Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

The A-B-C’s of Live Music in 2006

Story by David Brewer

Thinking back through all the wonderful bands and musicians that performed on stages all around the High Country during 2006 is a mind-numbing task, but a wonderful one nevertheless.

While I might have missed one or two, here’s a comprehensive list of nearly every band and performer featured in the pages of the High Country Press in 2006. I even picked a few favorites. If you didn’t catch them last year, make another new year’s resolution to see more live music. It sure beats working out.

A Fir-Ju Well (Gringo Star)—

Psychedelic Indie Rock from Atlanta, Ga.
Originally from Boone, brothers Nick and Pete Furgiuele’s indie/psychedelic rock band A Fir-Ju Well has made a few trips back home to rock out Black Cat Burrito over the last couple of years. While the band changed their name to the more easily pronounced Gringo Star, the quartet’s uniquely dark and throbbing sound has stayed intact. The band will be back at Black Cat on Friday, January 5.

Aleuchatistas—Math Metal Punk Jazz Rock from Asheville

Amantha Mill—Bluegrass from Watauga County

Amy Steinberg—Funky singer-songwriter from Orlando, Fla.

Andy Page—Jazz guitarist from Boone

Arlo Guthrie—Folk singer-songwriter legend from NYC

The Assault—Female punk rock trio from NYC

The Avett Brothers—

Folk Punk Bluegrass from Concord, NC
Few bands from North Carolina experienced as big a surge in popularity as The Avett Brothers did during 2006. With better time slots at MerleFest, the release of a full-length CD, an EP and an all-star roots music concert at Verizon Amphitheater in Charlotte, Avett mania was in full swing. The squawking, stomping, folk-meets-punk music trio’s sell out concert at Legends in September was the group’s first public show in Boone since performing at Murphy’s a few years ago.

Banana da Terra—

Progressive Brazilian Jazz from Boone
From less-than-glamorous dinner gigs to packed shows at various night spots around town, Boone’s Banana da Terra further cemented their reputation as a unique and exciting live act. In the Brazilian-flavored jazz trio, fans found irresistible grooves and beats summoning them to the dance floor time and again. The band’s mesmerizing, syncopated sound only stands to get even tighter behind the group’s dynamic interplay.

Ben Bjorlie Band—Progressive jazz funk from Boone

Big Pretty & Red Rockets—Funky folk hip-hop from Chapel Hill

Bill Clinton & The Scandals—

Punk trio from Boone
Certainly winning the award for Band Not Taking Itself Too Seriously, punk rock trio Bill Clinton & The Scandals came on the scene like a breath of fresh air during the winter of 2006. Wanting to inject some diversity into the scene, the trio issued a call to arms, encouraging others to pick up a few instruments and get to work. The Scandals played covers by punk royalty with bombastic energy. Unfortunately, the band seemed to be gone almost as swiftly as they had arrived. With the members now scattered, Scandals lovers will have to hold out for a reunion.

Bluegrass 1101—Bluegrass duo from Watauga County

Bob Margolin—

Blues guitar legend from High Point, NC
Watching blues legend “Steady Rollin’” Bob Margolin wail away on his faded Gibson alongside The King Bees at this past year’s 4th annual New River Blues Fest was awesome. Simply stated, Margolin is the genuine article. A longtime member of Muddy Waters’ band, Margolin knows how to make the guitar say exactly what he wants it to say. The fact that Margolin played at ear-scorching volume made it even more awesome.

Bonnie Rideout—Scottish fiddle from Michigan

Boston Afrobeat Society—Funky polyrhythmic Afrobeat from Boston, Mass.

Buckwheat Zydeco—Funky Cajun Zydeco from Lafayette, La.

Codetalkers—Funky jam rock band from Atlanta, Ga.

Corleone—Eclectic jamband from Nashville, Tenn.

Crooked Roadshow—Jazzy folk rock quartet from Mt. Airy, NC

Cruis-O-Matic—

Quirky retro cover band from Atlanta, Ga.
In the never-ending quest for nostalgia, former P.B. Scott’s players Bart Conway and Randy Kelly decided to throw a party featuring Cruis-O-Matic, one of the famed venue’s most beloved acts. Coming to prominence during the early 1980s on the touring circuit in the Southeast by playing an oddball mixture of dance party favorites and one-hit-wonder songs from the 1960s, Cruis-O-Matic played to a crowded Canyons, replete with faded P.B. Scott’s t-shirts and more than a few patches of gray hair.

