My sincere thanks to those who have helped + supported during these first few months. Hope everyone had a fun Christmas + enjoys a boozy (safe) New Year! I'll see you back out there next month!
.xo.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Back in the Saddle with the New Year
The blog has been taking it easy for the holidays, but will be back in 2013!
My sincere thanks to those who have helped + supported during these first few months. Hope everyone had a fun Christmas + enjoys a boozy (safe) New Year! I'll see you back out there next month!
My sincere thanks to those who have helped + supported during these first few months. Hope everyone had a fun Christmas + enjoys a boozy (safe) New Year! I'll see you back out there next month!
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Truth/Ideals album release - with Will Hastings + Happy Story Hour
Last Saturday, King City Records hosted an album release party at the Tin Roof for local singer and songwriter Julie Slonecki, whose third self-released album, Truth/Ideals, dropped earlier this month and will soon be available on iTunes.
Opening the night was New Orleans-born singer and guitarist, Will Hastings. Having recently wrapped a tour with his backing band, this was a rare solo appearance for the rising musician. Hastings kicked off his set with "Comfortable by Disguise", which he explained was the first song that he had ever written.
"So if you think it sounds like shit," he said affably, "that's probably why."
Hastings worked through a solid 30-minutes, breezily cracking jokes to the modest crowd and commenting on the diversity of Charleston's music community. "It's a cool scene down here," he said, "and I feel lucky to be a part of it."
Moving between songs like Hayes Carll's "She Left Me for Jesus" to original tunes such as the wistful and waltzy "For Your Own Good", Hastings's mild, bluesy style was peppered with slick finger picking and powdered with his Buddy Holly-esque, tenor voice. He wrapped his inaugural Tin Roof set with the pretty and original "Digital Sounds", a salutary nod to the musicians and spirit of the 1950s and 60s.
Next on the bill was Happy Story Hour - more commonly known as Mackie Boles and Jordan Igoe. Both veterans of the Charleston music community, Boles's mesmeric guitar and the rustic qualities of Igoe's voice meld together like whiskey and honey. Their sound was incredible and full for a two piece, with Igoe not only singing and playing an acoustic guitar but also marking the time with a foot-pedal powered drum, hi hat and tambourine rig, while Boles shared vocal duties and alternated between the guitar and banjo.
"I don't wanna grow old / I don't wanna get tired / And my American dreams / don't start any fires," Igoe sang, her shuddering vibrato and husky tone hinting at a soul much older than her earthly years.
Boles took the lead on a tune about traveling west, before the pair introduced a brand new original and a small upcoming tour. The duo wrapped with "Troubled Train", the bluesiest song of the set, before turning the stage over to main act, Julie Slonecki.
Slonecki opened her spotlight evening by announcing that the company pressing her album had not mailed copies of the CD to her in time for the show; therefore, she did not have any copies of her album for sale. Instead, she encouraged people to fill out their mailing address on a sign-up sheet so that she could, at some later date, mail to them a copy of the album along with "a personal letter". Perhaps this is just me, but I've always thought that the number one priority for an album release show would be to have copies of said album on hand - even if that means you have to run over to Office Depot to buy CDs and burn the copies yourself...
That snafu aside, the first song from Slonecki was an intriguing, mostly instrumental piece with some ambient distortion and vocal wailing. The 23-year-old, who typically plays solo, was joined on this night by a drummer, keys player, bassist and guitarist/mandolin player, most of whom had only recently begun to rehearse with the singer. Joined also by local vocalist Young Mi (of the band, Old You) for help with harmonies, Slonecki introduced her song "Truth" as being, "hard to translate into a band, because it was just a sweet beat that I put together on my computer."
That statement seemed to be the only theme of the evening, as the overall performance lacked a firm identity. There is no denying that Slonecki has the talent, with her smoldering voice and a music degree from Washington and Lee University; however, the show at Tin Roof did not exhibit any cohesion among the band, nor any cognisance of the path that Slonecki wants to take in this new, electronic direction. One song employed a rigid, snapping drum line much like a MIDI plugin, while the next featured a mandolin, followed by a track that could have easily been picked up from Bjork's cutting room floor.
Slonecki invited friends from the audience onto the stage, at several points handing the mic over to her pal Kenny Sharp to lead a rap, while at other times (particularly during the original "Garden Gnome"), leading the band in a Top 40, Sarah Bareilles-style song. "Morning Light" was a pretty, original tune that featured the mandolin, but unfortunately the song just felt awkward and lost, stuffed amongst the improv, rap and alt-jazz that was taking place.
Overall, it was an interesting night - if nothing else, certainly showcasing the vast assortment of musical tastes and talents in this town. I know that Mackie Boles and Jordan Igoe will accomplish great things, so I look forward to catching Will Hastings with his band, and following Julie Slonecki to see where her digital adventure takes her next...
Will Hastings on Reverbnation: www.reverbnation.com/willhastings
Will Hastings on Facebook: www.facebook.com/willhastingsmusic
Happy Story Hour: www.facebook.com/HappyStoryHour
Julie Slonecki's Website: www.julieslonecki.com
Julie Slonecki on Facebook: www.facebook.com/julie.slonecki
.pr.
Opening the night was New Orleans-born singer and guitarist, Will Hastings. Having recently wrapped a tour with his backing band, this was a rare solo appearance for the rising musician. Hastings kicked off his set with "Comfortable by Disguise", which he explained was the first song that he had ever written.
"So if you think it sounds like shit," he said affably, "that's probably why."
Hastings worked through a solid 30-minutes, breezily cracking jokes to the modest crowd and commenting on the diversity of Charleston's music community. "It's a cool scene down here," he said, "and I feel lucky to be a part of it."
