June 30, 2008Question of the week: Does Amy Winehouse matter?Oh, the promise. Winehouse's "Back to Black" was critically and commercially successful. And you know the rest. She started the game so troubled that she was unable to enjoy it -- producer Mark Ronson told Rolling Stone magazine that recent attempts at recording her were "heartbreaking." You could easily say that Ronson made Winehouse, who had done pretty well in England with a previous, jazzier CD. And his method is surely working for Sharon Jones, whose Dap Kings also recorded "Back to Black." And now there's Duffy. People say that she's mining the same vein, although I think her debut, "Rockferry," is a good deal lighter than Winehouse's hit. Still, it's good, and as pop culture cycles go, we seem to be looking at a return to 1960s production values. In other words, if Duffy gets growing success out of this (and this record sounds like one that can sell through a couple of seasons), we're going to hear a lot more producers framing their performers in Motown, Stax, Hi and other classic sounds. Muscle Shoals, represent! So, back to the original question. Does Winehouse matter to you? Do you care? June 27, 2008Hubert Sumlin and the Nighthawks at 202 Market: ReviewMaybe it's fitting that dark gray clouds, lightning and spitting rain filled the Friday afternoon sky right before a blues show. And maybe it was fitting that the sun broke through the clouds, summoning a humid night. Stormy weather -- personal and meteorological -- is at the heart of the blues. And some of the greatest blues performances have immortalized those storms' wreckage, while still leaving room for some sunshine. Hubert Sumlin was the lead guitarist on his fair share of those tunes. Recording for Chester "The Howlin' Wolf" Burnett at Chess Records, Sumlin found slithery yet switchblade-sharp ways to solo and to phrase call-and-response with Wolf. "Smokestack Lightnin.'' "Spoonful." "Wang Dang Doodle." "Killin' Floor." Those are just a few examples of a catalogue that inspired Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan and other guitar giants of the 1960s and beyond. Sumlin is among the last survivors of the first wave of Chicago electric blues. And on Friday -- he was in Roanoke, at 202 Market, with traveling mates the Nighthawks, who have their own legitimate parcel of blues. A loud, standing-room-only crowd of at least 200 greeted them enthusiastically, and most stayed into the early morning. Continue reading "Hubert Sumlin and the Nighthawks at 202 Market: Review" » Tonight at the Sun, in Floyd: Debrissa McKinney plays with Laura Reed and Deep PocketOur TimesCast pal is doing well. Read more here. Check out Top Tickets for show details and sound samples from Laura Reed and Deep Pocket. June 26, 2008What I hate about the adult contemporary chartsFirst off, here it is -- this week's top 10 adult comtemporary chart, from the AP, via Billboard: Adult Contemporary There are so many reasons to hate this chart ... Continue reading "What I hate about the adult contemporary charts" » June 25, 2008MusicCast Top 5: "Blacksburg" still No. 1, but then a shake-upFrom our very own digital Casy Casem, new channels editor Dwayne Yancey: > For the second week in a row, Mike Roos has the most-played video on the MusicCast with "Blacksburg," his song about the Virginia Tech shootings. After that, we have a shake-up. Jimmy Danger, featuring Neanderpaul, falls to No. 4 ("Nothing But Wrong" had been No. 1 a few weeks ago.) And the Pickin Buds fall out of the Top 5 altogether. Meanwhile, The Seed move up, and a third song by the band moves back in. Don't agree with any of these? We base the MusicCast Top 5 on who gets the most plays so if there's someone you like, just keep on clicking. > If you think your band's video should be in the Top 5, well, post it to our site, and maybe it will be. The top three videos this week are ones the artists recorded themselves. Details are below. Here’s the week's Top 5: 1. "Blacksburg," by Mike Roos June 24, 2008Charlie Hughes and a bandMaybe you remember Charlie Hughes, who graced our MusicCast with his ripping funky "Two Chicken Sandwiches." Now he's got a couple of cohorts, and they've posted a song called "Dun Dun Dun" -- Go to hear it and see the photos they posted with it on youtube.com. Hubert Sumlin, Howlin' Wolf, Janiva Magness, Sean Costello
