According to marketing manager and staffer Julia Heckman, the Moose received a stuffy cease-and-desist letter stating that the name “Rocktoberfest” was somehow legally unavailable, so they made the cute adjustment. “Moosetoberfest” fits just right.

Joel Hamilton as Mechanical River (photo by Ballard Lesemann)

Booked and organized by Heckman, Tattooed Moose teammate Suzanne Stone, and local musician Joel Hamilton, this week’s Moosetoberfest will run from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. with music on the front deck and in the main bar room.

“We are so excited,” says Heckman. “Joel did an amazing job getting all of these bands together. It’s going to be a great event.”

The lineup features a variety of independent, original rock, pop, and experimental projects from around the state: California indie act Couches, Columbia band Those Lavender Whales (Fork And Spoon Records recording artists), local trio Post Cobra (featuring guitarist Lee Barbour, drummer Ron Wiltrout, and bassist Jonathan Gray), a full-band version of Punks&Snakes (led by singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Jack Burg), garage/punk foursome Dumb Doctors (fronted by Screamin’ Scott Dence), electronic-based act Mr. Jenkins (featuring multi-instrumentalist/composer Nick Jenkins with DJ Lanatron), singer/guitarist Stephanie Santana (a.k.a. Stephanie Bannister), and Joel Hamilton’s current project Mechanical River.

Admission is free. The venue will be accepting donation for the Tri-County Family Crisis Ministries. Visit tattooedmoose.com for more.

The event is designed as a tribute and live-band karaoke event featuring a variety of classic and newer material by the veteran Dayton, Ohio-based indie rock band Guided By Voices — mostly from 1994’s influential Bee Thousand and the late-’90s follow-ups Alien Lanes and Under the Bushes Under the Stars … and possibly a track from their latest collection, Motivational Jumpsuit.

Expect a joyful, jumpy blend of power-pop, garage rock, and British Invasion rockstuff and plenty of high-kickin’ impersonations of lead singer Robert Pollard. Hanley and multi-instrumentalist Scott Dence (of Boring Portals, Dumb Doctors) will comprise the core “backing band.”

Many veteran Lowcountry musicians have fond memories of the GBV’s raw, refreshingly uncorrupted rock sound and pop sensibilities. During the heaviest most rocking moments of their classic performances, Pollard would swing his microphone like a spazzed-out Roger Daltrey and deliver soccer-punt high kicks. The group’s solid delivery and cool personality made a powerful impression on many who were hearing and seeing the band for the first time.

A poster for the “Guided by Your Voices” show reads: “We supply the sound, a wig, a shirt shirt, and a taped mic. You supply the vocals, the leg kicks, and the swagger.”

The club is open.

Visit tattooedmoose.com and gbv.com for more.

Skinful Halloween at the Brick House Kitchen
Sat. Oct. 26, 2 p.m.-2 a.m.

The annual Skinful Halloween bash is the biggest freak show and dance part of the season — so big, in fact, that it is has outgrown itself. Organized as a multi-stage music festival and costume party, the annual event kicked off as a private party in 2000. In recent years, it’s featured an eclectic mix of local and national bands and DJs handling various styles of funk, rock, pop, jam-rock, and electronic dance music.

Last year, they held Skinful in the wooded yards of the Brick House Kitchen on James Island with live acts, burlesque dancing, hayrides, circus acts, and light shows. This year, notorious rapper and TV personality Flavor Flav (of Public Enemy) will appear as the main stage emcee, introducing headliners Ozomatli, Dirt Nasty, Blowfly, the Dubplates, and others. A silent disco will run from 11 p.m. ’til 2 a.m.

Tickets are available for $100 (general admission). Visit skinfulhalloween.com for more.

Hymn For Her (photo by Jeff Fasano)

Hymn For Her at the Tattooed Moose
Sat. Oct. 26, 7 p.m.

The staff at the Tattooed Moose on Morrison Drive knows how to throw a rockin’ party, especially when it comes to freaky holidays. This weekend, they’ll welcome the nomadic, loosely Philly-based country-rock duo of Hymn For Her — Lucy Tight and Wayne Waxing — as part of their “Halloween Extravaganza.” Hymn For Her bang out a swampy mix of blues, rock ‘n’ roll, and hillbilly music on broom handle cigar-box guitar, banjo, dobro, bass drum and hi-hat. Their latest slab is a full-length titled Lucy & Wayne’s Smokin’ Flames.

The extravaganza will also feature a “Costume Challenge” at 8 p.m. hosted by Lily Slay (of the Royal Tinfoil), prizes, and a late-night dance party. Admission is free. See hymnforher.com and tattooedmoose.com for more.

Nosferatu (with live organ accompaniment) at the Sparrow
Sat. Oct. 26, 8:30 p.m.

Silent film nerds and lovers of the macabre will unite for a screening of the eerie 1922 German classic Nosferatu (starring Max Schreck as the vampire Count Orlok). Local organist Christopher Dunivan will be providing the apropos creepy organ accompaniment, and the staff at the Sparrow will be providing drink and food specials. Be sure to don a costume, as prizes will be awarded to the scariest in attendance.

