A Father’s Gift – The Kick Drum Kid’s Show !

First of all the Pour House Music Hall of Raleigh, NC would like to thank each and every one of you who have participated in our After Work Happy Hour Music Series we hosted on the last flurry of Fridays and to all musicians involved. We are working on ways to give our friends many excuses to join us before the sun goes down this summer.

THIS Saturday our doors will be flung open much earlier than on typical Saturday at the Hall (3:30PM), which is becoming a steady occurrence in the first quarter of 2013. We’ve been anticipating and talking about this show with all of our friends with children for quite some time! The extremely talented father, husband and heart touching musician Daniel Justin Smith – Kick Drum Kid’S Show!!!

What kind of drum??? KICK DRUM!!!! 🙂

This is a very special show because it’s an interactive show for Kids of ALL Ages.  What a perfect day it will be for the whole family to lace up their dancing shoes! A beautiful SUNNY day to be a part of this life changing event and share it with your child; truly a memory that will plant some happy and creative seeds for years to come. A chance to be a part of a real concert, with an amazing songwriter and a soul that will shine through our hearts at 4PM this Saturday. Speaking of youth, you are not required to have a child to attend, and recommend this afternoon to all ages, grandma and grandpa and aunt sally and the mail man too. (Just leave our furry friends at home until Sunday’s) – more on that later..

Daniel Justin Smith was born and raised in the same small community nestled in between The New River and The Blue Ridge Parkway – the same town as legendary Doc Watson.

In the midst of all of Daniels success he has been married for ten years with two sons, ages 5 and 6. Some would say the most important learning years of a child’s life. Daniel lives and breathes that what a child is surrounded by and taught at this age plays a major role further down the road. You won’t find Daniel or his family getting caught up in activities like watching television or listening to mainstream radio, but rather reading books and enjoying the sweeter side of life together.

We think that it would be best for our readers to dip into the mind of Daniel Justin Smith (or DJS for short) so we dug further..To find out why Daniel plays the Kick Drum during the show please watch the video below…

Pour House: What motivates these days and what do you like the most about the kids shows?

DJS: I am driven by enjoyment of life in general.  I am motivated by a desire to set my own standards and pace in life, and teach my children to do the same.  Teach them to think for themselves.

PH: How old were you when you started playing music and what was your first instrument?

DJS: I learned my first chords on the guitar at 8.  My grandmother played Maybelle Carter style guitar.  She showed me my first chords by taking a ruler and drawing a guitar neck on notebook paper to show me where my fingers went.  

PH: What was the very first album you owned as a child?

My dad played banjo and was big into bluegrass and old time.  My brother Kenny (10yrs older) instilled a love for 80s hair rock.  I remember sitting in my sister, Paula’s (12yrs older) car and listening to Bryan Adams and Prince.  My oldest brother Chris was into Alabama and Charlie Daniels.  I do remember the first cassette tape I wore out, Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys “Live in Japan” ! 

PH: How has your songwriting changed ever since your departure from being on the road with your former band (Big Daddy Love)

DJS: I’ve learned a lot by co-writing with people I look up to like Jim Lauderdale and David Childers.  In some ways, I am a project or purpose writer.  I have several different projects going on and write in different veins for each.  I’m working on a kids album, a soul album, another solo acoustic album, and have several collaborative recordings in the works.  I’ve gotten better at capturing inspiration, but at the core, its still just me.  Pouring everything I have into making the best art I can.

PH: What can parents expect their children to talk about on the way home from your show this Saturday?

DJS: How much fun they had at the Kick Drum Kid’s Show ! 

Thanks for reading this weeks PHMH Blog friends! We can’t express enough thanks for every single one of you out there that helps us water our musical garden with us this Spring.

See you at the Kick Drum Kid’s Show! If you don’t attend then you are grounded for a week And we will make you eat your Brussels sprouts!!  Tie up (or velcro) those dancing shoes and get ready to have some serious FUN!!

PS… We are located right in front of Moore Square, next to Tir Na Nog, half a block from Marbles Kids Museum/Imax.

