Show of the Month
The Black Lips / Deerhunter / Snowden /
The Selmanaires
Variety Playhouse
Atlanta, GA
November 30, 2007
Stomp and Stammer‘s sold-out 11th birthday celebration began early when The Selmanaires took the stage at the Variety Playhouse. Playing a setlist in their recent tradition, the foursome began their show with songs in the
order of their new album, The Air Salesmen, released last month on Atlanta’s own International Hits. Opening with “Broken Mirrors in the Mud,” the band continued through many of the record’s tracks, taking breaks for older material like the mandatory “Selmanaire Rock.”
The show was a bit souped up, incorporating an elaborate light display and rehearsed transitions between songs. The band’s physical setup stayed the same throughout the set, with the notable exception of Jason Harris lead-singing from behind his drum kit at the rear of the stage during one number. Using world music-inspired alternative percussion, the band executed their post-new wave rock songs cleanly with call-and-response vocals, high energy and confident grooves.
Next, Atlanta legends Snowden played favorites from their 2006 release Anti-Anti, including the album’s title track and “Like Bullets.” They also featured a good handful of new songs the band is readying for their next record. The fuzzy guitars, punchy, elaborate drumming and dark bass the group is known for pervaded, echoing half-tortured, half-euphoric. Bassist Corinne Lee was the most entertaining on-stage presence, bucking and stomping though the set, while frontman Jordan Jeffares kept it personal and low-key in front of the microphone. The crowd approached capacity as the band opened with “Black Eyes,” while three of the four members sang, switched instruments and alternately wielded drumsticks and bass guitars.
After Snowden, Deerhunter emerged from behind closed curtains. Doused in black lights and dripping with reverb, the band filled every corner of the Variety with their psychedelic effects and dominant chords. Songs transitioned seamlessly as the band switched tempos without warning behind Bradford Cox’s star-shaped tambourine. This was Deerhunter’s last show in Atlanta before they went on indefinite hiatus, following the whirlwind year of 2007 that erupted from their release of Cryptograms and amidst rumors of animosity inspired by Cox’s possible overblogging habits. This set drew to a close with a bit of drama, as bassist Josh Fauver, after apparently struggling with the Variety Playhouse’s sound the whole time, threw down his pick, gestured obscenely at the sound technician to the right of the stage and stormed off, presumably before his duties were finished. “We’re going on hiatus,” Cox told the audience listlessly before leaving the stage. “See you in a few years.”
Concluding the festivities, breakout artists Black Lips took the stage to thunderous applause and began the type of manic show they’re known for. Crowd-surfing and beer-spraying commenced almost immediately as they played a set full of favorites from last year’s release, Good Bad Not Evil out on Vice Records. The evening’s rendition of “Veni Vidi Vici” was a notable break in the up-tempo frenzy, inspiring the sort of feverish groove that, though slower, kept up with the energy of songs like “Katrina” and “Cold Hands.” Taking turns on lead vocals, and with members sporting wigs and fake teeth grills, these four brought the evening to a thundering close.
-Review by Julia Reidy; photo by Steven Rodgers
Next to Last Festival
Bogart, GA
December 8, 2007
On the opening day of the Athens’ Next to Last Festival, the weather was unseasonably (if not scarily) warm, with nearly everyone was clad in shirtsleeves. Upon entering the site, a beautiful field surrounded by pines, one could not help but be impressed by how well-organized things appeared, from the array of recycling containers to the row of portajohns to the dudes from DARC (Downtown Athens Recording Studios) manning the soundboard.
The lineup of the festival was exceptionally inclusive, and one that should be replicated. All genres of indie rock and hip-hop were there by way of bands from all over the country like Indianapolis’ Grampall Jookabox, California’s The Liz Janes and Los Angeles’ electronic artist Daedalus. And that was just on Saturday.
Unfortunately, people were unsure of how close the location was to Athens and an uncertain forecast was calling for some intimidating weather. And at least on the opening day, the festival lacked attendees, for a variety of reasons. Paper Tanks climbed onto stage in fragments. Lone man standing Adam Bewley announced “One of our members is flying cross country to get to this festival and probably won’t make it and the other one has to work, so there’s just me.” Bewley performed a few slow rock numbers solo with heavily reverbed guitar and vocals.