Moving between songs like Hayes Carll's "She Left Me for Jesus" to original tunes such as the wistful and waltzy "For Your Own Good", Hastings's mild, bluesy style was peppered with slick finger picking and powdered with his Buddy Holly-esque, tenor voice. He wrapped his inaugural Tin Roof set with the pretty and original "Digital Sounds", a salutary nod to the musicians and spirit of the 1950s and 60s.
Next on the bill was Happy Story Hour - more commonly known as Mackie Boles and Jordan Igoe. Both veterans of the Charleston music community, Boles's mesmeric guitar and the rustic qualities of Igoe's voice meld together like whiskey and honey. Their sound was incredible and full for a two piece, with Igoe not only singing and playing an acoustic guitar but also marking the time with a foot-pedal powered drum, hi hat and tambourine rig, while Boles shared vocal duties and alternated between the guitar and banjo.
"I don't wanna grow old / I don't wanna get tired / And my American dreams / don't start any fires," Igoe sang, her shuddering vibrato and husky tone hinting at a soul much older than her earthly years.
Boles took the lead on a tune about traveling west, before the pair introduced a brand new original and a small upcoming tour. The duo wrapped with "Troubled Train", the bluesiest song of the set, before turning the stage over to main act, Julie Slonecki.
Slonecki opened her spotlight evening by announcing that the company pressing her album had not mailed copies of the CD to her in time for the show; therefore, she did not have any copies of her album for sale. Instead, she encouraged people to fill out their mailing address on a sign-up sheet so that she could, at some later date, mail to them a copy of the album along with "a personal letter". Perhaps this is just me, but I've always thought that the number one priority for an album release show would be to have copies of said album on hand - even if that means you have to run over to Office Depot to buy CDs and burn the copies yourself...
That snafu aside, the first song from Slonecki was an intriguing, mostly instrumental piece with some ambient distortion and vocal wailing. The 23-year-old, who typically plays solo, was joined on this night by a drummer, keys player, bassist and guitarist/mandolin player, most of whom had only recently begun to rehearse with the singer. Joined also by local vocalist Young Mi (of the band, Old You) for help with harmonies, Slonecki introduced her song "Truth" as being, "hard to translate into a band, because it was just a sweet beat that I put together on my computer."
That statement seemed to be the only theme of the evening, as the overall performance lacked a firm identity. There is no denying that Slonecki has the talent, with her smoldering voice and a music degree from Washington and Lee University; however, the show at Tin Roof did not exhibit any cohesion among the band, nor any cognisance of the path that Slonecki wants to take in this new, electronic direction. One song employed a rigid, snapping drum line much like a MIDI plugin, while the next featured a mandolin, followed by a track that could have easily been picked up from Bjork's cutting room floor.
Slonecki invited friends from the audience onto the stage, at several points handing the mic over to her pal Kenny Sharp to lead a rap, while at other times (particularly during the original "Garden Gnome"), leading the band in a Top 40, Sarah Bareilles-style song. "Morning Light" was a pretty, original tune that featured the mandolin, but unfortunately the song just felt awkward and lost, stuffed amongst the improv, rap and alt-jazz that was taking place.
Overall, it was an interesting night - if nothing else, certainly showcasing the vast assortment of musical tastes and talents in this town. I know that Mackie Boles and Jordan Igoe will accomplish great things, so I look forward to catching Will Hastings with his band, and following Julie Slonecki to see where her digital adventure takes her next...
Will Hastings on Reverbnation: www.reverbnation.com/willhastings
Will Hastings on Facebook: www.facebook.com/willhastingsmusic
Happy Story Hour: www.facebook.com/HappyStoryHour
Julie Slonecki's Website: www.julieslonecki.com
Julie Slonecki on Facebook: www.facebook.com/julie.slonecki
.pr.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Show Calendar ~ December
Tuesday - Nov. 27
The Pour House: "Jimi Hendrix Birthday Tribute" w The Dead 27's and Elise Testone
Doors 9p
FREE
The Tattooed Moose: Company
Doors 9p
FREE
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): Tarlatan Duo (of The Tarlatans)
Doors 9p
FREE
Wednesday - Nov. 28
Home Team BBQ (Sullivan's Island): Guilt Ridden Troubadour
Doors 9p
FREE
The Pour House: 54 Bicycles
Doors 9p
FREE
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): Lowcountry Blues Club
Doors 8p
FREE
Thursday - Nov. 29
The Mill: Flat Foot Floozies
Doors 9:30p
FREE
Tin Roof: Mechanical River / Water Liars / ELIM BOLT
Doors 9p
?
The Royal American: Jordan Igoe w Mackie Boles / Sans Jose
Doors 9p
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): Gracious Day
Doors 9p
FREE
The Pour House: Cosmic Charlie (Athens)
Doors 9p
$10 adv/$12 dos
Friday - Nov. 30
Tin Roof: The Sea Wolf Mutiny (Columbia) / Late Nights / Youngster
Doors 9p
?
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): Henry's Attic
Doors 10p
$5
Home Team BBQ (Sullivan's Island): Bareknuckle Champions (Columbia)
Doors 10p
$5
Holy City Brewing Company: The Bluestone Ramblers
4p-8p
FREE
Saturday - Dec. 1
Tin Roof: Southern Femisphere / Boring Portals / Lock Out Tag Out
Doors 9p
?
Circular Congregational Church: "Charleston Listening Room Series" w Slow Runner / Rachel Kate
Doors 7p
$10 adv/$12 dos
The Pour House: Toubab Krewe (Asheville) / John Brown's Body (Boston)
Doors 8p
$15 adv/$18 dos
How Art Thou? Cafe (James Island): Explorer's Club / Mechanical River
Doors 8p
?
