Sound Menu January 16 2008
CL’s picks for the week’s best shows
Wed/16
DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN Like King Kong in his enraged paparazzi-induced frenzy, Dillinger Escape Plan breaks the stylistic bonds that hold the herd to their genres. While hardly the only band to attempt new syntheses of hardcore, metal, prog and electronics, their latest, Ire Works, expertly blends intricate, jarring arrangements, thunderstorms of noise and melodic oases. It veers from delicate atmospherics (“Mouth of Ghosts”) to prog/hardcore-inspired cacophony (“Nong Eye Gong”), furious glitch-ridden electro-industrial (“When Acting as a Wave”) and catchy hard rock that recalls Faith No More (“Black Bubblegum”). $23-$27. 7 p.m. The Tabernacle. 404-659-9022. www.livenation.com. — Chris Parker
THE MOTET, UNDER THE PORCH The Motet is one of those rare bands led by a drummer, but it is clear that its sound is an integrated collaboration of five individuals who create a dark, funky, jazz-influenced sound that is clearly greater than the sum of the parts. This is funk for the thinker, jazz for the mover, and music for the lover of unique music. $10 advance. 8 p.m. Smith’s Olde Bar. 404-875-1522. www.smithsoldebar.com. — James Kelly
Thurs/17
THE LEGENDARY JC’S, SOULHOUND Get ready to dance your ass off tonight, as the JC’s bring back the sweet soul style of the ’60s, part Wilson Pickett, part Otis Redding. These dudes f’ing bring it, and you will swear it is a reincarnation of the Stax revue shows. The hot, funky Soulhounds will start the night in style. $10. 8 p.m. Smith’s Olde Bar. 404-875-1522. www.smithsoldebar.com. — JK
ZEUS HENDERSON, GERARD MCHUGH David “Zeus” Henderson has been kicking around the Atlanta pop and rock scenes for years in bands such as Wild West Picture Show and Pizzaland. Luckily, he’s also had a movie camera along for the ride. On Decompositions, his independently released DVD, the witty singer/songwriter/bassist presents a series of now-vintage video vignettes, often starring late, lamented local landmarks and a soundtrack ripe with hooky Anglo pop. It’s a jaunty ride that won’t be re-created tonight. This is a stripped-down, intimate, all-ages party with special guest, that crafty Decatur-based songwriter McHugh. Free. 7 p.m. Chocolate Coffee. 404-321-0174. www.mychocolatecoffee.com. — Lee Valentine Smith
GHOSTFINGER, THE PENDLETONS, THE LORD IS MY SHOTGUN Local promotion crew Pop Death Squad hosts another edition of Big Trouble in Little Five, a free night of up-and-coming rock bands. Nashville’s Ghostfinger is a hard-rocking band, and Athens’ the Pendletons play an amiable mix of jangly pop rock. Atlanta’s the Lord Is My Shotgun is more eccentric, judging from its MySpace selections, and has songs that range from dramatic arena rock to fast and furious punk. The lead singer sounds like Bono. Free. 9 p.m. Star Bar. 404-681-5740. www.starbaratlanta.com. — Mosi Reeves
Fri/18
GRETCHEN PETERS Best known for writing hits covered by arena stars such as Faith Hill and Martina McBride, Peters’ own albums haven’t fared as well. That ended in 2007 when Burnt Toast & Offerings was universally hailed as her finest work and one of the singer/songwriter highlights of the year. Her introspective lyrics are married to terrific melodies that never slip into sappy reflection or self-conscious schlock. The result is a timeless recording that improves with every spin. Live, these affecting songs should resonate with even greater passion. $15-$18. 8 p.m. Eddie’s Attic. 770-377-4976. www.eddiesattic.com. — Hal Horowitz
HERMAN PUT DOWN THE GUN, JOEL SEIBEL, MIKE KENNEBREW Tonight, after performances from singer/songwriters Seibel (7 p.m.) and Kennebrew (8 p.m.), comes the debut of a brand-new band with three familiar faces. Multi-instrumentalist Sonia Tetlow, newly emancipated from the constraints of her Cowboy Mouth bass duties, has created the monster trio Herman Put Down the Gun to showcase a batch of new songs. Joined by frequent collaborators Linda Bolley (drums) and Lee Kennedy (bass), the rock-injected results should be equally emotive and energizing. Be there to witness a new phase of Atlanta music history. $7. 7 p.m. Red Light Café. 404-874-7828. www.redlightcafe.com. — LVS
YEASAYER, MGMT Tonight is a showcase of two New York bands that explore mystic melodies and early ’70s-style prog-rock. MGMT may be slightly more familiar, only if the touring version of the band includes guitarist Hank Sullivant, who co-founded Athens fave the Whigs. MGMT is collecting kudos for its debut album Oracular Spectacular, out now on Columbia Records. Yeasayer just released its debut, the impressive All Hour Cymbals. Morning State opens. $10. 9:30 p.m. The Earl. 404-522-3950. www.badearl.com. — MR
