SceneSC Special Price Presale Tickets

We’re absolutely excited to have Kopecky Family Band coming to town tomorrow night and we want as many people as possible to come out and see them. We’re doing half off presale tickets, half off tickets with your USC Student ID and even giving tickets away here along with a free framed and autographed poster. Read below to find out how to win.

Via Kopecky Family Band

We’re in town, playing the 5 Points Pub in Columbia on Tuesday, February 7th. And with special thanks to the fine people over at Scenesc.com we have two tickets and a framed, signed poster (see pic above) up for grabs!

To enter, either tweet at us (@KopeckyFamily / @SceneSC) or post on our Facebook wall & tell us which Kopecky song you want to hear the most & why.

Most creative answer wins! We’ll pick the winner around lunch time on the 7th.

Good luck. See you at 5 Points!

On Tuesday night at the Visulite Theatre in Charlotte a large crowd of people were eagerly awaiting a band who are known all over the world. Surprisingly, the crowd consisted of a large number of alternative middle-aged couples. A group that I do not usually see at the concerts I go to. It makes sense since The Mountain Goats have been around for many years. Their three members have played music in many bands, ran record labels, and just been highly involved in the music industry. Since this Raleigh, NC based band have been touring for many many years, I went to this show with the expectation of seeing something special. I have not listened to them that much but I hoped that going to this show would make me want to explore their large discography.

When we arrived at the venue, opening act Nurses were playing. Their first few songs were nothing special at all, but then they started to come into their own and became quite a bit more interesting. The singer mentioned that he was sick and would have to cut the set short, and I could definitely tell in the way that he was straining his voice. Still though, they were pretty good for what they had. They sounded like a mix between The Black Keys and Born Ruffians, the singer also looked like a mix of Dan Auerbach and Dax Shepard. I enjoyed their style of music, but it was also nothing super special. I recently listened to their first album Hangin’ Nothin’ But Our Hands Down and it was an crazy, energetic cabaret-rock cd with the singer’s voice reaching extreme highs and lows. Probably in part due to his sickness, I saw none of this energy or vocal range during the show, which was slightly disappointing.

The Mountain Goats started earlier than they were supposed to due to Nurses’ short set and came out to a highly energetic crowd. Obviously Charlotte was excited to have the band in their city. Singer John Darnielle mentioned that he had never played in Charlotte before but I think he will want to come back after the warm reception from the big crowd. They started playing some songs but all I could do was stare at the drummer and wonder where I had seen him before. For some strange reason, I felt as if I had met this guy before even though I’d never seen The Mountain Goats play. I quickly Wikipedia-ed him on Jamie’s phone and found out that he is Jon Wurster from Superchunk who I saw play at Hopscotch. I can absolutely say that his drumming was the best part of both shows.

Something about The Mountain Goats just puts a barrier in front of me and it will not let me get into their music. I have never been able to and seeing them live really did not change that. I understand that Darnielle can write some damn good lyrics and they have some good music but it’s just not my cup of tea. I liked their new song White Cedar, the song Palmcorder Yajna and a few others but that was kind of it. The drummer was interesting to watch though. I’m not trying to sound stuck-up here because I really understand that for lots of singers it isn’t about how perfect their voices are, but sometimes John Darnielle kinda sounds like a mountain goat when he sings. I’m not trying to be rude, it’s just what I was thinking during the show and I want to write an honest review. All in all, it was a good show but nothing more than that. I can see the appeal, I understand why people like The Mountain Goats, but I just think I won’t be able to get into them ever. If you like The Mountain Goats, go see them, because I’m sure you’ll love it. The whole crowd did. If you’re not sure, don’t go because it might not be worth it.

It’s an E. That is the chord formation shown on the cover of Ben Kweller’s new album Go Fly a Kite, due out February 7th.  For the first time Ben Kweller is doing it all his way. That means more than just in the recording sense. Go Fly a Kite will be coming out on The Noise Company. The Austin based label that Kweller manages on his on property with his wife.

