Sold Out
One thing that the A-List is supposed to do is get you the inside line on hot shows that come to Dogwood City – and do so in time that you don’t get left out. Mea culpa. I did it to myself this week. While keeping up on the week-to-week scene, I neglected my own long-tern planning and yours too. Tuesday night Jacksonville’s The Black Kids will be at the Earl but you and I won’t, because we have been Sold Out. My of my, those are ugly words when you’re on the wrong side of the door. Though you might expect that a young Florida band will make its way back soon, the trajectory of this band urges otherwise. If you haven’t heard “I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You ” from Partie Traumatic, check out the brandy new single “Look at Me (When I Rock Wichoo)” Love that opening riff. This is what you should hear when you turn on the radio for pop music. It may be a year or more, but I will not miss this show the next time around.
Okay, so that’s a lot of time talking about a sold out show (ouch, those words again) and once again burying the lead. Let’s get to what you can see this week.
Let’s start with the kind of straightforward rock n’ roll that you used to hear on the radio (Elvis Costello anyone?). You’ll get it with Gentlemen Jesse and His Men. They will be at Lenny’s on Friday night, September 26, with Intelligence and Vera Fang. This show is priced to bring in even the most curious – FREE – and in a joint that proudly hails itself as having the cheapest drinks in ATL ($3 24oz PBR), you can’t go wrong. The openers will be a little louder and less melodic than Jesse, but don’t despair, remember Dennis Hopper from Blue Velvet, have another Pabst Blue Ribbon, and wait for it.
Thursday night The Earl will be hosting a show that you can get tickets to – Mugison. (Oh, and don’t tell Mrs. Judson from 8th grade that I just dangled that participle). His Myspace page calls it “experimental/pop/ambient” and I guess it is all of that. Hey, if you wanted to hear another cover of a Journey song, go to Andrew’s Upstairs Thursday night and please ask to be removed from the A-List. If you click the link above (see how I now embed them behind the artist’s name now? Mom’s so proud) you will see that Mugison likes graphic (read, gory) visual imagery to accompany lyrics that could be interpreted much more innocuously. I don’t know if it really lands between Ryan Adams and The Pixies like Prefix magazine said (maybe his most recent), but it is accessible enough that it shouldn’t send you running for the door and interesting enough to make you wonder why more music can’t do this.
Since we missed out on our first shot at Tuesday night (read the first paragraph in case you skipped it), try Smith’s Olde Bar for New Riders of The Purple Sage. While I don’t usually go for Jurassic Rock – e.g., an aging Neil Young or the Eagles’ next, last, final, terminal tour – this is not that. The Riders have been recording since the early seventies and have been produced by people like Phil Lesh, and had folks like Jerry Garcia (yea, that ice cream guy) in the band, which is to say that this is more classic than jurassic. The style, which I might call California country – a la the Flying Burrito Brothers – is easily within the reach of a band of boys old enough to be my dad. I wasn’t disappointed in 1999 when I saw an 82 year old John Lee Hooker play “Boogie Chillen” at the San Francisco Blues Festival. Some sounds transcend hip (read, youth). This might not reach that level, but for a $15 advance ticket there is a decent chance that you can buy a beer for one of the guys in the band..and I might just do that.
Finally, if you do find yourself at Smith’s this week, look for my doll – Brittany. She sent me to the Atlanta Room last Thursday while I was waiting for the show upstairs to reset and I discovered Rebecca Loebe. This cherub in earth-toned platform sneakers was well worth missing the opening of the show I actually went there to see. You might say her newest single is dope. Expect that she will be added to the blog as part of my review of the first night of the Atlantis Music Conference at Smith’s. Don’t know when she will be back but I will keep my eye’s peeled for those unlit accent lights of hers.
Forward Looking Statements
Just so we don’t have to say sold out show again on this page, check out October 1st through 6th at the Tabernacle. In my book, this is a big show venue – which means I often avoid it. Hey, I didn’t even mention David Byrne last week (big Talking Heads fan) and find his new release with Brian Eno not nearly as pretentious as I might of expected – which is to say, pleasantly good. So the point is this, the first seven days of October will be good at the ‘Nacle. The Raconteurs & The Kills on October 1. The Black Keys the next night (that’s Oct. 2 in case you skipped the previous sentence because you only read the parentheticals now). The Roots (with Estelle) on October 6. Tickets for all shows are still available.
Schedule M’s
Monday: Jim Lauderdale at The Earl. Wednesday: Gogol Bordello at the Variety Playhouse. Friday: Stereolab at the Variety.
In Closing
Add one person to the A-List and you will have my gratitude. Subtract one and I will tell everybody I know that you drive an Escalade because you hate the environment and just wish it would just go away once and for all.
