Okay November is moving right along and Snug is still standing after Ramonesfest. Now that the dust has settled from that, let’s move on to look at more upcoming local shows on this episode of “Next Week”!

The Milestone Club- Mike Hale (Gun Moll) Chris Wollard (Hot Water Music) and the Ship Thieves, KP Soloman 5000 11/11/09- Okay this is an interesting concept and I don’t know if they set it up like this or not, but this show features a lot of people who are famous for being in other bands. This is like “Solo project Night” at the Milestone. KP Soloman is of course, known for plucking the bass in 25 Minutes to Go, what you may not know is that he also has an acoustic side underneath all that. Course, you probably do know that because the Soloman has been burning up the bar circuit lately with his personal, intimate style of songwriting. Mike Hale is the singer/guitar player for Gunmoll but his solo stuff is exactly the opposite of the loud rock band. Intricate acoustic picking and introspective lyrics, sung with a husky voice makes for a mellow mood. Chris Wollard of Hot Water Music fame has banded together a bunch of his Gainesville buddies and are touring as Chris Wollard & The Ship Thieves. If you are coming expecting a roaring, loud rock show ala Hot Water Music you’re in for a surprise. This project is surprisingly folky, intimate and almost indie sound. This should be a fun night to watch guys who are normally loud and proud get all acoustic and emotional. Admission is $7 and doors are at 8pm.

Double Negative play the Milestone Club 11/13/09!

The Milestone Club- Double Negative, Grids, Moenda, Brain Flannel 11/13/09- Whatever I said about the previous show, this show is just the opposite. Not that these guys don’t have emotion to there singing it’s just angrier emotions. Double Negative last played with Fucked Up I believe and that show was damn near a riot. Expect no less this time. Raleigh’s Double Negative play a high tempo, full speed ahead music that will blow your mind. To put it mildly, Double Negative kick a lot of ass. High speed riffs with screaming, distorted vocals played with a wide open abandon that few bands achieve. It’s face melting to say the least. Grids are a Charlotte rock/ indie/ hardcore band that communicate via heavy riffs and clever (when you can make them out) lyrics. Slower paced than Double Negative ( that’s most bands btw) they still manage to have a heavy, reverbed almost ominous sound. Moenda is a Charlotte band featuring Davey Blackburn of Calabi Yai. Their sound is more like avant garde jazz noise meets relentless distortion. Not really my thing but at one time I would have loved it. It’s really gonna depend on how into John Zorn you are… Also playing is Brain Flannel, which features members of Logic Problem, Yardwork and Grids. Tickets are $6 for over 21 and $8 for under and doors are at 8pm.

The Milestone Club actually has two more shows that I wanted to squeeze in the column this week. Saturday 11/14 the Milestone welcomes the Lights Fluorescent, one of Charlotte’s premier indie rock acts featuring the amazing Erika Blatnik. Also on the bill are Hallelujah the Hills, Yep Roc records Drink Up Buttercup and The Lesser Pauls, whose PJ Harvey meets Sonic Youth meets Jefferson Airplane sound have me paying attention. On Sunday 11/15 the ‘Stone welcomes a night of heavier than hell music featuring the infamous Black Cobra, Black Tusk, Charlotte’s own heavier than your four piece duo, MACHETE! and psychedelic rock outfit Chylde. Should be a heavy way to start the week. Talk about a Monday morning hangover!

Btw, I wanted to mention that Rodi in Gastonia is 13 years old this month. Hard to believe that Rodi has been open for 13 years but it’s true and we wanted to pass along our congratulations to them! For the uninitiated Rodi offers up great food and free live shows for the acoustic minded. It’s an eating experience that is unique in the area and never fails to make a great, memorable night. For more info go to www.rodiworld.com!

I also wanted to give a brief mention to two shows coming up this week at Amos Southend. First off, it’s all tight pants and eyeliners on Tuesday the 10th as Amos welcomes Boys Like Girls w/ Cobra Starship, The Maine,  A Rocket to the Moon and Versa Emerge. This show is all ages (if it wasn’t there might not be anyone there!) and it’s $25 in advance and $28 day of show. Doors open at 6pm. It’s just the opposite on Saturday the 13th when Amos welcome Hatebreed w/ Unearth, Canibal Corpse, Hate Eternal and Born of Osiris. Jesus, I’ve seen Hatebreed and Canibal Corpse before and this show will be the heavy death metal jam from hell. If you don’t love violence stay away from the pit at this show because it will be fast and violent for sure. This show is 16 & over tickets are $20 in advance and $23 at the door and doors open at 7pm.

