INDIE-POP | Ladybug Transistor
w/ Still Flyin’
Wed. Oct. 3
Village Tavern
$6
Over the last 10 years Brooklyn-based, Elephant 6-style indie-pop band The Ladybug Transistor have dabbled in various trippy, organic, vocal harmony-laden forms of pop — they call it “folky psychedelic classic-pop” — and survived several lineup adjustments (longtime drummer San Fadyl passed away in April at his home in Switzerland). Led by main singer/songwriter Gary Olson, they visit Charleston in support of their sixth studio album, Can’t Wait Another Day (Merge), which features contributions from members of Aislers Set, Architecture in Helsinki, The Clientele, Jens Lekman, Kevin Barker (of Currituck Co., Vetiver), Heather McIntosh (of Circulatory System, Instruments), Roy Nathanson (of Lounge Lizards/Jazz Passengers), and others. San Fran reverb/reggae pop band Still Flyin’ open at 10 p.m. Visit www.theladybugtransistor.com and www.village-tavern.com for more.—T. Ballard Lesemann WEDNESDAY
POP-ROCK | Adam Franklin Band
w/ 351 Cleveland
Thurs. Oct. 4
Village Tavern
$10
Fans of the ’90s Brit-rock/shoegazer scene surely recognize guitarist Adam Franklin, who spent the decade as singer, guitarist, and main songwriter for London-based band Swervedriver. The Creation Records recording artists dabbled in as much noisy grunge work as they did melodic and hooky guitar-pop. They made their first major splash in 1991 with a full-length debut titled Raise, which led to U.S. tours in support of Soundgarden, The Smashing Pumpkins, and others. By 1999, they were calling it quits. In the last few years Franklin worked a variety of solo projects and a collaboration called Sophia. His new solo effort, Bolts of Melody, mellows out a bit from the grungier sonic explorations of Swervdriver, with acoustic and electric guitars, electric keyboards, and Moogs played through guitar effects pedals. His current band includes guitarist Ley Taylor, bassist Josh Stoddar, drummer Than Luu, and various guest players. Visit www.toshackhighway.com and www.adamfranklin.com for more. —TBL THURSDAY
SOUL/R&B | Roper Wall Street Park Fundraiser
w/ Cuba Gooding Sr. & The Main Ingredient, The Manhattans, The Legendary Intruders, Blue Magic, Flame ’n’ King, Shahlin & Pitch Black
Sat. Oct. 6
The Plex
$30 ($35 adv.)
Willie Buck Powell, a longtime resident of Moncks Corner, has spent the last 10 years maintaining and building a park and playground on Wall Street (off a commercial strip on Hwy. 52) for the neighborhood kids and families. The town never seemed interested in funding a playground, so Powell took it upon himself to create one on private land, with permission from the owner, Richard Roper. Things are changing, though. Roper recently announced the closure of the facility (it’s expected to be dismantled by late November). Powell hopes to shed light on the need for such a recreation area with a benefit show this Saturday at the Plex featuring some great soul, R&B, and reggae talent. Aside from his famous actor son, headliner Cuba Gooding Sr. (pictured) is best known as the lead singer of ’70s soul band The Main Ingredient, whose hits included “Everybody Plays the Fool,” “Rolling Down the Mountainside,” and “I Just Don’t Want to Be Lonely.” The event starts at 6 p.m. Donations to the Roper Wall Street Park fund can be made at Southcoast Community Bank, Roper Wall Street Park Account, 337 E. Main St., Moncks Corner, S.C. 29461. —TBL SATURDAY
INDIE-ROCK | The Silent Years
w/ The Thomas Baker Band
Sat. Oct. 6
Village Tavern
$6
Detroit’s The Silent Years’ multi-puppet video for the soaring “Someone to Keep Us Warm” takes three protagonists (and band members) on enlightening journeys to the top of a mountain, where their forces combine. Epstein sounds like a young Jeff Buckley, surrounded by bass, drums, guitar, and casual backing harmonies from pianist Cassandra Veras. They sub-genre “pop-rock” into “Melodramatic Popular Song/Indie/Shoegaze,” but it’s clear they’re hardly staring at the ground. Tracks like the buttery-smooth “Lidocaine” are good enough that they might have to shed the “indie” label before long. Considering the group just rocked South by Southwest in Austin and then got named Spin Magazine’s underground artist of 2007, life may be getting louder for The Silent Years. Visit www.myspace.com/thesilentyears for more. —Stratton Lawrence SATURDAY
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