As far back as most people can remember, Greensboro has been a cover band town, so for the past 16 months, we at DMP have been trying to expose great original acts from our town and the surrounding area.
But when you have a showman like Matt Hill fronting a band with the likes of Max Drake on guitar/mandolin, Chuck Cotton on the drums and FJ Ventre on upright bass, playing a style of music — Rhythm and Blues — that is dying a bit more each year as the legends fade away, well, sometimes you have to make an exception to the rule.
MUSIC VIDEO CREDITS
Editor: Blake Faucette
Camera: Blake Faucette
Camera: Micah Moore
Camera: David Bradley
Sound: Danny Bayer
Sound: Don Ravon
Once we clear the covers, look for the album to drop on Last.fm and Amie Street.
Over the past year, we’ve crossed paths on Facebook and at local film screenings, so I was excited when he showed interest in contributing to our project, but I still didn’t know much about his story.
That changes today.
DMP: So, Michael, what got you started with shooting? Was it a life long passion or a particular director that got you hooked? MM: I got into doing video through riding BMX bikes. Basically, I started filming my friends riding and doing tricks. Eventually, I started filming professional riders and got gigs working in the BMX industry as a videographer.
DMP: Is BMX now your primary focus? MM: I’ve done work for a lot of the independent BMX companies, but also larger companies like Red Bull, Target, Levis and Fuel TV. All of that led me to doing commercial video production, which led to my current job as video producer for the News & Record. I still do a little bit of freelance work in the BMX industry, mostly with Eastern Bikes doing web videos. I’m currently in production of a full length video of their team, due out in September.
DMP: Sounds like a handful. How do you manage it all by yourself? MM: I don’t. For my freelance commercial production, I work with Matthew B. Moore. Together, we own and operate King Coyote Productions.
DMP: You’re participating in the 48 Hour Film Festival this weekend, as you have in the past with your work on Good Morning Mr. Brown. What gets you juiced about the festival? Is it the time based production challenge? The intense competition within the local film community? MM: The 48hrff is always a fun time. In the past I’ve always worked with the Good As A Mugg team. The director, Matt Moore, and I have been friends and business partners for a long time. We work well together and have an awesome crew. But this year the stars didn’t align and the team couldn’t play as a whole. So you’ll see us scattered amongst different teams, kicking ass as usual! I’ll be on Ike Quigley’s team: 10lb Hammer. It is crazy that Greensboro has such a large independent film community. To have ~30 teams enter a contest and compete on that level is amazing. And each year the films just get better and better.
DMP: Do you have the itch to direct a feature film? It seems like that’s the dream of every filmmaker we’ve come across on the project. MM: My involvement in film has always been just one of the players. So movie wise, no, not directing. That’s not my thing. If i’m doing anything on a film it’s going to be sound. That’s my passion as far as film making goes. Now maybe a documentary… I just haven’t found a good one to go long form on. Maybe one day.
DMP: With everything going on in your life right now — the full-time gig, your marriage, your freelance work, the 48 FF, I’m sure I’m missing something else — what drew you to collaborate on a DMP shoot? Are you that much of a music fan? MM: While filming BMX, I was going to a lot of hardcore shows in the Winston area. So naturally, I’d take my camera with me and film bands. That led to me working with Blake Faucette on his Series DVD video magazine. I have a strong passion for music and I suck at playing an instrument, so I use my camera as my way to connect. I’m always looking for a way to stay close to the music scene and DMP is an amazing way to keep doing that.
DMP: Thanks for your time, Michael. Catch you next week at the show. MM: You got it.
Another local talent ready to document local talent.
I really dig how Don has classified The Leeves — Punk jazz. Fits, doesn’t it?
MUSIC VIDEO CREDITS
Editor: Blake Faucette
Camera: Blake Faucette
Camera: Micah Moore
Camera: Ashley Panzera
Sound: Danny Bayer
Sound: Don Ravon
Producer: Matt “Beard” Williams
If you’d like to hear more from The Leeves’ set that night, the live album is currently available for the low, low price of $1.53. If you’re new to the Amie Street process, be sure to use our promo entrance page to sign up for an account and receive free money to buy albums and support our local artists by putting coin directly in their pockets.
In December of 2008, we put on the ninth DMP show. That evening, two local punk bands set the DMP “stage” on fire! The evening started with The Leeves.
With a little help from their friends, they put on a fantastic performance! You can listen to (and buy) a copy of that performance at Amie Street, or Last.FM.*
ALBUM CREDITS
Recording Engineers: Don Ravon, Dan Bayer
Mixing Engineers: Don Ravon
Cover Design: Sean Coon
Cover Photograph: Kevin Belton
After their fellow rockers finished warming it up, and Doug Pike got a chance to rest his limbs, Queen Anne’s Revenge claimed the stage to finish off a great evening of Punk for the dotmatrix project!
ALBUM CREDITS
Recording Engineers: Don Ravon, Dan Bayer
Mixing Engineers: Dan Bayer
Cover Design: Sean Coon
Cover Photograph: Eric Velarde
*To make the whole process a whole lot easier for you on Amie Street, here’s our promo entrance page to sign up for an account and receive free money to support our local artists by putting coin directly in their pockets . My advice…USE IT!
Power chords. Smoking & playing. Moshing. Yeah, we had a punk rock show. QAR killed it that night.
MUSIC VIDEO CREDITS
Editor: Ashley Panzera
Camera: Andy Coon
Camera: Blake Faucette
Camera: Micah Moore
Camera: Ashley Panzera
Sound: Danny Bayer
Sound: Don Ravon
Video Producer: Matt “Beard” Williams
If that got you worked up, you might want to check out the live album, currently available over at Amie Street.
When Harvey shot this last November, I hoped we’d get Kristen under the bright lights at some point so I filed the video away in my immensely forgetful mental data bank, hoping to remember to pull it up prior to the yet-to-be-booked-show.
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.
Their show at The Burro on May 28th 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?
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.
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.
