The Evening Muse, Charlotte NC

Off The Record with Jeff Hahne

2012-02-16T09:36:00.001-05:00

Deirdre Kroener-Grown Up Avenger Stuff

The 3rd Wednesday of every month Charlotte’s Creative Loafing music editor, Jeff Hahne, hosts an Off The Record session at the Evening Muse with one or two local artists. The sessions are entertaining, informal, and feature a little inquisitive prodding interspersed among the several acoustic songs in this intimate setting.

During last night’s “Off The Record” Local Traumatic were in a chatty mood while Grown Up Avenger Stuff struggled to comprehend how anyone could answer the questions around the creative process used by an artist – it’s either about how love should be, or it isn’t.

The conversations were polar – as were the musical styles.

Continue reading here for the rest of the story and photos..

Cheers,

Monty

Tosco House Party @ the Evening Muse

2011-10-14T10:32:00.000-05:00

John Tosco

As most folks in Charlotte know the first Wednesday of each month John Tosco holds an open mic night at the Evening Muse - it's call the Tosco House Party. There's a long story that goes back some 20 years of musicians gathering to share their music in a "living room" atmosphere. That tradition lives on at the Evening Muse in addition to the Tosco Music Party where the "living room" grows to a 1,200 seat theatre three times a year.

I really enjoy attending these House parties as they provide a glimpse into the development of numerous talented singer-songwriters. Many of these people were in High School when they started sharing their talents at the Tosco House Party.

Devon Elizabeth

Among my favorites are Devon Elizabeth, Joelle Kittrell of Side By Side, Marie Hasty, Sy Arden, and many others..

January 2011 THP photos

September 2011 THP photos

October 2011 THP photos

This is an event that you should visit. Very casual - all ages - a great time and wonderful evening of acoustic music.

Cheers,

Monty

Traditional sing-along start to the Tosco House Party

Gareth Asher - Oct 13th 2011

2011-10-14T09:52:00.000-05:00

It has been a couple of years since I have seen Gareth Asher perform. The Evening Muse is a great place to listen to Gareth as the intimate setting really allows one to feel the power and hear the subtleties in his voice.

Performing with his new band "The Earthlings" Gareth appeared to be a little more relaxed. He was having more fun this time around. It had been a year since he passed through Charlotte - shortly after releasing his 2010 album "Between The Smiles And Tears". The Earthlings include harmony vocalist Nicki Thrailkill, lead guitarist Joshua Huff and percussionist Mike Nessen.

As the only performer of the night the 2 hour set these guys put on was simply fantastic. The band played a lot of new songs, took requests for favorite old songs and even took on some covers as they filled house the melody, rock and Americana sweetness!

Here's a link to photos of the bands performance.

Thanks for a great night of music!

Cheers,

Monty

Joshua James returns to Charlotte

2011-10-14T09:33:00.000-05:00

Most folks know that I am a huge fan of Joshua James. I've written many times about his emotive delivery of meaningful lyrics and how his soft raspy voice draws the listener into his music.

Joshua has met with some success this year as the TV show Sons Of Anarchy featured a full length version of his song "Coal War" in their promotion for the upcoming season. Congratulations!

This year was special for me because he returned to the Evening Muse on my Birthday! Sweet!

Here's a link to the photo's I took on the night.

Honey Honey was the opener for Joshua. They are touring together and were also very enjoyable. Here's a link to a few images of their performance as well.

Cheers,

Monty

November 2010 - Tosco House Party

2010-11-08T13:00:00.001-05:00

The Tosco Music Party was forced out of John's living room many many years ago due to size, expansion, popularity and outright demand! Well the monthly House Party open mic held at the Evening Muse the first Wednesday of each month is rapidly expanding as well. Novembers Tosco House party was a full house - so many talented artists wanted to participate a few had to be denied because the event simply ran out of time!

Beginning with an abbreviated sing-along warmup session due to the sheer number of people in attendance, John made the most of the window in affording the 29 artists who did perform the time they needed to share their song. There were many returning participants who come to the house party each month to hone their skills and share their latest artistic writing. There were also a number of people for whom this was their first Tosco House party. Several of them noted how impresed they were with the listening room atmosphere of the Evening Muse - not to mention the level of talent in the room.

Photos of all of the nights performers..

Tonights artists included:

David Segovia; Spencer, Liam and James Robinson - supported by their music teacher Laura Talley; Lorenzo Zapata; Desmond Myers; Joe Campo; Louis Campo; Phil Carias; Tina Penn; Kevin Marshall; Rick Edmisten; Lorelei Ross; Amy Royal; Chuck Johnson; Sydney Bolen; Jake Bartholomew; Marie Hasty; Rick Kim; Craig Reimann of the group Tripping Billies; Bryan Cahall; Jacob Johnson; Taylor Moore; Danial Helms; Joelle Kittrell, Mike Pepe, and Joseph Pepe of the group Side-By-Side; Glenn Evans; Shannon McArthur.

Rick Edmisten supported Jackie Moseley in her showcase at the Charlotte Music Awards folk performance Thursday night. Rick plays a mean Mando!

Marie Hasty did a great job tonight - she a young developing artist whom will hopefully pursue her vocal talents.

Bryan Cahall drove down from Greensboro for the show and is developing quite a following as a storyteller singer-songwriter. I've been very impressed with his last couple of performances. People remember him!

Jacob Johnson and Taylor Moore are performing at the Double Door Inn on November 10th - check 'em out. They are a couple of very talented guitarists as well as singer-songwriters. The DDI show promises to be a very entertaining event!

Looking forward to next months Tosco House Party at the Evening Muse - see ya there!

Keepin' it live..

Charlotte Music Examiner Article

For a complete listing of Charlotte's musical happenings calendar be sure to sign up for the Carolina Music Connection. It is Charlotte's bible when it comes to knowing who is playing where and when. I use it!!

Mando Saenz and Kim Richey - Oct 2nd 2010

2010-10-03T16:03:00.000-05:00

Mando Saenz and Kim Richey are doing a fall tour together and Charlotte was lucky enough to be one of the stops. Mando opened the early show with an acoustic set consisting of old and new tunes. He was joined by Kim for a couple of songs as well.

Images of Mando's performance here.

After a very short break Kim took the stage along with Dan Mitchell on keyboards and Neilson Hubbard on percussions and bass. Kim's newest album "Wreck Your Wheels" was featured along with several of her more recognizable songs, including Circus Song, Chinese Boxes and Straight As The Crow Flies.

Images of Kim's performance here.

A truly memorable night of music at the Evening Muse with a two-time Grammy nominee taking the stage.

Cheers,

Monty

Recap - September 2010 Tosco House Party @ the Evening Muse

2010-09-03T07:11:00.003-05:00

This months Tosco House Party held at the Evening Muse continues to reflect the fun atmosphere that has become a tradition. Promptly at 8 the musicians as well as others in attendance formed a circle so the sing-a-long could commence. It's a great way to break the ice as well as to warm up a bit before the performances begin. Tonight's warm-up songs included:

"Takin' it Easy" - Doobie Brothers; Introductions of the folks in the room; "Revolution" - Beatles; "Treat Your Children" - CSNY; "Southern Cross" - CSNY; "Ring Of Fire" - J. Cash; "Folsom Prison" - J. Cash; "Ain't That America" - John Cougar; "American Pie" - Don McLean; "The Boxer" - Simon and Garfunkel; "Rocky Top"- Nitty Gritty Dirt Band; "Country Roads" - John Denver.

A seldom discussed but very important benefit of these Music Party's results from the $2 cover that everyone in attendance must pay. The $2 goes into a traveling musicians fund which helps musicians who play at the Evening Muse on a slow night by perhaps providing gas money to get them to their next gig. It helps and all goes to traveling musicians! As usual with John - it's all about the musicians.

