http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/ [Third Man Records] Q: How many minor supergroups can Jack White assemble? A: All of them, apparently. The Dead Weather is merely the latest installment of "What Will Jack Do Next?," the novelty this time being that the vaunted frontman of The White Stripes and co-frontman of The Raconteurs is taking his place behind the drumkit, the most stereotypically invisible role within most bands except for those timekeepers blessed with outsized personalities (Keith Moon, Ringo Starr, John Bonham).]]> [Ferret Music] Since the release of their previous album in 2007, the winds of change have swept over MATSOD like an F-4 tornado, resulting in a new lineup and sound on their latest album. Composed of four new members, including Matt Clark and Kelly Scott Nunn (ex-Underoath), the Alabama-based Metalcore outfit expresses its Southern roots more than ever with banjo tracks, guitar slides and hand claps to compliment the down-tuned, fist-pounding sound that fans have come to expect from the band's previous albums.]]> [Ferret Music] Like drinking tall boys of Steel Reserve, listening to Poison the Well's new album requires either an acquired taste or an extreme apathy in order to endure it. This fifth installment of the band's discography maintains the Post Hardcore brutality, speed and intensity of its former albums, which is likely to please long-time fans but unlikely to draw a new crowd.]]> [Jive Records] Coolness is an indispensable character trait for bands pursuing real success in today's world, because if you don't sound cool enough, the TV-viewing public won’t pay any attention to your crap.]]> [Capitol Records] Colin Meloy has created a song cycle that details the story of a fair young maiden and the metamorph that takes advantage of her, set to a soundtrack worthy of the best Prog/Folk purveyors of the '70s and shot through with contemporary melodicism and verve. ]]> [Domino Records] First off, dude sounds like the long-lost lovechild of Queen's Freddie Mercury and T. Rex frontman Marc Bolan, a pair who in a perfect world would have made a great Rock & Roll gay couple, no doubt. In any case, the fusion could only have created a mutant MercuRex musician so ferociously pompous in his stylistic grandiosity as Mr. Ferree, whose overly verbose songs are pretty catchy despite their penchant for being over-the-top.]]> [Blue Note] L.A. duo The Bird and The Bee loves to use that bad synthesized harpsichord sound that Stereolab somehow made kosher. They also add hackneyed Tropicalia and "Jazz" flourishes, and it's all set down on top of mindless, pre-programmed beats.]]> [Emarcy Records] John Scofield has applied his innovative Jazz guitar methodology to every conceivable subset of the genre (Funk, Blues, Bebop, Chamber Jazz, Electronica and many others) over his storied career as a Jazz sessioner and solo artist. For his astonishing 36th album under his own name, Piety Street, Scofield has assembled a crack band of singers and players to create a Gospel/Blues/Jazz hybrid that is inspirational from both a musical and spiritual context.]]> [Happy Jack Rock] Whether the Indie Rock veteran is fronting Guided by Voices or experimental Circus Devils, Bob Pollard is a god among songwriting men, and for good reason. ]]> Reuters reported that Pink Floyd has succeeded in stopping its label, EMI, from unpackaging its albums and selling individual songs as downloads or ringtones. There goes our plan to hold the record for the world's longest ringtone, sides 1 and 2 of 'Ummagumma.']]> A rumor that suggested that Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards had quit drinking was squashed when Richards told Rolling Stone magazine that “the rumors of my sobriety are greatly exaggerated,” which may well be the best rocker quote of the past quarter century. Jack Daniels shareholders thank you, Keith.]]> The Electronic Frontier Foundation, which fights for “civil rights” on the Internet, struck a blow for all parents who want to videotape their toddlers dancing to inappropriate songs when it got a judge to agree a woman was owed money after having a 29-second clip yanked from YouTube.]]