Snug Harbor- Dynamite Brothers, Babyshaker, Satan’s Youth Ministers 11/14/09- Somebody at  Snug Harbor are secret soul fans and I love it.  First Chain & The Gang and now the Dynamite Brothers. This guy have an organ to grind and harmonies to spare. This Chapel

Dynamite Brothers and Babyshaker 11/14/09

Hill party band get it all right with soulful vocals, singing about their love of women with a back breaking beat and great bass lines that will get your booty shaking. I don’t know where all these soul bands are coming from but you’ll get no complaints from me. These guys remind me of Three Dog Night and that’s a compliment! Babyshaker may not have as much soul but they definitely bring down the house with the swagger of lead singer Scott Weaver. Glam, rock, punk songs about whatever ails them is what to expect from these guys. And anyone who can last past the infamous 10 year mark definitely gets my respect! Satan’s Youth Ministers get my award for “name of the week”! This Alabama band specializes in psychedelic, garage rock with a nod of r&b. That’s all good as well. Noisy and fun these guys are a great way to start the party. It’ll be a fun night at Snug Harbor for sure.

Snug Harbor- The Dirt Daubers, Appalucia 11/15/09- The Dirt Daubers are Colonel JD Wilkes of the Legendary Shack Shakers with his wife Jessica and “Slow” Layne Hendrickson. They hail from Western Kentucky and play an ecclectic mix of Appalachian, ragtime and hot jazz standards and original music. That pretty much makes them a match made in heaven for Charlotte’s own Appalucia. This Corey Ziggler/ Andy the Doorbum project are also disciples of the Appalachian sound and this show will go great with a mega dose of moonshine!

Well that’s it for this edition of “Next Week” ! If you guys hear about a show and want to pass it along to us, send me an email! Bands keep the flyers coming! We’ll see you next time! Thanks!

Ryan Dead

Okay here we go with this week’s edition of “Next Week”. I did want to mention that I’ve heard from reliable sources that Minority Party is going to play a return show at Lunchbox Records. I will also say I haven’t seen any mention of it anywhere so we’ll have to wait and see. I’ll let you know if I find out anything. In the meantime, on with the show!

The Milestone Club- Bruce Hazel & Some Volunteers w/ Howlies 9/4/09- Bruce Hazel & Some Volunteers have become quite a guilty pleasure of mine. It’s that special blend of garage rock and soul that sends it over the top. Maybe a little early Springsteen mixed with a touch of Joe Cocker. More interesting is the slightly punk vibe that sneaks in under the radar. I dig it, you probably would too. Check out his myspace page (www.myspace.com/brucehazel) and listen to “Power to the Working Class” if you need any more convincing. Opener Howlies from the ATL claim the garage rock label but to me they seem like indie with just a nod to garage rock. Not that it’s a bad thing but sometimes it seems a little odd. It’ll still be a good warm up for Bruce Hazel. Doors are at 8pm and no price listed yet but it’s probably $6 for over 21 and $8 for under. 18+ only please.

The Milestone Club- the Independents w/ the Rogue Nations and Greasy Kitty 9/5/09- The Independents played the Stillnotdead Christmas last year and have come through a few times since then.  I gotta admit, their look does not get you ready for the music you are about to receive. It’s like the Misfits if they ever got into a touch of ska and mixed that with a little (very small) touch of rockabilly. Sound confusing? It can be at times but they hold it together and have a fairly solid following because of it. The Rogue Nations recently made their return at PRP2 and are sporting a brand new guitar player. He adds some beef to the guitars and is a welcome addition to this group. And by the way that’s not a new drummer, he just cut his hair! Greasy Kitty also played PRP2 so you should know what you’re in for with these guys. They also have a brand new guitarist and rocked the house early on at PRP2 so be sure to check these guys out. For a sneak preview of these two bands go to the Punk Rock Picnic videos and check them out! Doors are at 8pm and admission is $8 for over and $10 for under. 18 + only please.

Buddy Holly tribute show at Rodi in Gastonia, NC 9/5/09!

Man, I didn’t realize how much music was gonna be crammed into Memorial Day Weekend until I started looking at the calendar this week. It’s gonna be an insane weekend for music and we’ll need the extra day off just to survive! Let’s get to it!!

The Milestone Club

5/23/09 Antiseen w/ 25 Minutes to Go and Music Hates You- In some circles you have probably been told this is the most important show in the universe.

