the dotmatrix project

DMP’s first show in the Triangle was inches from being cancelled last Friday night. Actually about four to five inches to be precise. As sleet and snow quickly turned driving in a straight line a pleasant memory, I had my doubts about the turnout for this show that we had been planning for almost half a year. Thankfully, those doubts were eased by the determined crowd that filled the Duke Coffeehouse to hear the Drughorse Collective play.

photo credit: Stephen Charles Photography

Comprised of talents from nine interweaving bands throughout the Triangle (keeping a tab on the actual numbers gets a bit blurry), the Drughorse Collective is producing some of the most exciting music in this area today. They clearly win the award for the most collaborative. There are distinct musical presences amongst the Drughorse Collective and yet they’ve done a remarkable job of not stepping on each other’s toes when constructing songs or performing. A Max Indian song is clearly going to sound different from one written by Ryan Gustafson and yet members of both bands are performing together seamlessly on stage. Members of the audience were treated to three very different bands on Friday night but these bands had more or less the same lineup, albeit with the musical chairs switched.

photo credit: Stephen Charles Photography

The Light Pines were the first to warm up the crowd coming in from the elements. This is a band that thrives on explosive stabs of drums and shaking bass from Josh Pope. Check out “Climbing Towards You” off the Myspace to see what I mean. This is music that can tower above you at times. Clear guitar lines from Carter Gaj of Max Indian danced over a thick layer of dual synthesizers. Songs featured the driving comfort of swelling chords over heavy-handed drums that built and lifted the groove out of washed out guitar. Capable of intricate polyrhythms for one bar and then an all out slamming, bashing explosion of the lower end on the next, the rhythm section of the Light Pines was at times more captivating than the melodies of the songs. Never having heard this band before, they quickly caught my attention Friday night and I’m pumped to get my hands on a copy of their record once it’s released for mass consumption.

photo credit: Stephen Charles Photography

Ryan Gustafson and his appropriately-titled-for-the-night Snow Angels came on second. There’s a tender quality that runs thoughout his music. They’re songs of departure and of loss that conjure Gram Parsons and that classic era in the Stones catalogue where he and Keef Richards were closest. These are songs obviously written in transit from one far away place to the next and they seem to take on a different meaning when sung back at home in Carolina. Gustafson takes on the role of the observer in his music and his contemporary folk sketches are some of the most captivating I’ve heard in recent memory. Songs like “Sudden Sadness” feature the forlorn warmth of harmonies over finger-picked guitar. “Soul Train (Red or Black)” got the kids up and dancing with its swirling breakdown in the chorus which lifts into the pained release of “please don’t go.” Live, “Let Go” had more punch than Gustafon’s version featured on the Donkey LP, but the band still captured the remarkable pain inside the song, that overwhelming sense of simply being unable. And the solo on the song’s outro still causes something inexplicable to happen in my skull every time.

photo credit: Stephen Charles Photography

Max Indian, a band never to be seen onstage without at least one fedora, has been a continually evolving act for several years now, centered around Carter Gaj and James Wallace. There’s a pop sensibility that runs through their songs which draws you in instantly. The message and feel are overtly positive without the saccharine that can sometimes come with easily appealing music. The riffs and melodies conjure the Faces in a way; music that quickly brings at least a grin as you sing along with the hook. Charles Cleaver on board with his keys brings additional warmth, filling in spaces between infectious riffs. They unveiled two new songs Friday night in addition to others heard on their 2008 release, You Can Go Anywhere, Do Anything.

photo credit: Stephen Charles Photography

Meteorologically-speaking, we may have unwittingly picked the absolute worst night to bring DMP to the Triangle. Nonetheless it was a suprisingly great turnout though it was no suprise that the music was excellent. Thanks again to Michael Reklis and the bands for an unforgettable night which is sure to be the first of many in the Triangle.

Live music, Dotmatrix style.

New year, New decade, good enough reasons to try something new, right? DMP is beginning this year’s concert series in the Triangle at Duke Coffee House, this Friday, Jan. 29th at 9:00. We’re stepping out of our back room speakeasy comfort-zone which is the Green Burro and we’ll be covering a show featuring three bands from Chapel Hill-based Drughorse Collective. Huge preemptive thanks to Michael Reklis for including us and arranging the event.  The night will feature sets from Ryan Gustafson, The Light Pines and Max Indian, three acts with infectious jams that will stick in your head long after the night has faded into a PBR-fueled lovefest.

