WEDNESDAY 6.20
THE SITUATIONALS Featuring former members of TabascoHottie, Bruce Joyner's Reconstruction, The Bond and White Merle, The Situationals are fronted by engaging frontwoman Candice Bassett, who's backed here by Mike Carinelli, Kelly Morse, Jason Perkins and Todd Day (no, not the old Arkansas Razorbacks star). The guys (and gal) released a debut e.p., Heaven is High and The Emperor is Far Away back in September of '06, and are said to be putting the finishing touches on a new record, Boys of Troy, as we speak. Expect more of the band's trademark Blondie-meets-Beck post-punk pop. With Seth Boulton and the Dream Machine and Gerti Fox. The Milestone (Davis)
WILCO Sometimes the CVs say it all: Jeff Tweedy was a founding member of seminal country rockers Uncle Tupelo; bassist John Stirratt and guitarist Pat Sansone play in the lauded soft-rock side project, the Autumn Defense; Glenn Kotche moonlights in avant-popsters Loose Fur (along with Tweedy), and his appearance on over 70 records attests to his percussion skills; keyboardist Mikeal Jorgensen cut his teeth producing for Califone and working with Jim O'Rourke; and guitar whiz Nels Cline is a bad-ass in both the rock and free music worlds. Together they've become as a tight a band as you'll hear, playing new songs off Wilco's latest, Sky Blue Sky. Low, the long-running indie cult faves, open. Ovens Auditorium (Schacht)
FRIDAY 6.22
LA CHOCA LOCA The opening riff from their song "Wild About You" may have been played a million times, but those three chords and oodles of energy shoots Charlotte trio La Choca Loca's raw rock out of the gates and doesn't look back. This is party music where what you get are guitar, drums and bass, and that's all ya need. Souldozer will open. Snug Harbor (Shukla)
BEAT THE DEVIL The drone of a harmonium (a tabletop, hand-pumped organ from India) leads the gothic punk-blues-jazz-rock unleashed by vocalist Shilpa Ray and the NYC trio Beat the Devil. Drums and bass guitar round out the musical backdrop where Ray meets Nico and Marianne Faithfull in an alley to howl at the moon. The boys back her up with shards of eclectic rock that'll freshen up your liver. With The Zoopy show. Milestone (Shukla)
LI'L MALCOLM Lil' Malcolm & The House Rockers are a family affair that makes funky pop-zydeco mixed with a bit of gumbo reggae. This five-man band consists of guitarist Percy Walker and his two sons, drummer Percy Walker Jr. and accordionist Lil' Malcolm Walker. Tipping hats to zydeco legends such as Buckwheat Zydeco, the combo nevertheless keeps it contemporary and fresh. Double Door Inn (Shukla)
NMX 6 Presented by Charlotte's independent MoRisen Records, NMX (New Music Showcase) returns for the sixth time and features CR Rollyson, Bull City (Durham rock band), Schooner (Chapel Hill), Stone Figs (Charlotte's newest indie/new wave band) and 99th Brigade (Charlotte hip-hop act). It's a fancy smorgasbord of fine regional music as usual. Visulite (Shukla)
SATURDAY 6.23
NICK EDELSTEIN BAND Florida-based blues rocker, guitarist, and singer/songwriter Edelstein essentially plays straightforward blues-touched rock and roll. The writing is strong while his back-up band accents the classic rock guitar riffs on both rockers and ballads. If that fits your mood, by all means drop by. Puckett's Farm (Shukla)
SALLY SPRING This veteran Winston-Salem singer/songwriter gets more love from Americana fans abroad than at home, and from critics than the public at large, but she definitely has the admiration of some impressive peers. Ex-Byrds' Gene Parsons calls her "a treasure," and their duet of Gram Parsons' "Hickory Wind" could qualify as one, too. Tift Merritt, Marshall Crenshaw, Caitlin Cary, Chris Stamey and Television's Fred Smith appear on her latest, Mockingbird, but it's Spring front-and-center making it clear why the accolades are well-earned. The early show, with Jamie Hoover, Steve Stoeckel and Amy Speace. Evening Muse (Schacht)
RISE AGAINST Avid veg-heads Rise Against formed out of the ashes of a group called 88 Fingers Louie, and thank God, as they'd have never made Geffen with a moniker like that. Road warriors of the first order -- so much so that guitarist Chris Chasse left in February, citing the band's grueling schedule -- they've nonetheless had success with the get-in-the-van plan. Their last, The Sufferer and the Witness, charted as high as #10 on the Billboard charts. With Silverstein, Comeback Kid, and Only Crime. Tremont Music Hall (Davis)
LITTLE FEAT Mind you, they don't have madcap genius Lowell George on board -- and haven't for some time, as dude died in 1979 -- but don't write 'em off without a listen. Jimmy Page's favorite band (at least in George's era) has played together for some time (and still includes two founding members, keyboardist Bill Payne and drummer Richie Hayward, along with hotshit guitarist Paul Barrere, bassist Kenny Gradney, and percussionist Sam Clayton, all of whom joined up in 1972). So, yes -- 35 years together and you can can lock into a particularly tight groove -- especially when you were pretty taut to begin with. Feat's ain't failed 'em yet. The Neighborhood Theatre (Davis)