 

Interview with Yo Mamas Big Fat Booty Band

This Saturday May 11, the innovators of Nu – Funk,  Yo Mamas Big Fat Booty Band out of Asheville is playing The Pour House Music Hall in Raleigh, N.C. Since releasing their sophomore studio album, Doin it Hard, YMBFBB has been on tour almost non – stop!

 I have the pleasure of if speaking with J.P. Miller. Lead guitarist, and manager of YMBFBB.

 Thank you, J.P.

  P.H. – Since releasing your latest album, Doin It Hard, you guys have been on tour throughout the entire country. North Carolina aside, what has been the funkiest stop while on the road and what made this particular city stand out?

 

 

J.P. – New Orleans…..that needs no explanation!

 P.H. –   Every song on Doin It Hard has a different feel. Old school and new school Booty Band sounds along with a slice of Latin flavor, a touch of retro groove and if my ears do not deceive I do believe a hint of D.C. Go Go. However, one track that stands out is the homage to voluptuous vixens everywhere;  @$$ (Badonkadonk). Two lyrics that caught my attention was Ass Soup. What is ass soup and where can we find some?

 

 

J.P. – Ass Soup is where there is so much Booty on the dance floor that it, well, looks like a bowl of ass soup. You can commonly find this delicacy served at Booty Band shows around the country. Enjoy!

P.H. –   Over the years, YMBFBB has been bringing the boom and making booties shake in almost every state in the nation. There have been several changes in the band’s lineup. In your opinion, what has been the greatest change in YMBFBB’s evolution and why?

 

 

J.P. – When Lee and Mary (of the band Eymarel) joined the group a little over 3 years ago, we started to find our focus and define the direction that the band wanted for their music and career. I have seen the band grow tighter over the last few years than it has been in the 10+ years that it has been around.

 P.H. –  Speaking of changes, YMBFBB’s  sax player, Greg Hollowell, stepped down recently. How have you guys been able to overcome his sudden departure and do you have any players in mind to fill in on sax?

 

 

J.P. –  Greg was an original member of the band, and it was sad to see him go. We have been rockin’ it as a 5 piece lately and have found that we are very tight and every member of the band steps out front at some point and really blasts the audience with some Funk. The energy at the shows is the highest it’s ever been. We may continue on as a 5 piece. It will be really nice to have Casey Cranford sitting in on Sax at the Pourhouse on Sat.

 P.H. – You guys are returning to your favorite grassroots venue in Raleigh, The Pour House Music Hall!  What can the fans of YMBFBB expect when your Funky Space Train pulls into the station?

 

J.P. – They can expect a night full of highly dance-able music. Outside Soul and The Chit Nasty Band are joining us that evening, so I am sure it will be an awesome show!

 P.H. –  Last Question. YMBFBB  is famous for having as much ‘fun” during your shows as the fans do. What ever happened to the notorious stripper pole?

 

 

J.P. – We retired it after years of it being on the road (and even being hoisted up onto Jam Cruise by a crane). The last time I saw it, it was in the middle of a big muddy field in East Tennessee. We used to have a blast watching audience members show us their “best moves.” Pretty sure it was a major liability. I still have the chrome pole in storage in my shed. I will probably keep that forever. 

 

 This is definitely the show you don’t want to miss! Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band featuring  Casey Cranford (The Big Something) with The Chit Nasty Band and Outside Soul are on a mission to melt your funkin’ minds!  Doors open at 8 p.m. Show starts at 9:45 p.m.! So, bring YO self, YO mama and her Big Fat Booty to The Pour House Music Hall this Saturday!  See you there! 

By: Phil B.

Nu-Funk Nasty Soul Booty Power Saturday Night!

We like Yo Mamas Big Fat Booty Band and we cannot lie, no funk lovers can deny. That when Al Al Ingram (Sweet Nasty) walks in with a big ol’ grin, we all know Booty N’ Beer = WIN!!