Sunday - Dec. 2
Tin Roof: Winter S0unds (New Orleans) / Modern Man
Doors 8p
$5
Boone Hall Plantation: "Wine Under the Oaks" w Tyler Boone
Gates 12:30p
$35 adv / $40 dos
Tuesday - Dec. 4
The Royal American: "Eclectic Evenings" w Jacob Jeffries Band / Old You / Crowfield
Doors 7:30p
FREE
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): Hibachi Heroes
Doors 9p
FREE
Wednesday - Dec. 5
The Royal American: Wadata
Doors 9p
$5
Home Team BBQ (Sullivan's Island): Angela Easterling (Greenville)
Doors 8p
FREE
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): Lowcountry Blues Club
Doors 8p
FREE
Thursday - Dec. 6
The Mill: Matadero w. Lindsay Holler
Doors 9:30p
FREE
Friday - Dec. 7
Tin Roof: The Lean Few / the Get Wets (Columbia) / Ghost Bikini (Atlanta)
Doors 8p
$5
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): Davis Coen
Doors 9p
FREE
Home Team BBQ (Sullivan's Island): Josh Roberts + the Hinges
Doors 10p
$5
Saturday - Dec. 8
Tin Roof: The Ferns / Sans Jose
Doors 8p
$5
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): Fairy Godmuthas
Doors 9p
FREE
Windjammer: "Holiday Street Celebration" w Sol Driven Train / Fowler's Mustache /more Doors 3p
FREE
Sunday - Dec. 9
The Pour House: Blair Crimmins + the Hookers / Megan Jean + the KFB
Doors 9p
$8 adv/$10 dos
Tuesday - Dec. 11
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): Yellowknife
Doors 9p
FREE
Wednesday - Dec. 12
The Pour House: Intermixture feat. Seth Fankhauser of the Malah + Push/Pull
Doors 9p,
10 adv/$12 dos
Home Team BBQ (Sullivan's Island): The Mobros (Camden)
Doors 8p
FREE
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): Lowcountry Blues Club
Doors 8p
FREE
Thursday - Dec. 13
Tin Roof: Adalya / Estee Gabay
Doors 8p
?
The Pour House: Chatham County Line, Holiday Electric Tour (Raleigh)
Doors 8p
$11 adv/$130 dos
The Mill: Freebie local music Thursdays
Doors 9:30p
FREE
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): The Mobros (Camden)
Doors 9p
FREE
Friday - Dec. 14
Holy City Brewing Company: The Great Charleston Holiday Market, Food Truck, Music, Art Showcase Bonanza Thing
5p
FREE
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): Wormsloew (Savannah)
Doors 9p
FREE
Home Team BBQ (Sullivan's Island): Trainwrecks (Savannah)
Doors 10p
$5
Saturday - Dec. 15
Holy City Brewing Company: The Great Charleston Holiday Market, Food Truck, Music, Art Showcase Bonanza Thing
11a-5p
FREE
Home Team BBQ (Sullivan's Island): Packway Handle Band (Athens)
Doors 10p
$5
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): Trainwrecks (Savannah)
Doors 9p
$5
Sunday - Dec. 16
The Royal American: ELIM BOLT / People Person
Doors 9p
$5
Tuesday - Dec. 18
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): Gaslight Street
Doors 9p
FREE
Wednesday - Dec. 19
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): Lowcountry Blues Club
Doors 8p
FREE
Thursday - Dec. 20
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): Matt Mackelcan
Doors 9p
FREE
The Mill: Freebie local music Thursdays
Doors 9:30p
FREE
Friday - Dec. 21
The Pour House: "The Last Day on Earth" w The Dead 27s / Stereo Reform / Jordan Igoe + Mackie Boles
Doors 9p
$7
Tin Roof: Sick Tyte Click
Doors 8p
$5
Saturday - Dec. 22
The Royal American: Motormouth Mabel / M-Tank
Doors 9p
$5
The Pour House: Reckoning
Doors 9p
$8 adv/$10 dos
Tin Roof: Arboles Libres (Miami) / Mechanical River
Doors 8p
Wednesday - Dec. 26
Windjammer: Fowler's Mustache
Doors 9p
$7
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): Lowcountry Blues Club
Doors 8p
FREE
Thursday - Dec. 27
The Pour House: Echo Movement (Asbury Park) / Sun Dried Vibes / Treehouse (NC)
Doors 9p
$5 adv/$8 dos
The Mill: Freebie local music Thursdays
Doors 9:30p
FREE
Friday - Dec. 28
Holy City Brewing Company: The Hungry Monks
Doors 4p
FREE
Saturday - Dec. 29
The Pour House: Dangermuffin / American Aquarium (Raleigh)
Doors 9p
$10 adv/$12 dos
Windjammer: The Piedmont Boys (Greenville)
Doors 9
$10
Sunday - Dec. 30
Home Team BBQ (Sullivan's Island): The Royal Tinfoil
Doors 9p
$5
Monday - Dec. 31
Tin Roof: Dante's Camaro
Doors 8p
$8 adv/$10 dos
The Pour House: Sol Driven Train
Doors 9p
$15 adv/$18 dos
.pr.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
The Royal Tinfoil + The Whiskey Gentry - A vagabond baptism for your ears
Whiskey swillin’,
hell raisin’, rabble rousers!
This is Charleston’s The Royal Tinfoil, a vaudeville troupe of musical mavericks boasting some of the finest talent that this town has to offer. Their debut record, Well Water Communion, easily stands as one of the iconic pieces of Charleston’s modern music history, but if you haven’t seen this band play live, then you’re missing out on half of the experience. Their recent show at the Pour House was their last performance of the year*, ending 2012 with a blood boiling bang.
