Allgood @ Visulite Theater

This is a little different than a usual concert I go to.  I didn't necessarily go out to see a band.  This was a 25th anniversary party for Peter & Leanne, 2 of Drew's friends.  I have met them a couple of times previously, but they know Drew and A pretty well, so I tagged along.  Natalie also came up to come along with us.

Allgood is a band they liked to listen to back in college and they were hired to play this private event tonight.  Instead of being down the front watching the band, it was more a less background music while the party socialised.  A few of the party did get down the front for a dance, and a reliving of their youth.  For the most part the band played a solid set, but, as expected for a band I'd never heard of, I did not know any of their music.

Definitely a fun night was had by a good majority of the party, as this seemed to be more of a reunion than an anniversary party.  The boys went to a Charlotte FC game, so I snuck out a little early to be home when they got back.  A & Natalie hung around for a bit extra.

The Crap Facts:
This is my 503rd concert.
This is my 15th concert at The Visulite.
This is my 108th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 130th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 304th concert in the USA.
Allgood are the 580th band I've seen.

Allgood are the 150th different band I've seen in Charlotte.

Southern Culture On The Skids @ Visulite Theatre

I have seen this name around for years - even back in Australia, but I've never gotten around to see SCOTS.  What a mistake!

Lately I've really had to push myself to go to shows.  I'm not always getting the same joy out of seeing live music as I have in the past.  Even tonight, I wanted to go to this show in November, but it was postponed due to the Visulite's roof being broken.  Tonight, I ummed and ahhed and then finally at 8.45pm I decided to go.  Luckily I only live a mile away and I could still get in.  It was a lot busier than I expected, until I realized they were a North Carolina band, then it all made sense.

Within 15 minutes of getting there and finding my spot on the floor at the front, SCOTS were onstage and warming the crowd up with a Link Wray cover.  From then on it was 100 minutes of great swamp-garage rock with a ting of rockabilly.  And the band and crowd were having some fun.  And not only was the music good, the musicianship was outstanding.  With a minimal 5 piece standing drumkit, bass playing with exuded coolness, some great guitar rhythm and lead work, and background percussion, you can tell this is a band who have plied their trade well for a long time.  Special mention also needs to be made of their dancer who came out during Dirt Track Date. I didn't know any SCOTS songs, but every song was great.  Funnel of Love and '69 El Camino early in the set were highlights.  House of Bamboo was also great.  I loved their surf rocking Meximelt, and was thinking of an old mate, Roman (he of the Ditch Diggers), when Ditch Diggin' came on.  8 Piece Box was a weird experience.  As people got on stage and the band started playing, the on stage audience, while dancing, threw bits of fried chicken into the crowd.  Crowd still on stage for the crowd favorite Camel Walk, and the main set was finished with a rocking version of Daddy Was A Preacher But Mama Was A Go-Go Girl.  So good.  Midnight to Six Man was the pick of the 3 song encore.

One thing I want to remember in the future that is not music related, but style content.  Bass player Mary Huff's look is dynamite.  The red updo, white rimmed sunglasses, diner shirt, checkerboard skirt (with matching purse) and white cowboy boots looked like any moment she was going to pull a pencil from behind her ear and take my breakfast order.  Instead she used her persona and tied it in to her performance.  Playing bass for her looks like just another part of her body.  Like you and I would breathe.  It looked like this is exactly where she is supposed to be.   In the past I have said Nick Cave, Tex Perkins, Les Claypool and Stefan Olsdal have this aura about them that makes you watch them (sometimes to the detriment of the rest of the band).  I would now like to add Mary Huff to list.

What I got most out of this was, if you see a band advertised and something tweaks your interest, go and see them.  I've seen the name Southern Culture On The Skids for probably more than 20 years.  Great name, there's got to be something to them right?  But never did I go and try something new.  What a waste.  Imagine years of seeing this brilliance, not just a first sow at age 51.  These guys are so good and so much fun, I'm not sure I'd ever miss a show that comes through town again.

Southern Culture On The Skids Setlist

Complete show

The Crap Facts:

This is my 502nd concert.
This is my 14th concert at The Visulite.
This is my 107th concert in Charlotte.
This is my 129th concert in North Carolina.
This is my 303rd concert in the USA.
Southern Culture On The Skids are the 579th band I've seen.

Myrtle Beach

So for Spring Break, I took the boys down to Myrtle Beach for 2 nights on Monday and Tuesday. We picked that spot as none of us had been there before and it is a tourist Mecca that everyone in the South has been to at least once.

Pretty easy drive down gets us to Bay View Resort on the Boardwalk mid afternoon. We walk along the Boardwalk and stop 8th Ave Tiki Bar for a late lunch. It was the first place we came across, had outside seating, and good food, so a good find. Afterwards we walked up to Pier 14 and braved the winds and walked out on the pier. Weather is not great and after getting checked into the hotel, we head out to Broadway On The Beach to find dinner. Good, clean, family fun area, Broadway On The Beach gave us a million choices to eat. After getting news of an hour's wait at the Hard Rock Cafe, we ended up at Melt for a filling dinner. We spent the evening looking around here and then heading back to the hotel.

L & B, Pier 14, Myrtle Beach, SC

B, Bay View Resort, Myrtle Beach, SC

Late start the next day, as the boys take advantage of sleeping in a dark room (they have skylights at home). We are close to our beloved Litchfield Beach, so we opt to drive down to Parlor Doughnuts for breakfast. 45 minutes for the world's greatest doughnuts. Of course! Driving there, I'm taken aback by the volume of touristy spots there are here. There are so many pirate-themed mini golf courses, pancake houses, and Calabash seafood buffets, it's hard to imagine how they all survive. On the drive back we cut through Murrell's Inlet and Surfside Beach to have a look. I liked Surfside. It looks like more of a residential area, without the high rise hotels, And not tired. Myrtle looks like weather beaten and old, Surfside looks like a bunch of locals that take of their beach properties. We did stop at Cancun Lagoon on the way back to support a local mini golf course. Good fun playing in and around at Chichitza styled pyramid. No lunch, so back to the hotel, quick change, and onto the beach to enjoy this 77 degree sunshine, via the oversized chess board for a game of B v L. It was nice sitting on the beach as the boys played on the water's edge. The water, however, was painfully freezing. One foot in for me, a splashing fight for the boys, and L took a tumble into the water. Another chess game before heading back into the room. I let the boys pick dinner while I showered, and they picked this awesome Italian restaurant, Vicini's, a few miles away. We were there early, but by 6.15pm, the 12 tables were full. And the food excellent. On the way back we stopped at Mt. Atlanticus, for another round of mini golf. Great fun again, and no none of us won free golf for life at the end. We walked up and down the Grand Strand with ice cream to see Myrtle at night. It reminds me of Surfer's Paradise back at home. Plenty of people just on vacation looking for fun.

B&L, Parlor Doughnuts, Pawleys Island, SC

Dad, B & L, Cancun Lagoon, Myrtle Beach, SC

B & L, Myrtle Beach, SC

Plans for an early beach move were thwarted by some heavy rain. Instead we packed up and made one last stop at Hot Cakes for breakfast. Hearty start to the near 4 hour drive back home.

Nice to break up the week with a couple of days in a new spot. Though I'm not sure I ever need to go back to Myrtle again.