This Fresh Nu-Funk Nasty Soul Saturday Evening line-up features headliners Yo Mamas Big Fat Booty Band currently hailing from the lush and ancient mountains of Asheville, NC with special guest Casey Cranford (Big Something) on saxaphone – and local support from funk-tone favorites The Chit Nasty Band and Outside Soul from Raleigh, NC.

YMBFBB are a national touring act and are no strangers to the welcoming fantastic grassroots environment the Pour House naturally offers. You won’t find anything shiny besides our huge selection of draft brew, and that’s how we like it. It’s the symbolic combination of our “full of character” groove space, the fans and the bass bouncing off each and every crack….in the old brick wall. Along with the Nu-Funk style that the “Booty Band” brings to each and every show that we shamelessly adore. You could compare our shameless love for these three bands like your mother would shamelessly lick her finger tip to wipe a smudge off of your 31 year old face in front of your girlfriend and her friends.

To describe YMBFBB to a person that has never heard of them would be a complex task if you think about the evolution of grassroots funk to where it lands in music today. Some people say that they could be alien robots because of the out-of-body experience the listener has at their live show. Many fans have been known to dance freakishly good and surprise themselves and their friends at the “Booty Show,”  getting down to the most tasty dance-able funk grooves your body can’t resist to move to.

From their name (Yo Mamas Big Fat Booty Band) to their sense of humor and  to the most humble and creative collaboration of keeping the funk alive today in NC. Everything they bring to the table screams “turn off your head sponge and just groove!” The weather is calling for incredible dance moves, psychedelic horn blasts, crowd participation/precipitation, lots of love and fellowship-in-funk..oh and don’t forget – talking booties! See you at the PoHo!!

This Saturday night we shall talk with the sway of our hips and listen with our souls.

Doors @ 8pm – Come raise a cheers to our good friend Phil Bates – Birthday Celebration!!

Grab your $10 advance tickets while they are available here!! http://www.thepourhousemusichall.com/event/218469-yo-mamas-big-fat-booty-band-raleigh/

Stay tuned this Wednesday for our interview with Yo Mamas Big Fat Booty Band!!! 

Interview w/ Elenowen – Live at The Pour House May 9

We caught up with Josh and Nicole, better known as Elenowen to chat a little bit before their upcoming show on May 9th at The Pour House Music Hall. Elenowen is quickly rising from the Nasheville Americana-Folk scene and turning heads everywhere they perform with their haunting harmonies and elegiac lyrics. Now, onto the interview! 

Q:When is the first time that you knew that making music is what you wanted to do with your life?

JOSH – The first time I saw ‘That Thing You Do,’ something sparked inside of me.  I wanted to be Guy Patterson.  I wanted the excitement they all felt when they heard their song on the radio for the first time.

NICOLE – Probably not ’til we formed Elenowen.  I never saw myself actually becoming an artist until it made sense to be one with Josh.

Q: If you could do it all over again, would you do anything differently on The Voice?

JOSH – Wish I had played guitar when we sang.

NICOLE – I would have eaten something that day. 

Q: I saw that Nicole had to be entertained a little when you are in the studio, Josh, does she have to be entertained like that on the road too?

JOSH – Haha yes, but it’s not hard when we have Parke Avery with us – he’s our piano/guitar player and one of our dearest friends.  We all thoroughly entertain each other on the road.

Q: Who is your favorite Hip Hop artist?

JOSH – Jay–Z

NICOLE – Macklemore

Q:What does 2013 hold for Elenowen?

JOSH – Touring more than ever and making a full length record!

NICOLE – Stretching myself in new ways.  On the road more than ever and trying to pour my heart and soul into our first full length record.

Q:Do you have a dream venue to perform at?

JOSH – The Ryman, Tennessee Theater, Red Rocks

NICOLE – AGREED WITH JOSH ON THIS ONE!!

Q: Suppose you have won a prize.  The prize is two options, and you can choose either (but not both).  The first option is a year in Europe with a monthly stipend of $2,000.  The second option is ten minutes on the moon.  Which option do you select?

 JOSH – Gut answer – Europe trip.  After some thought answer – the moon.

