Gonna be in town over the winter break? Entertaning guests? Wondering what to fill all that free time with?

Go with live music, of course!

Below are my  recommendations for shows between December 17 to January 11 (N.C. State’s Winter Break)

December 17:

Who: Sea Legs & Old Bricks

Where: WKNC’s Local Beer Local Band atTir Na Nog Irish Pub in Raleigh

I must say it, these are actually two of my favorite local bands. Both bands are new to the scene but I predict they will have quite a name for themselves by this time next year. Catch um while their new so you can be the cool guy who knew them when they were the little people.

December 18:

Who: Fin Fang Foom, Free Electric State, Gray Young

Where: Pinhook in Durham

If you haven’t yet been to the Pinhook, this is your excuse. Not only is it one of my favorite places to drink, they have a killer patio, these local bands are all worth seeing.

December 19:

Who: Holiday Honky Tonk and Burlesque Show

Where: Local 506 in Chapel Hill

Say whhhat? I get to see The Whiskey Smugglers, The Pneurotics and Gambling the Muse all while Miss Mary Wanna puts on a burlesque performance…. I’m sold.

December 20:

Where: Nightlight in Chapel Hill

What: Nightlight Holiday Craft Fair from 2 to 6 p.m.

Okay, so it’s not music. Think of it this way though, its local art and any local art that is presented to me will get a moment of my time. Stop by, especially if you haven’t checked everyone off your shopping list yet.

December 21 to 24:

It’s my birthday week so I would love to celebrate with some tunes! Unfortunately, the world seems to shut down around these dates, I’m not sure why. If YOU want to serenade me happy birthday feel free to find me at one of these shows!

The Cave in Chapel Hill is holding an all day open swap December 22 and 23. You can buy and trade your doodads. Sounds like fun!

December 25:

Where: The Pour House in Raleigh

You can celebrate Christmas day along with Terry Anderson, who will be celebrating his birthday as well. He brings his band, The Olympic Ass Kicking Team to the Pour House. You know there isn’t much to do after the family is done opening gifts and eating food so bring them to sing along!

December 26:

What: The Merch Holiday Party

Where: Local 506 in Chapel Hill

The Merch is a local screen printing and design business whose logos are plastered all over the triangle. They are huge supporters of local music and we love that!  Not sure what the night entails but it should be something great! The party starts at 10pm

December 31st:

Downtown Raleigh

First Night Raleigh

Ring in the new year right! Surround yourself with the amazingness this town has to offer. First Night is offering performances by The African American Dance Ensemble, Crucial Fiya and the Annuals (plus a million other amazing things to see and do). While your downtown don’t forget to stop by Slims to see A Rooster for the Masses.

OR

New Years Eve Party at Local 506 in Chapel Hill

Violet Vector and the Lovely Lovelies, The Love Language and the Dirty Little Heaters share the stage to help you ring in the new year!

January 1:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  there isn’t much going on this week so make sure to rest up for next week because it is jam-packed with shows to witness!

January 6

Where: The Pour House Music Hall in Raleigh

Who: The Ex-Monkeys are spinnin in downtown Raleigh this night. Great to see if you’re in the mood for a different kind of electronic music to dance too.

January 7

Where: Tir Na Nog Irish Pub in Raleigh

IT BEGINS! RALEIGH UNDERCOVER STARTS TONIGHT!!

This a weekend all local music lovers should look forward too! Your favorite bands will cover the bands that have inspired them. Last years performances  included Valient Thorr covering Parliament Funkadelic, Hearts and Daggers covering The Beastie Boys and Embarrassing Fruits as Pavement. Make sure to be there for at least one night this weekend!

January 8:

Where: The Pour House Music Hall in Raleigh

Who: Your favorite local artists Lonnie Walker, Megafaun and The Rosebuds are all joining together to put on one amazing show. The night will be a prom theme and fun for everyone! If you can’t make it out on the 8th, no worries, Megafaun and The Rosebuds will be performing again, same place same time, only this time the amazing Hammer No More the Fingers will be joining them.

January 9:

Where: The Nightlight in Chapel Hill

Who: Midtown Dickens takes the stage with Joe Romeo and the Orange County Volunteers. Midtown Dickens is a group that consistently keeps a smile on my face. They are a joy to watch and with this year’s release of Lanterns, you wont be let down.