The only man Ben Kweller is working for is himself, so he sure as hell better believe in what he’s putting out there. Kweller thinks it’s his best album to date and he’s releasing the music he loves.

The Mountain Goats w/ Nurses   Tuesday, Jan 31

Visulite Theatre, Charlotte, NC   8pm   $20

The Mountain Goats are a band who have been around for a whole number of years, playing shows all over the world and at a whole number of festivals. They’ve released so many albums on so many record labels and they are still going at it. On January 31 they bring their impressive live show to one of the best NC venues, the Visulite Theatre in Charlotte. Nurses, their openers, are a band from Portland who are on Dead Oceans record label. They have toured with The Tallest Man on Earth and released their third album last year.

For this tour, The Mountain Goats have mentioned that they are going to be playing a whole of unreleased and unrecorded material as it is something that they don’t usually do. They say it’s something that they are usually wary of because of live recordings but they wanted to try something new. I’m sure they will play a whole lot of material from their back catalogues as well. It will be a great show and it’s in a great venue so you should probably go check it out.

Photo By Kathleen Robbins

WHEN: Thursday, February 2, from 5 to 9 p.m.

WHERE: Tapp’s Arts Center, 1644 Main Street

First Thursday at Tapp’s this week will show From Here to Mississippi, a photography exhibition featuring University of South Carolina photography professors Kathleen Robbins and Eliot Dudik.

The exhibiting artists also include recent graduates and current student members of the University of South Carolina Photographic Society. This includes some photographers that have worked with us here at SceneSC, including our chief photographer Sarah Kobos. She’s been busier than ever for the last couple of years, but it was a joy adding her to our team in 2008.  Also showing their photography will be Alexis Schwallier and Alicia Hickey who have both been known to snap or a shot or two for SceneSC.

New Brookland Tavern

Sunday, April 22

All Get Out will be going on a nationwide tour in late March with La Dispute, Sainthood Reps, and Balance & Composure. This tour will be coming through South Carolina Sunday, April 22 at New Brookland Tavern. Both All Get Out and La Dispute will be touring in support of new albums released late in 2011. All Get Out’s first full length release The Season came out in September, while La Dispute’s second full length Wildlife came out in October.

This tour sets to match All Get Out up with a different fan base than the band has experienced on past tours. The post hardcore following of fellow touring bands should match up well with All Get Out’s live show, that leans a lot heavier than The Spitting EP and The Season.

We here at Scene SC are avid Twitter junkies. We enjoy coming up with clever, funny, scary, and downright awful things to say on twitter just to get a response from our followers. Yes I do this and yes I want to have some sort of conversation with you.

Through the power of Social Media (Facebook Chat and robust guidance from David Stringer himself we have come up with the best Thursday treat we could ever come up with.) We call this #TWITTERTHURSDAY! I have gone through the web to find you the best band in the southeast I think you should follow and a really famous person who if you have not started following yet well you have not been combing twitter hard enough.

Our first #TwitterThursday band we think you should follow is none other that “The Explorers Club” I can’t say I know much about these guys except for the fact Paul was in a bible study with me and I always say I know the band because of that. Here are some tweets from The Explores Club that should sell them to you.

They love animals! Does your Favorite band love animals?

They Jam with their Fans! I’m hoping it’s something nice like Strawberry Jam but hey I’m ok with grape!

They care about your Morning! Heck I can’t even say my wife says good morning to me all the time but these guys do!

They keep you accountable! Been sick sorry Kyle but don’t be a Minute late!

These guys are great and they are coming out with a new record shortly. Take a moment and give them a listen and tweet them because @Hilibofas tells you to!

The next artist I want to showcase is @bigboi from the rap group Outkast.

Big Boi knows how to have a good time and his Twitter stream shows it. Let’s take a moment to put in some good Big Boi Tweets!

Big Boi enjoys Slanging Ballz! Who doesn’t want to slang some ballz with this guy?

His friend Flea Kee is dick wrangling

He doesn’t Like SOPA!

