Quantum Foundry are a pair of Charlotte, NC emcees that got their early start opening for punk and metal groups at house parties, block parties and varying venues across Charlotte. With their debut, they manage to capture most of the frenetic sound and feel of a live show from the pair.  A real asset to the group from the beginning has been Bon ( AKA Kid Damascus) and his beats, and the LP is no exception.  Bon’s production style leans towards early 90’s hiphop, with a bit of the abstract sound you’d expect from a lot of early 00’s underground hiphop.  The group have a very high-energy approach, with an emphasis on traditional hiphop back-and-forth between the two emcees.  One of the few complaints I have about their live show actually is their blazing-fast delivery, which maintains high energy in the room and is technically impressive, but makes it difficult to follow what they are actually rhyming about at times.  That’s a shame when you take note of  some of the dense wordplay going on in the songs themselves when you listen to the album.  Brian (AKA Agent Cataclysm) even manages to do an entire track in Chinese.  The CD features a few dope down-tempo numbers as well, including a track produced by Mr. Invisible, which gives the LP a nice sense of movement from track to track. 

If you are looking for an introduction to what is going on with Charlotte hip hop, Quantum Foundry’s debut LP is not a bad place to start.   If you’re interested in copping the free EP they have available, you can find it at http://www.myspace.com/quantumfoundry and hopefully you’ll be able to cop the album at a show when they return from their hiatus this October.

Hey what’s up? Sorry I missed my deadline yesterday but I at least got up a flyer for the Queers show that took place at Milestone last night! Hope everyone that went to that show had a blast and hopefully someone will send something in talking about that show!

I would also like to announce that in addition to the big shows I announced last week, Stillnotdead.com is also presenting local surf rock legends the Aqualads at Tremont Music Hall on Saturday August 7th!! I’ll have more details very soon! In the meantime let’s move on and check out the action this week in Charlotte music!!

Let’s face it, we all love the Milestone Club! Whether you met your future wife there ( like I did!), used to run it ( also me…) or just saw your favorite band there, we all have special memories attached to that place. That’s the very reason you should come out Friday night June 25th for the Thought Criminals present: A Benefit for the Milestone! This show features the live hip hop explosion known as the Thought Criminals (who I’ve heard are nothing to fuck with!!), Ty Bru- a hip hop act from Asheboro with a really smooth flow. Also on the show is the Reunion of former Salisbury band Perfo, who moved to Chicago but are coming back to Charlotte for one show only!! As if all that wasn’t enough, opening the show is Dinner, which is comprised of some of the former members of beloved Charlotte shock punk band Planet Piss! Plus I noticed on the Milestone website that the show is a beach party and everyone is expected to wear swim trunks or at least bring beach balls! It’s been my experience that beach balls turn an ordinary show into a game of dodge ball and that is highly encouraged! Doors are at 8pm and admission is $6 for over 21 and $8 for under!

Now I hope you don’t get all partied out Friday night because Saturday night June 26th is a Stillnotdead kind of party as Stillnotdead.com presents: South Side Punx w/ Gore Gore Luchadores, The Not Likelys, Sick Sick Sick and LARF! It’s been a while since we’ve partied with the South Side Punx so we’re really looking forward to this show! I’ve heard they’ve been working on a new record so everyone be sure to show up and scream along to the favorites as well as the new jams! Also for those who have never seen it, Gore Gore Luchadores aren’t a band, it’s a bunch of  girls in mexican wrestling masks and bikinis throwing down in a kiddie pool full of blood! If you haven’t seen it, you owe it to yourself to check out this spectacle! Also on the card are Sick Sick Sick, a longstanding punk band that have been around since back when I was in a band! Also on the show is LARF, a Florida band that sounds heavily influenced by the Queers and a long list of other Lookout Records bands and trust me that’s a big compliment! The doors for this show are at 8pm and admission is $6 for over 21 and $8 for under! Unfortunately this one is 18+ only!!

Meanwhile over at Tremont Music Hall they also have a great show this weekend! Friday night the 25th Charlotte’s excellent hip hop scene continues it’s track record of awesome shows with Quantum Foundry, Mr. Invisible and Potter’s Field Emcees. Quantum Foundry are a two man and an Ipod band that bring awesome flows over well constructed beats and are a local favorite. Mr. Invisible are 2 emcees and a dj who bring impressively fast rhyming and lyrics over atmospheric jams and beats. Plus they aren’t just working the local scene! I saw on Facebook that they recently got back from a stint in L.A.! Big things may be afoot for this Charlotte trio! I would buy the record, this guys are currently high on my list of favorite bands! Also on the show is Potter’s Field Emcees, who don’t have much information about their group on their page but I did manage to check out a song on their page that is very reminiscent of a Tribe Called Quest and that is pure awesome! Doors are at 8pm and admission is $7 for over 21 and $10 for under!

