Sound Menu October 28 2000 Fri

FRI/OCTOBER 27
Noted acts
ATLANTA HORRORFEST AND EXPO 2000 — See Earshot. Crowne Plaza Hotel (Williams)
BILLYGOATS, MIKE PLUME BAND — Always a favorite of the Star Bar crowd, Nashville-based twang/popsters the Billygoats have a wonderful sound that suggests the “lost” country records Roy Orbison made during his unjustly overlooked years at MGM. Opening act Mike Plume comes from Nashville by way of Alberta, Canada, with a sound that’s part Steve Earle and part John Hiatt. Star Bar (Nicoll)
BOGUES — Marcinko and Harper, one of the best pop songwriting teams in the city, promise to debut some all-new Bogues material tonight as well as play old faves such as “Lou Reed” and “Shower Massage.” Boston Sea Party (Nicoll)
CASHMEN — Normally a country/rockabilly band, these talented locals will break out their special “‘50s Monster Mash” repertoire tonight. They’ll play two sets, with a DJ spinning Big Band tunes in between. There’s a free dance lesson at 8 p.m. Music starts at 9 p.m. GA Tech Student Ballroom (Nicoll)
CASPER FANDANGO & THE COOKIES — Jason NeSmith of Orange Hat and The Yeah! assumes his alter ego as Casper F. (not the friendly ghost) for a loopy art-pop performance following tonight’s presentation of an experimental set of scary puppet shows. (Keep the Spinal Tap jokes to yerself, please!) Laughing Skull beer will be served; this is an 18-and-up show starting at 8 p.m. Center for Puppetry Arts (Nicoll)
COMMON, JILL SCOTT — The superstructure at the Tabernacle groaned in pain two weeks ago when Common took the stage at the Okayplayer show, driving the crowd into synchronized bobbing hysteria. He returns to the venue this Friday, bringing the classy organic hip-hop that has made him a front-runner in the socially conscious school. In the underground’s snowballing bid for commercial viability, Common is a heavy chip indeed. Jill Scott shares the bill; see article. Tabernacle (Hutchinson)
CHRISTINE HAVRILLA — Making her Atlanta debut, Pennsylvania-based Havrilla cuts through the murky singer-songwriter waters with a more sophisticated compositional vision, far removed from the disappointing good-voice-simplistic-strum-along formula. The alternate-tuning arrangements and full-band sensibilities of her sophomore release Some Other Thing give the feeling that she’s from the rare but appreciated ‘player first, folk singer second’ school of folk rock. Eddie’s Attic (Hutchinson)
MELT BANANA — While certainly not the noisiest (or scariest for that matter) band ever to come from the land of the rising sun, Melt Banana could certainly compete for the funniest. Where else but Japan would you find a geisha on speed blurting out truncated rapid-fire sentences while spastic whacked-out guitar bounces off of the walls like a broken laser. Guaranteed to make your pulse quicken. Echo Lounge (Foy)
AUDRA MCDONALD — The Rialto Signature Series continues with the concert of Tony Award winning mother-to-be McDonald. Postponed from Oct. 7 for health reasons, the performance features songs by Harold Arlen, Leonard Bernstein and Jerome Kern along with modern musical theater selections. Rialto (Ware)
MONTE MONTGOMERY — It’s hard to tag a musical genre on singer/songwriter and guitar whiz Monte Montgomery; there are so many styles represented in his music, from blues and country to folk and pop. The glue that holds everything together however is his amazing guitar work ... and it’s super-glue! Voted one of the best undiscovered guitarist in the U.S. by Guitar One magazine and winner of “Best Acoustic Guitarist” at the SXSW music conference in Austin the past three years, Monte brings his jaw-dropping acoustic fretwork to town for a two-night stand. Brandy House (Hendee)
CARRIE NEWCOMER — Don’t file under wimp-folk. With tough bass playing/singer/songwriter Don Dixon as band leader/arranger, the acoustic-based Newcomer takes a harder, edgier approach that suits her husky, deeply emotional voice. Like a softer but no less heartfelt Joan Armatrading, the singer lays into her introspective songs with a passion most folkies only dream about. A little blues, a little gospel, a little pop and a whole lotta soul characterize Newcomer’s songs that ooze with an underlying mystery. Eddie’s Attic (Horowitz)
ONE KING DOWN, SHUTDOWN — A double-edged blade we’ve got here. Metalcore mayhem. One King Down has an amazing bass rumble and piercing vocals that take the occasional Tool-like rhythmic change. For fans of Snapcase, Snapease ... basically anybody who is about to snap. Appropriate. Shutdown, on the other hand, are more New York-style positive hardcore, riffing off the Revelation catalog. No snapping here except audience’s necks by breakneck speed. 513 Club (Ware)