And most all he is fantastic with #HASHTAGS

Follow @bigboi and our friends @expclub today! Happy Tweeting you guys!

I think everyone is rooting for Crowfield. The past couple of years have been a roller coaster ride for them with highs and lows. After being signed and dropped by a major label, they are rebounding in a big way and that all hinges on the success of this Kickstarter campaign.

They have over 30 songs just sitting around waiting to be heard by us, but they need our help. $4,133 dollars in 10 days. $17.22 per hour. $.28 per minute. But that’s all about to change. As soon as I get done writing this I’m going to donate to their Kickstarter. And I hope as soon as you get done reading this you donate too.

Crowfield does a lot to give back, here’s your turn to show your thanks to them.

Cool Daddy’s Myrtle Beach January 20th 2012

This was an interesting review for me to do mainly because I booked the show and it took place in my home town. But also, because I changed my mind at the last minute to review this show instead of one that took place at Snug Harbor in Charlotte. By the end of the show I was more then sure I had made the right choice. Due to the fact that I recently moved to Columbia and had to travel I arrived a bit late. However it was just in time to see the opening act, Concrete Animals which had just started. The band based out of Florence, consists of Josh McDowell, guitar, vocals (Previously from The Dirty Whites) Bran Oswalt, drums; and Brad Shives, Bass. I had never heard them live before but I was immediately surprised with how the crowd took to them and rightfully so; they had amazing energy! They reminded me of the great 90’s indie bands, think Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, and a little Fugazi. They were extremely loud and raw, but catchy at the same time. The high point for me during their set was when this guy who came up to fellow promoter Michael Wood and I after throwing a Nazi Salute to the band, and said “This band is the best of all four of em, screw the other ones, just book these guys”, even though he later stated he’d never seen them before in his life. He also said some other profanities but I honestly lost interest in what he was saying at that point. Another high point during their set was their cover of “Hey Jealousy” by The Gin Blossoms which was nothing short of amazing due to the fact it sounded nothing like the original, thank goodness.

Next were Columbia sweethearts Young Mumbles, (Trey Murphy,vocals, guitar; Delaney Mills, drums,vocals, ukelele; and Bryan Higgins, bass). They had to be one of the funniest bands I’ve seen in a while. Trey came onstage wearing a leather jacket and sunglasses and announced to the crowd “We’re a Metallica cover band from Columbia” and launched into a set of music that was pure fun from start to finish. “Capital City” was an instant classic, with its quirky vocals, acoustic guitar and quasi-disco drumbeat. By the third song everyone was eating out of the palm of their hands. With simple instrumentation and and eclectic style Murphy seemed to channel Lou Reed, David Byrne and Mr. Rogers. There was also a little taste of Tallest Man On Earth mixed in with Tilly And The Wall and Moldy Peaches. The Velvet Underground vibe came out especially at the end of their set. One of my friends said that Trey was “The Lou Reed of Columbia” and Delaney was “Maureen Tucker” which made complete sense. (NOTE: while based in Columbia, Murphy and Mills are actually from Myrtle Beach). Take note of these guys.

Following Young Mumbles was Museum Mouth based out of South Port, North Carolina (Karl Kuehn, vocals, drums; Graham High, guitar; and Kory Urban, bass).

I met Karl in Wilmington last spring opening for Phantogram with his other band SWTHRT (pronounced “Sweetheart”). Swthrt were taking a break so that Museum Mouth could record their album (Sexy But Not Happy, Jan. 23rd). They started off a bit sloppy but that was partially due to sound issues. They’re also kind of heavy which normally isn’t my thing but they had a cool, punky sound- a little bit of a throwback to when emo wasn’t a bad word. Once they dialed in the sound they were pretty tight. They sound a bit like Sebadoh, Guided By Voices, and Archers Of Loaf. All in all, a killer show. They won over the crowd by the time their set was over. I’d definitely recommend going to see these guys if you have a chance. Not to mention they’re pretty rad guys which goes a long way in my book.

