Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Left Outlet and The Dead Rabbits Play Slims April 14
On April 14, at Slim's Downtown on South Wilmington Street, some serious rock n' roll was heard.
Raleigh band Left Outlet began the show around 10 o' clock to a highly receptive audience. The band plays Slim's regularly, and the crowd knows what to expect. They have a tight rhythm section with solid bass lines, great vocals with catchy lyrics, and a lead guitar that absolutely wails.
Dead Rabbits were up next, a two-piece band from Georgia with one guitar, one drum kit, and two vocalists. They play in a bluesy garage-rock style that is simplistic, yet that is its charm. The groove is easy to latch on to, and the sound is amazing.
Raleigh band Left Outlet began the show around 10 o' clock to a highly receptive audience. The band plays Slim's regularly, and the crowd knows what to expect. They have a tight rhythm section with solid bass lines, great vocals with catchy lyrics, and a lead guitar that absolutely wails.
Dead Rabbits were up next, a two-piece band from Georgia with one guitar, one drum kit, and two vocalists. They play in a bluesy garage-rock style that is simplistic, yet that is its charm. The groove is easy to latch on to, and the sound is amazing.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Pathology, Rose Funeral Headline Easter Sunday at Volume 11 Tavern
This past Sunday, April 8, California death metal heavyweights Pathology booked a last minute show along with Rose Funeral. Both were passing through North Carolina on their respective tours, and made a stop at Volume 11 Tavern on Maywood Avenue just south of downtown Raleigh.
Opening local acts included Surgical Onslaught (Greensboro), Noctomb (Raleigh), Engulfed in Afterbirth (Winston-Salem), and Priapus (Greensboro).
All six bands brought their own particular style of heavy music to the table, and it was a night of blast beats and fast riffs.
Opening local acts included Surgical Onslaught (Greensboro), Noctomb (Raleigh), Engulfed in Afterbirth (Winston-Salem), and Priapus (Greensboro).
All six bands brought their own particular style of heavy music to the table, and it was a night of blast beats and fast riffs.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
R.B.T. with Kingshead at the Dive Bar
The Dive Bar on Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh may be small, but on March 2nd, it packed a big punch with two hardcore bands; Kingshead and R.B.T.
Kingshead from Virginia Beach took the spotlight to begin with, with their own brand of southern metal. Their sound is smooth and melodic at times, but always with a heavy vibe.
R.B.T. was next up, with the loudest and fastest riffs I've seen in a long time. The guitar wailed away, and the bassist could play a million notes per minute. The band is tight.
I would recommend checking out both bands online, but nothing can ever beat a live show.
Kingshead from Virginia Beach took the spotlight to begin with, with their own brand of southern metal. Their sound is smooth and melodic at times, but always with a heavy vibe.
R.B.T. was next up, with the loudest and fastest riffs I've seen in a long time. The guitar wailed away, and the bassist could play a million notes per minute. The band is tight.
I would recommend checking out both bands online, but nothing can ever beat a live show.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
The Lazy Janes, Noncanon, Torpor, and The Infamous Sugar at King's Barcade
On February 24, King's Barcade in downtown Raleigh had a good crowd, all awaiting the debut appearance of the Lazy Janes. The lineup was eclectic on this particular evening, and included other acts: Noncanon, Torpor, and Infamous Sugar.
The Lazy Janes brought their unique brand of silly punk rock to the stage, with great results. The music is simplistic yet memorable, and the humor of the band adds a whole new dimension to the act.
Next up was Noncanon, a two-piece band with a hypnotic sound. They combine simple beats with thick atmospheric synth sounds to create a backdrop for their moving basslines, melodic guitar, and smooth vocals.
Torpor took the stage after Noncanon, and the mood takes a 180 degree turn. No slow melodic passages or synth atmosphere here, only fast and heavy hardcore with a dose of garage rock prevalent in the sound. The songs were short, and the set was short, but the crowd seemed to respond to the energy of Torpor's fast-paced riffs and pounding drums.
The final act of the night played to a smaller audience at this late point in the night, but those who stuck around were in for a treat. The old-school piano-based rock n' roll created by Infamous Sugar rocks the house. The lyrics are care-free and fun, and the music is sure to put a bounce in your step.
The Lazy Janes brought their unique brand of silly punk rock to the stage, with great results. The music is simplistic yet memorable, and the humor of the band adds a whole new dimension to the act.
