This weeks schedule is another one that's busy, busy, busy. The weeks leading up to SXSW always shine bright for those who aren't able to trek all the way down to Austin, and this week shows how truly awesome the trickle down effects can be sometimes. This week also includes my first trip to the Triangle for a show since January (appalling right?) for the Sharon Van Etten show at Kings. Between Des Ark stopping through Chapel Hill with Pygmy Lush, the return of Sharon Van Etten to the Triangle, and a stop through at the 506 by local favorites The Love Language with Telekinesis, it's going to be another awesome week of live music with a little bit of something for everybody.
Show of the week:
Sharon Van Etten at Kings Barcade in Raleigh on March 11
Tuesday, March 8
Americans in France, Invisible Hand, Milagres, Naked Gods @ Nightlight in Chapel Hill, NC
$6
Americans in France are working towards their upcoming release of their new record "Crawling", released on April 6 by Odessa, and of course that means MORE SHOWS! Americans in France bring their unique sound to Nightlight and bring quite a few other awesome bands with them. Invisible Hand is based out of Charlottesville, VA and provides an interesting blend of garage pop and electronics that will be sure to fit right in with the rest of the bands playing out at Nightlight. Milagres are a fresh signing to Kill Rock Stars and will be putting out their new record this fall on the label. Another experimental pop group, but far different from Invisible Hand, they seem to have included much more of their influences into their music because you can find bits and pieces from plenty of different genres all lumped into one neat and always entertaining sound which can only be defined as Milagres. Then we've got Naked Gods, the eclectic mix of pop, punk, and prog based out of Boone, NC. They're a band that doesn't stick to their own niche, they seem to have infinite possibilities in terms of where they can go with their music. Definitely a band to keep your eye on.
Thursday, March 10
Des Ark w/ Pygmy Lush, Bellafea @ Nightlight in Chapel Hill, NC
$7
Yet another awesome show at Nightlight this week, and this one is one you definitely can't miss. Aimee Argote is one of the most unique performers to have come from the Triangle region, and you can find this through both versions of Des Ark, whether it be her stellar solo performances or as the rocking duo that will be playing with Pygmy Lush and other local favorite Bellafea. Every time Des Ark comes through the area, whether it be full band or just Aimee, I'd say theres no excuse to miss it. Des Ark is one of the beacons of hope in the female singer/songwriter field, pouring out raw emotions with every song and leaving the listener with a sense of connection because she's that intense. Plus you've got Pygmy Lush, who got their starts as a hardcore band but have evolved into something far more beautiful and brilliant than that. Throw in Bellafea, featuring Mount Moriah's Heather McEntire, and you've got a show that's got way too much awesome for its own good.
Cults w/ Small Black, Sun Airway @ Local 506 in Chapel Hill, NC
$10 in advance/ $12 at the door
Cults are one of the fastest rising bands on the scene, falling into a lump with the recent fad of lo-fi pop bands, but they feature sounds that let them stick out amongst the crowd of familiar sounds. They've added a bit more experimentation than other bands do, and they've got much more entertaining rhythms and melodies than your average "next big thing" pop band that seemed to be a dime a dozen in 2010. As we see this fad begin to die out and the less important bands begin to fade into obscurity, expect Cults to still reign supreme and continue to put out great music. This is a show worth checking out based on Cults alone!
Lonnie Walker w/ Dinosaur Feathers, Motel Motel @ Slim's in Raleigh, NC
A bill full of crowd pleasers is what you'll be getting tonight at Slim's. Lonnie Walker never fail to please the crowd with their anthemic songs about youth, love, and everything in between. Brian Corum's one of a kind jangle to his voice adds the finishing touch to the whole thing, not to mention the massive amounts of energy that the band brings to the stage. Lonnie Walker is joined by Dinosaur Feathers, former tour mates of the band, hailing from Baltimore, MD. Dinosaur Feathers are an experimental pop group that weave together excellent harmonies, beautiful melodies, and quite frankly leave the listener wow'ed and waiting anxiously for more. Dinosaur Feathers are one-of-a-kind in every sense of it, you'll be hard pressed to find a band making the same sounds as Dinosaur Feathers. Also along for the show is Motel Motel, indie rock standouts from Brooklyn who blend the sounds of Americana and modern indie music seamlessly, and the sound that they produce is an excellent one. These three one of a kind bands are going to bring one of the most exciting shows of the week to Slim's!
Friday, March 11
Sharon Van Etten w/ Ava Luna, The Tender Fruit @ Kings Barcade in Raleigh, NC
Presented by Hopscotch
$8 in advance/$10 day of
Sharon Van Etten blew me away at Trekky's day party last year at Hopscotch and I've been in love ever since. Sharon Van Etten has exactly what you're looking for in a singer-songwriter, accessibility, beautiful vocals, beautiful guitar work, and stories of love and loss. Sharon Van Etten is refreshing, because amongst the sea of same old same old female songwriters, Sharon has found a way to stick out like a sore thumb with her enchanting voice that leaves you hanging onto every word that she lets out so subtly and a knack for heartbreaking lyrics. Also featuring Sharon's tour mate Ava Luna, a band whose soaring harmonies and one of a kind rhythms find themselves in a sort of juxtaposition between soul and indie pop that will be sure to keep Kings crowd absolutely enthralled. Not to mention Carrboro's The Tender Fruit will also be opening as well. The Tender Fruit is Christy Smith, who has been featured on tracks with Megafaun, Bon Iver, and Nola. The Tender Fruit brings a fresh Americana sound that rings out strong on her album "Flotsam & Krill", an album who also had a bit of help from members of Megafaun and Bon Iver. Between the beautiful sounds of Sharon Van Etten, the massive harmonies of Ava Luna, and the raw, rustic vocals of The Tender Fruit, Kings will definitely be the place to be this Friday night!
Saturday, March 12
E-S Guthrie w/ Seth Smith @ Trent River Coffee Company in New Bern, NC
$5
Eric Scott Guthrie is a former member of The New Familiars who is now blazing his own trails as a singer-songwriter, and is doing quite well might I add. Having a CMJ showcase under his belt, E-S Guthrie is starting to pick up steam by constantly playing shows and opening up his deeply personal and heartfelt music to the audiences. His motivation and drive combined with his sheer talent makes for a force to be reckoned with in the NC music scene, and one that I'm giving my stamp of approval to. Also playing is local musician Seth Smith of the Hot Buttered Grits, the jazz-folk-jam band that's been rocking New Bern and it's surrounding areas since 2005. The little ol' New Bern scene is going to keep on thriving as long as we've got our say in it!
Sunday, March 13
The Love Language w/ Telekinesis @ Local 506 in Chapel Hill, NC
The Love Language are a band that's exploded over the past year, and rightfully so. The Love Language is one of the most promising acts in the state, holding the #1 spot on The Bottom String's Top 10 albums of 2010. The Love Language team up with their Merge Records label mates Telekinesis while on tour and this show at the Local 506 is one that's going to tear the roof off. The show is already sold out, and when you hear just how talented both of these bands are there is no wonder why. The Love Language produces pop gold tinged with the feelings of nostalgia, it's the perfect soundtrack to a warm day with the windows down in a speeding car. Telekinesis just put out their second record, 12 Desperate Straight Lines (check out our review of it here), one that takes a darker approach with a surprisingly light sound. These two indie-pop powerhouses are going to leave every member of the 506 crowd wowed, mark my words.
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