Also right down the street North Elementary will be playing at The Local 506. A classic local group that is worth the short walk!

That is it for now!

The new year seems to be starting out well here in the Triangle!

Members of the local music collective Drug Horse Cartel will be on WKNC Thursday, December 10, around 3:30 pm. Nick Jaeger (Max Indian, The Tomahawks), Ryan Gustafson, Jeff Crawford (Max Indian, The Tomahawks), and Josh Moore will be on to discuss the various bands and solo acts associated with the group and their upcoming Holiday Show this Friday at Local 506, so be sure and tune in!

This Friday, October 23, indie trio Simple will release their new EP titled “WKNC Sessions Live.”  This is by no means a coincidence; we here at sessions@KNC recorded this very EP in the Caldwell Lounge back in May.

You should be pumped for a few reasons:

1. This thing rocks.

2. The show and CD are both FREE (but you’ll probably get a little nod toward a donation fund).

3. The songs on the CD are slightly different from what you heard online; they’ve been mastered and sound even better!

The show is at the Local 506 in Chapel Hill Friday at 10 p.m.  You’ll also see guest groups Nathan Oliver and Wild Wild Geese; two more bands with totally unique, cool sounds!

Also, Simple will be interviewed during The Local Beat on the same day at 5 p.m. on WKNC 88.1 FM.  Listen in!

There are always lots of awesome shows going on in the Triangle, but October seems to be just stuffed full of them. Below is a limited preview of some of the hippest, hottest acts to catch this month.

WKNC gets a lot of praise for our weekly Local Beer Local Band series at Tir Na Nog, but a good chunk of the credit belongs to Chris Tamplin. Help thank Chris for putting up with us Thursday, Oct. 1 as Local Beer Local Band doubles as Chris’s Birthday Local Band Bash. Prabir and The Substitutes and Goner are on the bill and rumor has it there may be a magician.

The much anticipated Hear Here finale show is Saturday, Oct. 3 at The Pour House. Motorskills opens, followed by Inflowential and The Love Language. Tickets are not available in advance so be sure to get there when doors open at 8 p.m. Once inside $5 will get you a copy of the Hear Here CD; there are less than 90 shopping days before Christmas so feel free to stock up.

St. Vincent was one of the hottest groups on 88.1 this summer. They open for Andrew Bird Wednesday, Oct. 7 and Thursday, Oct. 8. at the Cat’s Cradle. Both nights are sold out. If you aren’t one of the lucky ticket holders, personal favorites Everclear play Oct. 8 at the Lincoln Theatre.

Saturday, Oct. 10 is I Was Totally Destroying It’s release party for Horror Vacui at the Cat’s Cradle. The $7 advance and $10 door prices include a copy of the CD. If that isn’t enough to get you there, how about supporting bands Lonnie Walker, Des Ark, Rat Jackson and Lake Inferior?

Baltimore-based J. Roddy Walston and the Business is one of those bands you love as though they were native sons. Mike Roy joins them for their CD release party Wednesday, Oct. 14 at The Pour House.

Berkley Café hosts Lonnie Walker, Goner and Gray Young on Friday, Oct. 16. Try not to rock so hard you miss Luego’s CD release party Saturday, Oct. 17 at the Local 506. The Tomahawks and The Huguenots will be there too.

Raleigh’s Cherry Bounce Music Festival starts Sunday, Oct. 18 and runs throughout the week at various local venues. I’ve been sworn to secrecy about the line-up, but I can tell you to tune in to Local Lunch on Thursday to find out more.

Experimental prog rockers The Mars Volta invade the Disco Rodeo on Friday, Oct. 23. They’ll be in Charlotte the day before if you’re a really big fan.

A bunch of KNC staff saw Charlotte’s Benji Hughes in April and they’re still talking about it. See him for yourself as he performs with The Light Pines Saturday, Oct. 24 at the Local 506.

Fridays on the Lawn continue Friday, Oct. 30 with Max Indian and Schooner. It’s a totally free show on Harris Field, right in front of our radio home in the Witherspoon Student Center (corner of Cates Ave and Dan Allen Drive) at N.C. State. WKNC and the Union Activities Board put on the show with support from Student Government and the Inter-residence Council.

Check out WKNC’s Rock Report for more shows and feel free to leave comments about who’s on your to see list for October.