Sara Scott accompanied by band-mate and sister Katie Scott performed a wonderful new song which is part of a batch of new material she's been writing to include on her new album scheduled for release next spring. Sarah will be at the Muse this Friday night at 8 PM as she leads off the Gallery Crawl performances. Catch her hour long set and pick up a copy of some acoustic work she'll be handing out!

Bryan Cahall is from Greensboro - He shared a Storytelling song which was rich with very creative lyrics of meaning within meaning and delivered it with heart and an upbeat tempo. Titled "Battleground USA" it's about finding habitable spaces. While its aweful hard to pick a favorite song when choosing from the talented performers attending a Tosco House Party, this was an easy choice. This song stood out!!

Brett Greer - A very nice country tune written for Brett by his father. Brett plays a really nice guitar and has a voice that is well suited to ballads and country songs. His was a different sound that was very welcomed at the House Party.

Read on here for the rest of the story and photos...

Cheers,

Monty

Last November rocked NoDa Saturday night

2010-09-03T07:08:00.003-05:00

Within 100 yards of each other there was some really smokin' rock'n roll going on. Over at the Neighborhood Theatre the ThermaTones were celebrating Odell Stamey's 75th birthday with a two set concert and Last November showed off some really good new material at the Evening Muse's late show.

Over at the Evening Muse Luke Pilgram, Tyler Ayers & Taylor Woodruff of the Atlanta based group Last November shared some truly fantastic new material they have been working on. Traditionally leaning towards a harder rock vibe, the guys brought out a softer side of themselves with articulate vocals in a progressive country flare. Mind you - it's not your dads country music and progressive might not be a strong enough hint of the rock and roll nature that is Last November, but the lyrics weren't simply a string of words that made good prose. The lyrics told a story - made sense - and provided a connection with the young audience in attendance. Good to see these guys stretching themselves! They're headed to Wisconsin next to perform at the Taste of Madison Festival. Check out their MySpace page to hear their music and look for performance dates near you!

Read on for the rest of the story and images..

Cheers,

Monty

Stereofidelics continue rocking Charlotte with a great live set and a new CD

2010-09-03T07:02:00.003-05:00

After my traditional summer vacation and resulting hiatus from Charlotte's music scene, my choice for first show to see as the new school year sets in was Stereofidelics performing at the Evening Muse Friday night. Chris Padgett and Melissa McGinley have added several songs to their set since releasing their newest CD titled "You Are Having A Wonderful Time". The group released this new CD 18 months after their debut CD titled "Only Sleeping" - an equally impressive work.

Like their debut CD, "You Are Having A Wonderful Time" was written, performed and produced by the Stereofidelics. This live-in-studio recording reflects the intense energy and instrumental talent possessed by both Chris and Melissa. The energetic musical style and individuality of each song which sets them apart from other bands was on display at the Evening Muse last night as well. Each song is unique and fresh with intense complexity that dazzles the ear!

Read on here for the rest of the story.....

Cheers,

Monty

Fully Alive - The Maddie Shuler CD release at the Evening Muse - March 21, 2010

2010-03-22T09:21:00.002-05:00

On the backside of the "Fully Alive" CD case is a quote from the internationally recognized percussionist Jim Brock, who is also the producer of the CD, which reads: "Maddie has this raw spirit in her music that hasn't had time to be jaded or molded. The spirit of this 14 year old is what all music should possess, no matter the genre".

This raw spirit was on full display Sunday evening at Maddie Shuler’s "Fully Alive" CD release party - truly a celebration of her music and the accomplishment of putting her writing to a medium which can be shared with all whom choose to listen. A standing room only audience gathered at the Evening Muse to witness Maddie perform a set consisting of the entire CD, supported by a full band consisting of Robert Austell (keyboards), Dustin Hofsess (lead guitar), Stacey Leazer (bass), and Jim Brock (percussions).

Read on here for the rest of the story, set list and photos..

Cheers,

Monty

Charlotte Parrot and Not A Sparrow performed the early show at the Evening Muse March 20th, 2010

2010-03-22T09:17:00.003-05:00

17 Year old local high school student Charlotte Parrot opened for the group Not A Sparrow at the Evening Muse Saturday night, performing a hour long set covering 10 of her original songs as well as one cover. The Evening Muse was almost at capacity as fully half the audience comprised of peers and family of Charlotte's as they came to support and hear her in one of her largest and best performances of the year. Charlotte Parrot is becoming a recognized acoustic singer-songwriter who's songs resonate with a pop sound and writing telling the stories from the innocent paradigm of a well loved and nutured teenager.

The featured artists for the early show Saturday night were the three piece group named "Not A Sparrow". They are made up of Philip Hamrick (Vocals, guitar, humor, & keyboards), Rachel Hamrick (vocals), and Christina Swinger (violin). This trio produces beautiful musical melodies and vocal harmony in songs of love and life which are very pleasing to the ear.

Not A Sparrow has recently released a self-titled CD featuring 8 new songs of faith, forgiveness and even narcolepsy. Choosing to record the entire project in the Hamrick's home in the countryside 30 miles north of Charlotte, North Carolina, the band has produced an organic new sound that mixes pop with folk and bluegrass with classical. You can hear many of the songs on their MySpace page here.

Read on here for the rest of the story, photo's and set lists..

Cheers,

Monty

A festive celebration of music at the Evening Muse - Tosco House Party - March 3rd, 2010

2010-03-05T07:45:00.002-05:00

One doesn't generally think of a packed house that's standing room only when considering the expected audience of an open mic night, but that's exactly what was on hand for the Tosco House Party held at the Evening Muse Tuesday night. The sign-up sheet which holds space for 17 performers spilled over onto the back of the page - such was the demand to perform!

With such a full house, the singalong was held to approx 30 minutes so all of the performers would get a chance to perform before the 10:30 show started. Bye Bye Love started the singalong tonight as everyone gathered in the circle. The goal is to keep the song simple and to approx 3 chords so everyone can play along. Second song tonight was the Three Dog Night tune - "Jeremiah Was A Bullfrog". Folks tend to have a bit of fun with these as not everyone knows the words so the folks who do tend to belt it out so the rest can catch up! Bob Dylan's "Knocking On Heavens Door" was next, with a few of the younger folks adding an Axle Rose "Hey, Hey, Hey" in there at appropriate moments - let the rockers loose!! "Friend of the Devil" was next and several folks knew the words - several didn't too, so it was a modified version tonight! "Here Comes the Sun" - a favorite Beatles tune was enjoyed by the entire circle with an added bonus of a "flute-like" instrument played by someone that added great character to the song. Tom Petty's "Free Falling" or at least the first verse & chorus was next. The guitar players were getting warmed up now along with several vocalists as the crowd belted out "and I'm free, free fallin..." A darned good job on "Honky Tonk Woman" followed that as the rock theme continued. John Prine's "Paradise" was followed by John Denver's "Country Road" and the "Stand By Me" as the singalong was brought to a close. Time to get the Open Mic underway!

Photos of tonights performances...

Read on Here for the rest of the story

Cheers,

Monty

Stereofidelics & Amelia's Mechanics

2010-02-28T13:24:00.004-05:00

Feb 26th 2010 - This was a special Friday night for me in that it had been a while since we'd been able to catch the dynamic sounds of The Stereofidelics in a live setting. In fact the last time was at the Tosco Music Party early in 2009. Mother nature produced a little nasty weather which forced the cancellation of the show scheduled earlier in the year, so we were pretty excited when we saw they were coming to town Friday night. Their set was a short one as they were one of three acts on the schedule for the early show - but we were very happy to catch these two extremely talented musicians. Check them out on their MySpace page - they're on tour regularly. Hope you get a chance to see them too.

Images from The Stereofidelics performance tonight..

The second group up this night was a three piece band out of Greensboro, NC called Amelia's Mechanics. Three ladies who produce a country-ish sound via acoustic harmony and complexity within their lyrics. Their show was, well - fun.. Their music is pleasing and easy to listen too. In fact, we walked away with a copy of their CD - "North * South".

