Show Review: Mutual Benefit with Al Riggs

Mutual Benefit at Local 506 on Feb. 4

For a Tuesday night, Local 506 was unusually packed. The night started out slowly with the quiet drones of Al Riggs. The band had no drummer, just Al and his guitarist. Two guitars, an acoustic and an electric, intertwined in a melodic fog that was accompanied by cutesy gestures like handclaps. The doodles on Al Rigg's guitars added a layer of quirkiness to his music that set an atmospheric mood of coziness already.

Next up, in the short lineup of the night, was the headliner Mutual Benefit. When I was just expecting a one-man band, six people walked out and began tuning their instruments, which included violins and two synths. The beginning of the first song started slow and calm and kept building with sound until it felt like something was about to break. And it did. Jordan Lee's humble and soft voice broke through all the sound and "Strong River," the opening track from Love's Crushing Diamond began.

Throughout the show,  Lee's onstage banter was quiet and awkward, with a twist of dark humor that kept everyone smiling. The six piece band did a remarkable job at maintaining a beautiful haze over the whole audience. All of the instrumentation ebbed and flowed in the most calm and airy way. I felt entranced by the delicate violin melodies winding themselves around the soft drums, glittery synths and slow guitars. And I honestly couldn't stop grinning the whole time.

Show Preview: Yuck w/ Alvvays, and Estrangers at Local 506

Yuck will be performing at Local 506 on
Feb. 12 along with Alvvays and Estrangers

Next Wednesday, February 12, Yuck is coming through the Triangle to Chapel Hill's Local 506, joined by Alvvays and Estrangers.

The night will kick off with hazy pop rock of Phuzz Records artist Estrangers. The five piece's most recent album, Season of 1000 Colors, came out June of last year. Their songs are fuzzy and easy to listen to, upbeat and lo-fi. They've made their rounds playing all over North Carolina, including playing alongside Spider Bags and The Beets at Hopscotch Music Festival.

Alvvays will continue the bouncy pop vibe with female fronted and harmonized vocals, guitar, and synth. Coming all the way from Toronto, they're fairly new to the game as a band, releasing their debut album later this year on Royal Mountain Records. With an incredibly promising lead-off single, "Adult Diversion," there's a slew of excitement abound for their forthcoming full-length. They've also got quite a bit of clout as individual musicians, lead vocalist Molly Rankin has a successful solo project and comes from a wildly successful family of folk musicians The Rankin Family. Alvvays  have also been part of some great bills, including Wintersleep and Hospitality, giving the band strong footing as a burgeoning indie pop act .

I'm pretty excited to finally see Yuck. Tracks from their 2011 self-titled album have been a staple on virtually any running playlist I've had since. Yuck's sophomore album Glow & Behold came out on Fat Possum last September, a little over 40 minutes in length and also marked the first album without former guitarist and vocalist Daniel Blumberg.The transition in sound is pretty noticeable, with the newer songs being smoother and more melody-based. It will be interesting to see how much of their first studio album they revisit and how it's carried out without Blumberg. The band is also working on an EP to come out this year, so expect some sneak peaks into new material.

Door are at 8:30 pm and the show starts at 9:00 pm. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. For more information about the show and venue, visit www.local506.com.

Show Preview: Mutual Benefit with Al Riggs

Mutual Benefit is performing at Local 506 on Feb. 4
Image courtesy of Pitchfork

Tuesday nights are good nights for shows that make you want to cry, so it's perfect that Mutual Benefit is playing a show on February 4th with Al Riggs. These two bands will take you on an emotional ride much less like a rollercoaster and more like a slow drive at dusk.

Al Riggs opens with songs that are reminiscent of Yo La Tengo's shoegazey drones. A North Carolina native, Al Riggs is a self described songwriter between Greensboro and Raleigh. Mixing electric guitar with acoustic and a lot of reverb. Al Riggs goes into intense psychedelic jams while maintaining grip on reality with sincere lyrics. 