Opening for the Tinfoil was The Whiskey Gentry (Atlanta), a finger pickin’ Dixie roadhouse act, fronted by the married duo Lauren Staley (vox + guitar) and Jason Morrow (lead guitar + backing vox). The Gentry kicked off their inaugural Charleston appearance with a rafter-rattling original, making the Charlie Daniels Band seem like amateur hour at an open mic night. Staley’s voice is stunning in its purity and pretty innocence, crisp as the country night sky, channeling the likes of Connie Francis and Loretta Lynn. Fiddle player Rurik Nunan and mandolinist Michael Smith played with a captivating fury, while Sam Griffin’s electric bass nailed down the pace, running clean lines up and down the long fret board.
The band coalesced with a tightness and technical precision usually reserved for the gears of clockwork. When Smith broke into an electrifying mandolin solo, the other members of the band turned on the stage to watch his fingers fly; when Nunan took to the mic to lead a cover of Steeldrivers’ “Guitars, Whiskey, Guns and Knives”, his smooth, rich voice was met with not only applause from the crowd, but also whoops and cheers from his band mates.
Absent from the Pour House line up was the Gentry’s banjo and accordion player, but the band more than made do with its jangly guitars and jaunty fiddle work on original tunes like “Hard to Find” and “Queen of My Heart”.
“We need some help on this next song,” Staley said, inviting the crowd to sing along before the Gentry broke into a raucous rendition of their tune “Comrade”. Opening with several bars reminiscent of a Russian wedding song (think “Deer Hunter”), “Comrade” quickly escalated into a foot stomping, drum kit thrashing wash of sound, barreling along like a runaway train. “Preacher’s Daughter” is a powerful tune that not only showcased Staley’s strength and control, but her lyrical prowess, as well. “Eula Mae” plays out like a Dust Bowl revival song, combining the best of the Gentry’s swift string plucking with Staley’s vocal range, as she effortlessly scaled the song to reach the higher notes. The band wrapped their sweet honky tonk performance with an unlikely (but well done) cover of Radiohead’s “Creep”, leaving the crowd revved up and ready for the return of The Royal Tinfoil.
Opening their set with the finger snapping “Rat on a Wheel”, it was immediately clear why this show from The Royal Tinfoil had been in such high demand - and why the Pour House was a packed house. Captivating lead singer, Lily Slay, has a smoky vocal style that is as commanding as it is authentic, lending itself well to the gypsy jazz, speakeasy vibe that The Tinfoil has so craftily cultivated. Complementing Slay is the wild-haired Mackie Boles (vox + guitar), whose impassioned stare is matched only by his startling, gripping voice. Brad Edwardson’s upright bass is a powder keg of sound, thumping as steadily as a metronome but ready to explode, while Tim Edgar’s harmonica crackles like a raging campfire.
The Tinfoil swung through tunes from their album, including the uptempo “Bitter Pill” and “Die Already”, as well as a fistful of rocking new songs. Friend of the band and fellow Charleston musician Rachel Kate Gillon, who had performed earlier in the evening at a festival downtown, even joined the stage for a selection of songs. The steadfast and energetic performance was dotted with introductions, anecdotes, whiskey and dedications, with Slay at one point calling up the house lights to peruse the crowd.
“Whiskey goggles aside,” she smirked, “y’all are real good lookin’.”
The band confidently pounded through their set, descending with the darkness of the night into the meatier, circus psychology of their cache. They played with a stylized heaviness, the burning, carnal guitar and Slay’s husky tone like something organic and wild, but far from uncontrolled – rock n roll with a tortured, vagabond soul. Singing of liquor and hand grenades, sweet siren songs, ghost towns and a lost lover’s impending death, The Royal Tinfoil evoke an eerie excitement, a feeling that something is lurking in the shadows just beyond the light. The boogieman is real, and on this damp night he took center stage as Boles crept into “Stalker vs. Stalker”, a perfectly sleazy doom tune with clever lyrics and a lurking bass line.
Dripping with sweat and rife with fervor, Boles then began to recant the Tinfoil’s tale of gypsy sex and she-wolves with the introduction to “Theme from Muscadine”. The crowd erupted as he spoke, his throaty voice a mash up of Tom Waits and Dr. Teeth, leading the Tinfoil like a side show ringmaster. After the song’s final cry of “Mother fuckin’ Tinfoil!” had been bellowed out, the band was joined again by Rachel Kate and members of The Whiskey Gentry, along with local singer Jordan Igoe, for a sweat flinging, hand clapping encore of “The Wretched Curse of Fools”. It was cut off time, but neither the band nor the crowd was ready for the night to end.
“Do you guys want one more song?” Slay beckoned. “Well I threw my pick in the air as some grand gesture, and now it’s gone. That’s my flair for drama,” she laughed, and then drove the band into a fiery version of Ween’s “It’s Gonna Be a Long Night”.
Captivating and complicated, ballsy, passionate and raw, The Royal Tinfoil is everything that rock n roll was ever meant to be. It triggers something deep within, exorcising the demons of inhibition and providing the listener with a freedom that people all too often do not afford themselves.
And if that doesn’t get your bones a’ rattling, then you simply do not have a soul.
* Correction: The Royal Tinfoil will play at Home Team BBQ (Sullivan's Island) on Dec. 30th ($5) and Dec. 31st ($12 adv/$15 dos).
The Royal Tinfoil on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheRoyalTinfoil
The Royal Tinfoil on ReverbNation: www.reverbnation.com/theroyaltinfoil
Twitter: @TheRoyalTinfoil
The Whiskey Gentry on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheWhiskeyGentry
The Whiskey Gentry on ReverbNation: www.reverbnation.com/thewhiskeygentry
Twitter: @WhiskeyGentry
.pr.