> The wet willy of the Internet, Rickrolling, has reached the end of, well, something. Seems the original YouTube video used to prank people with a Rick Astley video clip has been yanked due to copyright violation. Sadly, there are now only about 75 billion other Rickroll videos available on YouTube and elsewhere online.]]> After blessing a Vatican MySpace site that featured a list of apparently Pope-endorsed songs that included ones by 2Pac and Fleet Foxes, the Vatican newspaper/Web site The Holy See recently released another list of “good/Godly” Pop songs.]]> Did you know that this year is the 160th anniversary of the kazoo, the cheaply made "wind instrument" that everyone masters when they're about 2? Did you know there are kazoo enthusiasts? How about professional kazoo players? Meet Rick Hubbard.]]> Reports say any Guns 'N Roses fans attempting to sport Slash-related shirts to a concert in Canada recently were asked to turn them inside out or go home. In other music news, Hip Hop Artist shun clothing line for oil company and Steven Tyler does karaoke.]]> Reuters reported that Pink Floyd has succeeded in stopping its label, EMI, from unpackaging its albums and selling individual songs as downloads or ringtones. There goes our plan to hold the record for the world's longest ringtone, sides 1 and 2 of 'Ummagumma.']]> Local Indie band Fists of Love celebrates the release of its debut, a self-titled seven-song EP, Saturday at the Northside Tavern. The free show will also feature a performance by Wussy and some DJing from Brian Olive, who recorded and mixed most of the FoL debut.]]> In addition to our "cover boys" this week, The Lions Rampant, three other local acts will be out in the clubs this weekend hosting release parties for their latest recording projects: Progressive/Hard Rock band Livid Friday at Silverton's Play By Play Cafe, Bluegrass trio The Tadcasters Friday at Arnold's Bar and Grill downtown and Metal band Behead the Tyrant Saturday at Harvey's in Price Hill (the old Blue Note). Come out and support local original music.]]> A long-distance-relationship band with local ties will become not-so-long-distance this weekend as they team up for a few CD release events in the area. The trio is called Honneycombs and features local singer/songwriter April Combs, her L.A.-based brother James Combs and locally-based harmony singer Laurie Burnham.]]> This Friday at Covington's Mad Hatter, two local bands team up for a dual release party celebrating their latest creations: Small Time Crooks (Hip Hop/Pop) and I Am the Messenger (Punk/Metal). The disparity between the their musical styles is a great testament to how local bands don't seem too concerned about genre classification, at least in terms of what bands they play shows with.]]> The recent snow blast caused the cancellation of the Feb. 15 “Help Them Sing Again” Haitian relief benefit at the Blue Wisp Jazz Club, but you can make up for it this Saturday at The Leapin Lizard gallery space in Covington. Read about this show and much more local music news here.]]> The problems in Haiti aren't going to end anytime soon, so thankfully the stream of local Haitian relief benefit concerts continues to flow over the next few weeks (and hopefully months). Here are several Haiti-related happenings this week. ]]> The Brothers and The Sisters feature singer/songwriter Jeremy Pinnell, whose work with The Light Wires and The Great Depression proved him to be one of the most soulful writers in the Folk/Roots arena. The songs are similar but presented in a different setting — instead of electric instruments or a stark acoustic-duo format, The Brothers and The Sisters use banjo, acoustic guitars and dobro (and drums and bass).]]> Organizers for Sunday's "Help for Haiti" benefit at Oakley's 20th Century Theatre put together a show in just a few days, and the massive and diverse roster of performers shows just how quick to help local artists are when an important cause comes up. The 6 p.m. concert will have Them Bones featuring Cheryl Renee, Freekbass, Kathy Wade, Kevin Fox, Sonny Moorman, Scotty Anderson, Phil DeGreg Trio, Steve Schmidt, Rumpke Mountain Boys, Robin Lacy and DeZydeco and many more acts. Suggested donation is $20. Proceeds go to the Red Cross.]]