October 30,2003] Page 8 The Blue Banner Mountt^ Jam Halloween Boogie Music in Action
Once again it’s that spooky-ass time of year known affectionately as Halloween. So you’ve got Seeking the truth through your jack-o-lantem juiced, you’ve seen “Freddy vs.
Jason ” twice already and tnat sick-o costume is set to win you a cupie doll at the costume contest. music- ‘Tell Us the Truth Now all you need to do is see some music. As usual, the jambands have some of the boldest Halloween plans, with promises of all kinds of Tour’ hits The Orange Peel ‘musical costumes’ in store for both Widespread Panic and moe. fans. Tour Calls for Changes in US Media and Trade Policies Moe. will follow up their 2002 Simpsons-themed Halloween show with “The Headbangers’Lef Madison, WI—Acclaimed activist/musicians Billy Bragg, The Nightwatchman (Tom Mo- Ball: An Evening of Heavy Moe.tal ’’Audience rello) and Lester Chambers of the Chambers Brothers embark on a thirteen-date Tell us the voting was utilized in picking songs that are bound Truth Tour to perform concerts and raise awareness on current media reform and trade to include numbers by Metaflica, Guns n ’ Roses issues. With support from unions, environmental, religious and media reform groups - and Black Sabbath. The performance takes place including the AFL-CIO, Citizens Trade Campaign, Common Cause, Free Press and the in Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom. Future of Music Coalition - this tour will be the loudest, angriest, funniest and most effective challenge to corporate domination of the public discourse in recent history. Widespread Panic takes to New York’s Madison By unifying issues of fair trade and media consolidation, the tour draws connections Square Garden for their Halloween gig. With between bad policies and bad journalism. support from the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, this “When presidents and politicians lie, it is the job of the press to expose and challenge those year’s fiasco is sure to bring a nice crop of first-time lies. When the press fails, the lies become laws,” says Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello covers, as the boys take on MSG for the first time. (performing as The Nightwatchman). “The point of the Tell Us the Truth Tour is to help Past Halloween bust-outs from Panic include The others make these connections, and to show them that activism can change the policies of Temptations’ “Ball of Confusion, ’’ Warren Zevon’s this country.” “Werewolves of London ’’and Paul McCartney’s The tour makes its first stop in Madison, WI at The National Conference on Media “Band on the Run. ’’ Reform on November 7-9, 2003. At the conference, the artists will perform, speak on If you can’t get a plane ticket to New York or panels and work in coalition with activists, academics and elected officials to generate Chicago this week though, Asheville has plenty of policies and strategies that will structurally improve the American media system. For more groovy Halloween happenings. Get out there and information on this conference, go to www.mediareform.net. see some music. The tour then continues south playing concerts, raising awareness and gaining momen The Orange Peel hosts DJ sensation Kid Koala tum as other artists join ranks, including Steve Earle for select dates after November 11, Actress Janeane Garofalo is slated to emcee the tour from November 21-24. Other special and DJ Jester. guests may be announced. Stella Blue hosts its annual Halloween gala with On November 19, the Tell us the Truth Tour unites media concentration issues with fair the local jam sensation. Strut. trade issues at the People’s Gala for Global Justice in Miami, Florida. Flere, the tour joins The Emerald Lounge will feature Count Clovis. forces with tens of thousands of union members, environmental activists and human rights The Westville Pub will host a costume contest and campaigners from North and South America to protest the FTAA (Free Trade Area of the live music. Americas), a proposed expansion of NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement) Club Hairspray will host what inevitably will be that would expand NAFTA to include the entire Western Hemisphere. For more informa the best costume contest in town with cash prim tion on this event, go to www.citizenstrade.org. for most creative, sexiest and scariest costumes. STUART GAINES/ MJ EDITOR The tour’s finale will be a string of east coast dates that bring the musicians to the cradle of Les Claypool, above playing with his Flying Frog Brigade, will spend democracy — Boston, Philadelphia, and New York City — and finally, to the current site of Happy Halloween, people. Halloween with the original Primus lineup at the Warfield Theatre in American media and trade policy, Washington, DC. In DC, artists will join with activists, SanFrancisco, California. A best Primus-song-themed costume contest will academics and legislators to fight further media consolidation by supporting efforts to repeal last June’s controversial FCC vote which reduced and removed time honored protec be held amongst the Primus faithful in attendance. tions limiting the size of media corporations and access to diverse media sources. “As artists, all we can offer is our energy and a different perspective,” says participating artist Billy Bragg. “We want to inspire people to get engaged, to feel again as if they can make a difference. The next election is not a forgone conclusion.” Spend wisely with DrugMoney The tour is partnering with Rock the Vote to register voters, as well as scores of grassroots medig and trade groups to build an educated electorate in preparation for next year’s presidential election. The tour will raise funds to support future artist/activist partnerships Other Side of and organize future Tell