Last but never least came hometown favorites Octopus Jones (Darrin Cripe, drums; Danny Martin,vocals, guitar; Clay Carlisle,bass; Chris Wilson, keys, percussion; and Blake Ratliffe, guitar, vocals). At this point in the show, I had to get up, put my pen down and make my way to the front of the venue so I could listen to them but more importantly, so I could dance. I’ve seen them so many times that I didn’t really have to take notes. I also thought I knew what to expect so I figured I could just go off of memory for this one. After about the first two songs, however, I realized they were changing things up a bit. Fresh off a quick East Coast tour and a week long break, the Jones tweaked their set a little, polishing some new material, dusting off some old ones and even playing with different approaches to their staples. The self-proclaimed “Spankwave Boogie” quintet has been perfecting a blend of surf rock, disco funk, “indie” atmospherics and shimmering Afropop for damn near three years now. The new songs were definitely different from their debut EP Treat Yourself. These songs were a lot mellower, and a bit more mature. Still, that didn’t deter people from dancing the whole time. They had a lot of energy and I felt like they were a lot more refreshed then the last time I saw them perform. At the end of the set I was really impressed over all but also a little melancholy. I felt like my little brothers had grown up and were spreading their wings so to speak. I know that it’s only a matter of time before they get out of Myrtle Beach and make a name for themselves and rightfully so- they deserve success and we most certainly can’t expect the spank wave epidemic to stay within the confines of South Carolina; that’d be selfish of us.

01 Nashville

Hailing from Charleston, South Carolina, Southwood is a band of many talented hats. Their music is modern, but also undeniably classic and timeless, bringing to mind Hootie and the Blowfish, Sister Hazel, even Johnny Cash at times. Their sound contains the best of these artists but rather than that making them seem like a cheap imitation, it gives them a flavor all their own, setting them apart from the countless other up and coming bands gunning for recognition.

Their debut EP combines the best elements of alternative and country, coupling infectious rhythm in songs like “Nashville” and “Hey!” with velvety rich vocals and clever, relatable lyrics. Their softer side shines in “Heart Don’t Lie,” Mitch Wetherington’s voice being the cherry on top of a delicious musical sundae, full of captivating percussion and guitar, sprinkled with a sweet bass line. They easily transition from rocking full band to stripping down to just acoustic guitar and vocals in “Long Way Down,” a beautiful ballad that will have you reaching for a box of tissue. Their southern roots shine in this all too brief introduction to their talent. Once you finish listening you’ll be all to eager to listen again and again, thirsting for more.

7 Qs:

Scene SC: How would you best describe your band’s sound?

Southwood: Alt. Country meets 90′s Alternative with Southern Rock overtones

Scene SC: Which bands or artists do you feel have had the greatest influence on your music?

Southwood: Hootie & the Blowfish, Tom Petty, Jet, Matchbox 20, Aerosmith

Scene SC: What are you most looking forward to for the future of your band?

Southwood: Gettin’ our picture on the cover of the Rolling Stone. Just Kidding. No, but seriously.

Scene SC: What sets y’all apart from some other up and coming bands across the nation?

Southwood: Mitch’s light show.

Scene SC: What are some of your favorite things about South Carolina’s music scene? Is there anything you would like to see change?

Southwood: South Carolina’s music culture is very diverse – from mountain music to hip-hop to beach shag, there is something for everyone. We would like to see more venues that support original music, as opposed to one or two venues per city. We’d also like to see local radio stations playing more local music.

Scene SC: How about the national music scene? Anything you would like to see change?

Southwood: We’d like to see Independent radio become more prominent on a national level. We get tired of hearing the same 40 songs 50 times a day.

Scene SC: Who are some of your favorite South Carolina or regional bands? Which bands do you think your fans should check out?

Southwood: Brother Trouble

Southwood is: Mitch Wetherington – lead vocals, rhythm guitar; Henri Gates – lead guitar, vocals; Austin Campbell – bass, vocals; Craig South – drums.