AGAINST ME! Frontman Tom Gabel’s gone from playing Laundromats to auditoriums, but his message’s still brash and populist. Weaned early on Billy Bragg, there’s an echo of Gabel’s folk-punk early days in the ringing guitar, but with its terrific major-label debut, New Wave, the band has clearly entered a polished new phase. Producer Butch Vig delivers plenty of beefy roar to ballast Gabel’s catchy, agit-prop anthems, which suggest an American answer to the Clash. Proceeds from the show go to benefit Harvest of Hope Foundation, which works to improve migrant worker conditions. $12. 9 p.m. 40 Watt Club. 706-549-7871. www.40watt.com. — CP
Sat/19
GRACE POTTER & THE NOCTURNALS Since they have spent the past four years making a name for themselves on the hard-touring jam-band circuit, it’s somewhat surprising that Potter and her guys don’t stretch out musically on their recent major-label debut. All the better to appreciate her sultry, Southern-styled vocals and roots-rocking songs that combine the best of contemporaries such as Kathleen Edwards and veterans like the Black Crowes. The album’s gnarly blues rock is enticing, but the band really opens up on stage, where the tunes get extended and Potter digs into some serious B3 organ work. $12. 8 p.m. Smith’s Olde Bar. 404-875-1522. www.smithsoldebar.com. — HH
SHARON JONES AND THE DAP-KINGS, IVAN MILEV BAND Hey, Amy Wino fans! Did you dig her last album? Well the Dap-Kings were her backup band, and tonight they are on stage with the real deal, Ms. Sharon Jones. This time the drama is in the singing, not the tabloids. Jones is one of the greatest soul singers on the road today, and she will rattle the rafters with her amazing voice. For more on Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, see Vibes, p. 68. The Ivan Milev Band opens with the non sequitur of Bulgarian folk music. Ohhh-kay ... . $15-$17.50. 8:30 p.m. Variety Playhouse. 404-524-7354. www.variety-playhouse.com. — JK
E6 AND MATT ROAN, JUDI CHICAGO, NOOT D’NOOT, DVA Judi Chicago’s kinetic house-music romps are about as far to the left as one can go from Atlanta’s underground rock and soul scenes. The show will mark the duo’s one-year anniversary performing in the city. Expect a raucous time when Ben Coleman and Travis Thatcher command, “Put your hand on me like a manual clutch” in “Jack Your Box” from the group’s ‘07 release. Chicago DJs E6 and Matt Roan will bring their Dance Party Magic bag of tricks. $5. 9 p.m. Lenny’s. 404-577-7721. www.lennysbar.com. — Rodney Carmichael
FANTASIA BARRINO, JUBILEE It makes sense that Barrino is a gay favorite. She’s the kind of emotive soul singer the industry rarely backs nowadays. And she experienced her own ostracism when she came out to fans about being illiterate. So her performance at Traxx’s annual MLK Dance Party should make for a festive night. Maybe she’ll even sing a tune from the Broadway musical The Color Purple, since she just concluded her stint portraying Celie. Alternative rapper Jubilee is also scheduled to perform along with DJs Maestro, Books and Taj. Call for price and time. Traxx. 404-870-9002. www.traxxatlanta.com. — RC
BROKEN SYMMETRY, STUART GERBER German composer and godfather of the avant-garde, Karlheinz Stockhausen is the subject of a book, titled Stockhausen Serves Imperialism. But his catalog of cold, electronic compositions and controlled chance in serial composition has provided rich fodder for free-thinking tenants of modern classical music for decades. Broken Symmetry plays a set of original works inspired by Stockhausen, in addition to interpreting the Stockhausen piece “Unlimited.” Gerber also performs. $5. 8 p.m. Eyedrum. 404-522-0655. www.eyedrum.org. — Chad Radford
JASPECTS You never know quite what to expect from Jaspects. Atlanta’s favorite jazz ensemble brings all its diverse musical tastes together in this Eclectic Relaxation show featuring singer Chantae, hip-hop duo Hollyweerd and DJ Wreckineyez. It’s a lineup sure to induce plenty of head-nodding — and not the drowsy kind. Call for price. 8:30 p.m. Velvet Underground, Hard Rock Cafe. 404-688-ROCK. www.hardrock.com. — RC
Sun/20
MARSHALL CHAPMAN, DAYNA KURTZ Before Joan Jett, before Suzi Quatro, Chapman was rocking with the best of them. She is a Nashville legend, and has been down that rock ‘n’ roll road more times than you can imagine. Never the worse for wear, she will entertain and enlighten you with her unreconstructed country-soul sound. Opener Kurtz is a former Open Mic Shootout contest victor, and makes a triumphant return. $15. 7 p.m. Eddie’s Attic. 404-377-4976. www.eddiesattic.com. — JK
Mon/21
