of Montreal
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYOF MONTREALWhen creators f<ck with how we experience time and space, great fictions emerge: Clive Barker’s Imajica, Andrei Tarkovsky’s sci-fi classic Solaris, and Godard’s Alphaville. But what happens to artists when the flow of time gets f^cked up IRL? When an hour stretches into eternity, and the voices in your head begin to echo through empty rooms? If you’re Kevin Barnes, the creative visionary behind of Montreal, Freewave Lucifer f<ck f^ck f>ck happens. Isolation and uncertainty loomed throughout the genesis of the band’s latest studio album. “The experience of just trying to keep my head above water and navigate through the last couple years played a huge role in this record,” says Barnes.These expansive selections contrast markedly with the focused pop of 2020’s UR FUN, which was crafted for visceral thrills and the concert stage. As it was for countless musicians around the world, the inability to tour eliminated one of the linchpins of Barnes’ creative process. “I didn’t know if we’d ever tour again, so I didn’t consider that side of things.” Denied social interaction and diverse experiences, Barnes delved inward.Barnes contemplated how time functions in music and experimented accordingly. These new songs, dense with ideas but short on repetition, feel epic in scope despite reasonable running times. Like the staircases of M.C. Escher’s Relativity, the discrete sections of “Marijuana’s A Working Woman” and “Blab Sabbath Lathe of Maiden” crisscross and pivot, confounding the senses yet commanding attention. The imagery and sentiments that bubble forth from Barnes’ lyrical wordplay prove equally disorienting.“Is it important to say black chrome rodents?,” asks Barnes on “Après The Déclassé.” Phrases borne of free association took on new meaning when introduced into a song. “It’s like collaborating with my subconscious in a way. It feels deeply personal, even though I don’t necessarily understand it at that moment.”“Marijuana’s A Working Woman” juxtaposes oddball funk a la Zapp or Rick James with nods to Alice Anne Baily’s 19th century spiritualism. “Modern Art Bewilders” zigzags between baroque psychedelic idyll and synthpop tantrum, equal parts Sgt. Pepper’s and Gary Numan. Other influences woven throughout include realist painter Edward Hopper, fantasy author Ursula K. Le Guin, cinéaste Pedro Almodovar, and erotic illustrator Toshio Saeki.Barnes likens their compositional process to making collages from seemingly unrelated source materials, combining them in provocative ways to reveal new meanings. “I wasn’t working with specific themes that I wanted to try and stretch over a three-minute pop song. It was sewing together a lot of fragmented thoughts,” which ties in nicely to the ‘freewave’ aspect of the album title’s meaning. As Barnes explains, “Freewave is my term for wild and intractable artistic expression. Lucifer is the angel of enlightenment and elucidation. Fuck is something we say when things are going really well, or really badly.”As for anything else going on behind the scenes during the genesis of Freewave Lucifer f<ck f^ck f>ck, Barnes opts to preserve the mystery. “Sometimes in the past, I felt it was important for people to know certain things, so they could get into a specific headspace.” Not this time.LOCATE S,1
Electric Six + The Surfrajettes
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYELECTRIC SIX The Devil has always been there. He is the great outsider, the original iconoclast. He is a conniving little shit and never seems to tire of giving humanity a wedgie or a wet willie just for a laugh. The Devil is capable of taking many forms. He can exist as one being or spread out amongst many. He can present himself as an ordinary man or as a horrific cloven-hoofed beast depending on his mood. Above all else, The Devil lives to corrupt, to adulterate, to defile. Electric Six has often used The Devil as subject matter for its songs because of that last bit, the part about corruption and adulteration. That’s what Electric Six has been trying to do with its music now for quite some time!!!! We want to corrupt young women….just like The Devil!!! There’s nothing more rewarding than the seduction of a young innocent maiden, forcing her to wear demonic dresses, levitating her towards the great fiery skull and watching her eyes turn black as she gives into evil and becomes the bride of The Devil!!!! That….is why we started this band….to help women realize their potential as sexy evil maidens with eyes reflecting the utter darkness of a corrupted soul. With its fourteenth studio album Bride of the Devil, Electric Six examines the concepts of evil and corruption, humanity’s various falls from grace, the nine circles of purgatory and of course, the internet itself. Bride of the Devil opens with the thunderous opener “The Opener”, a bombastic celebration of the arena rock Electric Six never got to play. The next two numbers are textbook ear worm guitar pop numbers that deal with debilitating income inequality and nepotism (“Daddy’s Boy”) and the horrors of being forced into a pool of toxic waste by an a rabid Doberman trained to kill (“(It Gets) (A Little) Jumpy”). And then we get to the title track, a radio anthem, where it all becomes clear that The Devil is a metaphor for Russia and the United States is the young girl who is seduced, corrupted and wedded into a Satanic covenant with the beast. It’s all there in black and white. The Carrie Underwood-esque lyrics alongside a backdrop of vodka and caviar and backchannels and Seychllian bank accounts. That’s how they did it. They went after our country performers and got the rubes to feel good about being Russian assets. And still, it is the feel-good anthem of the summer. Finally, the haunting album closer “Worm In the Wood” is Electric Six at its most serious, most tender and emotional. Haunting. Effervescent. Corrupt. Jaundiced. Tired. So there you have it. Electric Six is back with its fourteenth record and it’s poppy and feel-good, as well as heavy, both sonically and lyrically. Our sound will corrupt you and enslave you as the beautiful demonic bride you know you truly are. Fraulein, take this severed hand with it’s creepy long nails from the beginning of time. To do so is truly thine destiny. THE SURFRAJETTESThe Surfrajettes are a four-piece instrumental combo from Toronto, ON, Canada. Since forming in late 2015, the band has charmed audiences with their clever mix of psychedelic rock and reverb-drenched surf music, sky-high beehives, go-go boots, and eyeliner as thick as their guitar strings. The band achieved viral online notoriety from their home-made performance videos and their feature by Norman’s Rare Guitars in LA. The debut 45 single “Party Line / Toxic” released late 2018 on Hi-Tide Recordings to immediate success.
