Show Preview: Manchester Orchestra w/ The Front Bottoms & O'Brother

Manchester Orchestra will perform at Cat's Cradle
on Saturday, Nov. 9 with The Front Bottoms & O'Brother

Rarely does a band strike me the way that Manchester Orchestra does, so needless to say anytime I get the chance to see these guys display their poignant brand of indie rock I jump all over it. They've come a long way from touring the southeast with former local standouts like The Never and Annuals, now they're performing at House of Blues' and hosting their own festival in Atlanta, but whenever they stop through at Cat's Cradle it's always a momentous affair. Manchester Orchestra has been off the road for some time now, working on new music for a forthcoming album and generally catching up on some presumably much needed rest from a constantly hectic tour schedule. However, this Saturday is going to be one of those truly special nights that acts like Manchester Orchestra are only capable of. Joined by former labelmates O'Brother and The Front Bottoms, Cat's Cradle is slated for a night filled with aggressively emotive rock ranging from head-banging ambient heavy rock to introspective indie rock anthems.

O'Brother will start off the evening with the equivalent of a musical kick in the teeth. These guys started out as an experimental indie rock outfit from Atlanta and have gradually morphed into an ambient take on hard-rock that still harkens back to their ethereal beginnings. This Sriracha loving band of musicians knows how to play into the ebb and flow of dynamics, one minute vocalist Tanner Merritt is crooning over a gently picked guitar line and the next you've got the Dang brothers flinging their long black hair around as your eardrums begin screaming out in sweet, sweet pain. They take the heavy-quiet-heavy dynamic and run it over with their barreling wall of sound, choosing to craft their own sense of sonic structure rather than fill in pre-determined molds.

If you're not already plagued with a bang-over from the guttural rock sounds of O'Brother then you'll probably find yourself bouncing and bobbing to the infectious sounds of The Front Bottoms. While many may label the band as a pop-punk leaning outfit, there's much more sincerity and diversity within this group to write them off as such. While some songs may follow simplistic structures, it doesn't take long to realize that The Front Bottoms are about as gritty and inclusive as one could hope for. "Who am I kidding, I can't get past you" belts vocalist Brian Sella on "Skeleton," a track from their latest album Talon of the Hawk. "You are the cops, you are my student loans." There's no filter here, just unapologetic indie rock with punk leanings. So frankly they'll serve as a perfect opener for a band as sincere and boisterous as Manchester Orchestra.

Manchester will surely expend every fiber of energy possible for this set, hell I've seen the band play for nearly two hours before at the Cradle. Their shows are communal in every since of the word, much like The Front Bottoms' and O'Brothers' shows. Fans aren't just fans, they're die hards. Words are shouted back, emotions are palpable. These songs are more than just words for these fans, they're places in time that can't be replaced. I'll never forget shouting along to "Golden Ticket" at the now defunct Soapbox in Wilmington, clasped to a railing whilst silently praying that the buckling floor doesn't break beneath the weight of hundreds of Manchester die hards. Now the band will surely fill out the bulk of Cat's Cradle, much like they have in previous years. But this renovated Cat's Cradle hasn't seen Manchester before, much like we've all yet to see what sort of new songs Manchester has in store for us. It's going to be an incredible night of music punctuated by powerful performances from every act on the bill. It's hard to recall when I was this excited for a single bill, but all I know is that Saturday night will surely be one of the standout shows of the year for me.




Doors will open at 7:30 and the show will begin at 8:30. Tickets are $17 in advance and $20 at the door. Tickets are available at CatsCradle.com

Show Preview: And So I Watch You From Afar, TTNG, Mylets

And So I Watched You From Afar will perform at
Kings Barcade on Nov. 5

Sargent House, a Los Angeles-based management company and record label, is hosting a tour coming to Kings on Tuesday night showcasing three of their artists. And So I Watch You From Afar (ASIWYFA) will co-headline this show with TTNG (formerly This Town Needs Guns), each playing full sets, with Mylets opening. The label is also known for artists such as Russian Circles, Tera Melos, Red Sparrowes, Boris and Bosnian Rainbows.