NICOLE – Europe for sure!!

Q: Please write a haiku explaining the “chemistry” between you two in terms of your music.

Boiling hot volcanic lava

Down pour of purple rain

Love explosion

Interview with Brownout (Grammy-Winning Groupo Fantasma’s Alter Ego Band)

We are so pumped to have Brownout and Earphunk at The Pour House Music Hall on Saturday, February 16th. We sat down with Brownout to have a little chat and will be following this interview up with a video interview with Earphunk on the night of the show.

Q: Latin Funk Music is not something that you hear everyday but your popularity and fan base is growing and growing. How does it feel to be the face of Latin Funk Music in the United States and other countries?

A: I don’t think we’re the face of Latin funk music, per se. By that I mean, we haven’t invented a new style of which we are the torch bearers. We’re essentially carrying on a lineage of funk bands like War, Mandrill, the JB’s, who all had varying degrees of Afro-Latin elements in their music. We definitely have a background in Latin music and enjoy showcasing it, but the dominant undertone in most of the material is funk. Further, we don’t necessarily adhere to any singular stylistic dogma. We write what we feel and some of our albums have represented the Latin side more than others. But Latin funk is a convenient term.

Q: How does it feel to be a Grammy Award winning artist? That’s a crazy accomplishment!

A: It’s an honor to receive such a nationally and internationally recognized accolade. It’s definitely raised the profile of our main project Grupo Fantasma, and subsequently of Brownout as well. But, the circumstances under which most of the band was denied access to the awards ceremony and a statuette, made it rather bittersweet. 

Q: What inspires you to write your music?

A: Any number of things can inspire the idea for a song, for me it’s mainly other music. There’s rarely a stronger inspiration than hearing a great song.

Q: What about the song “Oozy”? Asking that almost makes me nervous about what I will hear…

A: Oozy came to me as a bass line in the shower. Actually, with brownout, most of the songs I write start off as basslines. The title is more about the sound of the word than anything else. 

Q: What has been your favorite live performance experience?

A: We’ve been lucky enough to have realized some great performance opportunities. It’s difficult to choose one, but opening for Prince at the O2 arena in London or backing GZA for two sold out shows in Brooklyn rank very high. 

Q: You guys were in New Orleans for Lundi Gras this past week. How was that experience?

A: It was a lot of fun. The crowd was great and the mardi gras energy was definitely palpable. We feel like New Orleans is growing for us and this was further proof.

Q: What does 2013 hold?

A: We’ve begun recording songs for a new album and hope to have something out by late summer or fall. We’ve also just wrapped up an album as Grupo Fantasma that we hope to have out by late spring or summer and plan to tour most of the year behind that

Rock Show! Dirty Names w/Roshambeaux & Slinger Francisco – 1/10/13

We absolutely LOVE the Dirty Names here at The Pour House Music Hall. They embody the true essence of Rock and Roll better than any other rock band out there today. Take a look at the video below for a sneak peak at what’s in store for you on January 10th.

Adding to the rockin’ goodness of January 10th is Roshambeaux from Murrayville, GA. When the original members Kyle and Jarrett first met, they absolutely hated each other’s guts. After a year of hatred, the two ended up playing some gigs together. Spending time together made them realize that their disliking for each other was actually a fond admiration. It was in that moment that Roshambeaux was formed. I asked the guys to create a short video to promote their show at The Pour House Music Hall, and obviously it was a lot to ask. The below video brought singer Kyle Obermeier to tears.

Kicking the night off are local indie rockers Slinger Francisco.

The Black Cadillacs w/ The Folkadelics 12/12/12

The Black Cadillacs are a bunch of bad ass rock and roll heroes from Knoxville, TN, and they are bringing their unique blues infused rock styling to The Pour House Music Hall this Wednesday, 12/12/12. Take a listen below and be sure to come and rock your faces off on Wednesday.