This is Charleston’s The Royal Tinfoil, a vaudeville troupe of musical mavericks boasting some of the finest talent that this town has to offer. Their debut record, Well Water Communion, easily stands as one of the iconic pieces of Charleston’s modern music history, but if you haven’t seen this band play live, then you’re missing out on half of the experience. Their recent show at the Pour House was their last performance of the year*, ending 2012 with a blood boiling bang.
Opening for the Tinfoil was The Whiskey Gentry (Atlanta), a finger pickin’ Dixie roadhouse act, fronted by the married duo Lauren Staley (vox + guitar) and Jason Morrow (lead guitar + backing vox). The Gentry kicked off their inaugural Charleston appearance with a rafter-rattling original, making the Charlie Daniels Band seem like amateur hour at an open mic night. Staley’s voice is stunning in its purity and pretty innocence, crisp as the country night sky, channeling the likes of Connie Francis and Loretta Lynn. Fiddle player Rurik Nunan and mandolinist Michael Smith played with a captivating fury, while Sam Griffin’s electric bass nailed down the pace, running clean lines up and down the long fret board.
The band coalesced with a tightness and technical precision usually reserved for the gears of clockwork. When Smith broke into an electrifying mandolin solo, the other members of the band turned on the stage to watch his fingers fly; when Nunan took to the mic to lead a cover of Steeldrivers’ “Guitars, Whiskey, Guns and Knives”, his smooth, rich voice was met with not only applause from the crowd, but also whoops and cheers from his band mates.
Absent from the Pour House line up was the Gentry’s banjo and accordion player, but the band more than made do with its jangly guitars and jaunty fiddle work on original tunes like “Hard to Find” and “Queen of My Heart”.
“We need some help on this next song,” Staley said, inviting the crowd to sing along before the Gentry broke into a raucous rendition of their tune “Comrade”. Opening with several bars reminiscent of a Russian wedding song (think “Deer Hunter”), “Comrade” quickly escalated into a foot stomping, drum kit thrashing wash of sound, barreling along like a runaway train. “Preacher’s Daughter” is a powerful tune that not only showcased Staley’s strength and control, but her lyrical prowess, as well. “Eula Mae” plays out like a Dust Bowl revival song, combining the best of the Gentry’s swift string plucking with Staley’s vocal range, as she effortlessly scaled the song to reach the higher notes. The band wrapped their sweet honky tonk performance with an unlikely (but well done) cover of Radiohead’s “Creep”, leaving the crowd revved up and ready for the return of The Royal Tinfoil.
Opening their set with the finger snapping “Rat on a Wheel”, it was immediately clear why this show from The Royal Tinfoil had been in such high demand - and why the Pour House was a packed house. Captivating lead singer, Lily Slay, has a smoky vocal style that is as commanding as it is authentic, lending itself well to the gypsy jazz, speakeasy vibe that The Tinfoil has so craftily cultivated. Complementing Slay is the wild-haired Mackie Boles (vox + guitar), whose impassioned stare is matched only by his startling, gripping voice. Brad Edwardson’s upright bass is a powder keg of sound, thumping as steadily as a metronome but ready to explode, while Tim Edgar’s harmonica crackles like a raging campfire.
The Tinfoil swung through tunes from their album, including the uptempo “Bitter Pill” and “Die Already”, as well as a fistful of rocking new songs. Friend of the band and fellow Charleston musician Rachel Kate Gillon, who had performed earlier in the evening at a festival downtown, even joined the stage for a selection of songs. The steadfast and energetic performance was dotted with introductions, anecdotes, whiskey and dedications, with Slay at one point calling up the house lights to peruse the crowd.
“Whiskey goggles aside,” she smirked, “y’all are real good lookin’.”
The band confidently pounded through their set, descending with the darkness of the night into the meatier, circus psychology of their cache. They played with a stylized heaviness, the burning, carnal guitar and Slay’s husky tone like something organic and wild, but far from uncontrolled – rock n roll with a tortured, vagabond soul. Singing of liquor and hand grenades, sweet siren songs, ghost towns and a lost lover’s impending death, The Royal Tinfoil evoke an eerie excitement, a feeling that something is lurking in the shadows just beyond the light. The boogieman is real, and on this damp night he took center stage as Boles crept into “Stalker vs. Stalker”, a perfectly sleazy doom tune with clever lyrics and a lurking bass line.
Dripping with sweat and rife with fervor, Boles then began to recant the Tinfoil’s tale of gypsy sex and she-wolves with the introduction to “Theme from Muscadine”. The crowd erupted as he spoke, his throaty voice a mash up of Tom Waits and Dr. Teeth, leading the Tinfoil like a side show ringmaster. After the song’s final cry of “Mother fuckin’ Tinfoil!” had been bellowed out, the band was joined again by Rachel Kate and members of The Whiskey Gentry, along with local singer Jordan Igoe, for a sweat flinging, hand clapping encore of “The Wretched Curse of Fools”. It was cut off time, but neither the band nor the crowd was ready for the night to end.
“Do you guys want one more song?” Slay beckoned. “Well I threw my pick in the air as some grand gesture, and now it’s gone. That’s my flair for drama,” she laughed, and then drove the band into a fiery version of Ween’s “It’s Gonna Be a Long Night”.
Captivating and complicated, ballsy, passionate and raw, The Royal Tinfoil is everything that rock n roll was ever meant to be. It triggers something deep within, exorcising the demons of inhibition and providing the listener with a freedom that people all too often do not afford themselves.
And if that doesn’t get your bones a’ rattling, then you simply do not have a soul.
* Correction: The Royal Tinfoil will play at Home Team BBQ (Sullivan's Island) on Dec. 30th ($5) and Dec. 31st ($12 adv/$15 dos).
