Carolina Nation rocks a country edge

It’s definitely time for a Carolina state of mind.

Find that very outlook expressed by the band Carolina Nation, live Friday at the End Zone Sports Bar in Rock Hill. New country plus a classic rock edge and an energetic push drives this relatively new outfit based in the Rock Hill area.

Taking rock, blues and country influences from the ’60’s to the ’90’s to formulate original kickin’ country music, Carolina Nation is hoping for interest to develop around their original sound.

An added upbeat edge is just a bonus. Carolina Nation features Aaron Denver Crites, vocals/guitar; Clay Horne, drums; Mike Taylor, bass and Mark Hinson, lead guitar/backup vocals. Area audiences will recognize Hinson and his guitar skills from past projects especially as lead guitarist for popular touring rock tribute band Rockstar.

Hinson formed this new ensemble to be an original country music recording act with rock influences and “a positive vibe.” Their song “Stay Thirsty” along with the special video and new additions to their increasing list of originals have helped to increase their following.

Catch up with some rockin’ country music fun from Carolina Nation live Friday at The Endzone, 2354-D Ebenezer Road, Rock Hill. Call the club at 324-8300 for show information. For more on the music, go to carolinanation.net.

Elsewhere

Expect a different variation on a theme, expertly articulated by Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps via their annual NightBEAT Tour of Champions, Sunday at BB&T Field in Winston-Salem. This is a new venue for the popular event that showcases select national DCI Corps in a extravaganza of inspiring musicianship, pageantry and power.

Presented the York County and Charlotte metro area’s own Carolina Crown based in Fort Mill, this musical spectacle brings together elite corps from across the nation performing their 2015 show themes. NightBEAT 2015 will also include a special performance by “The Commandant’s Own” – the United States Marine Drum & Bugle Corps, a premier musical marching unit.

The lineup of top ranked drum corps competing in the 2015 NightBeat Tour of Champions includes: Blue Devils, Concord, Calif.; Bluecoats, Canton, Ohio; The Cadets, Allentown, Pa; Santa Clara Vanguard, Santa Clara, Calif., The Cavaliers, Rosemont, Ill.; Phantom Regiment, Rockford, Ill., Madison Scouts, Madison, Wis., and of course, Carolina Crown, Fort Mill. Excitement is high for the 2015 event since competition between corps this season is very close. The three top corps were separated by less that a point and a half after the recent San Antonio regional which put Carolina Crown into the third spot. This is especially noteworthy considering Carolina Crown won the DCI World Class Championship in 2013.

Carolina Crown’s 2015 show is titled “Inferno,”based on Dante’s 14th century epic poem “Divine Comedy.”

A hot time is ahead as an armada of stunning pageantry and musical art presented by Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps makes it way to NightBEAT 2015 – Tour of Champions, Sunday at BB&T Field, 499 Deacon Blvd. in Winston-Salem. For details, links, and more on NightBEAT 2015 and the corps, go to carolinacrown.org.

Friday: Carolina Nation at The End Zone, Rock Hill; Chubby Knuckles at SandBar Grill, Rock Hill; David Williams at The Handle Bar, Catawba; Sylvia Songwriters Round at Sylvia Theater, York; Labyrinth, Lust of Decay, more at Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte; The Stardusters Big Band at Music on the Lawn, Sharon Presbyterian Church, Charlotte; Beres Hammon, The Harmony House Band, more at Amos’ Southend, Charlotte; Dennis Spring at Romare Bearden Park, Charlotte; Will Hoge, Tyler Boone at Visulite Theater, Charlotte; Bobby Messano at Double Door Inn, Charlotte; Amigo, Jon Lindsay, Sinners & Saints at Petra’s Piano Bar, Charlotte; Heroes at Last at RiRa, Charlotte; DJ Jazzy Jeff at Suite, Charlotte; The Not Likelys, I.E.D., Southside Punx at Milestone, Charlotte; Raekwon, Ghostface Killahm Dillon Cooper at The Fillmore, Charlotte; 311, The Green at Uptown Amphitheater- NC Music Factory, Charlotte; Luke Edwards at Puckett’s Farm Equipment, Charlotte; Plan Mistaken for Stars, Sea of Storms, Mon Frere, more at Neighborhood Theater, Charlotte; Mojo Ruckus at Jack Beagles, Charlotte; Maddie Shuler, Midnight Snack; The Well Reds, Valise; at Evening Muse, Charlotte; McKenzie Morris at Bootlegger’s Saloon, Charlotte.

