VARIETY | “Cold Heart Thursdays”
w/ A Decent Animal, Arum Rae, Lasso Gospel Choir
Thurs. June 14
Cumberland’s
$7
It’s been two (or so) years since A Decent Animal first wriggled out of the fertile minds of singer/guitarist Jonathan Nicholson and bassist/guitarist/singer Richard Weld. In that relatively short time they’ve weaned themselves successfully from any influences and — aided by the addition of creative-like-a-fox drummer/keyboardist George Baerreis — cultivated a moody, atmospheric sound unlike anything else happening in Charleston right now. After a year that took them up the East Coast on a headlining tour, they’re prepping their first full-length album, Weld reports, and getting ready to hit the left coast in a few weeks with Band of Horses. “We’ve got a bunch of new stuff that we haven’t played in Charleston before,” Weld says, “we’ve been writing a lot and playing a lot of different styles.” The Cumberland’s event warms up with the sweet riffage and haunting voice of Arum Rae, a Virginia-based blueswoman touring behind a debut disc titled Too Young To Sing the Blues, and the Lasso Gospel Choir — a collective of local musicians that includes the members of ADA, Lindsay Holler & the Dirty Kids, Cary Ann Hearst, and whoever else turns up and wants to stomp and shout and fire up a mini-revival. It just might save a piece of your soul… (see www.myspace.com/adecentanimal for more). —Sara Miller THURSDAY
JAZZ/SOUL | Chris Hyatt Quintet
Sat. June 16
Johnson’s Pub
$5
Charleston-based vocalist Chris Hyatt recently performed a string of “Neo Soul Conversations” events in tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holliday, and Sarah Vaughan at Tonik during this month’s Piccolo Spoleto Jazz Series. This weekend, he leads the way through a more casual performance at Johnson’s Pub. “It’s gonna be bananas at Johnson’s this Saturday night,” predicts the singer. “David Linaburg will be on guitar, the infamous Ben Bennett — probably one of the most underrated musician in town — will be on bass, and J.T. Styles will be on drums.” Other special guests will be on hand as well for two sets of “jazzy, kinda funky R&B grooves” with several carefully-reworked contemporary pop tunes by the likes of Amy Winehouse and The Zutons. “No matter what, it’s going to be a good rocking time.” Visit www.myspace.com/chrishyattband for more. —T. Ballard Lesemann SATURDAY
ROCK/PUNK | The Monistats
w/ Lamb Handler, Stereoside
Tues. June 19
Cumberland’s
$5
Out of Gainesville, Fla., The Monistats are touring the Southeast this month behind their new six-song EP, Life Sucks (Bony Orbit) — an edgy, snotty, shouty, hard-rockin’ batch of old-school U.S. punk and early New Wave (think The Dead Kennedys and The Dickies meet The Misfits). Singer/guitarist Sean Monistat, guitarist Silo, bassist Dan E. Bukkake, and drummer Chris Insincere hammer hard … and they manage to toss in a few synch chords and melodies as well. On their new 14-song LP The Shepherds of Rock, N.C. riff-rock band Lamb Handler — singer/guitarist Tony Buckner, guitarist Jay Fernandez, drummer Tim Benson, and bassist Brent Holland — sound like the kind of guitar band Cheech & Chong would’ve included on a late-’70s movie soundtrack. Visit www.myspace.com/themonistats and www.myspace.com/lambhandler for more. —TBL TUESDAY
ELECRONAFUNK | Eymarel
w/ Chronicles of the Landsquid
Tues. June 19
Pour House
$5
Eymarel are no strangers to the Charleston music scene, having visited regularly from their Wilmington home base. Since releasing the studio album Groovin’ a Little Each Day in 2006, the duo’s career has picked up, taking them to the West Coast and New England in recent months. Comprised of Mary Frances (keys, bass, vocals) and Lee Allen (drums, electronics), the couple met and formed their partnership at Appalachian State Univ. in 2003, where they were both obtaining degrees in music therapy. Frances is a classically trained pianist and her ability to hold down a funky bass line, solo with her right hand on the keyboard, and simultaneously wail her smooth alto voice into the microphone gives the pair a multilayered sound that to the ears seems like a full band. Allen trained at Boston’s Berklee School of Music. He combines rock-solid timekeeping with an expert hand for digital effects. It’s hard enough to be in a relationship and a band, but they accomplish that feat while spending nearly every waking moment together. Visit www.eymarel.com for more. —Stratton Lawrence TUESDAY
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