STEVE KIMOCK with BERNIE WORRELL, WALLY INGRAM and ANDY HESS @ THE LINCOLN THEATER THURSDAY 5-31

Bay area guitar wiz Steve Kimock joins Parliament Funkdalelic / Talking Heads keyboardist Bernie Worell, percussionist Wally Ingram and Black Crowes bassist Andy Hess for an evening of unbridled musical madness at The Lincoln Theater this Thursday evening. 

Kimock is renowned as one of the most distinctive guitarists on the jam scene and beyond.  Known as Jerry Garcia's "favorite guitar player",  his sound packs a healthy punch of Jerry Like chromatic fret play but stands alone as a screaming siren and a  lonesome whistle.  Kimock builds amplifiers and knows his way around the circuitry of his large collection of guitars, each built  precisely for his tone heavy sound.

Most of us know Bernie "The Woo" Worrell as the keyboardist  from Talking Heads' cinematic concert masterpiece Stop Making Sense.  He was and is a an integral part of the Parliament Funkadelic dynasty and his own project The Bernie Worrell Orchestra.

Bassist Andy Hess and drummer / percussionist Wally Ingram's experience and style will exponentially increase the magnitude of this performance. 

Raleigh's tightest and brightest jazz group The Hot at Nights open.  

JANES ADDICTION MAY 22 at MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM

Changing music in front of our very eyes with the advent of MTV,  Perry Ferrell and the gang exploded onto the music scene with hits like “Jane Says” and “Been Caught Stealin’” which gave the younger audience a sense of rebellion and the parents of that era something to be afraid of.  Ferrell went on to start the Lollapalooza tour which showcased a great deal of bands in the alternative rock genre and still touring strongly 16 years later.  Like The Red Hot Chile Peppers, Pearl Jam and many more, Jane’s Addiction has withstood the test of time and the ever-changing taste in music in popular culture.  Catch them live at Memorial Auditorium in Raleigh if you can get a ticket! 

DIALI CISSOKHO AND KAIRABA! @ WHITE COLLAR CRIME THIS FRIDAY 5-25

The first time I was told about Diali Cissokho someone compared him to Prince.  Now, that is a bold statement to which i immediately responded with deep interest.  I come to find out that he is indeed much like Prince in terms of his popularity in his homeland of Senegal.  He is a master percussionist and  vocalist with  an entrancing presence that does indeed rival Prince.  His main instrument, indigenous to Africa,  the 21 stringed Kora (made from a gourd) is played with the the same amount of infectious gusto as his entrancing voice.  He and his group Kairaba! will perform this Friday night at White Collar Crime in Raleigh.  

From his website http://www.koraanddrums.com/

A renowned korist and percussionist from Senegal, Diali Keba Cissokho has just arrived in the United States after years of performing and teaching in Senegal and in Europe. Born into a rich ancestry of Manding griots (the musician caste), Diali has been playing traditional West African music for as long as he can remember. Diali’s greatest love is the kora, the 21-stringed African “harp-lute” that is at the heart and soul of much West African music, while he is also a passionate singer, percussionist and dancer. Crossing cultural boundaries with a wide range of sounds, from explosive dance rhythms to soothing hypnotic grooves, Diali brings an unparalleled virtuosity with a unique personal style to this respected traditional art form.

 

UPCOMING SHOWS / EVENTS

PERFORMANCES AT WHITE COLLAR CRIME: 

FRIDAY 5-18
CRYSTAL BRIGHT and the SILVER HAND


SATURDAY 5-19
REVOLVER CONSIGNMENT BOUTIQUE  PRESENTS:  REVOLVE YOUR WARDROBE-CLOTHING SWAP FEATURING DJ TRIPLE B

SATURDAY 5-25
DIALI CISSOKHO ANDKAIRABA: A true rock star in the world of West African music, Cissokho is a master percussionist, singer and plays a multitude of stringed instruments indigenous s to Senegal.  He is a recent transplant from his home in Senegal to Pittsboro, NC.  This show in Raleigh will be his big debut to Raleigh and anyone interested in African music or percussion should attend. White Collar Crime, Raleigh; May 25.

ARCHERS OF LOAF this SATURDAY MAY 12 @ KINGS BARCADE with PIPE

Archers of Loaf fall into a category of adoration and familiarity for those of us who grew up in and around the triangle.  Other bands such as Hobex, Johnny Quest, Dillon Fence and many more share a spot alongside Chapel Hill's Archers of Loaf.  Back in their hay day, before the term "indie rock" was beaten like a dead horse, they would best be described as alternative rock and roll with a sound hard enough to bang your head and pump your fist to with the dance accessibility.