The Royal Tinfoil on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheRoyalTinfoil
The Royal Tinfoil on ReverbNation: www.reverbnation.com/theroyaltinfoil
Twitter: @TheRoyalTinfoil
The Whiskey Gentry on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheWhiskeyGentry
The Whiskey Gentry on ReverbNation: www.reverbnation.com/thewhiskeygentry
Twitter: @WhiskeyGentry
.pr.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Give thanks for good music
I'm not sure how it happened, but Thanksgiving is upon us. So if you're not traveling this week, here are some things going on around Charleston to help you shake off that inevitable home-cooked meal food coma...
Sunday - Nov. 18
Tin Roof: Steel Rollers and the Ramblin' Fevers
Doors 10p
Cover $5
The Pour House: Buddhist Prodigies (playing on the Deck)
Doors 5p
FREE
Monday - Nov. 19
EVO: Brad Edwardson + Mackie Boles unplug and get down w an acoustic set
Doors 6p
FREE
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): Songwriter's Night
Doors 8p
FREE
The Drop-In Bar & Deli: Sarah Cole + the Hawkes
Doors 8p
FREE
The Mill: Open mic night w Spoda + guests
Doors 9p
FREE
Tuesday - Nov. 20
Tattooed Moose: Beattie Porter + Olu Olu
Doors 9p
FREE
The Pour House: Weigh Station + Friends
Doors 9p
FREE
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): The Cordovans
Doors 9p
FREE
Brick House Kitchen: Graham Whorley
Doors 8p
FREE
Art's Bar & Grill: Donnie Polk
Doors 9p
FREE
Wednesday - Nov. 21
The Royal American: Carnaval
Doors 9p
Cover $5
The Pour House: Zach Deputy
Doors 9p
Cover $10 adv/$13 dos
Tin Roof: Craft Bazaar w the South Carolina Broadcasters
Doors 6p
FREE
Awendaw Green: Barn Jam feat. Kevin Church (6p), Timey String Band (7p), John Scollon + Bitteroot (8p) and Gracious Day (9p)
FREE
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): Lowcountry Blues Club
Doors 8p
FREE
City Lights Coffee: The Amazing Mittens feat. Eden + Noodle
Doors 6:30p
FREE
Juanita Greenberg's Nacho Royale: Jordan Igoe
Doors 10:30p
FREE
Friday - Nov. 23
The Pour House: Sadler Vaden + the One Night Only's w the Tarlatans
Doors 9p
Cover $5 adv/$7 dos
Tin Roof: Dante's Camaro
Doors 8p
Cover $5
The Windjammer: Stoplight Observations
Doors 9p
Cover $5
Saturday - Nov. 24
The Mill: Megan Jean + the Klay Family Band
Doors 9p
Cover (probably free, but need to verify)
The Pour House: "Revival", 4th Annual Duane Allman Birthday Celebration feat. Shane Pruitt
Doors 9p
Cover $12
Tin Roof: Julie Slonecki album release w Jordan Igoe + Will Hastings
Doors 8p
Cover $5
The Windjammer: Weird Science
Doors 9p
Cover $7
Big John's Tavern: Simple Possession
Doors
Cover
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Sunday - Nov. 18
Tin Roof: Steel Rollers and the Ramblin' Fevers
Doors 10p
Cover $5
The Pour House: Buddhist Prodigies (playing on the Deck)
Doors 5p
FREE
Monday - Nov. 19
EVO: Brad Edwardson + Mackie Boles unplug and get down w an acoustic set
Doors 6p
FREE
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): Songwriter's Night
Doors 8p
FREE
The Drop-In Bar & Deli: Sarah Cole + the Hawkes
Doors 8p
FREE
The Mill: Open mic night w Spoda + guests
Doors 9p
FREE
Tuesday - Nov. 20
Tattooed Moose: Beattie Porter + Olu Olu
Doors 9p
FREE
The Pour House: Weigh Station + Friends
Doors 9p
FREE
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): The Cordovans
Doors 9p
FREE
Brick House Kitchen: Graham Whorley
Doors 8p
FREE
Art's Bar & Grill: Donnie Polk
Doors 9p
FREE
Wednesday - Nov. 21
The Royal American: Carnaval
Doors 9p
Cover $5
The Pour House: Zach Deputy
Doors 9p
Cover $10 adv/$13 dos
Tin Roof: Craft Bazaar w the South Carolina Broadcasters
Doors 6p
FREE
Awendaw Green: Barn Jam feat. Kevin Church (6p), Timey String Band (7p), John Scollon + Bitteroot (8p) and Gracious Day (9p)
FREE
Home Team BBQ (West Ashley): Lowcountry Blues Club
Doors 8p
FREE
City Lights Coffee: The Amazing Mittens feat. Eden + Noodle
Doors 6:30p
FREE
Juanita Greenberg's Nacho Royale: Jordan Igoe
Doors 10:30p
FREE
Friday - Nov. 23
The Pour House: Sadler Vaden + the One Night Only's w the Tarlatans
Doors 9p
Cover $5 adv/$7 dos
Tin Roof: Dante's Camaro
Doors 8p
Cover $5
The Windjammer: Stoplight Observations
Doors 9p
Cover $5
Saturday - Nov. 24
The Mill: Megan Jean + the Klay Family Band
Doors 9p
Cover (probably free, but need to verify)
The Pour House: "Revival", 4th Annual Duane Allman Birthday Celebration feat. Shane Pruitt
Doors 9p
Cover $12
Tin Roof: Julie Slonecki album release w Jordan Igoe + Will Hastings
Doors 8p
Cover $5
The Windjammer: Weird Science
Doors 9p
Cover $7
Big John's Tavern: Simple Possession
Doors
Cover
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Thursday, November 15, 2012
Locked and Loaded - The Royal Tinfoil are returning to the Pour House
Charleston's one and only, The Royal Tinfoil, bring their moonshine-soaked gypsy blues back to the Pour House this Saturday, Nov. 17th, for their first big show since wrapping a successful tour over the summer. The months between the end of that tour and now have been anything but low-key for the band, as most of the members play in other acts around town or have their own side projects, but the Tinfoil is revved up and ready to shake some souls. Armed with a stockpile of new tunes and a bloodied-knuckle fistful of demon-exorcising energy, this is guaranteed to be one hell of a show.