> Chris Sherman (aka Freekbass) and his Funk band (aka Freekbass) maintain one of the most consistent touring schedules of any band based in Cincinnati. Soon, Freekbass (the man, not the band) will be getting a lot busier, especially if his new "all star" group takes off. His new trio (With DJ Logic and Steve Molitz) gets its official debut Saturday here in Cincinnati.]]> Local Indie band Fists of Love celebrates the release of its debut, a self-titled seven-song EP, Saturday at the Northside Tavern. The free show will also feature a performance by Wussy and some DJing from Brian Olive, who recorded and mixed most of the FoL debut.]]> If you're going to Austin for South By Southwest, have a fantastic time, drink several dozen Shiners for me and enjoy some great music. I'll be doing the same thing here, missing SXSW again, but I'll be largely sober, rested and coherent. And I won’t be having as good a time as you. Damn it. Instead, I'm listening to new releases from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Frightened Rabbit, Miles Kurosky, Jimi Hendrix, Ted Leo, Aloha and This Moment in Black History.]]> John Hiatt has been pursuing his Roots Rock direction for so long now it's sometimes difficult to remember that he started off in a Folk/Pop vein in the early '70s, which morphed into a tough/tender New Wave angle later in the decade and into the '80s. But like any decent gunslinger, Hiatt never forgets how many bullets he has left, and his chambers are packed full on 'The Open Road,' the 19th studio album of his long and storied career.]]> Will Kimbrough has earned a deserved reputation as a songwriter's songwriter, but it's an honor that has tended to overshadow his equally impressive work as a performer of those songs. His latest solo album, 'Wings,' has him doing what he's always done, which is write great songs and perform them with a quiet elegance. ]]> Throughout Peter Gabriel's long career he's been considered one of Rock's most startlingly original artists. He's always been among the leaders in an industry that often succeeds by way of pack behavior. That's why it might seem strange to think of him covering other artists' material across an entire album, as he does on his latest, 'Scratch My Back.' Strange until you hear it, of course.]]> Sade's first new album in 10 years is the sterling Pop effort 'Soldier of Love.' Other than the biting and percussive title cut, which still goes down like well-aged scotch, this new collection could very easily pass for the follow-up to 'Diamond Life' nearly 25 years ago. Sade's voice and her band's expertise have aged beautifully, with a smokier and jazzier finish.]]> Broken Teeth isn't exactly a household name, but the Texas quintet has been cranking out blistering Hard Rock for well over a decade and inspiring comparisons to the genre's best known and, perhaps more to the point, biggest selling proponents, so it begs the question: Why aren't these guys huge? They're not reinventing the wheel on their fifth full-length, 'Viva La Rock, Fantastico!,' but they're most assuredly putting the rubber to the road from start to finish.]]> Patty Griffin's voice lies somewhere between Emmylou Harris's crystalline Country beauty and Bonnie Raitt's Blues-fried rasp, giving her a perfect instrument to interpret the largely Black and Southern Gospel tracks on her new album, 'Downtown Church.' It was recorded in a Presbyterian church in Nashville that once claimed Andrew Jackson as a congregate, and Griffin sang the songs from the church's pulpit.]]> Mark Oliver Everett doesn't feel the slightest hesitation about baring his soul, whether in his old persona of A Man Called E or in his better-known sonic disguise as Eels. And Everett's particular genius is in the casually devastating manner that he attaches his well-worn heart to his plainly visible sleeve, making it painfully and beautifully universal.]]> There are few singer/songwriters who can make melancholy and alienation as gorgeous and powerful and appealing as Freedy Johnston. His gifts were readily apparent on his 1990 debut, 'The Trouble Tree,' and were almost impossibly strengthened on his 1992 sophomore album, the indescribably wonderful 'Can You Fly.' After nine long years, Johnston has finally returned to the studio with brand new songs.]]