Sound Menu October 07 2000 Fri

FRI/OCTOBER 6
SARAH BRIGHTMAN — Angelic torch-bearer Brightman was featured in the original casts of Cats, Phantom of the Opera and other Andy Webber musicals. She’s been performing solo for the last decade, mixing show tunes and standards. Tonight she’s featuring songs from her heavenly La Luna album, a celestial journey that sparkles like moonlight. See also review. Atlanta Civic Center (Smith)
BT, HOOVERPHONIC - Known to his Mom as Brian Transeau, BT is a studio wizard who incorporates a dizzying range of styles in his electronica/rock/hip-hop hybrid. His most recent single “Never Gonna Come Back Down” features a pounding backbeat, buzzsaw guitars and the impassioned vocals of Soul Coughing’s M. Doughty. It’s damn catchy but not necessarily representative of his somewhat schizophrenic approach, which ranges from cooled-out Massive Attack bliss to dance floor frenzy. As for the Belgian band, Hooverphonic, a co-worker said it best when he noted that all their album covers have similar shades of blue. In much the same way Hooverphonic’s albums have interchangeable elements: sensual strings, breakbeats, whispery vocals, the odd feeling that you may be listening to Mono or Sneaker Pimps, but you’re not sure. Masquerade (Robertson/Ware)
THE DOOBIE BROTHERS — While Rhino’s bloated four-CD box-set is too much of a so-so thing, it does prove this longrunning California band has accumulated an astonishingly consistent batch of tunes that still sound pretty good. The Izod crowd hoping for the soulful, keyboard based So-Cal pop of the Michael McDonald years will be disappointed though, as this is the harder Tom Johnston version of the band epitomized by the trashy but punchy melodic boogie of “China Grove” and “Long Train Runnin’.” Their last album of original material was a decade ago, so this’ll be yet another run-through of nostalgic, biker lovin’, doobie rolling hits. Chastain Park (Horowitz)
DUKES OF HAZZARD REUNION TOUR — See article. Cumming County Fairgrounds (Smith)
THE FUCKING CHAMPS — The tough part here isn’t so much trying to figure what these guys are trying to do, but why they’re on Drag City. It’s tongue-in-cheek metal played by your older brother’s pothead friends who built dirt bikes in the driveway after school. The musicianship on these instrumental tunes is stellar — they’ve got the classic metal sound down pat. But with song titles such as “Thor Is Like Immortal” you get the sense they’ll brush the whole thing off as a joke if they get embarrassed about it. Still, old metalheads likely will get a little fuzzy inside listening to some of these chops. Star Bar (Foy)
GOLD SPARKLE ELECTRIC BAND, CHRIS LEE — This is Gold Sparkle plugged. Core members saxophonist Charles Waters, trumpeteer Roger Rudzow and drummer Andrew Barker, have assembled a group featuring two of the band’s alumni, Andrew Burnes and Jeremy Wilmes, playing electric instruments in what should be a funkier set of Gold Sparkle tunes. Chris Lee plays blue-eyed soul somewhere between Jeff Buckley and the lighter moments of Mother Love Bone. The sexuality on his self-titled solo debut is somewhat frigid — possibly because of the accompanying minimalism — but it’s compelling, like a warm breath in your ear in winter suggesting coming in for a cuddle. On his recording, Chris Lee never misses a high note, which suggests he puts forth as satisfying a performance, knowing which words to stretch every syllable, like a lover lying across your bed. Earl (Khalid/Ware)
HARVEST FESTIVAL — Deep in the mud of last year’s Harvest Festival, Col. Bruce Hampton looked around at the soggy scene and told promoter/creator Tom Helland, “You had it. You had it, but the rain screwed you.” A year later Helland has it again, and then some. There’ll be more of the fiercely eclectic Appalachia-meets-Zambiland music, more food, more people, more everything. From Caroline Aiken to Vassar Clements to Peter Rowan, the three-day festival has everything going for it this year, if only the skies hold up. See also article. Atlanta’Back Porch/Fairburn (Kelly)
RICHARD LEO JOHNSON — Arkansas native Richard Leo Johnson, the guitar find of 1999, is a self-taught late bloomer whose wizardly technique, imaginative arrangements and unusual 12-string tunings — reminiscent of the late Michael Hedges — yield any number of wondrous textures and flourishes. Hearing is believing: Check out the jazz, folk, fusion and New Age soundscapes of his new Language CD, a smartly eclectic recording featuring contributions by Gov’t Mule guitarist Warren Haynes, Latin percussionist Cyro Baptista and woodwind player Paul McCandless and bassist Glen Moore, both of Oregon. Red Light Café (Booth)
KARYN MALONE — See Earshot. Eddie’s Attic (Smith).
