Cast fate to the wind and get the Labor Day holiday weekend under way tonight with Baroness, guest opener for The Deftones at The Fillmore in Charlotte.
Baroness, based in Savannah, Ga., boasts heavy, even fast riffs without sacrificing melodic grace.
The band features Allen Blickle, drums; Summer Welch, bass; and John Baizley and Pete Adams, guitars and vocals. It could be among the leading edge of an emergent bloodline of strong new American hard rockers.
The band formed in 2003, and the members have honed their skills and sound for a style reminiscent of the best classic/prog rock and British metal.
Inspiration, yes, but not derivative.
Their debut "Red Album" was released in 2007, followed in 2009 by the "Blue Album" which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and was named album of the year by Decibel magazine.
Baroness recently returned from Coachella and Bonnaroo performances, as well as a U.S. tour with Mastodon and Between the Buried and Me. Then the band headed out for the Deftones' dates, before joining Metallica for 13 sold-out dates touring Australia this fall.
All the right elements are in play to please a cross-section of hard metal, classic and prog rock fans -- a tasty two-guitar guts and glory attack, raw power, vocal artistry plus a genius stroke of poignant mystery.
Baroness will perform tonight as guest opener with The Deftones at The Fillmore, N.C. Music Factory, 820 Hamilton St., Charlotte.
For ticket info, call 704-916-8970 or visit livenation.com. Get more on the band at myspace.com/YourBaroness.
Alt-country, Americana rockers American Aquarium will bring their Never-Ending Tour Wednesday to The Money, Rock Hill.
From Raleigh, N.C., this indie rock band with an alternative country garage twang "thang" has played more than 600 live shows and released five albums in just four years.
Whew.
Their newest release is titled "Small Town Hymns," which hit the streets May 1.
Now, singer/songwriter B.J. Barham and company are touring in support of that album, headed from here to Texas, Arizona, Washington state and back.
Their overall musical mission is pretty basic: honest songwriting, hard work and a love of rock 'n' roll. Barham sings of life, love, loss and such sentiments wrapped in the guise of wandering Southern troubadour with a guitar and a story to sing.
No Depression magazine referred to the band as a refreshing "avant-garde Americana revolution."
Front Porch Musings enthused that "they play exactly what is needed to support and drive the songs and stories, rocking just as hard as possible, but without getting in the way."
Blur Magazine in Athens, Ga., went all out, saying "American Aquarium is the rare band that relishes both the rough-and-tumble road lifestyle and the meticulous search for perfection in recording."
Somewhere in all that is basic raw talent, intent on telling a down-home tale of music, culture, and good ole' rock and roll.
Check what sounds are swimming round the tank with American Aquarium Wednesday at The Money, 110 S. Cherry Road, Rock Hill. Call 329-2710.
For more on the band, visit americanaquarium.net.
Watch for sustained sassy sounds and frequent gusts of groovy live music at various venues all geared to keep your Labor Day Weekend holiday hip and happy:
Tonight: Fallen Kings at McHale's On Main, Rock Hill; Crashbox at Scandal's, Rock Hill; Nik Motil at Digiorgio Center Stage, Winthrop University, Rock Hill; Tone Deaf at Grapevine Wine Bar, Fort Mill; Baroness with The Deftones, at The Fillmore at NC Music Factory, Charlotte; Naughty By Nature at Amos Southend, Charlotte; The Lenny Federal Band at Comet Grill, Charlotte; Conrad Oberg at the Double Door Inn, Charlotte; Overmountain Men, Leadville Social Club, The Hectagons, 2013 Wolves at The Milestone, Charlotte; Hipshack at Epicenter, Charlotte; Arlo and the Otter, Case Federal and the Agents, The Regulars, Archer Vs. Gunman at The Evening Muse, Charlotte; Pocketful of Strange, Gene, Gene The Blues Machine at Crossroads Pub, Charlotte; Moon Rooster at Smokey Joe's Café, Charlotte; Ghost Unknown, Edified, F. Dux more at Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte; and 3-Legged Dog at Puckett's Farm Equipment, Charlotte.