Photos of Amelia's Mechanics performance..

Cheers,

Monty

Paul Atkinson & Friends @ the Evening Muse

2010-02-18T17:10:00.002-05:00

Since Sept 2009 local singer-songwriter Paul Atkinson has been hosting a songwriters "show" at the Evening Muse on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. The format is simple - a special guest does an opening set followed by a set from Paul. It gives each an opportunity to test out new material and/or reminisce through an old favorite.

For audience members the show has additional depth. Not only do we get to enjoy the music of some very talented local artists, but we also get to expand our friendships through the fellowship that comes from an evening of music within an intimate setting like the Evening Muse. It's also time friendly as the show starts at 8PM and is completed by 10PM. Home in time to watch the news and get plenty of sleep for the business day that follows!

Last night was just like that. Simply fun - pure and honest - as well as a time to meet new friends and spend time with old ones whom you don't see on a regular basis. Nothing like face to face interaction over a cold beer while great music is in the air. Songwriter Julia Dixon and son Chad Dixon were in attendance along with a few of Paul's friends and family. It's warm, it's relaxing, it's informal - it's fun!

Paul's special guest tonight was none other than Jeff Luckadoo - a local singer-songwriter who most recently was recognized as the Best Country Music artist by the Charlotte Music Awards organization in Nov '09. Jeff shared some older tunes as well as newer material. Through his set there were times when you wanted to cry, times when you wanted to revenge a wrong, and other times when the cold beer in your hand was all you needed.

Read on here for the rest of the story and photographs of the performances..

Cheers,

Monty

StephaniesId @ the Evening Muse Feb 5th 2010

2010-02-06T23:06:00.002-05:00

After a great show over at the Neighborhood Theatre featuring Donna the Buffalo it was on to the Evening Muse to to enjoy the unique pop rock sound that belongs to StephaniesId. With a set decorated in a little fluffy girlie stuff, the band set out to entertain a large audience with an almost 90 minute set of fan favorites ranging across all three of the bands albums.

StephaniesId is Stephanie Morgan (vocals, guitar); Chuck Lichtenberger (keys, vocals); Tim Haney (drums); Jacob Rodriguez (Saxophone); Justin Ray (Trumpet, French Horn). An excellent horn section sets this group apart!

Photos of the StephaniesId performance..

Cheers,

Monty

TMP alternative held at the Evening Muse Sat evening - Jan 30th 2010

2010-01-31T18:54:00.003-05:00

Saturday nights Tosco Music Party (TMP) was canceled by its CPCC host due to very inclement Charlotte weather and Icy roads in the area. Taking advantage of what seemed a poor situation, several of the artists who had traveled to town and were scheduled to perform at the TMP got together with other folks close to the TMP event and came up with a win-win solution. They put on an alternate show at the Evening Muse!

Reed Waddle, Caleb Hawley, Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade, and Rebecca Loebe comprised the line-up for the revised early show.

Read on for the rest of the story and photos..

Cheers,

Monty

Jan 2010 Tosco House Party kicks the year off in style

2010-01-08T07:33:00.002-05:00

Consistent with over 20 years of tradition celebrating inclusion and support in music, January's Tosco House Party featured 19 performances by a diverse and very talented mix of singers, songwriters and musicians.

While the Tosco Music Party has grown to a 1,200 seat theatre, held 3 times a year, the Tosco House Party carries on in the tradition of an intimate living room gathering of musicians sharing in their talent and celebrating each others progression. Its an endearing community!

It's often stated that you never know who all will show up at the House Party to share their latest work and what form that work will have taken. The consensus on this night is that it has been quite a while since a house so full of talented performers presented themselves to share as they have tonight.

Twenty Six artists took the stage for nineteen performances - see photo's!

Read on for the rest of the story..

Cheers,

Monty

Party till you drop - an overdose of fun at The Evening Muse!

2009-12-11T09:36:00.002-05:00

With a very special line-up that was heavy on regional talent the Evening Muse had the feel of a neighborhood party about to explode as the late show commenced on this Wednesday night. The audience were passionate about the musicians they had come out to see as many were intimately familiar with the music. You could feel the anticipatory buzz in the air.

Opening the late show was an extremely talented emerging band out of Washington DC named Honor By August.

Second to the stage was the Atlanta based group Sun Domingo, with labels: MBM (US) / Racket Records (UK/Europe).

Completing the night of rock 'n roll music was the Virginia Beach based band The Influence.

Read on for the rest of the nights story as well as photos of the performances..

Cheers,

Monty

December's Tosco House Party was warm and cozy

2009-12-04T07:20:00.002-05:00

Imagine a show that would include Grown Up Avenger Stuff, The Cloer's, Chris English, Haji Basim, Kevin Marshall, Ralph Husband, and Nicole Reynolds. Well that's exactly what the folks at the Tosco House Party were treated to on a chilly, rainy, windy night at the Evening Muse.

Read on for the rest of the story and photos..

Cheers,

Monty

gogoPilot to release third studio album @ the Evening Muse - Nov 27th 2009

2009-11-19T08:10:00.002-05:00

In keeping with friends & family tradition, gogoPilot frontman Jeff Williams has selected the Evening Muse as the venue to hold an intimate gathering & performance in celebration of the release of the bands third CD recording. The latest reflection of Jeff’s musical state of mind at this point in time will be revealed at 8PM on the 27th of Nov.

“The further it goes; the farther it is”

The songs on the CD are all originals written by Jeff Williams. There’s a mixture of older songs and newer material. When asked about any song favorites, Jeff shared an unguarded affinity to his songs akin to a mother asked which baby she loves most. “They’re all special – they are my creations”. There are 3-4 songs on the CD which Jeff considers to be "older" material which he had written some 10 years ago but had never recorded. “The passing of time has made them doable. They reflect some family tragedies and personal experiences I wasn’t ready to perform until now”. Jeff shared “That relates back to the title of the CD – the time and distance thing. Now’s the time since there’s more distance – it gets easier”.

Read on for the rest of the story and chat with Jeff concerning this new release..

Cheers,

Monty

Saturday Night Special - Sarah Borges with Eilen Jewell

2009-11-15T22:43:00.002-05:00

It was a festive evening in NoDa this Saturday night. Breaking Laces were still in town and playing the “Cash Van” game around NoDa. April Verch was entertaining a fairly full Evening Muse venue with her Folksy Bluegrass.

The late show partiers were beginning to arrive for the Boston based rock groups Sarah Borges & the Broken Singles and Eilen Jewell performances at the Evening Muse.

Behind the Dog Bar, all it took was 90 seconds and a couple of Charlottes low-life’s with a snub-nosed 38 pistol to put a damper on what had here-to-fore been a perfect evening. Fortunately noone was hurt and the bad guys left the scene in a hurry with a few more dollars than they had arrived with and the Charlotte police on the look out for them.

Read on here for the rest of the story and photos from the show.

Cheers,

Monty

Breaking Laces w/ Jesse Dee opening

2009-11-14T09:16:00.003-05:00

After a near on two year hiatus, Breaking Laces returned to the Evening Muse and was accompanied by boston native Jesse Dee.

Jesse brings vocal of a soulful sound via a powerful voice. His theme is not a blusy tone, but rather an upbeat positive take on a pop vibe with hints of old school rock with soul.

The feature act for the late show was none other than the Bronx, New York based band Breaking Laces. A mixture of Pop, Rock and gut busting humor front man and songwriter Willem Hartong kept the hits coming throughout the night with an ongoing interaction with the audience.

Read on for the rest of the story and images from the night!

Cheers,

Monty

Joshua James - need I say more?

2009-11-14T09:10:00.002-05:00

Joshua James came to the Evening Muse during the East Coast leg of his tour this fall - we were blessed to see this young talent perform. My money is on a bet that the next time he's in town there won't be a vacant seat in the house as people discover the enormity of this young mans talents!