us the Truth Tours. “The truth is the truth,” says Steve Earle. “Not just the government’s truth or the church’s the Tracks truth or the truth that won’t upset advertisers and stockholders but the truth and the truth is that when the very institutions that we depend on to inform us and guide us omit any part of the truth for any reason whatsoever then that is called a lie.” “As America prepares for a 2004 presidential election, one that will define not just the Shelby Lynn course a single country but of the world, Americans are regularly being denied the informa Thompson tion that sustains democracy,” says Jenny Toomey of Future of Music Coalition, who is helping to organize this tour. “Because of this, we hope to encourage everyone from activists to working families to get informed, get angry, get active and demand to be told the truth.” Copy Hditor Tour information and updates, including ticket information, are online at www.tellusthetruth.org. Last time I dropped a bunch of band names on you fair readers, but neglected to The Pixies mixed in their too. It’s definitely drunk, with your ears ringing and with s say anything about them. Yes, they play at not easy listening; some of it is even remi-, newly acquired warm spot in the corner ol Vincent’s Ear, and, yes, they like beer as niscent of garage grunge. Sometimes they your bitter heart. The Tuesday night fan! much as you do, but it seems that a little do covers, and if you are really lucky you’ll are a bunch of regulars that will probabl)! more information on a few of them would get a Springsteen song thrown in there. sing along, and although they are amona be helpful. The boys recorded an album in New the most devoted fans, they are also amona First and foremost is DrugMoney. This COURTESY OF DRUGMONEY York, including show standards such as some of the most annoying. You can alwayJ little four-piece will probably be the big DrugMoney lead singer and guitarist Fisher Meehan keeps it real in the studio. “Stars,” “Rough and Tumble” and “Small wander up stairs and ignore them though! gest band to emerge from Asheville. Thinking” (my personal favorite). The al Although Vincent’s is their usual home,i| DrugMoney began with Fisher Meehan bum, “Mtn Cty Jnk,” should be out before is always better to see them away from theta .some years ago. If any one came to Vincent’s bass), Tyler Ramsey on keyboards (and unplugged, but even then, the intensity too long, it s on the jut box at Broadway’s and in a place where the sound quality il on a Ttie.sday night, they would have seen various other keyboard-like toys) and Jamie level does not drop with it. if you want a preview. Really though, to do better. If you ever see that they are playing a straggly looking guy sitting barefoot and Stirling on drums. It’s hard to pin a particular sound on them j ustice, you must see them live. If you at The Orange Peel, do not hesitate tcj alone on stage with just a microphone and With the addition of these members, them, because they draw from all over the don’t trust my word, or want to go beyond attend, you certainly will not be disapl a guitar. DrugMoney graduated from one local guy, spectrum. Some of their songs sound like making comparisons to other bands, go to pointed. Even if you don’t like the musicl He would sit and play to a nearly-dead building a fan base with recognizable songs early Nirvana, some of it sounds more a show at Vincent’s Ear on Tuesdays. It’s Fisher’s entertaining as hell to watch oif house, chugging tallboys of PBR, slinging played only on acoustic guitar, to a veri poppy than that. You can hear a little of free, and it’s a promise that you’ll leave stage. his leg high in the air to the rhythm of one table powerhouse that rocks unbelievably of his classic songs about “smokin’ dope” well. and to put it mildly, “having sex.” The Bill Reynolds, bass player extraordinaire, thump of his leg on the stage would jostle explodes onto the stage in every show, the little crowd into paying attention to making it almost impossible to take your him, and if you did, you heard a powerful eyes off him. He plays like a maniac and voice hidden behind that greasy mop of makes the most intense, but hilarious faces. long, dark hair. He loves what he does. However, the rest of Fisher never left home without two t- the band certainly warrants a watch, so at shirts, one for the show and one to put on some point you must turn your eyes to the after stripping the sweat-soaked one off others. him afterwards. Fisher’s sweet side is de Tyler Ramsey, our very own “best local ceiving, forwhen he’sonstage, he’sveryfar musician,” according to the MountainXpress from sweet. He belts it out like if he stopped, and the “Best of WNC” poll, is, well, let’s he would stop breathing too. Imagine all just say, not only easy on the eyes, but also this attention-grabbing behavior from just extremely talented (and extremely tall). one guy. - His contribution to DrugMoney is un Then there were two. Paul Conrad (who questionable. He is the glue that holds the has since relocated to New York) joined in band together. on the drums, and DrugMoney was born. Jamie Stirling plays the drums like Ani The little two-some made quite a distur mal from “The Muppets.” He removes his bance in the local scene and added many a black biker boots, slips on his black All- customer and fan on Tuesday nights. Stars, and plays like he’s trying to beat a After much trial and error, the band hole in the middle of the drum. climbed one new member after another Obviously, the intensity of this little band until finally it became four. Now the band that could is undeniable. But what’s the includes Fisher on lead guitar and vocals, music like? It rocks, wholeheartedly. Some Bill Reynolds on bass (sometimes stand-up times they take it down a notch and leave it