live shows Archive
26 May 2011
Concert Review (sorta): Garage a Trois
First, the bad news. I was scheduled to attend a recent local show featuring Garage a Trois. The hard-to-describe band’s sound is a heady mix of jazz, punk, rock and avant-garde/progressive sounds. I was looking forward to the show, but in the end my schedule didn’t permit me to attend the performance. The good news
18 Apr 2011
Concert Review: April Smith and the Great Picture Show
If you’ve attended even a few live shows in your lifetime, you’re probably familiar with the particular plight of the opening act. Often added to the bill by the record company, this hapless aggregation suffers the ignominy of performing before a crowd who – let’s be honest — came to see somebody else. Back in
08 Dec 2010
Concert Review: The Sword
Previewing the show in a single sentence, my friend told me, “These guys are masters of the One.” Indeed they are. The Sword – purveyors of a polished version of doom-stoner-epic metal – have their own trademark sound, and it centers around hitting the beat – and hard – on the one. These guys can
20 Sep 2010
Concert Review: Dungen – Asheville NC, Sep. 12 2010
“Hello. We are The Pixies.” That was the puckish greeting that Gustav Estjes — leader of Swedish folkrockpsych quartet Dungen proffered to the audience on a recent Saturday night at Asheville North Carolina’s Grey Eagle. This was either the third or fourth visit the group has made here; neither their tour manager nor I could
12 Aug 2010
Concert Review: Bill Haley’s Original Comets, Branson MO
My “people” (as they say) are from New York City. So trips to Center of the Known Universe were a highlight of my youth. I recall one particular trip during which my uncle (one of New York’s Finest, thankyouverymuch) took us out for a slice of pizza. A mere lad of thirteen or so, I
29 Jul 2010
Concert Review: Paul McCartney – July 28 2010, Charlotte NC
Though I did my best not to, as the July 2010 Paul McCartney concert in Charlotte kicked off, I already had in my head a couple of ideas I thought I’d use in my post-show summary. But besides putting on a great show, McCartney managed to be something I hadn’t expected: just slightly unpredictable. Sure,
14 May 2010
Concert Review: Bigelf (28 April ‘10, Charlotte NC)
I had seen Bigelf before. As related in earlier features, I attended the Asheville NC engagement of the 2009 Progressive Nation tour, and was delighted to discover this new (to me) band that sounded like Black Sabbath with Mellotrons. I found their visual aesthetic both over the top and appealing all at once. Vocalist, front
02 Apr 2010
Concert Review: King Khan & the Shrines, 3/30/2010
They fought the law, and the law…well, let’s call it a draw. What law, you ask? Why, the law of diminishing returns. Do essentially the same thing over and over, and you’ll get less of a return on your investment. And to some extent, that’s what happened on March 30 when King Khan and the
26 Mar 2010
Concert Review: Moody Blues – April 21, 2010
Maybe you’ve been lucky. Maybe you’ve had the pleasure of attending a concert where the performer was truly, really, wholly into it. I was lucky the other night. I saw the Moody Blues in concert. Yes, the Moody Blues. I know what you might be thinking. A long string of hits, sure. But nothing in
24 Feb 2010
Concert Review: The City Champs
Memphis soul trio The City Champs brought their southern-fried (mostly) instrumental sounds to Asheville NC’s Orange Peel on Saturday February 19. Opening for the North Mississippi Allstars, the City Champs turned out a half-hour plus of their subtly updated take on the stylings of Booker T & the MGs. While the trio’s debut album The