Okay this week I’m actually getting the column out on Friday! It’s nice to be on time for a change! Before I get to the usual rundown of shows I wanted to talk about a few things that are going on in the local scene so take a few moments and check this out.

Social Distortion at Amos! Tickets go on sale TODAY!

Social Distortion is coming to Amos Southend October 21st with Tat and the Strangers opening up. We found out about this show on the forum the other week and confirmed it on Social Distortions website. Amos’ has now put the flyer up for it complete with all the information about the show. Tickets are going to be $25 in advance with a $3 surcharge for under 21. It’s a 16+ show and the doors are scheduled to open at 7:00pm. Tickets go on sale TODAY, July 31st and can be purchased at www.etix.com. Or just click on the flyer to the left! You’re welcome for the easy link by the way! Now we can all rock out together to Social Distortion!

Diamond Jem & The Ace Featuring Jem Crossland

Jem Crossland has a new project but never fear, Jem Crossland & The Hypertonics still exist. The new project, Diamond Jem & The Ace is merely a side project. According to Jem the new project is more about the true concept of Sun Records ala NO DRUMS. He went on to say they may pull in a drummer later but for now the two man setup ( guitar and upright bass) sounds really good and pure. They’ve already had a handful of stellar gigs under there belt including the Heavy Rebel Weekender pre-party. Check them out soon at the Buddy Holly Tribute Show, which will be taking place at Rodi in Gastonia on September 5th. Stay tuned for more details when I get them. Btw, I added a video to the main page from Puckett’s Farm Equipment, it’s a killer cover of an Eddie Cochrane song called Twenty Flight Rock. Also if you want to see more videos of this great new rockabilly group click on the picture to the right to check out their myspace page!

The MilestoneClub- Franz Nicolay, The Houstons and Andy the Doorbum 7/7/09- Franz is getting seriously good press for his release Major General. Nicolay, who is normally plays keyboards for the Hold Steadys, is being compared to people such as 70’s era Tom Wait or Peter Hammill with a Mohawk. The Houstons are basically Justin and Matt Faircloth playing more instruments simultaneously than should be humanly possible. The result is a lo-fi, subtle sound punctuated by reverbed out drums and keyboards. Really relaxed stuff, this would be the perfect soundtrack for a morning after, hangover. Andy the Doorbum on the other hand is anything but subtle. He brings his acoustic show with the subtleness of a sledgehammer. It’s as if it takes everything Andy has to wrench the songs from deep down inside of him somewhere. The super human effort pays off though. His live show is something special to behold and makes me glad I live in Charlotte and can claim him as one of our cities own. Don’t miss this or you’ll be sorry. Doors are at 8pm and the cover is $8 for over 21 and $10 for under 21. 18+ only please.

The Milestone Club- Analog Daze, Angwish and Nicolas Gray 8/9/09- It’s Sunday night but come out anyway and end you’re weekend in style with this show at the Milestone Club. Self desribed “Jangled Rock” band Analog Daze headlines this rock show with their fuzzed out jangly rock that puts me in mind of the Flaming Lips. Also on the bill are Angwish, a long standing Charlotte rock/ powerpop band. Crunchy guitars, catchy hooks and driving rhythms are the method of their madness. Also on the card is Nicolas Gray, a Charlotte acoustic indie rock. These guys have an interesting, acoustic sound. It’s gentle, easy flowing acoustic music and should prove an interesting contrast to the noise and power of the other two bands on the bill. All in all, it should be a good sunday night at the Ghetto Fortress. Doors are at 8. Admission is probably $6 for over and $8 for under but the information wasn’t available as of today.