Tickets are $8 in advance and available at the Sparrow or $10 at the door. Limited seating is available. Visit facebook.com/thesparrowparkcircle for more information.

Sandinistas! at the Mill
Sat. Oct. 26, 10 p.m. 

Local rock/punk/garage-rock quartet may have started rockin’ out as an official Clash tribute band, but lead singer/guitarist Kevin McCrary, guitarist Chris Oplinger, bassist Eric Atwood, and drummer Mike “Topper” Watson currently pad their sets with loads of clever and obscure punk rock, New Wave, alternative-rock, and power-pop selections. Their Halloween-theme “Music to Wake the Dead” set at the Mill (after the Harvest Fest & Block Party in Park Circle) will certainly include a few Clash faves, but they’ll blast through such works as Royal Fingerbowl’s “My Money,” Jonathan Coulton’s “Your Brains,” and John Prine’s “Please Don’t Bury Me.” Listen out for some key Misfits, Pixies, Ween, TMBG, Squirrel Nut Zippers, and Split Enz numbers as well

Admission is free. Visit facebook.com/sandinistasrock and reverbnation.com/sandinistas for more.

Halloween Cover Show 2013: A Girls Rock Camp Charleston Benefit at the Tin Roof
Sun. Oct. 27, 7 p.m.

Local musicians will take dressing up for Halloween to a whole new level by channeling their favorite bands and performing covers for 15 minutes each to benefit Girls Rock! Charleston. Bobo bands and performers will include Bright Eyes, Cake, Fripp & Eno, Halo Benders, Harry and the Potters, Nirvana, Reverend Horton Heat, Saves the Day, Slint, Steely Dan, System of a Down, TLC, and X-Ray Specs. Local comedian and Tin Roof favorite Jason Groce (host of the venue’s monthly “TROM: Tin Roof Open Mic” show) is set to emcee.

For more information, check out girlsrockcharleston.org and the event’s page here.

Misfits fans are in luck this year, as both the Recovery Room and Upper Deck Tavern have you covered:

Horror Business at the Recovery Room
Tues. Oct. 29, 9:30 p.m.

Misfits cover band Horror Business  will descend upon the Rec Room on Upper King Street, bringing “the best of the Misfits without any of that pussy Michael Graves shit.” According to the event page, members of Eddie and the Stranglers and Dante’s Camaro will be joining in on the mayhem. On top of offering the cheapest and coldest PBR in town, this event is also free. Visit the event page for more details.

The Braineaters with GNR Lies at the Upper Deck Tavern
Thurs., Oct. 31, 9:30 p.m.

Ready for a double dose of “Die, Die, My Darling?” The Braineaters will take over the Upper Deck Tavern on King Street (just south of Calhoun St.). Expect to see some familiar local faces on their makeshift stage (especially if you hit up the Rec Room’s tribute early in the week). If Jerry Only shows up, then it’ll be an actual official Misfits show, right? Local cover band staple GNR Lies is also on the bill. This event is free, and more information can be found here.

Elise Testone Band (photo by JanelleRiolo)

Elise Testone with the Dead 27’s at the Brick House
Thurs. Oct. 31, 6 p.m.

Acclaimed Lowcountry singer, songwriter, and soul mama Elise Testone (an American Idol Season 11 finalist) hosts yet another feisty “James Brown Dance Party” on James Island. She’s welcoming a full ensemble of skillful local musicians (a 10-piece band in all) to celebrate and explore the funky spirit of the late, great James Brown. They might even touch on JB-tinged works by other funk champs like Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Tower of Power, Jamiroquai, Michael Jackson, and others. Saxophonist Simon Harding will lead the brassy horn section.

VIP tickets include fancy food and a meet-and-greet with Testone early in the evening. Admission is $20 at the door and $15 in advance.

Check out brickhousecharleston.com and elisetestone.com for extra info.

Hallo Dusko: a Halloween Feast at King Dusko
Thurs. Oct. 31, 7 p.m.

King Dusko has the holy Halloween trinity of food, drink, and entertainment covered. The evening will include a feast prepared by Charleston chefs Kevin Getzwich and Jeremiah Schenzel and live music from (KD co-owner) McKenzie Eddy, Ben Fagan and the Holy City Hooligans, and Cowboys and Indian. At 11 p.m., Silent City Sounds will throw a special silent disco with four DJs. Enter the costume contest for a chance to win $500 worth of cash and prizes

Tickets are limited and available only online. An all access pass to the dinner, live music, and silent disco is $25, while a pass to just the live music and silent disco is just $15. Tickets can be purchased at www.eventbrite.com/event/8761021451. If you want to just attend the silent disco, you can pre-purchase tickets for $10 at facebook.com/events/567221963347291 or pay $15 at the door. For more information, visit the event page here.

