Wednesday 16

Tetrarch — In the metal world, much ado has been made about some sort of thrash revival, in part because of Municipal Waste’s ascendance into headbanger notoriety. But revivalist tendencies are usually best served without winks, played as if the era being revived had never ended. And for that, Atlanta’s Tetrarch is, simply put, a stunning example of thrash’s durability. The band isn’t old enough to remember the halcyon days of the big four (Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer), but it’s caught in the same mosh. With the same energy and excitement of mid-‘80s thrash, the influence of this decade’s metalcore is unexpectedly subtle and more surprisingly complementary to Tetrarch’s axe-wielding heavy metal ambush. That Tetrarch’s vintage revivalism doesn’t feel the slightest bit ironic or forced only makes the band more awesome.
B. Reed
New Brookland Tavern: 7:30 p.m., $5 ($8 under 21); 791-4413, newbrooklandtavern.com.
 

Thursday 17

Brian Ashley Jones — A Spartanburg native currently living in Nashville, Brian Ashley Jones has been a frequent opening act for Delbert McClinton the past couple of years, and after hearing songs like “Take” and “I Ain’t Jokin’,” it’s obvious why. Jones has that same barroom country soul vibe that made Delbert a roadhouse regular and the songwriting talent to match. Jones is also enough of a guitar picker that his instrumental “Pull ‘em Up,” from his latest album, Courier, was featured on the PBS show Road Trip Nation, and he conducts guitar clinics for the Pros on the Road program.
K. Oliver
The White Mule: 8 p.m., $5; 661-8199, thewhitemule.com.

Shallow Palace — Shallow Palace is a group of rock musicians from Columbia. It has been playing music for four years now. It has toured the Southeast. It has been favorably compared to The Stooges, Cheap Trick and The Stones. All this prosaic gimmickry is simply to impress that Shallow Palace employs a no-frills approach to its sneering, power-chord-bashing debauchery. It’s as if somebody gave these guys a list of the 10 best rock albums of the ‘70s and they ran with it. Pretty impressive, methinks, for a group of 20-somethings to eschew modern influences and defer to the classics. Who says the kids aren’t alright? 
D. Harkins
New Brookland Tavern: 7 p.m., $5 ($3 under 21); 791-4413, newbrooklandtavern.com.


Friday 18



Deepfield — This show, sponsored by WARQ, is billed as a low-dough show, but don’t think you won’t get your money’s worth. For the pittance of the admission, you, savvy modern rock consumer, will be treated to two of Rock 93.5’s favorite local heavies. Charleston-born quartet Deepfield rocks like Three Doors Down, Puddle of Mudd or Isabelle’s Gift; that is to say its hard ‘n’ heavy rock ‘n’ roll packs some sweet hooks alongside a palpable punch. Columbia’s Obraskai, too, is prime modern rock radio material, all crunchy hooks and shoutalong choruses.
P. Wall
New Brookland Tavern: 7 p.m., $9.35 ($7 advance); 791-4413, newbrooklandtavern.com.

 

Flat Out Strangers

Flat Out Strangers — Holy plantation tie, Batman, if it isn’t another hot-s#!t group of acclaimed pickers to hit the Soda City! Though they’ve been around for a decade and have shared the stage with the likes of such country greats as Dwight Yoakam, Jason and the Scorchers and Tim O’Brien, tonight the Flat Out Strangers get their due for their brand of raw, hillbilly Americana, which stresses themes of sin, drinkin’ and redemption as much as their flatpicking prowess. The four-piece outfit, which features banjos, dobros, a sparse drumbeat and an upright bass, might be a trad-oriented outfit, but its rockabilly roots continue to resonate with Southeast audiences to this day.
D. Harkins
The White Mule: 8 p.m., $5; 661-8199, thewhitemule.com.

The Lilies & Sparrows — It’s not new by any means, but the idea of a polite rock band still feels like some kind of oxymoron. Greer quartet The Lilies and Sparrows don’t play demure, but even when the passion rises to squalling guitars and a whole-band holler, it feels restrained and good-natured. Maybe in this case it’s something to do with the band’s Christianity and its serving as a vehicle for praise, though I don’t like to think of religion as something so calm and confident. For the tunes, though, the band’s gentle assuredness is comforting, even if it’s unlikely to ruffle feathers.
B. Reed
The Watershed: 8:30 p.m., $5; 957-1887, watershedbooks.net.