Next up was Noncanon, a two-piece band with a hypnotic sound. They combine simple beats with thick atmospheric synth sounds to create a backdrop for their moving basslines, melodic guitar, and smooth vocals.
Torpor took the stage after Noncanon, and the mood takes a 180 degree turn. No slow melodic passages or synth atmosphere here, only fast and heavy hardcore with a dose of garage rock prevalent in the sound. The songs were short, and the set was short, but the crowd seemed to respond to the energy of Torpor's fast-paced riffs and pounding drums.
The final act of the night played to a smaller audience at this late point in the night, but those who stuck around were in for a treat. The old-school piano-based rock n' roll created by Infamous Sugar rocks the house. The lyrics are care-free and fun, and the music is sure to put a bounce in your step.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Shadows, Kill the Car, and Noctomb at Axe Manor
Upon entering Axe Manor, the first
thing that catches the eye is a cardboard sign outlining the rules of the
house: No underage drinking, no smoking inside, and no sniffing glue.
Leather-clad college students busy themselves by moving the furniture back
against the walls and nailing pieces of plywood over the living room windows.
“It’s so people don’t break our windows,” explains Matt Peach, one of the tenants of the house, “It happened once before, so we board ‘em up now.”
The old house on Morgan Street in downtown Raleigh is a new hub for the underground punk music scene, and preparations are being made for a show. There is little promotion for these events; the news is spread by word of mouth or Facebook statuses, and the “cover charge” is simply a suggested donation for the bands.
Tonight, 3 acts are featured: Shadows, Noctomb, and Kill the Car. The first 2 hail from Raleigh, while Kill the Car traveled all the way from Front Royal, Virginia to play at Axe Manor. The bands have arrived, and begin lugging drum kits, guitars, and amplifiers into the living room. There is a small crowd at this point, but it slowly grows into a group of 50 people crammed into the house, waiting for the sonic onslaught.
Within moments of hearing the first chords of the opening act, the audience erupts, doing exactly what they came to do. They throw themselves into each other, pushing, screaming, and head-banging to the fast-paced, energetic music. Somehow, even crowd surfing is possible in the tiny space, and instead of dwindling, the energy only grows as time passes.
The dangerous dance called moshing is not all about violence, though, as Shadows drummer Nick Baxter points out, “It’s about getting into the music, not hurting each other. You’ll get bruised up for sure, but if you fall, someone’s always there to pick you up, keep you from getting trampled.”
The intimate and friendly vibe is what draws both the audience and the bands to this particular venue, despite the lack of any real stage, lighting, PA systems, or bar.
“We didn’t even cover our gas expense,” Dale of Kill the Car remarks, rummaging through the donation jar, “But we’d come back. You guys are cool. Raleigh knows how to party.”
“It’s so people don’t break our windows,” explains Matt Peach, one of the tenants of the house, “It happened once before, so we board ‘em up now.”
The old house on Morgan Street in downtown Raleigh is a new hub for the underground punk music scene, and preparations are being made for a show. There is little promotion for these events; the news is spread by word of mouth or Facebook statuses, and the “cover charge” is simply a suggested donation for the bands.
Tonight, 3 acts are featured: Shadows, Noctomb, and Kill the Car. The first 2 hail from Raleigh, while Kill the Car traveled all the way from Front Royal, Virginia to play at Axe Manor. The bands have arrived, and begin lugging drum kits, guitars, and amplifiers into the living room. There is a small crowd at this point, but it slowly grows into a group of 50 people crammed into the house, waiting for the sonic onslaught.
Within moments of hearing the first chords of the opening act, the audience erupts, doing exactly what they came to do. They throw themselves into each other, pushing, screaming, and head-banging to the fast-paced, energetic music. Somehow, even crowd surfing is possible in the tiny space, and instead of dwindling, the energy only grows as time passes.
The dangerous dance called moshing is not all about violence, though, as Shadows drummer Nick Baxter points out, “It’s about getting into the music, not hurting each other. You’ll get bruised up for sure, but if you fall, someone’s always there to pick you up, keep you from getting trampled.”
The intimate and friendly vibe is what draws both the audience and the bands to this particular venue, despite the lack of any real stage, lighting, PA systems, or bar.
“We didn’t even cover our gas expense,” Dale of Kill the Car remarks, rummaging through the donation jar, “But we’d come back. You guys are cool. Raleigh knows how to party.”