Sharing the bill is Atlanta's own The Whiskey Gentry, love child of Lauren Staley (lead vox + guitar) and Jason Morrow (lead guitar + vox). Sounding like bluegrass that's overdosed on Adderall, this band plays with all the excitement and fury of a good punk show, married with the daring melody and all the finger pickin' goodness of a classic country act. But this isn't your average hipster alt-country outfit - The Whiskey Gentry is good ol' foot stompin', sweat flinging Appalachian rock at its finest, and I'm psyched to welcome them to our town!
Charleston Pour House - 1977 Maybank Hwy., phone: 571.4343
Doors - 9p
Cover - $8 adv, $10 dos
The Royal Tinfoil @ Bandcamp: www.RoyalTinfoil.bandcamp.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheRoyalTinfoil
Twitter: @TheRoyalTinfoil
The Whiskey Gentry Website: www.TheWhiskeyGentry.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheWhiskeyGentry
Twitter: @WhiskeyGentry
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Sharing the bill is Atlanta's own The Whiskey Gentry, love child of Lauren Staley (lead vox + guitar) and Jason Morrow (lead guitar + vox). Sounding like bluegrass that's overdosed on Adderall, this band plays with all the excitement and fury of a good punk show, married with the daring melody and all the finger pickin' goodness of a classic country act. But this isn't your average hipster alt-country outfit - The Whiskey Gentry is good ol' foot stompin', sweat flinging Appalachian rock at its finest, and I'm psyched to welcome them to our town!
The Royal Tinfoil, "Stalker vs. Stalker" @ Charleston's Pour House
The Whiskey Gentry, "Eula Mae" @ Atlanta's Five Spot
Charleston Pour House - 1977 Maybank Hwy., phone: 571.4343
Doors - 9p
Cover - $8 adv, $10 dos
The Royal Tinfoil @ Bandcamp: www.RoyalTinfoil.bandcamp.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheRoyalTinfoil
Twitter: @TheRoyalTinfoil
The Whiskey Gentry Website: www.TheWhiskeyGentry.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheWhiskeyGentry
Twitter: @WhiskeyGentry
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Saturday, November 10, 2012
Evan Andree's "Invisible Sap" - Indie pop has fallen in love
Emerging Atlanta-based musician Evan Andree has many things to be thankful for this holiday season. With a new album coming out just before Thanksgiving and a track from his previous EP getting some worldwide exposure thanks to Nike UK's "Find Your Greatness" ad campaign, 2012 has indeed been a good year for the singer-songwriter.
"Invisible Sap", the new 3-track EP being released on Nov. 20th exclusively through Brite Revolution, takes a decidedly different turn from Andree's earlier electronic and house dance days. Featuring bright guitars and spirited vocals in the style of Death Cab-meets-Passion Pit, this album gives a nod to youthful exploration and the frightening excitement of realizing your first love.
The opening track, "American Dream", could be the new generation's "Jack and Diane". Backed by a steady beat and concise guitar work, Andree sings, "You were that sweetheart girl / that every boy dreams of growing up / And the way we met was / like an American dream." The chorus adds some sentimentality, while a clubby, bass-driven bridge at the 2-minute mark provides some depth and mood to Andree's new indie pop sound. "Your Song" is thoughtful and romantic, with a lot of little musical details that make it a pleasure to listen to. The last song, "Mr. Teleportation", is the edgiest of the tracks with layers of distorted guitar and a more aggressive beat than previously heard on the album. But Andree's scintillating voice strikes a charming balance with such honest lyrics as, "I've felt this way a hundred times before / locked in a room alone and on the floor / Singing my heart feels for someone / so far away / I don't want the pain to stop / I just want her here with me."
It is obvious that Evan Andree understands songwriting and all of the hard work that comes along with it, but right now his two most formidable attributes are his enthusiasm and unjaded outlook. These are two very important qualities that often get lost along the way, but if Andree can harness and hold onto them, his talent should take him far.
Watch for "Invisible Sap" on Nov. 20th: Brite Revolution
Website: http://www.evandree.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Evan-Andree
Twitter: @EvanAndreeMusic
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"Invisible Sap", the new 3-track EP being released on Nov. 20th exclusively through Brite Revolution, takes a decidedly different turn from Andree's earlier electronic and house dance days. Featuring bright guitars and spirited vocals in the style of Death Cab-meets-Passion Pit, this album gives a nod to youthful exploration and the frightening excitement of realizing your first love.
The opening track, "American Dream", could be the new generation's "Jack and Diane". Backed by a steady beat and concise guitar work, Andree sings, "You were that sweetheart girl / that every boy dreams of growing up / And the way we met was / like an American dream." The chorus adds some sentimentality, while a clubby, bass-driven bridge at the 2-minute mark provides some depth and mood to Andree's new indie pop sound. "Your Song" is thoughtful and romantic, with a lot of little musical details that make it a pleasure to listen to. The last song, "Mr. Teleportation", is the edgiest of the tracks with layers of distorted guitar and a more aggressive beat than previously heard on the album. But Andree's scintillating voice strikes a charming balance with such honest lyrics as, "I've felt this way a hundred times before / locked in a room alone and on the floor / Singing my heart feels for someone / so far away / I don't want the pain to stop / I just want her here with me."
