the dotmatrix project

A few months back, we (and by “we” I mean DMP sound engineers Don Ravon and Dan Bayer) were lucky enough to be able to record the 3rd Often Awesome Benefit Show, held at Greene Street in downtown Greensboro. Seven different acts performed, with many having no connection to Tim LaFollette prior to the evening.

While it’ll be bit longer until the compilation album is complete as a fundraising vehicle for both Tim and ALS awareness, Andy and Blake just released what I feel is so far the best episode of their Often Awesome web series.

Spread the word, people. This disease is too terrible to continue in existence.

If you’re ready and you know it clap your hands.

Bet.

There won’t be a better place to be this Saturday night.

See you there.

How does a group of professionals-by-day, rockers-by-night get multiple songs banned on a local, independent radio station?

photo by Kevin Belton

Ask Sin Tax.

Sin Tax is comprised of founding member Dr. Nancy McCurry, on bass and vocals, Doug Baker, with guitar and vocals, Moxie Campbell, on drums, Dave McLean, on guitar and vocals and Marilyn Wolf doing vocals and percussion.

In August of ‘09, Neill Clegg Jr. joined Sin Tax on the ol’ DMP stage, tooting his horn alongside these crazy kids.  It was a powerpop, rockabilly, glam-rock kinda night, with a distinctly punk edge.  Sin Tax brought the spice!

photo by Alex Maness

Was it the pretty instruments that helped them rock so hard that night?  Maybe it had something to do with the three flights of stairs up which they hauled their equipment.  Maybe it was the pretty outfits that made them shine.  Or maybe, just maybe, they were showing off a little.

My opinion?

It had to be the shoes!

photo by Doug Klecsh

photo by Kevin Belton

You can come up with your own conclusion.  To hear what I’m talking about, check out their album on Amiestreet or Last.fm. For the newbies, here’s our promo entrance page to sign up for an account with Amiestreet and receive free money to support our local artists.

ALBUM CREDITS
Recording Engineers: Don Ravon, Dan Bayer
Mixing Engineer: Dan Bayer
Cover Design: Sean Coon
Cover Photograph: Alex Maness

When I opened the email from Shayne on the eve of the DMP show last July, asking if The Future Kings of Nowhere (Solo) could get on the bill, quite frankly, I didn’t know how to respond. I mean, he’s friends with The Wigg Report, our opening act for the evening, and I love FKoN’s music, but we had already scheduled the sound, film and photo crew for the evening — since they were all volunteer, I didn’t want to take their time and effort for granted.

In the end I caved. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Shayne is just that talented. So we worked out an abbreviated opening slot and agreed to forgo a music video.

photo by Doug Klesch

His set was sick. We should’ve filmed it.

Shayne has this uncanny ability to cut right through the uncertainty of a crowd and capture their attention with songwriting that somehow pushes the buttons of common denominator emotions, but in truly unique ways. I guess that’s just a blowhard way of saying the man can write a damn good tune.

That said, here’s the six track EP we recorded that evening.

LIVE ALBUM CREDITS
Recording Engineer: Dan Bayer
Mixing Engineer: Don Ravon
Album Design : Sean Coon
Album Photo: Jason Ellison

Since our show, Shayne’s life has been a roller-coaster ride — moving up to Brooklyn to see if his music could take off, getting the shitty news of being diagnosed with cancer, picking up and moving back to Durham and then jumping straight into undergoing chemo and radiation therapy. He also got married along the way, and while I’ve never met Rebekah, I’m sure she’s a major reason why he has such a great attitude and sense of humor about all of this. I mean, seriously, check out this post at his blog (now a movement), This Machine Kills Cancer.

How many people can joke about this kind of an experience?

Probably cancer patients. God bless ‘em.

All proceeds from Shayne’s Amie Street album go straight to his pocket, as well as sales from This Album Kills Cancer (a bunch of DMP musicians donated tracks to the cause).

If you consider yourself to be a supporter of the arts, particularly the art scene here in North Carolina, please consider purchasing one or both of the albums. Great music and a great cause. What could be better?

You know, words can’t express how much fun The Wigg Report are live.

Enjoy!

MUSIC VIDEO CREDITS
Editor: Louis Bekoe
Camera: Mark Steinberg
Camera: Blake Faucette
Camera: Louis Bekoe
Sound: Danny Bayer
Sound: Don Ravon

Ben Riseling, the sax/keyboard player of the Durham based pop punk trio, The Wigg Report, contacted me in the summer of 2007 to see if the band could get in on the Converge South Music Festival that I was in charge of producing that fall.