Annie Leibovitz/Hubert Sumlin This isn't really a random thought, but it's not music news, either. I don't want to make a category called etc., or something stupid like that. But when it's over, it will explain why I didn't go to the Gemini Fest shindig last weekend. Last week, it was all about Hubert Sumlin. The 76-year-old, Mississippi-born, Arkansas-bred, Chicago-schooled longtime lead guitarist for Chester "The Howlin' Wolf" Burnett, is the subject of my story on the Extra front today. But first, check out this page -- myspace.com/theseancostellofoundationforbipolarresearch. And listen to the music while you're there. Continue reading "Hubert Sumlin, Howlin' Wolf, Janiva Magness, Sean Costello" » June 23, 2008Yacht Rock!!Apparently, these videos have been around for a while. I had missed the boat -- har har. What are your favorite summer songs?We posted a little story over the weekend with a list of favorite summer songs. Here's Ralph's list. It proves that he is way cooler than I am: 1. "Little Red Corvette," Prince. This was my favorite song in the summer of '83, right before my senior year of high school. 2. "Hot Fun in the Summertime," Sly and the Family Stone 3. "In the Summertime," Mungo Jerry 4. "Can't Hardly Wait," The Replacements 5. "Train in Vain," The Clash -- Ralph Berrier Jr. Here is my list. It proves that it doesn't take much to be cooler than I am: 1. "Thunder Island" Jay Ferguson 1978. Lord, the cheese! But this song, still occasionally played on oldies radio, still takes me back to burgeoning adolescence and that one girl who was just too good for me. 2. "Summersound," sElf Little-heard tune from Beck sideman Matt Mahaffey, whose career has turned from an attempt at solo success to cartoon soundtrack and commercial jingle work. Why? Because the music business sucks. Full disclosure: I grew up with Matt's older brother and collaborater, the late Mike Mahaffey. But the song is great. Hear it yourself: www.self-centered.org/media.php?pmg 3. "So Like Candy," Elvis Costello Bad relationship. Depressing summer. Perfect song. Go figure. 4. "Heavy Metal Drummer," Wilco "I sincerely miss those heavy metal bands/She used to go see on the landing in the summer/She fell in love with the drummer ... " 5. "Stone in Love," Journey Summer of 1983. Isle of Palms, S.C. A phonograph player in the rental house basement. Volume at 11. So shoot me. -- Tad Dickens What are yours? Gas prices hitting young touring bands hardhttp://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080622/ap_on_en_mu/touring_on_empty;_ylt=AuSCd7x_RzamDMoR9IBNMuis0NUE > Cramming into a rusty, creaky van and playing dive bars and house parties is a summer ritual for many young musicians and ambitious independent bands trying to get exposure, make a living and maybe build a solid future in music. > But like everything else that requires lengthy time on the road, filling up at $4 a gallon or more is taking a toll. Thanks for the link to Jorge Valencia, new guy at the paper and a musician himself. As I've said before, I played in bands that played good original music, and bands that played cover songs. It went like this -- if the band was playing original music on the road, we mostly slept on friends' floors and couches to scrimp and save, and if it was a cover band, we got decent motel rooms. Throw high gas prices into the mix, and the former would've been pretty much unmanageable. June 19, 2008James River grad is with Laura Reed and Deep PocketOur old TimesCast pal, Debrissa McKinney, is touring these days as a backup singer and saxophone player with Laura Reed and Deep Pocket. McKinney joined the band too late to be a part of its CD, "Soul Music," but that doesn't mean the record isn't good. While the music sounds pretty familiar, Reed's voice is fantastic. You can hear the band live next Friday at Sun Music Hall, in Floyd. Advance tickets are $10. She "Kissed a Girl" and got a hitEvery Thursday, I prepare the music top 10 list for Saturday's paper. I usually notice trends and oddities, so I figured, why not spray them all over you, blog style. This week's oddity is the big hit Katy Perry