Jojo Hermann (of Widespread Panic)
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYJOJO HERMANNJohn “JoJo” Hermann started playing keys with Widespread Panic in 1992. His major influences stem from New Orleans piano players; most notably Professor Longhair and Dr. John.Throughout his career he has brought his New Orleans piano boogie woogie style into his songwriting.SAM HOLT Sweet, lowdown, and introspective, Sam Holt writes rock songs that are heartfelt and poignant expressions of life experiences that reflect his southern roots. Holt is well known for his guitar tech skills for the late Michael Houser of Widespread Panic, and for his own national touring band Outformation. Sam Holt put his own name front and center with the newly assembled Sam Holt Band, which is anchored by Holt’s distinguished guitar technique – no pick, all thumb! Sam Holt Band brings a hypnotic amalgam of outlaw twang, southern power pop, and face-melting hard rock riff-age. “I really just write from my heart. The music is out there, if I can get out of my own way it’s easier for a song to form,” says Sam. Born in Nashville, TN, Holt spent his youth surrounded by southern rock. The first bands Sam remembers liking were The Charlie Daniels Band and Elvis Presley. Once his mom brought home KISS Alive II, he knew music would be a major part of his life. Graduating from Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in recording engineering Sam went to work at Soundcheck in Nashville. In 2000, Holt became the guitar tech for Michael Houser of the wildly popular Athens, GA band Widespread Panic. Houser was impressed with Sam’s skills and told him should be playing his own music. Sadly, Houser passed away in August of 2002 after a courageous struggle with pancreatic cancer. Sam continued to tech for Widespread Panic, and made frequent onstage appearances playing lead guitar on the Summer 2006 tour. These shows were highly valued by Panic’s die-hard fan base. Armed with that experience and Mike’s encouraging words, Sam started the Atlanta, GA basedband Outformation with Lee Schwartz on drums and Grady Upchurch on bass. Outformation toured for five years and recorded three albums: Tennessee Before Daylight (2005), Traveler’s Rest (2007) and Fastburn (2009). In 2010, the members of Outformation went their separate ways. Holt moved to Colorado and became a part of the vibrant Colorado music scene forming The Sam Holt Band with Michael “Spanky” McCluer on bass, Adam Stern on pedal steel and guitar, and Andy Clapp on drums are adding fresh colors and textures to Holt’s catalog of material. Sam notes, “I’m so lucky to have hooked up with these guys. They are such burning players, and I totally trust them in any situation.”
Emery: ‘In Shallow Seas We Sail’ Anniversary Tour
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLYEMERY Our trials and tribulations toughen us up and, ultimately, inform who we become. Emery proudly wears the wisdom from those scars in their songs. The Seattle quintet—Toby Morrell [vocals, guitar], Devin Shelton [vocals, bass], Josh Head [vocals, keys, synths], Matt Carter [guitar], Dave Powell [drums], and Chris Keene [guitar] —teeter on an axis of unpredictably heavy soundscapes, off-kilter grooves, searing melodies, and fits of harmony. Now, the group open up and bleed like never before on their eighth full-length offering, Rub Some Dirt On It [Tooth & Nail]. “The album is based on personal and difficult real-life situations,” reveals Devin. “We wanted to focus on moments that were hard to navigate, but ultimately character-building experiences in our lives. When we would fall, scrape our knees, or get some other fairly insignificant injury, our dads would always say, ‘Rub some dirt on it’. In other words, you’re tougher than you think. Instead of crying or dwelling on it, get up and keep going. Don’t let the pain define you. Instead, learn from it and become better. STRAWBERRY GIRLSSLOW JOY
OUTPOST: 54 Bicycles
– ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINE54 BicyclesA Charleston, SC based band of lifelong Widespread Panic fans and musicians aiming to capture the spirit, energy and intention of Mikey-Era panic shows in intimate venues.