> If you're going to Austin for South By Southwest, have a fantastic time, drink several dozen Shiners for me and enjoy some great music. I'll be doing the same thing here, missing SXSW again, but I'll be largely sober, rested and coherent. And I won’t be having as good a time as you. Damn it. Instead, I'm listening to new releases from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Frightened Rabbit, Miles Kurosky, Jimi Hendrix, Ted Leo, Aloha and This Moment in Black History.]]> Indie Rock trio not afraid to light up melody with chaos The Never Setting Suns have rocked out together since 2008. Their songs might have a structured backbone to begin, but then eight bars of chaos sneak in. They'll start with a melody, tear it up and then destroy it. "I'm just taking what I've loved from musicians like Isaac Brock and Jeff Tweedy," Corey Larrison says, "seeing the things they did, reciprocating that and recognizing that I'm continuing it."]]> Blending volume and melody on debut CD, 'Art in Heaven' The quartet is such a tightly knit and organic unit that no one really remembers whose idea it was to play together when their bands dissolved a year and a half ago. Almost effortlessly, the brothers and their cousins turned their family reunion jams and occasional musical get-togethers into an actual band.]]> Quartet ventures to the left coast to record their debut full-length album Most local bands hit a nice area studio to record their first album. But The Ohms had a bigger impact in mind. After putting together a home demo and receiving a spectacular response to their set at their own annual Ohmstead music festival, the Reggae/Rock quartet cast its net farther from shore and ended up recording in L.A. with No Doubt producer Dito Godwin. ]]> Steve Bowling turns rejection into Country/Roots flavored magic Steve Bowling has remained with the band Red Idle from its inception to its current cover band status, but he also continued to write Roots/Country songs that didn't fit the band. His bandmates' initial rejection inspired Bowling to christen his new side project Red Idle Rejects, who release their first CD on Saturday.]]> Amidst a packed schedule, Roots duo releases debut EP For Shiny and the Spoon, creating a whimsical, old-timey sound involves using subtlety and simplicity as a crafty tool. Tom Waits meets Ella Fitzgerald with a ukulele in the mix. Americana/Folk/Pop with a '20s spin. And this duo's clever style recently earned them a Cincinnati Entertainment Awards nomination in the New Artist of the Year category.]]> Painting with sound, a melodic heart and discernible texture There is a hypnotic quality to Pete Fosco's guitar manipulations, an Ambient drone that suggests the casual intensity of Steve Reich or Brian Eno. His latest album, the about-to-drop 'In Electric Nights,' is a dreamy, Ambient vision of Funkadelic's 'Maggot Brain' and more typically "song based," featuring five shorter compositions, as opposed to the 30-minute opus and two shorter codas on his first record.]]> Warming up for a special full-length release with a Christmas-themed album After recording a full-length album this summer with Grammy-winning producer Malcolm Burn (Bob Dylan, Ryan Adams, Iggy Pop), Ellery was inspired to punch out 'Down, Down, Down,' its 2009 holiday EP. The full-length will come out this spring. Justin Golden explains: "We're in that interesting place many artists now find themselves, deciding whether to release an album on our own or on a label — it's a lot to weigh."]]> Indie Rock trio not afraid to light up melody with chaos The Never Setting Suns have rocked out together since 2008. Their songs might have a structured backbone to begin, but then eight bars of chaos sneak in. They'll start with a melody, tear it up and then destroy it. "I'm just taking what I've loved from musicians like Isaac Brock and Jeff Tweedy," Corey Larrison says, "seeing the things they did, reciprocating that and recognizing that I'm continuing it."]]> Unique children‘s TV show features an eclectic Indie Rock soundtrack Of all the hot tickets on the spring concert circuit, one of the biggest draws might be DJ Lance Rock, host of Yo Gabba Gabba, the Indie Rock-fueled kids show on Nickelodeon’s Nick Jr. cable channel. Musical guests/fans like The Flaming Lips, Weezer, The Shins and The Killers means that Yo Gabba Gabba’s target audience might not have to pester their parents to convince them to attend.]]