The Charlotte Observer from Charlotte, North Carolina • 181

14 BREAK Wednesday, December 18, 1996 Sound Bites This Week's Live Performance Picks Music Writer Corrosion of Conformity Saturday The Sound Corrosion Of Conformity "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" just as surely as fairies wear boots. All can snugly with the knowledge that jolly old elf is indeed preparing to take care of his Yule business. Meanwhile, we'd also like to let Virginia know that there is a band that grasps the hard and heavy truth of early Black Sabbath. Without, we might add, destroying any treasured illusions. Who is this present day messenger of raw raucous rock with glorious guts? Why, it's North Carolina's very own Corrosion of Conformity, of course! COC who hails from Raleigh has hit their stride as evidenced by their new release Wiseblood.

This 13-track treasure displays the band's growth and maturing. What began as "hard core" is now revealed as full-fledged orchestrated ballsy rock that grabs and grinds. COC's lineup includes Woody Weatherman on guitar, Mike Dean on Reed Mullin on and Pepper Keenan on guitar and vocals. Keenan is the creative core and clever center for COC. He is the tie that binds, but it is producer John Custer who bears the brunt of the sound's synergy.

Wiseblood was produced by Custer, who's been at the helm of most if not all -COC projects; and a finer sound and recording wizard cannot be had. Custer is "responsible for making us run through the He's been part of our vision for a long time," explains Mullin. Vision-wise, Custer hits But, note, he has lots to see and plenty to work with where COC is concerned. So, instead of four grungey groups, three tired trios, two turkey get rock with diversity with COC this Saturday, December 21 at The Sound Factory. Joining Corrosion of Conformity will be Handsome.

Handsome A quick recommendation regarding Handsome: This attractive collection of "former members" i.e. guitarist Peter Mengede a founding member of Helmet, guitarist WREX99.7 CHARLOTTE'S HOME OF Sound Check Dec. 18 Aztec Lounge: Gabriel Kuckoo Caffe Cafe: Bobby Parker Cajun Queen: 7th Street Gator Band Cedars Palace: Constantine Pogosov CI's: Manequin Comedy Zone: Basil Country City USA: Chrome Elvis Coyote Joe's: Vic Rorrer The No Name Band Double Door: Donna Duncan the Manic Mood Swings Fat City: In Essence Fat Tuesday: Boobonic Comics Hartigan's Irish Pub: Margaret Kennedy Jack Straw's: Wavy Train La Bibliotheque: Jim Possinger Meadowview Steakhouse: David Juneau The Park Hotel: Joyce Houser Pewter Rose: Standard Brands Rainbow Norman: Brothers From Mother acoustic Razzles: Trip Carpenter Rheinland Haus: Thomas Moore Christmas Sing-a-Long' Sheraton: Vic Fulcher Southend Brewery: Sutton McSwain Tabloids Live: Open jam with Freestone Tremont Music Hall: Orange 9mm Impotent Sea Snakes War Prayer Ziggy's, Winston-Salem: Purple School Bus Dec. 19 Amos': The Veldt Belk Theatre: "The Nutcracker" Caffe Cafe: Mandy Evans Cajun Queen: 7th Street Gator Band Cedars Palace: Constantine Pogosov CI's: Manequin Comedy Zone: Basil Country City USA: Chrome Elvis Coyote Joe's: Vic Rorrer The No Name Band Double Door: The Loners Double D's: Crystal River Band Fat City: Kojikiri Jack Straw's: Knocked Down Smilin' John Thursday Loafer's East: Uneek Flavur Meadowview Steakhouse: David Juneau Miami's: Cesar "El Cuco" Collado Moon Room: Lunar Rhythms NationsBank Plaza: PJ Brunson (noon) The Park Hotel: Joyce Houser Rainbow Norman: Buzz Lightyear Razzles: Trip Carpenter Rheinland Haus: Betty Barnette Sheraton: Vic Fulcher Southend Brewery: Voltage Brothers Tremont Music Hall: Eddy Johnny Hyde Quartet Wrangler Lounge: Fantasy Band Ziggy's, Winston-Salem: Doxy's Kitchen Manute Soul Down Smilin' this Thursday, Dec. 19 at Jack Straw's.

