I don’t know Lance Brenner, but after Saturday night, he is a legend. I know how concerts work and his seemless presentation of 10 local bands was amazing (and surprisingly well-attended). Although I didn’t leave as a fan of every band there, anyone who wasn’t there missed out.
I know some people in the bands are regular readers here, so I apologize in advance if I don’t heap praise upon your efforts. Not everyone is ready for the big-time. I don’t mean to crap all over your music and friends. I have never performed on stage and admire your balls for doing so, even if I think your music is weak. Anyway, I am just one guy with questionable musical preferences (as proven here: What’s wrong with pop?).
As a public service for those unfamiliar with the local rock/hip-hop scene (as I was before Saturday night), here is my subjective account of each band:
The Rogan Brothers: Someone had to draw the shortest straw and perform first at the 5-hour showcase. These guys were one of my favorites. It seemed like all 14 of us who saw them were impressed.
Sound Like: Creedence Clearwater Revival, a great band you hear at a mountain bar
Third Party: Some cool guys from the early 90s here. One guy even had the flannel to prove it. Not really my thing and I could have easily ignored them, but then they dedicated a song “to everyone who it NOT a designated driver tonight. Everyone who drives through the DUI checkpoint and yells at the cops ‘you can’t frickin’ touch me!’” It’s pathetic when 45 year-olds still feel the need to glorify drunken driving in the hopes of being cool rock stars. Lame.
Sounds Like: The B-52s, They Might Be Giants (two of my least favorites)
The Vamanos: Pioneers in the “drowzy rock” genre. Not bad, but still missing spice. Kinda put me to sleep.
Sounds Like: a very timid Weezer
In Technicolor: Musically, pretty catchy. The bassist really seemed to be having a good time with it, but the lead singer, who seemed like a really nice guy before the show, was just trying too hard to be an awesome indie rocker. It was like he was in an indie rocker costume and auditioning for a movie role. I’m sure being on stage is tough, but just be genuine… or at least less fake.
Sounds Like: Queen + Something Corporate with a hint of marching band dorkiness and Of Montreal
The Naked Puritans: Although not quite my thing, they got the crowd rocking. Classic punk rock with aggressive vocals (at the expense of melody).
Sounds Like: Ted Leo and the Pharmacists (live), The Ramones, The Sex Pistols
The Nice Jenkins: Not remarkable and pretty contrived stage banter. Again, not bad, but didn’t stand out until the last song. The lead singer should step aside and let the man with the mustache sing more often.
Sounds Like: Franz Ferdinand (?) I can’t really remember
Kate Starr: Again, not my personal favorite, but, again, the crowd recieved her very well. Good bit of dancing. Not to be a misogynist, but female vocals rarely do it for me, especially in the indie punkish rock genre. Lots of energy and a tight sound, though.
Sounds Like: PJ Harvey, Tori Amos, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs
The Beetnix: Fabulous. Hip-hop shows are never on my radar, but maybe they will be now. I’ve liked the occasional ones I’ve stumbled across and the Boombox (on WNRN) is usually good. DJ XSV did some great spinning, the guitarist was terrific, and the MCs “rocked the mics.” I’m pissed i missed the acoustic show at Gravity Lounge a few months back. I think most people can enjoy these guys, even if you are a non-dancing white boy like me.
Sound Like: The Roots, hip-hop with a band
Butterhouse: It’s tough to follow The Beetnix. Most of the crowd headed out since it was after midnight, so these guys had less crowd to work with. I had kinda zoned out by this point, but I don’t remeber them as standing out in a bad way. The remaining crowd was pretty into it. It was their last show “for quite a while.”
Sound Like: harsher and faster Ryan Adams and Wilco
Blackout Project: Definitely the biggest surprise of the night. Really polished sound, great violin accompaniment. I think they pulled off a really tough combination: rock and hip-hop.
Sound Like: Red Hot Chili Peppers + Bon Jovi + Eminem + alcohol, Mat Kearney
Whew… Keep your eyes peeled for the third (of four) c-fest production in the next few months. The next one will focus on jazz/jam/ambient music. For the price, these cannot be beaten.
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Tagged as: Concerts, Events, Music
Thanks for review, ID. I couldn’t make it, so it’s good to at least read about it. Oh, and I’ll share your input with the mustachioed member of the Jenkins.
I was incredibly impressed with the planning that had to go into this show. With a new band every half an hour, this could have easily spun well out of control and beyond alloted timing. Alternating between the regular front stage and a temporary staging area in front of the bar assured that each band started on time, with plenty of opportunity for set up and breakdown. You never had a moment of down-time between bands. This was good for two reasons: (1) you constantly kept the attention of the audience; and (2) with the bands arriving and finishing on time, you only would need to endure a short, maximum half-hour of any band you didn’t particularly care for, before a new option was offered.