This Friday’s Local Beat has to be one for the ages.  My fourth week on the show is gearing up to be the best so far with special guests Superchunk, Ryan Gustafson, and the Pneurotics.

Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance of local legend Superchunk are calling in at 5pm to talk about their new book based on their label Merge Records: “OUR NOISE: The Story of Merge Records, the Indie Label that Got Big and Stayed Small“.  The book is set to be released Tuesday, September 15 via Algonquin Books.  Mac and Laura will be traveling across the state to promote the new book and play some tunes of their own at the following bookstores:

Local blog Triangle Music did an excellent short review on the book which you can read here.

You have been hearing Ryan Gustafson’s solo work on WKNC for a couple of weeks now, but at 6pm on the Local Beat Ryan is stopping by to chat about his CD Release party tonight at the Local 506 with two amazing bands, Mount Moriah and Mandolin Orange (show is $5 and starts at 9:30pm).  His album, Donkey LP, has certainly proven to be one of my favorites this summer and Spencer Griffith of The Indepdent Weekly gave the album an admirable review which you can check out here.

The Pneurotics Second Skin on next Friday!

The final hour of the show brings The Pneurotics on to chat up another new album and another Local 506 release party; this one their own.  The album is titled Second Skin and is set to be released Friday, September 18th at the 506 with The Travesties and Rat Jackson taking the stage as well (show is $8 and starts at 9:30pm). 

So tune in to the Local Beat every Friday evening from 5pm-8pm.  If you are out of the area be sure to listen online!

Max Indian at the Nightlight in May Photo by Mike Gray

Max Indian will be joining me, DJ Caid, in studio today at 1pm right after the Local Lunch.  Max Indian will be in to talk about their show this coming Friday with The Tomahawks and Ryan Gustafson at the Local 506.  The show starts at 9:30pm.

Tune in for more information!

All right, we have a jam-packed Local Beat for you today (in a few short hours, actually).

A Rooster for the Masses, c/o the band's Myspace

At 5:00 our good friends A Rooster for the Masses will be stopping by to talk about their show for The Club Is Open Festival over at the Local 506 in Chapel Hill.  They’re playing with Red Collar, The Loners, and Rat Jackson tonight.  Talk about rocking.

At 6:00 we’re going in a slightly different direction than usual, with the band Sandbox.  Unfamiliar? Check out an article the Indy ran on them a while back here.  They’ll be performing in studio, as well.

Bombadil performing "Cavaliers Har Hum" at the Lincoln Theatre 4/10, c/o Mike Gray

And lastly, Bombadil will be joining us at the 7:00 hour to talk about their CD release listening party.  This from the band’ website:

We are thrilled to announce that Durham’s own improvisational marching band, The Scene of the Crime Rovers, will join the bill with Luego and The Tender Fruit.  We couldn’t be more excited to have them–Daniel and Bryan both played in the SOC Rovers for a little while and found them to be a true inspiration.

Tomorrow morning on Americana Blues & Co we will start the show off with an interview with Thomas Moorefield of Sleepless Nights, a tribute band for Gram Parsons.

Sleepless Nights is playing alongside local act Lynn Blakey, of Tres Chicas fame, and headlining is Joe Swank and the Zen Pirates at the Local 506 on Thursday May 28th at 9pm.  We will be doing giveaways for the show, including some merchandise and a handful of tickets, but come prepared with you Gram Parsons trivia knowledge as you might need it (hint)

In addition to pumping up this amazing concert we will talk about Sleepless Nights performing in Nashville on September 19th at the “GP3″ event.  “GP3″ stands for Gram Parsons Petition Party, which is an event to draw attention to the ongoing petition drive to have Gram inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

My my my, the hits just keep coming on the Local Beat.  If you thought DJ Stevo was gone for good, then you thought wrong.  He’s only expressing his love for the North Carolina music scene in a different way now, through his brand new label, Neckbeard Records.  And as part of the Neckbeard Records launch, they’re throwing a free show at the Local 506 on Friday night.  The lineup is Gray Young, I Was Totally Destroying It, and Lemming Malloy–who will be releasing their album on Neckbeard that night.  So some combination of Stevo, Lemming Malloy, and others will be stopping by right at 5:00 to talk about what the band and the label has been up to — and what they have in store.