The Halloween Party at Tivoli Charleston
Thurs. Oct. 31, 9 p.m.

Perhaps one of the most anticipated downtown Halloween parties of the year, the fifth annual (or maybe sixth; they’re not too sure) Halloween Party at Tivoli will kick off a full roster of indie acts at 9 p.m. with Stefanie Santana, followed by Susto at 9:30 p.m., Heyrocco at 10:15 p.m., DJ Party Dad & Friends at 11 p.m., Charleston-based electronic artist Worship the Sky at 11:45 p.m., and Dumb Doctors at 12:30 p.m. The event will feature a costume contest, the Undead Beer Garden with Spooky Juice and Barrels O’ Brew (be sure to bring some extra cash), local art, body painting, and more.

It’s only $10 for advanced tickets and $15 at the door, with proceeds going to Carolina Studios, Crisis Ministries, Tivoli Charleston, and the bands and DJs providing the music. Organizers are capping the capacity at 250 people, so play it safe and pre-purchase your tickets here. For more information, visit the event page.

Megan Jean and the KFB with the Royal Tinfoil at the Tin Roof
Thurs. Oct. 31, 9 p.m.

Performing on Halloween night at the Tin Roof in West Ashley has become an annual tradition for the exotic duo of singer/guitarist/percussionist Megan Jean Glemboski and banjo player/bassist Byrne Klay. This year, they return to town after several lengthy trips across the U.S. in support of their brilliant new album The Devil Herself, which they tracked at the Jam Room studio in Columbia last fall.

Mean Jean & The KFB (provided)

Megan Jean and the KFB’s openers the Royal Tinfoil are another lady/guy-fronted act (Lily Slay and Mackie Boles) with their an exotic rock/country/blues sound. The two acts are encouraging attendees to come as “Uh-oh Duos” in full costumes. “We’re joining the mistress of mayhem for an evening of dynamic duos,” says a poster for the show. “Dress as your favorite duos! Batman and Robin, Sigfried and Roy, Milksteak and Jellybeans … Just do it!”

Admission is $8 with costume and $10 without. It’ll be a wild, fun show either way. Visit meganjean.net and reverbnation.com/venue/tinroofwashley for more.

Top photo by Jessica Mickey.

“The first four songs I ever wrote on guitar came when I couldn’t even play chords,” says guitarist/drummer Kim Larson. “At first, we were kind of learning to play Weezer songs while we were learning our instruments. I’d played drums before, but never like that. Emily learned to play the bass by learning those Weezer songs, and we wanted it to be really good and tight. It was really fun.”

Yep, Southern Femisphere’s fist outing was in Jan. 2012 as one of several Weezer tribute acts on a showcase bill at the Tin Roof. Their set including nearly half of the Weezer’s “blue album” and half of Pinkerton. “The original idea was to have all-girl Weezer cover band called Sheezer,” says singer/bassist Emily Connor. “We even made a Sheezer logo. The all-guy version could have been called Heezer.”

The final lineup for the Weezer gig ended up being Larson (formerly of Oicho Kabu), Connor, guitarist Caroline de Golian, and drummer/guitarist Brett Nash, all mutual friends the local indie scene. Immediately after they successfully delivered their Weezer set on stage, they started working on original song ideas, a relatively new endeavor for  Connor and de Golian. Within a few weeks, they could nervously handle a brief set of rapidly arranged originals.

Southern Femisphere, 2013 (provided)

“In the very beginning, the songs were written out of desperation,” says Nash, who also performs with a number of other Charleston-based bands, including the Boring Portals (with Connor), Company, and the Specs. “Last year, a member of the Future Island asked us to open for them at the Tin Roof with only a month out. I wrote the first few songs just so that we’d have some songs to lay at the show. From then on, it was more of a group effort. Usually, things work out where we all like it.”

Nash moved to town from Rock Hill several years ago. Larson came to town 11 years ago from northern Virginia to attend the College of Charleston, and she stayed in town after graduation. De Golian grew up downtown and landed back in Charleston in 2007 after a four-year stint in Atlanta. Connor grew up in Murrells Inlet and worked for two years in Los Angeles before recently returning to the Lowcountry.

All four bandmates like the fact that Southern Femisphere’s initial batch of songs were written under pressure. “We all started participating in the songwriting process shortly after that,” Larson says. “For me, it was much easier to play the guitar parts I wanted to play while I was learning to play the guitar. It came pretty naturally. I trust everyone in the band, so I feel like I can bring in an idea that might be kind of minimal or weird because I know that we make something good out of it.”

The group performs mostly on borrowed equipment at their early shows, but nowadays, with two mini albums and a national tour under their belts, they operate with an optimistic sense confidence and independence on newly acquired gear.

The last year has been particularly hectic for Southern Femisphere. Last summer, they recorded with local musician and engineer Harper Marchman-Jones (of Urban Praise Band, Clint4) and independently released a six-song debut mini album titled Unfurls Her Pluck. They also headlined several club shows and Girls Rock Charleston benefits, and toured from the Carolinas to New England and back.