Next, the headliner, Mutual Benefit will probably make you feel a lot of things at once including nostalgia, happiness sadness and everything in between. Mutual Benefit is the one-man project of Jordan Lee, but its not always a one-man band, just depends on his surroundings. His most recent album Love's Crushing Diamond is a folky, watery pop gem with songs taken from years of collaborating with friends. This album was one of the first bandcamp releases to be named Best New Music on Pitchfork which is quite a feat for a band that's been transient over the last couple of years, with Jordan Lee finally residing in Brooklyn, NY. Mutual Benefit is an absolute auditory treat that will leave you speechless and probably in a better place in your life.

The doors open at 8:00 PM and the show is set to start at 9:00. Tickets are $8 in advance and $9 at the door, you can purchase tickets at Local506.com

Show Review: Speedy Ortiz with Grass is Green and Blanko Basnet

I haven't been to the Local 506 in a while. As a Raleigh resident, the trek to Chapel Hill is doable, but easy to put out of mind if there's another show downtown here. That being said, I picked the coldest night in the midst of an epic polar vortex to return. The concert gods looked kindly upon me and blessed me with a parking spot right in front of the venue. It was soon after that I found out that 506 now has Tecate tallboys. You're welcome.

Blanko Basnet started off the night. The band features seasoned members of the local music scene, Joe Hall, Jeff Stickley, Brad Cook and Matt Peterson. Their personal experience shined through, working well and in sync, performing like they're not as fresh to the scene as they actually are. The beginning of their set drew out some qualities similar to older Modest Mouse tracks, a tad abrasive and raw while still being enjoyable. Their set seemed to drift from that center, and went into different arms of genres. With so much creative influence, it's expected that they haven't found a particular niche yet. Not that anything was unpleasant to hear, but a particular stream of sound for the band as a whole is still in its developing stages.

After checking out the recorded music of Grass is Green and reading some show reviews, I was stoked to see a high-energy punk set live. One guitarist was wearing a Hammer No More The Fingers shirt -- I love seeing bands support each other. They tuned, plugged in. The lead vocals/guitarist stepped up to the mic and in a flat, valley-girl-esque tone sarcastically announced the band. The songs rocked, the crowd head nodded in approval. Between songs there was little to no stage banter, creating bit of an awkward air with an open end for good-natured heckling from friends and drunks in the crowd. Grass is Green played a lot from their newest album, "Vacation Vinny (Exploding in Sound Records, 2014)," including songs aptly named "Another Song Called Supersoaker" (because there was already a song named supersoaker) and "Big Dog Tee Shirt Birthday Weekend" (it was one of the member's birthdays recently), as well as hitting a track off of their split 7" release "Split Dicks" that also features label mates Two Inch Astronaut. They had everyone laughing and having a good time, rocking out on stage and still being chill. They're a band I definitely want to keep on my radar and will keep listening to on bandcamp. 

And I just love Speedy Ortiz. Their 2013 release of Major Arcana was well-represented at the show, my favorites of which being "Pioneer Spine" and "MKVI." They also shared two new songs, including "American Horror" that is available for stream now via Entertainment Weekly. Besides digging all the songs they played, I really enjoyed the atmosphere they created. For example, lead singer and guitarist Sadie Dupuis would come off of flaming riffs and singing her heart out, then talk to the audience relaxed and friendly as if you were sharing a cigarette on the deck of a house party. Their performance didn't include any theatrics, just simply them sharing music that they obviously enjoy playing.  I was sure they'd do the annoying industry-standard "surprise" encore, as they all dispersed quickly after the last song, but that was it. Good, strong set. I look forward to catching them again. 

This show made me want to dive deeper into the Exploding in Sound catalog, which includes bands along the same sound, like PILE and Porches. That's one of the beauties of live music -- it always points you to more music. 

Show Preview: Saintseneca w/ LVLUP at Local 506

Saintseneca (website)
Clockwise from top r: Zac Little, Matthew O'Conke,
Steve Ciolek, Maryn Jones.