Kudos to Lance and everyone who made the night possible. I may not choose to see all of the offerings again, around town, but I tremendously appreciated the opportunity to sample such a large number of local acts, within the framework of an exceptionally well-run show.
Nice try, dork. I would add:
The Rogans: Budweiser band with almost no imagination but alot of spirit, kicking a little harder than at their usual Miller’s Friday night gigs. 3rd Party: Throwing back to Talking Heads and the Egyptians, somewhat eerily kooky. The Vamanos: featuring members of All of Fifteen and Wisher, alt rocking well if unevenly. In Technicolor: an attempt at an “IT” band: boys with tight pants, high guitars (Rickenbackers, no less!), and overlarge sideburns. (It’s a uniform, kids, get over it.) Decent but nowhere near as kickin’ as Prabir from Richmond - same ideas better execution - all borrowed from the Beatles, Kinks, Lovin’ Spoonful. The Strokes. Whatever. The Naked Puritans: Lots of edge, very aggressive. The first band to really throw down at the show. The Nice Jenkins: still a great alt/pop band even if some of the innocence has worn off. Kate Starr: if you don’t hear Pretenders then you ain’t listening. Tight, confident, well appreciated. Great bass player. The Beetnix: Stormed the stage and damn near started a riot. With a giant bunny. Butterhouse: shades of Dinasaur Jr. and (maybe) Pavement. An absolute blast with limited but complete devotional adoration. Blackout Project: Bluegrass meets hip hop, with a great fiddle player and an incredible drummer. (But I’m sorry, the pool boy with the head band was cracking me up - built Ford tough but looking way silly.)
Most quoted drummer of the night: Keith Moon, of course!
Attendance: very good. Crowd: pretty fun. All in all, a rousing success.
Thanks a lot for the props Indie. It was a fun night and we had a blast during our set. The whole bunny suit thing didn’t all come together until about 15 mins before we took the stage. I said we needed something crazy and since there were bunnies on the shirts and posters and everything we knew someone who had a suit and gave him a call. He managed to make it just in time. It was also the first show we have done where the band was showcased a bit more too. There were a couple of tracks where we pretty much just jammed and made it up as we went along. All in all a great night.
XSV
Indie dork, I liked your review but I disagree with your musical associations. I think the Naked Puritans sound like Paul Westerberg fronting Sugar at a basement show. Also, I wish Cripsy would write REGULAR music reviews again. Indie’s review was good, if misinformed, but this town could use more music critics. There is a dearth of bands but no critics to cut ‘em down, and that is just sad. Nothing in the world is more entertaining than a good review of a bad band… ESPECIALLY if you’re in that band! Keep it coming.
By good, I meant ‘bad’. I.e. ‘Your band sucks and here’s an itemized, graphed, and sorted list of why….’
Thanks, cbob. At this point I’m still too lazy (and broke) to get out all the time. But I appreciate the dorkster’s take on C-Fest, anyway. I was kinda hoping someone would post something to get this thread going. It was an uncommonly cool local event, and that is something in and of itself.
This word “dearth”: I don’t think it means what you think it means.
I posted a reaction the show on the C-FEST preview article page.
Reposting here :
Damn! Noble Savages was another great local fest! I really think Satellite’s a great place for these shows: it’s just big enough and the two stage setup works really well ‘cuz the music barely stops. I’m not sure about the first two bands (I got there about 9pm) but I dug the majority of the bands I saw. The top two sets IMO were Beetnix and Naked Puritans. They’re probably the best locals in their genres and both have a dynamic stage show. Last Butterhouse show, eh? It’s too bad, I really liked them as well. Fun night!
I’d just like to second (or third or fourth) the props to Lance as producer of the C-Fests. It is no small feat to pull off an arts or music event, particularly when multiple acts are involved, and especially when those acts are musicians, but he does it with great effectiveness.
Events like take an awful lot of time to put together - and can involve a great deal of headache - but they enrich not just those who attend but the whole community.
Hats off Lance and keep it up!
and adding:
Indie Dork, I’m not fond of judging bands on what they wear or
how they intro their songs. I didn’t see Third Party but there’s no
musical critique on them, only a comment on clothes and cheesy dialog. What about the music? And then you slam In Technicolor for dressing up - so, what’s acceptable to wear to a rock show then? Anyway….
Yes, The Naked Puritans we’re the one’s to really get the party started! But I loved them because they have so much power AND melody. Their songs have barbed hooks of platinum! “Paul Westerberg fronting Sugar at a basement show”, hell yeah, cbob!
Nice Jenkins are a greatly talented (if perhaps overly diverse) band but again you (indie dork) make one vague music comment and then prattle on about the stage banter and facial hair.