If the Stillnotdead show at Milestone isn’t your speed, then head out Saturday night June 26th to the Visulite for a more laid back evening as the Visulite host Moonshine Racers with special guests, The Old Invention. Moonshine Racers describe their music as “progressive y’allternative”, whatever that means. I’m guessing that they tend to run in the bluegrass/ americana vein from their influences. Openers The Old Invention are strictly bluegrass however! And I mean strictly traditional bluegrass. These guys don’t even use any amps! I’ve seen them play before and although I would advise a little less banter between songs, the music is as authentic as it gets! Doors open at 9pm and the headliner starts at 11. Admission is $5 in advance and $7 day of the show and the show is 16+!

Well that’s it for this week! Tune in next week when I talk about some of the July 4th stuff going down and may reveal a flyer or two, you never can tell. We’re working on finalizing the lineup for Punk Rock Picnic 3 and as soon as I get it all together I’ll release the lineup! Trust me, I can’t wait!! Look for the logo coming soon!! Thanks for the support, come see me Saturday night! I’ll be hanging out at the Milestone Saturday night for the South Side Punx show!!

Thanks,

Ryan Dead

Xup, cats?  How is everyone doing?  Due to some…  unfortunate incidents during Ryan’s…  uh…  “tour” of the judicial system, his stay has been extended and I will be handling the update for this week as well.  It’s a bit of a slow week this week, but it still should be one to remember due to the fantastic show you can expect at the Milestone on Saturday.  More about that in a moment,though.

It’s a Milestone kinda week, and Friday, June 11th, Dirtbag Love Affair will be doing a set of dope punk music, along with support from The Hooliganz and Dirty South Revolutionaries (who I have been meaning to catch live forever).    Should be louder than fuck and a lot of fun, and it’s only $6.

Saturday, June 12th will be a show a lot of the old school cats from the hip hop scene are already excited for:  Dominant 7 and Potter’s Field are both reuniting to play The Milestone Club for a mere $7, with Quantum Foundry opening.  I don’t know how many people that are reading this remember, but D7 and Potter’s Field (along with a ton of other folks, myself included) used to play at this spot called The Hungry Duck, which would later get bulldozed by the city to make way for a train station, and I have a ton of great memories from that time period…  D7’s members have done a ton over the years for the local scene, and it’s truly going to be a treat to see them all reunite for this show.  My first Charlotte indie-rap show was at Fat City seeing Sage Francis before his first LP was released, and among the opening acts was a scaled back version of D7.  Initially I was just impressed to see that Justin from the group was wearing a Frank Zappa shirt, but even back then their beats and rhymestyle (and their fairly absurd on stage banter) caught my ears just as quickly.  Those guys were the first to put me on a stage in Charlotte (though it remains debatable if I was ready for it back then, ha), and I’m really happy to see that the guys in the group that went on to form Mr. Invisible are making moves the way they are now, both inside the local scene and beyond.  You don’t wanna miss this, and if you are looking for a solid introduction to the local hiphop scene, I’d say this is a good place to start.

Sunday looks exceptionally slow, with the only show I can find being a Tremont show with two out of town acts and no local support listed.  If you know of something going on Sunday, shoot me an email and I might throw it back up.

Alright, that’s it for me this week, folks.

See you at a show!

-Mikal kHill

Okay so here we go with another edition of This Week! The voting ends today for Creative Loafing’s Web Awards. Thanks to all of you who voted for Stillnotdead.com! We may not win but I hope we at least place so that they will have to mention us in Creative Loafing for the first time! Anyway, on with the shows!

Elwood’s Music Hall- The Overmountain Men w/ Carolina Gator Gumbo- 4/23/10- This week Elwood’s Music Hall welcomes back the Overmountain Men with Carolina Gator Gumbo. Last time the Overmountain Men played it was a packed affair with a standing room only crowd and everyone is hoping for a repeat! I hope so because honestly when you put David Childers in front of a crowd that big he takes it to another level. The show last time was one of the best I’ve seen on the local scene in a long time and this time I’m actually gonna bring my video camera! Carolina Gator Gumbo bring an amazing stage show of their own. This cajun/ zydeco band has been on the Charlotte circuit for a long time and I’m told bring a faithful dancing crowd. If that is the case, then you should get your tickets early because as big as the room is at Elwood’s, it’s bound to be one crowded night! Come early and eat and dance the night away with the Overmountain Men and Carolina Gator Gumbo! Doors are at 7:30 and admission is $7 in advance and $9 at the door. Tickets are available through www.elwoodsmusichall.com and etix.com.