Bruce Hazel and Some Volunteers @ Snug Harbor

Snug Harbor- Bruce Hazel and Some Volunteers w/ The Bleeding Hearts 7/7/09- I have to admit, I have a soft spot for Bruce Hazel. Their spot on delivery of garage rock soul makes me feel warm and fuzzy. It will definitely be a great show. Great hooks abound and the horns are just the icing on the cake. I’m a sucker for soul music. The Bleeding Hearts are a Raleigh band with a love for hook laden indie rock. They have nice hooks though. Catchy and energetic these guys can really catch your ear and in my opinion, would go over great in a bar with a beer. The reason I say that is that the recording on their myspace is good but perhaps a little too polished for my taste. Live it’s bound to be a little rougher and that would be a good thing. This will be a great late night of rock-n-roll. Show starts at 11pm.

Well that’s it for this week’s edition. Be ready for next week when we dive head first into August and talk about a HUGE weekend for shows including our own Punk Rock Picnic! It’s gonna be a great party with grillling, games and over 10 bands! That’s August 16th at Tremont Music Hall. For more information check out the flyer on our main page or as always, the Stillnotdead Forum! I’ll see you guys tonight at the 25 Minutes to Go show at Tremont! Thanks for the support! See you on the forums!

Ryan Dead

This week I want to be off subject for a minute. I found out the other day that a friend of mine that is a terribly talented musician may end up having to spend some jail time due to some of his recent actions. This makes me really sad. He’s a really talented musician but hangs with a bad crowd thus resulting in poor decisions. As if that weren’t bad enough, I found out another friend of mine got kicked out of the show he was supposed to play because of his antics.

Now I don’t want to get in a discussion of what is and isn’t punk rock. We could debate that for years. But what I know is this, punk rock is not an excuse to get drunk and disrespect the clubs that allow you to hold shows. Nor is it an excuse to get drunk and tag public places that allow you to play there. It’s also not an excuse to vandalize property or get drunk and “borrow” someone’s car without their permission. These kind of actions just lead to venues not letting “punk” shows happen there anymore and hurt the image of the music community as a whole.

Music is a gift, the ability to get on stage and play is a privilege that some musicians never get a chance to do. It makes me angry that some people can’t get their head on straight and end up blowing the chances they are given while others never get the chance to play a club. That’s why I’m glad Total Chaos is coming to town next week. You see to me punk rock means living the D.I.Y. mentality and working hard. Playing in a band is a great outlet and a great way to share your feelings on politics, social issues etc. It’s a way to make your voice heard by people who would otherwise never pay attention to what you had to say.

I truly hope that everyone who considers themselves a “punk rocker” shows up at the Total Chaos show at the Milestone Club. In my opinion some of you could learn a thing or two. Anyway, rants over. Let’s get down to business shall we?

This Friday July 31st will mark 25 Minutes to Go’s first all ages show since last year’s Day of the Dead. It will also mark a return of big local rock shows to the Tremont Music Hall since a management change a few months ago. July 31st

25 Minutes to Go and friends at Tremont 7/31/09

Tremont welcomes 25 Minutes to Go, Clavius, Husky and Appalucia. Plus the show will feature a special spoken word performance by the Elder Statesman. I don’t have to tell you this is an awesome showcase of local music. Or in the words of Jon from 25 MTG  it’s a great example of all the “music that doesn’t suck!” Plus it also marks Clavius’ final performance ever! It’s gonna be special, don’t miss it! Doors are at 8pm and it’s $6 for over 21 and $9 for under. All ages are welcome!

Meanwhile, the Milestone Club welcomes Harvey Milk with special guest Torche on July 30th. I used to be on a record label with Harvey Milk a looooong time ago and it’s a true testament to their power that they are still around today. Slow, powerful, heavy music will be the theme of the evening and it’s hard to believe that Harvey Milk come from Athens, Ga, home of jangly power pop college rock. Openers Torche also helped write the book on dirge rock but also choose to mix in some hooks in between sledge hammer blast riffs. This would be a good show to bring earplugs to. Doors are at 8pm and it’s $10 in advance, $12 at the door and + $2 if you are under 21. 18+ only please.

On August 5th the Milestone welcomes LA punk legends Total Chaos with South

Total Chaos at the Milestone 7/5/09!

