WEDNESDAY, JULY 28
CULTURE Since the death of his father, Joseph Hill, in 2006, Culture's been ably commanded by Kenyatta Hill, son of the famously dreadlocked and down-to-earth one. Culture was already some 30 years into its musical history when its patriarch died, yet still strike these ears as relevant as a touring act — interest in loping world rhythms and revolutionary politics are two things that seem to reinvent themselves every half-decade or so — thanks to the younger Hill's ever-developing songcraft. What's more, the Jamaican gents always seemed to love touring the Southeast, and have played all sorts of venues around the Q.C. over the years, including, if memory serves, a VFW hall. While Papa Hill will miss the bill, it's good to see the band getting a little of the respect it deserves. With Beres Hammond and Inner Circle. $30, Neighborhood Theatre, www.neighborhoodtheatre.com (Timothy C. Davis)
WIGGLE WAGONS With everyone mixing up genres these days, why not try taking a classic country sound of somebody like Johnny Cash and mixing it with the energy of, say, Guns N Roses. That's what the Wiggle Wagons do best. While you'd think the sound was born in the fields of the Carolinas, the band actually got its start in California. Now based in the Charlotte area, the band members and the music feel right at home. With Cattletruck and Zasz. $5, Snug Harbor, www.snugrock.com (Jeff Hahne)
THURSDAY, JULY 29
DEMUN JONES The Gray, Ga., native often mixes various styles of rapping, predominately "dirty South rap," with his nothing-fancy but consistent acoustic guitar-playing. His main skill seems to be that of spewing rapid sentences from his blustering mouth that turn into stories of his life in the South and experiences of being in the music biz. Shades of Everlast in the '90s exist. He occasionally steps in and performs with the Southern/alt. rock, rap and reggae band Rehab, but is flying solo this time around in support of his first release, Light. The rendition of LL Cool J's classic "Going back to Cali" is a thumping ride of nostalgia. With Villanova. $10, Amos' Southend, www.amossouthend.com (Chris Triplett)
FRIDAY, JULY 30
JEM CROSSLAND & THE HYPERTONICS Crossland wasn't born on American soil, but he's done a fine job for years now of synthesizing this country's early music history, at least as white radio would have it: namely, folks like Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, Roy Orbison and Bill Haley. While Haley had "His Comets," Crossland boasts the capable Hypertonics, comprised of John Marlow on drums and Charlotte music vet Chipps Baker on saxophone and bass. Indeed, Crossland is able to look at this country's roots music as only an outside eye can: clearly, affectionately and with an uncanny purity that comes from always having been exposed to the good stuff. Puckett's Farm Equipment, www.puckettsfarm.com (Davis)
BARENAKED LADIES It's fitting that the same week Sir Paul McCartney comes to Charlotte, the band he's quoted saying he enjoys the most is also in town. The Grammy-nominated Canadian band has been kicking for over two decades now and one thing that hasn't changed are those harmonies Paul loves so much. Ben Kweller and Angel Taylor are on its support. $28-$52.50, Road Runner Mobile Ampitheatre, www.livenation.com (Mike McCray)
THE LIGHTS, FLUORESCENT The Charlotte indie rockers have quickly established themselves on the music scene in the last couple of years since forming. So, it's truly going to suck, plain and simple, when the band calls it quits at the end of August — singer/guitarist Erika Blatnik is moving. While we expect big things from all involved in the future, we have to recommend that you make one of these last shows to see what will be surely missed. With Shotgun Lover and 500 Miles to Memphis. $6-$8, The Milestone, www.themilestoneclub.com (Jeff Hahne)
SATURDAY, JULY 31
MALCOLM HOLCOMBE North Carolina music staple Holcombe, with the joyously gruff voice, a life drenched in the blues and folk, simply sits on a stool, acoustic guitar in hand, head shaking, while howling out bruising numbers. His latest CD, For the Mission Baby, is about as potent as it can get — gutsy, rootsy, bluesy, Americana where Holcombe's lyrics mark him a wordsmith of legend proportions, comfortably perched on the upper rungs. With Aaron Wood. $12, The Evening Muse, www.theeveningmuse.com (Samir Shukla)
BABYSHAKER This winter Charlotte's Babyshaker will mark a dozen years of steady rocking. The quartet straddles the fence between raw garage/punk and groove-laden glam where shards of punk chords and classic rock riffs intermingle and converge into, well, damn catchy pop-rock songs. Their new album, Legendary, produced by the ever-reliable Don Dixon, is now available on vinyl and includes a link to download the album digitally with bonus tracks. Also on the bill: The Vicious Guns, One Another. $5, Snug Harbor, www.snugrock.com (Shukla)
MONDAY, AUG. 2
CHIMAIRA At first listen, they sound like a run-of-the-mill thrash/hard-core metal outfit, growly, pissed vocals, rumbling drums and screaming guitars. But a few songs into their catalogue reveals a more evolved thud, where the Ohio headbangers evoke moodiness not much heard in the genre. They are on the road tearing up the countryside in support of the freshly released DVD/CD set, Coming Alive. With In This Moment and Scapegoat. $15-$18, Amos' Southend, www.amossouthend.com (Shukla)