Quantum Foundry’s CD Release party w/ Quantum Foundry, Mr Invisible and Maf Maddox- 4/22/10- Quantum Foundry are one of several local acts ( including the awesome Thought Criminals, who I’ve heard are nothing to fuck with!) that are on a mission to bring  about a hip hop scene in the Charlotte area! I’m all for it! This duo spins verbal gymnastics over really smooth grooves presented by their ever trusty Ipod. I’m really happy they have this new release and hope they don’t forget to send me a copy!! Also on the show is Mr. Invisible, another hip hop act from Charlotte comprised of one dj and two emcees and do it extremely well! I have to admit this is the first time I’ve listened to these guys and I seriously would love to do a show with them. These guys have an incredibly tight flow over really awesome, slightly old school beats. This definitely blows anything currently on the radio away. Anyone who thinks rap is just about bling and hoes should check this shit out and open their mind up! Also on the show is Maf Maddox, who seems to play stuff a little more abstract. I like the flow though. Just expect stuff to take off for outer space when he hits the stage. Seriously, with these guys along with Thought Criminals, when did Charlotte suddenly get such a kickass hip hop scene! I’m seriously impressed and hopefully this is a trend that will continue! Also appearing this night will be Live B Boys and Girls and a live art performance! Doors are at 8pm and admission is $7 for over 21 and $9 for under 21!

Tremont Music Hall- Stillnotdead.com presents: Bums Lie w/ IED, Gruppe 36 and the Nerve Scheme & The Rogue Nations, The Smokers and Greasy Kitty on the side stage!- 4/23/10- What started out as a simple show has evolved into almost a festival! As you know by now, Bums Lie will bring their trademark reggae, ska vibe so you can dance the night away but what a night that will be! Also on the bill is IED, the current kings of Charlotte skacore, still riding high off of their new cd “Whole Hearted Yet Half Assed”, The Nerve Scheme who rocked out at a Stillnotdead show a few months back and the debut of Gruppe 36 featuring former members of Carry On Bomb and Brotherhood of the Bomb! As if that wasn’t enough, we’ve brought back our Stillnotdead side stage, which will be set up in the bar room at Tremont. This stage will feature bands that will play before and between the bands on the main stage. Featured this time are The Rogue Nations, The Smokers ( making their Stillnotdead show debut and Greasy Kitty from Statesville! That’s 7 bands for those who are counting and the kicker is it’s only $7 with no surcharge for under age! So come rock out with this awesome all ages show! Consider this a warm up for Punk Rock Picnic 3, which will be happening in August!! Doors are at 8pm and the first band will start at 8:30 so get there early! Admission is $7 and it’s all ages!

Well that’s it for this week! Tune in next time for more talk about upcoming shows including Appalucia, Jem Crossland & The Hypertonics, Lamb Handler and more. Also thanks again for anyone who voted in the Charlotte Web Awards! Hopefully I’ll be bragging about having our name in Creative Loafing next week!!

Also I seriously need some people to review cd’s! I’ve got a stack that everyone has sent me and haven’t had anyone to do reviews. I normally will do them if I get the time but I’ve been seriously busy with my web design. If anyone wants to get some free cd’s in exchange for a few paragraphs about them, send me an email or come talk to me at one of the shows this weekend!  I will be at Elwood’s on Friday and at Tremont on Saturday! Thanks for the support and please continue to support local music!!

Thanks,

Ryan Dead

MC Frontalot is somewhat of an anomaly in the indie rap world.  Extremely independent and with a fairly rabid fanbase, the 36 year old MC raps about such unusual topics as Character Stat sheets, computer hacking, obscure browser-based MMOs and other nerdy topics.  Some songs are equal parts song and puzzle, the bonus track on his last LP being a tricky test of the listener’s L337ness who’s solution is required in order to figure out how to access the song itself.  All that is secondary to the most important thing about Frontalot’s music:  It’s good.  His flow is concise and on point, his beats tend to make heads bob and his touring band (Vic-20, Blak Lotus & The SturGENiUS) are a tight musical unit that blends styles as effortlessly as the production on Front’s LPs.  I asked Front a few questions after catching their performance at the Local 506 in Chapel Hill.  I went on to BEAT BLAK LOTUS AT MAGIC:  THE GATHERING.

Obviously you are tied to a lot of nerdcore rappers, you invented the term and work with a number of nerdcore rappers on your LPs and shows.  When you were a kid was there an awkward “gangsta” phase that you’re hoarding demos from somewhere?  Have you ever had some sort of doommetal sideproject that most people might not expect?

Nope, I was always pretty geeked out. I think maybe my early stuff was
more abstract and obtuse, if that’s possible. But it was never hard or
mean. I did record various weird pop and rock songs for songfight.org
under a variety of band names. But no metal, thank goodness.