PATIO: The Resonant Rogues
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVEDTHE RESONANT ROGUES The Resonant Rogues’ dark Appalachian folk paints a picture of their lives in the mountains of Western North Carolina and on the road. Anchored by the songwriting duo of Sparrow (banjo, accordion) and Keith Smith (guitar), they’ve traveled the byways and highways of America and crossed the oceans with instruments in tow. From riding freight trains to building their own homestead, the pair are no strangers to blazing unconventional trails. At once rooted and adventurous, each song tells a story of real experiences, friendships, and challenges. The Rogues just wrapped up a record in Nashville with renowned producer Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes, Hurray for the Riff Raff), featuring guest appearances from Sierra Ferrell, Benjamin Tod, John James Tourville (Deslondes), and Jason Dea West. “Their intense cohesion is so intertwined that it feels like they’re playing with one pair of hands.” –No Depression “I urge you to get out and hear them” -Lonesome Highway
PATIO: Krekel and Whoa
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVEDKREKEL AND WHOA “More spectacle than a traditional two-person band,” Krekel and Whoa hails from Asheville, NC, on Cherokee land. Musical conspirators since 2004, Jason Krekel (guitar, fiddle, drums, vocals) and Ami Whoa (keyboard, guitar, vocals) have traveled the continent and beyond sharing their infectious tunes. An adaptable duo, their show can be folk-y and acoustic, or rockin’ and electric with Krekel playing drums with his feet while still shredding the strings. This versatility means you might hear them saw through vintage fiddle tunes, weave original yarns, or pound out esoteric rock-n-roll beaters. One moment they’ll touch your heart, and the next they’ll get you dancing. Whether unplugged or cranked up, every Krekel and Whoa performance is full of heart, harmonies, and happiness. “Percolating sounds of 1950s roots rock, mountain music, and blues through an interesting array of instrumentations…[creating] a rather sly sound rich with an energetic curiosity and a deviously fun flavor.” – Escape Magazine “A danceable, campy, shredded-up mix of just about every kind of American music you can think of…and they belt out their sweet but biting lyrics with passion and abandon.” – Creative Alliance Baltimore “The duo from Asheville plays rockabilly, early punk, and 1960s rock and roll (among others) with a Buddy Holly swagger and the authenticity of 1930s street performers.” – PopMatters “Where Flat Duo Jets meets Flatt and Scruggs.” – Unbound Culture With a prolific musical history, Jason and Ami have released four full-length albums and two 45 records under a previous band name, Mad Tea Party, as well as a few singles and two EPs, Warm Up Bones (2018) and Tucked Away (2020). They have played countless venues and festivals, and shared the stage with bands such as Southern Culture on the Skids, Donna the Buffalo, and the Avett Brothers. Click here to read a more detailed band backstory.
OUTPOST: The Lads
– FREE SHOW- ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINEThe LadsClassic rock and blues. They call it classic for good reason. The Lads will make you want to dance, sing along, or both. Get classic with The Lads avl.
PATIO: Ben Balmer
– ALL AGES- LIMITED PATIO SEATING IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVEDBEN BALMER Born and raised near Ann Arbor MI, Ben Balmer is an Austin and Asheville-based singer songwriter whose talent and way with words has taken him touring all over the world. Binding roots-y Americana with contemporary twists, Ben has been influenced by a wide range of musicians, including Tom Waits, Fiona Apple, Taj Mahal, and Paul Butterfield. He has released three full-length albums, as well as multiple EP’s and singles, and has released his newest album, Honky-Tonk Macbeth, in October of 2021. Ben’s songs speak of the road, love, loss, and revisits archaic themes that work towards a poetic narrative of folklore all on its own. Ben is currently working on writing as well as performing with other esteemed artists as a harmonica player.
OUTPOST: Dirty Dead
– FREE SHOW- ALL AGES- STANDING ROOM ONLY- RAIN OR SHINEDirty Dead Began in the fall of 2016 as a Grateful Dead tribute band based in Asheville NC. Since they have earned a large local and regional fan-base for their live performances of unique, grungy, and uptempo versions of the Dead & JGB catalog. In the years following, they have expanded from Asheville NC, and regularly appear in Knoxville TN, Greenville SC, and other cities and mountain towns surrounding their home base.