Daniel Clay was a no-show onstage, so Athens’ T-Nebula Productions (Ben, Bear and DJ Killacut) assumed the stage next, Bear opening with a self-deprecating sally referring to the rickity stage “Normally I move around a lot. I’m a big boy.” However, that didn’t keep him and vocalist Ben Stevens from dancing as they delivered a set backed by DJ Killacut that included “This Is Love” and “Fire” with Bear rapping, Stevens’ rich voice providing backing harmonies contagious enough to even get some stiff indie rockers grooving, alternating the rap with some of Stevens’ R&B compositions. After their set, Killakut spun a brief set of old school and new hip-hop.
Next up was former Athenian Geoff Reacher with an idiosyncratic collection of country infused guitar arrangements augmented with electronics. His clear tenor sometimes morphed into a pretty falsetto as he sang the chorus from “Look Me in the Eye,” “I love you babe / That’s what I do / Look me in the eye / And tell me it’s not true,” an infectious tune of one predominately mesmerizing hook over sequenced beats.
As the sun set and twilight fell, three-piece Hope for Agoldensummer assumed the stage, featuring sisters Page and Claire Campbell and Deb Davis on guitar, the sisters trading throaty vocals and harmonies over their sparse folk-infused arrangements. At times, their songs were punctuated by the woeful wail of the train’s whistle, a perfect accompaniment to the mournful melodies, which carried us out of the festival and down the road. Sad to leave, but, like the rest of Athens, with way to much to do.
-Review & photo by Deirdre Sayre
Thunderlip
The Soapbox
Wilmington, NC
November 18, 2007
Thunderlip lead singer Chuck Krueger joked into the microphone during the band’s line check, “Anyone want to play bass?” A few minutes later, Krueger went to the bar downstairs and returned with bassist Kenny Ells, beer in hand.
The band opened with “Backseat Bedlam,” a roaring song complete with ascending vocals coupled with symphonic and, at times, pounding guitar riffs. The majority of the set was comprised of new material from their sophomore release The Prophecy.
Throughout the night, guitarist James Yopp played fast and ferocious; his head thrashing up and down, jet-black hair covering his face like an oil-soaked mane. He played determined, as if trying to jam the music down people’s throats. Yopp led a relentless charge during the set, giving new songs “Denim Destiny” and “Loose” added fury.
The band played tighter than ever, all cylinders firing, exploding with the new material and adding maturity to older songs “Skeletons Tonight” and the Sabbath-tinged “Evil on Two Legs.” Guitarist John Manning sang smooth back-up vocals on “The Prophecy 1 and 2,” specifically on the break, “Come on little mama let me take you home / I feel I’ll show you my love is strong.”
Krueger introduced “Pooler,” a song about Thunderlip’s van breaking down in Georgia. “This is a new song,” Krueger said, “We’ve never played it live before.” Its psychedelic feel  and drawn out vocals made it a swift number, like driving over 100 mph. The new song displayed a different direction for a band known for the singer’s unpredictable stage antics and the band’s fresh take on ‘70s hard rock and early ‘80s metal.
Krueger performed like a man possessed by the music, consumed by what the band was churning out. He crashed against the wall, collapsed onstage, sampled from the crowd’s PBRs and mixed drinks and playfully mock trembled at the musical energy of his band. During songs Krueger bounced off Ells as the bassist plowed from drummer Johnny Collins’ drum kit to the front of the stage where his bass guitar, like a huge sword, dipped into the audience. He and Krueger swirled around one another throughout the night. During “The Prophecy,” Krueger was in the crowd looking up at his band playing. Krueger’s singing and subtle theatrics made the show all the more enterprising. He engaged the audience while he befriended them. Fans at the lap of the stage mouthed the lyrics and occasionally Krueger would hand over the microphone and let them sing a verse or chorus.
The set showed Thunderlip channeling raw rock ‘n’ roll yet remaining a fan friendly band with Krueger leading the charge.
-Review & photo by Brian Tucker
Megaphone / Ambertone
The AKA Lounge
Orlando, FL
November 30, 2007
The AKA Lounge is not easy to find. While it’s part of downtown Orlando’s nightly club scene, it’s off on a side road, nestled on the second floor above a small cluster of clubs and art galleries, almost hidden behind an essentially unmarked door. It takes a second, much closer look at the door handle to see the Lounge’s name on the postage stamp sized sign.