Side Punx, Never Again and Rekless Youth. Total Chaos formed in 89 as a rallying cry to old school punk in Pomona Valley CA. They’ve went on to help form such organizations as “United Valley Punks”, Orange County Peace Punks and Alternative Gathering Collective. They also originated the “Food not Bombs” benefits as well as lent their support to various causes as a way to demonstrate their social responsibility. To these guys punk was more than a way of music, it was a way to express your beliefs and a way to fight against the oppression of the system. To anyone who thinks punk is just an excuse to get drunk and commit vandalism, come to the show and learn a valuable lesson!

Also on the show are the Queencity kings of Street Punk, the South Side Punx who will definitely keep the crowd rocking out to their street anthems. Rekless Youth are also on the show and with the help of a new guitarist will be out to prove they can hold their own. Also on the card is Never Again. Doors are at 8pm and admission is $10 for over 21 and $12 for under.

Well that’s it for this week, sorry about being late with the column this week. I’ve been really busy getting ready for Punk Rock Picnic, which is coming up on August 16th! I’ll see you guys next time! Keep supporting local music and be sure to send me your flyers!

Ryan Dead

Okay here we are with another edition of “Next Week”! You’ve probably noticed that I’ve started doing these updates on Monday instead of Friday. That’s because I’m gonna be out of town for the next few Fridays so it’s been easier to adjust to doing them on Mondays.

Before we get started I would like to say congratulations to my friends Stephani Fajardo and Landon Ramsey ( from Marion hc band, No Honor Lost) who are getting married on Saturday July 25th! I wish them a life time of happiness together from all of us at Stillnotdead.com!

Now it’s time to check out what’s going on in local music!

First up over at Tremont Music Hall, it’s time to break out the mosh pants and eyeliner as A Hero A Fake, A Stained Glass Romance, Zero System and Zeus hit the stage on July 26th. It’ll be metal core insanity at this all ages show! Doors are at 7pm and it’s $8 for over 21 and $11 for under!

The Despised, Razorkat, Planet Piss at the Milestone Club 7/25/09!!

The complete opposite will be happening the night before at the Milestone Club! On Saturday July 25th they welcome the Depised, Planet Piss, Razorkat and Randy Burke! The Despised alone would be enough to scare the eyeliner off the tight pants kids! This Atlanta hardcore/ punk outfit are heavy and nasty and very unapologetic about it! Planet Piss are outlandish and awesome and even though there are no more bloodlettings at their shows, that doesn’t mean they’ve slowed down. Razorkat are the new punk kids on the block but they’ve been terribly impressive so far. As far as Randy Burke goes, lets just say he’s about as un-pc as they get so it should be a very interesting night! Doors are at 8pm and it’s $6 for over 21 and $8 for under!

Charlotte Local Music Showcase 7/23/09 @ Visulite Theater!

Well it’s that time once again as the Visulite Theater welcomes the Charlotte’s Local Music Showcase on July 23rd. This time the showcase features Bum’s Lie, Wiggle Wagons, Ultimate Optimist, Supernova Ent, and Duk Tan. Bum’s Lie of course are my favorite local reggae/dub band and Wiggle Wagons are a new up and coming rockabilly band so that should be an interesting night of music. It’s $5 at the door and 16+.

Speaking of rockabilly and similar things, Cattletruck will be bringing their southern gothic sound to Puckett’s Farm Equipment Saturday July 25th. This will be a special show as they will be showcasing a brand new lineup for the band. If you’re in the neighborhood you should check it out!

Trouble Walkers, Lamb Handler and the Mangles @ Snug Harbor 7/24/09!

I hate I’m gonna be out of town for this one!! Friday July 24th Snug Harbor welcomes  Trouble Walkers, Lamb Handler and the Mangles! Trouble Walkers are a great Charlotte group who specialize in tales of white trash debauchery and the occasional redemption. Check them out on the media player on the main page of the site. Lamb Handler are a great Charlotte band who specializes in straight up rock, even though the new stuff has a little twank to it!! The Mangles are my favorite new band that I haven’t caught yet! They sport a garage rock type sound with vocals that will remind you of the Ramones. This is gonna be a sweet set for sure so try to check it out. Unfortunately it’s 18+ so no kids allowed and the show starts at 11pm!

