Crib Notes

By Omar Khalid

Why Knoxville? Why Knoxville? The question was asked and subsequently answered more than a few times during last weekend’s ambitious avant-garde/outer music festival dubbed “Big Ears.” Fennesz, Jon Hassell, Matmos, the Necks, Neil Hamburger, Antony & the Johnsons, Negativland, Philip Glass and many others. Would people really come to Knoxville from all over the country — all over the world — for a music festival with, yes, a wide variety of music, but all somewhat in the “weird music” vein? Would the community support it? The answer: A resounding yes.

Festival organizer Ashley Capps — whose company AC Entertainment is responsible for the success that has become Bonaroo — lives in Knoxville and apparently has roots in promoting free jazz and experimental music in the area.

If one thing stood out about the festival, it was how professional, yet easy the whole experience was. There were as many as 10 venues involved, all seeming to be just blocks from each other, with everything starting on or near on time. Go have a huge $2.50 bloody mary at the Bistro for a brunch performance from the Balkan-gypsy inspired Luminescent Orchestrii; walk down the street to catch some of the film Powaqqatsi at the beautiful Tennessee Theatre (Knoxville’s own version of Atlanta’s Fox Theatre); a few blocks over there’s a performance from NYC clarinet/saxophone circular-breathing virtuoso Ned Rothenberg; stroll back down to the Bijou for the Phillip Glass concert. It was a busy weekend, but everything was so well-planned and the acts were so thoughtfully scheduled. The fluke weather in the high 60s couldn’t have hurt either. The only hangup was probably when Saturday’s 10 p.m. show with the Baltimore combo Matmos had to suddenly be moved from the Square Room to “Old City’s” Catalyst. Apparently the proprietors of the Square Room were, uh, squares. Something in the video to be shown during the Matmos performance they found offensive (probably the naked dude getting into the hot tub). Regardless, that show at the Catalyst was one of the better experiences of the whole festival (no, not because of the naked hot tub video).

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Over the weekend there was a significant amount of clamor in the record stores and in Little 5 Points leading up to Antony and the Johnsons‘ show at the Variety Playhouse on Sun. Feb. 8. The $30 price tag seemed to be scaring a few people away, but the new record and this first time visit to Atlanta had definitely piqued local interests. Antony is nothing short of an icon who’s songs and presence illicit a strong response. People either love him or hate what he does, and there seems to be no middle ground.

I asked a few people to give us their thoughts on the show.

Tom Cheshire who write for Dry Ink Magazine and fronts local punk elder statesmen the All Night Drug Prowling Wolves writes,

I first heard Antony on a Mojo compilation CD a few years back. I remember loving it instantly. Then I got a mix tape from friend of mine in New York with the song “Fistful of Love” on it and I just lost it. It sounded like Nina Simone hangin’ with King Tubby and Ethel Merman, and at some point they had all hit the pipe.

Antony & crew brought it down on Sunday evening. He/she hid behind a piano on the darkened stage with his band behind him. The band consisted of Antony on piano, a cello player, a violinist, a gentleman who switched off from violin to guitar, another person who switched from tenor saxophone to guitar and a bass player standing in the background. They were tight, quiet, tasteful, at some points loud, gorgeous and off the hook.

At one point he said that he always had a crush on and wanted to marry Otis Redding, to which one one guy in the crowd screamed “I’ll marry you!” There were times during songs when you could hear a pin drop in the audience. There were other times when the music and the applause were uproarious.

The highlights of the set for me were the classic “Cripple and the Starfish,” a cover of Beyonce’s “Crazy in Love,” “You are My Sister,” “Epilepsy is Dancing” and a beautiful, beautiful version of “Fistful of Love.” It was a wonderful evening. Sweet, sexy, no joke. Thank you Antony.

More thoughts on the show are coming soon.

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By Terry Sartor

Snowden journeyed through a very provocative set of songs at the Earl this past Saturday, Nov. 29 that was everything from shoe-gazed epic masterpieces to killer indie rock dance jams.

The entire band gelled extremely well together throughout the entire course of the main set and quick encore. Lead singer and guitarist Jordan Jeffries’ echo-esque voice amazingly blended into to the songs themselves as a beautiful secondary accessory and then at times took a complete upfront role.

The Joy Division thing cannot be ignored — and that of course is a good thing. Like JD, they exhibited a knack for playing stellar goth punk rock with substance that at times was danceable and at other times extremely low-key, brooding, slow, dark, introspective and very understated. The now defunct Ride definitely comes to mind in that regard.

Drummer Chandler Rentz kept a very frenetic pace — that continued to draw the audience in — and rocked out. And wonderful musicianship from other bandmates Corinne Lee and David Payne completed the picture of Snowden’s show that was nothing less than fantastic.

And even with all of the dark introspection, the set struck a balance between being one where you could totally party out but at the same time be completely enlightened and educated by an exciting band that continues to go in very interesting directions.

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Which reader review do you like best? Check CL’s Vibes backpage this Wednesday to see which one we chose.

Fantasia at the Atlanta Civic Center, Sat., Aug. 23

Submitted by Mimi Truitt

The Civic Center was filled with people dressed in their Sunday best to hear Fantasia Barrino wail. Miss Barrino bounced onto the stage dressed like an around-the-way girl with a sequined tank top, painted-on jeans and an asymetrical haircut.

She kicked her heels off and began screaming — I mean singing — some random tune. Don’t get me wrong, Fantasia is certainly an engaging performer. She hops into the crowd and barely stays onstage throughout the show. Then she invites audience members onstage with her — including an old pimpish-type cat, dressed from head to toe in lime green.

Fantasia is definitely an old soul. When she talks to the audience, she reminds me of Patti Labelle or Tina Turner. She even had the crowd swaying cell phone lights from left to right as she belted out Prince’s “Purple Rain.”

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Which reader review do you like best? Check CL’s Vibes backpage this Wednesday to see which one we chose.

Stone Temple Pilots at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Sat., Aug. 23

Submitted by Wes Bingham

STP delivered a solid show at a brand new venue with great sound. Scott Weiland was unusually mellow and talked very slowly in between songs.

The real story of the night came towards the end when, in the middle of a song, Weiland turned around and flipped off drummer Eric Kretz twice. I thought they might break up right in front of us.

When they finished the song, Weiland walked back to the skin set and Kretz angrily pointed around the stage while guitarist Dean DeLeo acted as mediator.

After abruptly leaving for the encore break, they came back and it was Weiland who screwed the pooch and left out a verse during “Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart.”

After the encore, Kretz and Weiland raced to get off stage. No group bow, no waving, no drumstick throwing, no nothing. Good luck to the cities ahead on this tour, it could be a bumpy ride.

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Which reader review do you like best? Check CL’s vibes backpage this Wednesday to see which one we chose.

Stone Temple Pilots at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Sat., Aug 23

Submitted by Tom Baker

There’s no telling what Stone Temple Pilots could’ve done if they hadn’t succumbed to their own excesses, but they’ve got hits.

“Interstate Love Song” is one of the ten best rock songs recorded in the ’90s, and the growling hooks of “Plush” sound just as good today as they did when STP were still being tagged as Pearl Jam knockoffs (a rap I never really understood, even as a PJ fan).

Tonight, lead singer Scott Weiland — whose thin frame and spidery dance moves made him look like he was about to blow away — seemed to be talking to himself half the time. “Sour Girl” was a leaden train wreck, and only the rocked-out invocation of “Redemption Song” felt anything close to spontaneous.

But STP are erstwhile metalheads with an undeniable knack for pop songcraft, and at its best, this concert allowed them to show off those skills in spades.

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