Music Menu: T-Model Ford

Sunday, July 5th, 2009

T-Model Ford As you might expect from a T-Model, this one’s kind of aged (somewhere between 75 and 80) and takes a while to start, but once all the pistons start firing, you’re in for a rollicking (if rickety) ride you’ll not soon forget. The Mississippi Native and Fat Possum Records “find” (like he’d not been seen before?) has all the backstory that “blooze” biographers look for (worked on a mule farm, drank a shit-ton, spent time in jail on a murder rap), but the real draw here is his unorthodox-yet-fraught-with-power picking, which is at least on par with Junior Kimbrough, if not as searingly, screamingly honest (or ominous, perhaps). Highly recommended. With Andy the Doorbum, Gravelroad. Snug Harbor

Holiday beach bands…

Thursday, July 2nd, 2009

Typically, you see concert tours schedule a break for the bigger holidays, but there are indeed some live music options if you’re headed to the Carolina coast for the Fourth of July.

Myrtle Beach seems to have the best stuff with the Edwin McCain Band and Sophie B. Hawkins playing tonight at the House of Blues in North Myrtle. Singer/songwriter Corey Smith, who recently opened up the new Fillmore here in town, visits the HOB on Friday evening.

Funk rockers Ten Toes Up has three dates scheduled in the band’s hometown of Murrells Inlet, S.C., including the Hot Fish Club (July 2) and Spud’s (July 3-4). Soul Function plays the Boathouse on Sunday night.

Charleston has a few shows on the calendar as well. If you like the Windjammer in Isle of Palms, check out The Design tonight, The Blue Dogs tomorrow or Playlist on Saturday. The New Mastersounds has back-to-back gigs scheduled at The Pour House (July 3-4), while Kevn Kinney serves up a double dose of gritty folk at Red’s Icehouse in Mount Pleasant (July 2-3).

I’ve never been to Fiery Ron’s Home Team BBQ on Sullivan’s Island, but it just sounds awesome. Guilt Ridden Troubador is there tonight, WILX tomorrow and T-Model Ford & Gravel Road on Saturday.

Not much in Wilmington, it appears. The New Mastersounds are at The Soapbox on Sunday, July 5.

If you’re making the longer trip to Hilton Head, you can see Gary Pfaff tonight at Wild Wing Café. Or, if you’re headed to the Havelock, N.C. area, country singer Darryl Worley performs at the Havelock Recreation Center this evening.

Oh and wear sunscreen.