There is no excuse for staying in the house this weekend people. There is just too damn much going on in our fine city this weekend and the weather is, all things considered, gonna be pretty mild. So, let’s get down to the haps…

Thursday Night

Some of the people involved with Reax have started booking shows on Thursday nights at Push Ultra Lounge in Downtown St. Pete. This Thursday night Summerbirds in the Cellar are gracing us with their presence. I’ve written about both of their cds here and here. Doors are at 8:00 and the cover is 6 dollars for singles and 10 dollars for couples. I’ve seen these guys live once before and it was tremendous.

Summerbirds in the Cellar - Wicked World (Move Softly)

Friday Night

It’s the return of one of the best shows I saw last year and the Florigasm will be returning sans the opressive summer heat. Nervous Turkey will be pulling the opening duties for JJ Grey and Mofro once again @ Skipper’s Smokehouse in a two night stand. I listed this one on Friday night because that is the night I plan to go but they will be performing both Friday and Saturday nights. This will be as much event as it is show and you should try everything in your power to see these guys one or both of the nights.

Nervous Turkey - Strang
JJ Grey and Mofro - Florida

Saturday Night

ninebullets.net faves Lucero are making their triumphant return to Saint Petersburg. Oh yeah, all the cool kids will be at The State Theater. There are shows where you just know that heavy heavy intoxication will accompany to and through the show. This is one such occasion. I have cleared my Sunday schedule. Everything is set to tear shit up on a Saturday night. Come and join us. These two songs should set the scene:

Lucero - Old Sad Songs
Lucero - I’ll Just Fall

Sunday Night

detox.

I have been floundering for a way to describe Summerbirds’ overall sound on their newest effort, Druids, for a few days now. Polished, tight, haunting, dark and controlled all serve the purpose but fail in some manner or another. Then, I saw the perfect word in another review; deliberate. As soon as I saw it I knew that was the word I had been looking for. I guess that’s why some people get paid to write and others, like me, have to provide their own forum in which to write. There it is though. The signature sound of the Athens/Orlando based trio is a sexy (cheesy term, i know, but it works) mix of thickly layered indie rock with just enough hooks and pop overtures thrown in to keep it from sounding pretentious.

Currently, Druids is only available at SITC shows or by contacting them directly via their website or myspace profile.

Summerbirds in the Cellar - Wicked World (Move Softly)
Summerbirds in the Cellar - The Night Thief
Summerbirds in the Cellar - Now We Are Ugly Inside

What are you doing Friday night? If you are shrugging your shoulders then allow me to make your decision for you. Orlando natives by way of Athens, Summerbirds in the Cellar are playing Czar in Ybor.

As I said in December of 2006, I was gonna make a concentrated effort to see/discover more local music this year and use ninebullets as a medium to bring the deserving (and ready) one’s to you. Summerbirds in the Cellar are definitely ready. I stumbled upon Summerbirds while following myspace links from other local bands. The demo track “Wicked World” grabbed me immediately! As of this typing, Myspace shows that the track has been played 881 times. I would venture to guess that I am responsible for 50 of those plays. I was surprised to find a local band with such a refined and mature sound.

As with many other local acts I sent them an email explaining the web site(s) and my interest in covering them. Unlike most of the other bands, they actually followed through and got me a copy of their cd “With The Hands Of The Hunter it All Becomes Dead” and I spent the better part of my ski trip with it getting top bill on the iPod.

I have paced my living room for the past 20 minutes trying to come up with a way to describe Summerbird’s sound. Atmospheric and moody without coming off as detached. Dark and dramatic without coming off as pretentious? Jesus and Mary Chain meets Interpol with a splash of The Church. Does that make sense? Probably not so I’ll borrow from an Orlando Weekly review written by a professional:

Dark drones and thick, unidentifiable sonic swirls embrace abstract melodies and impressionistic lyrics, forcing the listener to focus on a complete picture that’s organic and wistful. Somber without being mopey and serious without being sterile, Summerbirds in the Cellar is psychedelic space-rock covered in dirt and rust.

As good as the material on With The Hands Of The Hunter it All Becomes Dead is, it pales in comparison to the demo tracks of the new material they have up for your sampling on myspace. The myspace tracks are from their upcoming album Druids, hopefully to be released in 2007.

Apparently their live shows can vary pretty greatly from their recorded music. To quote Curtis Brown, “Somebody once told us to worry first about making a good record and then figure out how to play it live later,” says Brown. “Why not make a record that sounds totally different than our live show? I think it makes it more interesting.”

Interesting is good. So, come out to Czar and show the Orlando kids that Tampa can appreciate local talent as well.

Summerbirds in the Cellar, Czar Bar, 9:00

Summerbirds in the Cellar - Beware of False Prophets
Summerbirds in the Cellar - Ghosttown
Summerbirds in the Cellar - Behold the Wolf

Summerbirds in the Cellar’s Official Site, Summerbirds in the Cellar’s myspace site, Buy Summerbirds in the Cellar’s cd

a note from Autopsy IV: The Plight of Mildred

Dogs are simple…but they still have their hopes and dreams. Midred is my dog….and being a bulldog, she is more simple than most but she still has dreams. Mildred’s dream is to be on a Jones Soda label.

Help Mildred achieve her dream by voting for her.