It doesn't happen often. You can probably count the times it has happened to you on your digits. The emotions you felt when you experienced your first connection with the music of Stevie Ray Vaughn, the places you drifted to listening to Led Zepplin, or level of concurrence you felt as you related to the words of Harry Chapin. These connections which endear you to music and your trusted favorites result from a commonality you experience which builds that relationship which has stood the test of time.

Read on for the rest of the story and images of Joshua's performance here and in Chapel Hill..

Cheers,

Monty

November Tosco House Party was a blast!!

2009-11-14T09:03:00.003-05:00

The first Wednesday of every month beginning at 8PM the Tosco House Party is hosted by John Tosco at the Evening Muse. Most of the time the term "open mic" suggests a less than stellar night of music. If you've been to a Tosco House Party, you know that the room will be filled with people waiting to see what surprises lay ahead in the next two hours. There's always a few outstanding performances, occasionally a very unique display of musicianship, and usually at least one WOW factor artist sneaks up on us at the show. The best part is the anticipation because you usually don't know who is going to do what.

Link to the rest of the story, the line-up and photos from the night..

Cheers,

Monty

Updates on a few shows at The Evening Muse

2009-11-14T08:24:00.002-05:00

I haven't been very diligent in my updates to this blog site - neglectful I must say. I'll try to catch up with a few links to writing & photos of what has been going on with a mind to be more thorough in the future.

The Evening Muse had a three-course special lined up for 2009's St Patty's Day featuring Emily Lynch, The Bowmans, and Wavy Space. There wasn't any food coloring in the beer but there was plenty of beer flowing out of the tapsThe Evening Muse had a three-course special lined up for this St Patty's Day featuring Emily Lynch, The Bowmans, and Wavy Space. There wasn't any food coloring in the beer but there was plenty of beer flowing out of the taps.

Thursday night, the 19th of March '09, I witnessed not only a talented singer-songwriter, but a well rounded entertainer perform at The Evening Muse. This entertainer goes by Lipbone Redding. Lipbone uses a unique diversity of styles including, New Orleans Jazz, Memphis Blues, a little ragtime, and a sprinkling of vaudville.

The Influence & Flagship also performed in March..

Kyler England came to town in April! What a great show w/fellow musician Adrienne.

The Brilliant Inventions also appeared in April..

Not A Sparrow helped close out the month of April.

Not So Solemn performed in May.

The Houstons rocked the house with their unique sound in May as well.

Porterdavis laid some blues rock on the Muse in September!

Girls Guns & Glory returned to the Muse in Sept too!!

Wavy Space brought their party to the Muse in October!

That about catches things up at a very high level.. I'll be more diligent about adding shows - promise..

Cheers,

Monty

Gareth Asher - 03/14/09

2009-03-15T20:32:00.002-05:00

Gareth Asher brought his powerful voice and medley of popular songs to the Evening Muse Saturday night. It had been a while since I had seen Gareth and I was very much looking forward to this show. He is a very unique singer-songwriter in that his voice is crystal clear, in tune, and booms loud enough to probably not need a microphone! I mean, Gareth can bring the soulful ballad to your ears and your heart!

Gareth shared that many things had been going on in his life over the past several months. He mentioned he is "newly single" to the applause of the ladies in the house - but its obvious that he is not quite so happy about it. On a lighter side he shared with me that he had enjoyed both The Simple Man cruise and the Rock Boat cruise this winter. Lot's of performing, eating, and partying with friends durting those couple of weeks in the Caribbean.

Gareth is working on a new CD. When asked when it would be available, he said "when its done". I guess these things don't happen on a schedule but rather in due time as the various components come together, one song at a time. One thing is for sure - his vocal ability sets him apart from anyone else doing acoustic sets. Not to mention that you won't meet a nicer person.

Listen to a few of Gareths songs at his MySpace page and have a look at a few of his performance videos. You'll want to add his music to your collection - I promise.

Here's a link to a few photos of the show.

Cheers,

Monty

Malcolm Holcombe - 03/14/09

2009-03-15T15:25:00.003-05:00

Shuffling around the Evening Muse prior to the beginning of the show, Malcomb Holcombe had the look of a humbled soul, lost in the noisey buzz of the people who had come to see him perform. Slight of stature and unassuming off the stage Malcolm blended with the crowd, occasionally stopping to say hello to a fan who had recognized him.

As the Evening Muse continued to fill it was obvious that the Charlotte locals had been waiting for Malcom to come back to this listening room. Many of the conversations were stories of the last time they had seen Malcom, either here in Charlotte or at a folk festival somewhere in the Carolinas. The chatter supports Joe's introduction of Malcolm as "The man, the myth, the legend". He's certainly one of Carolina's sons and a favored mountain trubadour.

There's a lot that changes when Malcomb takes the stage. I'd swear he gets 6 inches taller and puts on about 40 pounds as he begins his set. His graveley voice and rustic appearance combined with some unique guitar picking/strumming/banging mark the unique sound that is Malcomb Holcombe. A gifted guitarist and storyteller indeed! The country fried stories which introduce each song are filled with anticipation as one never knows where Malcolm is going to take a story or what adjectives are going to come out of his mouth. It's an adventure! Over and over again, the crowd let's out a chuckle as Malcolm transitions from a story to a song.

On this night Malcolm played a number of upbeat, bluesy, rockin' songs which kept the toes tappin'. Of course the night would not be complete without several ballads as well. As the set drew to a close and the house stood in ovation, Malcom continued with an additional three encore songs as people shouted out favorites and Malcolm quickly acknowledged them. Once finished, Malcolm stepped off the stage and began greeting his fans and friends as he melded back into the unassuming man whom had blended in with the crowd as the night began.

A few photos of the show....

Cheers,

Monty

Review - Feb 26th - Anya Marina, Jay Nash, Greg Laswell

2009-02-28T18:00:00.002-05:00

There was so much music going on at The Evening Muse during this early show that its hard to keep straight in my mind who was doing what with whom! These three musicians on tour together is pure musical ecstasy, that's for darn sure! It's not often that three nationally recognized musicians get into the same schedule, but these three are friends from way back and it shows - not only in the ease with which they support each other but also in the friendly banter that only occurs between real friends.

Read on for the rest of the story & photos......

Cheers,

Monty

Saturday Night Lights! JoAnna Lynne, The Stellas, Last November, No Second Troy, Flagship

2009-02-24T19:34:00.003-05:00

Overall this night was a definition in sensory overload - in a good way. All of the musicians that entertained us this evening had a distinctive sound within the defined boundaries of rock'n roll. It's this diversity that has kept three generations of music lovers rocking and I personally hope it stays that way. Keeping the music scene live, keeping the energy level high, keeping the rest of us guessing about what will come next around the bend.

JoAnna Lynne & Chidori

As is normal the night was split into two shows. First was an early show featuring an acoustic set by The Stellas with folk/indie singer-songwriter JoAnna Lynne. The abnormal part of the evening was that the usual transition of people did not occur between the early and late show crowd. The people and genre generally remained constant between the shows. It did get a little younger, but generally because the younger folks tend to come out later in the evening.

The Stellas

The late show continued a theme of high energy rock'n roll with Last November leading off followed by the Washington DC group No Second Troy. The closer of the night was Flagship, a hard driving group from Charlotte.

Last November

No Second Troy

Flagship

Click on the appropriate links to reviews and photographs of each group from the Early show as well as the Late show.

This was a really nice night of music at Charlotte's Evening Muse.

Cheers,

Monty

Sunshone Still

2009-02-14T21:37:00.003-05:00

Chris Smith, the brainchild behind the alt/country sound of Sunshone Still, brought his unique sound and story to the Evening Muse Friday night the 13th of February. Supported by a group of guys including Flavio on Bass and an amazing add of Steel Guitar by Rodney, Lanier Sunshone Still played most of the songs from their debut album "Dead Letters" and about half of the tunes from "Ten Cent American Novels".