has scored by covering Jill Sobule's old song, "I Kissed a Girl." I don't remember this song being a smash hit when Sobule did it, though MTV played it plenty (Fabio was in it -- haha!). Perry's cover, though, has been in the chart for a couple of weeks, at least, and is at No. 2 as of today. That's a lot better than Sobule did with it in 1995. According to wikipedia, the song reached No. 67 on the Billboard Hot 100 that year, and peaked at 20 on the Modern Rock chart. What's the difference? June 18, 2008Indie rock on Sunday at Martin's Downtown, RoanokeLocal favorites The Wading Girl are playing a double-bill Sunday night with two bands -- Junior Revolution, from Cincinnati, and Iowa City's The Western Front. The Wading Girl's Billy Wallace sent me an e-mail about it today, extolling the virtues of Martin's as a Sunday night hangout for people who like to hear good, original music. "Martin's has really been doing a great job of giving underground touring acts a place to play in Roanoke, but I don't think that a lot of people realize it yet," Wallace wrote. "The shows are always free, too, so that's a big bonus. If you haven't seen The Wading Girl live, check out some performances on the MusicCast. Showtime is 9 p.m. Ages 21 and older. Music schedule for Blue 5 RestaurantMore info at http://blue5restaurant.com/ Wed. July 2nd - The Blue 5 Jam Thur. July 3rd - Solrevolt Fri. July 4th - The Gumbo Band Sat. July 5th - Nicole Hart & The NRG Band Wed. July 9th - The Blue Ridge Blues Society's Meeting & Blues Jam Thur. July 10th - The Scott Perry Trio Fri. July 11th - The Galen Kipar Project Sat. July 12th - The Fat Daddy Band Sun. July 13th - The Blue Ridge Blues Society's 2nd Annual Blues Contest Wed. July 16th - The Blue 5 Jam Thur. July 17th - The Good Sons feat. Hoppie Vaughan Fri. July 18th - The Ministers Of Soul Sat. July 19th - After Festival Jam feat. Stacy Mitchhart Wed. July 23rd - The Blue 5 Jam Thur. July 24th - The Joey Gilmore Band Fri. July 25th - The Joe Moss Band Sat. July 26th - After Festival Jam feat. The Lenny Marcus Quartet Tue. July 29th - B.B. King Before & After Show Party! Wed. July 30th - The Blue 5 Jam Thur. July 31st - The Lenny Marcus Trio "Blacksburg" hits number one on the MusicCast Top 5From new channels editor Dwayne Yancey: > You've picked a new number one video on the MusicCast. The singer isn't local -- he's from Ohio -- but his topic is, so that's how Mike Roos' song "Blacksburg" made it onto our local music video site. His video displaced "Nothing but Wrong," by Jimmy Danger, featuring Neanderpaul, which had held the top spot for the past two weeks. Perhaps the even bigger news: Mike's song helped push one of The Seed's three videos out of the Top 5. They've been standards since they were added back in March. We base the MusicCast Top 5 on who gets the most plays so if there's someone you like, just keep on clicking. >If you think your band's video should be in the Top 5, well, post it to our site, and maybe it will be. Three of the top five videos this week are ones the artists recorded themselves. Details are below. > Here’s the week Top 5: 1. "Blacksburg," by Mike Roos June 16, 2008Artists formerly known as Illbotz need your helpJust got an e-mail from Stephen "Stevie D" Davies, of Illbotz. It's not been more than a couple of months since the rap act played its final show, but now Stevie D and Big Perm are making a "best of" CD. Read on to see how you can help -- and to be entertained by the comedy machine that is Davies ... Continue reading "Artists formerly known as Illbotz need your help" » High Point Coffee changes hands, but music will remainIt's about the music as much as it is the java. The Superpowers at Blue 5 RestaurantGlenvar High grad and amazing drummer Adam Clark was at Blue 5 on Sunday night with his band, The Superpowers. These guys play Afrobeat music with a distinct jazz flavor. Makes sense, since Clark spent time here playing with such fine jazzers as the Pace brothers (in the Non-Profits) and bassist Dylan Locke. First time I heard Clark play, he was swinging madly with guitarist Cyrus Pace and Hammond B-3 icon Dr. Lonnie Smith. This time, he put his unmoveable time-feel and chops in the service of some hypnotic horn- and percussion-heavy