Backbone > Ear Whacks
Nightlife Highlights 4-03
by Wavy Davy

Nothin' But The Blues 7th Anniversary Show
April 5. DJ Keith Munro holds rank in the Hudson Valley fraternity that celebrates local blues music with spirited exuberance. Join Keith and co-host Red for their 7th anniversary show and live WKZE broadcast at the rockin' Hyde Park Brewing Company. Live music starts at 9pm with award-winners Little Sammy Davis and Midnight Slim. (Speaking of anniversaries, HP Brewing celebrates its 7th annual Maibock festival April 25/26 with the Michael Dell Band, Pat O'Shea and the Eldorado Kings and others. Even the tent may return this year...) 7pm. No cover for live broadcast. Hyde Park. 229-8277. www.nothingbuttheblues.net

John Bruschini and Elisabeth Kontomanou
April 11. This highly-regarded duo performs an eclectic mix of jazz and Brazilian standards along with soulful, contemporary originals. Kontomanou's voice is oft-described as "ethereal and other-wordly," while Guitarist Bruschini is best-known for his long affiliation with Cecil Taylor and NYC's downtown scene. Their combined heritage (African, Italian, Greek, French and Spanish) brews a heady mix of sounds designed to move your ancestral spirits, and who knows what else in the Uptown's intimate setting. 8pm. $8. Kingston. 339-8440.

Total Chaos Tour
April 11. After shows across New York and someplace called The Bug Jar in Rochester, punk 'zine Altercation's Total Chaos Tour drops its Ulster homecoming show on tobacco-hued Snug Harbor. The tour features a rotating lineup of Goblet, The Priests, The Bloody Hollies, Nogoodnix and The Thundergods, so expect most or all of these bands at Snug's. The only things warm and fuzzy about this show might be your beer and their vision.10pm. $5 (21-and-up.) New Paltz. www.altercation.net/trulytwisted

Beefstock
April 11, 12. Take a hundred acres, two-dozen bands and songwriters from NYC to the Hudson Valley and a state-of-the-art performance space, and what do you get? Perhaps the funniest name ever for a musicfest. Beyond that, enjoy an enviable ensemble of talent including Jake, Fred Gillen Jr., Rich Casella and many others at the Full Moon Resort, on the northwest edge of Ulster County. The staff makes great picks when pairing live bands, with a special effort to extend the experience throughout a weekend, so look for a creative schedule this summer as well. 8pm (Friday kick-off.) $10 per day, $15 2-days, $100 weekend packge. Oliverea. 845.254.5117. www.fullmooncentral.com

The Vines April 13. When they were 15 growing up in Sydney, Australia, Vines' guitarist/vocalist Craig Nicholls met bassist Patrick Matthews working at Mickey D's. The two were "obsessed" with Nirvana and later poached drummer Hamish Rosser from a Kinks cover band. Their single "Get Free" caught fire last year, earning them 8 NME Award nominations, including "Best Haircut" for Nicholls.
But how did such shaggy rockers score such a fab Web site, www.thevines.com? With openers Joy of Music. (Other Chance shows of note this month: Phish cohort Dude of Life at The Loft on the 11th and Boston punkers The Unseen on the 25th at Club Crannell Street.) 7:30. $17.50. Pough-keepsie. 471-1966.www.thechancecomplex.com

Lisa Beth Quartet
April 19. Hey Gates, dig this swingin' new combo at Ship to Shore that you'll find oh-so-easy to love. Lisa Beth and her band groove on a menu of hip standards a la Nina Simone and Billie Holliday, but bassist Chris Macchia says they never hesitate to "twist one up" with a funk beat or soulful strut. Joined by drummer Roger Voss and guitarist Jim "Greens" Collard, these new cats come straight out of SUNY New Paltz Jazz Studies, under the (little) wing of department head/guitarist Mark Dzuiba and vocalist Teri Roiger. Said Bill Evans, "You must remember spring" and the Rondout in April couldn't be finer. 7pm. No cover with 2-drink minimum. Kingston. 334-8887.

The Wallflowers
April 19. At last another perfect union of WDST's artist-breaking acumen and UPAC's tireless devotion to renovation and programming. Not since Rusted Root had 'em dancing in the aisles at 'DST's 1999 holiday benefit have the stars aligned for such a stellar happening. UPAC's polished finery sets the perfect stage for this world-class performance by Jakob Dylan and his hit-machine The WallFlowers. Dylan fils updates his Woodstock legacy with a smokey-sweet voice (who knew?) that drives home his meaningful pop lyrics. Let's not wait until 'DST's next birthday to bring this type of talent back to UPAC. 8 pm. $35, 30, 25. Kingston. 339-6088. www.wdst.com -Wavy Davy

—Wavy Davy