Sound Menu September 19 2001 Thur

BILAL, JAHEIM — Local hip-hop station Hot 97.5 brings two of R&B’s hottest rising vocalists to town, along with a bunch of also-rans. While both Bilal and Jaheim draw heavy inspiration from hip-hop in style and delivery, where Jaheim treads mainstream rap cliches, Bilal’s 1st Born Second debut is among the most sonically adventurous soul records to arrive in recent memory. Vegas Nights (Sarig)

CRACKER — Cracker has kept such a low profile in the three years since they released new material, even fans probably think the band split. Regardless, they have a bagful of guitar rocking almost-hits and deliver energetic, eclectic shows mixing rootsy country, blues and rock with wise-ass lyrics that leave audiences wondering why they never clicked on a larger scale. Cotton Club (Horowitz)

DEATHRAY DAVIES, CENTRO-MATIC — Texas combo the Deathray Davies are a young rock/pop band that incorporate hints of Johnny Cash amid their Kinks-on-overdrive beats. Another Dallas-area favorite, profilic indie-rockers Centro-Matic, share the bill. The Earl (Nicoll)

CHIP HOUSTON, STILL ON THE HILL — Thought-provoking singer/songwriter Houston, formerly of Straight Up Green, is rapidly becoming an Eddie’s favorite with his blend of spirituality and understated modern folk. Still on the Hill uses traditional bluegrass instrumentation and familiar folk themes in a high-energy hybrid of stomping country-rock. Eddie’s Attic (Smith)

LTJ BUKEM, NOOKIE, MC CONRAD — Last year, UK “intelligent” drum ‘n’ bass DJ LTJ Bukem crisscrossed America, spreading hyperkinetic breaks with an ethno-ambient wash. Along the way, Bukem managed to release heaps of tight compilations and Progression Sessions mix-CDs, including a recent America Live 2001 recorded in Boston. Riviera (Ware)

MONTE MONTGOMERY, CARBON LEAF — Monte Montgomery has squirreled away his share of kudos from critics and fans alike. So why is his tastefully assembled pop-rock virtually unknown outside his vigilant fan base and certain rock-scribe circles? You might find the answer on his latest releases, the slick, adult-contemporary-ish Wishing Well, an album too sophisticated for the kids, too pop for roots fanatics and not rock enough for radio. Shame, really, because he does play a mean guitar. Crunchy Celt groove mongers Carbon Leaf open. Smith’s Olde Bar (Rowland)

NAUTICAL ALMANAC, IRENE MOON — Like Atari’s Pitfall game rewired for maniacal sensations, Nautical Almanac produces a smorgasbord of audio hallucinations as they twist and tweak the knobs of their flea market finds. Weird. Very Weird. Eccentric lecturer Irene Moon opens the show. Slide shows and gleeful eruptions of song await. Eyedrum (Khalid)

PEDRO THE LION, SELDOM — David Bazan is one Pedro the Lion, a singer-songwriter from Seattle known for his atmospheric, acoustic performance and poetic poignancy. When he likes, however, Bazan also is capable of the almost upbeat pop song, though even his most jangly number is a soul-bearing affair. Opening act Seldom — Seattle songwriter Yuuki Matthews — recalls softly buzzing slow-core acts like Idaho. Echo Lounge (Ware)

PROCESS V1 — Lifeform Project — a live multimedia project recently separated from Kula Recordings — further evolves with the help of Osaga, Oliver Dodd and Faff’s disjointed, harshly digital Oval-isms, plus visual chaos by the Stimulator. Jazz, Space & Bass/493-A Flat Shoals Road (Ware)

SMALL BROWN BIKE, CADILLAC BLINDSIDE — If it seems like Blink-182 and its calculated ilk have formed a united front determined to sap the spontaneous sting out of punk-rock’s once-proud legacy, Small Brown Bike and Cadillac Blindside feel your pain. These combustible Midwestern outfits blurt out the sort of cranky, awkward, marginally epic chaos that has no designs on perfection, coming to a head only when the drummer splinters his sticks or the singer’s larynx is shredded. Sometimes half-bad is good. Under the Couch (Rowland)