tunes, several of which he wrote himself. July music at Fork in the AlleyOpen Mic Second Wednesday In July Thursday, July 3rd, Hoppie Vaughn and Friends Friday, July 4th, Closed. Happy 4th! Question of the week: Your can't-do-without recordHere's a little change of pace from the recent "who's your favorite (band, guitarist, etc.) questions. We had a couple stories recently about a woman whose mother accidentally sold her album collection in a yard sale. Late last week, she got them back. What record, vinyl or CD -- or cassette, for that matter, could you not do without? June 13, 2008Music schedule: July at 202 MarketJuly at 202 Market Wed 2: Electric Open Jam 9PM Free B.B. King to play Roanoke -- tickets go on sale in a weekfrom Roanoke Civic Center: Blues Legend B.B. King in Concert at Show is Tuesday, July 29, 2008 June 12, 2008Sara Evans, Styx, Grand Funk Railroad, Blake Shelton live at Smith Mountain LakeMariners Landing Summer Concert Series schedule is set. Sweetwater Productions, which is building an amphitheatre near Smith Mountain Lake, is promoting the series of shows in August. Also on the list are Lonestar, TobyMac and Diamond Rio. http://www.smlconcerts.com/ Darrin Snyder, who with his wife, Holly Sweet, own Sweetwater Productions and the Moneta property where the amphitheater will go, said recently that the August series is a test run for what he hopes to do at his own venue, when it opens sometime next year. He also said that one of the main draws of the SML area for bands and their crews is the recreational opportunities the can find during their down time. Here's an educated guess: By the time Roanoke decides whether its own large, outdoor venue is feasible, and the opposing sides get done fighting about it, Sweetwater Amphitheater and its 7,000-seat capacity will be well established and drawing good acts (here's hoping the dinosaur rock ratio goes down at least a little). Read more here -- http://www.roanoke.com/smithmountainlake/inbusiness/wb/165582 June 11, 2008Guest blog: Man reunited with long-lost guitarGuest blogger Jeff Sturgeon, a business reporter here at the paper, gives us this great item. Click below for the accompanying video: Seven or so years ago, I found a guitar on the shoulder of Interstate 581 in Roanoke. Continue reading "Guest blog: Man reunited with long-lost guitar" » MusicCast Top 5: Jimmy Danger still number oneFrom new channels editor Dwayne Yancey: > For the second week in a row, the number one video you're clicking on the MusicCast is "Nothing but Wrong," by Jimmy Danger, featuring Neanderpaul. After that, the songs remain the same, but the order is somewhat different. The Seed still hold down three spots, as they have since they entered the Top 5 nearly three months ago. The other big news of the week: "Demijohn," by the Pickin Buds, falls to fifth. It had been as high as number one. We base the MusicCast Top 5 on who gets the most plays so if there's someone you like, just keep on clicking. > If you think your band's video should be in the Top 5, well, post it to our site, and maybe it will be. Details are below. > Here’s the week Top 5: 1. "Nothing But Wrong," by Jimmy Danger, featuring Neanderpaul June 10, 2008New club, The Lantern, opening in BlacksburgThe joint plans to open in July. Already, it has a nice-looking schedule booked. Asylum Street Spankers will break in the joint on July 12. Col. Bruce Hampton & the Quark Alliance is set for Aug. 1. Also in August, Larry Keel & Natural Bridge, DJ Williams Projekt, Yo Mamma’s Big Fat Booty Band, Seepeoples and Dead End Parking will play. You've got to root for any club this ambitious. Click onward for more ... Continue reading "New club, The Lantern, opening in Blacksburg" » Feel Good Tour: Helping Hurricane Katrina victimsBill Hudson, Roanoke-based folk musician, is once again planning a trip to Lousiana to distribute donated instruments to Gulf Coast schools. Read on for his announcement and to see how you can help ... Continue reading "Feel Good Tour: Helping Hurricane Katrina victims" » July music schedule: Awful Arthur'sIncludes Southern Culture on the Skids, Shayar and Krooshal Force, Jimmie's Chicken Shack, and The Seed June 9, 2008Question of the week: Your favorite local