(To be clear: three original acts — Little Mascara and Thacker Dairy Road were the others — getting guaranteed money at a downtown venue pseudo-qualified the event as a “festival” in Greensboro back in the day.)

photo by Stephen Charles

Anyhow, I was happy to have them play, and at the last minute decided to document the show — my brother stepped up to shoot the video with me while Michael Dunn brought Stephen Charles along to shoot photographs of the evening.

While the music video didn’t have a clean audio track captured from the board and the cameras weren’t synced — we had to drop to black & white as a last resort — the experience of making the video and culling through all of the great shots of the evening was too much fun.

By all accounts, this show was the precursor to the dotmatrix project.

And that leads me to today. Two and a half years since their initial performance and eight months since their official DMP show, we here at HQ are proud to announce the release of The Wigg Report Live at the dotmatrix project. There’s not much you can enjoy on this spinning chunk of rock for $1.30. This album definitely qualifies.

Please support your local artists and download the tracks today.

ALBUM CREDITS
Recording Engineers: Don Ravon, Dan Bayer
Mixing Engineer: Don Ravon
Cover Design: Sean Coon
Cover Photograph: Doug Klesch

Steve, Chuck and Tim rocked out & Louis Bekoe caught it in action.

MUSIC VIDEO CREDITS
Editor: Louis Bekoe
Camera: Mark Steinberg, Blake Faucette, Louis Bekoe
Sound: Danny Bayer, Don Ravon

photo by Jason Ellison

To say that Chuck Folds, Steve Williard and Tim Poole — the Amplify This crew — are a staple on the music scene in these parts would be an understatement.

If we didn’t document these guys, it’d be like pretending that yellow cabs never existed in NYC. Come to think of it, these guys put on about the same amount of mileage each day — Steve and Chuck play in three other bands (Big Bang Boom, Rubberband and Steve & Chuck) and write music for numerous sports teams, while Tim also holds down the longtime cover band Suckerpunch.

If there’s such a thing as a blue collar musician, these guys bring their lunch boxes to work.

photo by Doug Klesch

With a dedication of playing music not only for fun and the potential of personal gain — these guys play to support their families — it was nice to be in a position to shine a spotlight on their work, though I have to admit it was Chuck Folds’ story that interested me the most.

As much as I can relate to the closeness between brothers, I also know how a sibling rivalry has the potential to deteriorate the very same relationship. Looking in from the outside over the years, I often wondered how Chuck and his uber famous and music prodigy brother, Ben Folds, got along, but I have way too much respect for a sibling situation to ever ask. Luckily, Chuck felt he needed a release in the form of a song, which he performed for us last July.

Shadow of a Genius

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It doesn’t get much more real than that.

It’s been almost nine months since their DMP show, so we’re happy to finally be able to announce the release of Amplify This Live at the dotmatrix project. Purchasing this release at Amie Street puts money directly into the pockets of these guys, and the album starts as a FREE download, going up in price as more people purchase it. Currently, you can get this 10 track release for only $.94.

Show these guys some love and tap the piggy bank, won’t you?

photo by Jason Ellison

ALBUM CREDITS
Recording Engineers: Don Ravon, Dan Bayer
Mixing Engineer: Don Ravon, Cesar Oviedo
Mastering: Cesar Oviedo
Cover Design: Sean Coon
Cover Photograph: Jason Ellison

Local legend Bruce Piephoff pulled together an all-star ensemble for his DMP performance last February (sweet Jesus, it’s been that long?). With Renee Mendoza (Filthybird) on vocals, Scott Walker, Landon Walker & Jennie Walker Brunner on bass, cello and violin (Walker Family Band) and David “Driveway” Moore on harmonica (ETI & The Goodbye House), Bruce led the audience through a memorable set of narratives steeped in southern tales — stories of inequality and of politics and with bits of love splashed here and there.

Please enjoy this beautifully shot slice of that down home pie.

And remember, Bruce’s live album is currently available on Amie Street for only $1.82.

MUSIC VIDEO CREDITS

Director: Harvey K. Robinson
Editor: Zach Hadgraft
Camera: Mark Wagoner, Alex Maness, Blake Faucette
Gaffer: Jonathan Faw
Grips: Matty Sheets, Barry Staples
Sound: Danny Bayer, Don Ravon and Cesar Oviedo

If you listen to Morgan McPherson’s lyrics carefully, you’ll discover that the young lady knows where she’s been. With self-described influences ranging from Tori Amos to Bush to Beethoven to Aerosmith, Morgan now seems to be in the process of finding her own sound… and having a bit of fun along the way.

Just like it should be.

MUSIC VIDEO CREDITS
Editor: Michael McQueen
Camera: Michael McQueen
Camera: Jeremy Hyler
Camera: Mark Steinberg
Sound: Danny Bayer and Don Ravon

You can check out Morgan’s entire DMP set on Last.fm or support a local musician by picking up the album over at Amie Street.