The last time Saintseneca made their way to our little triangle of the nation, I was supremely dejected to discover I had missed them. It was mid-2012 when I first heard their debut LP Last [spotify], and I have been listening to it, or at least tracks from it, a minimum of once a week since then. It came as some great relief, then, that Saintseneca would be back to North Carolina, and this time, not in Raleigh, but the Local 506, which is in walking distance from HQ. It was some cosmic gift: "You couldn't make it out, we'll bring them closer to you."

Accurately describing Saintseneca is problematic. No words, no matter how artfully crafted or presented, will correctly articulate their sound. They're a folk band, for sure, but a unique brand. Anchored by Zac Little's nasal voice and introspective lyricism, the band vacillates between high-energy DIY circuit inspired stomp and the traditionally flavored folk song, but with an ear for artful craftsmanship.

Their latest release Uppercutter, a single from their upcoming Anti- records debut, Dark Arc, sees them expanding on the production and arrangement of their songs, which is exciting. It's akin to giving a painter another box of paintbrushes and some new paints. While the core elements haven't changed, the presentation and craft are elevated.

The show opener, LVLUP, peals with a lofi 90's guitar rock vibe. Moving between heartfelt ballad-like tunes and heavily rhythmic, guitar-focused horsepower, these Brooklyn natives draw deep from the well of early indie-, alt-, and punk rock monoliths. Band members have specifically cited Superchunk and Pavement among their influences, as well as Jawbreaker and Lifetime, adding in a July 2012 interview, "I think it’s a given that all of us draw from bands like Modest Mouse and Built To Spill."

Saintseneca and LVLUP will be at the Local 506 Sunday, January 12th. Admission is $8 in advance and $10 at the door.

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Show Preview: Speedy Ortiz w/ Grass is Green and Blanko Basnet

Speedy Ortiz performs at Local 506
on January 7 w/ Grass is Green & Blanko Basnet

Speedy Ortiz, indie rock band hailing from the Massachusetts scene, will be supported by Exploding In Sound Records labelmates Grass is Green and Durham-based Blanko Basnet at Local 506 in Chapel Hill on Tuesday, January 7.

Blanko Basnet is a four-piece local super group, with Joe Hall and Jeff Stickley of Hammer No More the Fingers, Brad Cook of Megafaun, and Matt Peterson of Canine Heart Sounds.  The project became public last year, playing lots of Triangle-area shows with good turnouts. When I first saw them at Local Band Local Beer, I was caught off guard and immediately thought it was Hammer, but Blanko Basnet is taking the creative energies and blending together nicely without being too one-sided on sound.

Boston-based Grass is Green will be accompanying Speedy Ortiz on their two-month tour throughout the east coast. These guys sound like they'll be fun and loud live -- quick stops and starts, punk yells, and chaotic guitar blasting in front of fast drumming. Post punk with some experimental elements, their latest release is Vacation Vinny, out January 14 on Exploding in Sound. It's messy without looking lazy and has good momentum without looking predictable. Their rap sheet includes opening for bands like Tera Melos, ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, and Joe Lally of Fugazi.

I didn't come across Speedy Ortiz myself until their July 2013 of Major Arcana on Carpark Records. The album got great reviews across the board and major airplay in the college radio market, and was one of my favorite releases from last year. Reminiscent of the Breeders, Speedy Ortiz opened for the 90s rock band at CMJ this past year and continue to grow acclaim. It'd be my bet they will have a prominent role in the summer festivals, so all the more reason to catch them at an intimate club like 506 before you can't anymore.

Doors are at 8:00 pm and the show starts at 9:00 pm. Tickets are $7.00 and entry does require membership to the club. For more information, visit local506.com.

Show Preview: Brazos w/ Ski Lodge & Cat Be Damned

Brazos performs at Local 506 on Saturday, Dec. 14
w/ Ski Lodge and Cat Be Damned

Another week, another internal struggle of "how the hell do I go to see all of these shows?" It's become a bit of a regular strife here in the Triangle, especially when you've got to choose between stellar locals and a regularly rotating cast of touring acts. One of this weekend's standout shows combines a bit of both, bringing Austin, Tex. based Brazos to the Local 506 along with Ski Lodge and local indie folk-rockers Cat Be Damned.