Then at 6:00, we’re going to switch directions completely–Colossus will be stopping in to talk about their show next Wednesday (5/27) at the Pour House.  They’ll be playing alongside Black Skies and Caltrop in what promises to be a pretty epic local metal show.  It’s not confirmed yet, but Caltrop may be joining them.  It remains to be seen.  What is certain, though, is that we’ll be having a good time and getting to know our favorite bands a little better.  And baseball is over, so we get the full 3 hours again!  Be sure to tune in at 5:00 at 88.1 FM or wknc.org/listen.

Ever wonder what your favorite local artists are listening to?  What inspires them to make the music we enjoy?

Let us introduce you to a new feature here at WKNC that introduces you the music that our artists listen to!  From here on out we will be regularly be bringing you into the headphones of local bands and friends of local music!

This week the members of Birds of Avalon have graciously sent us lists of what they have been currently rocking out to!

• Led Zeppelin- Down by the Seaside.
• Chicago- 25 or 6 to 4
• Joe Jackson- Steppin Out
• Sparks- Nothing to Do
• Van Halen- Little Guitars
• Steely Dan- My Old School
• Clipse- Ride Around Shinnin
• Benji Huges- The Mummy
• The Cherubs- Stag Party
• And now and for the rest of my life: Brenton Wood- The Oogim Boogum Song

David Mueller-Bass

• Cut Copy- Unforgettable Season
• Lyres- How Do You Know?
• Bob Dylan- The Gates of Eden
• A Tribe Called Quest- Award Tour
• The Horrors- I Only Think of You
• DOOM feat Empress Starhh- Still Dope
• Fever Ray- Dry & Dusty
• Franco- Mambu ma Miondo
• Kurt Vile- Freeway
• Crystal Stilts- Departure

Scott Nurkin- Drums

• Sarolta Zalatnay – Hadd Mondjam El
• Bonniwell Music Machine – Astrologically Incompatible
• Carlton and the Shoes – Never Give Your Heart Away
• Alphonse Mouzon – Mind Transplant
• The Millineum – The Know-It-All
• Buffalo Springfield – It’s so Hard to Wait
• Joe Jackson – Friday
• Love – You Set the Scene
• Masters Apprentices  – War or Hands of Time
• The Paragons – Left with a Broken Heart

Cheetie Kumar- Guitar

• Harmonia-Monza-Rauf Und Runter
• Neu-Hallogallo
• Deerhoof-Tears and Music of Love
• Brian Eno-Sky Saw
• Wizzard-French Perfume
• Wire-French Film Blurred
• Pretty Things-She’s A Lover
• George Harrison-I Dig Love
• The Germs-Lexicon Devil
• Gong-You Can Kill Me
• King Crimson- Great Deceiver

Paul Siler-Guitar

• The Band-King Harvest (has surely come)
• The Bee Gees-I Close My Eyes
• Dungen-Gor Det Nu
• The Beatles-Blue Jay Way
• Polvo-In This Life
• Bob Dylan and the Band-Katie’s Been Gone 
• Charlie Parker-Bluebird
• Lets Active-Talking to Myself 
• Joni Mitchell-Free Man in Paris 
•  Free-Oh I Wept
• Flaming Lips-In the Morning of the Magicians 

Birds of Avalon fans should be excited to know that their new album, Uncanny Valley, is coming out June 23 with a tour kicking off at the Local 506 on June 13th.

Battle Rockets in the WKNC Studio 5/8/09, photo by Mike Gray

Well, what a pleasant surprise!  Corbie and Mike of Battle Rockets stopped by and for a band whose songs feature no lyrics, they had quite a bit to say (full disclosure: their joke, not mine).  They came in at the 5:00 hour and we talked about the show that night (with Gray Young and the Proclivities), their unique method of releasing demos and their brand new, homemade, $5 T-shirts.  As for that show, see below for more.

The demo method is pretty cool, as you’ll hear in the clips below.  The band records every practice and saves what sounds good.  Then they burn a few copies of the most recent versions of tracks, date them, and label them–or have guest labelers do it, like our very own DJ Gray Matter.  They then take their demos to shows and sell them for $1.  That’s a deal you can’t beat.  Check out the interview below.