And I could just go on. But you must admit that you have more comments about crowds, mustaches and tight pants than you have about the music. You seem to be not so much a music critic as you an observer of scene and sometimes fashion critic. But I’m not mad that you cared to share ..I mean your heart’s in the right place I guess..so…
Let me end this on a note of conciliation, I agree with you that it was great night and that the creator of this event rules. We need this…and a Cripsy review.
does anyone know if any of these local bands have members that were music resources kids… I still can’t believe that place exists (maybe I’m a little jealous), and I’m sure most of those kids don’t grow up to be musicians, but I’d think it would have to have some effect on the local music scene, specially now that it’s been open for so long (I had to look it up, their website says 1995…).
I definately spent a lot of time at the MRC when it was located above where Trax used to be. I learned how to do a power chord there, and my first band recorded a three-song demo there. I would say I owe a lot to that place. They even got my ol’ highschool band our first gig at Starr Hill and a New Year’s show at the Jefferson theater!
And yes, I’m still a musician(Stanley and I play in a band together that has opened up for some big names and have gone on a couple of national tours), and if I have it my way, will always be one.
We were asked to play Noble Savages, but unfortanately we couldn’t do it because Stanley had a prior engagement. Perhaps we’ll play the next one…
as i said.. it was my subjective take on my first time seeing all these bands. i was not there taking copious notes, i was there to have a good time. if nothing stood out musically, then i wrote about other stuff that happened. i thought that guy had a good voice and i couldnt remember if he was the bassist or guitarist. the only thing i really remember about him the next day is his facial hair. sorry that offends your music critic sensibility.
i think crowd reaction is terribly important at concerts. i think it shows their ability to connect to someone other than me. i think a lot of people want to see local bands “make it” (whatever that means) and the only way that will happen is if there is a broader market for their sound. i thought some bands on Saturday had that– even if their style didn’t match my favorites– and others didn’t. rather than trash bands whose style i personally didnt like, i tried to stay encouraging and focus on their connection to the audience.
whats better: review all the bands even if they underwhelmed me or only write about the 3 or 4 i would actually go out of my way to see?
I’ll take a go. But I missed everything up until Jenkins. Puritans I’m sure were great. Jenkins seemed to know what they were doing but I’m just not into the prep-boy rock. Kate Starr, wow her first and next to last song were beautifully sung (for riotous stuff), and rocked a real groove. The one about the subjects and objects and predicates I could do without. Beetnix rocked the house & I had to agree with the house but I wasn’t quite sure why. I mean, they stuck a sticker to my butt I did not find until the next afternoon (so I sleep in my clothes, so what?), they shot the crowd with super-soakers, they had a dancing man in a bunny costume (hey this is Xmas not Easter), their first song was a boast, etc., but the rock was undeniable. I almost danced. Butterhouse, marginal, and that gal in the crowd who wolf whistles had left, so I went home. With a sticker on my butt.
Overall: good times, good people, no smoke, free water, synch motionz, and “may health and happiness be with in all seasons” as a tech support person recently said.
“may health and happiness be with you in all seasons” that is.
I went to Freakfest and Noble Savages and they were both well executed festivals. They were the best two shows of the year. I didn’t see a bad band in either bill. Some were just more to my taste than others.
Indie dork, I won’t berate you on your first hand impressions of the individual bands - you gave your caveat. The fact that this is happening and being done so well is the real news. The other stuff is icing and I got that.
And to Lance “The Legend” Brenner, you effn’ rock brotha! Keep it up!
Laura,
I know Waterloo (Beetnix MC) and Wade (Beetnix drummer) both were members of the Music Resource Center. There are lots of great bands around c-ville that are comprised of current or former MRC members, maybe we’ll see more of them in the upcoming c-fest shows.
yo where my monitors at corey
I was a music major and I hadn’t had my coffee. Bah. I don’t pay any attention to Charlottesville’s ‘making it’ claims anymore. Maybe I’m just being curmudgeonly. I’m 30 and I’ve lived here for 25 years. I have seen and heard a lot of bands touted as ‘the next big thing’ flop and wither when they went out of town. I have seen local bands get signed to major recording contracts get buzzed and buzzed and then dropped when the record company decided not to push their album. I have also seen bands that flourish out of town and were largely ignored by Charlottesville press (or given lackluster reviews). Are our standards too high? Too narrow? If you can’t nod your head to it or stomp your foot or there is no ‘jamming’ - is it even worth reviewing? Do we view our city as such a center of creativity that we’ve lost sight of the fact that there are OTHER places to play? To all the bands/artists who have never been called the ‘next big thing’ - it’s probably the best thing that will ever happen to you. Get out of town to play. That’s where your mettle will really be tested, and you’ll either survive or fall flat on your face.
