the dotmatrix project

Josh Johnson’s one man band, Pinche Gringo, gets backup from Liza Jane on maracas and Jimmy Brad on guitar.

Hearing the blues Pinco Gringo style.

To see more of Julie’s work, check her blog

Josh Johnson in his one man band, Pincho Gringo, performing at The Green Burro.

An audience member gets comfortable as he takes in the garage/blues sounds.

To see more of Michael Dunn’s work, check out his blog.

Will Dawson connects with camera and crowd.

Fans become part of The Alcazar Hotel’s performance as Will Dawson moves off the stage and into the crowd.

To see more of my work, check out my blog.

And one of DMP’s very own photographers, Doug Klesch, kicked off the evening by covering The Black Keys!

15 years since he last performed and you’d never know it.

To say it was a magical evening late last February when Jim Avett took to the stage for our little project, storytelling his way through a number of classic tunes, both covers and originals, would be an understatement at best. Even Jim’s kids, the skyrocketing Avett Brothers, sat in for a few tunes. Chills went through everyone as the script was flipped and the boys backed up their dad in the spotlight.

photo by Elizabeth Lemon

Eventually, the time came to bring Greensboro’s own musical legend, Scott Manring, to the stage. Harvey did an amazing job in the video of capturing the back story of how Signs was birthed between these two gentlemen. I particularly enjoyed watching their faces as they felt time slipping back to the days of its original recording some 30 years ago.

Sheer exuberance.

MUSIC VIDEO CREDITS

Director: Harvey K. Robinson, monkeywhale productions
Director Photography:: Harvey K. Robinson
Editor: Zach Hadgraft
Camera: Mark Wagoner, Alex Maness, Blake Faucette
Gaffer: Jonathan Faw
Grips: Matty Sheets, Barry Staples, David Moore
Sound: Danny Bayer, Don Ravon

We’re still working on Jim’s live album, but it’ll come out soon enough. Patience…

I stopped by HK’s spot for coffee the other day, mostly to shoot the shit, partially to check on the progress of both the Bruce Piephoff and Jim Avett DMP music videos (to be finished this week and next, respectively) and Harvey introduced me to this video of Thayer Sarrano performing their tune, Jump In The Water, live in Harvey’s kitchen.

Can you say haunting?

God bless the Monkeywhale.

Looking great, fellas.

Directed by Dave Liberstein.

Rhiannon Giddens put on an amazing show last fall, and we were lucky enough to capture this a cappella number with her sister, Lalenja Giddens Harrington. The use of the mirror to include the captured audience was a pretty neat idea.

MUSIC VIDEO CREDITS

Editor: Bret Jones
Camera: Bret Jones
Camera: Jennifer Graves
Camera: Jason Marc Pierce
Sound: Danny Bayer
Sound: Don Ravon

We’re still trying to catch up with new momma and busy musician Rhiannon to get the album out. All in due time.

Our triangular brethren are putting on another great festival.

Let’s go.

For those of you who aren’t altogether sports-literate, “anything can happen in October” is a phrase regularly used in the world of Major League Baseball as the playoff season approaches.  It’s used to remind fans that all of the teams making a run for the championship have a valid chance.  It’s used to build the excitement and anticipation for what promises to be an exhilarating spectacle.

Don’t worry.  This post isn’t about baseball, or sports at all, really. It’s about music.  More precisely, it’s about all the music there is to look forward to in the month of October.  Thanks to the folks at Monkeywhale Productions, it starts off with a bang.

Last night, I was fortunate enough to take part in the first night of the first ever Save the Monkeywhale Festival at Solaris.  The eager participants were treated to a very special performance by Josh Neas, of J’s Indie/Rock Mayhem, to kick off the live event.  The first band to grace the stage was Now You See Them, from Asheville.

After that great act, Eating the Invaders took the stage and kept the party going.  Finally, Holy Ghost Tent Revival closed out the evening with their always lively, raucous performance.  It was a fantastic night of music…and this was the first night!

The lineup for Friday night’s extravaganza at The Blind Tiger includes Sirius B., Citified, Filthybird, and The Never.

For Saturday night, again at the Blind Tiger to close out the Festival, there will be performances by House of Fools, Amelia’s Mechanics, Bruce Piephoff, Martha Bassett Band, Sam Frazier, Alcazar Hotel, Stephaniesid, Jim Avett, Katharine Whalen, and special guests.  You can still get tickets online at savethemonkeywhale.com, or you can pick them up at the door.

Next weekend, there’s an incredible gathering of musicians and music-lovers happening down in Chatham County, NC.  This is the kind of thing that only comes around twice a year!  On Thursday, October 8, Shakori Hills kicks off their fall Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance.  The list of bands is too vast to go into here.  I can tell you that you can expect to enjoy a wide variety of music at this festival, from zydeco and swing to roots rock and americana.  There’s a little something for everyone in the family at Shakori Hills.

The following weekend, there’s a festival going on in Franklinville, NC, called the Deep River Music Festival.  On Friday, Amelia’s Mechanics, Eating the Invaders, and Holy Ghost Tent Revival will be performing.  On Saturday, the lineup includes the Ralph Roddenbery Trio w/ Scott Mecredy, The Virginia Dare Devils, the Haw River Rounders, Milltown, and the Wyndy Trail Travelers.

Now, I know all of this might seem like a lot, but it’s actually only the tip of the iceberg.  There’s gonna be a lot of music going on in all the familiar venues in and around town.  There are really too many shows to try and list them all here.

For example, there’s the annual Greensboro Fest that’s going on October 15-18 and will include about two dozen different bands.  There’s bound to be a couple of great shows this month in one spot or another.  Check out the Flat Iron, or the Green Bean, or the Blind Tiger, or My Favorite Things Records some time to get an idea.

Remember, at the end of this month, we’ll be putting on the last DMP show of 2009.  Alcazar Hotel, Pinche Gringo, and us folk with the dotmatrix project look forward to entertaining you once again.  You don’t have to wait until then to go out and enjoy some quality music, though.

It’s Autumn!  It’s going to get cold soon!  I suggest we all take the opportunity to enjoy this time of year as much as possible!  As far as I’m concerned, some great music and some good friends is the way to go.