the dotmatrix project

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.

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.

Enjoy!

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.

Enjoy!

These misfits will be playing in just a few short hours at The Green Burro.

C’mon, brave the ridiculous downpour from the Gods and come on out to our free show.

Local talent documenting local talent.

Word.

If you’re digging Albina Savoy, then get yourself down to the show tonight. Filthybird will be there too!

The monkeywhale. It needs saving.

Hot damn, them boys can rock!

Save. The. Monkeywhale.

These wonderful musicians will be headlining the next DMP show on April 30th (along with Albina Savoy). Hope to see you out that night.

And save the Monkeywhale, won’t you?

Looks like the Durham trio has some fans over at Amie Street. Nash Roberts wrote a pretty cool review about our live recording of the guys. Here’s a taste:

[...] Live at DMP captures a show recorded at The Green Burro, in Greensboro, NC, by a collective of local music enthusiasts called the dotmatrix project. The set mostly features tracks from Hammer No More The Fingers’ upcoming album, Looking For Bruce, which is to be released in early April, as well as a few from their 2007 self-titled debut.

HNMTF’s music is stripped-down rock that’s meant to keep the kids bouncing until the onset of shin splints. Equally danceable and rockable, their energetic live shows have made them one of the most thrilling local acts to catch in the Chapel Hill/Durham area. This show does a pretty good job of translating the live experience. Duncan Webster hollers and strains over his growling bass, most likely losing his glasses in the process; Joe Hall’s chord selection and infectious riffs are the envy of 98% of the guitar community in the Triangle area of North Carolina; Jeff Stickley thrashes when it’s fitting and has the versatility to drum otherwise when it’s not. [...]

I wonder if Nash and company have seen the video yet?

The Radials were the very first band that we put on at the DMP. They stepped in at the last minute for our kick-off show in April ‘08 and proved to be quite the paradoxical pairing to Sorry About Dresden.

I love these guys.

Oh yes: save the monkeywhale.

For me, the most enjoyable aspect of producing DMP shows is that we have free reign to put on musicians of all genres. Last month it was a rockabilly/blues evening, next month it’ll be a hip hop/spoken word night, and this month… well, tomorrow night we’re putting on a special show.

Country, gospel, rebel tunes… all in one evening.

Bruce Piephoff has been a fixture on the local music scene here in Greensboro for the last 40 some odd years. You’ll get a sense of his soul in this fantastic interview/music video shot in Harvey’s Kitchen (eh-hem, save the monkeywhale!)

 
Jim Avett hails from Concord, NC where he has raised and nurtured an amazing musical family (The Avett Brothers) and collaborated with talented musicians both near and far on soulful, deep country gospel tunes. Here’s a taste of Jim in his home doing his thing:

I’m pretty sure no one will be climbing up on the bar tomorrow night, but that’s the beauty of this project.

At least for me.

Come on out, y’all.