Orlando-based Megaphone took the stage first with their melodic, hard-hitting rock. Aside from the music, one of the most lasting impressions of the band is lead vocalist and guitarist Matt Bloodwell and his distinctive guitar. It started out life as stripped down Gibson Explorer, to which everything was custom built — frets, hardware and electronics — then all topped off with a purple sparkle hot rod paint job.
The four-piece band, Matt Bloodwell (vocals, guitar), Paul Smith (guitar), James Woodrich (bass) and Scott Smith (drums), played a variety of songs from their CD, For Cryin’ Out Loud, including “Drama Queen,” “Stain” and Freak,” as well as some newer ones. The last song of their set, “Not Your Enemy,” was topped off with guitarist Paul Smith leaping into the air and making a perfect landing on the kick drum.
 Ambertone, another Orlando based four-piece band, closed out the night, carrying on with the melodic, hard rock theme. Guitarist Tom O’Keef not only entertained the crowd with his antics during set-up, but continued enthralling them with his high-energy stage performance along with the rest of the band, Greg Pontoni (vocals, guitar), Rick Dotchin (bass) and Ian Budha (drums), too bad it was O’Keef’s last night in the band.
Included in their set were their original songs, “Avarice,” “Where’s Your Faith” and “The Angels” as well as running Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” through an oily rock meat grinder. They closed out their set with “My Disaster” which brought their most zealous fans to the front of the stage banging right along with the band.
Both bands played adrenalin packed sets of powerful, melodic music accentuated by dual guitar assaults, much to the delight of the crowd. The only disappointment was that it ended too soon.
-Review & photo by Kat Coffin
Paleface
The Soapbox
Wilmington, NC
December 8, 2007
Paleface stepped onstage casually as if only checking things out, wearing a dark blue suit, white shirt and a shiny, light blue tie. Within seconds, and without announcement, he slipped on his acoustic guitar and began playing.
A crowd waited below the stage sitting on chairs and sofas, bathed in red light. Conversations dissipated once people realized Paleface had begun playing in his soft, whispery and unobtrusive tone. Their focus remained on Paleface and Monica Samalot (drums and vocals) for the remainder of the set.
Paleface’s performance was solid, easily winning over the crowd, even though the duo was still just feeling things out as their stripped down two-piece configuration. Paleface was confident yet anxious, turning to a stool between songs to switch out harmonicas. He was lightheartedly nervous but played like an old soul.
“Words of wisdom,” someone yelled from the floor as Paleface closes “Kick This Jam.”
“That’s what happens when you get kicked around a lot,” Paleface said. “You pick up a few nuggets.” He explained the song was an outtake that wound up on the new Paleface release A Different Story.
“Little by Little” was a highlight of the night, a bouncing ditty that embraced the crowd, making the band seem half their respective ages. Paleface’s performance escalated with each song, his energy level going up a notch. He bounced more, jumped more, oozing soul and kindness through the music. He looked and sounded like a young John Fogerty, sharing that high pitch on some songs and grounded in a graveled, soulful vocal delivery on others. Playing acoustic guitar and harmonica, the singer swung his head feverishly right to left, as if exorcising demons. At times songs were overly energetic, resembling folk played like punk rock.
Paleface’s deep and plaintive voice on “Brooklyn Girl” was abrasive and moving,
accompanied by finger picking on the guitar. He stood far from the microphone and his voice still rose high above the crowd. It seemed larger, echoing throughout the room with Samalot’s soft, cooing harmonies in the background. And the set still held a few surprises.
“This is the first song I ever wrote and it’s totally ridiculous,” Paleface explained. It was a spoken word rant, a string of words seemingly unrelated but entertaining. He gripped the microphone like a manic preacher, kneeling at the edge of the stage completely alive in the moment. The set closed with “Burn and Rob” a dark humored song goofing on the Judas Priest controversy of the mid ‘80s.
“I wasn’t going to play it because I didn’t want to offend anyone,” Paleface said. “But this guy kept asking.”
He sang the third chorus with growling delivery, “Burn and rob, Burn and rob, Rock and roll made me not believe in God.”
-Review & photo by Brian Tucker
Valient Thorr
The Soapbox
Wilmington, NC
November 18, 2007
Enough time has passed since the passing of James Brown that the moniker The Hardest Working Man in Show Business can be passed on down. Valient Thorr, given the members’ performances and constant touring schedule, makes them a shoe-in for the title.
