MARCH 11, 2010 ISSUE
Brewer’s Briefs
I am officially sick and tired of people telling me that listening to Billy Joel is a guilty pleasure. Seriously. Any time someone tells me they’re a fan, it is typically done in hushed tones to insure that others in the vicinity don’t find out their dirty little secret. Folks, it’s Billy freaking Joel, not New Kids on the Block (and yes, if you’re a New Kids fan, I’m calling you out).
I’ve listened to untold hours of Billy Joel and can’t recall ever having felt the least bit guilty about enjoying it. Sure, he’s got some songs that ratchet up the cheese factor and others that are just played out (“Just The Way You Are” and “Piano Man” come to mind), but he’s also written some of the of the most poignant and thought provoking pop music of the last 40 years.
I remember being a little kid and hearing “The Longest Time” and “Uptown Girl” on the radio when they came out, and “We Didn’t Start The Fire” was like a rash on MTV upon its release in the early ‘90s. Sure, I thought Billy Joel was about as cool as Lawrence Welk in high school, but as I got older and started hearing more of his classic late ‘70s and early ‘80s tunes, I was hooked.
What it all essentially boils down to is Joel’s ability as a storyteller, and in terms of pop singer-songwriters, he’s pretty far up the list. He’s skewered the music industry (“The Entertainer”), addressed the post-war collapse of American industry (“Allentown”), penned poignant tales of broken love filled with characters we all know (“Scenes From An Italian Restaurant”) and cranked out feel-good rock tunes that we can’t seem to get enough of (“It’s Still Rock & Roll To Me,” “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song) and “Only The Good Die Young” to name a few).
So stop feeling guilty about loving Billy Joel already. He rocks.
This Week…
-Asheville-based outfit the Galen Kipar Project will return to the High Country for a show this Friday, March 12, at Canyons in Blowing Rock. Kipar and company have slowly but surely been making a name for themselves in Western North Carolina music circles in recent years with their classically influenced singer-songwriter fare.
-If you’ve been reading this column very long, you’ve heard me rave about Asheville’s Ahleuchatistas. Recently profiled in The New York Times, these guys blaze through an inimitable blend of punk, math metal and jazz fusion that will leave you speechless. Ahleuchatistas will return to 641rpm this Saturday, March 13.
Next Week…
-St. Paddy’s Day is just around the corner and Murphy’s will be hosting its first ever smoke-free celebration featuring up-and-coming grassy roots jam outfit Big Daddy Love and St. Paddy’s veterans Lost Ridge Band. If you’ve never experienced Ireland’s biggest holiday at Murphy’s, you owe it to yourself to stop by for a pint just to witness the spectacle.
-During the last couple of years, local multi-instrumentalist Ben Smith has taken his band Upright & Breathin’ from being ragged late-night jam kings to performing as a solid bluegrass unit. The band will hit the stage at Boone Saloon on Thursday, March 18. Be sure to keep Smith away from the Bell’s Two Hearted Ales prior to the show.
-Heavy Weather, an all-star group of musicians including Andy and Zack Page, and Steve Davidowski, will perform the music of famed ‘70s fusion band Weather Report at Canyons on Friday, March 19. The show was originally scheduled in January but was cancelled because we got eight feet of snow. Do NOT miss this show.
On The Horizon…
-During their last show at Boone Saloon, the Legendary JCs let some crazy drunk guy on stage to sing and play tambourine. Oh, wait—that drunk guy was me. Well, I promise to stay a bit more sober when the Eugene and company return to town to deliver another double shot of soul and funk on Thursday, April 15.
-On Friday, April 23, two music forces to be reckoned with will join together for an unforgettable show at Murphy’s as Boone’s Melissa Reaves teams up with former Allman Brothers Band member and keyboard virtuoso Johnny Neel. I have no idea what they’re going to do, but you can bet your bottom dollar that this is going to be a show people are talking about for a long time.
-MerleFest mania is in the air. For real. People are already starting to talk about all the folks who will be making their way to Wilkes Community College this year, including Taj Mahal, The Zac Brown Band, The Avett Brothers, Little Feat, The Waybacks, Elvis Costello & The Sugarcanes, The Tony Rice Unit and many more. MerleFest 2010 takes place Thursday to Sunday, April 29 to May 2.
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