CX-1—

Bluegrasstafari from Asheville
CX-1 isn’t just a band; the quartet is a bridge. When disappointed fans saw both Acoustic Syndicate and Snake Oil Medicine Show come to an end, they couldn’t have known that members of each would get together and push the boundaries of their musical knowledge further. At midnight on January 1, 2006, fans at Canyons not only enjoyed the band’s unique musical hybrid, but also the fact that some of their favorite musicians were still out playing, creating and pressing onward.

Dave Desmelik—Americana singer-songwriter from Asheville

Defying Belief—Acoustic alternative rock from Boone

Diana & The Vintage Boys—Bluegrass from Watauga County

Doc Watson—

Folk blues and bluegrass guitarist/vocalist from Deep Gap
What else can you say about Doc that hasn’t already been said? He’s a national treasure. He’s an incredible guitar player and singer. He’s from Deep Gap. He played a great show to open App Summer. The most important thing that can be said about Doc is that the man is more than 80 years old and still playing lots of live dates a year and recording great music. Don’t be one of those people who say they’re going to see Doc next time he comes around. Go as many times as you can; you won’t be sorry.

Dystonic—Jazzy funk rock from Greenville, NC

Echo Park—Progressive classic rock from Watauga County

Elkville Park String Band—Old-time string band from Wilkes County

Emmylou Harris—Progressive country singer-songwriter from Birmingham, Ala.

The Erasers—Loose roots jam rock from Banner Elk

Everybodyfields—Acoustic folk from Johnson City, Tenn.

The Forget-Me-Nots—Irish fiddle music from Boone

Hit & Run Bluegrass—Bluegrass from Boulder, CO

Honored Guests—

Indie rock from Chapel Hill
Though Chapel Hill’s Honored Guests did not play to packed rooms during their trips to Boone during the summer and again in the fall, the indie rock quartet performed as if on stage at Madison Square Garden. The band’s sound, which falls somewhere between My Morning Jacket, Coldplay and Radiohead, washed over those in attendance with waves of emotion and power without sacrificing the subtleties that make the Honored Guests an indie rock powerhouse capable of more than just bashing their way through the songs.

Hope Massive—Roots rock reggae from Boone

Jay Brown–Folk blues and jazz singer-songwriter from Watauga County

Jeff Coffin—Jazz fusion saxophonist from Nashville, Tenn.

Jink & Diddle School of Scottish Fiddling—Scottish fiddlers from Valle Crucis

John Cowan—Eclectic roots bassist and vocalist from Evansville, Ind.

John Jorgensen Quintet—Gypsy jazz from Nashville, Tenn.

John Michael Montgomery—Country singer from Nashville, Tenn.

Johnny’s Middle Finger—Country from Greensboro

The Jolly Rogers—Rock and roll from Watauga County

Jon Jon Davis & Kim France—Bluegrass from Boone

Karl Denson Jazz Trio—Jazz funk from San Diego, CA

Key of Q—Downbeat trance funk from Charleston, SC

The King Bees—Chicago blues from Todd

Kingston Trio—Folk from California

Laura Reed & Deep Pocket—

World funk and soul from Boone
Emerging onto the local music scene toward the end of 2006, South African transplant and Boone resident Laura Reed and her band Deep Pocket packed local venues with their funky, world music-informed take on blues, soul, funk and r&b. Reed’s slinky stage presence and sultry voice made listeners sit up and take notice as Deep Pocket provided more than able accompaniment. While the band has local dates scheduled for the coming months, don’t expect them just to play around town.

Lazybirds—Ragtime blues, folk and jazz from Watauga County

The Lee Boys—Sacred steel gospel from Orlando, Fla.

The Lefty Williams Band—Classic blues rock from Atlanta, Ga.

Leon Russell—Classic rock and country from Tulsa, Okla.

