Randall Holcomb Tribute Concert, Time, Capgun, Sock It To Me Burlesque

As Memphis is gearing up to support the Church Health Center for Rock For Love, you should know that there is another event happening tonight that’s proceeds also benefit this great organization.

Randall Holcomb Tribute Concert

Tonight (8/24) head to The New Daisy Theater (330 Beale St.), for a tribute concert of music and comedy in memory of Randall Holcomb.  Randall passed away on December 31st.  He was known about town as part of the local comedy scene and as the bassist for The Community Bubble.  On the music end, The Community Bubble along with Neil Bartlett (Hi-Electric), Jason Pulley (The Near Reaches), and Oracle and the Mountain.  Comedy will be provided by Brandon Sams, Micheal Kline, Mike McCarthy, Jane Haze, and Josh Mclane.  Cover for this event is $10, and this is an all ages show.  Since this is at the New Daisy, this event will actually kick off early at 8:00pm.  Come out, support a good cause, and celebrate the life of Randall Holcomb.

  Time & Sammy Handsome

Also happening tonight at The Poplar Lounge (2586 Poplar Ave.), new Memphis band Time (featuring ex-members of Gunshow and The Breakups) will be performing with Sammy Handsome.  Apparently this event features free BBQ and has no cover!  The Poplar Lounge is a 21 and up venue.

Saturday August 25

Sock It To Me Burlesque Presents Hell Yes Burlesque!

Before school starts back on Monday, you have one more chance to feel a little summer heat from the ladies of Sock It To Me Burlesque!  Lady Doo Moi, Madonna Putana, Kissame Suga, Aenya Little Fyre, and Chloe DuBois will be joined by special guests Lysa Strata from Oxford and Memphis’ own Lady Problems.  There will also be music from songwriter Paul Maselli!  This event will be at the Hi-tone (1913 Poplar Ave.) and kicks off at 9:00pm.  There is a $10 cover and the Hi-tone is an 18 and up venue.

Pop Punk Night at The P&H

Head to the P&H Cafe (1532 Madison Ave.) for pop-punk night featuring Memphis’ own Capgun!  Indiana’s Wringer will also be playing along with Memphis blues rock band Striking Midnight!  Doors are at 8:00pm and this is a free show (but please tip the out of towners).  The P&H is a 21 and up venue.

This Week: Brandon Sams, Foster Care, Pampers, Paperhead, D. Watusi

So much happening this week!

Brandon Sams Records an Album

Admittedly, I often don’t dedicate much (or any) time of this blog to Memphis’ comedy scene, despite the fact that they are quite active with open mic nights on Mondays at The Poplar Lounge (2586 Poplar) and Thursdays at The P & H Cafe (1532 Madison Ave.).  This Wednesday (July 18) at The P & H Cafe, the fairy godmother of Memphis comedy, Brandon Sams will be recording his debut CD.  Fellow comedians Mike McCarthy and Richard Douglas Jones will also be performing, and there will be music from The Community Bubble.  Things will kick off at 8:00pm, and Brandon will be beginning his set at 9:00pm.  There is no cover for this event, but The P & H is a 21 and up venue.

Foster Care, Pamper, True Sons of Thunder

Tomorrow night (7/17), Foster Care and Pampers’ tour swings through the Poplar Lounge (2586 Poplar Ave.).  If you feel that there just have not been enough gritty, nasty punk rock shows in Memphis as of late, then I think you better make sure you are a part of the audience at the Poplar Lounge tomorrow.  Foster Care is out in support of their debut record Bad Vibe City. Pampers has a new 7″, they would like you to hear.  Throw Memphis’ own True Sons of Thunder into the mix, and you know things are going to be a bit hairy tomorrow night!  Cover is $5, Poplar Lounge is a 21 and up venue.

Also happening on 7/17

The Mosaic House (1097 Vance Ave.)
Itchy Hearts, Empty Orchestra, The Vignettes
10:00pm, All Ages, $5(?)

