BestNewBands.com's Concert Picks for the Week of 10/4

Who: The Devil Makes Three and Larry and His Flask

Where: Domino Room in Bend, OR

When: Tuesday, October 5th at 8 p.m

Cost: $17 Adv, $20 at Door (purchase tickets HERE)

Age Restrictions: All Ages

I caught Larry and his Flask in Eugene last week and was blown away by the band’s ultra-high-energy performance, as well as the variety of instruments each member plays – and so well! The boys will join The Devil Makes Three, another folk/punk/acousto band, at this show in their hometown of Bend, Oregon.

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Picked By: Cervante Pope

Who: Portugal. The Man

Where: Forrest Rose Park at Mojo’s in Columbia, MO

When: Wednesday, October 6th at 6:30 p.m.

Cost: $12

Age Restrictions: All Ages (minors pay $2 surcharge)

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Picked By: Monica Christoffels

Who: Medium Troy featuring Water & Bodies and Derby

Where: Memorial Quad Lawn at the University of Oregon in Eugene, OR

When: Friday, October 8th at 8 p.m.

Cost: Free

Age Restrictions: All Ages

From the Whiteaker Block Party to the Vans Warped Tour, the boys of Medium Troy have played just about everywhere. They’ll perform a free show at the UO this Friday, along with Portland-based Water & Bodies and Derby.

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Picked By: Laurel Johnston

Matthew and the Arrogant Sea is a sextet from Denton, Texas that lists themselves as “four parts family and two parts friends’ on their Myspace page. Matthew Gray began the band as a solo project, adding brothers and friends to the lineup as his popularity grew. A late-blooming MATAS fan, I am sorry to say I did not get the pleasure of seeing them live while I lived in the fair city where they reside. But I’m not kicking myself, as I feel confident that they will continue to expand their touring horizons in the near future. This past March they toured the West Coast in support of Midlake, and this Saturday, October 9th, they will be performing at The Casbah in Charlotte, North Carolina.

I was first entranced by the swirling cauldron of sublime folk harmonies and Roy Orbison-esque ballads like ‘Pretty Purple Top Hat’. It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact point of origin for the genius of MATAS: is in the superb musical arrangement of the simple combination of guitars, bass, and drums? Or is it the broad spectrum of rich vocal harmonies sprinkled into the mix? Regardless of your musical preferences, Matthew and the Arrogant Sea will speak to you: it’s your job to decipher the message. It might be the sadness of the plodding funeral dirge ‘Mock Origami’, or it might be the repetition of ethereal lyrics like “We are silhouettes floating across the sea…”. Come decide for yourself if you’re in the Charlotte area next Saturday.

The Casbah is located at 400 West Tremont Avenue, a 350-person capacity sub-venue of Tremont Music Hall in Charlotte, NC 28203. It is an all-ages show, and those under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets range from $13-20 and will be available the day of the show. MATAS’ 2008 album Family Family Family Meets the Magic Christian is now available on their Myspace page or on iTunes. MATAS is currently working on their next album You Can’t Tame a Wild Rabbit; stay tuned to their Myspace or Facebook page for upcoming information about its release.

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