the dotmatrix project

Hello internet people.

So, in case you missed it, or in case you just want to relive the awesomeness, here’s the skinny on the Matty Sheets birthday party that occurred last night, March 12th, 2010. This night happened almost exactly the way I wanted it to.

Matty Sheets and the Blockheads

Matty Sheets and the Blockheads was the first of four musical acts to go on. This group essentially involves Matty and whomever he chooses to play with him. Playing with Matty that night was Emily Stewart on banjo, Jessica Pennell on accordion, James Marshall Owen on ukulele, and Gael McKeon on upright bass. I even sat in for a few. ‘Twas a joy and an honor, as Matty’s music holds a very special place in my heart.

Antigravity Animated

Antigravity Animated, the second act of the night is a hip hop/R & B experience that I’m slightly biased in favor of due to the fact that it’s my own creation. Last night’s set starred me, Taylor Bays (if you couldn’t figure that out) as the MC, along with DJ Nincompoop 17,000, my robot DJ. The theme of the set was a dream that I had wherein I was selected for a game show called “The Mic is Right” that selects one lucky member of the audience (Me, go figure) to rap for the entertainment of everybody else. The set also included the destruction of an Olsen Twins VHS tape.

Go me.

The Leeves

Next, The Leeves shook the building with their signature make-you-laugh-cry-and-dance-your-ass-off sound. I can’t say this enough times. The Leeves kick ass. They have consistently been one of the funnest bands to see live along with playing some of the best music to be found in Greensboro. The room swarmed with little Leevlings, dancing and jumping like a solid mass of fleshy love, as is the norm at their shows. Their set included a combination of older and newer songs along with a brand new one, appropriately titled “House Shows”. Damn right. TEH LEVS!

Crystal Bright and the Silver Hands

Crystal Bright and the Silver Hands closed out the night with an hour (possibly more) of maddeningly ecclectic sound. This band is truly difficult to put a label on. Depending on the song being played, I could describe them using a variety of descriptions ranging from circus nightmare theme to Spanish traditional song to experimental noise. The band is composed of Crystal Bright playing accordion and whatever other little toy she decides to pick up (There’s one instrument that I couldn’t name that looks like a big hamburger that she hits with mallets.), Pete Lewis on the drums, Chris Micca on bass, and Diego Diaz on acoustic guitar and electric lapsteel. Definitely a hell of a wall of sound.

Let me go on a rant for a minute.

Crystal Bright is an amazing multi-instrumentalist badass with the voice of a damn banshee and I’m fucking in love with her. Okay. Done. Pretty short rant really. I’m proud of myself.

A big thanks to everyone who came out. I know Matty appreciated it. I had an amazing time myself. I very much encourage anyone and everyone to create their own posts with their own pictures/videos from the night. It was EPIC!

Photos by: Taylor Bays

Israel Darling kicked off our second show at The Green Bean, followed by the relentless big band, The Brand New Life. The kids came out to get deep, the kids came out to dance, hell, the kids were out! This was only our second show without a 21+ age limit. So. much. more. fun.

Here’s a taste of what they both sounded and look like last week, first Israel Darling:

Samson The Mason *

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Photo by Stephen Charles

Photo by Stephen Charles

Photo by Stephen Charles

Now, The Brand New Life:

Time Warp *

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Photo by Stephen Charles

Photo by Stephen Charles

Photo by Stephen Charles

* These tracks were not live recordings from the DMP show. We should have live albums of these sets ready for release within a couple of months. Check back for music videos and more photography as well.

Come Hell or High Water

The Graveyard Fields

The Alcazar Hotel

Thanks for the memories.

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

What else can be said about Mr. Rozzi? As a long-time staple on the Greensboro hip hop scene, Rozzi constantly brings the energy, no matter the show or the circumstances. On this fine evening last March, he rolled into The Green Burro with a posse full of performers, including the lovely and talented Vanessa Ferguson, the R&B dynamo Jeremy Johnson and L in Japanese on the 1’s and 2’s.

Killer.

