MusiCal (May 2010)

By Don Allred

Old Worlds

The guitar, bass and drums of Columbus's largely instrumental Old Worlds separate and re-unite like a stage magician’s big, shiny set of rings. Their gracefully grand illusions are balanced by the need to “Wake up to the voices around us/And the lies we make up.” Tonight’s show unveils the concisely expansive Such A Willful Creation and its limited edition, which adds all studio tracks to date, plus OW’s 2009 Comfest set.

05/01 @ The Rumba Cafe, 2507 Summit St.

9 p.m.

My Morning Jacket & Preservation Hall Jazz Band

New Orleans' Preservation Hall Jazz Band continues to parade through time and space, while their music education benefit album, Preservation, gets everyone from Merle Haggard to My Morning Jacket's Jim James energized by older-than-old-school gems. Tourmates MMJ, who are still sensitive showmen, judging by their electrically current Evil Urges and live vinyl EPs, will join PHJB for several songs, probably including "Louisiana Fairy Tale" and "St. James Infirmary."

05/02 @ The LC Pavilion, 405 Neil Ave.

6 p.m.

Pancho Sanchez

Bandleader, arranger, and percussionist Pancho Sanchez taps the unmistakably Latin yet wide-ranging legacy of composers like Willie Bobo, who wrote Santana's "Evil Ways," and Mongo Santamaria, whose "Afro Blue" was covered by John Coltrane and Gov't Mule as well. Especially in concert, Sanchez also stirs various shades of vintage soul and salsa into the bluesy glow of his West Coast flow, with a vividly focused sense of dynamics, which can get sneaky.

05/03 @ The Lincoln Theatre, 769 E. Long St.

8 p.m.

Paramore

Paramore's punk-pop brings more than the expected stressing and skateboarding: they've learned from both. Though Hayley Williams sings, "God knows the world doesn't need another band," she's thankful and thoughtful about Paramore's unlikely success in the collapsing big-time music biz. Wiilams also rips over-achieving preachers and loser-rific peers on Brand New Eyes, in between inspections of Paramore's own implosions. Their shows gratifyingly ditch the studio gloss.

05/03 @ The LC Pavilion, 405 Neil Ave

6 p.m.

Lovers and Dreamers

This event, "Lovers and Dreamers: 2010 Gala Benefit and Concert," supports Columbus ProMusica's artistic, educational and outreach projects. After the 6 p.m. benefit party (including a silent auction), the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra and director Timothy Russell start the concert, then welcome jazz chanteuse Jane Monheit, also performing with her piano trio. Expect songs from the Gershwin stage musical Crazy For You, bossa nova, "Stardust," "Over The Rainbow," "Honeysuckle Rose," and many others, goodness knows!

05/07@ The Southern Theatre, 21 E. Main St.

8:30  p.m.

The Smith Brothers

.It's not really surpising to learn that the Columbus-based Smith Brothers recently played with some of their early power-pop inspirations, such as Wings' Denny Laine, Badfinger's Joey Molland and the Smithereens' Pat DiNizio, who joined the Brothers for a rousing "Tonight," by Cleveland's Raspberries. The Smith Brothers, who also contributed to a forthcoming, four-disc Squeeze tribute, always hold their own with wit and dedication, on catchy classics and supple originals.

05/12 @ Skully's, 1151 N. High St.

9  p.m

Brooks & Dunn

Country superstars Brooks & Dunn's well-considered parting gifts are their Last Rodeo tour plus the straightforwardly resplendent #1s...And Then Some, which includes 23 #1 hits, collectibles and two fine new tracks. "Honky Top Stomp" savors mid-summer with ZZ Top's Billy F. Gibbons, while "Indian Summer" is just as plausibly "tangled in the truth," but still feeling that "late September heat." Boot-scootin' and broodin', B&D are going out in trademark style.

05/16 @ The Schottenstein Center, 555 Arena Dr.

7:30  p.m.

Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam were among the roughest of Seattle's alternate rock forefathers, though they've survived the longest, possibly because they challengingly channeled their tireless striving into more varied musical moods and topics. 2006's Pearl Jam and 2009's Backspacer included some of their tightest and even lightest moments. Yet fear not: our most reliable concert-going source approvingly reports that Eddie Vedder's "mountain-climbing" vocals still bring the drama to PJ's shows.

5/16 @ The Nationwide Arena, 200 W. Nationwide Blvd.

7:30  p.m.

A Night in Vegas

These evenings (and this matinee) enticingly comprise “A Night in Vegas,” celebrating the games of life. The Columbus Jazz Orchestra and director Byron Stripling will spin instrumental wheels of fortune and accompany the Columbus Gay Men's Chorus on songs including "Viva Las Vegas," "Luck Be a Lady," "Mr. Bojangles," "My Way," "Can't Help Falling In Love," and "Mack the Knife." Also: CGMC's choreography, sign-language interpreters, and other perky perks.

05/21, 05/22 @ The Capitol Theatre, 77 S. High St.

8 p.m, 2p.m. & 8 p.m.

Four Bitchin' Babes

Four Bitchin' Babes are totally hot, which they credit to assiduously cultivated natural appeal and the change of life. In sweet harmony and sharp peaks of personal visions, Columbus' own Sally Fingerett and her cohorts battle bad hair, mortality and other buzz-kills, with satirical drive and sentiment that never settles into sediment. Be sure to request "Home Is Where The Heart Is" and the equally stirring  "Viagra In The Waters."

05/23 @ The Southern Theatre, 21 E. Main St.

7:30 pm

Carole King & James Taylor

Carole King & James Taylor performed at L.A.'s formidably hip Troubadour club in 1969, when veteran songwriter King was as new to the spotlight as Taylor. They returned in 2007 with the Section, the backing band that helped define 70s soft rock. This adept concert, documented on Live At The Troubadour, inspired Tayor & King's current tour with the Section and Cleveland's Arnold McCuller, whose voice has accompanied Taylor's for thirty years.

05/30 @ The Schottenstein Center, 555 Arena Dr.

7:30 p.m.

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