The uniqueness of this contemporary alt/country band cannot be understated and requires a little explaining to gain a full appreciation for what was heard Friday night at the Muse.

It starts with Chris Smith being from Columbia, SC - via Austin, TX - via Nashville, TN. It's that Austin component that influences the sound the most as the songs from "Dead Letters" were all written during Chris' tenure in the Texas music capital. It took three years for this debut album to come to fruition, but it gave Chris the confidence to undertake a rare musical task - writing a concept musical production chronicling the life of Kit Carson. This biography takes its form in the sophomore album titled "Ten Cent American Novels". As I listened to this nights performance I felt the quiet of a west Texas night in the Chisos mountains of the Chihuahuan desert.

Chris' amazing talents, storytelling ability in almost a whisper, performed perfectly by the band in the style of arrangement envisioned for this album allowed the listener to follow many of the stories with visions of the events.

Probably the best news of the night was Chris' recent discovery that he had "slipped one by the goalie" and will soon be a proud father! Reason for this talented musician to celebrate!

I truly hope you take the time to go out to the Sunshone Still MySpace page and/or website to have a listen to some of these tunes. I know you'll find them as amazing as I did.

Hit this link up to see some photos of the nights performance.

Here's the set list from the night:

A Pallet Of Buffalo Robes (Widows Blues) - Ten Cent American Novels

Roan Mountain - Dead Letters

Land of Tar & Cotton - Dead Letters

Fireflies - Dead Letters

Damn You California - Dead Letters

The Winning of Waa-Ni-Beh - Ten Cent American Novels

Barstool - Dead Letters

Saturdays In The Sky - Dead Letters

Blood and Thunder (Burn The Damn Thing) - Ten Cent American Novels

Black Weeds' Submission - Ten Cent American Novels

Klamath Lake (It was a Perfect Butchery) - Ten Cent American Novels

Cheers,

Monty

Lucy Kaplansky

2009-02-14T19:56:00.002-05:00

New York City singer-songwriter Lucy Kaplansky graced the stage of Charlotte's Evening Muse Friday night, the 13th of Feb '09. Performing to a very full house, Lucy mixed her story-telling melodies to guitar as well as keyboards. Lucy reveled in stories of her daughter Molly as well as a few of her recently passed Father. She shared one his songs - entitled Pi - a cute mathematical number playing on the value of Pi as well as several other algebraic terms.

It was a pleasure listening to this intellectual (PhD in Psychology) serenade the audience with her diversity of self scribed indie tunes as well as well known numbers from other songwriters & well known singers. Sharing these songs of sweet beauty had members of the audience thanking Lucy for coming to our little house and allowing such an intimate interaction.

It was certainly a performance which will not soon be forgotten by the numerous fans present. Be sure to check out Lucy's website and her latest CD - Over The Hills (2007) Red House Records.

You can check out photos of her performance at this link.

Cheers,

Monty

Girls Guns & Glory - 02/10/09

2009-02-11T17:31:00.004-05:00

WOW!! These guys are for REAL! Girls Guns & Glory may sound like the title of a Billy-The-Kid western remake, but its the nombre of a Boston band that rocks Americana style with the lyrics of a Roy Orbison and the sound of progressive country.

The groups lead singer and primary lyricist, Ward Hayden, has written some witty tunes that tell life's stories with smooth eloquent vocals - has hints of the Roy Orbison sound too! Colt Thompson shreds the lead guitar with crystal clarity providing exceptional rock'n sound when called upon and can also bring tears from his instrument when the country tunes call for a love song melody. The group is completed by bassist Bruce "IV" Beagley and John Graham on drums.

These guys are solid in their timing, experienced in entertaining the audience and full of confidence in their musical capabilities. They should be too. They've just released their fourth album - Inverted Valentine - which has reached No. 8 on the national AMA Chart and No. 2 on the Roots Music Report!!

Another charming aspect of these guys is the time they spent with the folks that came out to see them on this Tuesday night. They spent at least 45 minutes after the set just talking and having a beer with the 30 or so folks who hung around after the show. I hope everyone who wanted a CD was able to get one. I and the people around me all purchased one of each of the three they had with them. This was an easy decision after listening to them for the 100 minute set they performed.

Normally the Evening Muse is closed on Tuesday but I'm sure glad Lea and Joe booked these young lads in on this night. Wouldn't surprise me at all to see this band break out in 2009 - might be the last time I get to see them in a listening room from 10 feet away!

Here's a link to some photos from the great fun!!

Link to Girls, Guns & Glory MySpace page where you can hear a few tracks as well!

Cheers,

Monty

p.s. A special set of props to Laurie & Don for the heads up on this show!

Amy Speace & The Tearjerks

2009-02-07T17:15:00.011-05:00

Thursday night I was once again able to enjoy the uplifting ballads and soft americana rock of Amy Speace and The Tearjerks.

The pure pleasure of listening to her in such a fine listening room environment as The Evening Muse kept all senses on overdrive! You feel personally attached as Amy shares stories ranging from her favorite beer to attempts at being creative in upstate New York shacks - sorry, Cabins. Amy has a lot of stories to tell..

With Manhattan as her front yard and Newark as her backyard, this city girl from a place just south of Fort Lee, NJ on the Hudson river creates her sound from what she hears in her head and what she experiences around her.

Amy's Americana/Folk/Indie sound is highlighted on her 2006 CD titled "Songs From Bright Street" and continues on her next CD "The Killer In Me", due out this spring.

Currently on tour, Amy will spend the next month or so in Tennessee and North Carolina before heading back north for the spring season. Keep an eye out for this singer-songwriter in the hopes she comes to a venue near you. You can preview her music on her MySpace page.

Here's a link to a few photos from Amy's performance.

Doug & Telisha Williams opened for Amy. Go here to view photos from their set.

Cheers,

Monty

Tosco House Party - Feb 2009

2009-02-05T08:42:00.004-05:00

Providing a safe environment where musicians are encouraged to reach within themselves to explore their talents, given an opportunity to try new material on a live audience, afforded a platform to introduce themselves to a new city, or simply a box to stand on from which to showcase their individuality - all of this is embedded in the formula that is known as the Tosco House Party. It's been said over and over that you never know what you'll see the first Wednesday of each month as John Tosco welcomes these folks into his "living room" and this month was no exception.

Several folks joined the party for the first time. South Africa native Justin Taylor is an impressive singer/songwriter whom we were fortunate enough to hear sing a couple of different tunes. Carey Marshall also joined us for the first time at a THP night. Carey sang a beautiful ballad while caressing the ivories of the piano. Since she is newly relocated to Charlotte I hope we get to see her again real soon. And a first for me was seeing the extremely talented Ben Hernandez just tear it up on a harmonica while serenading us with his powerful voice.

Of course another benefit of the THP is being able to watch the young budding musicians of Charlotte continue to gain confidence and explore their talents. I continue to be impressed with the songwriting of Charlotte Parrot, a local high school sophomore. Isaac Strap of the band Moses Cherry reached way down deep to entertain us with a great rendition of a 1920's era blues tune - I didn't catch the name, but perhaps he can post a comment here to share it with us?? :-)

Another cool night at the Tosco House Party - its really comfortable in John's "living room" at the Evening Muse. First Wednesday of each month - hope to see you there.

Photos from the show can be seen here.

Cheers,

Monty

Mel Washington w/John Krueger

2009-01-30T09:47:00.003-05:00

John Krueger was first up at the Early show Thursday night. John is a solo artist out of Augusta, GA and has been touring in promotion of his newest work entitled Rock & Rhyme. It's a digital album which can be picked up here - for free. I applaud the emergence of another new artist, making his way and putting it out there for our enjoyment. Cheers John.. Go here to see a few images of John's set..