And give Ioannis Batsios some dap for the creative rendering of the video. Way above and beyond…

MUSIC VIDEO CREDITS
Editor: Ioannis Batsios
Camera: Ioannis Batsios, Matt Williams, David Bradley
Sound: Danny Bayer, Don Ravon

When I heard Kristen’s sound for the very first time — as the background music to her own interview in Harvey’s Kitchen — I couldn’t get it out of my head for weeks. In a very, very good way.

After watching this video, I’ll bet the same will be true for you.

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 Kristen’s entire DMP set on Last.fm or support a local musician by picking up the album over at Amie Street.

Fans of these bands know that they have only two things in common — they’re big in numbers (Israel Darling flexes from Jacob Darden performing solo to a full seven piece act) and they rock.

And that’s enough for me.

Israel Darling’s Appalachian style with Darden’s ponderings on religion and daily life in his songwriting may contrast heavily with The Brand New Life’s dedication to bringing the funk and groove to the party with their big band brass and rhythm section, but hey, that’s what makes the show unique.

DMP will have Don Ravon recording the event, Stephen Charles and Kyle Rhines shooting stills and a film crew headed up by Michael “Mangler” McQueen.

If you’d like to help promote the show, grab the above poster for your Facebook profile picture. If you’re a huge fan (and saint), feel free to grab the large version to print for posting in your dorm, neighborhood, back shed, etc.

Gracias.

When our music director, Don Ravon, booked Randy Furches to participate in our singer/songwriter night last June, I knew very little about his sound. The most I could find about him online was an interesting article the New York Times ran, delving into the subject matter of his song, Poor Ellen Smith — a tune about a distant relative of over a hundred years gone by, Peter DeGraff, who happened to be the last man (legally) hanged in North Carolina.

As it turns out, Randy’s sound is much more of a cross between pop artist and crooner than alternative acoustic. IMO, his vocal delivery is reminiscent of Tom Jones engaged in a footrace with Richard Cheese, and hell, I like Richard Cheese! Collaborations like the one above with local MC King-Kev-O exemplifies Randy’s inclination to toss the genre box aside when making his music.

Aside from all the marketing mumbo jumbo that drives the music “industry” these days, isn’t that what it’s all about?

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 Randy’s entire live set on Last.fm or support a local musician by picking up the album over at Amie Street.

There’s live original music going on in this town just about any night of the week now, what with all the shows at various bars, coffee shops and performance spaces, but Monday nights find me working the sound board at the Blind Tiger’s world famous Open Band Jam, where bands can sign up in whole or in part, empty spots in the roster being filled by one of the three house musicians on call.

Like most open jams, Monday has its regulars: the wiry art-funk of Carla R; the Trower/Vaughn/Hendrix blues worship of Stickers for Cigarettes; the spacey reggae/hip hop of Xuluprophet; and the duo that plays each week under a different name, but always includes an original titled either “I’m the Batman” or “No More Dead Cops,” but either way it ought to be the theme song for the next installment in the Caped Crusader silver screen franchise. Any and all experimentalism is spelled with a little “E”; it’s what punk must have been like before it started taking itself too seriously. There’s also the house band, and of course my sub-Ed Sullivan MC’ing.

Photo by Dan Bayer

Sometimes I think open mics are the purest form of public musical expression; rough-hewn garage bands bump shoulders with semi-professional part-time pickers, original visions too far out to fully elucidate bang heads with questionable-or-not covers of classic rock chestnuts. Too varied to coalesce into a self-policing “scene,” not polished enough to charge admission to, sometimes teetering on the brink of musical chaos, it’s an opportunity for musicians and audiences alike to take chances on new approaches and new talent.

There are other open mics in town too: Matty Sheets hosts one at the Flatiron, and there are open blues jams at Plum Krazy’s, the Clubhouse and Club Zion. The blues jams, as the name implies, are pretty much rooted in that genre, but still fun nonetheless, and a good chance to work on your chops while meeting other local musicians.

So don’t let your lack of a band, or a missing member, or fear of public performance keep you from going out and being part of Greensboro’s music scene. Open mics are a chance to experiment and hone your craft, or just to play music in public without the stress of having to hunt down regular gigs. Most importantly, it’s fun!

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.