Punk Rock Explosion 2 in Columbia SC July 25th!!!

Last but not least it’s time for another road trip as the New Brookland Tavern will be hosting Punk Rock Explosion 2 on Saturday July 25th! This all ages show will feature a ton of SC/ NC finest bands. Featured on the bill are Murder Media, Sick Sick Sick, The Not Likelys, You Me & Us, The Chiltons, The Loose Skrew, Covered in Shit and the last show ever for DSS Crew!! That’s right, the Greenville band DSS Crew will be no more after this show! Don’t get too sad though, they’ll be back in their reggae/ska band Jojo Taterhead Revival! Anyway, the Punk Rock Explosion kicks off at 5pm and will cost you $8 bucks!! Pack your friends in the car and head for Columbia for this awesome Punk showcase!!

Btw, I know some of you may not have heard but originally Punk Rock and Scissors fest was supposed to be this weekend. However, due to technical difficulties behind the scenes, the show had to be postponed until September! We’ve got the new date on the forum and I’ll post something about it on here in upcoming weeks!

That’s it for this edition of “Next Week”. I’ll be back next week with a huge all ages show from Tremont and much more!! Support local music!!

Ryan Dead

As usual after I posted the usual “Next Week” column I found some more flyers so I thought I would pass them along to you! Check it out!

Zoe Vette & The Revolvers cd release party!

Darken the Sky and the return of PSF!

Ok first off, I would like to apologize for being a few days late with this update. We have a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes and I didn’t get time to put this up until today. On the plus side our Local Music Stimulus show this past Friday at the Milestone Club was a blast. As always the Ghetto Fortress provided a great backdrop for an awesome party! All the bands kicked a lot of ass and I would like to thank every one of them for coming and rocking out. That said it’s time to get around to this week’s edition of “Next Week”!

First off, Snug Harbor is welcoming U.S. Christmas with K Lloyd on Friday July 17th. U.S. Christmas is a super sludgy, echoey psychedelic mess of a band. I don’t mean that as a put down, that’s really the best way to describe them. Heavy guitars, screaming vocals all awash in pulsing old school synthesizers. I think it’s safe to say it’s “stoner rock”. K Lloyd features Kirk Fisher from Buzzover and claims to be a “blues, acoustic , southern rock” band. To me they sound like what would happen if Monster Magnet went all acoustic and did more drugs. I mean the vocalist has a great voice but everything seems to lurch forward with the “I’m on drugs” vibe. Not my cup of tea but I know plenty of people who enjoy it.

Zoe Vette & The Revolvers

Saturday July 18th Snug Harbor welcomes Zoe Vette & The Revolvers who will be celebrating the release of their new CD “Trash is the New Glamour“. I haven’t caught these guys live yet but from the songs on their Myspace page as well as some videos and pics I’ve seen they are very interesting. This is some seriously catchy, trashy rock/punk. These girls (and guy) throw an awesome show as you can tell from the pyrotechnics in the picture to the right! Also on the bill are The Black Lashes, which features members of Snagglepuss and Babyshaker. That confuses me because I thought Snagglepuss already including members of Babyshaker?? Oh well, also on the bill are Dirtbag Love Affair and a spoken word performance by the one and only Elder Statesmen! Should be a lot of fun! 18+ only please.

Snug is really hopping this weekend because on Sunday they have the 2nd Annual Summer Wiener Roast! This show features 2013 Wolves, L.A. Tool and Die, La Chocha Loca, Use Your Inside Voices and Broken Heroes. The grill starts at 4pm, bands start at 5pm and it’s $6 for 6 bands, which is a great deal! Unfortunately this one is 18+ only.