Joining KDS will be another Chapel Hill import John Thursday, a jazzy, classy trio who aspire to dispense "full-on funk and roll." Knocked Down Smilin' Thursday at Jack Straw's Dec. 2 20 Across the Border, Fort Mill: Southern Railroad Amos': Colorblind Junk Food Buddha Atlantic Beer Ice: Beth Chorneau Jim Brock Be Here Now, Asheville: Selah Belk Theatre: "The Nutcracker" Caffe Cafe: Johnny Holloway Cajun Queen: 7th Street Gator Band Carillon: PJ Brunson (noon) Cattle Company: Joe Turick Cedars Palace: Constantine Pogosov Charlie Brown's: Wishbone CI's: Manequin Comedy Zone: Basil Country City USA: Chrome Elvis Coyote Joe's: Vic Rorrer The No Name Band Dilworth Brewery: Mighty Rythm Kings Double Door: Belmont Playboys Double D's: Crystal River Band Fat City: Chicken Wire Gang Fat Tuesday: Wild Men From Borneo Jack Straw's: Newcastle Boys La Bibliotheque: Jim Possinger La-Dee-Da's: Tina Lovings Loafer's East: Cherry Bomb Meadowview Steakhouse: David Juneau Moon Room: Gold Sparkle Band Monticello, at The Dunhill: Kevin Jones The Park Hotel: Joyce Houser The Perch: Legally Dead Parrot Society Pewter Rose: David Huberman Jeff Tippett Rainbow Todd Benay Rainbow Norman: Dazed Confused Razzles: Trip Carpenter Rheinland Haus: Thomas Moore Christmas Sing-a-Long Sheraton: Vic Fulcher Southend Brewery: Travis Allison Band T-Bones on the Lake: Justin Mychals Tabloids Live: Triphammer Tremont Music Hall: Purple School Bus Wrangler Lounge: Fantasy Band Ziggy's, Winston-Salem: Corrosion of Conformity Dec. 21 Across the Border, Fort Mill: Southern Railroad Amos': Doxy's Kitchen Life In General Atlantic Beer Ice: Beth Chorneau Jim Brock Be Here Now, Asheville: Junior Brown Belk Theatre: "The Nutcracker" Caffe Cafe: Persephone Cajun Queen: 7th Street Gator Band Cedars Palace: Constantine Pogosov CI's: Manequin Comedy Zone: Basil Country City USA: Chrome Elvis Coyote Joe's: Vic Rorrer The No Name Band Dilworth Brewery: Doubting Thomas But, along the way, JT also manages to dish out some engaging artistry. In fact, John Thursday is richly progressive as well as morally and ethically band which is very much alive, but way more cunning than a "funk" tag would ever imply. This Thursday, Dec.

19, meet John Thursday and Knocked Down Smilin' together at Jack Straw's. Laburnum Charlotte's Laburnum follows up the success of their debut CD with a strong new release Rearrange. Capitalizing on the atmospheric and moody nature, and embellishing the cerebral side, Laburnum plays Saturday at Tremont Music Hall. Galaxy Girl and Latino Chrome round out the lineup for a punchy pop spectacular with all the trimmings. See complete story on Laburnum on page 11.

