Sculpting

A slew of benefits, and a new band

by Michael Caito

I just re-read an exceptional early-'97 interview in the online version BombSite, based in New York. Thurston Moore interviewed Patti Smith during a jaunt to Lowell for a trip to Jack Kerouac's grave. Smith recently lost Fred "Sonic" Smith of the MC5; Moore's the Nutmeg State native whose child CoCo has two parents in Sonic Youth, which is indescribably cool. Patti brought up one earlier interviewer's question of where the future of rock 'n' roll is laying hidden and she said, simply, "sculpture."

Meanwhile, the new Amplifier mag (Vol. 2, No. 2) has Redd Kross, Freedy Johnston and Shonen Knife. Pop sculpture scissored by the head Marlowe, Pawtucket's John Larson.

Bossman levels Laurels? Dare Matheson (d), Eric Park (g) and Jeff Toste (b,v) form the trio Bossman, with a CD-release bash next Saturday (the 26th) for their eponymous debut on Heparin. The disc has seven songs and they'll be sharp live after gigs in Albany and Northampton this weekend. Also appearing are a Stoveboat and Highway Strippers, making it threes are wild. Plan ahead . . . .

Two days later the Muir String Quartet and pianist Judith Lynn Stillman join forces for Schumann's Piano Quintet in E-flat major at RIC, kicking off their autumnal Performing Arts Series. Works by Tower and Haydn round off that bill, while on October 27, the Muirs offer Mozart, Prokofiev and Smetana. Tix for the Borromeo String Quartet in February should be moved on soon, and if you're planning for opening night at the Rhode Island Philharmonic (October 18), better hurry. Norm Jagolinzer will again host Philharmonic MD Larry Rachleff live on his radio show on Saturday mornings before Classical Series performances, which include a PPAC visit.

All this and more for Captain Carl Bissonette, the avuncular promoter

CAPT. CARL

of area talent/soothsayer who, in his decades-long involvement with the area's musicians, in the words of Rick Mendes, "never robbed anybody." Mendes now plays for Blues Wagon, though many remember his days with the Probers. They'll play for free with Killer "Jimmy" Kane and Tim Lindsay, maybe even Ken Lyon and Mark Tabor. Of course Johnny Watson Jr. and his musical cohorts shall doubtless boost the morale of said Cap, who remains, despite hiccupy health, a road warrior to this day. We have met the man. He is The Captain. He booked '60's Sun Fests and the band Wadsworth Mansion in the latter part of the decade before joining the illustrious blues talent brokers of Boston's Harry Chickles Agency, who worked with Muddy, Big Joe, Big Mama, Stevie and countless others. The '80s found him working with Jerry Lee, Carl Perkins, and Dr. John, later continuing locally with Tombstone, Hangin' Woman Creek, Watson and the Probers. How's that list? Betcher bippy. Show's at the Jam-In on 1910 Smith Street in Nort' Prov Friday.

Zigzagging, Beltaine and Connie Kaldor (she's at Stone Stoup next week) have ruled the cage hi-fi for the last fortnight. Middletown-based The Atomic Action label is about to release a CD-5 of Rain Like the Sound of Trains, a D.C.band long ago defunct but featuring members of Soul Side, Beefeater and Newport legends Verbal Assault. Having only caught that important band a coupla times way back, I suspect that the only mf's kicking that hard today are Dropdead and the also-defunct One Ton Shotgun.

But Beltaine give it a run, following up a quality single on the same label last year with a very '90s squall veering between Jawbox, Blues Explosion, Sonic Youth, Minor Threat and maybe a little of the spirit of Cobain. The quartet of James Quigley (v), Sean Gilchrist (d), Paul Vieira (g) and Shawn St. Martin (b), along with producer Keith Souza have built their wall o' sound with plenty o' enticing aural toeholds. Ascending, the air gets colder, sharper, sharper still, and as panic sets in you realize that the wind lifting you off that wall owns you. Something like that. Rife with despair, with young eyes having witnessed too much evil. Robbed of youth, sonic youth, bitter youth, crying youth. Also, some of the better poetry I've read lately. A very promising band.

Todd McCormack is the Pawtucket native who, when diagnosed with cancer at age nine, was not given much chance of survival after extensive chemo/radiation treatments. "Almost like a last resort by his parents," explained Herbal Nation drummer Mike Neckritz, "and it really was a miracle that he ate dinner that night." His cancer later went into remission.

Tuesday's show at Lupo's is a fund-raiser for Todd's Compassionate Care Research &Defense Fund, and coincides with the arrival from the Medical Marijuana March originating in Boston at Saturday's Hempfest. The March is a Beantown-to-D.C.trek hoping to heighten awareness of the Cures Not Wars program. Meanwhile last month in Cali McCormack was arrested for having 500 plants in his home, with which he was planning to help strengthen a nationwide network of Compassion Clubs. Bail was set at $500,000. Actor Woody Harrelson flew back from the set of a movie he was making -- in Australia -- to post McCormack's half-mil.

Tuesday's benefit features a supercharged 11-piece version of Herbal Nation, with a five-piece horn section, exquisite trilling by TBuck, and guests including Tony Blackett from Dub Squad and Neckritz's 17-year-old brother "Stoo" Lee Neckritz on tenor sax. The Agents and hip-hop/ rap/reggae group Ganga Underground also appear.

The West End is in London, but the Armory District is here and throws down with their annual Fall Festival this Saturday from 11-5 at the Dexter Street Training Grounds. Having witnessed some top-flight softball in some of the Spanish league games this summer doesn't explain why there's no infield grass, but there's still tons o' green room. Coincidentally, the District's own Itchies play the Green Room Saturday. Also that night trombonist Pam keeps the Smoking Jackets in line at the Met in an Armory Alive show. Occupy the castle!