Saturday 19

Angela Easterling

Angela Easterling — Borrowing Will Kimbrough from Todd Snider’s band to produce and play on Blacktop Road, the Upstate native’s second full-length, was a stroke of genius for Angela Easterling. Kimbrough surrounds Easterling’s gutsy vocals with some whip-crackingly smart country power-pop on the title track and offers sympathetic sounds even on the more emotional ballads, inviting comparisons to everyone from Miranda Lambert to Marti Jones. The latter tunes will undoubtedly shine the brightest for this performance, which is in an acoustic house concert setting. Call or email for directions and reservations.
K. Oliver
The Opulent Possum: 6:30 p.m., $15; 237-4266, kbcdlovejo@aol.com.

The Mercy Shot — This here’s the can’t-miss show of the week for those whose tastes skew toward punk and hardcore. Headliner The Mercy Shot delivers its punk ‘n’ roll with naked aggression and unsurprising aplomb, given its members staffed such bands as F13 and Death Becomes Even the Maiden. Mainline and Population Control are two of this town’s top punk acts, with the former laying down savage proto-hardcore beatdowns and the latter offering frantic, shrieking street-punk. Be sure to show up early for openers Tunguska, a brand new heavy that features current and former members of Monstro, Jacob and I and Defeat.
P. Wall
Art Bar: 8 p.m., $3; 929-0198, artbarsc.com.




Clay Ross — Mixing bluegrass and Brazilian music might not sound all that enticing on paper, but in practice on South Carolina native Clay Ross’ Matuto, it works wonderfully, as if a Brazilian carnival had been plopped down in the middle of the Appalachian mountains. Using the exotic rhythms as inspiration rather than window dressing, Ross hits upon the shared joy in rural music from everywhere. A player in the New York jazz scene, Ross utilized musicians from the bands of Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and Yo Yo Ma for the recording, which features seven originals and four reworked traditional tunes such as “John the Revelator.”
K. Oliver
The White Mule: 8 p.m., $5; 661-8199, thewhitemule.com.

Sequoyah Prep School — On this silent night, two of the Palmetto State’s finest up-and-coming acts team up to provide a glimpse of the future. Florence’s Sequoyah Prep School, barely old enough to be coeds themselves, marry the acoustic merits of folk music with touches of emotive passion, the end result not unlike Annuals or Conor Oberst with full band. All Get Out, named after a hyperbolic Southern catch-all phrase for anything that pushes the limits, has been known to play its brand of post-hardcore pop-rock, appropriately, loud as all get out. Go forth and enjoy. It is the season of giving, after all. 
P. Wall
New Brookland Tavern: 7 p.m., $12 ($10 advance); 791-4413, newbrooklandtavern.com.

SGS — The letters of this impromptu group’s name coincide with the last names of the three members, and their collaboration promises to make this a special night of local music. John Scollon has been playing around Columbia for years and also working with the Columbia Marionette Theater. He’ll be joined by Harris Gardner, formerly of Woodwork Roadshow, who has been doing studio work in Nashville. Greg Studley, a former Speakeasy jazz host and guitarist, has been doing his own thing out in San Francisco, but he’ll be in town this week to round out this inviting trio.
K. Oliver
State Street Pub: 9 p.m., free; 796-2006.


Sunday 20

Swift Technique — Placed on a pedestal by Deli magazine alongside The Roots, Jedi Mind Tricks, The Last Emperor and Spank Rock as one of Philadelphia’s top hip-hop acts, you’ll be forgiven if you expect Swift Technique to be a hip-hop tour de force. Though the Philly septet is led by MC Sean McCann, Swift Technique is much more funk powerhouse than full-fledged hip-hop revue, and certainly more Funkadelic than 50 Cent. Raw, energetic funk-hop? Yeah, that sounds right. With Asheville’s The Secret B-Sides and local emcee (and, full disclosure, frequent Free Times contributor) Preach, who’s been playing shows and ostensibly working on his R2 Records debut in London recently.
P. Wall
Elbow Room: 8 p.m., $5; elbowroomsc.com.