Over the winter and spring, they worked up six new compositions, hooked up with Marchman-Jones for another session, and compiled the new stuff under the titled Houses, released on the Columbia-based indie Fork and Spoon Records.

Marchman-Jones tracked the basics at the band’s cramped North Charleston practice room and prepared the final mixes at his home facility. “Harper was super-patient with us,” Connor says of the engineer. “We did everything pretty much live, with us all in one room, or peeking in from the hallway. It was kind of difficult to recreate the energy that we have on stage — especially with the singing. Sometimes, we’d freak out and get upset, but he’d step in and calmly say, ‘Here’s what you gotta do.'”

The twisted rock sounds on Houses and Unfurls Her Pluck doesn’t sound much like Weezer or any other relatively straightforward indie/alternative rock from the last generation or two. It’s more moody and unpredictable … demented surf-rock toned with with a punky rawness and emotive delivery.

De Golian says the she her bandmates prefer to brainstorm on songs together, sharing sketches, rhythms, phrases, and lyrics openly. “It is really hard to write a part that you’re really attached to and contribute it the band,” says De Golian. “But letting the whole band have it is an interesting way to grow. That’s what we all would rather have happen. I want us to [continue to] challenge ourselves with songwriting like this through the rest if the year.”

For a lo-fi, low-budget production from a rookie band, Houses is surprisingly and effectively dynamic. Contradicting melodies and anxious call-and-response lines overlap from verses to chorus. Drums beats suddenly halt, dissipate, or haul ass into overdrive. Some of it seems chaotic and dissonant at first listen (think Sonic Youth-meets-Cake Like), but it makes its own sense with repeated listens.

“Some of us secretly want to be a post-rock band,” laughs Connor. “I’m not trying to denigrate my bass playing or anything, but some of it might come from the fact that I’m new at it. I’ve learned recently that other people write songs with chords and keys in mind, like, ‘Hey, play this in A-minor,’ but we don’t really do that.”

Nash agrees. “We don’t write in terms of keys and chord progressions at all,” he says. “A lot of it is like single-note things from the guitars and bass, and we take it from there.”

Southern Femisphere will celebrate the release of Houses with a free show at the Tattooed Moose on Tues. June 11. On the bill are Fork and Spoon labelmates Those Lavender Whales (from Columbia) and Mrs. Mars (newly arrived in town via Augusta, Ga.). Fork and Spoon officially releases Houses on July 2.

Southern Femisphere also has a two-week tour planned for late July, starting with a show at the Tin Roof on July 17 with Chemical Peel.

Check out southernfemisphere.bandcamp.com, forkandspoonrecords.net, and facebook.com/southernfemisphere for more.

Top photo by Ballard Lesemann.

Click below for a sample of “Don’t Sleep” from the new album Houses.

Don’t Sleep

1. What is your favorite local hang?

“I currently live in Spartanburg. It’s my hometown as well. If you were to ask most anyone who doesn’t drink, likes their ice tea sweeter than molasses and their onion rings with an extra side of grease the same question, they’d most likely reply ‘The Beacon Drive-In.’

On the flip-side, others would claim the Little River Coffee Bar and Hub City Bookstore, downtown’s newest gathering spot to be the coolest hang, as it’s been a great addition to our city, as well as an oasis for many. However, without question, I gotta go with the NuWay Restaurant and Lounge — better known as the NuWay or simply the Way.

There’s an old saying in Clubland: ‘You can’t buy the vibe.’ That certainly applies here. There’s also an old soul song called ‘If Walls Could Talk,’ which could easily pass for its official song. I mean, they just celebrated their 75th anniversary! Soul, tradition, memories out the ying-yang, excellent food and drinks, cool bartenders, great live music — mostly local, both acoustic and electric — and, of course, a spirited and diverse clientele. The NuWay is to Spartanburg what Bert’s Bar was to Sullivan/s Island: ‘a cast of characters,’ the sign once read.”

2. You know you’ve played an excellent show when…

“I’m not sure it’s something you can ever really know as much as something you sense. I realize this sounds like a bad play on words, but think about it: how many times have you given what you thought was a truly great performance, only to listen to a recording of it afterwards and heard things that were semi cringe-worthy? I have a dear friend, Fayssoux McLean, who has a saying that seems to apply here:  ‘Memory is better than Memorex.’ My original answer was, ‘You get asked to return for another engagement.'”

3. What was the last show you attended that really got you fired up in a good or bad way?

“A hometown band named Brandy Lindsey and the Punch in April at the NuWay. I’m still a bit mystified by that experience and my reaction to it, but hearing some really good pop-rock songs, Brandy’s own, performed so well in a bar, really sent me reeling — and in a good way. It had been so long. It was then that I realized just how much I missed that kind of stuff … kinda like hearing the Pretenders or some amalgamation of the best of that whole era after all these years. And to hear her new songs delivered so well … I’ll just say this: I left after the first of two sets, went to my place, pulled out my guitar and played and sang for the rest of the night. I don’t know if that qualifies as being ‘fired up’ or simply crazy, but it felt that way to me.”