Truer words were never typed, cbob. LOCAL BANDS: leave town. Prove you’ve got some drive. When I think about it, I don’t know any local Dave Matthews fans (I mean serious fans) even though this is his hometown. Fact is, your hometown will never appreciate you the way the larger world might. And local press invariably has two or three darlings every season who then disband and go into accounting or whatever. (Remember the “Dear Charlottesville” record put out by C-Ville a 7 or 8 years ago? Within two years, 80% of the bands on the disc had broken up. Typical.)
Anyway, keep your chins up, and get out of Dodge.
Cripsy, I may be showing my age here but Dear Charlottesville came out in like 1995 or 1996 I think. I was at the show for it and yeah I saw Dave Matthews solo, but I think the standout for me was True Love Always. I don’t remember if Sparklehorse played at that show - they were on the CD - but good lord almighty what a band. Again, these are names that may not ring home with youth in Charlottesville (what’s Teen Beat Records? I thought Tokyo Rose just served sushi?) but outside our hallowed gates they have made quite a name for themselves. Go do it, kids. MTV ain’t gonna be calling you anyway - but those kids in Murfreesboro, TN at the house party will all love you, buy your CD, tell their friends, and blog about you. Also they’ll feed you and take up a collection to give you money for gas. You can book a 2 week tour from myspace alone in about a week. I know ’cause I’ve done it.
Actually , 95-ish sounds about right.
Let us not forget the vast conveyor belt of epic suck that was “Blue Merle”.
Tryin to do the boy band hype machine on a local (manufactured?) rock group? Well thats a heaping second helping of mashed potatoes and fail.
I’m pretty sure Blue Merle wasn’t from Charlottesville, just managed by local Red Light and recorded their album at (now gone) Crystalphonic. Nice guys, though.
! Hahaha! I don’t know what’s funnier…that video itself or the fact that it was made a favorite 71 times on Youtube.
I didn’t think they were from around here, so I googled them. They still have a website and it says they’re from Nashville.
Damn…tried to link to a Blue Merle video…what is probably the only Blue Merle video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op-hZBOT4BI
Yeah! What is with bands from out of town coming here (?) to make a name for themselves because they are under Red Light’s wing? In some issues of the paper it seems like we’re putting on the big city vibe - hot nightclubs, national music acts, etc - and it all comes so naturally. Then there’s the wide-eyed oh-my-god-can-you-believe-they-chose-US issues (Jem, Blue Merle, David Grey all come to mind). Maybe making it in Charlottesville kills music careers? I propose a scientific study and once again encourage bands to NOT make it in Charlottesville. If you do, you’re apparently screwed.
All I know is for about six months a while ago there was an all out merle blitz shoved down my throat with vigor. The next big thing you’v never heard of! It gave me media acid reflux, and that bitterness carried over to my opinion of the band (which I personally found agressively, almost intentionally mediocre in my limited exposure).
I am sure they are nice guys, but got damn… Red Light needs to red light that spread blight, dig?
Well, Jem at Starr Hill did have the lowest low-rise jeans ever, I heard. Did she get “famous”? What does that even mean today? The record biz used to be bigger than movie & publishing put together. Now it’s some kind of rust belt industry or something.
(No disrespect to her music, I wasn’t there.)
Dunno what became of Jem, but I do know she made a ton of cake on selling songs to TV shows. Now Im doubly sorry I missed that show, though, seeing as she seemed to make things come alive in my bathing suit area (”show me, on the doll, where the music touched you”).
I imagine her up in some ski chatteau somewhere up in Norwegia or wherever she comes from, surrounded by lambskin and recording equipment, dressed in some freaky Barbarella type outfit just waiting for to me to show up so we could do things that would make Caligula blush all with the tape rolling. Then after a cigarette, we’d get jiggy with some loops and beat tracks and produce a single that would make “Kiss kiss kiss” by john and yoko sound like hickory dickory dock… and… um…
Sorry bout that. I was just… well.. nevermind.
Sparky’s Flaw are rumored to be releasing something on a major and Under the Flood just signed to Koch Records(home to Project Pat, Sinead O’conner, and uhmmmm… the Wiggles), The Sometime Favorites are getting booked through Sam Hill, Sons of Bill toured for the fucking U.S. Military…
I’d say those are all pretty successful achievments made by Charlottesville bands although none have “made it”.
But it’s not like I’m disagreeing about the touring thing, because that’s the angle my band’s going for, although it hasn’t quite paid off yet, and as a matter of fact, doesn’t pay at all!
We can talk about charlottesville’s local music scene without thinking we’re athens.
but in terms of local bands that have “made it,” I’m a little surprised no one has mentioned King Wilke.
…or Corey Harris. And Eli Cook was recently featured quite prominetly in Guitar Player magazine.