 

The Folkadelics are not a folk band. They utilize four part vocal harmonies but that’s where the folk parallels fall off. Blending elements of rock, reggae, funk and hip-hop, this Brooklyn band has been turning strangers into super fans every where they go. They go on at 9pm on 12/12/12, so be sure to come down early!

Blow Me Sandy: A Benefit for Our Friends Up North 11/23/12

Before Hurricane Sandy ever reached our East Coast, analysts and weathermen across the country were predicting an awful outcome. As it turns out, they unfortunately predicted correctly. Living in an area that was not affected by the storm puts you in a place where there is only one thing to do. Help out.

This Friday, 10 local bands and performers will come together in an effort to replenish a small fraction of the funds being spent on the Sandy Relief Efforts. Starting at 5pm and running until 2am, all paid admissions will go directly to The Red Cross along with a portion of bar sales from the day’s event. There will also be a silent auction with some great prizes (including a private House Concert with Tres Chicas) that will benefit Rockaway Relief.

Take a look at the lineup below for a preview of the rockin’ goodness in store for Friday.

Doors open at 4pm

Music Lineup:
5:15 – Robert Kirkland
6:00 – Chip Robinson
6:45 – John Howie
7:30 – Michael Rank & Stag
8:15 – Greg Humphreys

9:00 – SILENT AUCTION

9:30 – No Eyes
10:15 – Maldora
11:00 – Hank Sinatra
11:45 – The Bleeding Hearts
12:30 – Richard Bacchus & The Luckiest Girls feat. Danny Ray

Interview with Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen – Live @ TPHMH 11/7/12

Recently awarded with the Best Emerging Artist of the year award at the International Bluegrass Music Association awards, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen are turning heads everywhere they go. We had a conversation with Frank last night about music, food and all things delicious. Here are some highlights from our interview. Be sure to catch them live this Wednesday at The Pour House Music Hall!

Q: What was the first instrument you learned to play?

A: The first instrument I started fooling around with was the guitar and violin. I learned a few chords and then started messing with an old fiddle we had in the house. I must have been 5 or 6 years old.

Q: Describe the moment you knew that performing music was your calling.

A: I’m not sure there was a particular moment, but I do recall seeing New Grass Revival playing at the Strawberry music festival when I was around 10 years old. I realized then that the “bluegrass” instruments could do way more than what I was hearing at our family gatherings. They blew my mind! I knew then, that I had to take practicing very serious.

Q: You’re a foodie, right? And a foodie’s kitchen is always clean. So, why is it Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen instead of Frank Solivan & Clean Kitchen. Or Gourmet Kitchen?

A: I live for good food and good music! My mom was in the restaurant business for years and she showed me how to cook. From an early age she had me stirring and slicing in the kitchen at home. I worked in the food industry for a stint when I lived in Nashville. My connection to food though, is more of a connection to my family. I come from a huge musical family. Growing up, we would have regular gatherings that focused on large spreads of grub and everyone playing music.

So, when I recorded my first solo project I Am A Rambler… I made sure a fiddle tune of mine called “Dirty Kitchen” was the first track. Later when I was trying to come up with a band name… it just seemed fitting.

Q: Please write a haiku that ties together bluegrass music and gourmet cooking.

A: How about one that ties in my music in with my food…

Bluegrass smorgasbord

Mando chop satiates ears

Art that sustains me

Q: Where in the world is Carmen San Diego?

A: I know where San Diego is… and I know a gal named Carmen… does that count?

Up Until Now w/ DAMN RIGHT! (Album Release Party) – 11/3/12

Up Until Now is really starting to hit their stride. Hot off a recent sold out performance at Terminal West in Atlanta, Jay Murphy and gang will be bringing their electronics, live drums & light show to The Pour House Music Hall this Saturday, November 3. Below is UUN’s live set from Red Rocks Amphitheater last September.

DAMN RIGHT! will be opening up the show and will be celebrating the release of their new EP entitled “All the Colors”. I have been listening to this record on repeat, and I anticipate you will do the same. If you have never seen DAMN RIGHT! or Up Until Now, you are in for one hell of a treat come Saturday night.

Click here to get your tickets today!