Personality Profile - Al Maginnes
Al Maginnes is a local poet and author of 6 different
poetry collections, the latest of which, Ghost
Alphabet, won the White Pine Poetry Press Award.
It is difficult to imagine finding the time to write poetry between teaching English courses at Wake Technical Community College and the responsibilities of fatherhood, but somehow Al does it.
After teaching at Louisburg College for a few years in the early nineties, he moved to Wake Tech where he has taught for over 18 years, and has been Co-chair of the Fine Arts Committee for the past 8. He teaches literature, composition, and creative writing.
Not only is he a prolific writer and busy teacher, but he also finds the time to be a loving father to his five-year-old adopted daughter, which is no small task for a man who began fatherhood at the age of 49, “Most of my friends are worried about paying for their kids’ college tuition,” Maginnes joked, “I’m thinking about how my daughter went up a reading level in kindergarten.”
Maginnes has won several awards for his poetry. His first full book of poems, Taking Up Our Daily Tools, won recognition from the North Carolina Poetry Council. He has also been awarded by the Lily Peter Fellowship at the University of Arkansas, the North Carolina Arts Council, and by the White Pine Poetry Press.
Maginnes draws influence from the poetry of Philip Levine and Charles Wright, and also jazz music, but admits, “I try to work on writing whether or not I’m inspired. Writing can also be therapy, but I don’t usually share those.”
He began writing stories around the age of 8, which got him started. “Most of it was copying the things I read, but a writer is really just a reader moved to imitation.”
Maginnes is working on a new poetry collection, which will be available in October of this year. The work is entitled Inventing Constellations, and many of the poems are inspired by his newfound fatherhood. His favorite poem in the collection, “Prayer for the Imponderables,” is about him being away on his own while he felt he should have been at home taking care of his daughter.
Despite the increased popularity of the internet, Maginnes believes that it has not severely affected the publishing industry, but he does admit that it “makes it hard to separate the wheat from the chaff,” meaning that there is so much out there, it becomes difficult to distinguish the quality of literary works. He encourages writers to never give up, however, “Stay at it,” he says, “Get a thick skin. People are going to tell you no. Just stick at it.”
It is difficult to imagine finding the time to write poetry between teaching English courses at Wake Technical Community College and the responsibilities of fatherhood, but somehow Al does it.
After teaching at Louisburg College for a few years in the early nineties, he moved to Wake Tech where he has taught for over 18 years, and has been Co-chair of the Fine Arts Committee for the past 8. He teaches literature, composition, and creative writing.
Not only is he a prolific writer and busy teacher, but he also finds the time to be a loving father to his five-year-old adopted daughter, which is no small task for a man who began fatherhood at the age of 49, “Most of my friends are worried about paying for their kids’ college tuition,” Maginnes joked, “I’m thinking about how my daughter went up a reading level in kindergarten.”
Maginnes has won several awards for his poetry. His first full book of poems, Taking Up Our Daily Tools, won recognition from the North Carolina Poetry Council. He has also been awarded by the Lily Peter Fellowship at the University of Arkansas, the North Carolina Arts Council, and by the White Pine Poetry Press.
Maginnes draws influence from the poetry of Philip Levine and Charles Wright, and also jazz music, but admits, “I try to work on writing whether or not I’m inspired. Writing can also be therapy, but I don’t usually share those.”
He began writing stories around the age of 8, which got him started. “Most of it was copying the things I read, but a writer is really just a reader moved to imitation.”
Maginnes is working on a new poetry collection, which will be available in October of this year. The work is entitled Inventing Constellations, and many of the poems are inspired by his newfound fatherhood. His favorite poem in the collection, “Prayer for the Imponderables,” is about him being away on his own while he felt he should have been at home taking care of his daughter.
Despite the increased popularity of the internet, Maginnes believes that it has not severely affected the publishing industry, but he does admit that it “makes it hard to separate the wheat from the chaff,” meaning that there is so much out there, it becomes difficult to distinguish the quality of literary works. He encourages writers to never give up, however, “Stay at it,” he says, “Get a thick skin. People are going to tell you no. Just stick at it.”
We're Up!
Hello, everyone! The purpose of this blog is to showcase the local music scene in Raleigh, North Carolina. I will attend a variety of local shows at different venues and share my experiences here.
First, though unrelated to music, I have an article based on an interview with local poet and teacher Al Maginnes.
First, though unrelated to music, I have an article based on an interview with local poet and teacher Al Maginnes.
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