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Friday, Oct. 03, 2008

Cool nights usher in hot music in the Charlotte area

Two nights of hot licks and super song stylings start off with The Singer/Songwriter Round Series tonight at the Sylvia Theater in York. Hosted by Ashley Chamblis, the evening’s special guests are Hannah Thomas and Tom Eure.

The Singer / Songwriter Round is co-sponsored by the Rock Hill /Charlotte chapters of the Nashville Songwriters Association International and the Sylvia Theater. The doors open at 8:30 p.m. and music starts at 9 in the theater in downtown York.

Saturday night, it’s time to sniff out the growling, howling sounds of John “Hound” Brown at the Sylvia Theater. On his MySpace profile, Brown lists his influences as everything from life and The Bible to “the angst of Steve Earle, James Taylor's wit, Mark Twain's sarcasm,” even “the sadness of a black spiritual.” Raised out on the tobacco roads of eastern North Carolina, Brown is part storyteller/part Southern medicine man with cure-all healing insight and righteous revelations, based partially on his background of the culture, idealism, and chaos of the mid-1960s. He’s toured, written and recorded with a Martina McBride, Billy Dean, Susie Boggus, John Hiatt, the Zac Brown Band and others. Call 684-5590 for show details; check sylviatheater.com and myspace.com/thesylviatheater for audio and video clips of the featured artists. Go to myspace.com/plowology for more on Brown.

Get a dose of catchy alternative-edged rock with a scathing side as delivered by Livalie live tonight at Scandal’s in Rock Hill. One of several relative newcomer bands set solidly on the fast track for runaway success, this six-member ensemble features Paul Wright, guitar; Pat Gerasia, drums; Sean Cody, guitar; Jeremiah Park, bass guitar; Kyle Sanderson, keyboards/synthesizers; and Drew Cyphers, lead vocals. Livalie’s debut EP, “A Perfect Compromise,” demonstrates their powerful high-velocity gusto surging through guitars, keyboards and earnest voices. For more info, call Scandal’s, 527 Cherry Road, at 329-4266 or check myspace.com/scandalsrockhill. See more on the band at myspace.com/livalierocks.

And now for something completely different as Devil Music Ensemble performs “Red Heroine” Tuesday at Charlotte’s Visulite Theater. The three-person group of multi-instrumental musicians from Boston, Devil Music Ensemble is among a prime collection of American groups who specialize in silent film accompaniment. For this event, the group performs on its scores composed for a martial arts film of the 1920s about the rise of a woman warrior. The score not only draws from Chinese classical and folk music, but also taps soundtracks from classic kung fun cinema. Delve into the Devil Music Ensemble at The Visulite, 1615 Elizabeth Ave., Charlotte. Call (704) 358-9200 or go to visulite.com for details. For more information on the film, check lightfactory.org or call (704) 333-9755.

October is off to an auspicious start with fine fall weather and an assortment of compelling, even unusual musical encounters:

• Tonight: Rayen Belchere at McHale’s Pub, Fort Mill; Tone Deaf at The Grapevine, Fort Mill; Simplified at NV Nightclub, Charlotte; Parallel, Layden and The Stellas at Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte; Young Tom Fury, Red Collar and Rat Jackson at Snug Harbor, Charlotte; Noel and The Devils End at Puckett’s Farm and Equipment, Charlotte; Philip Hamrick of Miles Apart, Shana & Arrie, Bucky Hayes and Death on Two Wheels at The Evening Muse, Charlotte; Sea of Cortez and The Old Ceremony and Lindsey Horne at The Visulite Theatre, Charlotte; Lindy Dobbins at Boardwalk Billy’s, Charlotte; Crackers and Snackmeat, Alittle Ugly and Red Letter Blue at The Milestone, Charlotte; Raphael Saadiq at Amos’ Southend, Charlotte; Pure Fiya Reggae Band at The Double Door Inn, Charlotte; and Martina McBride and Jack Ingram at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Charlotte.

• Saturday: Tone Deaf at The Grapevine, Fort Mill; John ”Hound” Brown at Sylvia Theater, York; Lindy Dobbins at T-Bones, Lake Wylie; Elonzo, Nathan Oliver and Anna Bullard at Snug Harbor, Charlotte; Big Mamma’s House of Burlesque at The Visulite Theatre, Charlotte; Sam Bush Band and Custom Grass Revue at The Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte; The Defilers at Puckett’s Farm and Equipment, Charlotte; HuDost, Judd and Maggie and Buschovski at The Evening Muse, Charlotte; Calabi Yau at The Milestone, Charlotte; Who’s Bad-Michael Jackson Tribute and Urban Sophisticates at Amos’ Southend, Charlotte; Metalfest: Black Ritual, Rex 84, Merzah, A Road Eternal, Pandah, Burn My Eyes, Moanuh Greazuh, Counter Clockwork, Agony Drags On and Diavolo at Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte; Chubby Carrier and The Bayou Swamp Band at The Double Door Inn, Charlotte; and Allman Brothers with Phil Lesh and Friends at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Charlotte.

• Sunday: 25 Minutes to Go, Bums Lie and When it Hits at Snug Harbor, Charlotte; Chrome/Helios Creed, The Smoking Rocks and Clag Quartet at The Milestone, Charlotte; Luna Halo, Run Run Run and Brandon Kirkley and The Firecrackers at Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte; and 14th Annual Blues Band Talent Competition at The Double Door Inn, Charlotte.

• Monday: Scoot Pittman Duo at T-Bones, Lake Wylie; Find Your Muse Open Mic at The Evening Muse, Charlotte; Skeleton Witch, Wet Nurse and Khann at The Milestone, Charlotte; Seether with Ashes Divide at Amos’ Southend, Charlotte; and Deebs and Daabs at The Philosopher’s Stone, Charlotte.

• Tuesday: Artists For Hospice Night with Ansel Couch at Sylvia Theater, York; Emmitt Nershi Band and Belleville Outfit at The Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte; Devil Music Ensemble Performs “Red Heroine” at The Visulite Theatre, Charlotte; Say Hi To Your Mom, Jukebox The Ghost and Cement Stars at The Milestone, Charlotte; and The Nouveaux Honkies and Andrew Hoover at The Double Door Inn, Charlotte.

• Wednesday: Rodeo Ruby Love and Husband & Wife at Snug Harbor, Charlotte; John Oak Live Acoustic at Puckett’s Farm and Equipment, Charlotte; and Tosco House Party Open Mic; Timber; at The Evening Muse, Charlotte.

• Thursday: Open Mic at Puckett’s Farm and Equipment, Charlotte; Uphonik, Bums Lie and Channing and Quinn at The Milestone, Charlotte; Jonathan Richman and Tommy Larkins at The Evening Muse, Charlotte; Senses Fail, Dance Gavin Dance, The Number 12 Looks Like You, Foxy and Shazam at Amos’ Southend, Charlotte; Public Radio, John Mark McMillan and Flagship Brigade at Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte.

And that was “all she wrote.”