We all love free events, and even more so good, free events. That’s where Neighborhood Theatre and The Rat’s Nest come in. This Friday, – during NoDa’s Gallery Crawl – the music venue and the vintage shop located in the heart of NoDa partner together to present a free music night, dubbed “Rat’s Nest Harvest Hoedown.” Enjoy live performances by bands like Bill Noonan & the Barbed Wires, Brandon Kirkley, The Loose Lugnuts, and The Pistoleros — let’s just hope no actual rats are there. Free. Doors open at 8 p.m.; Show starts at 9 p.m.

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KMFDM with Angelspit

The Fillmore

Oct. 28, 2009

The Deal: Industrial music pioneers, KMFDM, performs at The Fillmore. Sydney, Australia-based band Angelspit opens.

The Good: KMFDM! Fronted by Sascha Konietzko and Lucia Cifarelli, – who controlled the beats and sang – along with guitarists Jules Hodgson and Steve White, and drummer Andy Selway, the band emerged on stage and immediately began blasting off industrial beats with “D.I.Y.” The group played an assortment of powerful tunes, both in English and German. Konietzko smoked a cigarette during most of the show. Highlights included “Bait & Switch,” (side note: This song features lyrics from the Christmas hymn/carol “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”) off of the groups 2009 album Blitz, as well as other pulsating melodies like “Hau Ruck,” (meaning “Heave-ho” in German), “Looking for Strange,” “Megalomanic,” and a much heavier version of “Free Your Hate” off of 2005’s Hau Ruck. KMFDM played more than 14 songs and came out for two encores, after the crowd loudly chanted “KMFDM sucks.”

The Bad: Opening act Angelspit was a bit of a disappointment. Comprised of two members (Destroyx and Zoog), the band delivered throbbing industrial beats, without any real impressive elements. It was hard to hear the lyrics to the songs, as most of the members’ vocals were drowned out by the music. In addition, the audience was quite small at the start of the concert (during Angelspit), but by the time KMFDM arrived on stage more folks had arrived. Hmmm…I wonder why they came so late?

The Verdict: Go see KMFDM the next time they are in town. Get there late if Angelspit is opening.

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Rob Thomas with Carolina Liar and OneRepublic
Uptown Amphitheatre
Sept. 29, 2009

Photo by Jeff Hahne

The Deal: Rob Thomas, lead singer of Matchbox Twenty, performs at Uptown Amphitheatre in support of his sophomore solo album Cradlesong. Opening acts include Carolina Liar and OneRepublic.

Photo by Jeff Hahne

The Good: The concert started with the pop rock act Carolina Liar. All but one member of the band – that being front man Chad Wolf of Charleston, S.C. – originates from Sweden. Music was tight throughout the entirety of its set, but not particularly impressive. The crowd seemed ok with the jingles, which included songs like “Coming To Terms” and “Show Me What I’m Looking For,” both featured in the TV show The Hills and on the bands 2008 debut album, Coming To Terms.

Photo by Jeff Hahne

But, clearly the crowd’s excitement was taken up a notch when Rob Thomas dashed on stage during the group’s second song. Thomas bent down in front of the Wolf and snapped a quick shot on his camera.

Photo by Jeff Hahne

The Colorado-based alt-pop-rock act OneRepublic took the stage next. The band delivered a powerful set of catchy rock tunes, which included its three biggest hits “Stop and Stare,” “Say (All I need),” and “Apologize,” all from 2007’s Dreaming Out Loud. The group also played some newbie’s (like “All The Right Moves,” and “Everybody Loves Me”) set to be featured on the upcoming release – Nov. 17, 2009 – of its sophomore album, Waking Up. Surprisingly, the group did a cover of Depeche Mode’s “Shout,” but maybe they shouldn’t have. Though, the song rocks … they didn’t do it better.

Photo by Jeff Hahne

Finally, Rob Thomas made it to the stage, bringing an entourage of musicians behind him. Thomas mixed up his set, playing lots songs from his newest album Cradlesong and older tracks from his 2005 solo debut …Something To Be (“Streetcorner Symphony,” “Ever The Same,” “Something To Be,” “Fallin’ To Pieces,” “I Am An Illusion,” “This Is How A Heart Breaks”) too. He also played the Matchbox Twenty ditty, “3 A.M.,” which he dedicated to Paul Doucette (guitarist and former drummer of MB20) who was attending the concert. Next, Thomas played “Smooth,” the song that resulted from his collaboration with Santana. With more than one guitarist and some soulful back-up singers, as well as the rest of his band, Thomas’ show was layered with extra music elements. Even when the stage cleared for more acoustic sounds on “3 A.M.” and “Smooth,” songs were still deep with impressive string work. The show ended with a beat-pounding, guitar-thumping rock out on the poppy soul-driven “This Is How A Heart Breaks.”

