Another Eclectic Weekend of Music Comes to the Upstate

The Kernal

The biggest show of the weekend was last night’s Hiss Golden Messenger show at The Radio Room but it sold out way in advance so I did not see fit of telling you what you could not see or, retrospectively this morning, telling you what you missed. Instead, I figured that there is enough live music happening across the Upstate this weekend that you can fill the live music void in your heart at any point you find convenient.

Wasted Wine

The big name in town tonight is The Beach Boys at The Peace Center which, if I am being honest, is a surprise to me because I had no idea The Beach Boys were even still a thing. Over at The Radio Room, you will fine a more eclectic event with The Heathens Masquerade Ball. Live music will be served up courtesy of Hypnocat and Wasted Wine while the evening will be accompanied by the flame fueled circus performances of Ember Fricks Studio. Just to throw another completely different option on the table, the six-piece bluegrass ensemble Backline will be performing at the Sigel Music Museum. This is a totally unique experience that will allow attendees to enjoy traditional Appalachian music in the surroundings of instruments from across the ages. 

Saturday offers another trifecta of drastically different shows to choose from thanks to Gottrocks, The Radio Room, and the newest emerging venue on the scene, Inchoate Art Gallery. Gottrocks will host the local “jamtronica” band Scrumptious while The Radio Room welcomes Charleston’s Cry Baby for a pop/R&B flavor for the evening. Over at Inchoate (pronounced in-ko-aht) Cutthroat Suzy will be accompanied by Trailer Park Orchestra and Universitive 101 for an eclectic night of indie, hip-hop, and jams for the evening. New to the Upstate, Inchoate is located on the literal “other side of the tracks” from The Village of West Greenville on Lois Ave. but is rapidly making its mark on the local music and art scenes.

Scrumptious; p/c Bain Stewart Media

My personal favorite and most anticipated show of the weekend, however, is The Kernal at The Radio Room on Sunday evening. I am of the opinion that if you are going to ask people to pretend Sunday is a Saturday, you better bring some heat. The Kernal does just that and more with an old-school country sound with a modern energy that makes you question just what exactly what the hell is going on here. Working your way through his catalog, you cannot ignore the influence of his father Charlie’s 30 years with the Grand Ol’ Opry but, still, The Kernal is his own man with a clever and often humorous approach to songwriting. It all comes together for a Sunday evening that will make me completely forget that I have spent the last 20 of them watching football in one capacity or another. 

All of these shows are worth your time and dime and are just a few of your choices in the days ahead. Local breweries like Fireforge and Tetrad have shows, as do Smiley’s Acoustic Café, Gather GVL, and plenty of other stages across the Upstate. Wherever you end up, be safe, enjoy the show, and keep on supporting the local music scene.