What are some rappers, nerdcore & non-nerdcore, that you find yourself listening to frequently?

I love Del, Busdriver, Brother Ali, Mr Lif, Mos Def, and Blackalicious.
In nerdcore:  YTCracker, Beefy, Schaffer, Dual Core, Random, are all putting good
albums out lately.

How involved are you with the production aspect of your albums?

I mix them myself. I had help this time from Brendan Brown of Wheatus.
Nate Van iLL works closely with me on the vocal comps. Gm7 and Baddd
Spellah co-write with me while the grooves are developed and as the
arrangements take shape. But I tend to make all final choices about
what stays where and how.

I know you have played the Milestone previously, any interesting stories to tell?

There was a small tragedy when MC Lars wrote something about how nice
nerdcore is on the big graffiti wall, but he accidentally wrote it
over Michael Stipe’s big REM tag. I will have to annotate that this
time through.

What is your favorite videogame of all time?

I usually say Lode Runner for C64, but today I am going to go with the
split decision between Shadow Of The Colossus (PS2) and Psychonauts
(PC/XBOX).

I know you have toured with basically the same crew for quite a bit, what’s rehearsal like?

We tend to rehearse in short bursts before important shows and tours.
There’s no regular practice. The boys are too busy and at the moment
living too far apart.

What LP’s of the non-hiphop variety are you bumping at the moment?

The new Mike Doughty disc Sad Man Happy Man is fantastic.

You can catch MC Frontalot, along with Quantum Foundry, The ThoughtCriminals & Kbaz at the World Famous Milestone on Thursday, April 8th!

-Mikal kHill

April 7th, 2010

Well it’s hardly seemed like spring this week, more like summer. The heat’s been nice but the ton of pollen is more than a little irritating. In any case there are plenty of shows coming up this weekend so get out and brave the pollen to check out what’s going on in Charlotte.

The Milestone Club- MC Frontalot, The Thought Criminals, Quantum Foundry and Kbaz- 4/8/10- !  I’m actually a big closet hip hop fan! I love Tribe Called Quest, Public Enemy, Wu-Tang and many others. That’s why I’m really glad that Charlotte is slowly building a great hip hop scene. Quantum Foundry is a smooth duo bringing a great flow over some really smooth grooves. Fans of Tribe Called Quest will definitely dig it. The Thought Criminals area dynamic, explosive live hip hop band. Think Parlament meets Wu-Tang with a dash of Outkast. And yeah the band is nothing to f**k with but don’t let that over shadow the fact that Thought Criminals have 3 of  the most talented MC’s in Charlotte. If you don’t believe me check out the video on the mainpage of Stillnotdead.com! In the meantime MC Frontalot is an innovator who has founded and claimed his own spot of the hip hop world, nerdcore. He takes the stage in full glasses and pocket protector and geeks it up for the masses. Kbaz also performs on this awesome show at the Milestone Club. Doors are at 8pm and admission is $8 for over 21 and $10 for under.

The Milestone Club- Babyshaker cd release party featuring Babyshaker, The Choke and 2013 Wolves- 4/10/10- Babyshaker has a great new cd which was recently reviewed for Stillnotdead by Chris Peigler. This glam rock/ punk outfit started the party over 10 years ago and it’s still going with good reason. While adapting and evolving as any band should Babyshaker has managed to maintain a swagger and growl that most bands can’t pull off. Celebrating their cd release with them are NYC punk/ garage band, The Choke as well as local power duo 2013 Wolves. Doors are at 8pm and admission is $3 for over 21 and $5 for under 21.

By the way I’d like to mention that Friday night is Neal Harper’s Birthday! We would like to wish Neal a happy 30th birthday from everyone at Stillnotdead.com! The show/ party is Friday night the 9th and the show will feature a bevy of bizarre acts such as Shat, Emotron, Fatcamp, Matt Kurtz One and the standup comedy of the Elderstatesman.

Also I would like to mention that Bone Thugs and Harmony are playing Amos Southend on Saturday April 10th. The show will also feature opener Dow Jones and is $20 in advance and $23 at the door. All lovers of hip hop should attend this one, if you have the cheddar to afford the door charge.

This weekend Elwood’s Music Hall has Gigi Dover with The Big Love w/ Summer Night Shade on Friday April 9th. Also on Saturday night April 10th they host the Charlotte Music Association’s Blues Showcase. I can’t think of anything better than a plate of bbq and blues music playing in the background. Good stuff!