> When artists don't reach outside their safety zones, music stagnates Why are local scenes so split? Not to say there aren't people who venture to other scenes in the city, but the majority stays put in their comfort zone. I could make this point for most music scenes in the city, but I'll stick to Hip Hop since that's what the column's title tells me this is about.]]> The Lions Rampant dials everything up a couple notches with debut album After two excellent EPs, The Lions Rampant's full length album, 'It's Fun to Do Bad Things' (released next week), is a masterstroke of snarling, primal Garage Rock with extra helpings of deep fried Soul. "I can definitely see a change from the beginning to these songs," Stuart MacKenzie says. "This album is a lot more diverse than the EPs."]]> Lagniappe's diverse Cajun gumbo has a completely unique musical flavor In Cajun/Creole culture, "lagniappe" generally describes a tip for services rendered or additional items given to a customer in appreciation for a transaction. But the literal translation of the French-derived word is, as drummer/percussionist Yvan Verbesselt notes, "something extra, something special." That's precisely what the local Cajun-and-more sextet Lagniappe delivers on a regular basis.]]> Boomboxes achieve collector status and offer a break from incessant multi-tasking Watching the unveiling of the new Apple iPad solidified my decision about the vintage boombox that I'd purchased off eBay. I had originally begun searching for a portable stereo cassette player to listen to old tapes. Since then, I've realized that I had unwittingly become a member of a worldwide subculture where vintage boomboxes are as good as gold.]]> Colemine Records has faith in Funk, Soul and 7-inch vinyl Between the teetering economy and the wildly erratic music industry, it would require balls of absolute platinum to start a record label now. And those shiny cojones in your Jo Boxers are likely to be the only platinum you’ll experience if your label deals primarily in 7-inch vinyl singles. ]]> The 25-years-young band keeps the old-school Ska rhythms moving John Norwood Fisher remembers hearing Two Tone Ska for the first time. It was the early 1980s, and fellow Fishbone member/trumpeter "Dirty" Walter Kibby introduced him to The Selecter and The English Beat. The bassist's reaction? "I was disappointed. We didn't invent Ska?!" Fishbone barely profited from the cachet they earned as the style's U.S. elders (the cultural focus shone on younger bands like No Doubt and Mighty Mighty Bosstones), but the group has rocked steady for 25 years. ]]> The Lions Rampant dials everything up a couple notches with debut album After two excellent EPs, The Lions Rampant's full length album, 'It's Fun to Do Bad Things' (released next week), is a masterstroke of snarling, primal Garage Rock with extra helpings of deep fried Soul. "I can definitely see a change from the beginning to these songs," Stuart MacKenzie says. "This album is a lot more diverse than the EPs."]]> [Third Man Records] Q: How many minor supergroups can Jack White assemble? A: All of them, apparently. The Dead Weather is merely the latest installment of "What Will Jack Do Next?," the novelty this time being that the vaunted frontman of The White Stripes and co-frontman of The Raconteurs is taking his place behind the drumkit, the most stereotypically invisible role within most bands except for those timekeepers blessed with outsized personalities (Keith Moon, Ringo Starr, John Bonham).]]> [Ferret Music] Since the release of their previous album in 2007, the winds of change have swept over MATSOD like an F-4 tornado, resulting in a new lineup and sound on their latest album. Composed of four new members, including Matt Clark and Kelly Scott Nunn (ex-Underoath), the Alabama-based Metalcore outfit expresses its Southern roots more than ever with banjo tracks, guitar slides and hand claps to compliment the down-tuned, fist-pounding sound that fans have come to expect from the band's previous albums.]]