Paperhead, D. Watusi, Nots

Wednesday July 18,Nashville bands Paperhead and D. Watusi will be rolling into the Lamplighter (1702 Madison Ave.) with Memphis’ Nots.  Click this hyperlink for a Brooklyn Vegan article that includes a new song from Paperhead!  D. Watusi also has a new 7″ to peddle via Nashville’s Dead called Dark Party.  Things kick off at 9:00pm, and The Lamplighter is a 21 and up venue.  Not sure what cover is, but bring some cash with you to donate.  Paperhead and D. Watusi have been on the road for a while now.

Another post is coming soon for events later in the week.  Also pics of Schwervon! and Albatross Party will be up soon as well as some long awaited reviews of records from the folks at Trashy Creatures.  If you want me to list your show on this page, contact me at memphisrockcity@gmail.com.

This Week: May 29- June 2

I hope everyone enjoyed their 3 day weekend! Now, I present to you some of your options for rock and roll this week!

Tuesday, May 29

1884 Lounge (1555 Madison Ave.)
Alejandro Escovedo, Jesse Malin
8:00pm, All Ages, $16

Yes, I picked the photo from Alejandro Escovedo’s 2008 record Real Animal as the photo, because it still finds heavy rotation on my iPod four years later. When describing his music, Escovedo often cites his punk rock roots, but to hear him, I can’t stop thinking about Paul Westerberg’s later work. The wildness might have calmed down a bit with older age, but his roots are still in tact (though it should be mentioned that Escovedo has about eight years on Paul Westerberg). While we don’t always have $16 to spare for a rock and roll show, if you do have that amount lying around, I highly suggest you heading to the 1884 Lounge (inside of Minglewood Hall) tonight! Doors are at 7pm, the show starts at 8pm, and Jesse Malin is opening!

The Buccaneer Lounge (1368 Monroe Ave.)
David Couser
10:00pm, 21 and up, No Cover

Wednesday, May 30

Hi-tone Cafe (1913 Poplar Ave.)
Valient Thorr, Holy Grail, The Kickass, Last Year’s Men
8:00pm, All Ages, $10

I would classify Valient Thorr under trash rock…..and they rock!!!

Mollie Fontaine Lounge (679 Adams Ave.)
Toxie with DJs Madison, Alex, and Lil Red Radio
10:00pm, 21 and up, No Cover

Thursday, May 31

Hi-tone Cafe (1913 Poplar Ave.)
Chris Milam (Full Band), Bluff City Backsliders
9:00pm, 18 and up, $5

Mollie Fontaine Lounge (679 Adams Ave.)
Witnesse, Handsome Mark
10:30pm, 21 and up, No Cover

Friday, June 1

Murphy’s (1589 Madison Ave.)
Vanishing Islands, Woodenmouth, Yossarian
10:00pm, 21 and up, $5

The Poplar Lounge (2586 Poplar Ave.)
The Community Bubble CD Release Party with Jack and Jason of The Near Reaches
10:00pm, 21 and up, No Cover

Hi-tone Cafe (1913 Poplar Ave.)
Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments, Sharp Balloons, Flamin’ A’s
9:00pm, 18 and up, $5

Saturday, June 2

Mosaic House (1097 Vance Ave.)
Sat. Nite Duets, The Fatty Acids, Ex Cult
10:00pm, All Ages, $5?

Hi-tone Cafe (1913 Poplar Ave.)
Adios Gringos, Joint Cheifs, Crowlord, These Wolves Are Robots
9:00pm, 18 and up, $5(?)

The Cove (2559 Broad Ave.)
Good Luck Dark Star, The Sweat Lodge
9:00pm, 21 and up, $5

In other news:

As some of you already know, Mark Sultan will be rolling through the Hi-tone next week, but did you know that he has a new album called The War on Rock and Roll that is up on his website as a free download? Go download it now and prepare for the show next Monday!