The Milestone Club also has some great music this weekend, particularly on July 18th when they welcome country punks 500 Miles to Memphis w/ Tater Famine and Motel Glory. These Ohio natives have become quite popular at the Milestone Club and rightfully so with their blend of fiddles and lap steel with punk distortion and catchy hooks. Should be a good show if you are country inclined but still rock out to Greenday. 18+ only. Doors are at 8pm.

4 Past Midnight in Raleigh NC!!

And last but not least, we have a road show worth the drive! If you have the time and gas money we highly suggest traveling east to Raleigh NC to check out legendary scottish punks, 4 Past Midnight @ Volume 11 Tavern. Also on this bill are The Angst, Dead to Society, Shoot First and Charlotte’s own The Not Likelys. The show is July 17th and is ALL AGES! Show starts @ 9pm and it’s $8 for over 21 and $10 for under.

Well that’s it for this edition of “Next Week”! Check back on the main page later today when we’ll have a teaser flyer for our next show ” Punk Rock Picnic” which will be held August 16th at Tremont Music Hall. It’s gonna feature a ton of bands and will be ALL AGES!!  See you next time, as usual, see you on the forums!!

Ryan Dead

Okay so after the fireworks are done and the cookouts have all died down, don’t think the party is over. The Charlotte music scene heats up next weekend and we’ve got a brief look at it in this edition of Next Week!

4 bands for $4 bucks at the Milestone Club!!

Next week Stillnotdead returns to the Milestone Club on July 10th with our Local Music Stimulus! Yes it’s 4 bands for $4 and the lineup is awesome!! Local punk/ska rockers the Not Likelys join us along with Biggy Stardust & His Wretched Hive and new comers Greasy Kitty and Machete. This is a great chance to get to know some rocking new bands to the area and it’s only $4!! ( Actually it’s $6 for under 21 but you know how it goes..) Anyway the doors are at 8pm and like I said before it’s only $4  to get in!! 18+ only please!

Also at the Milestone next week are Sioux City Pete & the Beggars w the Crystelles and the Smokers on July 11th and the Hellzapoppin Sideshow Revue with Chamelon on July 12th!

Meanwhile at Snug Harbor on July 11th we have the cd release party for Bill Noonan and His Fallen Gentlemen. Bill and his band play some great middle of the road rock mixed with some rockabilly and country. The real kicker is making an appearance on the bill of this show is the one and only David Childers & the Modern Don Juans. You’ll remember last year David retired from music and disbanded the Don Juans. Over the last few months I’ve seen him around doing small acoustic gigs and now he’s back in full force! In fact he actually shot a music video at the Milestone a couple of weeks ago. So who knows how long it will last this time but we better enjoy it while we can! Doors are at 9pm and it’s 18+.

Unknown Hinson July 11th at Visulite!!

Lock up your daughters ladies and gentlemen, Unknown Hinson is also coming back to town! Yes the king of the country western Vampire troubadours is back at the Visulite Theater on July 11th. Known for his voice work on Squidbillies on Adult Swim as well as his fierce guitar picking and raucous music, Unknown always puts on a show. I wonder what our local vampire troubadour thinks of Twilight? Doors are at 8pm and admission is $15. 18+ only.

Also on July 10th our friends Razorkat will attempt to endure the Charlotte Underground. They’ll

Razorkat at Charlotte Underground!!

be playing with a couple of metal bands by the names of Kill Privilege and Pain After Death. It’s 18+ and $7 for 21 and up and $10 for under 21. The show starts at 9:30.

Also on July 10th ( Damn that’s a popular night!!) The Truckstop Preachers will be bringing their patented brand of rockabilly to the Double Door Inn. I’m pretty sure that it’s 21+ and admission is $10. Doors are at 8pm for that one.

Well that’s it for this edition of Next Week. Be sure to come hang out at the Local Music Stimulus on July 10th it’s gonna be a great time and it’s only $4. Tune in sometime next week when I’ll be posting links to all four bands myspace sites so you can get a preview of the show before you go! See you on the forum!! Keep supporting local music!!

Ryan Dead