Dromedary -- Andrew Reissiger and Rob McMaken are the duo known as Dromedary. They trek through a blend of world rhythms using acoustic string instruments such as mandolin, classical guitar and Charango. You've probably heard bits of their flowing sound on NPR. Whether their muse is traversing through the Andes, North Africa or our own neck of the world in Appalachia with a dulcimer, the effect is quite enticing. The Evening Muse (Shukla)
Spookie Daly Pride -- Their last one, Marshmallow Pie (a sort of Northern homage to the Moon Pie), is a pretty typical Spookie platter -- a dash of Tom Waits vocals, some Southern jangle and drive, and a little good ol' fashioned N'awlins funk. A little different from most bands of this ilk, and to their credit, they manage to be humorous without overwhelming the music. They're interesting enough, and while they don't seem to be straddling genres because they can't perfect one, you would like to see a bit more stylistic cohesion -- musically, they're not so much schizophrenic as they are scattered. Extra points for the lyrical grit, however. Visulite Theatre (Davis)
FRIDAY 5.2Dancing Hobos -- Shelby rock band playing down-to-earth countrified, folk rock. Keyboards swerve around the guitars and fade to let the rhythm section finish things out. It's a sweet sorta southern boogie band doing the roots thing with plenty of acoustic layers. Puckett's Farm Equipment (Shukla)
SATURDAY 5.3Delta Moon -- Maybe there'll be a couple people in the audience that will recognize guitarist Tom Gray who used to front the 80s band The Brains. But that fact is just trivia as Atlanta's Delta Moon uphold their moniker with strolling delta blues, hillbilly style. Tales and vibes from Appalachia on dual slide guitars and a rousing female vocalist make them downright authentic. The swaying alto of Gina Leigh shakes it up while the guitarists create steamy acoustic or slide blues that will make purists grin from ear to ear. They're also the winners of the 2003 International Blues Challenge. Old blokes like Slim Harpo would be proud. Double Door Inn (Shukla)
NMX2 -- Part two in the New Music Xtravaganza series put on by the folks at Charlotte's MoRisen records features four pretty good bands, none of which are necessarily new, with the possible exception of MARAT. MARAT does feature a number of people you might have heard of, however, including Michael Rank on guitar (Snatches of Pink, Clarissa), John Ensslin on lead vocals (Teasing the Korean, What Peggy Wants), Des White on bass (The Veldt), and Scott Carle on drums (Dillon Fence, Collapsis). Chapel Hill's Jennyanykind still ably man the Southern shaman role, raising spirits with their brand of smoke-cured acid blooze. Not to be dismissed, The Talk and Elevator Action hold up the Queen City portion of the program quite well, the former with agreeably dirty lit-pop and the latter with a Rich Little take on Marc Bolan. Visulite Theatre (Davis)
SUNDAY 5.4Medeski Martin & Wood -- The merry pranksters of white instrumental soul, MM&W have become the jazz fix du jour of the khaki crowd, and for good reason. The band bobs and weaves at all the right moments, drummer Billy Martin flails and beats on anything he can get his hands on, and John Medeski lays down organ chord progressions so enticing one could curl up and sleep on them. A sort of jazz trio for the Internet age, MM&W cut and paste a pharmaceutical pastiche that references house, hip hop, and electronic shrapnel. Even though they're prone to funk it up on occasion, the core of the band's music still lies in the idioms of jazz. Whether this is a dilution of the music or a quenching jolt of new energy depends on what side of the jazz water can you're on. Tremont Music Hall (Davis)
MONDAY 5.5King's X -- Some time back, in a Music Menu column far, far away, I said the following: "While not the prototype for grunge and the 'alternative' sound that some writers would have you believe (to paraphrase Freud, sometimes a band is just a band), King's X has carved out a nice little niche in the music world with their brand of melodic thrum. Guitarist Ty Tabor, bassist Doug Pinnick and drummer Jerry Gaskill might not be Nirvana as far as power trios go, but when they blend some three-part harmonies with the crunchy-sweet guitar work they're known for, you'll be enlightened." I stand by most of that, with the possible exception of the enlightened part. Entranced, perhaps? Enlivened? How about a nice, simple "you likely won't ask for your money back"? Amos' Southend (Davis)
Maktub -- They've been called the Al Green for a new generation, which is a bit surprising considering they're from Seattle. Led by singer Reggie Watts, the group does offer up a good deal of soul -- kind of a West Coast version of our former Triad-area neighbors that were DAG. And, their groove, well let's just say it gets next to you. Visulite Theatre (Lynn Farris)
TUESDAY 5.6The Waybacks -- Whoa, where did these cats sneak in from? They can switch from bluegrass to swing to acoustic rock in the blink of an eye. An intriguing trio fronted by mandolin, acoustic guitar and fingerpicking rhythm guitar signal new voices in the newgrass arena. They are making the trek from San Francisco, so put on your tapping shoes and get ready for swinging originals and eclectic covers of Charlie Parker, John Fahey and others. Neighborhood Theatre (Shukla)
WEDNESDAY 5.7Roy Book Binder -- A self-professed musical gypsy, Binder learned his craft (blues guitar, not book binding) from none other than the legendary Rev. Gary Davis. He's a walking Sandburg-ian compendium of country blues, and probably hasn't gotten the credit he deserves due to the fact he's of, er, the Caucasian persuasion in a form where the right color often helps seal one's "authenticity." Never mind the musicologists -- here's Roy Book Binder. The Evening Muse (Davis)