As you may have noticed through the show listings above, Jack Alberson and Jason Pulley of The Near Reaches will be playing The Community Bubble’s CD release show at The Poplar Lounge. Jack has some new music out as well. I’m still giving it a listen, but I think you should check out Be Here Tinnitus’ Band Camp page here to give his new music a listen and maybe buy the EP, and then like them on Facebook here!

Want me to list your show on this site? Contact me at memphisrockcity@gmail.com!

Sad News

1984-2012

Thoughts and prayers go out to the members of The Community Bubble and to all of Memphis’ local comedians who knew and worked with Randall Holcomb.

A Little of Last Night (and Options for Tonight)

Last night, I ended up at the Poplar Lounge for The Community Bubble, The Collected Works, and Jason Pulley show.

Jason Pulley

Jason Pulley has played with a pretty diverse group of bands in the past such as The Adversary and The Original Cyndi.  He is also currently a member of The Near Reaches.  His solo project just features himself with a keyboard, which is unfortunate because I think his sound could definitely benefit from having a full band back him up.  There’s a dark sense of humor to Pulley’s music that I definitely liked (he sort of sounds like what would happen if Randy Newman died, went to Hell, and returned to Earth as a demon).  Musically, I was often reminded of the songs from Willie Wonka’s Chocolate Factory with just a hint of They Might Be Giants and 1970’s singer/songwriters thrown in.  Lyrically, I kept thinking of Ween’s sense of humor.  He played songs about serial killers, gated communities, and frat boys.  While my own opinion about Pulley’s solo work is a bit mixed, I can certainly say that it seemed a good portion of the crowd was at the Poplar Lounge for his set.  Pulley achieved his intent to entertain and make the crowd laugh (and I swear that’s not backhanded.  Pulley’s lyrics were funny, and the crowd was definitely laughing with him.  Not every Memphis band can say that).

The Collected Works

The Collected Works is a band fronted by husband and wife team Stan and Darcie Polson.  The band also includes Darcie’s bandmates from Woodenmouth, Jason Dawson on keyboards and Steve Langford on drums, with Ryno Hanson from The Bombay Alleys on bass.

The band opened with covers from Silver Jews and The Mountain Goats, which is apropos when you consider that their original songs are about things like Emma Goldman and The Grapes of Wrath.  With songs about the girl you shouldn’t have dated and the girl you left at home so you could go out drinking, I kept finding myself thinking about 1970’s country music (like Ronnie Milsap and Kenny Rogers).  I would like to hear recordings from this band mainly because I think that Stan Polson’s lyrics are probably quite literary (like John Darnielle or Blake Schwarzenbach).

The Community Bubble

The Community Bubble is the musical project from local comedians (and twin brothers) Michael and Stephen Kline.  Despite the Kline brothers’ (and bassist Randall Holcomb’s) other occupation, it should be noted that The Community Bubble is a serious band.  They have a neo-psychedelic sound (think Elephant 6) that would please fans of Apples in Stereo and Of Montreal’s older records (The Gay Parade, Aldhils Arboretum).

There are several great shows happening tonight.  Arma Secreta will be celebrating the release of their new album tonight at the Hi-tone (1913 Poplar Ave.) with Oakland, California’s Bare Wires.  Doors for this show will open at 9:00 and the cover will be $7 (18 and up).

At the Buccaneer Lounge (1368 Monroe Ave.) tonight, Moving Finger has just been added to an already awesome show that also features True Sons of Thunder and The Manatees.  This show should start around 10ish, is 21 and up, and free.

At the Cove (2559 Broad Ave.) tonight, one of my absolute favorite locals Richard James of Richard James and the Special Riders will be doing a solo set, along with Jeffrey James (Jeffrey James and the Haul, Snowglobe, Glorie), and Brent Stabbs (The Dream Team, Clay Otis and The Showbiz Lights).   This show is $3 and 21 and up.  Get there around 10ish.