The Bad: By the time Rob Thomas got on stage, the weather had gotten much chillier. I felt bad for folks wearing tank tops and short sleeves. Also, though I know this show was Thomas’ solo gig, I’d hoped to hear a few more MB20 songs, especially after he played “3 A.M.” What a tease!

The Verdict: A good show. Rob Thomas stayed on stage for two hours, and that’s a pretty long time. He was his seemingly down-to-earth self on the stage, talking and joking with the audience, between his time singing songs. During the show’s entirety, songs were well done, some even better than the albums versions. Thomas’ band was made up of skilled musicians, who kept up with Thomas and his vocal art throughout the set.

Rob Thomas setlist
Fire On The Mountain
Still Ain’t Over You
Give Me The Meltdown
Lonely No More
Mockingbird
Sunday Morning, New York Blue
Streetcorner Symphony
Natural
Getting Late
Hard On You
Ever the Same
Cradlesong
Someday
Something to Be
Gasoline
Little Wonders
Fallin’ to Pieces
Her Diamonds
I Am An Illusion
3 a.m.
Smooth
This is How a Heart Breaks

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Ours
Visulite Theatre
Aug. 10, 2009

The Deal: Melodic rock act Ours performs in Charlotte at Visulite Theatre.

The Good: It’s been a while since Ours’ last headlining show in Charlotte. The last time they were here they opened up for Filter at Amos’ Southend. Since then, they’ve been kicked off their record label and they’ve been writing new material, front man Jimmy Gnecco revealed during the show. Ours played songs mostly from their 2008 album Mercy (Dancing for the Death of an Imaginary Enemy) (“Willing,” “Mercy,” “Black,” “Ran Away,” “Murder,” “Live Again,” “God Only,” “The Worst Things Beautiful,”) and from their 2001 album, Distorted Lullabies (“Here is the Light,” “I’m a Monster,” “Bleed,” “Dizzy,” “Meet Me in the Tower,” “Miseryhead,” and “Fallen Souls”). Highlights included a lengthy, music-heavy version of “Live Again” and the acoustic “Meet Me in the Tower,” in addition a newbie tune called “Sing for Me.”

The Bad: Nothing was bad about this show. However, Gnecco mentioned the band had written enough new material for several CDs. I would have liked to have heard more than just one new song.

The Verdict: Ours is a band to check out any time they roll through town. Let’s just hope they don’t take too long, before coming back. In all my times of seeing Ours live, which dates back to 2001 performances, they have put on an impressive performance. The lyrics to Ours’ songs are always meaningful (and sometimes a bit gloomy), while the music that accompanies them is powerful and full of depth. You can’t get much better than that.

Ours setlist
Willing
Sing for Me
Mercy
Black
Here is the Light
Ran Away
I’m a Monster
Murder
Live Again
God Only
Bleed
The Worst Things Beautiful
Dizzy
Meet Me in the Tower
Miseryhead
Fallen Souls

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The Offspring performs at Uptown Amphitheatre tonight and we just know you’re flying inside. Come out to Halo (formerly known as the Garden and Gun Club) for a special pre-show party, presented by none other than Creative Loafing. Oh, and in case your worried about cash, you need not be. The party — which starts at 5:30 p.m. — includes free food from The Nook and drink specials. Halo is located at 820 Hamilton St. (in the NC Music Factory).

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Gavin Degraw with honeyhoney
Neighborhood Theatre
May 3, 2009

The Deal: Gavin Degraw performs a sold-out show at Neighborhood Theatre with honeyhoney opening.

The Good: The California-based, two-piece band honeyhoney – comprised of Suzanne Santo and Ben Jaffe – started the show with a short set of jamming tunes, which combined elements of folk, jazz and bluegrass. On most of the songs, Santo played the fiddle, but towards the end of the set she picked up the banjo, while Jaffe played electric and acoustic guitars and the bass drum. Highlights included “Not For Long,” “Bouncing Ball,” and “Little Toy Guns,” as well as a surprising cover of the Smashing Pumpkins’ “1979.”