 In 1996,  after the release of their third album All the Nations Airports and extensive touring supporting it, Archers of Loaf held on for one final Record, White Trash Heroes.  Soon after,  they took a much needed  sabbatical of sorts in search of what direction they needed to take as a band and as individuals.  Guitarist Eric  Bachman went on to form Crooked Fingers and played temporarily with Band of Horses when they exploded onto the scene back in the mid 2000's. 

Archers of Loaf reunited in 2011 and from what it looks like, may be around for a while.  See one the areas finest and favorites at Kings Barcade this Saturday night!

FIEST THIS THURSDAY 5-4 @ MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM

FEIST or Leslie Feist (if you know her personally) is a part of the indie rock collective Broken Social Scene and a hugely successful solo artist.  Her albums have garnered Grammy awards, Juno awards as well as a permanent station as high priestess in the world of alternative music.  Her live performances are said to be completely breathtaking and unforgettable. So, do what you can to catch her live this Thursday at Meymandi Music Hall at  Progressive Energy Center in downtown Raleigh.  Timbre Timbre opens.

NICK LOWE WITH TIFT MERRIT THIS WED. 5-2 @ CAT'S CRADLE

British singer songwriter Nick Lowe has been making music for around 40 years. In  his early days as part of the punk and new wave scene, Lowe worked with Elvis Costello as a producer and songwriter among many other artists of the day.  Lowe's most memorable songs include "I love the Sound of  Breaking Glass", "Cruel to be Kind" and "What' so Funny About Peace Love and Understanding" which was written for and performed by Elvis Costello.  Lowe has stayed busy over his 40 year career writing music for himself and others touring vigorously with no end in sight.   Raleigh native and  alternative country star Tift Merrit is out in support her latest record, See You on the Moon,  and sharing the bill with Lowe this Wednesday night at Cat's Cradle in Carboro.

THIS WEEKEND AT WHITE COLLAR CRIME!

Friday evening White Collar Crime welcomes Greensboro funk outfit THE BRAND NEW LIFE.  With at least 6 members, some playing percussion instruments from around the world and several horn players, these guys make rooms shake.  In the style of Galactic or Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, The Brand New Life is about as dancable as it gets.  So, get down to White Collar Crime Friday night and shake your asses to some genuine boogie down funky jazz infused rock. 

SATURDAY night WCC welcomes Once and Future Kings to the stage.  Originally from Nashville, TN, the members of Once and Future Kings have carved out a musical style which ranges from majestic, ethereal rock to the entrancing infectious environs of psychadelia.  Their home is now Raleigh and their popularity in the triangle is on the rise as they continue to wow audiences with their own potent brand of powerfully creative music.  



Catch them for FREE Saturday 4-14 at WHITE COLLAR CRIME in downtown Raleigh. 

LAMBCHOP @ MOTORCO MUSIC HALL SAT. 4-14

Lambchop arose from the Nashville alternative country scene as a collective of musicians who surrounded the lyrical genius of band leader Kurt Wagner.  Wagner, a character on the outside and in, carries a vocal style unmatched by anyone I've ever heard.  Subtle and withdrawn with the delivery of the Enola Gay is one way of describing his voice and lyrics.  Wagner's songs consists of random thoughts, subjects, objects, heartbroken memories and cautionary tales which, in the end, gel to create thought provoking and occasionally heart wrenching  works of art.  Even the smacking sound his mouth makes when opening and closing is a noise for which fans prick up their ears.  The often changing band is heavily laden with strings of the slide, bow and finger picking variety, perfectly arranged with piano, bass and drums. 

Out in Support of their latest offering, Mr. M. , Lambchop  is sure to put on a memorable performance at Motorco Music Hall in Durham this Saturday night. 

The MAGNETIC FIELDS @ Cat's Cradle April 11 and 12

The Magnetic Fields music is often labeled as indie pop or noise pop, but the songwriting of Stephen Merrit is the defining force behind every record released by the band since 1991. I  keep them filed under "indefinable".  On earlier records,  graceful strings swiftly replace electronic bleeps and cheap drum machine work at the touch of the seek button. 1995's Get Lost is a shining example of the bouncing back and forth of Leonard Cohenesque poetry to New Order channeling synth found throughout their cannon   But, what remains constant is the gender bending, heart wrenching lyrics and droll vocals of Stephen Merrit. Songs like "Papa was a Rodeo" and "I Thought You Were My Boyfriend" dutifully represent the style and forlorn beauty of Merrit's inner dialogue. 

Out in support of their latest album, Life at the Bottom of the Sea, two nights with The Magnetic Fields will hardly be enough time to  scratch the surface of their vast collection of songs, but I'll take what I can get.