David Ezell (photo by Bruce Cannon)

4. Define your musical style in exactly 10 words.

“Have you an ulterior motive here, Ballard?”

5. What’s your theme song?

“A cross between ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ and ‘(I’m a) Road Runner’ by Junior Walker and the All-Stars. I never could decide.”

6. Gear-wise, what’s is your irreplaceable baby?

“My ’82 Takamine EF360 as it’s the only guitar I own. The first runner-up: my PA.”

7. What’s the most overplayed album in your collection? 

“There are none. I possess no way to listen to music, either at home or in vehicle. It’s OK, though. I’ve come to believe that perhaps it’s best this way. Occasionally, I will admit, I do miss NPR.”

8. When was the last time you were genuinely star-struck?

“Being introduced to Mary Martin at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville in 1989. She’s the former assistant to manager Albert Grossman [of Bob Dylan, the Band, Leonard Cohen, Van Morrison and others].”

9. What’s your poison?

“Being asked to define my musical style in exactly 10 words.”

10. In 10 years, I will be…

“Dancing with the angels’ if they truly are a forgiving lot.”

Tina Withrow Graves, a local music enthusiast and longtime fan of Ezell says that Charleston fans should be in for a treat when he comes to town for a Tuesday night at the Tattooed Moose. “Old fans and fans-in-the-making will hear a mix of upbeat, intelligent, vintage, and modern pop and swing,” she says. “Ezell is an inimitable singer, player, songwriter, poet, and storyteller who delivers the goods with a voice polished smooth by years of interpreting only the best of the musical canon, including familiars like Dylan and Richard Thompson — for whom he has opened — the best of Motown, vintage Western swing, all the way up to and including his own pop gems. If we’re lucky, he might even pull out some a capella gospel.”

As a longtime fixture in the Hub City (Spartanburg) music scene, Ezell is on level with such acts as the Marshall Tucker Band, Uncle Walt’s Band, bluesman Pink Anderson, songwriter Fayssoux Starling McLean, Grammy-nominated Peter Cooper, rocker Matthew Knights, award-winning blues-harpist Freddy Vanderford, and guitarist Brandon Turner.

Ezell frequently hooks up with local punk/country vocalist Johnny Puke in a twangy project called Sin City, too. More often, he performs solo and with special guests around the Carolinas and Southeast. “Charleston has the pleasure of hosting this humble master only once in a while anymore,” Graves says. “This week’s show offers a chance to soak up some truly memorable music.”

David Ezell will perform at the Tattooed Moose on Morrision Drive (downtown) at 9 p.m. on Tues. May 28. Admission is free. Visit davidezell.net for more.

Top photo by Stephen Stinson.

Lowcountry sax great Lonnie Hamilton (provided)

The Roots of Jazz Music Festival Will Benefit the Jenkins Orphanage

An all-star lineup of S.C. jazz and blues musicians is solid for the inaugural Roots of Jazz Music Festival to be held on Sat. April 13 at the Jenkins Institute in North Charleston at 3923 Azalea Drive. The all-day concert aims to raise funds and awareness for the local nonprofit Jenkins Orphanage. Palmetto Primary Care Physicians and Carolina Studios have organized the event.

The Jenkins Orphanage’s history dates back to 1891 when it was founded by a former slave, Rev. Daniel Jenkins. Over the decades, young jazz musicians at the orphanage earned acclaim as the Jenkins Orphanage Band.

“It is important to bring the joy of jazz back to not only the youth, but to the Charleston community,” orphanage director Johanna Carrington says in a recent press release. “Our presence and music is part of the living history that is Charleston, we would like to share that with the world.”

The Roots of Jazz Music Festival roster features several veteran Lowcountry musicians, including sax man Lonnie Hamilton (pictured), saxophonist/pianist Oscar Rivers, vocalist Ann Caldwell, and trumpeter/pianist Charlton Singleton (conductor of the Charleston Jazz Orchestra). Also on the bill are High Gravity Jazz, Jazzy Jay, Sam Burchfield, Mr. Blues Williams, and guests to be announced. Teams from several Charleston restaurants will be on hand with food and beverages. Advance tickets are on sale for $8. Admission will be $10 at the gate. All proceeds raised from this event will be donated to Jenkins Orphanage.

Charlto Singleton (photo by Alice Kenney, courtesty JAC)

Charlton Singleton Working on New Album Via Kickstarter

Speaking of Charlton Singleton, the busy jazzman and Jazz Artists of Charleston board member recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to record and produce a new batch of original compositions titled Soul Cavern.

Singleton released his first proper solo album, a six-song collection titled The New Deal, last year. Saxophonist Mark Sterbank, bassist Reggie Sullivan, drummer David Patterson, and pianists Tommy Gill and Richard White performed with Singleton on the tracks.