It is obvious that Evan Andree understands songwriting and all of the hard work that comes along with it, but right now his two most formidable attributes are his enthusiasm and unjaded outlook. These are two very important qualities that often get lost along the way, but if Andree can harness and hold onto them, his talent should take him far.
Watch for "Invisible Sap" on Nov. 20th: Brite Revolution
Website: http://www.evandree.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Evan-Andree
Twitter: @EvanAndreeMusic
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Friday, November 9, 2012
2012 Charleston City Paper Music Award Winners
The Charleston City Paper put on an awesome show last night at the Pour House to celebrate our local music community, and to honor the winners of this year's City Paper Music Awards. From jam bands to hip-hop, the Holy City has the music scene covered!
Rock Band of the Year - Crowfield
Song of the Year - "Birmingham", Shovels & Rope
Singer of the Year - Elise Testone
Guitarist of the Year - Wallace Mullinax
Horn Player of the Year - Charlton Singleton
Bassist of the Year - Ben Wells
Drummer of the Year - Quentin Baxter
Pianist of the Year - Whitt Algar
DJ of the Year - DJ Moo Moo
Electronic Artist of the Year - Rocky Horror
Multi-instrumentalist of the Year - Joel Hamilton
Jazz Band of the Year - Flat Foot Floozies
Country Band of the Year - Shovels & Rope
Metal Band of the Year - Bully Pulpit
Punk Band of the Year - The 33's
Jam Band of the Year - Sol Driven Train
Funk/Soul Band of the Year - Wadata
Hip-Hop Artist of the Year - Dirty Dave Da Fly Guy
Blues Band of the Year - Sarah Cole and the Hawkes
Singer-Songwriter of the Year - Cary Ann Hearst
Up-and-Coming Artist of the Year - The Local Honeys
Experimental Artist of the Year - Mechanical River
Album of the Year - O' Be Joyful, Shovels & Rope; Olly Oxen Free, Dangermuffin
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Rock Band of the Year - Crowfield
Song of the Year - "Birmingham", Shovels & Rope
Singer of the Year - Elise Testone
Guitarist of the Year - Wallace Mullinax
Horn Player of the Year - Charlton Singleton
Bassist of the Year - Ben Wells
Drummer of the Year - Quentin Baxter
Pianist of the Year - Whitt Algar
DJ of the Year - DJ Moo Moo
Electronic Artist of the Year - Rocky Horror
Multi-instrumentalist of the Year - Joel Hamilton
Jazz Band of the Year - Flat Foot Floozies
Country Band of the Year - Shovels & Rope
Metal Band of the Year - Bully Pulpit
Punk Band of the Year - The 33's
Jam Band of the Year - Sol Driven Train
Funk/Soul Band of the Year - Wadata
Hip-Hop Artist of the Year - Dirty Dave Da Fly Guy
Blues Band of the Year - Sarah Cole and the Hawkes
Singer-Songwriter of the Year - Cary Ann Hearst
Up-and-Coming Artist of the Year - The Local Honeys
Experimental Artist of the Year - Mechanical River
Album of the Year - O' Be Joyful, Shovels & Rope; Olly Oxen Free, Dangermuffin
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Thursday, November 8, 2012
ELIM BOLT's "Nude South" - A sentient trip down Nostalgia Lane
There's a lot of good music happening all around us, and across Charleston in particular, musicians are coming out with some very cunning and intelligent work. And every now and then, an album will leap forth from the woodwork, grab you by the shoulders and rattle your bones.
On Tuesday, one album did just that, when local record label Hearts & Plugs released "Nude South", the freshman release from Charleston's own trippy croon-rockers, ELIM BOLT.
Opening with the track "Only You", ELIM BOLT's lush sound is brimming with love, longing and missed (or misdirected) opportunities. Singer Johnnie Matthews makes his debut as a true frontman, having previously played with the bands Sequoyah Prep School and Company, and his melancholy baritone carries all the edge of David Byrne, backed with the richness of Roy Orbison. Tempered with a shivering vibrato, Matthews' voice offers a dreamlike quality that immediately gives "Nude South" a nostalgic air of familiarity.
"Field" is a jangling ode to the lonesome youth of South Carolina, while "Farm Kid", the first single from the album, is an apologetic love song with lyrics that moan, "All I want to do / is truly love you / But all I seem to do / is deeply hurt you." With a soaring guitar line laced throughout, "Farm Kid" is easily the album's selling point, but every song on this 7-track record deserves the listener's attention and should be played several times to allow your ears the opportunity to wade through all of the alt-Parsons orchestration. The layers of guitar and the clockwork drumming (the duties of which alternate from one track to the next between Michael McCrea and Ryan Zimmerman), create a vast, swaying field over which dance the delicate harmonies of Matthews and his solid backing vocalist, Amber Joyner.
"Myers Farm" is, upon first listen, a lovely and traditional country tune - but as you sift your way through the lyrics ("My self destructive ways / have thrown my joy away / But on the brightest days of the year / I shine like a chandelier"), it is evident that the beauty and breadth of ELIM BOLT goes much deeper than its cosmic alt-country veneer. In "Alright", the shortest track on the album, the vocals of Matthews and Joyner swell together in the doomy, coercive chorus, while "Batshit Crazy" is an upbeat, drum pounding song about - you guessed it - batshit crazy love.
"Blue Jays", the last track on the album, is at once a dusty torch song and a lamenting lullaby. The most rueful of all of the songs, "Blue Jays"' despondency clings to your soul the way that a thin cotton sheet will stick to warm skin. And this is, perhaps, the timber of ELIM BOLT - naked emotion, haphazardly draped with all the sentience and stoicism of a much older soul.
Or maybe I'm just a sucker for sad songs and reverb...
Website: www.elimbolt.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/elimbolt
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