BACK DOOR SLAM This youthful blues-rocking trio hails from the Isle of Man, but you’d swear the guys were born and raised in Austin, Texas. Singer/songwriter/guitarist Davy Knowles gets the usual “next Stevie Ray Vaughan” accolades, but for once the comparisons aren’t just lazy journalism. There’s a subtlety apparent in Knowles’ better-than-average originals and husky-beyond-his-years voice that set him apart from similar-sounding young guns. Based on the reams of press and surprising crossover airplay generated by the band’s recent debut, this might be your last chance to catch it in a venue this intimate. $10. 8 p.m. Smith’s Olde Bar. 404-875-1522. www.smithsoldebar.com. — HH
CUT CHEMIST, DJ SHADOW They’re arguably the West Coast’s two most influential DJs of the last 15 years. Cut Chemist is a noted turntablist whose limber workouts formed integral parts of Jurassic 5 and Ozomatli before he left the L.A.-based bands to concentrate on his solo career, particularly 2006’s The Audience’s Listening. Up in San Francisco, Shadow built his own reputation based upon a funky genre-splattering breakbeat pastiche. Though Entroducing... put him on the map, he’s never let it define him. In fact, 2006’s The Outsider pretty much defies pigeonholing, running from rap to pop to soul and R&B. $31. 9 p.m. The Loft. 404-885-1365. www.theloftatl.com. — CP
SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE The music wafts and wavers, keyed by frontman Ben Chasny’s (Comets on Fire) ethereal, chanted vocals and the droning, impressionistic guitar figures. You can nearly smell the incense in Chasny’s Eastern-flavored acid-folk as it winds though beatific, lilting arrangements. He’s maintained a prodigious pace of an album/year over the last decade, and his last two releases, 2006’s Sun Awakens and last year’s Shelter from the Ash, feature enough folds of subtle texture to be origami. $10. 9 p.m. The Earl. 404-522-3950. www.badearl.com. — CP
Tues/22
NICKY CLICK, DA LYRICAL, RITA J Nicky Click is a freewheelin’ ambassador of that oh so fascinating world of queer hip-hop and electroclash. Hailing from Durham, N.H., the sultry, funny and mysterious producer, songwriter and video artist crafts an energetic electro-synth pop sound filled with epic tales, feminist ideals and emotions. Street-savvy ATL MC Da Lyrical and funk/soul/hip-hop song stylist Rita J are also on hand. $7. 9 p.m. Eyedrum. 404-522-0655. www.eyedrum.org. — CR
Wed/23
CAN CAN, THE HOLLAND DUTCH, WIGHAT Bare-bones garage-punk duo Can Can is releasing its first studio album tonight, following a well-received series of live EPs. Produced by former Mondo Generator drummer Josh Lamar, the new collection features songs from the original release with bonus material. Wild, rollicking and stark, the brainchild of Patrick A. (Love Drunks) and Mary Collins (Moto-Litas) is always an unexpected, unscripted delight. Courtney King and Erin Dangar, also formerly of the Moto-Litas, anchor the new and especially promising pop project the Holland Dutch. New garage-rock outfit Wighat will be there, too. A night for people who remember the pre-Coathangers days but crave something new. $7. 9 p.m. The Earl. 404-522-3950. www.badearl.com. — LVS
PHAROAHE MONCH, ORGONE Queens, N.Y., rapper Pharoahe Monch has been spinning linguistic twisters for intellectually inclined rap fans since the early ’90s, first as one-half of the mighty Organized Konfusion, and then as a solo artist who did that Godzilla song (aka “Simon Says”). For this show, which promotes his recent effort, Desire, he’ll join L.A. deep-funk combo Orgone. It’s a Live Metro show sponsored by car manufacturer Scion Toyota, so it’s free, but you have to RSVP at www.scion.com/livemetro. Free with RSVP. 9 p.m. The Loft. 404-885-1365. www.theloftatl.com. — MR
STICKFIGURE RECORDS SHOWCASE PT. 1 Atlanta purveyor of outsider, oddball, electro, post-hardcore, etc., Stickfigure Records hosts its annual label showcase. For the opening performance of the four-day festival, Music for People, Sorry No Ferrari, Big Penguin and Zandosis bring a solid cross-section of just how far-reaching the label’s palette stretches. The roster covers everything from dreamy electronics to intricate and uptight post-screamo rock to white-hot percolating noise. $7. 9:30 p.m. Drunken Unicorn. www.thedrunkenunicorn.net. — CR
Bands/performers/venues wishing to be included in Sound Menu’s noted-acts boxes may send recordings, press material and schedules two weeks in advance to Creative Loafing c/o Rodney Carmichael, 384 Northyards Blvd., Suite 600, Atlanta, GA 30313, or e-mail information to: rodney.carmichael@creativeloafing.com. To be included in the listings only, e-mail venue and band schedules by Thursday at noon (for the issue that comes out the following Wednesday) to soundboard@creativeloafing.com.