SONNY ROLLINS — See jazz column. Variety Playhouse (Powell)
Also performing
9 LIVES SALOON: Syrup vs. Fabulous Lounge Punks, Unsatisfied, the Heathens
40 WATT CLUB-ATHENS: The Jennifer Nettles Band, Gabe Dixon Band
513 CLUB: The Tim Version, I.P.S., Eye Witness, Atonement
ATLANTA’S BACK PORCH-FAIRBURN: Harvest Music Festival
ATLANTA CIVIC CENTER: Sarah Brightman
BASIL’S CAFÉ: Steven Charles Jazz Duo
BILLY’S: Heather Luttrell
BLUE LAGOON LOUNGE: The Blue Velvets and special guests
BLUE RACOON: Bill Sheffield and the Ringtail Rounders
BLUE PIG-WOODSTOCK: T. Mac and the Juniors
BLUE SKY TAVERN: “Lebo” with Stella House
BRANDYHOUSE: Dr. Dan’s and Shock Treatment’s CD-release party; YG Band
BRIDGES: Jazz with the Sharp Four
THE CHAMBER: Alabaster
CHASTAIN AMPHITHEATER: Doobie Brothers
CHIP’S-WINDER: Roger “Hurricane” Wilson
CHURCHILL GROUNDS JAZZ CAFÉ: Lenora Zenzalai Helm
CIVIC THEATER: Josh Groban
COPELAND’S: Sammy Blue
COSMOPOLITAN: Bruce Crichton, DJ Ted Fortenberry
COTTON CLUB: Gran Torino
CUMMING COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS: Chad Brock
DADDY D’Z: The Bretheren
DARK HORSE TAVERN : Loud American Tourists, S.M.O., 10 til 4
DARWIN’S: Fatt Bottom Blues Band
THE DERBY-NESBIT FERRY: Mike Veal and the Devilles
THE EARL: The Gold Sparkle Band, Chris Lee Group, Kebbie Williams and Brian Fielden Duo
EDDIE’S ATTIC: Michelle Malone, Karyn Malone’s CD-release party
FAT MATT’S RIB SHACK: Big Royal and the Revue
FRONT PAGE NEWS: Blind Slim
FUZZY’S: Lou’s Blues Revue
HARVEST CAFÉ-WOODSTOCK : Kevin Chandler
HUEY’S: Live jazz
INTERNATIONAL BALLROOM: Slipknot
JAKE’S ROADHOUSE: Cross Over
JAVA HOUSE: Songwriters in the Round with John Gibson, Judy Arnold
KILLER CREEK: Showtyme Jazz Duo
MARY’S: Music videos with DJ Jigsaw
MASQUERADE: BT, Hooverphonic, Nasir Inc., Christopher Sheehy, D.R.C.; The Playhouse in Hell
MURPHY’S LAW: Alien
NORTHSIDE TAVERN: Lachez-Les
THE PLACE: The Bonedaddys
POOR RICHARDS’ PUB: J. LaPalme and Roadhouse
POPPER’S: Steve Hawkins and the Georgia Jam
RAY’S ON THE RIVER: Tony Winston Jazz Trio
RED LIGHT CAFÉ: Sun Dogs and Kodak Harrison, Richard Leo Johnson
RIVIERA: Paul Sforza
SMITH’S OLDE BAR: The Tender Idols, Lotustarr, Something 5
STAR BAR-L5P: Fucking Champs, Cherry Valance
THE SWALLOW AT THE HOLLOW: The Blue Bird Sessions with Fred Knobloch, Tony Arata, Thom Schuyler
UGLY MUG PUB: Seni & DeSanto
VARIETY PLAYHOUSE: Sonny Rollins
WILD WING CAFÉ: The Pondering
WOODEN NICKLE: Bullet Proof