Charlotte Cash Bash- April 9th and 10th at Puckett’s Farm Equipment- It’s spring and Charlotte’s thoughts turn to… Johnny Cash?! Yep you can bet on it! The Charlotte Cash Bash is back for it’s 7th year of tributes to the man in black, Johnny Cash! This year both nights of the event are back at Puckett’s Farm Equipment, which can best be described as the rockabilly version of the Milestone Club. If you’re coming either night, come early, it’s bound to be crowded! Each night is packed with the best of local and regional rockabilly. Friday starts off with a band with Asheville’s The Go Devils and continues with South 85, the Defilers, Jem Crossland & The Hypertonics and ending up with the Truckstop Preachers. As if that isn’t enough the second night kicks off with The Tremors and keeps it going with Sean K. Preston, The Bo-Stevens, The Straight 8’s and John Howie Jr. Both nights should be awesome as you’ll get to see the best of local rockabilly playing originals as well as their takes on songs by Johnny Cash. Here’s to hoping for 7 more years from Cash Bash!

Btw, I’ve got a new blog over on my design site. I’ll be talking about web stuff, personal stuff and probably some music too. Check it out the design site at www.snddesigns.com and check out the blog at www.themcginnisproject.com . 

Well that’s it for this week, hope you guys get out and enjoy some of the great music that is playing this weekend. I’m honestly having a hard time figuring out which shows I’m gonna attend. So much music so little time. In any case maybe I’ll see you this weekend! Keep supporting music!

Ryan Dead

Man it’s been cold as hell lately! I’m hoping you are all staying warm. Hopefully these burst of arctic air aren’t keeping you from enjoying the great shows that have been taking place around the area. If so, tune into the video player on the main page of Stillnotdead.com and check out the videos from the Flat Tires/ Mad Brother Ward & The Dividers/ Angry Youth/ Bucketflush show we sponsored on January 2nd!

Oh yeah and just a reminder, Throwdown Fest is Sunday January 10th at Elwood’s Music Hall. That’s 7 bands for $8 bucks with no surcharge for under age. Also Elwood’s has just announced that they will be serving a limited menu, so you won’t have to leave the venue to get something to eat and risk missing a band! I hope everyone comes out and has a good time! For directions visit the clubs website by clicking on the link!

Jucifer and Machete at the Milestone Club January 16th!!

The Milestone Club- Jucifer w/ Machete! 1/16/10- If you are a big fan of your hearing, this may not be the best show for you. That said, if you like bands that are so loud they may blow your eardrums out of your head then you’ll be right at home. This may be the ultimate power duo show! You’ve surely heard me go on about Jucifer before. These self proclaimed nomads have toured the earth since 1993 and have come to redefine the term power duo. While it’s easy to say (as I’ve done in the past) that Jucifer is easily one of the heaviest and loudest bands I’ve ever witnessed, it would also be misleading. You’d only be getting part of the picture with that description. You see while they are blistering loud and heavy when they want to be, they can also generate some very delicate and almost fragile moments. Their songwriting is often overlooked and that’s a big mistake because for a band with only two members to generate this much volume is impressive but for them to generate this much depth is down right scary! Also on the bill is local band Machete! This two man group also seems to pray at the altar of Jucifer but minus the delicate parts. If these guys were a real machete they wouldn’t be sharp slicing you to ribbons, instead the blade would be decidedly unsharp and used more for bludgeoning you to death instead of cutting! Their sheer volume alone and heavy as hell sound will stun you into submission. And I don’t think I’m going out on a limb by saying that Machete! probably has the most abused drum set in Charlotte!  Go enjoy a show where it sounds like 10 people onstage but is actually only 2! Doors are at 8pm and admission is $8 for over 21 and $10 for under.

The Thought Criminals at Elwood's Music Hall 1/16/10

Elwood’s Music Hall- The Thought Criminals w/ Shane Hall & The Tickle Bomb Orchestra, Quantum Foundry, The Mad Cowboy and Speaker for the Dead 1/16/10- Speaker for the Dead (http://www.myspace.com/GregMcKillop) is a solo project forGreg McKillop, and sounds like Death Cab For Cutie, but less cute and more depressing. The Mad Cowboy (http://www.myspace.com/mmkhmusic) a.k.a. Matthew M.K. Hopewell mixes surrealist poetry with a psychedelic 70’s blues-rock sound, reminiscent of a Hendrix-meets-Borroughs aesthetic with a decent amount of Zappa thrown in on top. Quantum Foundry  (http://www.myspace.com/quantumfoundry) are a hip hop duo with a smooth flow and a lot of energy to get the party flowing. Shane Hall & The TickleBomb Orchestra  (www.ticklebombmusic.com/) The TickleBomb Orchestra plays songs from Shane Hall’s record “Basic Draining”, traversing the American musical landscape from hip hop to country and rock. The Thought Criminals (http://www.myspace.com/thoughtcriminals) hail from Kannapolis with their roots firmly in Wu-Tang. The influences are definitely on display but don’t sell this hip hop/ live band outfit short, they bring a ton of energy and versatility to the stage so come expecting a killer live show! Btw, since it’s at Elwood’s I would suggest coming early and getting dinner before the show! The bbq and smoked chicken are excellent! Show starts at 8pm, Elwood’s is open earlier for dinner in the lounge. Admission is $6 dollars!