Lil’ Brian & The Zydeco Travelers—

Zydeco funk from Houston, TX
No, the accordion isn’t the most hip instrument in the world. That is, until you put it in the hands of someone like Lil’ Brian Terry. On two separate occasions, Lil’ Brian & The Zydeco Travelers brought a hefty helping of their Zydeco hip-hop funk, dolling out equal portions of extended Cajun boogie and head-throbbing funk. While the band tours all over the world, Terry still hopes that he and his fellow Travelers can cross over to a bigger, more commercial audience. Those who witnessed the genre-bending band just hope he’ll come back to the High Country to heat up the dance floor.

Liz Harmon—Singer-songwriter from Watauga County

Lost Ridge Band—Bluegrass from Boone

Malcolm Holcombe—

Singer-songwriter from Houston, TX
To watch Malcolm Holcombe perform on stage must be something like watching a master painter create an intensely personal work of art. Seemingly oblivious to his surroundings, the master wields his instrument with complete control, painting his songs with strokes both big and small, using an array of colors to bring out the nuance in each work. On November 18, Holcombe was no mere folkie with a guitar; he was a ball of burning poetic desire that made you think twice about what a live performance should really be.

Marsupial—Jam rock from Asheville

Melissa Reaves—Rock singer-songwriter from Boone

Moonshine Racers—Newgrass from Charlotte

Murphy & Main—Classic rock from Avery County

N.B.C.—Hip-Hop from Boone

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band—Americana from California

Ollabelle—New wave gospel from NYC

One Under—Progressive jam rock from Ohio

Oteil & The Peacemakers—

Gospel jazz funk from Birmingham, Ala.
Watching Oteil Burbridge deliver the funk on the bass is a bit of a mind-number experience. He’s one of the best players in the world and he truly makes it look like a cinch. On top of that, Oteil allows the rest of the Peacemakers, all pretty smoking players, plenty of time in the spotlight. Those who witnessed the band’s gospel funk jazz rock performances at Canyons know that Oteil and the gang are some seriously powerful performers.

The Overtakers—Roots reggae from Jamaica

Patrick Fitzsimons—Finger style blues guitarist from Asheville

Peace Jones—Funky flute hip-hop rock from Asheville

Pine Leaf Boys—Cajun Creole Zydeco from Lafayette, La.

Possum Jenkins—

Alt. country soul rock from Boone
While a good portion of their fans and friends moved following a few successive graduations, Possum Jenkins worked hard during 2006 to transition into a meaningful post-college existence. The locally based country-meets-rock n’ soul act played their way across the state, finding new fans as well as new sounds along the way. In subtle ways, the band’s new material subverts the personalities of the quartet in favor of a more cohesive and steady group sound. It seems that the band might actually be growing up.

Preservation Hall Jazz Band—

Traditional jazz from New Orleans
Approximately two seconds into a conversation with Preservation Hall Director Ben Jaffe and you realize that things in New Orleans are incredibly far from OK. But when the Preservation Hall Jazz Band visited Boone on November 1, they didn’t lecture from the Farthing Auditorium stage, they simply played beautiful New Orleans-style jazz with grace and humility. Whether the audience understood the deep blues being experienced by the musicians and their cathartic need to channel their ongoing struggle through the music, we’ll never know.

Randy & Deborah Jean Sheets—Old-time string duo from Watauga County

Ras Alan and The Lions—

Appalachian reggae from Greenville, Tenn.
Recently combining forces with Jamaican trio The Overtakers and CX-1 for the Reggae for the ReStore benefit on Friday, October 13, Appalachian reggae rocker Ras Alan returned to the High Country after a long absence from area stages. Still mixing several elements from his Appalachian roots with the sounds of Jamaica, Alan gave a rousing performance to a packed house. Alan and company will be back in town soon with a show at Canyons on Friday, January 19.

Reagan Boggs—Country Americana singer-songwriter from Johnson City, Tenn.

Red Stick Ramblers —

Cajun swing jazz and blues from Baton Rouge, La.
Seeing the Red Stick Ramblers play live without the corners of your mouth curling into a broad smile is just plain hard. The Louisiana-based quintet doesn’t jump up and down or have a cool light show; they just play. The band’s music isn’t silly sounding like polka; it’s just feel-good roots music that skillfully blends jazz, blues, Western swing, country and folk. And it makes you want to dance, even if you can’t.

