Dead Confederate performs live / George Atkinson

If you weren’t at Bottletree last night for the Dead Confederate/Wax Fang/Twin Tigers show, you missed one of the best shows I’ve ever seen.

Any show that starts off with a girl wearing a Guitar Hero-esque haircut playing bass in a band that’s covering The Cure’s “A Forest” and ends with the headlining band playing in shadows reminiscent of  the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video is a mighty fine night indeed!

More photos and glorious details after the jump.

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Hi folks! I’m still haven’t decided what all the family will be doing this weekend. But here are some of the possibilities:

Want to have a hand in wine making? How about a foot? The annual Grapestomp is Saturday at Morgan Creek Vineyards from 10 to 4. There will be music, food, and of course, wine tastings and tours all day. You can even leave with your own footprint poster. Cost is $5. Dress like Lucy for the look-a-like contest at 2 for a chance at a cash prize.

Considering I have one car fanatic in the house and another household member who points out every plane that passes overhead, it is a good guess that I’ll be at the Bessemer Airport this weekend. That’s where the Birmingham Aero Club is hosting its 75^th Anniversary Wings and Wheels 2008 Air Show and Car Show both Saturday and Sunday. Gates open at 10:00 a.m. each day and the show begins at 2. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for kids 12 to 6, and under 6 free. Follow this link to the show’s FAQ page to find out what you can and cannot bring and the answer to the question, “Can you fly your airplane to the show?”

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Hey guys! It’s that time again… five questions from yours truly. Who’s this week’s target? Why, one of our favorite blogger/musicians, former Terminal contributor Sam George!

His band Bright Henry is playing Zydeco tonight and therefore, we aim the spotlight in his general direction.

WHITNEY: Bright Henry performances are always so warm and lively. It seems like a collective. How did the idea for all of you guys playing together come about?

SAM: I recently moved here from NYC and was unwilling to be without a band for any kind of a sustained period, so I began to put one together almost immediately. I have this theory about finding musicians: It’s as important for your fellow band members to be folks you’d like to hang out with as it is for them to be musically talented. You ain’t gonna get chemistry without kinship. The way I deal with this is to ask everyone I meet who I enjoy spending time with if they play a musical instrument. My first job here in Birmingham was slingin’ coffee at O’Henry’s in Homewood, and that’s where I met the fellas. It was serendipity really. Matt (guitar) and Barrett (bass) both worked behind the counter with me, and Daniel (drums) was a regular customer. I couldn’t believe I had found such a good group of friends in one place, but there they were. It was gravy that they could all play like the dickens. The band is actually named after the founder of O’Henry’s, Henry Bright. So I guess my incredibly long answer to your question is that we’re warm and lively because we grew together as a group organically before we even knew we were a band. [Read more →]

For those that missed our tweet from yesterday, Skybucket Records has released their new sampler for (wait for it…) FREE! That’s right folks, you get a chance to enjoy 93MB of zipped goodness (complete with art if you decide to burn it to CD), with tracks featuring 13ghosts, The Dexateens, Barton Carroll, Through the Sparks, Wes McDonald and more. So what are you waiting for? After you do that, then you can head out and buy all their albums…

Image: CD case art for 2008 Skybucket Sampler. Courtesy of Skybucket Records.

Screenshot of justataste.org (Taste of 4^th Avenue Jazz Festival) website.

A redesigned website (courtesy of MBI) and a slight breeze in the air means that it’s almost time for the annual Taste of 4th Avenue Jazz Festival. The fun takes place in the 4^th Avenue Historic District next Saturday. The parade starts at 12:30 p.m. and will include performances by Neo Jazz Collective, Eric Essix and Michael Ward. A perfect complement to that other event going on that weekend (and that conference we’re organizing).

Yes, Dead Confederate has made several appearances here in Birmingham in recent memory. Hell, they’re scheduled to be in town as part of their tour supporting their new album, Wrecking Ball, on September 24 at The Bottletree. The Magic City’s own Scott Register has had a lot of fun exposing us to them on his weekly radio program. Christina plugged their November 2007 appearance (after their apperance at City Stages 19 earlier in the year) at The Nick as a Got Plans? destination. Folks here seem to love the Georgia-based rock band, and getting a chance to listen to the new release just before today’s official release, they’re about to get a lot more people interested in them. [Read more →]