Sometimes, when the band you’ve booked begins to play you instantly know the evening is going to be special. Other times, it happens when you get yelled at by everyone involved.
The Filthybird show, by all accounts, was special.
I had to run back to HQ as the sound check got underway and made it back to the show just prior to Renee starting up. As I heard her last warmup on the keys and vocals, I jumped out of my seat in the packed house and yelled over to Don to turn down the reverb.
NO!!! came from every direction on stage.
Trust your crew was the lesson I learned that night.
MUSIC VIDEO CREDITS
Editor: Blake Faucette
Camera: Andy Coon, Blake Faucette, Sean Coon
Sound: Don Ravon
The live album is available at Amie Street, with all proceeds going to the Filthybird crew.
Everything in the world can be broken down into three nouns. Negativity, positivity, and neutrality.
Now imagine looking up and seeing an atomic bomb being dropped straight onto your brain. Now imagine that, while most atomic bombs are composed of negativity, this one is of a very unique composition. Imagine that this bomb is composed of pure positivity.
Now imagine that this bomb is actually the imprint left on you by one, Clement Mallory, aka Universal Mathematics.
An infinite number of varying descriptions could be used to characterize a performance by this man. Perhaps one in several thousand would even begin to come close to completely accurate.
MUSIC VIDEO CREDITS
Editor: Ioannis Batsios
Camera: Ioannis Batsios, Matt Williams, David Bradley
Sound: Danny Bayer, Don Ravon
Universal Mathematics is more than music, more than poetry, and more than performance. It is a full-blown inspirational experience. When Clement Mallory picks up the microphone, you are intrigued. When he performs, you are entranced. When he puts down the microphone, you are left feeling better about yourself and about life in general. While Mallory seems to identify more as a poet than a musician, and while a good half of his DMP set is spoken word, his performance is less poetry reading and more interactive motivational theater. He makes smiling your only option.
The message throughout this distinct and almost unclassifiable performance is one of love and appreciation. Backed by the immaculate DJ skills of L in Japanese, Clement Mallory seems almost unaware of his audience much of the time. It is almost as if the words flowing from his mouth come forth from a deep well of honesty and compassion. His words seem inspired from his personal experiences, yet, the selflessness of his delivery leaves one with the impression that, more than self-expression, this performance is designed to help us, to make us feel better about who we are. A good example of this can be found in the track, My Love, wherein he states:
Loving you increases my love for me, so I’m going to love you more ’cause I have to love myself.
He seems to do what he does strictly out of a genuine desire to make us all feel happier and more comfortable about who we are.
During the tenure of the performance, Mallory deals with issues ranging from creation, self-reflection, acceptance of our fellow human beings, the importance of teaching ourselves and our children, and the very nature of existence.
In the track, Who am I?, he asks:
Being human, am I characterized differently from any other human being? Do we not all have one head, two eyes, two ears, one nose, one mouth, one neck, two shoulders, two arms, two hands, one chest, one stomach, one gender, defined with private section, two legs and feet?
The answer to the title of this piece comes near the end of the track, right before a moment of too-perfect-to-have-been-planned feedback where he boldly states:
I am God.
It’s a concept piece full of imagery so heavy that it seems to overwhelm even the PA. This track is definitely a highlight of the set.
Placing Universal Mathematics into a musical category is a nearly impossible task.
Clement Mallory is a writer, an MC, a teacher, an outlandish angel. His performance is poetry, it’s hip-hop, it’s motivational speech, it’s emotional release, it’s nearly theatrical in it’s execution. His message is uplifting, it’s inspiring, it’s fun, it’s… dare I say… universal. This man puts on a performance that is more than a performance. It is an intricate spiderweb of imagery and sound that leaves one with a feeling of happiness and well-being.
For the love of love, check out Universal Mathematics at c37words.
Recording Engineer: Don Ravon
Mixing Engineers: Dan Bayer, Don Ravon
Cover Design: Sean Coon
Cover Photograph: Kevin Belton
I’d just like to take this moment to thank everyone who came out last night to The Blind Tiger to check out the Leeves, my band the Raving Knaves, and The Goodbye House, the new project from Matty Sheets, James Marshall Owen, Dave “Driveway” Moore and Randy Seals.
The Goodbye House is a great band, combining elements of all the members’ previous musical directions, but coming together in a real organic way, kinda like one of Elvis Presley’s mashed banana and peanut butter sandwiches.
Here’s a taste:
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And of course the Leeves’ brand of jazz/punk can’t be underestimated either. It was simply a rockin’ night all the way around.
The reason I’m thanking everybody is because, as a local musician, I’ve come to realize that community will get you through times with no money better than money will get you through times of no community. As part of the dotmatrix project, I’ve watched a community grow around local original music, seen more people coming out to shows — despite (or maybe because of) the bad economy — and I’ve watched musicians collaborate on some really great music.
Photo by Paula McLean
Usually I’ve seen this from behind the soundboard, but in the last few months I’ve seen it from the stage, playing with the Knaves, alongside bands such as Switchblade 85, Come Hell or High Water, the Brand New Life and so many others.
In the midst of uncertain times, to be able to get up and play your music in front of and alongside appreciative people is truly a wonderful thing.
IMHO, the coolest aspect of what we do here is our documentation of the music scene, specifically in Greensboro, where I call home. And not just individual shows, but the gestalt of the entire scene as it unfolds over different periods of time.
While some bands find a modicum of success and play for years to come, touring regionally at times, many more bands form, play out locally for a while and disappear into the ether without the notice of more than a handful of friends and family and only the most hardcore music lovers in town.
Albina Savoy falls into such a category.
And while that’s a shame on many levels — their sound was so unique, beautiful in ways that’s hard to describe — at least we have a few reminders of their sound to enjoy.
If you like what you hear in the video, be sure to check out the band’s live album on Last.fm and AmieStreet (all proceeds on AmieStreet go to Albina Savoy).
MUSIC VIDEO CREDITS
Editor: Blake Faucette
Camera: Andy Coon
Camera: Blake Faucette
Camera: Sean Coon
Sound: Danny Bayer
Charles “the cleave” Cleaver intensely works the keyboard as Max Indian closes up another great evening with The Dotmatrix Project. Thanks to all the fans who braved the wind and snow to come and support local North Carolina bands! If you like the photos, you can see more of my work on my blog.
Ryan Gustafson who also plays with The Light Pines and Max Indian, has his own self-named project with a folk/indie style and a lot of heart. If you are interested in seeing more of my work, please feel free to take a look at my blog!
John Pope shares a laugh with Carter Gaj in The Light Pines first live performance on January 29 @ the Duke Coffeehouse. They opened up the night for Ryan Gustafson and Max Indian. All three bands shared a few key members while rotating others, giving each band a sound to set them apart. Fans braved the snowy streets and packed out the venue for an upbeat and entertaining evening. If you would like to see more of my photos I’d love for you to check out my blog!
