p>Though they aren’t quite what most would envision from the term, upstate New York rockers moe. get saddled with the “jam band” label, though “saddled” has a negative connotation and these guys probably wouldn’t see it like that. Nevertheless, it seems more accurate to say that moe.’s a band that gets most of its inspiration from pre-punk ’70s arena-rock and loves to solo. In other words, there’s about as much Lynyrd Skynyrd-style and Steely Dan-style virtuosity and exploration here as open-ended grooving. They’ve earned a devoted cult with years of hard touring and will be back in Memphis Wednesday, January 29th, at the New Daisy in support of their new album Wormwood, an experimental mix of live recordings and studio work.
Another hard-touring act with one foot in the jam scene and one foot outside of it is North Carolina’s Hobex, whose brand of soul-based rock does for R&B sort of what the North Mississippi Allstars do for the blues. Hobex will show off their unique sound Thursday, January 23rd, at Newby’s.
But the most compelling touring act to hit town (aside from the Apples in Stereo, see Music Feature, page 32) may be Texas honky-tonker Roger Wallace, an Austin-based country singer who has been favorably compared to fellow scenemates Wayne Hancock and Junior Brown. Wallace will perform Saturday, January 25th, at the Hi-Tone Café with local country band Papa Top’s West Coast Turnaround.
If you’re looking for an exclusively local music experience this week, your best bet is likely the latest installment of Tha Movement, the popular monthly series that has been floating around from club to club attracting some of the most exciting and diverse crowds in town. This month, Tha Movement returns to Young Avenue Deli on Saturday, January 25th, for what they’re calling a “Roots, Reggae, & Dance Hall Show,” featuring reggae band JAH-MEK-I and DJs Akili and Aramis. n
— Chris Herrington