Second up this evening was Charleston, SC singer/songwriter Mel Washington. Mel is a dynamic singer with a strong, raspy, and at times mellow voice capable of pounding out his melodies in ways that grab your attention. Several of his songs caught my attention - Oh Jessie and Lions Roar are two examples. Check Mel out on his Myspace page.

Link to photos of Mel's performance.

Cheers,

Monty

Mieka Pauley

2009-01-25T22:03:00.002-05:00

Mieka Pauley graced the Evening Muse with an Early Show performance that dazzled as well as entertained a very full house. Mieka opened with a powerful rendition of "Marked Man".

It set the tone for what was to come. Powerful lyrics, powerful voice, a talented group of musicians backing her, mixed with a little humor made for a very entertaining evening at the Muse.

You can listen to a few of Mieka's tunes at her MySpace Page.

Some photos from the show can be seen here. Right now the lighting is excessively warm at The Muse, so I apologize in advance for the redness in the photos.

Cheers,

Monty

Jupiter One w/ Katy Mae

2009-01-24T00:46:00.003-05:00

The New York rock band Katy Mae opened the late show for Jupiter One with a 40 minute set of what I would term Americana Rock. Katy Mae is a four piece band featuring Philip Doucet as lead vocalist/guitar with Hans Gutknecht supporting on vocals and guitar. These two compliment each other well. Bradford Hill is on Bass with Mark Levy providing percussion. Katy Mae has a good sound - you can check them out on their Myspace page. Here's a link to a few photos of the Katy Mae set.

As Jupiter One finished their set my wife looked at me and simply said "now that was worth waiting for". I'd have to agree with her. While she had waited a few hours, I have been waiting since October for them to return to town. These four guys have a unique, uplifting, pop-rock sound that is refreshing every time you hear them. Their timing is excellent, the instrumentation is eclectic, their range of sound is as diverse as their appeal - these guys are the real deal!

On top of all this, these four are also a great bunch of guys who want to talk to and meet the people who come to hear them play. Dave Heilman plays drums and is the outgoing, partially insane, component of the band. K. Ishibashi is the lead singer who also plays guitar, keyboards and violin - to me, it's his voice that makes this band a stand-out. Zac Cowell is also a talented musician who plays guitar and keyboards as well as providing supporting vocals. I'm told that Zac was considered the "cute one" until Pat "Panda" Dougherty joined the band as their Bass player. (Zac told me that...)

Seriously, check out Jupiter One's MySpace page and listen to a few of their tunes - you'll love 'em!!

Here's a link to some photos of the show as well as last Octobers show.

Cheers,

Monty

Liz Durrett & Tin Cup Prophette

2009-01-18T17:36:00.003-05:00

January 16th 2009 - A couple of artists put on uniquely different shows during The Evening Muse early show this Friday night. I had not seen either of these singer / songwriters perform previously and is generally the case, I'm glad I took the advice of friends and attended on this night.

As Liz Durrett began her set, I wasn't sure it would be my cup of tea so to speak. But soon, the diversity of her talents began to unveil themselves to me. At times she has a booming and dark voice. At other times her voice is smooth and soft, as though singing a lullaby to a newborn. Many times it a combination of the two, ebbing and flowing with the words and meaning behind her song. As you watch Liz perform it's as if she goes somewhere else in her mind, playing a video in her head of the people, places and things contained within her song. Whatever the case, she has a new fan in me as I'll keep an eye out for her return.

Amanda Kapousouz (Tin Cup Prophette) supported her friend Liz during the first half of the show and then took center stage for the 2nd half. I was not at all sure what to expect. I had read a number of stories about Amanda and her very unique life story - a movie wouldn't surprise me - ans I had listened to a couple of tracks on her MySpace page. I thought she's be pretty good - but man I had no idea she'd be that good. There's some musicians you want to just listen to - the complexity of their sound so robust you find yourself concentrating on every note in anticipation of what will come next. Amanda uses technology to her advantage - fully. If you close your eyes and listen, you'll swear there are at least six musicians on stage - instead of the two you observe with your eyes. This was a show you watch with your ears - you'll see so much more! My first experience with Tin Cup Prophette was just that - my first, but certainly not my last!

Photos of both sets can be seen at this link - Enjoy!

Cheers,

Monty

Girlyman

2009-01-17T09:28:00.004-05:00

Girlyman performed at The Evening Muse on Thursday night, the 15th of January. I gotta admit that this bands title did not conjure up any immediate interest in me to see them. Governor Arnold already defined for me what a Girlyman was and did not put the term in a favorable light. But a friend of mine was very excited about them coming to Charlotte and despite having a cold was going out into the frigid night to see them anyway. Hearing this, I jumped on myspace and after a bit of a search I found Girlymans site. I watched a couple of videos and listened to a few tracks and at the end of that I too felt the need to venture out on this school night to see a new band.

Girlyman is a three part harmony band, both vocally as well as instrumentally. These guys have talent and training playing their varied string instruments. Their voices blend beautifully and together have enormous range. Your mind will be very busy listening to the explosion of varying tones as these three progress through their songs.

The band is made up of Tylan Greenstein, Nate Borofsky and Doris Muramatsu. Keep an eye out for this trio and be sure to treat yourself to a great show, humorous transitions, and sweet melodies.

Here's a link to a few photos from the show.

Cheers,

Monty

Panthers Fail; gogoPilot Prevails

2009-01-12T17:09:00.003-05:00

Panther fans had high hopes for this past weekend and the excitement level was at a fever pitch as the Panthers started their game against the Cardinals. After a great start, the downhill slide was nothing short of slow agonizing torture as our QB fumbled and bumbled the past 5 months of our lives as the post season ended as quickly as it began in our very first game. Jake Delhomme is not very popular with the fans we were with at the Sanctuary bar in NoDa.

In a valiant attempt to recover our dignity if not our Charlotte pride, Jeff Williams and the remaining gogoPilot band members put on a free show at The Evening Muse. With the occasional defiant Panther cheer met with a tirade of verbal abuse and disgust, the gogoPilot team rocked on through the night and led us toward a brighter future - or a new day whichever comes first.....

For me it was a new day which will lead to another day and so on and so forth. Such is the life of a sports fan. There's always another day, another season.

Thanks to the members of gogoPilot for jammin' when the chips were down.

Here's a link to a few photos of the show.

Cheers,

Monty

Sam Thacker Band

2009-01-09T21:44:00.002-05:00

I'll say it right up front - This is one damned fine rock band! Four guys - one sound - sweet transitions.

The lead guitarist is Michael Westbrook who in an effortless style coaxes sweet music from his instrument of choice. I'll bet he's Jonesin' bad when he's not playing. Jonathan McAdow keeps time and sets the tempo on the Drums. Mike Reddick is the beat. I was going to say he plays Bass, but it's more accurate to describe him as being the bass. When the song calls for a thump, Mike produces a thump that would raise excitement in a school girl.. (I mean that in a good way you pervs!! lol)

Lastly, I was introduced on this night to a very fine lead singer who has the entire package. A great sounding powerful voice with significant range, excellent timing, and the projection of energy that people look for in today's rock musicians.

I'm telling ya'll - this band is everything you want to hear if you like hard driving rock you can listen to and understand the words. Ballads that will cause you to loose your thoughts in the song. A beat that will have you bobbin', weavin' and tapping your foot. Go out to their Myspace page and listen to what they have posted. I'll also tell you they sound even better in person. Sam's voice is something you need to hear live to truly appreciate. I put their CD in my Rockford Fosgate system and it sounded sweet - but live is, well live...

I've posted some photos of the performance. CLICK HERE. I think you can see the intensity in Sam's singing within the photos - as well as his sincerity in the ballads. "Picture worth a thousand words" is apparent in this case.

An outstanding show!

Cheers,

Monty

Adam Middleton

2009-01-09T18:18:00.002-05:00

Thursday night I expected that Adam was going to sit in with Already Not Yet for the late show, but to my pleasant surprise Adam did a solo acoustic set instead. I had not seen Adam just grab a guitar and perform before - especially not sitting on a stool!! Of course the stool bit didn't last very long, but I got a couple of images as proof that it did in fact happen!