Snug Harbor- Hope Nicholls Birthday Bash featuring Renelvis and Guam High 1/16/10- Hope Nichols has been responsible for a lot of music out of the Charlotte area. From Fetchin Bones to Sugarsmack to the most recent incarnation Snagglepuss, Hope has been a fixture on the Charlotte scene for years. Even opening a funky clothing store known as Boris and Natashas in Plaza Midwood. Tonight she celebrates her birthday with Renelvis, Charlotte’s own phillipino Elvis impersonator. This may is legendary and on my list of things you should check out in Charlotte before you die. Also on the bill are hipsters Guam High. DJ Scott Weaver and DJ George Brazil will be spinning and the coolest part is the admission is free! Come enjoy the spectacle at Snug Harbor!

Well that’s it for this week, hope you all have a great week and we’ll catch you in the next edition of “Next Week”! See you on the forum or out at the shows!!

Ryan Dead

Show Review! 12/30/09 at the MILESTONE
Clavius, Quantum Foundry, Monarchist, For Disaster, Dirtneck Revue

The Breifly Reunited Members of Clavius

Last night was the benefit for the Milestone, with five bands on the bill. Clavius were headlining, a local group that has disbanded due to the guitarist moving away. I hadn’t heard them previously, but I always look forward to a chance to see Quantum Foundry live, so I got a few friends together and we headed out to the venue. When we got to the milestone, we shuffled in from out of the rain and quickly moved toward the bar. Dirtneck Revue were doing some drunken folk songs on the side stage, and since that’s sort of my thing, I was pleased to see it. I generally don’t really know anyone and I’m so socially awkward that I quickly alienate a lot of people I DO know, but I spotted Bon & Cataclysm from Quantum Foundry and said “hello” and shook hands and all that good shit. After a few minutes of swapping war stories about drinking and performing, my friend Curtis bought me a shot of Diesel, effectively dooming me to an early grave.

The bartender seemed completely dismayed that anyone would possibly imbibe Diesel of their own volition. Ultimately though, after several dire warnings, he poured the shot, I knocked it back, and quickly drank half my coke, trying desperately to convince myself that I hadn’t just tore off and subsequently digested half the skin lining the inside of my stomach. Soon my internal organs were on fire, and we walked into the other room to prepare for the first band.

Monarchist: Louder than Fuck

The first band up on the main stage was Monarchist ( http://www.myspace.com/monarchistnc ). They were profoundly loud and incredibly dissonant and noisy. At the moment when they went on stage, I was pretty much the drunkest I would be all evening, so it would be unfair for me to offer much in the way of criticism. I will say that their drummer seemed like he couldn’t make out what the other guys were doing well enough, but I enjoyed their set a lot either way. I’m not normally into that particular style of singing, but since the sort of post-rock noise they were bringing is right up my ally, and the music was so loud I couldn’t hear his voice at all anyways. I can definitely imagine them being a very polarizing group, but I was digging it. I didn’t have a chance to speak to them before they left, but I’m sure I’ll see them again. They managed to get one of my bandmates, Rawzen, the professional ballet dancer, to mosh. That was a first.

Quantum Foundry: Rhymin' and Scowlin'.

The second group was Quantum Foundry ( http://www.myspace.com/quantumfoundry ), who I’ve obviously seen before, at our own gigs and at various spots around town. They always put on an awesome show and I’m continually impressed at their ability to carry a show with just a ipod to run beats off of and the two vocalists. I’m particularly impressed at their ability to consistently win over crowds that are not conventional “hip hop” audiences. Maintaining the kind of energy they do with such minimal means is definitely not an easy feat, and they are yet to disappoint me.

The third group to come up was For Disaster ( http://www.myspace.com/fordisaster ). I haven’t met or heard these guys before, but their set was a lot of fun. Again, I’m not hugely into that particular style of singing, but the singer seemed like a pretty charismatic guy and the group was really tight. Rawzen resumed moshing, which is pretty much my new standard to for measuring how much a group rocks at this point.

The last group to hit the stage was Clavius, and I was floored. Neil had said they were awesome, but I didn’t really know what to expect. It is unfortunate I didn’t know about these guys until now, because they are no longer doing shows and stuff, but I highly suggest you check out their myspace at http://www.myspace.com/claviusrocks and see what I’m talking about. It was totally instrumental stuff, which gives it a limited appeal I suppose, but the musicianship was just top notch. Really solid rock stuff in the vein of early Black Sabbath. I made that comparision to Wyley Buck, and I’m not sure he agreed with me, but I am making it again.