This year, Singleton wants to invite Sterbank, White, bassist Kevin Hamilton, and drummer Quentin Baxter into the recording room for the Soul Cavern sessions.

On his Kickstarter page, he describes his new material as “a short collection of original songs inspired by family, friends, and significant events in my life … I am extremely proud, and I want them to be documented so that they will live forever.”

Singleton’s goal is $12,000. He already has close to $3,600 pledged, but his deadline for pledged funding is Fri. March 1 at 8 p.m. Visit charltonsingleton.com for more.

The Tattooed Moose Turns Three

Local eatery and tavern the Tattooed Moose (1137 Morrison Dr.) will celebrate its third year in business with a party and show on Sat. March 9.

After a thorough renovation, owners Jen and Mike Kulick (who are also the owners of the Voodoo Tiki Bar in West Ashley) opened the Tattooed Moose for business on March 9, 2010 in the former Kitty’s Fine Foods spot. Sandwiches like the massive Duck Club and the Lowcountry Cuban and sides like the hand-cut duck fries and house-made pickles put it on the culinary map. When they started hosting independent rock, pop, punk and Americana bands and DJs, the venue established itself as one of the coolest and quirkiest places for live music on the Charleston peninsula.

On Match 9, the staff will launch the anniversary party at 4 p.m. with various food and drink specials and a few “meat raffles” as well. There’ll be late-evening live music performances from local combo Cattle in the Cane (featuring guitarist Mackie Boles, bassist Brad Edwardson, and mandolinist Aaron Firetag) and Lake City, Fla.-based rockabilly/country/punk trio Looka! Looka! Looka!. The party will run through the wee hours. Check out tattooedmoose.com for more info.

Tyler Boone (provided)

College of Charleston Acts to Play Benefit at Awendaw Green

Local songwriter Tyler Boone has partnered with Awendaw Green to present the early-afternoon CofC Barn Jam on Sat. March 9 in Awendaw. “Eddie White and I are very excited for this event, and we’re very excited to finally getting more involved with the College of Charleston at Awendaw Green,” Boone says.

Designed as a fundraiser and a showcase of young local talent, the CofC Barn Jam will take place at the Barn Stage (situated behind the Sewee Outpost) at 3 p.m. on March 9. The lineup will feature the Lungs, the After English, Estee Gabay and Friends, Headrush, Garey the Bear, the Dunder Chiefs, Donnie Dies, the Tyler Boone Band, and singer/songwriters Stephanie Schecter and Gabrielle Powell

Admission is $5, and proceeds will benefit the Carolina Children’s Charity. Look for Boone and his backing band on the local show “Lowcountry Live” on ABC News 4 on the morning of Fri. March 1, as they’ll be promoting the event. Visit awendawgreen.com and tylerboonemusic.com for more.

Band of Horses Hit Coachella, Swing Back Through the Carolinas

Carolina-based group Band of Horses (pictured above) has been traveling the world since the release of their latest studio album Mirage Rock (Columbia), showing no signs of slowing things down this winter and spring. Horses frontman Ben Bridwell, drummer Creighton Barrett, guitarist Tyler Ramsey, bassist Bill Reynolds, and keyboardist Ryan Monroe will bring their grandiose, echo-laden pop/rock through the Carolinas in May after performing two big shows at the annual Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, California on April 12 and April 19.

Tickets for their spring shows closer to Charleston go on sale via Ticketmaster.com next week. The Band of Horses is scheduled to perform at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in Asheville on May 1. The band will hit the Township Auditorium in Columbia on May 3 and join two dozen other bands at the Shaky Knees Music Festival in Atlanta on May 4. The House of Blues in Myrtle Beach will host them on May 7.

The band will finish their Carolina run with a concert at the Ritz Theatre in Raleigh on May 8 and a two-night stint at the Fillmore in Charlotte on May 10-11. See bandofhorses.com for full details and ticket info.

Ed Sheeran (provided)

Ed Sheeran to Headline Day Two of Spring Jam

Presented by the Bridge 105.5 FM, the two-day Spring Jam Music Fest set for March 23 and 24 at Brittlebank Park recently solidified the final lineup of acts. They’ve booked British singer/songwriter, rapper, and guitarist Ed Sheeran as the headliner for Sun. March 24. Sheeran recently worked with Taylor Swift on her album Red. His song “The A Team” — the lead single from his 2012 album + — was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2013 Grammy Awards.

Sheeran will arrive in Charleston behind his latest release, an EP titled Slumdon Bridge. Tickets for Spring Fest are on sale at springjammusicfest.com.

Top photo by Philip Andelman.

Playing mostly as a duo with Lucio Mongustos Reyes Sanchez (from Pompano Beach, Fla.) handling the guitar, kazoo, hi-hat, and singing, and Steven Sacchetillo (from Lake Worth, Fla.) playing clickety bass and singing back-ups, Looka! Looka! Looka! is a retro-minded bohemian act, replete with tank tops and antique snap caps, but their skills are solid and their repertoire is vast — from Django Reinhardt, Jelly Roll Morton, and Hank Williams Sr. to slightly more contemporary Americana works from the 1950s and ’60s (and a bit of Tom Waits, too). They have a slew of originals numbers as well.