Adam performed several songs from The Stellas CD, including one of my favorites "Cry Baby Cry" as well as some older selections. Not an easy thing to perform hard rockin songs with just an acoustic guitar and a microphone, but Adam did a bang up job.

It was good to have one of the local "good-guys" stand up in the raw and put his heart out there for a fairly full house at the Muse to listen to. Thanks for that Adam..

Adam and The Stellas will be performing at The Evening Muse in February - check it out!

Here's a link to a few photos I took while Adam performed. Enjoy..

Cheers,

Monty

Tosco House Party - January 2009

2009-01-08T09:16:00.002-05:00

John Tosco, the host of the Tosco House Party, likes to say that "you never know what you're going to get" on these first Wednesdays of the month. Last night we got much much more than anyone could have expected.

Eclectic was the norm as there were performers hailing from Ireland, England and Africa playing instruments as varied as a Harp, a Xylophone type of instrument made of wood, some keyboards, and an assortment of other guitars. Each performer was talented, performed their instrument with mastery, or sang their song in key! An astonishing open mic night. This truly was an intimate version of the Tosco Music Party.

There were also a number of younger musicians who demonstrated that live music has a very bright future as well. One in particular - a young lady named Charlotte - treated us to an original tune written about the summer of her sophomore year which still carries on in my head. It is a really good song.

Many thanks to Porter and to Timbre for their feature showing. It's not often that you get to hear the beautiful sounds of a Harp being played in such an intimate setting as the Evening Muse. It was truly lovely.

Several photos from the night can be seen at this link. If you know the name of the performer, please use the comments to tell the rest of us!

Looking forward to the Tosco House Party on January 31st! It will be a night to remember..

Cheers,

Monty

Hot House Hefftones

2009-01-04T17:41:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! Well the holidays have now come and gone, another year put to bed, with a new year in its beginnings. I wonder what this year holds for us.....

Saturday night was a little exciting for me. I brought my new book "Musicians Of The Evening Muse" with me to the Muse and sought my first feedback. I must admit that I was pretty happy with the comments. In fact I was happy to get comments, period. A few people whom I didn't know stopped me to comment on the book - positively even.. :-) very cool.....

In addition to this, The Hot House Hefftones were performing Saturday night. Their unique Jazz sound and resulting cheerful atmosphere made it a special evening for me. I even managed to get a couple of good photos of Molly Brown and I learned that the Tuba runs on beer!!

Here's a link to some of the photos of the show.

Cheers,

Monty

"Musicians of The Evening Muse" is ready

2008-12-18T00:23:00.002-05:00

2008 has been a very full year for me. It's been one of those years where good things dominated and whenever bad things happened it seemed that there was a silver lining peering through.

I'm very happy to announce that my new coffee table photo book covering the Musicians of The Evening Muse is now complete. The book contains 300+ photographs of performers in 57 shows at The Evening Muse during 2008. I'm blessed to have been able to witness these musicians put themselves "out there" for us and I'm proud of the images I captured.

Musicians of T...

A 2008 Sampling

By Monty Chandler

Book Preview

Hope you enjoy it..

Cheers,

Monty

Musicians of The Evening Muse - 2008

2008-12-16T14:46:00.002-05:00

With the Holidays rapidly approaching and everyone running out of time to do the things they want to do, I thought I better take the time to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays - whichever is appropriate for you!! I truly hope 2008 has been as great a year for you as it has been for us.

I have a surprise announcement for ya:

I have the rest of this week to wrap up a project I have been working on during the year. I had wanted to be finished before leaving on vacation for Christmas week - and with one final picture which I will take on Wednesday night - it looks like I'll meet the goal. What project you ask?? :-)

I have been working on a coffee table photo book - which did not start out as exclusively Evening Muse - but has ended up as just that. After photographing 57 shows at the Muse during 2008, I have produced a 160 page photo book with the images of The Evening Muse musicians along with some of my thoughts throughout the year. With luck, I'll upload the 8GB of data to the publisher Thursday night with book previews and orders being available beginning Friday.

It's been a lot of fun putting it together - I hope all of you enjoy it as well..

I'll post another entry Thursday night with the links, etc. assuming I finish!

Cheers & Best wishes for a wonderful New Year!!

Monty

Matt Hattfield - Cement Stars

2008-12-07T11:30:00.003-05:00

NoDa's December Gallery Crawl is special for me as I and a few other Charlotte photographers provided the gallery artwork at The Evening Muse. I hope you get the opportunity to drop by The Muse this month and look at the photographs on display - An eclectic collection from five different photographers.

A favorite local singer/songwriter of mine - Matt Hatfield - who had been a member of the Full Grown Band for several years took the stage first. It was good to catch up with Matt and a special treat for us was the arrival of his Full Grown collaborator - Angie Rikard. Matt did convince Angie to join him for a couple of tunes. (photos from Matt's show)

Following Matt were a couple of local Charlotte brothers who perform as "Cement Stars". They have a unique, electronically enhanced sound. As a band who are new to me, I found them intriguing as they brought their drums and bass in a box. They also brought a couple of guitars and a metal box looking thing that produced a sound like keyboards when played. I liked their resultant sound - you can check them out on their MySpace page too. (photos from the Cement Stars set)

Hope ya'll have a great week and enjoy getting ready for Christmas!!

Cheers,

Monty

Romantica & Carrie Rodriguez

2008-11-22T10:20:00.009-05:00

As I have shared a couple of times in the past, there are those rare times when you go out to listen to a little music and get surprised by the gems you discover and the friends you make. Thursday night was another one of those nights for me.

The plan for me was to go see Sun Domingo perform the late show at The Evening Muse on this chilly Thursday night. In reading Laurie's calendar of events I saw that Carrie Rodriguez was doing the Early show. After reading a little about Carrie on her MySpace page I decided to drop by a little early to catch her show as well.

Now the head-turning starts. When I arrived, the Evening Muse was almost filled to capacity. There was not a female on stage, but rather a group of guys. As I ordered my beer I noticed that these guys sounded pretty damned good. After saying hello to a number of friends who had also came out on this "school night" I couldn't help but comment to myself and a few people around me that "these guys are pretty damned good". The songs were meaningful and not "fluffy". The lead singer for Romantica, Ben Kyle, had a strange accent coming through the mic. Later I learned he is Irish - specifically, Belfast and he has a few songs that tell stories of his youth. I spent the remainder of the hour mesmorized by these guys as their music told a different story in each song. I did make my way towards the front so I could get a couple of photos as well. So, my "gem" tonight was found in a group of guys I had no idea would even be playing - They are called Romantica and you should check them out! Here's the link to their MySpace page - you'll like what you hear..

Romantica is: Ben Kyle as lead singer and acoustic guitar; Luke Jacobs on Lead & Electric Slide Guitar; James Orvis on the drums; Tony Zaccardi on Bass

Through the Romantica show I learned that they and Carrie Rodriguez had been touring together a while and that this night was the last show of the tour.

The transition from the Romantica set to Carrie and her band was cool in that Carrie joined the Romanticas on stage for their last tune. After a quick change of musicians Carrie took the stage and showed why she is such a popular singer/songwriter/musician. This lady has it all. She plays multiple instruments and sings her own songs with a powerful voice that can achieve a variation of range.

Carrie was joined on the stage by Hans Holzen on lead guitar and Kyle Kegerreis on bass. Its been a long time since I have listened to a guitar player make a guitar sing like Hans does. Long soulful ballads on a lead guitar are not common, but Hans performed them with ease.

Needless to say, this early show was one of the best I have witnessed. The talent that took the stage on this night will not soon be forgotten and definitiely raised the bar. Not to mention that I added three CD's to my music collection.

Photos of Romantica can be seen via this link.

Photos of Carrie Rodriguez can be seen via this link.