Mylets is Henry Kohen’s one-man project, self-described as loop rock. Aggressive vocals lay over mixtures of acoustic and electric drums and guitar. Chances are, if you’re a fan of either of the headliners, you’ll dig Mylets. He’s orchestrated a full rock band sound, and watching him create it live should be interesting. Mylets will record and release his Sargent House debut full length next year.
Math/prog-rock trio TTNG hails from the United Kingdom, which translates to they don’t come through the area very often. They released their sophomore album 13.0.0.0.0 in January of this year, and received solid reviews from music critics at Consequence of Sound and Sputnikmusic. It also marked the transition to officially being called by their acronym, TTNG. If you haven’t checked them out yet, the sound is reminiscent of Minus the Bear and label mates Maps & Atlases, with nontraditional time signatures and impressive rhythm sections.

Irish instrumental rockers ASIWYFA return to the Triangle for another sure to be high-energy show. They also released an album this spring, All Hail Bright Futures, which strays slightly from the sans-lyric form the band has historically done, and delved a bit deeper into experimenting with new sounds and ways to achieve those sounds. While a lot of the set is likely to be drawn from this, expect to hear some old favorites, too, that the band may expand on live. Riff-driven, loud and experimental (one of All Hail’s songs features a strong guitar riff sung rather than played), the band is a fine-tuned machine that puts on a seamless and powerful show.

Doors open at 7:00 pm and the show will begin at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $13 in advance, available online at kingsbarcade.com, and $15 day-of at the door.  

Show Review: Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit

Pretty Lights

The (sort of) inaugural Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit was a weekend that proved to be every bit as memorable and exciting as I'd hoped it would be, which means that it met quite lofty expectations that I'd set. Three evenings filled with more electronic music than I usually see all year made for an exhausting weekend, but the diversity of the other acts peppering the lineup made the marathon of music a much more doable feat. Mountain Oasis proved itself to be an excellent representative of the current state of music, many of the acts were forward thinking electronic-based artists--whether that be bro-leaning dubstep icons, English house duos or psychedelically infused indie bands--but there were handfuls of iconic throwbacks that allowed festival goers the option of soaking in age-old nostalgia or entrenching themselves in skull-rattling bass.

Friday
The weekend started off an hour into the first night for me. I arrived shortly after 8:00 and just in time to trek through the costumed crowds that were hiking up towards the US Cellular Center and plop in front of the stage for Purity Ring. The Canadian duo has been on my list of must sees since Shrines was released in 2012. Though the act leans towards electronic-pop, the instrumental foundation is heavily ensconced in the world of bass-heavy hip-hop. Pounding low-ends were marked by shimmering vocal melodies and a percussively oriented light show. As Corin Roddick would accentuate his beats with bright synth lines, corresponding orbs of light would illuminate as they were struck with his drum sticks, making for an incredibly well put together stage presence. Megan James' haunting vocals lingered throughout the ExploreAsheville.com Arena and a sense of disappointment filled the air once fans realized that their set was over. However, that disappointment quickly dissipated once Deltron 3030 took the stage. While I've admittedly not delved too deep into Del The Funky Homosapien's discography, this Deltron set immediately drew me into the highly revered rapper. Deltron is a hip-hop supergroup comprised of Del, producer Dan The Automater, and prolific DJ Kid Koala, but that's not the main draw of this high-energy hip-hop show. While it was fantastic to see Del and the crew pull out favorites like Gorillaz' "Clint Eastwood," the real highlight of this performance was the massive orchestration that backed this sci-fi hip-hop narrative. Swelling strings and soaring horns blended with bass and electric guitars to make for a unique and compelling live hip-hop set-up. It's always a crapshoot when you're stepping into a live hip-hop set-up, it could easily be a blasé affair with a strong lack of personality, but Deltron 3030 turned all expectations upside down and provided one of the most exciting sets of the weekend.