A recent stop at The Soapbox in Wilmington, N.C. illustrated once again the band’s ability to rip a stage apart, unleashing relentless and meaningful hard rock. The show was nothing short of a musical bomb going off. The band’s grinding sound, interrupted by well-timed, punctuated breaks and hard driving guitar runs, was laced with social commentary by a lead singer, known as Valient Himself, who threw fire and brimstone with the fury of a Dust Bowl revivalist minister.
The band started by introducing a new song, one of three new songs played during the evening. One was “Parallel Daedulus,” which Valient Himself told the crowd was “about friends you haven’t seen in a while.” He called out his friend’s names and handed beers into the audience.
Two songs in, Himself stopped for a talk, something he’s known to do between numbers. He stalked the stage and testified to the crowd. He moved in short distances, panther-like, ending thoughts with scorched syllables. The mood was playful, yet sincere. He’s eager to turn up the heat but it’s Sunday and the weekend affords a more laid back night of kicking out the jams.
“Thank you for coming out. I know you could be home on Sunday night watching cartoons,” said Himself, “but you can Tivo it.”
That said, the band got right into “Heatseeker.” The guitarist, Eidan Thorr, played feverishly at stage right, plying guitar notes seemingly without effort and gripping the guitar like a machine gun. Bassist Dr. Professor Nitewolf Strangees stood tall and rocks back and forth, towering like Grendel with a mop of black curly hair at the lip of the stage.
Between songs there was a technical glitch and Himself asked about a guy from the last show they played at the Soapbox who got the Valient Thorr logo tattooed on his ass.
“Where’s the guy with the ass tattoo?” he said. Someone from the audience said he’s in Wilmington just not at the show tonight. “We got to get his phone number. Catch up after the show.”
The remainder of the show continually built with tension, climbing and climbing without any foreseeable climax. They finished with material from Total Universe Man, songs whose funk metal bravado nearly shook the place apart, like holding tight as a car careens out of control. Beginning with “Hijackers” and “We Believe in Science,” the band wrapped up the show with “Tough Customer” for an exhausting finish.
-Review & photo by Brian Tucker
Heypenny / Speedsquare
The New French Bar
Asheville, NC
December 8, 2007
Asheville’s French Bar makes the transition from upscale cocktail lounge into slammed club with only a few steps of prep: move the tables, book a band, rock the house. It got a double serving on December 8 with a sets from Nashville based Heypenny and local duo Speedsquare.
Heypenny plays a kind of infectious pop-rock the excels at high energy moments. Songs are danceable at their peak, but the band’s ability to lower volume or pace without losing excitement is what draws a crowd. Although this was Heypenny’s first show in Asheville, there were still a few mouths singing along to older tunes. The Indian summer got music fans out of their houses and even dancing toward the stage.
There was no formal start to the show, instead Ben Elkins started Heypenny’s set on keys with a quiet version of “Old Man and the Bird.” “Brave” stepped up the intensity on stage, and out on the street where wandering locals stopped to nod in time. The song was a litmus test for new drummer Phil Grizzwold, who took to the older tune with a tight and hard-hitting kick. Working down to less manic songs, a quiet point was reached with “The Sheriff.” To build back up, songs from Heypenny’s first album Use These Spoons as well as new tunes were used. With an audience only a few feet away from the band, energy built in the room, getting Elkins off the keys to dance and start a call and response during “Cop Car.” They rounded off the set with “Parade” from Use These Spoons, something audience folk in the know had been waiting for.
Asheville locals Speedsquare pulled in the larger audience as expected, a crowd of fans excited for the inevitable party on a warm night. The Speedsquare stage setup is fairly iconic: Billy Sheeran is set up with a keyboard or console piano, facing straight ahead at drummer C. Scott’s kit. The on stage communication works as a catalyst to drag listeners into a groove that was practiced and consistent. The group opened announcing themselves in a manner almost opposite Heypenny, spelling out their own name in loud rhythmic yelps. Mid-set Sheeran Reached into his jazz cannon and hinted at “Blue Rhondo a la Turk”, only to disintegrate back into another jam. The end of the first set climaxed with another hint at Heypenny’s original “Parade,” which then evolved into Rage Against the Machine’s “Bulls on Parade.” It was good cover for Speedsquare, and the first time Heypenny got to hear their own song from another band.
-Review & photo by Matt Beale |