The Flyer that Changed Everything

A string popped on the guitar during the Clavius set, but the bassist and drummer powered through, and Quantum Foundry hopped on stage and started a freestyle cypher, and of course I could not help but grab mic to represent the ThoughtCriminals during it. Clavius were awesome to allow us that opportunity, and I think it was a nice moment of spontaneity… Hopefully the guys in the band thought so, too. Somehow, during the Clavius set, someone who recognized Rawzen from his ballet days asked him to show her some moves, so he was giving some on the fly lessons by the merch table during all of this, but stopped long enough to come on stage and rap, too. Right after the string was on, the guys from Clavius hopped back into it and continued rocking ass.

All in all a great night. I definitely would not hesitate to see any of those groups again, and it was cool to see such a diverse bill where everyone seemed really supportive of one another.

-kHill

Note: I pilfered the pics in this review from the various myspaces of the bands involved. If thats not cool, or you have some pics of the show, email me at mikalkhill@gmail.com

Nekromantix at Tremont Music Hall 12/6/09!

Just to give you guys some advance notice, Rise Against will be playing the Fillmore in Charlotte on December 5th and tickets are already on sale for $20 bucks! Also just announced, the Nekromantix will be playing Tremont Music Hall December 6th with special guest Blitzkid. Tickets went on sale 10/31/09 and are $12 in advance and $14 at the door + the usual $3 surcharge for under 21! You can bet we’ll be at both shows! What a weekend!

In the meantime on to the shows!  There is a lot of post Halloween goings on to check out so let’s check it out!

The Havenots, Planet Piss, DTS, Dr. DP & The Trainrunners 11/4/09 @ Tremont

Tremont Music Hall- The Have Nots, Planet Piss, Darken the Sky and Dr DP & The Trainrunners 11/4/09- This is a serious amount of rock for a Wednesday night! The Have Nots are from Boston and play some serious punk with a ska undertones. I’ve caught these guys several times and they appear to be forming a following in the Charlotte area so hopefully they turn out for this show! Planet Piss are a Charlotte area punk/ rock band that takes great delight in shocking the audience, whether it’s lyrically or with visuals (speedos anyone?), they never fail to deliver a full force rocking show! Darken the Sky are from Rock Hill, SC and are of a slightly crusty variety. Which is to say that they tend to lean toward a slightly metallic side of punk with the growly, hardcore style vocals. On the exact opposite side of the spectrum is Dr. DP and the Trainrunners. This band features Zaire, formerly of 20 Past 4 and Andy from Andy & The Jivers. Both are outstanding performers as was evident at a Stillnotdead show earlier this month when Zaire took the stage with the Jivers and rocked the house. Here’s hoping for a repeat performance with the Trainrunners as they bring their “feel good” Jamaican vibe to the Tremont. The show starts at 8pm and even though the flyer says $10, the actual price according to Tremont is $8 plus the usual surcharge for under 21. Also it’s all ages.

Tremont Music Hall- The Smokers, The Mangles, Necro Hippies and One Big Vice 11/5/09- This will be Tremont’s second  night in a row for outstanding rock shows with this show leaning a little more toward the garage rock side of punk rock. The Smokers have been regulars on the Milestone scene and have formed a great garage rock, early punk sound. I don’t know what’s in the water lately with all these great Rock Hill bands forming but we definitely need to investigate with bands like DTS, The Smokers, One Big Vice and Bracing for Impact all hailing from this area and all invading the Charlotte scene. Also on the show is the Mangles, one of my new favorites. The Mangles take a slightly hooky sound and match it up with a glorious garage rock fuzz. Combine that with Ramones like vocals and you’ve got a recipe for a rocking new band. The Necro Hippies from New Orleans have a great raw, fast pace punk sound and deserve a look. Catch these guys, who are on tour because there is no telling when we’ll get to see them again. One Big Vice are yet another Rock Hill that are favorites among many on the Charlotte scene. They’ve got a loose, noisy sound that reminds me of early Clash. This show will be a rocking good time and at $6 bucks it’s a bargain! Usual surcharges apply and it’s all ages. Doors at 8pm.

The Milestone Club- A Wilhelm Scream, Living with Lions, The Riot Before and We Shout Goodnight 11/2/09- I gave an in depth preview of this show last week but thought I would revisit this show. Wilhelm Scream from Nitro records make for a high energy, rock show and with Living with Lions and The Riot Before appearing with them this will a rocking night at the Milestone Club. Also appearing is Charlotte band We Shout Goodnight, an uptempo “new punk” band that should get the night started proper! Doors are 8pm and tickets are $10 for over 21 and $12 for under 21.