“I write most of the material and rely on Steve for tasty bass playing,” Lucio says. “We also collaborate on arranging some of the music.”

In their casual press kit, the duo defines itself as a “trash-folk/dumpster-swing/blues street band” with a hint of gospel and extra doses of Colonel Sanders, Dave Thomas, Evan Williams, and Ezra Brooks. They’ve been touring constantly since October, and they’re booked pretty solidly through March. They often pick up and drop off friends and random musicians along the way, too.

“We’ve been living on the road since the beginning,” Lucio says. “We aren’t really based out of anywhere, since neither one of us have a home. We live in a van, and we run into musicians on our travels, sometimes playing on the streets, sometimes in living rooms. You never know.”

Looka! Looka! Looka! at the Tattooed Moose, Jan. 2013 (photo by Jessica Mickey)

Looka! Looka! Looka! is already earning a following in the Charleston scene. They’ve performed at the Mill, the Tin Roof, house shows, and small bars as headliners and openers. Metronome last caught them with guest banjo player Billiam at the Tattooed Moose on Jan. 15 (see clip below).

“We’ve played about five or six shows in Charleston since November,” Lucio says. “The highlight of any of our shows are when everyone starts dancing and enjoying themselves. We like it when people dance.”

The Looka fellas will be on stage as a duo at the Tin Roof this week with fellow Floridian (now based in Charleston) Antoine Dukes (of Viva Le Vox) and two local pals — Mackie Boles (of the Royal Tinfoil, Tickle Switch, Happy Story Hour) and Jordan Igoe (Happy Story Hour) on hand.

“We have friends in bands across the country, and we try to be helpful to people who are helpful to us,” Lucio says. “Like Mackie and Jordan and all of the other friends we’ve made in Charleston so far. They’re great.”

If you attend, check out their hand-drawn demo CDs (six songs and dirty picture) and tip ‘em a shot and a beer or three.

Looka! Looka! Looka! will share the stage with Happy Story Hour at the Tin Roof at 9 p.m. on Tues. Feb. 5 Admission is $5. Visit facebook.com/LookaLookaLooka for more.

Top photo by Ballard Lesemann.

Burg started playing drums when he was 10. He picked up the guitar when he was 13. He developed his technique while living in Columbia where he jammed on a variety of punk, soul, and rock styles with friends. Since moving to Charleston in 1996, he’s kept time and recorded with a staggering array of local artists, including songwriters and musical scientists from the Chord&Pedal collective and the Shrimp Records family.

These days, Burg is at ease when he performs as a one-man band in which he handles drums, electric guitar, and vocals all at once. His current solo project is not “Punksand Snakes,” “Punks and Snakes,” or “Punks & Snakes.” It’s Punks&Snakes. Metronome got a hold of Burg this week. He told us the truth about it all.

Punks&Snakes at the Tin Roof, 2012 (photo by Ballard Lesemann)

Metronome: It seems like Punks&Snakes gradually evolved out of your own songwriting efforts outside of the various bands you’ve been involved with. Did this project start out as a solo recording endeavor and then take shape as a “one-man band?”

Jack Burg: You hit the nail on the head. No matter what bands I’ve played drums in, I’ve always wanted to write at least one great song to be able to call myself a songwriter. This aspiration started me writing tunes around age 19. When I moved back to Charleston in 2004, I began to pick up the pace, finally getting my hands on a multitrack recorder in 2005, which really helped with writing. The one-man band is a relatively new development.

Metronome: What was your first proper band, and when and how did it form?

Jack Burg:  My first real band formed in 1987 in Columbia. We were called Kindread Soul. I was expelled from private school, and when I transferred to a public school, I met and started hanging out with a lot of dreads, punks, hippies, and freaks. Out of that, and a real OCD for Bad Brains, Kindread Soul was born.

Metronome: When and how did you expand your skills as a multi-instrumentalist? What are the instruments you can handle these days?

Jack Burg: Mom got me started on drums. Dad on guitar. We always had a piano in the house. Whenever I see an instrument, no matter what it is, I feel compelled to pick it up. These days, I’m playing a good bit of ukulele, guitar, Casio keyboard, conga drums, drum set, and vocal chords.

Metronome: What kind of punks and what kind of snakes are you dealing with?

Jack Burg: Punks&Snakes is a reference to my childhood. We played with a lot of fireworks when I was a kid. Ripping them open, emptying the contents into a metal can and lighting it. Bottle rocket wars, etc. A punk is an incense-like stick used to light a fuse. A snake is one of those black wormy things that you light and it protrudes from who knows where until it goes out.

