If there’s one thing keeping me from heading out to The Bridge to see the opening night party for this month’s art show there, then it’s this little band from North Carolina.  These guys are another out-of-the-blue discovery that I luckily stumbled upon after staring at the list of upcoming Gravity Lounge shows.  The New Familiars are from Charlotte, NC and while most of the support they’re gathering is mainly of a regional nature, folks are beginning to take notice outside the friendly confines of the Tar Heel State.

One reviewer put it this way:

“Blending influences ranging from Woody Guthrie and the Grateful Dead to Kings of Leon and Ryan Adams, the Charlotte band delivers a mix of acoustic folk, bluegrass, rock and blues with a visceral intensity to match their raucous live gigs.”–John Schacht, Creative Loafing

I was hoping to bring you something in MP3 form to let you listen for yourselves, but you’ll just have to stop by the band’s MySpace page to hear their sound.  In particular, check out their version of the Motown classic “My Girl”.  (I always enjoy hearing a new take on a familiar classic).  The New Familiars perform at the Gravity Lounge Friday, October 3 at 7pm with special guest Zach Orion from Crozet.  $8.  This will be followed by the Dressy Bessy show at 10pm.  I could end up spending the night at Gravity.

[The New Familiars photo by Jeff Hahne]

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