Ears To The Ground: "St. Gloria" by Wild Fur

"St. Gloria" is the second track released by Wild Fur,
the new project from Wylie Hunter and Nick Jaeger

Lots of bands have gotten swept up into the electronic craze, but understandably so. Guitar music has been slowly phasing itself out of our world, arguably ever since Kid A dropped over a decade ago. Many claim that electronic music is the future--which may be true--but the musicians that are currently standing out have found the perfect way to blend electronic styling with those guitar driven rock tunes that have defined our era for so long.

Enter Wild Fur. Wild Fur is the new project from Wylie Hunter of Wylie Hunter and the Cazadores and Nick Jaeger of various local acts like The Tomahawks, Max Indian and Roman Candle. The songs took form earlier this year as Hunter was writing, but he quickly found that they wouldn't fit in with the Cazadores' style. Quite frankly they don't fit in with many pre-disposed styles, Wild Fur's sound is akin to an experimental Americana act that hasn't quite decided which end of the spectrum to fall on. Instead they choose to fill songs with whirring synth lines, minimalistic percussion and distorted guitars that somehow coalesce to form a sound thats simultaneously fresh and vintage.

Back in October Wild Fur debuted their first track "Keep The Band" on Speakers in Code, a wonderful blog based out of St. Louis that frequent Bottom String photographer Agatha Donkar shoots for. Shortly after that Wylie approached me to ask if I'd want to debut "St. Gloria," the band's second single. At this point I'd already listened to "Keep The Band" at least five times and was transfixed in the new direction that Hunter had taken his music. Wild Fur retains much of the rustic qualities that made The Cazadores so lovable and relatable, but delves into an exciting new territory that expands into the far reaches of the Southern aesthetic.

"St. Gloria" is a rambling, ambitious track that paints the picture of a head strong young woman named Gloria defined by late nights, red dresses and hidden scars. She's a rambunctious type that lives for the day whilst flippantly "burning bridges," but the narrator beckons for her to take down the veil before those surrounding her realize she's not the person she seems to be.

Be on the lookout for more new tunes from this promising act comprised of local favorites, because if the new tracks are anything like these past two songs then they're sure to be brilliant bursts of innovative sonic exploration.

Show Preview: King Khan and the Shrines w/ Hellshovel and Black Zinfandel

• 

  King Khan and the Shrines perform at Motorco
  in Durham, NC on Saturday, Nov. 2.
  Preview by Anastassia Olegovna

  Trying to identify King Khan and the Shrines in a certain genre is nearly impossible. Trying to identify who they even are is almost as difficult, but thanks to the Internet for no longer concealing the identities of anyone, King Khan is Canadian-born Arish Ahmad Khan. King Khan and the Shrines have been around since 1999 and if you’ve never seen them before and know very little about the state of their shows, you might find yourself going through a bit of a religious awakening. The two opening bands for this riotous party of a show, on Nov. 2 at Motorco Music Hall in Durham, are Hellshovel and Black Zinfandel--two bands that fit the bill perfectly. Hellshovel will start you off with a psyched out set of songs that sound like they are underwater. This Montreal band is signed to Slovenly Records, home of garage bands like Paint Fumes, Acid Baby Jesus, and Bazooka. Next is a local gem, Black Zinfandel, a band that is proving to be one of the most essential Raleigh garage bands. Fronted by Brian Cruse, Black Zinfandel has only been around for a short year but has become a favorite of the Triangle garage and punk scene, opening up for well established garage acts and playing a slew of their own headlining shows. Finally King Khan will blow you away into another dimension. Self-described as a “psychedelic soul band with a spectacle of a show”, a King Khan is a spiritual and ritual experience. A tarot-card reading magical guru, Khan has been at this for over ten years and with the release of his new album, “Idle No More”, he is a force of nature who will not stop bring the soul to garage.