Dilworth Coffee House, South: Charlotte Folk Society Double Door: Tone Deaf James Bedrockers Double D's: Crystal River Band Fat City: Jolt Wagon My So-Called Band Fat Tuesday: Capt. Cook the Coconuts Hartigan's Irish Pub: Donna Duncan the Manic Mood Swings Jack Straw's: Rev. Billy C. Wirtz La Bibliotheque: Jim Possinger La-Dee-Da's: Jon Baran Meadowview Steakhouse: David Juneau Moon Room: The Nudes Monticello, at The Dunhill: Kevin Jones The Park Hotel: Joyce Houser The Perch: Legally Dead Parrot Society Pewter Rose: PJ Brunson Rainbow Joe Turick Razzles: Trip Carpenter Rheinland Haus: Meg Millring Sheraton: Vic Fulcher The Sound Factory: Corrosion of Conformity Spirit Square: Judy Collins Tremont Music Hall: Laburnum Galaxy Girl Latino Chrome Wrangler Lounge: Fantasy Band Ziggy's, Winston-Salem: Bus Stop Dec. 22 Amos': Daddy Blue Belk Theatre: "The Nutcracker" Caffe Cafe: Carl DiPonziano Cajun Queen: 7th Street Gator Band Charlotte Rock Cafe: Open Jam Monkeygrass Comedy Zone: Basil Country City USA: Chrome Elvis Double Door: Les Moore and Friends The End: Skeeter Brandon Hwy 61 Hartigan's Irish Pub: Red Letter Day Loafer's East: Christmas benefit Uneek Flavur Ovens Auditorium: "One Call, But Many Voices" Southend Brewery: Wildmen Unplugged Tabloids Live: Crawdaddy acoustic jam Tremont Music Hall: Catharsis, Bloodlet Domination (6 p.m.) Dec.

23 Be Here Now, Asheville: David Wilcox Cajun Queen: 7th Street Gator Band Double Door: Les Moore, Jim Brock, Rick Blackwell, Johnny Alexander, Joe Lindsey Charles Hairston Fat City: Todd Bush Kriss Krull Jack Straw's: Unclemalfal friends La Bibliotheque: Konstantin Pogorsou Meadowview Steakhouse: David Juneau The Park Hotel: Joyce Houser Rheinland Haus: Thomas Moore Christmas Sing-a-Long Sheraton: Vic Fulcher Handsome Saturday at The Tom Capone from Quicksand, drummer Pete Hines formerly found in Murphy's Law and Cro-Mags, and singer Jeremy Chaterlain out of Iceburn and Insight are all looking to catch the eye of past patronage, plus plan for future fans with their charm and appeal. Oh, least we forget, bassist Eddie Nappi has no "formerly known as" appendage to his resume. While essential, Nappi is a relative newcomer and the only unknown factor. Musically, you can call Handsome hardcore, call them multi-textured with timing twists and turns; or you can even call this avant garde guitar with a wildly shifting (but good) personality. Just be sure to call them! Don't stay home alone and miss music that's hard, imaginative and expressive.

While they're packing a heavy punch, there's novelty and much melody mixed with the vocals. Real vocals you know, singing not something adapted from the school of garbage disposal mimicry. This should be a great combination date: Corrosion of Conformity as the known entity with Handsome as the blind date entry, at The Sound Factory this Saturday, Dec. 21. Knocked Down Knocked Down Smilin' no doubt delights in their pugilistic musical fisticuffs.

Jabbing, twisting, floating and stinging, this Chapel Hill quartet mixes rock, funk metal and jazz into a dream-team musical match. Go a few rounds with Knocked Dec. 24 Amos': Control Freak Aztec Lounge: Becci Vann Bayou Kitchen: Tom Billotto Cajun Queen: 7th Street Gator Band Cedars Palace: Constantine Pogosov Coyote Joe's: Vic Rorrer The No Name Band Meadowview Steakhouse: David Juneau Miami's: The magic of Doc Morey's: Brian Baugus Morey's Morons The Park Hotel: Joyce Houser Rheinland Haus: Jeremy Anderson Sheraton: Vic Fulcher Southend Brewery: Southend Brewery Tabloids Live: John 'Gorman Band The Rev. Billy C. Wirtz Friends, it's time to take a large leap of faith.

We must seek to find the true meaning of godRev. Billy C. Wirtz Thursday at The Double Poor..