For those of you new to these bands and looking for a place to start. (These tracks are available on the Myspace sites linked above):

The Light Pines: “Climbing Towards You”

Ryan Gustafson: “Soul Train (Red or Black)”

Max Indian: “Heaven Help Us”

Triad-based DMP friends, come show the Bull City scene your love for essential local music. Greensboro to Durham isn’t that far, (just watch out for the unmarked patrol cars on 40-85.) True to DMP form, the show is still free, so come out and bring your friends. People of the Triangle who may not have attended a DMP show yet, you know the bands are great. Come be a part of an evening of documented local music. You may be able to hear your beautiful self in the background when you purchase a copy of the show on amiestreet.com.

We’ll see you there!

DMP featured an evening of songwriters on June 25th at the Burro. Randy Furches and company began the night, singing stories of love and lives lost. He’s got a smoky vibrato almost like Huey Lewis, but trade the mass-produced sound of the News for plucked guitar. Furches is also a singer not afraid to open up his throat and let loose.

Photo by Doug Klesch

Most of Furches’ set featured Hank Johnson’s accompaniment. Johnson is equally comfortable ripping creamy licks in the spirit of Santana as he is picking a mandolin. Furches carries on the musical legacy of his great great uncle, Peter De Graff, author of the widely covered folk song, “Poor Ellen Smith.” In 1893 De Graff was convicted and eventually hanged for the murder of Smith – not far from where we heard Furches’ rendition at the Burro, and the song lives on today. It’s been covered by such names as Jerry Garcia, the Kingston Trio and Flatt and Scruggs.

Photo by Elizabeth Lemon

Furches’ set finished with an unexpected turn from folk and blues into….wait for it y’all….trip-hop folk. Yes, that’s right, Furches’ third guest was Kevin Schultz, AKA – King-Kev-O, rapping over his song “Cryogenics.”

Photo by Stephen Charles

Morgan McPherson’s set featured songs from her debut album, “Stranger in the Mirror” which was released in January. On piano, she fronted a trio that also featured fret-less bass and heavy-handed drums. McPherson writes brooding, tight power-pop that reconciles with haunting memories of love and heartache. For example, even on “Daydreams”, a self-described “happy song”, McPherson accentuates this through the brooding, pounding quality of the grand piano tone.

Photo by Doug Klesch

Kristen Leigh closed the night, accompanied by Ueli Schweizer on violin and Sara Dickson on piano. Leigh is blessed with one of those rich voices that would still be captivating if she sang insurance quotes. She’s a songwriter who uses the absence of sound in her songs as well as when she sings and strums the guitar.

Photo by Doug Klesch

A highlight from her set was “Little Star”, a lullaby written for a close friend upon hearing of her pregnancy. “I will always love you in my own imperfect way,” sang Leigh.

A striking performance, Leigh wrapped up a night which featured three distinct and well-received Greensboro songwriters.

Subterranean Bums’ continually shifting lineup both layered and stripped their folk format. Friends jumped on and offstage with new instruments to add to the mix of songs like “World Full of Downers” and “Oklahoma Thunderstorm.”

Off with the electric bass and on with the horns. Now let’s get some upright bass.

Photo by alex maness

Their show at The Burro on May 28^th was blissfully youthful Americana. It was something in the same vein of The Avett Brothers before they became the Avett Brothers, though perhaps more pharmaceutical, so to speak.

Wiry vocals, jittery melodies, outbursts and prone to lampooning, it was a performance that literally had the babies in the crowd dancing along. Seriously, I saw it with my own eyes. You must be doing something right when that happens, right?

Photo by Mark Smith

Sticking with the friends theme, there was no shortage of supporters both on stage and in the crowd for the Subterranean Bums/Eating the Invaders show. You couldn’t help raise your glass to the music of Eating the Invaders. They write suburban hymns which are best enjoyed while drankin’, which was especially fitting for a show at The Burro. Their songs are played seemingly for fun’s sake. This seems obvious, but it’s not every band’s MO. It’s easy to tell when a group plays songs regardless of audience reception–though it’s important to note that the audience certainly enjoyed themselves as much as the band did that night.

Photo by alex maness

Where the crisp trumpet of Steve Jackson was often showcased in the music of Subterranean Bums, Eating the Invaders music isn’t the same without the harmonica of David “Driveway” Moore. Rumor has it, he even snuck in a kazoo solo.