Rodan couldn't destroy the Milestone like this show will!!

While I don’t know if that is true, I’m pretty sure that this is gonna be a show of the year candidate. Antiseen have been around for over 25 years and are the undisputed kings of the old school destructo-rock scene. This show however is a special occasion as Jeff Clayton and the boys are introducing their new, younger lineup! It ain’t everyday you get that historical significance. In the meantime, 25 Minutes to Go are also gonna release their long awaited second record “It’s Go Time!”. We’ve been waiting for this one for a long time so I’m sure the crowd will be superstoked for this one. Opening is Athen’s Music Hates You. That’s like starting the show by releasing a wild wolverine ( the animal, not the movie!) into the pit! I’ll end by giving you a few things you should know:

• Get there early, this show will sell out. If it doesn’t Charlotte has no soul!! Mark my words. How early should you show up? I would suggest you leave right now and go down there and wait. I’ve been hearing about this show since the start of the year. If that level of hype is any indication it should be sold out before the show even starts.
• Be ready for the end of the universe. Antiseen and 25 MTG in the same place, at the same time may cause a rip in the fabric of reality. Screw the Superconductor in Europe, this is real energy and it could destroy all reality so don’t say you weren’t warned. I would still go, it’s better to be at ground zero during the blast than sucked into the blackhole it’s gonna leave behind.
• If you aren’t a complete badass then steer clear of the pit. Brutal is not even the word for it. Consider yourself warned!

That’s about all you need to know to survive this one. Doors are at 8pm and admission is $8 for over 21 and $10 for under 21. 18+ only!

Rodi- Gastonia, NC

5/23/09 The Merrows- I caught these guys at the Earthday Festival at CPCC. They are a blast. Not to mention that Monty of the Merrows inhabits a barstool next to mine at the pub. These guys play beautiful traditional celtic/ acoustic music. If you consider yourself into Irish music such as the Chieftains, The Tossers or Floggin Molly then you owe it to yourself to make the run to Rodi in Gastonia to check these guys out. Did I mention it’s free??

The Visulite Theater

5/23/09 Bum’s Lie cd release party w/ Stump Dickens- There are too many good shows going on this Saturday. Bum’s Lie recorded their live album “Stumbling and Mumbling” earlier this year at the Visulite and now they return there to have the cd release party. Bum’s Lie are one of my local favorites. They have a solid reggae, dub sound that gets the crowd moving from the first note. Their infectious live sound is now caught for posterity on their new live cd “Stumbling and Mumbling”. Be sure to check it out. Opening is the catchy Stump Dickens, who should get this party started early. Doors open at 8pm and admission is $8 in advance and $10 day of the show!

Neighborhood Theater

5/26/09 Les Claypool w/ O’Death- Les Claypool is one of the most innovative bass players to hit the scene during the 90’s. His initial rise to prominence was with his band Primus, which had such hits as “Jerry was a Racecar Driver” and “My Name is Mud”. Afterwards he has went on to do various soundtracks and play in multiple bands. This time he tours under just his own name to support his new cd, “Of Fungi and Foe” and from my short preview I got of it, it’s the strangest stuff he has ever recorded, and that’s saying something. I find the new stuff to be an acquired taste that I haven’t quite got the hang of yet. In any case fans of his bass acrobatics will love the live show so be sure to check it out if you have the bread. Opening is O’Death. Doors are at 7pm and admission is $25 in advance and $30 day of the show.

Snug Harbor

5/21/09-5/24/09 The 2nd Annual Snug 600!!- I’m not even gonna try to do a breakdown of all the bands playing Snug Harbors annual memorial day shindig. Last year it was two nights, this year it’s all weekend and they are going for it with an all star lineup! 5/21/09 features Bob Log III, Willem Maker, 2113 Wolves and the Holy Smokes. 5/22/09 features Holy Liars, Trouble Walkers, Guam High and Slow Gun Shogun ( who may have the coolest name in the business right now!). 5/23/09 features Two Tears, Radio Taiwan, Throttlerod and the Have & the Have Nots. The final night (5/24/09) features Crank County Daredevils, The Poontanglers, Appalucia and the Bitterman. That is an insane amount of music for a 4 day span and I’ve got to hand it to Snug Harbor for going all out on this one! It should make for a wild memorial day!!  Btw, the show starts every night at 9pm!

Ok, so basically no matter what type of music you like, there should be something for you Memorial Day Weekend! Have fun and be safe!!