Air Dubai Comes East…TO CHARLOTTE!

Denver’s smokin’ little hip-hop fusion act, Air Dubai, announced last week that they’d be joining the Journeys Noise Tour with Mariana’s Trench.  And yesterday, they announced that they’re going to be on the Charlotte date at The Fillmore on June 5!

I’ve described them before as the musical offspring of Jamiroquai and Bell Biv Devoe – everything you loved about late 90s hip-hop, fused with a horn section and atmospheric synthesizer.  Then drop in some straight up rock n’ roll guitar, and crazy, hooky melodies here and there…and there you’ve got Air Dubai.  They are totally unique, and I’ve become a big fan of their style over the last two years or so.

Shortly after recording an EP with Dwight Baker in Austin (who also has worked with my beloved Alpha Rev and Saints of Valory boys, and is currently in a project called The Wind and the Wave with Patricia Lynn, formerly of The Soldier Thread), the six-piece signed to Hopeless Records, adding some depth to the label’s roster with their hip-hop flair.

Check out the fellas rockin’ their song “Warning” (featuring the incomparable Patricia Lynn) in the video below…I dare ya to listen to it just once.

 

Should be a killer show.  Pre-sale tickets are already available (Citi Card); general public goes on sale on Friday.  $15.  Pick ‘em up here.

More Air Dubai:  Web | Facebook | Twitter | Buy the Warning Extended Single on iTunes

Grace Potter + Daytrotter: More Than An Awesome Rhyme

Image ©Daytrotter.

Image ©Daytrotter.

If you know me AT all, you know that I have a ginormous girl crush on Grace Potter.  If you don’t know me … well, now you know.  I’ve never wanted to be someone else in my whole life, but I would trade shoes with Grace Potter for a day in a heartbeat (seriously, I would, the woman has killer shoes).

Anyhow, the fine folks over at Daytrotter recently recorded a 8-song session with her and it is absolutely SICK.  I’m not even sure you can call it 8 songs, since one of them is 12 minutes long.  That particular piece of solid Grace gold could be called “how to get from a mooning love song to a sex anthem in five deft moves” as she transitions from “Stars” all the way to “Paris”  and makes it sound like it was MEANT TO BE THAT WAY.

Daytrotter has a knack for recording these artists in their naked, stripped down beauty, which is, I guess, the point of Daytrotter.  In Grace’s case, it just showcases how truly amazing her voice actually is.  That girl is a vocal powerhouse and listening to her reminds me of just how incredible music can be.

The highlight of the session for me is “Belladonna,” which Grace pulled out of the Nocturnals archives.  It’s gorgeous.  There are a few other non-album song appearances, including “Mystery Train” and “Cinnamon Girl.”

[If you're a member at Daytrotter, you can download the session for free.  If you're not a member, you really should consider joining.  For just $24 a year, you can access literally thousands of unique, intimate recorded sessions with some incredible up and coming and established artists. ]

More Grace Potter & The Nocturnals:  Website | Twitter | Facebook

More Daytrotter: Website

A Haunting New Video from Flagship

My favorite Charlotte band, Flagship, dropped a new music video today.  It’s definitely a little creepy – figuratively and literally dark – but damn, it’s good. Drake’s voice is, as always, huge.  I just love it. And the drums on this track are bad ass.  I expect we’ll be hearing big things from these kids.

Supposedly, Flagship is dropping a new album this spring on indie label Bright Antenna, which is also home to Middle Class Rut and The Wombats, and the former home of another vocal superstar, Jimmy Gnecco from Ours.  Keep your ears to the ground for more news on a new release from the Flagship fellas.  Until then, go pick up their Blackbush EP from last spring – it will do well for tiding you over.

More Flagship:  Facebook | Twitter | Buy Flagship’s Blackbush EP on iTunes

More Matt McCloskey

I’m kind of obsessed with Matt McCloskey‘s music right now.  Some fella was nice enough to post a series of videos on YouTube that he shot last week at Matt’s show in Austin.  I just love the way he talks about his music – it’s so honest its painful.  “I thought I’d get better at being alive.”  Jesus – don’t we all?

Not Tonight/The Hard Rains

50 Cent Heart

Thanks to Lenny Sharp for posting the videos.

More Matt McCloskey:  Web | Facebook | Twitter | The Hard Rains on iTunes

The Origin of Quiet Hounds: Will We Finally Get Behind the Masks?

How many times have you used the word “awesome” today?  How about fabulous, incredible or amazing?  Best [insert a word of your choice here] ever?

We’ve become a society where excess fails to have meaning anymore.  Where we lack words to describe the truly phenomenal.  Nowhere is this more true than in music.

So, in a music world like that, how do you redefine the term “artist?”

You become the Quiet Hounds. That’s how.

Appearing almost out of thin air in the summer of 2011, this indie rock band is an enigma on today’s scene. They’ve kept their identities shrouded, literally behind masks, letting only the few hundred people who have seen them perform live in on who they are. They’ve shunned the present day music model of constant in your face promotionalism. They have given away every shred of music they’ve recorded – not sold, given away.  They’ve performed only a handful of times in their 18-months, furthering the mystical air about the quintet.  They write songs with deep meaning, and put together cinematic videos to accompany them.

And speaking from experience, I will tell you this:  a Quiet Hounds live performance will change how you view concerts forever.  It is an experience beyond words.  Above the excess.

You might think that once a handful of fans discovered their identities that the cat would be out of the bag. Instead, it’s become an almost cult-like secret, one where those in the know protect the identities of the band members to help them further their prevailing goal:  to make art that moves the soul.

On February 24th, we may find out a bit more about the men behind the masks.  Quiet Hounds are celebrating what they are calling their first anniversary with a live, online concert they’ve dubbed “Origin.”  If you’ve been privy to any other QH shows, you know that what they choose to call the show is linchpin to the entire event.  Teasing the concert with the line, “This is the fabled tale of our humble beginning. Of the darkness and hope that innately drives us all to get up and go,” I was dying to know what the guys had in store.  So I reached out to ask.  

It seems that the symbiosis of the fan-artist relationship runs a whole lot deeper with this group of modern day renaissance musicians – and it’s so refreshing that it gets me even more excited about their music.  Here’s the response from one of the Hounds on what fans can expect from the online performance:

“An Ode to Lost Souls was only the beginning. The profound effect our audience has had on the group is our driving force. We’re striving to push ourselves to create meaningful experiences from here on out. With Origin, we’ll be recounting the tale of how the Quiet Hounds came to be and hopefully creating even more mystery with the reveal. And you can bet you’ll hear some new music if you tune in for the webcast.”

Need they say more?  Watch the beautiful teaser for the event below and get more information or tickets to the event at www.quiethounds.com.

More Quiet Hounds:  Web | Facebook | Twitter