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Dan giving Chas a Purple Nurple in the WKNC studio, photo by Mike Gray (Note: THIS IS A DRAMATIZATION)

Gray Young called the studio during the latter part of the Battle Rockets conversation to let us konw that they’d been locked in the stairwell and unable to get in.  So we went and rescued them and brought them in for the second half of the interview.  They dispelled the self-contrived rumours that they’re playing with U2 in October.  We discussed both bands’ future plans, which include WE Fest.  Check out the interview with the entire cast of characters below.

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Now, onto the show that night.  

The lineup at Slim’s Downtown was this:

Battle Rockets

The Proclivities

Gray Young

Battle Rockets were entertaining and have quite a bit of energy, and it’s always fun to watch that level of energy coming from a two-piece.  The Proclivities were–and have been for a little while–sans drummer, so they had D.A.R.Y.L. fill in and rocked out as a two-piece (a very dapper two-piece, might I add).  Although the lack of a real drummer was sort of the elephant in the room (at the risk of using their song lyric), they were obviously having a good time, and so was I.  Matt Douglas was chatting the crowd up as well, as per usual.  Lastly, Gray Young took the stage around midnight.  I must say, I’ve seen Gray Young several times over the past year or so, and every time I’ve seen them they’ve been exponentially tighter (and on this night, louder).  It has been really fun to watch these guys as they play more shows together, and I can’t wait to see them again at the May 22 Lemming Malloy CD Release/Neckbeard Records Debut show at Local 506.  That’s all for now, be sure to tune in to the Local Beat this week, details to follow in another blog post soon…

Battle Rockets at Slim's Downtown 5/8/09, photo by Mike Gray

The Proclivities at Slim's Downtown 5/8/09, photo by Mike Gray

Gray Young at Slim's 5/8/09, photo by Mike Gray

Dopko of Gray Young at Slim's Downtown 5/8/09, photo by Mike Gray

Despite a a mere (baseball-induced) hour-long version of the Local Beat this week, we had an excellent show.  I was joined by Chas, Dan, and Dopko of Raleigh band Gray Young to talk about everything from their show that night at Sadlack’s to where the band’s name came from (a question to which we did not receive an answer).

We also discussed the release of the band’s first album, Firmament, and where they plan to go from here.  These are tremendously nice guys with a very bright future, and they have basically gotten better every time I’ve seen them live.  There should be more on their show at Sadlack’s (including Dancing Tony documentation!) soon from Gray Matter.

You can check out the full interview, in 4 segments, below.  And if you missed the Sadlack’s show, be sure to check them out at the Local 506 on April 13, alongside the Appleseed Cast and An Horse.  And join us next week, as we’ll be hanging out with A Rooster for the Masses.

Gray Young in the studio, 3/20/09

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So after a short blogging hiatus, I have returned with my fourth installment to the Local Music Picture Blog. My hiatus does not mean that I didn’t attend any shows, I was just having an allergic reaction to my computer… or something like that…which seems to be carrying over to this post, as the posting of pictures just does not want to work for me . But don’t worry, you can see all my pictures clicking on my name and then clicking on Pics.

But anyways, last Thursday, I went to The Brewery to rock out with The Pneurotics, Pink Flag, River City Ransom, and The Dry Heathens, and rocking out is exactly what went down.

The Pneurotics are an alt rock based out of Chapel Hill. Their 2008 release, Forty, is relaxed alt. rock which features a few slight folk music nuances. Most of the show, however, was performances of material that will be released on the yet to be named album they intend to release in the fall of 2009. The new material is solid, driving, guitar heavy rock’n roll, and I for one can not wait til fall to get my hands on the cd. The Pneurotics next show is The Johnny Cash Bash at The Pinhook. They will be paying tribute to Johnny Cash with The Tender Fruit, Gambling The Muse, and Bull City.

Pink Flag… where to start? Pink Flag is a three piece, all girl, pop punk /grunge rock extravaganza that is based out of Durham. Now I have to be honest here, the first time I listened to  Introducing Pink Flag & The Homewrekers, I was ify about it. But having seen Pink Flag live, I do have a new appreciation for the album. And anyone that thinks they are the stereotypical, all girl bands are bad or ok at best, type of outfit; go see them live and they will destroy your brain with awesome. All the girls can play and sing great, as shown when they switched out their instruments and vocal roles. Their next show will be tonight at the Relay For Life Benefit at Local 506 with I Was Totally Destroying It and Lake Inferior. Pink Flag will also be featured at WKNC & Tir Na Nog’s Local Beer, Local Band night on March 26th with Whatever Brains.