REALM 4 — 4 Kings Entertainment hosts another “underground experiment in hip-hop, trip-hop, jungle and drum ‘n’ bass” featuring some of the best of the realm. Participants include Kaleidoscope family members Justin Hale as well as Drums & Effects, Vinyl Junkies and Chief Justice. D.R.E.S. the Beatnik MCs. You never know if you might see Bushwick Bill or some such underground star hanging out. Admission is discounted with a canned good. MJQ Concourse (Ware)
DOC SEVERINSEN — Long before Jay Leno took over the “Tonight Show,” Johnny Carson was King of Late Night. His orchestra leader for three decades was Doc Severinsen, who had already made a name for himself as a respected pop-jazz trumpeter. Tonight the flamboyant conductor begins a two-night Atlanta stand, featuring material from his career and a few well-chosen standards. Symphony Hall (Smith)
SWIMMING POOL Q’S — Atlanta’s original new wave band is still paddling hard and strong after more than 20 years floating in the pool. Red Light Café (Nicoll)
VIBROLUSH — There’s what appears to be a space-age vacuum on the cover of Vibrolush’s album. And while Vibrolush do not completely suck like a vacuum, they seemed to have sucked up all the sleek pop elements you’d expect of a band today. Yet more songs you’d hear on 99X and not be able to distinguish from all the others. Fans of this sound should down a tonic and not turn a third eye blind or our lady piece will get them. Cotton Club (Ware)
WOGGLES, FIGGS — Atlanta’s high-energy ’60s rock ‘n’ roll machine the Woggles will keep up the seasonal spirit with this free-admission slumber/pajama party show, and with another spirited rendition of “Dracula’s Daughter” (their track on the new compilation Monster Party 2000; see review, p. 109). Opening act the Figgs are a New York new wave outfit who’ve backed Graham Parker and now have a pretty good new album all their own, Sucking in Stereo. The Earl (Nicoll)
Also performing

9 LIVES SALOON: Vagrant, Skerv, Minus
40 WATT CLUB-ATHENS: Great Lakes, Summer Hymns
513 CLUB: Shutdown, One King Down, Clocked In
AFTER DARK CABARET: The Hooplas
ANTHONY’S-DECATUR: Full Moon Afternoon, X-Miss Americas
ATLANTA SYMPHONY HALL: Doc Severinsen performs with the ASO
BASIL’S CAFÉ: Steven Charles Jazz Duo
BILLY’S: Heather Luttrell and Ed and Rick
BLIND WILLIE’S: Houserocker Johnson and the Shadows
BLUE LAGOON LOUNGE: The Bogues, Allison Jarrel
BLUE RACCOON: Chicago Joe
BORDER’S BOOKS-MIDTOWN: Harry Lester
BRANDYHOUSE: Blueground Undergrass, Monte Montgomery
BRIDGES: Jazz with the Sharp Four
THE BRIGHT SPOT: Andrew Leanza
CAJUN KITCHEN: 3DK, Escape Vehicle
CENTER FOR PUPPETRY ARTS: Casper Fandango and the Cookies
THE CHAMBER: Alabastor
CHIP’S-WINDER: Electric Eels
CHURCHILL GROUNDS JAZZ CAFÉ: The Swing Association
CJ’S LANDING: Ian Schumacher, Tim Acres, Homemade Jam
COPELAND’S: 3rd Commitment
COSMOPOLITAN: Bruce Crighton, DJ Ted Fortenberry
PLANETJAM COTTON CLUB: Vibrolush
CROWN PLAZA: HorrorFest with Ubermenschen
DADDY D’Z: Kindle Williams Sr. and Blue Soul
DARK HORSE TAVERN : Eden, Another Man Down, Friends of the Family
DARWIN’S: Sean Costello
THE DERBY-JOHN’S CREEK: The Blast
THE DERBY-NESBIT FERRY: Chris Hicks
DOTTIE’S: Earthtone Sound System
THE EARL: The Woggles, The Figgs, Slumber Party
ECLIPSE DI LUNA: Kim Rushing
EDDIE’S ATTIC: Carrie Newcomer, Christine Havrilla
FAT MATT’S RIB SHACK: The Delta Rockers
FRONT PAGE NEWS: Lachez Les
FUZZY’S: Blues Barons
THE HANGAR: Ashcraft
HUEY’S: Live Jazz
JACKAL’S: Work in Progress
JAKE’S ROADHOUSE: Ricky Fargo
JAVA HOUSE: Songwriters in the Round with Libby Eason, Selene McCarthy, Rich Healy
KILLER CREEK: Showtyme Jazz Duo
MARY’S: Music videos with DJ Jigsaw
MASQUERADE: Crazy Train: an Ozzy Tribute; different DJs spinning techno in Hell
MCCOLGAN’S: Mickle-A-Do
MJQ CONCOURSE: Realm 4 benefit for the homeless: An experiment in hip-hop and drum ‘n’ bass
MURPHY’S LAW: Alien
NORTHSIDE TAVERN: Felix and the Cats
OPERA HOUSE: Fozzy
POOR RICHARDS’ PUB: Radio Free Dixie
POPPERS: Motor City Josh
RED LIGHT CAFÉ: Swimming Pool Q’s
THE RIALTO CENTER: Audra McDonald
RIB SHACK BLUES CAFÉ: Richard Marks and the Marksmen
RIVIERA: Paul Sforza
SCROOGE’S: The Charms
THE SHACK: Phoenix
SMITH’S OLDE BAR: Ultraphonic, Mindseye, Moye, Lifehouse
SOMBER REPTILE: Two Fisted Cool, Iris
STAR BAR-L5P: Billygoats, Mike Plume Band
THE SWALLOW AT THE HOLLOW: Blue Bird show with Jon Vezner, Steve Jones, Rob Crosby
SWEET MELISSA’S-DECATUR: The Jeff Crompton Quartet
TASTY WORLD-ATHENS: Earlimart, Fiver, Bob, Liar’s Club
UGLY MUG PUB: Alley Katz
THE VAULT: Retro wave with DJ Cazio
VININGS INN: Mina
WHISKER’S TAVERN-DUNWOODY: 285
WILD WING CAFÉ: Barry Richman
WOODEN NICKEL: Living Large