YOURS ANNE — For its inaugural performance, Griffin, Ga.’s new professional/community theater company stages the 1985 musical adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank. The story, which puts a human face on the victims of hatred, echoes as loudly as ever. The show runs through Sept. 30. For more information, call 770-564-7986. Main Street Players Theater (Sarig)

ALLSTAR SPORTS BAR & GRILL: Karaoke Night

APACHE CAFE: The Free Spirits with members of the Chronicle

THE BAYOU ROOM: Heaven Davis

BLIND WILLIE’S: Liz Mandville Greeson

BLUE RACCOON: Electric open jam with Bill Sheffield

BRANDYHOUSE: Red Dirt Rangers with Honey Blonde

BRIDGES: Vocalist Paula Harris with Doug Jervey on keys

BUCKHEAD SALOON: Dean Dollar Band

BUFFALO’S-SHANNON MALL: Al Brock

CAFE 290: The Mike Kelly Quartet

CAJUN KITCHEN: The Czars

THE CHAMBER: Club Fetish

CHECKERED PARROT: John McClain

CHURCHILL GROUNDS JAZZ CAFE: Jerry Fields, Vecino del Mundo

CJ’S LANDING: The Superbz, Odessey, Soul Crush

CLUB GENO’S: Charles Lattimon

COTTON CLUB: Cracker

COWBOYS: Talent Night

DARK HORSE TAVERN: Fly Web, Gosttown, Amy Palys

DARWIN’S: Liz Melendez

THE EARL: Deathray Davies, Centro-Matic, Myssouri

EARTHLINK LIVE: 70’s Soul Package: Sylistics, Delfonics, and Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes

ECHO LOUNGE: Pedro the Lion, Seldom

ECLIPSE DI LUNA: Trio Latino Band

EDDIE’S ATTIC: Chip Houston, Still on the Hill

1848 CAFE: Jazz with Yusef Sharif

EYEDRUM: Nautical Almanac, Irene Moon

FAT MATT’S RIB SHACK: Chickenshack

40 WATT CLUB-ATHENS: White Stripes-Green Horns

FRONT PAGE NEWS: Tommy Thompson

FUZZY’S: Electromatics

GARRISON’S BAR AND GRILL: Frank Valdez and James Sharp

GEORGIA THEATRE-ATHENS: Steel Pulse

GOLDFINGER: Beal Street

THE GRAPE AT VININGS: Abebie Stafford

JACKALS-LILBURN: Trivia

JAZZ, SPACE & BASS: Process V1

KAYA: King Waggy T and Mighty Samson

KAZOO’S: Band X

LENNY’S PUB: Al Brock

THE LIVING ROOM: Latin Night

MAIN STREET PLAYERS THEATRE-MACON: Yours Anne

MASQUERADE: 9 from 10, Fusebox, The Riot Act, TentilFour

METROPOLITAN PIZZA: Fursday Nite Lounge

NORTHSIDE TAVERN: The Breeze Kings

OLDE PECULIAR PUBLIC HOUSE: Team Trivia with DJ Charles

PIPERS PUB: Brad Large

POPPERS: Open jam with Steve Hawkins

RAY’S ON THE RIVER: Waveform with Doc Samuels, Larry Jackson, Tom Woodruff

RED LIGHT CAFE: The Dappled Gays

RIVERIA: LTJ Buekm, Nookie, MC Conrad

SAMBUCA JAZZ CAFE: Pharris Scott

SMITH’S OLDE BAR: Monte Montgomery, Carbon Leaf

SOMBER REPTILE: Call Me Danger, Martian Honey, the Peeks

STAR BAR-L5P: Rev. Uncle Laffo’s Amateur Talent Sideshow

STUDIO 72: DJ Special T & Shakim

UNDER THE COUCH: Small Brown Bike, Cadillac Blindside

THE VAULT: Gray Motley Trio

VEGAS NIGHTS: Bilal, Jaheim

VIOLETTE RESTAURANT: Jus Jazz featuring Dave Wallis, Eddie Taylor, Dan Coy, Shack Lewis, Rita Graham and Pete the bartender