Brazos' most recent full-length Salt Water was one of the sleeper albums of the year. You may not find it on a slew of year-end lists, but it's a damn shame that you won't. Salt Water was released back in May on Dead Oceans and is washed in moments of blissful musical release. Songwriter Martin Crane crafts immersive art-pop album that feels like an enriching journey through one man's innermost thoughts. Pulsing guitar riffs are countered brilliantly by wispy, slow-brooding ballads that bounce along with a steady determination.

Ski Lodge brings along bright, cheerful indie pop as well, but strays further away from the melodic tendencies that Brazos does. Ski Lodge is the rhythmically focused counterpoint to Brazos, while Martin Crane builds his intricate tracks around his lush melodies, Ski Lodge's tracks are all abound with toe-tapping and head-bobbing rhythms that beckons for a sun-soaked summer day. Shimmering guitar lines and simplistic drum beats may define the vibes of these tracks, but songwriter Andrew Marr fills these songs with darker, introspective lyrics to make for an interesting dichotomy between the elements that make up these songs. Half of you wants to unwaveringly bounce along to the cheerful rhythms, but your head gets lost in the deeply personal lyricism.

Opening up the evening will be local act Cat Be Damned, well sort of local. Though the members are split throughout Virginia and North Carolina, Cat Be Damned has found quite the niche for themselves within the area. Lately the band has been frequenting house shows throughout the Triangle, but their first show at the Local 506 hopes to give the band a bit more acclaim. Songwriter Erik Phillips draws melodic tendencies from acts like Modest Mouse and Built To Spill, eliciting reminders of early-90s indie rock under the veil of dynamic folk-rock sounds. These jangly tunes fit quaintly in between the lines of lyrically focused folk rock and aggressive college rock. Cat Be Damned is an excellent reason to make it out to the 506 early for this fantastic night of music.

Tickets for the show are available at Local 506's website. The doors open at 8:30 pm and the show starts at 9:00 pm. Admission is $8 in advance, $9 at the door.

Some Army releases 7" self-titled debut

Some Army will be releasing their self-titled 7" @ Local 506
on Friday January 13, 2012 w/ Fan Modine & Prypat

With a show coming up with Fan Modine at Local 506 on Friday night you've got no reason to not go check out what has to potential be one of 2012's most promising local acts.  Some Army is a six piece band comprised of members of Honored Guests, Aminal, and JKutchma led by songwriter Russel Bagget of Honored Guests.

Bagget's soothing vocals serve as the perfect compliment to the ethereal sounds of Some Army's instrumentation.  It's slow brewing psychedelic rock music with brilliant melodies that give it a bit of a folk/pop twist to make for an incredibly interesting listening experience.

Around The Triangle: Liam Finn, MC Chris, Driftwood, & Frontier Ruckus

Liam Finn @ The Casbah on October 17, 2011

The Triangle has been insanely busy over these past few months and it only appears to be getting better.  Between the upgrades to The Cat's Cradle leading to a larger capacity, Haw River Ballroom pulling increasingly incredible acts (Stephen Malkmus at the beginning of October and an awesome bill for November 11 with Megafaun and The Bowerbirds), and consistently strong bills from Kings, Local 506, and other small local spots, it's been week after week full of incredible acts stopping through the area.  This past week alone was filled with shows for our photographer, Agatha Donkar, Liam Finn at The Casbah, MC Chris at The Cat's Cradle, and Frontier Ruckus at Local 506 just to name a few.  Also included after the jump is our most recent Bottom String Session (BSS #13) from Shakori Hills with Driftwood, an incredible rootsy folk band from Binghamton, NY.  Coming with next week's Around The Triangle will be BSS #14 with Emily Stewart & The Baby Teeth of Greensboro, NC