Saturday: Ashley Rhodes Peeples at The Garden Café, York; Carolina Rhythm Band at The Endzone, Rock Hill; Game Face at P.J. O’Reilly’s, Charlotte; McGroover at Beef O Brady’s-Baxter, Fort Mill; Whitney Peyton, Blind Fury, Stitchy C, more at Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte; The Instigators at Comet Grill, Charlotte; The Accomplices at US National Whitewater Center, Charlotte; The Vamps, The Tide, Before You Exist at Amos Southend, Charlotte; QC Summerfest Mid-Day Concert: Four80East, Andre Delano at McGlohon Theater, Charlotte; Najee, Keiko Matsui, Nick Colionne at Belk Theater, Charlotte; Mojo Rjuckus, Universal Sigh at Double Door Inn, Charlotte; Del Rio, Sweatlands, more at Snug Harbor, Charlotte; The Accomplices at US National Whitewater Center, Charlotte; Dollar Signs, Corporate Fandango, more at Milestone, Charlotte; John Durham & the Forlorn Hope at Puckett’s Farm Equipment, Charlotte; Blue Dogs, Finnegan Bell at Neighborhood Theater, Charlotte; Cameron Floyd EP Release; One Big Love; at Evening Muse, Charlotte; Rascal Flatts, Scotty McCreery, RaeLynn at PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte.

Sunday: Band of Heathens, Dylan Leblanc at Visulite Theater, Charlotte; Joshua Cotterin, Sports Coach, more at Snug Harbor, Charlotte; Knowne Ghost, The Maggie Valley Band at Milestone, Charlotte; Gatecreeper, Funeral Chic, Caged In at Neighborhood Theater, Charlotte; School of Rock: Neutral Milk Hotel Tribute at Evening Muse, Charlotte.

Monday: Eryn Woods, Kieran Strange, more at Milestone, Charlotte; Open Mic with 3 Piece Buckett at Puckett’s Farm Equipment, Charlotte; Open Mic with Danielle Soul at Evening Muse, Charlotte.

Tuesday: Hope Fest 2 with Neurotic November, Nevado Rose, Our Walking Deception, more at Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte; 10 Years, Nonpoint, The Family Ruin, Awaken the Empire at Amos’ Southend, Charlotte; Mike Waters (12-1:30 pm) at Romare Bearden Park, Charlotte; Chief Scout, Concord America, more at Snug Harbor, Charlotte; Rob Thomas, Plain White T’s at NC Music Factory, Charlotte.

Wednesday: Leslie & Karenski Duo at Mickey & Mooch-Arboretum, Pineville; Rick Strickland Band at Romare Bearden Park, Charlotte; Shinedown, Nothing More at Ovens Auditorium, Charlotte; My Morning Jacket, Lucius at Uptown Amphitheatre, Charlotte; Modern Primitives, more at Snug Harbor, Charlotte; The School of Rock All-Stars at Chop Shop, Charlotte; Jeff Austin Band, Darnny Barnes, more at Neighborhood Theater, Charlotte; Blackfoot Gypsies, Ross Adams & the Outfit at Evening Muse, Charlotte.

Thursday: Nita B at Comet Grill, Charlotte; Bridge to Grace at Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte; Comfortably Nuts, Full View, Lee Knox, more at Amos’ Southend, Charlotte; The Southern Gothic at Double Door Inn, Charlotte; River Jam: Dead 27s at US National Whitewater Center, Charlotte.

“And that was all she wrote.”

This story was originally published July 23, 2015 at 4:26 PM with the headline "Carolina Nation rocks a country edge."