Gavin Degraw took the stage next, kicking off with the song “Glass” off of his newest album, Free. He went on to play a number of songs from all three of his albums, including 2003’s Chariot (“Nice To Meet You,” “Follow Through,” “Chariot,” “Chemical Party,” “I Don’t Want To Be”) 2008’s self-titled album (“Cheated On Me,” “Untamed,” “Let It Go,” “I Have You To Thank,” “Next To Me”) and 2009’s Free ( “Free,” “Glass,” “Indian Summer,” “Lover Be Strong,” “Stay”). The set was energetic and extra elements were added to many of the songs to give them more of a rock feel than on the album versions. Degraw made a comment about seeing a Bob Marley shrine in NoDa, before going on to play a reggae-tinged version of “Next To Me.” He also played a cover of Ray Charles’ “I Got A Woman.” All in all, it was an awesome show. Degraw gave the fans a performance well worth both the ticket price and body heat of the packed venue.

The Bad: Hardcore fans of Degraw kept screaming that they loved him between songs. It was ok the first few times, but it got kind of annoying after a while.

The Verdict: A show worth seeing. honeyhoney is definitely a band to keep on the music radar. Gavin Degraw played a long, rocking set of favorites, newbies and surprises. Be sure to check him out when he performs at the Food Lion Speed Street 600 Festival in Charlotte on Sat., May 23. For more information, click here.

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Black Label Society with Sevendust and Dope
Amos’ Southend
April 19, 2009

The Deal: Heavy metal band Black Label Society — headed by front man and metal guitarist extraordinaire Zakk Wylde — visit Charlotte for a sold-out performance at Amos’ Southend, along with Sevendust and Dope.

The Good: Sevendust got the crowd riled up — from crowd-surfing and moshing to ladies flashing their breasts here and there — with its thrashing, hardcore metal beats. The band played at least one song from each of its seven studio albums, including hit singles like “Denial,” “Pieces,” “Waffle,” “Praise,” “Ugly” and “Bitch,” among others. After Sevendust, Black Label Society took the stage. It didn’t take long for the band to prove why it’s earned a reputation for being metal mongers in the music biz. They played a lengthy, heavy-metal driven set with blazing guitar riffs and pounding melodies. This included songs like “Suicide Messiah” “Genocide Junkies” “Damage Is Done,” “Stoned and Drunk,” “Concrete Jungle” and many more. When the group played “In The River,” a dedication to Dimebag Darryll Abbott (founding member of Pantera and Damageplan, who was shot and killed in 2004) lighters were raised by the crowd. The song was touching and beautifully melodic, amidst the heavy rock symmetry. After that, huge Black Label Society beach balls were thrown off the stage and into the crowd. They only bounced around for a bit before they were snagged as memorabilia by die-hard fans. Other highlights during the show included an impressive and lengthy guitar solo by Zakk Wylde, who even put the guitar behind his head at one point and then to his face, all the while causing the chords to scream. The rockin’ set finished with the band playing “Stillborn.”

The Bad: Not a thing was bad about the set. I don’t particularly enjoy being packed so tightly in a crowd that I can’t move, and this was a show of that nature. Once you found a spot, you were pretty much stuck there. Some members of the crowd were extra boozed-up, which resulted in aggressiveness even outside of the pit. But, for the most part, the high energy of the show was enough of a distraction from this.

The Verdict: Black Label Society is a band that music fans must see, whether metal is your forte or not. The band delivers an impressive set and Zakk Wylde is amazing on guitar. Try to check them out while they are touring with Sevendust, who also cranks out an energetic hardcore rock show.

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Ben Folds is set to release a new greatest-hits album, titled Ben Folds Presents: University A Capella on April 28. It was recorded with college a capella groups. Read more in the Paste Magazine article below.

A new kind of greatest-hits record

Ben Folds returns with an entourage—they intonate their voices at breathtaking levels, overlapping in a seamless harmony throughout the album. The singer/songwriter takes the back seat and lets the college kids channel their inner Folds, and they successfully do so—often stealing the spotlight away from Folds.

The groups incorporate their own sound and reinvent the tracks. The Ohio University’s Leading Tones added some Blues and R&B on “Brick,” and the University of Georgia’s With Someone Else’s Money brought some much needed angst to “You Don’t Know Me.” The University of Colorado’s Buffoons lose some of their identity in “Landed,” sounding eerily like Folds himself at times.

The instrument-free, re-vamped “Effington,” a single from his 2008 album Way to Normal, is Folds’ best moment. One of the two tracks he recorded for this album, the song sounds more like a party than the tormented track it’s supposed to be.

Ben Folds Presents: University A Capella! shows once again Folds’ need to live outside his own artistic margins and celebrate talent, as well as others’ appreciation for his songwriting.

