HEAVY ROCK | Double-O
Fri. May 19
w/ Handgun Sonata, Near Fatal Fall, Resistance
Music Farm
$5
This Friday, the Music Farm presents another in a series of opportunities to catch a handful of young Charleston rock bands for a cheap ticket price. This week’s big “Indie/Punk/Metal” local show features four-piece Double-O alongside the very busy Handgun Sonata and the up-and-coming Near Fatal Fall and Resistance. Double-O (pictured) originally formed as a high school punk band in 1998 under the name “Double O Seven.” After a long series of lineup changes, the band solidified with singer Ryan Phillips, guitarist Bobby Cumbie, drummer Tony Monk, and bassist Parker Nelson. “Have you ever seen us?” asks Monk, also of local band Sicklounge. “Dude, we are seasoned … with crushed red pepper! We’ve been playing out for like 100 years, but now that we have a professional demo out, we are making huge progress. We continue to get more serious while making conscious efforts to move ahead and fill our fans’ ears with the most kick-ass music we can write.” Double-O combine the operatic theatrical energy and high-speed tempos of Maiden and Metallica with the hair-raising love-machine pomp of Winger and irony-laden anti-commercialism of Devo and the Minutemen. —T. Ballard Lesemann FRIDAY
BLUEGRASS | Two High String Band
Fri. May 19
West Ashley Bait & Tackle
$8
With a sharp, powerful sound driven by hot string action and sharp vocal harmonies, Austin, Texas, bluegrass combo Two High String Band made a splash in the bluegrass/roots music scene this year with the release of a 12-song collection titled Moonshine Boogie (Blue Corn). The band is comprised of mandolinist Billy Bright and finger-style guitarist Brian Smith (both of whom attended the Berklee School of Music and formed the core of the band in 1995) alongside flat pickin’ guitarist Geoff Union (originally from Fayetteville, N.C.). Union officially joined in 2002 and the Two High String Band became a full-time band. Featured guests on the new recording include banjo great Tony Trischka (of Psychograss), fiddler Chojo Jacques (of Waybacks), and bassist Eric Thorin (of Open Road). This is one of several big bluegrass nights for the newly-settled West Ashley Bait & Tackle. Music starts at 8 p.m. The club is located at 1117 Magnolia Road in West Ashley. Call 556-1828 or check www.westashleybaitandtackle.com for more. —TBL FRIDAY
POP-ROCK | Gabe Dixon Band
w/ Dave Barnes
Friday, May 19
Village Tavern
$10
Considered “an excellent keyboard player” by former “bandmate” Sir Paul McCartney, young songwriter Gabe Dixon is developing into a strong bandleader in his own right. Dixon (pictured) formed the Gabe Dixon Band while attending the University of Miami and released his first effort, On A Rolling Ball, in 2002, before relocating to N.Y.C. and joining as the keysman in backing bands for artists as varied as Paul McCartney, Alison Krauss, and Loggins & Messina. Last year, he and his trio (with bassist Winston Harrison and drummer Jano Rix) recorded a six-song EP titled Live At World Cafe (Warner Bros./Reprise), live before a concert audience and in-studio at Philadelphia’s World Cafe. “Originally, we had five members including guitar and sax,” says Dixon. “As we got closer to the core of the group, it seemed like more space opened up in the sound. Going from five to four allowed a lot of room to stretch out and improvise while still performing songs, but I still didn’t feel like we had peeled back all the layers to get to the core. I needed to get to the center of the music — to the song and the groove.” Nashville-based (by way of Muscle Shoals) Americana/pop singer-songwriter Dave Barnes shares the bill in support of his latest indie effort, Chasing Mississippi. —TBL FRIDAY
BIKINI-ROCK | Big Black Building & Soulfish
Sunday May 21
The Windjammer
$2 (for wristband)
For over 20 years, the Windjammer has held their annual, summer-long “Budweiser Bikini Contests” on the back deck facing the Atlantic. The first round of this year’s bikini contest begins on Sun. May 21. The series continues through mid-August. Any female who is at least 18 years of age can participate in the contest. Charleston rock quartet Big Black Building (pictured) perform pre-contest and post-contest sets on the deck from 3-7 p.m. The band has a versatile sound and is led by founding guitarists Chris Sullivan and John Melnick with bassist Adam Irick and drummer Adam Bradley. The band released two albums of original material — 2000’s nine-song Tested and 2005’s 11-song Take a Chance. Local quartet Soulfish — guitarists Rotie Salley and Kenny Meyer, bassist Blair Halford, and drummer/percussionist Morgan Sprott — handle a variety of melodic classic rock tunes and Top 40 faves from the late ’60s through the early ’90s. They perform the post-contest set from 7-10 p.m. on the deck. Go online to www.the-windjammer.com for more. —TBL SUNDAY
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