All in all, a great night accompanied by friends and acquaintances, offstage and on. And maybe a few cabaret dancers thrown in there for good measure.

Photo by Mark Smith

Filthybird and Albina Savoy — it has a certain ring to it when said at once, like Hercules and Love Affair.

These two Greensboro bands treated us to a set apiece on April 30th at the year anniversary of DMP shows upstairs at The Green Burro, both playing music characterized by diverse, striking melodies, fronted by exceptionally talented female vocalists — yet their sound and stage presence couldn’t have been more different.

Albina Savoy

“A long time ago, I met this lady named Albina Savoy,” says guitarist Barry Cantrell. “She was this vaudevillian, Floridian lady living in a motor home, and I knew that one day I was going to name a band after her.”

Photos by Kevin Belton & Mark Smith

There’s a strong vaudevillian underpinning to the songs of Albina Savoy (Crystal Bright, Barry Cantrell and Jon McLean), but it feels characterized more so by the physical presence with the long-lost art of busking. We should have ripped up the streetlight at the corner of West McGee and South Elm and hauled it upstairs as a backdrop for this trio. This is said not to trivialize their music, but hopefully it gives a sense of place and setting to their sound — an upright bass, keyboard, Django-gypsy jazz guitar, accordion, and wait for it folks…the saw.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to listen to a saw played properly, it’s fascinating. It makes the kind of sound that defies its method of sonic production. When played with a bow and twisted and just the right time, the saw sings a delayed to the twist, high, eerie wail. Though she’s only been playing saw for a year and change, Crystal Bright plays this unconventional instrument like she’s been at it for a while.

Albina Savoy opened their set with “Water,” a riffing, boiling and churning chant that owed a lot to gospel. With everyone singing on this number, there was a building aspect to the song with call and response. “Hip Bone” featured Crystal on accordion and with slapping bass and swelling tempo, the effect was something like a train trying to pick up steam all the while balancing to keep it’s momentum in the process. This deliberate kind of boozy, swaying quality with tempo helped establish early on that the songs would vary widely within the set.

With The Lounge of the Burro being closed off from the rest of the bar, it gave listeners a chance to dissect and insert themselves into the songs. Many of the later songs in the set demonstrated not only attention to melody, but striking lyricism. With “Emeline,” the causal set turned somber and self-focused. With a pervasive sense of loss and fragility, Barry sings:

Where’d she go
Where can she be
Who’s watching her
Don’t know, isn’t me

Stories that come with the experience and of having survived only to speculate. “We’re all damned and blessed, so indifferent and obsessed,” Barry sings on “Cynical and Vain.”

We all feel you, man.

Filthybird

Filthybird (Renee Mendoza, Brian Haran, Shawn Smith, Mike Duehring) is loud, yet subtle and distinctly joyful rock. Think Leslie Feist fronting My Morning Jacket. That evening, the vocals were intentionally drowned in reverb, washing through the guitar and keys. Unfortunately, at times the lyrics were indistinguishable, but this gave Renee Mendoza’s voice an otherworldly ring that contrasted the clear vocals of Albina Savoy.

Photos by Mark Smith

Having been on hiatus for some time and still drawing a strong crowd, Filthybird’s set was unfettered and electrifying. Brian Haran is an exceptionally captivating guitarist who is as dynamic as he is appropriate in the way he plays. He writes crisp and almost vocal guitar lines that add another dimension to Mendoza’s voice and keys. Where Mendoza’s sound is glass and endearing, the guitar contrasts with groaning and strung out melodies.

“The Gospel Song” is a bell-like, singing guitar waltz to grab someone close and spin. If I had to ascribe a physical action to the music of Filthybird, imagine “spinning and rocking.” These are songs to sway to and inevitably find a way to get lost. Mendoza describes Filthybird’s sound as “textures, vocal character differentiating between songs, but family members nonetheless.”

Many of the songs they played are from their new record which is to be released this fall that is tentatively titled, “Songs For Other People.” The new songs seem to more inclusive of Haran’s selection on guitar and it will be a highly anticipated follow-up to their 2007 release, Southern Skies.

All in all, it was a great evening featuring two dynamic, local groups. Mark your calendars for May 28th when The Subterranean Bums and Eating The Invaders continue the FREE. LIVE. MUSIC. concert series.