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Death Cab for Cutie, Cold War Kids and Ra Ra Riot
Belk Arena at Davidson College
April 9, 2009

The Deal: Washington-based indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie drew a sold-out crowd to Davidson College’s Belk Area for its performance. Opening acts included indie bands, the New York-based Ra Ra Riot and California-based group Cold War Kids.

The Good: Ra Ra Riot started with a short-but-sweet, 25-minute set of spacey rock songs. What really made the group stand out were the extra elements of sounds from instruments like the cello and violin.

Next to hit the stage was Cold War Kids. The group started its set with “We Used To Vacation,” a track which really set the scene of what could be expected during the group’s entire set: Lots of sounds going off in entirely different directions, yet coming together. At times, the electric guitar would wail off and sound slightly out of place, but the next second it suddenly fit into the soundscrape, leaving one to wonder, “How did they think to do that?” Songs like “Mexican Dogs” and “I’ve Seen Enough” had bouncy beats, while others like “Hang Me Up To Dry,” had a bit of a garage rock-esqe style. The band finished with “Hospital Beds,” and even got the audience clapping along.

Finally, Death Cab for Cutie emerged and kicked-off with “The Employment Pages,” from its 2000 sophomore album We Have the Facts and We’re Voting Yes. The band played at least one track from all six of its full-length studio albums and its newest EP, The Open Door. Many songs featured melodic melodies set to rockin’ sounds, but the band slowed down as well, including during the touching play of “I Will Follow You Into The Dark,” a cover of Ben Gibbard’s acoustic ballad. Other highlights included “Your Heart Is An Empty Room,” “The New Year,” “I Will Possess Your Heart” and “Soul Meets Body,” among many others. The group returned for a four-song encore and finished with “Transatlanticism,” having played a total of 20 songs, which resulted in a purely satisfying performance.

The Bad: Nothing. The show was great. Both opening acts are those to keep on the music radar, while Death Cab for Cutie gave fans more than what they probably bargained for with a long set of songs from all of its music eras.

The Verdict: An excellent show. If you ever have the opportunity to see any of these acts live, don’t turn it down.

Cold War Kids’ setlist
We Used to Vacation
Dreams Old Men Dream
Mexican Dogs
Hang Me Up to Dry
Every Man I Fall For
I’ve Seen Enough
Coffee Spoon
Relief
Something Is Not Right With Me
Hospital Beds

Death Cab for Cutie’s setlist
The Employment Pages
Your Heart is an Empty Room
The New Year
Crooked Teeth
A Movie Script Ending
My Mirror Speaks
Company Calls
Grapevine Fires
I Will Follow You Into the Dark
I Will Possess Your Heart
Title and Registration
Cath
Face Frowns
Long Division
The Sound of Settling
Marching Bands of Manhattan

Encore
What Sarah Said
Little Bribes
Soul Meets Body
Transatlanticism

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15 years ago yesterday, Kurt Cobain was found dead in his Seattle home. Ironically, in today’s news, Courtney Love – who was married to Cobain and who has been targeted by some folks at possibly having something to do with his death – is claiming that she has lost millions of dollars, left to her by the late Nirvana front man. Read more in The Guardian article below.

Courtney Love is claiming that the money she inherited from her late husband Kurt Cobain after his death in 1994 has been stolen. According to Love’s lawyer, Rhonda J Holmes, as much as $530m (£360m) may have been looted by unscrupulous investors acting on the singer’s behalf.

“I have never seen such greed and moral turpitude. This case is going to make Bernard Madoff look warm and fuzzy,” Holmes told the New York Post. “We will be filing civil cases … within the next 30 days. There are many, many millions missing. We’ve only been able to track down $30m, but there is more.”

Holmes suggested that Love had been taken advantage of during a period of her life when she was unable to take care of her own finances. “It’s no secret she struggled with substance-abuse issues, but in the last year she’s taken a more serious approach to sobriety and started noticing things were wrong.”

Love has had a turbulent career since Cobain’s suicide; as well as enjoying success as an actress and musician, she has struggled with substance abuse problems.

Despite Love’s erratic career, her financial future had always seemed assured thanks to her husband’s legacy. It was reported in 2006 that Love had sold her share of the Nirvana recordings for an estimated $50m.

According to her lawyer, Love only became aware there was a financial issue when she “noticed the money was gone … there wasn’t any left”. A team of private investigators, accountants and lawyers are now in the process of trying to recover Love’s assets.

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