Alt-Country | The Deslondes
w/ Mechanical River
Sun. May 8
9 p.m.
$10/adv., $12/door
Pour House
If you were to stumble upon the Deslondes’ self-titled debut album without knowing it came out last year, you could be forgiven for thinking it was some long-lost Sun Studios album. The guitars have that familiar boom-chicka-boom sound, the vocal harmonies are raggedly soulful, and the music is a primal, compelling mix of rock, gospel, and country. But it turns out that the band isn’t some kind of throwback; they’re just from New Orleans. “By definition, our social fabric is very musical,” says singer/bassist Dan Cutler. “There’s music everywhere. All of our friends and people we hang out with are musicians in bands, so musical situations happen on a daily basis. And then there’s also just a lot of musical culture, and we love all of that stuff. A lot of people would consider that historical or old music, like it’s dated somehow, but it’s not really the case in New Orleans. It feels very current.” —Vincent Harris SUNDAY
Outlaw EDM | Shooter Jennings & Waymore’s Outlaws
w/ The Piedmont Boys
Fri. May 6
8:30 p.m.
$20/adv., $25/door
The Windjammer
So if you’re one of country music’s back-to-the-roots saviors and the spawn of one of the most legendary outlaw country performers who ever lived, what do you do as a follow-up to your last hard-as-nails rock-country hybrid album? Well, apparently if you’re Shooter Jennings, son of Waylon Jennings, you record an album-length tribute to electronic music producer and disco god Giorgio Moroder. No, seriously — Shooter’s new album Countach (For Giorgio) is chock-full of synthesizers and swishing hi-hats (except for a twangy mid-album duet with the late, great songwriter Steve Young), and a disco version of Elvis “I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone” is a true hear-it-to-believe-it moment. Oh, and then there’s the cover of Bowie’s “Cat People” with Marilyn Manson on lead vocals. To say this album was unexpected is a colossal understatement, and it’s definitely weird as hell, but it’s also undeniably catchy and truly heartfelt. Shooter’s not kidding around: He really loves Giorgio Moroder. —Vincent Harris FRIDAY
Bluegrass | Palmetto Brewgrass Festival
Fri. May 6
7 p.m.
$15/adv., $18/door
Charleston Music Hall
Sat. May 7, Sun. May 8
1 p.m.
$20/day, $35/both days
Palmetto Brewing
The folks at Awendaw Green have joined forces with Palmetto Brewing to present a weekend-long bluegrass celebration at both the brewery and Charleston Music Hall. Friday at the Hall will feature two-time Grammy Award-nominated singer-songwriter Kim Richey, singer-songwriter and Greenville native Brian Ashley Jones, and Nashville artist Mike Farris. Farris made a name for himself in the ’90s as leader of the blues-rock band Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies but won a Grammy two years ago for Best Roots Gospel Album. Saturday at the brewery, you’ll hear the Jon Stickley Trio, who blends everything from gypsy violin standards to melodic, upbeat ska originals, along with Love Canon, a string band that brings ’80s hits to life via banjo, bass, mandolin, dobro, fiddle, and down-home vocals. Local acts that day include Southbound 17, Chewbacky, Pinkerton & the Brinks, and Dallas Baker & Friends. Sunday’s lineup will feature the Holy City’s own Cane Creek String Band, Triangle Bluegrass, Red Cedar Review, and Gravel Road Acoustic Trio. And these high-lonesome visiting acts will conclude the fest: August gypsy-folk six-piece Delta Cane, foot-stomping Nashville quintet Forlorn Strangers, and the five female-strong, Grammy Award-nominated Della Mae, who was recently featured on Prairie Home Companion. —Kelly Rae Smith FRIDAY-SUNDAY
Blues Rock | John the Conqueror
w/ Barnwell and Little District
Sun. May 8
9 p.m.
$5
The Royal American
Blues-rock trio John the Conqueror isn’t from the Mississippi Delta, but they certainly have roots there. Bandleader Pierre Moore was born in Jackson, Miss., where he began taking guitar lessons from a homeless man. Moore eventually teamed up with his cousin, drummer Michael Gardner, and began playing as a duo before they both relocated to Atlanta. In 2006, the two played on a few Vans Warped Tour dates with the Slack Republic but quit the band by 2007. In 2011, they met bassist Ryan Lynn while living in Philadelphia, which is when the trio that is John the Conquerer was born, named after an African-American folk hero. Since then, the three have released two full-length LPs, including 2014’s The Good Life, while Gardner has been replaced with Adam Williams. So if a band that blends a bit of Muddy Waters, Led Zeppelin, and the Black Keys into one package makes your ears perk up a little, you’ll probably dig John the Conquerer. —Kelly Rae Smith SUNDAY
Love Best of Charleston?
Help the Charleston City Paper keep Best of Charleston going every year with a donation. Or sign up to become a member of the Charleston City Paper club.