ded.
THANK YOU DANYELE FOR THIS LIFE CURSE!
I have steadily avoided giving my personal info to the iTunes Music Store, in hopes of not starting a music-buying avalanche. Well, until tonight. They finally broke me.
That’s right. My first ITMS purchase was “The Emancipation of Mimi” by my girl Mariah. They were offering the whole album plus two bonus tracks for $9.99. What am I gonna do? I’m not made of stone!
Dan called me from New York a few days ago to tell me that he had just seen a promo poster for Mariah’s new album. His exact words were “She looks exactly like Beyonce.” I think Beyonce be tryin’ to look like Mariah.
Late today I received notice from Joey O that Lyrics Born would be performing at Duke Coffeehouse in just a few hours. Once I got my laundry chores done, I said “What the hell?” and was plopped into the center of the indie hip-hop vortex that is Durham. Thankfully, all of the Durmites refrained from stabbing me up long enough to enjoy the show. Lyrics Born definitely rocked the house and he seemed like a pretty chill guy (What up, Bay Area?), but the group that came on before him was smokin’. Heiruspecs reminded me a lot of the Roots and had some fly MCs. These guys were tight. I can’t wait to listen to the cds I picked up from them at the show.
Here is a picture of Joey O sayin’ “Heeeeeeeeyyyyyyy!” along with a roomful of college students. (I think I was actually the oldest person there. D’oh!)
After the show, we had an impromptu plik meetup at the Disappearing Bar. Thank goodness it didn’t disappear while we were inside.
Bottoms up from your favorite l337 IRC channel.