Show Review: Shakori Hills Fall 2013

Paperhand Puppet Parade at Shakori Hills on
Saturday, Oct. 12

As another Shakori has passed I'm left here to ponder upon the Shakori's of yesterday. I feel as if every time I leave this festival I find myself saying, "that was easily the best Shakori yet." With each visit to the Pittsboro farmlands I walk away with a new band to delve into, countless stories to tell and a seemingly unescapable stench of campfire. But regardless of how many times I have to wash myself and my clothes to get that smell out of my nose, Shakori is always a festival that I will hold dear to my heart due to its sheer capacity to permeate joy. It's damn near impossible to walk around those campgrounds without a smile on your face, whether that be from the pile of duckfat tots you just far too swiftly consumed or the breathtaking music you just stumbled upon, there's always something to be glad about at Shakori.

This year I was particularly glad we weren't greeted with any heavy downpours as it has been wont to do. Most of the festival was characterized by gray fall days, a welcomed difference from the usual sporadic nature of the weekend. Maybe it's just because with each festival I become more prepared for nature's unforgiving ways, but this fall was easily one of the most carefree weekends I've spent at Shakori. Although there was a good bid of on-and-off rain when I arrived on Thursday afternoon it was just enough to cozy up under a tarp canopy and take in the sounds of the Meadow Stage as it poured into the woods.

Thursday
The Brand New Life opened the festival and it was as mesmerizing an experience as I'd remembered. The band is characterized by jaunting melodic changes to their jazz-based Afrobeat tunes and always serves as a brilliant display of some stunning musical talent. After The Brand New Life took the stage I was off to lend a hand with camp set-up, meaning I missed quite a bit of the early evening festivities. By the time I made it over to the Cabaret Tent to take in what I'd hoped to be Virgins Family Band, they'd already broken down but thankfully Driftwood was showing off their incredible folk songs on Carson's Grove stage so my heartache was briefly soothed. Morning Brigade came up next and served as a fantastic way to transition into Thursday night. The Cabaret Tent was moderately crowded for the band's set which consisted of grand displays of their rich melodies, powerful lyricism and compelling instrumentation.

Compa came up next and kicked the evening into the right late night direction. While my earlier sets had been filled with luscious folk music, Compa brought their vibrant rhythms to the Dance Tent and got the blood flowing as the night began to get chilly. I didn't stay for too much of Compa as they were playing multiple times throughout the weekend and DJ Bill Kelly was getting ready to take over Carson's Grove stage. Bill Kelly is a figurehead of the electronic dance scene in Miami, which is home to one of the largest electronic festivals in the country with Ultra. Bill Kelly slung a wide variety of dance tunes that brought thumping bass and roaring percussion to the otherwise serene farmlands. DJ Richard McVay was saved for another night though and I headed back to Camp Honeybadger for one of my many ridiculously cozy tent sleeps throughout the weekend.

Show Review: Father John Misty “Solo” with Kate Berlant

Comedian Kate Berlant opened the night for a steadily growing crowd. With an acoustic guitar in hand for the majority of her set, she would strum a few chords and go into built-up rants or observations of the moment, easily making the crowd laugh without her jokes being blatant.

There’s something to say for comics who are genuinely funny, in the sense that they can just talk, like you would to a friend at a bar over a whiskey on the rocks. Berlant didn’t have the stereotypical joke-punchline routine, it was more along the lines of storytelling and critiquing. Her sarcasm and general antics were believable and got consistent laughs from the crowd. Personally, I’m not one who will watch Saturday Night Live or go to comedy shows, but I enjoyed Berlant’s performance.

After talking a bit about the manufacturing business practices behind the obnoxiously popular rubber wristbands, she threw some of her own, reading “I Feel,” out to the audience who eagerly snapped them up. Increasingly personable as her set continued, she encouraged the crowd to talk with her after the show, tweet at her, and as she flipped her massive curly hair to one side, to take photos on phones, too.