> Unique children‘s TV show features an eclectic Indie Rock soundtrack Of all the hot tickets on the spring concert circuit, one of the biggest draws might be DJ Lance Rock, host of Yo Gabba Gabba, the Indie Rock-fueled kids show on Nickelodeon’s Nick Jr. cable channel. Musical guests/fans like The Flaming Lips, Weezer, The Shins and The Killers means that Yo Gabba Gabba’s target audience might not have to pester their parents to convince them to attend.]]> Feb. 24 • The Mad Hatter Kiss Kiss revels in melodrama. This New York outfit loads its strain of Indie, Emo and Experimental music with endearingly over-the-top flourishes: electric violins that strike and whine, snatches of slow burn piano and blasts of guitar that ring passionately. The five-piece version has recently picked up steam supporting last summer's CD release, 'The Meek Shall Inherit What's Left' (Eyeball Records).]]> Feb. 26 • The Mad Hatter Two local bands team up for a dual release party celebrating their latest creations. And the disparity between the their musical styles (Small Time Crooks's Pop/Hip Hop blend and I Am the Messenger's Metal/Punk) is a great testament to how local bands don't seem too concerned about genre classification, at least in terms of what bands they play shows with.]]> [Ferret Music] Like drinking tall boys of Steel Reserve, listening to Poison the Well's new album requires either an acquired taste or an extreme apathy in order to endure it. This fifth installment of the band's discography maintains the Post Hardcore brutality, speed and intensity of its former albums, which is likely to please long-time fans but unlikely to draw a new crowd.]]> March 9 • Bogart's When it comes to points of comparison, The Architects chiefly receive it by way of two types of Rock & Roll groups: the long dissolved (The Clash, The Replacements, Husker Du) and the aged but still chugging along (AC/DC, The Who, Queen). The Kansas City, Mo.-born four-piece's lead vocalist/guitarist, however, doesn't mind being in the company of the dated. "Those are the bands we look up to," Brandon Phillips says.]]> March 21 • Southgate House Veteran Cincinnati Blues bandleader/singer/guitarist/harmonica master Phil Blank passed away Jan. 15 due to complications from cancer at the age of 57. On Sunday, many of his friends, fans, peers and bandmates will join together for a musical tribute at the Southgate House, performing songs culled from Phil Blank Blues Band set lists. Proceeds benefit the Play It Forward Foundation.]]> March 5 • Blue Wisp Jazz Club If the United Nations is looking for a Jazz pianist, Amina Figarova would certainly fit the bill. Born in Azerbaijan, she played and composed at a prodigal age, then studied in her homeland before pursuing the Jazz performance programs at Rotterdam Conservatory and Berklee College of Music in Boston. Four years after Figarova's 1994 debut album, 'Attraction,' she was accepted into the Thelonious Monk Jazz Colony in Aspen Colorado.]]> March 7 • Southgate House Andy Cabic hooked up Greensboro, N.C. scenemates to assemble a new band that he dubbed Vetiver (after a type of tropical grass) and began exploring a gently psychedelic Folk direction. Vetiver's 2004 eponymous debut featured Devandra Banhart, Joanna Newsom, ex-Mazzy Star vocalist Hope Sandoval and My Bloody Valentine's Colm O'Ciosoig. The band's fourth album, 'Tight Knit,' came out on Sub Pop Records last year.]]> March 13 • Down Under You'd be hard pressed to find a band working today that's as powerfully entertaining as Cleveland's This Moment in Black History, putting on the kind of visceral live show where you'll have to be a bit more on your toes than usual. There's no telling what you might get hit with (a pint glass, light fixtures, the lead singer), proving danger still has a vital place in Rock & Roll.]]> March 5-6 • Art Damage Lodge Art Damage, the influential radio show/performance space/experimental music-supporting collective, turns 25 years old this year, and the group celebrates this weekend with a two-night blowout featuring some of the biggest names in experimental music: Baltimore's Nautical Almanac, Philly's Weyes Bluhd, Michigan's Andrew Coltrane, L.A.'s Sissy Spacek, Michigan's Wolf Eyes and Columbus' Sword Heaven, among others.]]