drummerThere are a bunch of fine skin-slappers around the valleys. Tell us your favorite. Remembering The IroquoisThe Iroquois will never be forgotten. July schedule for Martin's Downtownmartinsdowntown.com June 6, 2008Alison Krauss -- calling Gene ParkerThis will probaby run next week in the paper as a corner shot, but I'm scooping myself -- as if 4,000 people didn't already know about it! Here goes ... Alison Krauss was the embodiment of cool and calm last week during her concert with Robert Plant at Roanoke Civic Center — until she started talking about Gene Parker. Local nightspot schedule: Third Street CoffeehouseThird Street Coffeehouse on the corner of Elm and Mountain in Trinity United Methodist Church in Roanoke. Doors open every Friday at 7pm for Open Mike, then featured act from 8-10p. Smoke-free, alcohol-free, no cover. Call 540.309.4707 for more info.
Jun 6 Cliff Rubin Jun 13 Robyn Dobyns & Marian McConnell Jun 20 Bob Grubel & Grace Note Jun 27 Andrew Kasab Jul 4 Just Us Jul 11 Donna Pearson & Brad Archer Jul 18 Gretel Jul 25 Drew Arnn & Billy Via Aug 1 David Simpkins Aug 8 Bleecker Street Aug 15 Rusty Curling Aug 22 Special Surprise Tribute Aug 29 The Starlings Sep 5 Mike Pearrell Sep 12 The Aardvarks Sep 19 Chuck Schaeffer Sep 26 Mary Gordon Hall and Friends Oct 3 Kat Mills Oct 10 SVSA Song Writers in the Round Oct 17 Larry Sakyama Oct 24 Clinton Collins & the Creek Boys Oct 31 Kimmon Waldruff Nov 7 Grace Note Nov 14 Kim & Lana Local nightspot schedule: Coffee PotJune 6 - Heevahava, Afliction Kid and The Pull Outs June 7 - Entre Nous, Kid(d) Chisom, Presha Point, The Andy Hollander Band June 13 - Chevy Vandals June 14 - Sycamore Stone June 20 & 21 - Centerhill June 27 - Jordan Rivers June 28 - The Royal Greens Local nightspot schedule: Blue 5 RestaurantFollowing Is Our Live Entertainment Schedule for June 08 : Every Tuesday is Fat Tuesday at Blue 5! Wed. June 4th - The Blue 5 Jam Thur. June 5th - The Lenny Marcus Trio Fri. June 6th - The Ministers Of Soul Sat. June 7th - Blind Pig Records Recording & Touring Artist – Harper Tues. June 10th - former guitar player for The Dirty Dozen Brass Band - Jamie McLean Wed. June 11th - The Blue Ridge Blues Society’s Meeting & Blues Jam Thur. June 12th - The Good Sons feat. Hoppie Vaughan Fri. June 13th - The Lenny Marcus Jazz & Blues Quintet Sat. June 14th - The Fat Daddy Band Sun. June 15th - The Superpowers (formerly The Boston Afro-Beat Society) Wed. June 18th - The Blue 5 Jam Thur. June 19th - The Lenny Marcus Trio Fri. June 20th - The Ministers Of Soul Sat. June 21st - The Deanie Blues Band Sun. June 22nd - The Blue Ridge Blues Society’s Blues Contest Wed. June 25th - The Blue 5 Jam Thur. June 26th - The Tony O Band Fri. June 27th - TBA Sat. June 28th - TBA Local nightspot schedule: RockfishYikes! Here we are a little late getting the info out but still in time for you to make your plans to be at Rockfish for some great food & music. June 5, 2008Benefit shows this weekendOn Sunday night at Fork in the Alley, a bunch of local musicians are gathering to do a fundraiser for the Downtown Music Lab. Performers include Charlie Hamill, Cyrus Pace, Mike Maycock (by the way, those are three of the hottest guitar players around), and the trio of Deet Reed, Joe Crawford and Don Lopez. Music Lab students will be performing, too. I-Funk, Bingham Byrd and Rakes, and The Deposit are on the bill. The show is from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. There is no cover charge, but the music lab encourages donations, said Hamill, the lab's director. Call 342-7625 for more information. Next up is a case of police helping police. Sol Revolt has members of the Roanoke police in their ranks, and they're coming through for their fellow officer, Brian Lawrence, on Monday night at Blue 5 Restaurant. Lawrence is the man who was paralyzed in an attack while responding to a call about an assault, in which the victim later died. Lawrence was off-duty at the time. Cover charge is $5, and that money will go to Lawrence and his family, who have financial issues to deal with during his recovery. Sol Revolt | Blue 5 Restaurant == More open-mic a-brewin'Jane Gabrielle tells us that she's hosting an open mic night at The Coffee Pot on Thursday nights |