Culture Watch

Battle Of The Badly Named Bands

Earlier this month, the “multi-genre video music competition” Web site Music Nation began the initial phase of their current contest, featuring the grand prize of a recording deal with Epic Records (a division of Sony BMG), a performance on the syndicated Clear Channel radio show “Stripped” and a one-year sponsorship from Gibson Guitars. The contest combines viewer-based digital voting with the input of celebrity judges like Nelly, The Game, and Good Charlotte’s Madden brothers. Not surprisingly, news of this online American Idol-wannabe contest has made about as much impact on the local music scene as a random Cheerio tossed out of a passing minivan might make on the NCDOT. But that hasn’t stopped at least three awkwardly named local groups from paying the $25 entrance fee to play along. Asheville-based Kerouac or the Radio contributed their straightforward video for the song “Changes Were Made,” and semi-recent transplants SeepeopleS posted their rather goofy vid for “Apocalypse Cow.” But it’s the Inman, S.C.-based group After August that’s really cleaned up on Music Nation. The “sounds like every post-Creed band ever” charm of After August’s song “I’m Sorry” landed them with the “Nation’s Choice” voter award for the first round, enabling them to move on to the Quarter Final Round. To add your learned voice to the otherwise swarming mass of tasteless morons howling in the binary void, visit musicnation.com.

Haunting The Boundaries Of The Burden Of Proof

The recently announced “Paranormal Cruise” in the Bermuda Triangle—spearheaded by local ghost hunter/radio-talk-show host Joshua P. Warren and his L.E.M.U.R. Paranormal Investigations group—is being touted as an event that will conclusively prove the existence of ghosts and any number of other unexplained phenomena. If this isn’t your cup of common sense, rest assured that the Carnival Cruise Lines tour also promises visits to the probably unhaunted ports of Nassau and Freeport, and will likely be at least somewhat relaxing. To learn more (about the cruise, not ghosts), visit paranormalcruise.com.

Malcolm Holcombe In The Middle

In beleaguered-singer/songwriter-may-be-finally-getting-his-due news, Atlanta-based bluegrass band The Dappled Grays have been hard at work covering the songs of local icon Malcolm Holcombe. Their recently released album, Doin’ My Job, includes versions of Holcombe’s “Doin’ His Job,” “Only For You” and “Gone by the Ol’ Sunrise.” Learn more at dappledgraysmusic.com.