Cheers,

Monty Chandler

Donna Duncan & Chris Cook

2008-11-16T18:25:00.004-05:00

A couple of local rocker musicians took to the stage this Saturday night at The Evening Muse. A little different for The Muse to have Blues & Southern Rock on the same night, especially with the talent being local to the Charlotte area. Of special arrangement tonight was he fact that the band was the same for Donna's songs as it was for Chris. Personally I think that Donna got the better end of that deal as she got a great guitar player in Chris, while Chris lost some great female vocals singer when it was his set.

It has been quite some time since I've seen Donna. On this night she was in great shape, spirits and form. Here's a link to some photos of the show.

Cheers,

Monty

Matt Keating

2008-11-06T08:34:00.004-05:00

The night following the biggest Presidential election in a generation is probably not the best night for an entertainer to take the stage following an open mic show in an environment that has a heavy democrat base, but Matt Keating did just that at The Evening Muse wednesday. Matt soldiered on to an almost empty house, eloquently performing his unique material both old and new.

Other than hearing a few tunes on his MySpace page, this was my first chance to hear Matt perform. I found his words both entertaining as well as engaging. His guitar playing is positively energizing. His politics - while encouraged by his daughter not to speak from the pulpit - were entertaining and consistent with the views of many. Being the winner is always easier.

I encourage you to go out and have a listen to Matt either in person (support live music!!) or at least on his MySpace page.

Here are a few photos from the show.

Cheers,

Monty

BitchSlap - an alterego

2008-11-01T15:29:00.005-05:00

Peek-a-Boo

On a cool fall night in Charlotte where the crescent moon lingered low in the night sky the transgressions of halloween crepted through NoDa and the innocense of our youth were overtaken by their alter-egos at The Evening Muse.

The usually lilly-white all-american good-girl karma of The Near Misses based on a deep understanding of Southern Charm were transformed this Halloween night as their alter-ego took control and a collective group that goes by the name of "BitchSlap" emerged.

The group of five biatches are comprised of Shana Shewannit, Eva Shegonnadoit, Ari Shedonit, Lea Sheplanit, with Shebeatit on the drums.

The usually eloquent Shana transformed into a foul-mouth profanity spewing rocker - it was evident that Shewannit be a bad girl!

The young innocent guitar playing Ari experienced delusions of deprevation as she considered herself an escapee of the Amy Winehouse rehab program. Shedonit wasn't innocent at all.

The conservative Lea grew out flaming red hair that showed a flamboyant side as her pristine approach to life transformed as Sheplanit took over ready to rule the world!

A zombie from within the evils of the night - Shebeatit - took over the percussions of the evening ensuring vengance was hers.

And the scariest of all - a transformation of transformers; the leather of lace; the bad in the evil of the world; Eva Shegonnadoit donned her war machine armor and grabbed a glass missle of cervesa as she's gonna kick some ass tonight!

While the sound that emminated from these twisted sisters was also the alterego of the melody norm, it was a hillarious spoof all around. I hope the photos of the night tell the rest of the story as this unfolds but once a year - and Friday night was the night.

Cheers,

Monty Chandler

The Late Show: Lowry - Transmission Fields

2008-10-27T07:48:00.004-05:00

The talk about Saturday nights late show started Friday night a week ago, as friends were gathered and looked forward to the next great weekend of music at The Evening Muse. Don and Laurie Koster both beamed as they looked forward to seeing Lowry, while Michele and the ladies from TripleS went on about the Rock band Transmission Fields.

As I have said before, it's always wise to listen to the voices of experience! This was truly a complete night of musical bliss - and what's better is that each performance was unique!

In short, Lowry was fantastic! I find it hard to describe their sound. It was a folky, rock, country, soulful, electric kind of sound that resulted in us buying 2 CD's - which I find myself listening to on this Monday morning while I process photos and write these thoughts... The lyrical creativity of Alex Lowry is very fresh while the melodies provide the complexity desired and expected from a talented group of musicians. Heidi Sidelinker provides just the right harmony to Alex's voice! Together the band produces a beautiful sound! Check 'em out on their MySpace page - link below.

For some reason or another I have missed various shows by Transmission Fields - a local Charlotte Rock band. Having heard of them for quite some time now, this was an excellent opportunity to catch a show. An added bonus on this night was the fact that they were being joined on stage by singer Reeve Coobs and rock guitarist Adam Middleton of the Stellas. A good rock'n set was a great way to close out this awesome night and Transmission Fields delivered!

Here's a few links:

Lowry performance photos

Transmission Fields performance photos

Lowry MySpace

Transmission Fields MySpace

Carolina Music Connection - so you'll know what's comin' up!

Cheers,

The Evening Muse, Charlotte NC

Off The Record with Jeff Hahne

Tosco House Party @ the Evening Muse

Gareth Asher - Oct 13th 2011

Joshua James returns to Charlotte

November 2010 - Tosco House Party

Mando Saenz and Kim Richey - Oct 2nd 2010

Recap - September 2010 Tosco House Party @ the Evening Muse

Last November rocked NoDa Saturday night

Stereofidelics continue rocking Charlotte with a great live set and a new CD

Fully Alive - The Maddie Shuler CD release at the Evening Muse - March 21, 2010

Charlotte Parrot and Not A Sparrow performed the early show at the Evening Muse March 20th, 2010

A festive celebration of music at the Evening Muse - Tosco House Party - March 3rd, 2010

Stereofidelics & Amelia's Mechanics

Paul Atkinson & Friends @ the Evening Muse

StephaniesId @ the Evening Muse Feb 5th 2010

TMP alternative held at the Evening Muse Sat evening - Jan 30th 2010

Jan 2010 Tosco House Party kicks the year off in style

Party till you drop - an overdose of fun at The Evening Muse!

December's Tosco House Party was warm and cozy

gogoPilot to release third studio album @ the Evening Muse - Nov 27th 2009

Saturday Night Special - Sarah Borges with Eilen Jewell

Breaking Laces w/ Jesse Dee opening

Joshua James - need I say more?

November Tosco House Party was a blast!!

Updates on a few shows at The Evening Muse

Gareth Asher - 03/14/09

Malcolm Holcombe - 03/14/09

Review - Feb 26th - Anya Marina, Jay Nash, Greg Laswell

Saturday Night Lights! JoAnna Lynne, The Stellas, Last November, No Second Troy, Flagship

Sunshone Still

Lucy Kaplansky

Girls Guns & Glory - 02/10/09

Amy Speace & The Tearjerks

Tosco House Party - Feb 2009

Mel Washington w/John Krueger

Mieka Pauley

Jupiter One w/ Katy Mae

Liz Durrett & Tin Cup Prophette

Girlyman

Panthers Fail; gogoPilot Prevails

Sam Thacker Band

Adam Middleton

Tosco House Party - January 2009

Hot House Hefftones

"Musicians of The Evening Muse" is ready

Musicians of The Evening Muse - 2008

Matt Hattfield - Cement Stars

Romantica & Carrie Rodriguez

Donna Duncan & Chris Cook

Matt Keating

BitchSlap - an alterego

The Late Show: Lowry - Transmission Fields

The Early Show: Amy Speace - Andy Friedman

Shana & The Swizzlers

Jupiter One

Jessica Lea Mayfield

Reinvent the Wheel?

Scoot Pittman

Beth Chorneau

Death On Two Wheels

Sun Domingo - CD Release - The World's Alive

Gareth Asher

Hot House Hefftones

Lindsey Horne

Mike Garrigan & Mark Kano

Sequoyah Prep School

Asylum Street Spankers

Feet On The Ground Tour

Hannah Miller

Patrick Davis

A Rooster For The Masses

April 3rd: The Near Misses, Jeff Black, & Sun Domingo

Audioform

gogoPilot

Quickstep John

Jukebox The Ghost

Michael Reno Harrell

Rick Spreitzer & Richard Buckner

Sun Domingo