The Milestone Club- Captured by Robots, Siren 11/5/09- If you’ve never seen this insane, over the top show you really owe it to yourself. It’s basically a one man show, if you don’t count the myriad Robots who inhabit the stage. The lone man of this show is basically held captive by Robots who force him to perform for you. It’s part one man show and part performance art and it has to be seen to be believed. Also on the show is Siren who are noisy to say the least and should provide a strange nightmarish start to a really odd show. Doors are at 8pm and admission is $10 for over 21 and $12 for under.

Hip Hop at the Milestone Club!

The Milestone Club- The Thought Criminals, Ty Bru, Quantum Foundry 11/7/09-  Okay for a while I was really into hip hop. No really, not like trying to be a rapper but I appreciated the art form. Lately I’ve been noticing quite a few hip hop artist in our Queen City as well. This show features Kannapolis native The Thought Criminals, who’s claim to fame is being a nine person hip hop live band. The Wu-tang comparisons are obvious and the music leans that way as well. Not bad stuff though. I would definitely check it out. Ty Bru from Asheboro isn’t really my cup of tea but that’s merely a case of personal taste. He’s a little more smooth and seems to have a bit more of a radio friendly vibe. Quantum Foundry are from Charlotte and round out this hip hop bill. They seem to have a really chill easy vibe and smooth flow that tends to remind me of Tribe Called Quest and trust me that’s a compliment. Sorry if the descriptions aren’t exactly the most in depth. I have a hard time describing hip hop but take my word for it. This show will be worth checking out for any fan of rap or hip hop. Ghetto Fortress indeed! Show is at 8pm and admission is $7 for over 21 and $9 for under 21.

Snug Harbor- Ramonesfest with Antiseen, Flat Tires, 25 Minutes to Go, Psycho Devilles and the Trouble Walkers 11/7/09- Batten down the hatches at Snug Harbor as Rockabilly Babe productions brings together a who’s who of local punk and psychobilly to celebrate the Ramones. Last year this was a serious and sold out show and this year should be no different. Come and behold as local monsters of rock such as Antiseen and 25 Minutes to Go share the bill with psychobilly acts Psycho Devilles and the Flat Tires as well as the Trouble Walkers as they all pay tribute to the Ramones. Be there early as this one will sell out quickly!

Seems yesterday I missed a show in my column and was reminded by Wiley Buck Boswell of Andy the Doorbum. It’s cool, it’s been utter chaos around here recently and I do occasionally miss one. Anyway, it’s a significant show because Andy the Doorbum is touring starting with this show and it’s always awesome when local Charlotte acts pool their money and do the road warrior thing. So anyway, here is the preview for the show I missed yesterday, don’t repeat my mistake, this is a show you shouldn’t miss!

Andy the Doorbum at the Milestone Club 9/11/09!

The Milestone Club The Have and The Have Nots, Andy the Doorbum, The Lesser Pauls and Quantum Foundry 9/11/09- Okay so I overlooked this show yesterday in my haste to get the column out. Also they’ve had to change the lineup for this show constantly so I was afraid to say much about it. The real important thing here is that our own Andy the Doorbum is kicking off his tour this night. The tour is going to take them up through New York, Pennsylvania and other points in the Northeast and come back around to Durham, NC and wrap around to Rockhill, SC. It’s an impressive amount of dates and here’s hoping Andy does well. With everyone hyping the Avett’s I would humbly like to suggest Andy as a Meatpuppets to their Nirvana. Andy combines such diverse influences as Leonard Cohen and Ween and creates a tapestry of music that is as unusual as it is awesome. Layered compositions with a ton of unusual sound combinations and heart. All played with the intensity of a death metal show from hell. The rest of the bill features indie two piece, The Have and The Have Nots. Think kinda like Jucifer but not possibly as loud. Also on the show is the Lesser Pauls, who I still haven’t managed to catch live but from what their myspace page has on it, I need to. Catchy three piece rock with a nod of indie sensibility. I hear a thousand influences in there and at different times different ones pop out. One minute I’m thinking PJ Harvey and the next it’s a little more like a Jefferson Airplane. It’s good stuff no matter how you look at it! Finally this bill was originally supposed to have Eyes of the Elder on it but they had to bolt so instead we have Quantum Foundry, yet another in a growing underground hip hop scene in Charlotte. Smooth rhymes flow over smooth music that will have booties shaking. This show has variety that you don’t normally see in Charlotte and that’s a good thing. We need more stuff like this. Come check it out and be enlightened! Doors at 8pm and admission is $6 for over and $8 for under. 18+ only please!

Okay so there you have it! It will be an awesome show and I wish Andy the best as he goes on tour! See you when you get back!

Ryan Dead