Johnny Cash turns 77 at the Garage in Winston-Salem
Some say that country music died on the day that Johnny Cash died, but I’d say that it went into hiding the day Billy Ray Cyrus came out with “Achy Breaky Heart.”
The genre formally known as Country has since rebranded itself as alt-country, Americana or even simply folk while the pretenders parade around on CMT under the former’s pretense. But with the Man In Black’s 77 th birthday just around the corner, it’s time to reclaim the word from the rhinestone cowboys this Friday and Saturday at the Garage. Cash Bash 7 will bring the best in local and regional country, rockabilly and nitty-gritty folk musicians in to celebrate the legacy of one of the greatest American songwriters of all time.
The event opens Friday night at 8:00 p.m. with Sidna Allen (www.myspace.com/sidnaalen), the Tremors (www. tremorsrockabilly.com), John Howie Jr. & Rosewood Bluff (www.myspace.com/ rosewoodbluff), the bo-stevens (www. myspace.com/thebostevens), Truckstop Preachers (www.truckstoppreachers.com) and Straight 8s (www.straight8s. com). It continues Saturday at 7 p.m. with a solo performance by Hick’ry Hawkins (wwwmyspace.com/hickryhawkins), Jem Crossland & the Hypertonics (www. jemandtonics.com), Hearts and Daggers (www.heartsanddaggers.com), Tommy Ray & the Rayguns (www.myspace.com/ tommyrayguns), Gojira X (www.gojirax.com), Rev. D’ray & the Shockers (www. myspace.com/revdrayandtheshockers) and finally the Defilers (www.myspace.com/thedefilers). Each night requires a separate ticket, which are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.
Go see Saul Williams
If Barack Obama were really serious about change, it would have started with the Inaugural Poet. It’s understandable that the new president’s first address errs on the side of political correctness, but the poet that follows should truly speak to the consciousness of the electorate. Rather than making a pointed statement during one of the most visible inaugurations in our history, he continued the line of flavorless “Prose-eaucrats” who delivered another clich-ridden and thoroughly unmemorable piece.
A truly pointed statement could have been made by selecting the man who’s spending the next week performing and speaking at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Though, his words might have driven an otherwise poised, collected public to the streets in social insurrection as a result. Slam poet, writer, rapper and actor Saul Williams www.saulwilliams.com will take up a week-long residency and though he’s not quite a household name, his track “List of Demands” came to prominence as the piercing soundtrack to Adidas’ ad campaign during the 2008 NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament. His first performance comes on March 1 at 2 p.m. alongside the Carolina Choir and the UNC Chamber Singers, while another comes with the UNC New Music Ensemble on March 4 at 4 p.m. Both performances are free and open to the public. The main event concludes on March 5 at 7:30 p.m. with the US premiere of Thomas Kessler’s avant-garde setting of Williams’ poem, “The Dead Emcee Scrolls.” Tickets for this show are $15 and considering the magnitude of the occasion, that’s a steal.
You just might leave a different person after hearing what this man has to say.
Hearts, moons, clovers, tenors! at UNC-G
Before you head down to the pub for a two-shilling ale, check out some good Celtic tunes by three of the greatest voices the Land of Saints and Scholars has to offer. With a varied repertoire that includes Irish standards like “Danny Boy” and “Fields of Athenry” the Irish Tenors www.theirishtenors.com have sung to audiences worldwide for more than a decade. They are billed as Ireland’s Romantic Singer, Finbar Wright; Ireland’s Best Living Tenor, Anthony Kearns; and Ireland’s Sweetest Tenor Voice, Karl Scully. The trio will appear in UNC- Greensboro’s to Aycock Auditorium for a performance Wednesday, March 4 at 8 p.m. as part of the University Concert & Lecture Series. They are one of the most successful Irish touring acts in the United States, second only to U2. Be forewarned, however. Make sure to take note of the exit signs for when they break out Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On.” The only redemption for suffering that claptrap would be a cover of Ween’s “Blarney Stone” and if it’s yelled from the audience enough, I’m sure they’ll oblige. Tickets for the performance range from $28 to $35.