> March 10 • Madison Theater There aren't many instances where the phrases "Folk Rock," "Latin Rock," "Thrash Metal" and "acoustic guitars" are diagrammed in the same sentence. But Rodrigo y Gabriela have always been adept at defying convention. The duo's newest album '11:11,' released last fall to overwhelming acclaim, features their trademark percussive rhythms and intricate leads that reference both their Metal background and Latin heritage.]]> March 13 • Fountain Square Deer Tick coalesced in John McCauley's Providence, R.I., bedroom five years ago. After discovering Hank Williams, the 18-year-old dissolved his duo project, My Other Face, and wrote and recorded songs at home for a year, making CDRs that he sold at basement/bar gigs. Deer Tick headlines the free Fountain Square St. Patrick's Day party, which kicks off at 1 p.m. (following the parade). Also scheduled to perform is a plethora of excellent local bands: Buffalo Killers, The Tigerlilies, The Tillers, Magnolia Mountain, The Super Desserts and Mount Pleasant String Band.]]> March 21 • CS13 CS13, the creative alternative gallery in Over-the-Rhine, continues its forays into cutting-edge experimental music presentations with a show Sunday by Brooklyn Art-Pop-Chamber-Prog experimentalists Extra Life, led by guitarist/composer Charlie Looker. Opening acts are Black Dove, Locusta and I Fail.]]> Feb. 20 • Madison Theater Snoop "Snoop Doggy Dogg" Dogg might be the quintessential 21st-century Rap star. On the music side, he was a big part of the legendary 'Chronic' album by Dr. Dre and his first couple of solo releases are almost as classic. But it's what Snoop has done after his initial musical success that's made him representative of Rap stardom today.]]> Feb 21 • The Mad Hatter I Am Ghost cycles through over-the-top macabre motifs (vampires, blood, guns, fire, coffins, etc.) that Atreyu and My Chemical Romance would have utilized in their early days and bashes their dark aesthetic over your head.]]> Feb. 27 • Madison Theater Twenty years ago, a good many savvy, too-hip-for-the-scene industry types were dismissing Ani DiFranco as a fringe-dwelling, mohawked, my-fist-your-face Folk Punk evangelist, a hard-strumming one trick pony destined to marginalize herself into a narrowly defined cult performer of little consequence. Clearly, she didn't follow that particular career path, defying expectations at every opportunity.]]> Feb. 26 • Molly Malone's Covington Willy Porter is a virtuoso guitarist, inspired by Leo Kottke and John Fahey to fingerpick his way up and down the fretboard with astonishing speed and dexterity. Expect to be dazzled, moved, awed and transformed.]]> Feb. 18 • Blue Wisp Jazz Club When you find Igor Stravinsky, Steve Vai and the Screaming Headless Torsos in the same list, you might be forced to make connections you never thought possible. A quick listen to Joe Deninzon's music will do pretty much the same thing.]]> Feb. 18 • CS13 The Daredevil Christopher Wright is not, in fact, an Evel Knievel wannabe. Instead it's a three-piece band from Eau Claire, Wisc., the town that also brought us Bon Iver's Justin Vernon and, judging from the number of acts appearing from that small corner of the country, appears to have the highest concentration of well-trained musicians in the world.]]> March 18 • Madison Theater The Atlanta band coalesced in 1998 around an instrumental Drum and Bass sound that quickly evolved into a style that tended to embrace and incorporate an amazing array of genres, including Funk, Electronica, Trip Hop, Jazz, Soul and Rock. That early diversity has paid fascinating dividends, allowing STS9 to share stages with the likes of Tortoise, Perry Farrell and James Brown.]]> March 21 • 20th Century Theater Portugal. The Man started in Wasilla, Alaska, and their fourth album was titled 'The Satanic Satanist.' Let the Sarah Palin jokes commence. But Alternative Press declared their 'Censored Colors' one of 2008's 10 most essential albums and dubbed John Baldwin Gourley the year's best vocalist. ]]> March 22 • Southgate House Oliver Ackermann manufactures noise for a living. Fronting Brooklynite Shoegaze/Indie Rock outfit A Place to Bury Strangers isn't enough to satisfy his thirst for rattling decibels. As a supplement, he founded Death by Audio, a guitar pedal company that shares its moniker with a New York venue and has a client list that includes U2. ]]>