Roots of Creation—Dub reggae jam band from Boston, Mass.

Rox Trio—Classic rock from Avery County

Royal Bangs—

Indie electronica rock
An admittedly nerdy guy who works in a library while in college comes to town with his band and completely demolishes all expectations while plowing through a set of fresh and inventive music. This was Knoxville’s Royal Bangs on August 18. A furiously percussive and melodic take on indie rock with touches of electronica, the young band made a stop in Boone prior to an upcoming hiatus for writer/singer/keyboardist Ryan Schaefer to live in France for a year. The band rocked so hard that the headlining act played a few tunes and quit.

Sarah Evans—Singer-songwriter from Watauga County

Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion—Americana Folk duo from Columbia, SC

Sam Bush Band—Progressive bluegrass roots from Nashville, Tenn.

Shannon Wurst—Country folk singer-songwriter from Boone

Skintback City Public Radio—Rowdy roots country from Asheville

The Sleepy Horses—

Psychedelic southwestern country rock from Athens, GA
Armed with one of the most mature, original and textured sounds to cross into the High country, Athens, Ga.’s Sleepy Horses wowed Black Cat Burrito audiences on two occasions with their image-rich psychedelic desert rock. Charismatic lead singer and guitarist Nick Goodson fulfilled in every way the archetype of the tall, thin and talented frontman while the band churned behind him, painting a collage of lonely highways lined with tumbleweed and desperate hitchhikers.

Solazo—Latin jazz band from Floyd, Va.

Solos Unit—

Jazzy hip-hop from Winston-Salem
In addition to local group N.B.C. and Greensboro’s Urban Sophisticates, Winston-Salem’s Solos Unit have been the High Country’s resident hip-hop groove makers. Backed by an unstoppable rhythm section and the keyboard wizardry of Bill Stevens, MCs Mr. Mo’Halyn and Renaissance dispensed lightning-fast literate rhymes while working the crowd with expert precision. Expect much of the same when the band returns in the near future to both the Boone Saloon and Murphy’s.

Southern Accent—Bluegrass gospel from Watauga County

Spam Allstars—

Latin house funk from Miami, Fla.
Watching nearly every single soul in the Boone Saloon mesmerized by Miami’s Spam Allstars on the particularly hot summer night of July 26, was like something out of a movie. While DJ Le Spam made the room vibrate from front to back with deep bass and drum grooves, the band’s horn section punctuated the funk with bursts of melody. The music, a totally original blend of salsa, funk, Afro-Cuban jazz and hip-hop, seemed to draw people toward the stage. Few times have I personally witnessed Boone audiences clamor for an encore the way they did for the Spam Allstars.

The SpongeTones—Pop rock band from Charlotte

Stacie Collins—Southern rock singer and harmonica player from Nashville, Tenn.

Steely Pan Steel Band—Steel drum band from Boone

Steve & Ruth Smith—Acoustic Celtic duo from Watauga County

Strictly Clean & Decent—Bluegrass folk from Lenoir

Terror Couple— Dramatic electronic industrial from Boone

Toubab Krewe—

Polyrhythmic African jam rock from Asheville
Asheville’s Malian jam rock phenoms Toubab Krewe have been making the rounds over to Boone since the beginning of 2006, all the while growing in scope on the national scene. Merging traditional West African grooves with stateside influences including hip-hop and surf rock, Toubab Krewe even took time to perform at a recent benefit for the people of the Darfur region of Sudan. They also played to enthusiastic audiences at a couple of little festivals called Bonnaroo and Vegoose.

Trey Anastasio—Progressive rock from Burlington, VT

Virginia Ground—Americana from Bristol, VA

Watauga Community Band—Eclectic music from Boone

The Waybacks—Modern string band music from San Francisco

Wink Keziah—Honky tonk southern country rock from Charlotte

Wiseapple—Bluegrass jazz from Boone

The Worthless Son-In-Laws—Alt. country folk rock from Watauga County