It’s the last full week of July and, for some, the last full week of summer. It brings with it a few things the QC music scene is best known for: locals, diversity, and good old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll. Come out and join us at all the best venues this week as we ease into the last portion of the summer. You know, before everything gets changed into pumpkin-flavored.
Enjoy the summer rays at your favorite venues! Image via Martin Thomas Kick off the weekend Friday, July 22, at The Milestone with three-piece thrash band Nemesis, hardcore crew Machinist! and Pig Mountain; Amos’ Southend for some rock ‘n’ roll courtesy of Zakk Wylde‘s Book of Shadows II Tour featuring Tyler Bryant and The Shakedown and Jared James Nichols; or at Double Door Inn for some rock and blues with Steady Rollin Bob Margolin. Visit Neighborhood Theatre to check out Donnie’s performance of the album, The Colored Section, along with All Cows Eat Grass. Also on Friday, you can check out Orquesta Guayacan at The Fillmore, swing by Snug Harbor for Player Made, check out Pizza Party with MANTIs at Visulite Theatre, or stop by The Evening Muse for a lineup featuring soulful rock artist Nathan Angelo and alt-pop rock group The Well Reds. 
Zakk Wylde enjoying some tame guitar techniques. Image via Vikas Nambiar
On Saturday, July 23, The Evening Muse hosts a familiar lineup including local singer/songwriter Michael Tracy, jazz-infused singer/songwriter Jeanne Jolly followed up by a later set by piano rock band The Give & The Take. King Lil G teams up with Whitty, Lotta, T.U.K., The Movement and Crump Casso over at Neighborhood Theatre, Ancient Cities takes the stage at Visulite Theatre, and Garbage pays a visit to The Fillmore. Elsewhere on Saturday evening, you can find some country/rock blend at Double Door Inn with Bill Noonan & The Hey Joes and The Loose Lugnuts, Water Liars with Amigo and Elonzo Wesley at Snug Harbor, and another local lineup at The Milestone including Sext Message, Gore Gore Luchadores, StereoLoud, Crunk Witch and Beach Bath. Also on Saturday is a benefit for cancer awareness at Amos’, Metal for a Cure, featuring classic Metallica cover band MockTallica, The Reticent, Everthrone, SkinKage, Blackwater Drowning, The Fill-Ins, Dogbane, No Power No Crown and Black Ritual.
Blackwater Drowning putting their heart into it. Image via Kevin McGee
Winding down the weekend on Sunday, July 24, will be some alt-rock at The Milestone with Winter Break, America is a Mistake, Black Powder and Dollhands, and Snug Harbor‘s karaoke night Bone Snugs-N-Harmony. There’s another benefit at The Evening Muse, Tunes for Tarrah, raising awareness and funds for Tarrah Segal, who has recently been diagnosed with cancer. The event will feature an array of singer/songwriters and acts such as Annecy Thornton Kenny, Grey Revell, LeAnna Eden, Loving the Alien, Quent, Saints & Sinners and Nathan Bell.
In some of our neighboring areas this weekend, you can check out G105′s Gtopia at Raleigh’s The Ritz Raleigh, or Durham’s Carolina Theatre’s Carolina Theatre Films with Retro Fantasma Friday night. The next evening, discover Orquesta Guayacan at The Ritz Raleigh Saturday night or catch the Ying Yang Twins down at Columbia’s The Music Farm. You can also enjoy some hip hop if you’re in Carrboro County Sunday night at Cat’s Cradle with Digable Planets and Camp Lo.
Taking us into the week on Monday, July 25, will be Snug Harbor with the weekly music trivia night, Let’s Get Quizzical; Double Door Inn‘s variety night, The Monday Night Allstars; and The Evening Muse‘s open mic night featuring Americana/folk artist Phil Barnes this week. On Tuesday, July 26, Double Door Inn continues with another mid-week fixture, Bill Hanna Jazz Jam, while Beat Club partners up with Axnt, Drozy, Flls, Joneses and DJ Ray at Snug Harbor. Blues rock group The Obsessives take the stage at The Milestone along with The Superweaks, Druids, Heart Attack Man and Rothschild.
In the Raleigh/Durham area middle of the week, you can find Swans with Okkyung Lee at Cat’s Cradle Tuesday night, as well as another rendition of Carolina Theatre Films with Werther at Carolina Theatre Wednesday night, July 27. Back in the QC Wednesday will be Sam Vicari with Family Friend and The Halves at The Milestone, Snug Harbor’s Cyclops Bar with Modern Heritage Weekly Mix Tape, and three-piece American folk group The Stray Birds at The Evening Muse. Dru Hill’s show at Amos’ Thursday night, July 28, has unfortunately been cancelled (all tickets are said to be reimbursed to purchasers), but you can still check out Snug Harbor‘s SHIPROCKED!, jazz fusion quartet Airstream at Double Door, A Silent Film at Visulite Theatre, Slomo Drags at The Evening Muse, or some metal and progressive rock at The Milestone with Family, Tecate Sunrise and Automatic Fantastic.
Share your thoughts on this week’s shows and events by leaving a comment here, using the hashtag #Shutter16, or emailing us at info@shutter16.com using subject title “What’s New This Week.” Don’t forget to show us where you’re at this week by posting your live action shots using hashtag #TWITFROMTHEPIT.