Metronome: The first time I ever saw and heard you on the drums was in the late ’90s with SKWZBXX. That was pretty rockin’ ska/reggae-tinged stuff. Since then, most of the bands and projects you became involved with over the years sounded totally different from each other — from spare, experimental pop to complex, aggressive funk-rock. And then there’s the Metal Monday Band. And Garage Cuban Band. So when you boil it down, what kind of a drummer are you?

Jack Burg: A working one. Let’s hope it stays that way. I attended Drummer’s Collective in N.Y.C. years ago. There, I learned the importance of being able to play different styles. If you’re versatile, you’ll always have work.

Metronome: When did you first perform in public as Punks&Snakes with the one-man band set-up of you handling the kick drum and high-hat with your feet and the electric guitar and Casio keys up top?

Jack Burg: Probably sometime in 2011. It was at the Tin Roof, opening for one of my other bands, Garage Cuban Band I think. I remember I did an a capella version of Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life.” I also did “Let’s Pretend We’re Married” by Prince. It was a while ago.

Jack Burg with his warning flag (photo py Adam Chandler)

Metronome: Why stick with the solo set-up? Would it be easier to hire a backing band? Or is it prohibitively expensive? Or have you somehow offended so many friends and colleagues, no one’s willing to sign on?

Jack Burg: You have again hit the nail on the head. But seriously, I’ve done a few Punks&Snakes sets with a backing band, usually my Shrimp Records comrades. I like playing alone. It’s terrifying. I like to terrify myself,

Metronome: What’s the trickiest thing about playing drums, guitar, and singing simultaneously?

Jack Burg: Probably playing drums, guitar, and singing simultaneously. I don’t know … not thinking about what you’re doing? Everything seems to fall apart when that happens.

Metronome: What other one-man band acts have inspired or influenced Punks & Snakes?

Jack Burg: Reignwolf. Jon Brion. Joel T. Hamilton.

Metronome: Didn’t Joel T. Hamilton rip off your act as Mechanical River? He plays the kick drums and high-hat while standing up, which requires a great sense of balance. You recently added a snare drum on its side to your kit. Cary Ann Hearst seems to have been lured into the simple kick-and-snare thing. Have you started a trend?

Jack Burg: Joel gets all his stuff from me. We have weekly meetings via fax machine where he asks my opinion of his next project or creative endeavor — everything down to his red shorts. It’s lucky we’re bros because if we weren’t, I might have to give him a lesson in advanced drumming technique. As far as Cary Ann goes, she’s another. I actually stopped singing in my natural voice because Cary Ann stole my style. What can I say? I’m a trendsetter.

Punks&Snakes at the Folly Beach Brewing Company, 2011 (photo by Ballard Lesemann)

Metronome: Have you made plans to release a Punks&Snakes album this year?

Jack Burg: I would love to say that a Punks&Snakes record is coming out before Santa Claus gets to town, but I am not going to. The rest of this year is pretty busy for me. I have started recording with the help of my good buddy Paul Bannister. Hopefully something will come out someday.

Metronome: You’ve mastered the rendering of numerous obscure and rarely-covered ’70s and ’80s hits. It seems like plenty of long-forgotten mellow gold of the ’70s and cheesy Top 40 of the ’80s make it into your live shows. Were these songs you loved as a kid?

Jack Burg: Your intuition as an interviewer is downright creepy. Yes, the songs I cover are the songs I loved as a kid. I still love them. My top five covers to play at a Punks&Snakes show are “Africa” by Toto, “Young Turks” by Rod Stewart, “The Breakup Song” by the Greg Kihn Band, “Overkill” by Men at Work, and “When U Were Mine” by Prince.

Metronome: Where is the spirit of Chord&Pedal in the Charleston music scene these days?

Jack Burg: I believe the spirit of Chord&Pedal to be hiding out in a small lean to on the property of Mepkin Abbey in Moncks Corner. Or holed up on James Island with the worst sinus infection known to man. Whatever the case, much like the Punks&Snakes record, all we can do is pray for its appearance.

Metronome: What might be on the setlist at the Rocktoberfest event this week at the Tattooed Moose? Since the name of the bash refers to the German Oktoberfest going on right now, will you work in any songs by Deutsch rockers like the Scorpions, Accept, Neu!, Nena, or Kraftwerk?

Jack Burg: Funny you should ask. I’m planning a medley of “Balls to the Wall”/”Winds of Change.” You’re not going to want to miss it.

Punks&Snakes performs at the Tattooed Moose (1137 Morrison Dr.) on Sun. Sept. 30 as part of Rocktoberfest. The all-evening bash runs from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. with music on the deck and inside from Cary Ann Hearst (of Shovels & Rope), Sarah Bandy (of Local Honeys), Mechanical River (a.k.a. Joel T. Hamilton), Michael Trent (of Shovels & Rope), the El Caminos, Punks & Snakes, and the Lean Few. Admission is free.

Visit tattooedmoose.com and facebook.com/punksand.snakes for more.

Top photo by Adam Chandler.