River City Ransom, third to take the stage, is a five man, pop group based in Raleigh. RCR’s performance was perhaps the most laid back of the night. The group’s Myspace claims the groups is Punk, but I think they are straight Indie Rock. We’ll have to wait and see what direction they choose to go in as the group as just recently added a few members. River City Ransom’s next showing will be at the Reservoir on March 23rd with The Dry Heathens and Dark Knights of Camelot.

The Dry Heathens were last on the night, and the Durham based, indie punk,  group showed up to kick ass as usual. This makes the third time I’ve seen them and I am pretty sure they get better each time. If you can not make it to their show on March 23rd, I suggest you make it to the second night of Viking Storm (the Hammer No More The Finger’s CD release celebration weekend) when they play with The Beast, Deleted Scenes, The Future Kings of Nowhere, and Hammer No More The Fingers. The show will be  freaking awesome  and worth every penny. And if you can’t make either of those shows I encourage you to listen to The Dry Heathens first releases, First Contact With Ground, because it is a truely great album.

Hopefully next week I will have pictures  in the picture blog, but in the mean time, don’t forget to check out The Rock Report and catch a great local show!

In the spring of last year, one of my friends peer pressured me into heading out to the Local 506 with her to see a couple of bands I had never heard of before. My expectations for the evening were not especially high. That night, to my pleasant surprise, Cotton Jones absolutely stole my heart. Originally formed as a side project to the now defunct Page France, Cotton Jones makes some of the most gorgeous and timeless music I’ve heard in a long while.

“Michael Nau and Whitney McGraw have hearts – huge, questioning hearts- full of music that mixes elements of soul, rock and gospel into a gauzy cocoon of small-town sound.” -suicidesqueeze.net

Michael Nau & Whitney McGraw

Since that fateful night, Cotton Jones has released an EP and teased me via their MySpace blog with promises of a full lengh. After more than six months of waiting, their debut full length Paranoid Cocoon will be officially released January 27th on Suicide Squeeze Records. An advance copy arrived at WKNC earlier in the week, and I was beyond excited to find it in the mail. For the past three days, I have hardly listened to anything else. It is a very relaxed and completely beautiful record from start to finish, the transitions from each track to the next are perfectly seamless.

“There’s no intentional theme behind these songs. Cocoon didn’t span a lengthy duration of time, so headspace and moods tend to remain threadlike throughout. I believe there’s a familiar mood from start to finish…they lyrics work like visuals of such moods.” -Michael Nau

Paranoid Cocoon is not a rock-your-face-off record. It’s not too loud, but it’s not too quiet. It’s not too fast, but it’s not too slow. Combining elements of bluesy folk and gospel with acoustic alt-country and pop, this album is just right.

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Cotton Jones – I Am The Changer

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Cotton Jones – Some Strange Rain

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Cotton Jones – Gotta Cheer Up

You can catch Cotton Jones at the Local 506 in Chapel Hill on March 22nd!

I decided to ring in the new year at the Local 506 in Chapel Hill for their “Rockin’ Eve” show. Normally anything titled “Rockin’ Eve” would turn me away, but it the lineup was Hammer No More The Fingers, Red Collar and Kerbloki. I managed to miss all but about two songs from HNMTF and those were spent inching my way toward the bar. Let’s just say the place was a little crowded.

If you check out Red Collar’s MySpace, next to “sounds like” it says “there’s going to be a fire.” That’s actually a pretty accurate description. The band is VERY high energy. It didn’t hurt that it was New Year’s Eve and before their set the crowd celebrated the birthdays of drummer Jonathan Truesdale and bassist Beth Kutchma and the two year anniversary of Hammer No More The Fingers. There was cake.

It’s about 15 minutes to midnight, we’re all ready to rock, the lights dim and the band launches into Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark.” After appropriately pumping up the crowd, they squeezed in “Hands Up” before the countdown. I won’t rely exactly what the band suggested we do with 2008, should there be any children reading, but the idea was to move forward.

The first time I saw Red Collar was at the WKNC Double Barrel Benefit 5 in Feb. 2008. I caught them again in the fall at one our Local Beer Local Band nights at Tir Na Nog. If you are serious about making yourself “a better you” in 2009, I suggest you add “see more local shows” to your resolution list and put Red Collar at the top.

Art by Steve Oliva