• Friday, 4/29, Saturday, 4/30, and Sunday 5/1
It's Instro Summit,  the Southeast's largest all-instrumental music festival! Returning to the Cave once again bigger and better than ever with a whopping 20 bands playing their finest lyric-free rock, surf, soul, rockabilly, lounge, country, western, Hawaiian, experimental - you name it, we've got a bit of it here. The geographical spectrum has also broadened, with out of town bands coming from locales as close as Charlotte to as far away as Ulm, Germany, as well as groups from New York, Kentucky, Connecticut, Alabama, Washington D.C., and Atlanta. And to paraphrase Ron Popeil, wait - there's more!
• The Instro Summit Raffle!
Out first ever raffle, to be held on Sunday, May 1st, designed to raise additional funds to pay the many hardworking, long-distance driving, and frequently underpaid bands and volunteers that make our Summit possible. Prizes include: a brand-new Eastwood Saturn '63 guitar (courtesy of Eastwood Guitars), two Flip HD cameras (courtesy of Flip/Cisco Systems), and a 70 dollar gift certificate courtesy of the Music Loft of Carrboro! A mere five bucks gets you a raffle ticket, and we've even gotten the fancy kind that allow you to not be there when the winning tickets are drawn (although frankly, you're really missing out!). We'll also be giving away an additional Flip camera (along with a gift bag of Instro Summit swag) for a special Sunday drawing exclusive to patrons that come by and enter the raffle that night. Advance tickets for the Raffle will also be sold at the Cave, the Music Loft, and through our Facebook page.
• The "Can You Play as Wack'd as Link Wray?" Guitar competition!
Returning from last year, and performed during the Phatlynx set on Saturday night, guitarists are invited on stage to try and out-do and out weird the buh-zarre solo Link Wray performed on the cult hit "I'm Branded." The Winner receives a suitcase full of Instro Summit swag, all donated by the bands playing. Word has it last year's winner, local chicken farmer and member of Captain Big Wheel, Sloov Sloover, will return to defend his title.
• Best Bass Gear presents: "Can You Play as Wack'd as John Entwhistle?" or, The Big Bass-Off!
Bass players! Jealous that the "I'm Branded" competition excludes you and your fellow gods of thunder? Well, fret no more! Thanks to the efforts of Best Bass Gear, we have an new all-basstastic competition, in which bass players will be invited on stage to join Phatlynx, try and outdo legendary Who bottom master Jon Enstwhistle's solo from "My Generation!" The winner gets a special gift certificate and care package of bass swag, courtesy of our new sponsor. Get out them Who records and get ready to show us what you can do!
• The Phatlynx Rumble Jam!
Yet another major event crammed into the Phatlynx set (which makes you wonder if they'll actually get to play any of their own songs, but rest assured, they're gonna try!). We invite any and all guitar players in attendance that know how to play the song "Rumble" to join them on stage and play together in one massive, three chord, fuse-blowing wall o' sound! Last year we managed to get 12 guitarists and one bass player onto the Cave's stage-like area. This year, we're hoping to beat that - maybe even double it!
Tickets are eleven dollars for Friday or Saturday, and nine dollars on Sunday. A three-day pass is available for 24 bucks, which is still cheaper than one night at the Grassroots Music Festival, and this year it and the Instro Summit are on separate weekends, so you can do both!
All Rawkin', No Squawkin'! Check out his line-up:
Bands playing Friday April 29th:
7pm Jack Maverick & His Wild Rebels
Openings things up with a big, twangy "HOW-DEE", Chatham County's own Telecaster/Lap-steel virtuoso Jack Maverick and his trio of Wild Rebels are an instrumental outfit celebrating a time in American music that commonly only remains in the grooves of dusty old Country and Western records. The untamed combination of thumpin' upright bass, chunky acoustic guitar, and in-the-pocket drums, lay the rhythmic foundation for Maverick to work his magic on the strings. Their repertoire includes energetic renditions of twangy numbers from some of Country Music's greatest pickers, coupled with the band's softer side: the soothing steel guitar sounds of Hawaii.
8pm The Mystery Men?
Formed from different corners of the Atlanta music scene, these shadowy figures play their own brand of reverby instro surf music. Always with a mind toward the creative, The Mystery Men? are continuously looking to hypnotize new and old fans alike A solid benchmark for what modern surf music should sound like today, these folks did fine a job last year, and get better and more interesting every time they perform.
9pm The Krektones
The Krektones blend the surf swagger of the Ventures with the scorching guitar of Link Wray and just a wee bit of Tav Falco psychobilly to make a beat that's pretty much impossible to stand still to. The Krektones feature Krekel at lead, Dave Gay on bass, and Lance Wille on drums. These instrumentalists bring a broad range of musical experience, swinging wide from stints with Mad Tea Party, Freakwater, and The Reigning Sound. Don't let the sequined tuxedo jackets fool you - these boys will rip it up.
10pm Aqualads
Easily one of our "Gotta See" bands, Charlotte's legendary Aqualads are one of the groups that started surf music's "3rd Wave" back in the 1990's, and still continue to play and record music that blows the doors off any venue they play. We're especially excited about their appearance this year, as they're giving all the Friday night Instro Summit fans a special sneak preview of their brand new CD, "" which will be officially released the day after this show. Talk about an exclusive!
11pm 9th Wave
We're very happy to have Storrs CT's, 9th Wave back in Chapel Hill. They were regulars at nearly every Sleazefest, playing their fun and friendly combination of Surf, Exotica & Hot Rod Music to happy crowds. They are also unique in that they may be the only surf band with a flute player in their ranks (the lovely Sandy Oceana, who also triples up on guitar, organ and sax ), and may also be the only Surf Band with a single on the legendary Waffle House jukebox. Watch them, and be as charmed as zillions of Sleazefest patrons were.
12am The Space Rangers
Coming from the shores of the river Danube in southern Germany, home to the legendary Flying Taylor and missile guidance technology, the aptly named Space Rangers play a high-octane, fast and irresponsibly high-frequency surf sound which is not only great for dancing but also fun to watch. Featuring a new second guitar player (Muck, their first guitar player, is still with them, thank you), The Space Rangers follow the lead of such combos like The Ventures or The Trashmen, but are set on giving it the 21st century knack. Sweet melodies of days gone meet rhythms that would make you feel the tides even if you were in Oklahoma. (Crispy Adds: Fans of Laika and Cosmonauts should not miss these Bavarian Badasses - they are easily the crown jewel of our entire weekend.)
1am The Straight-8's
The Straight 8s play original rock-a-billy, swing, surf, and twang in a traditional style. Brandishing electric guitars, upright bass, and drums, the band's sound is usually anchored by the sometimes-growling, sometimes-crooning vocals of Robert Striegler and Daniel Mebane. Unless of course it's a late-night set at the Instro Summit, in which case the boys will leave the lyrics at home and deliver a hotrod truck-load of raucous instrumentals more potent than a case of Four-Lokos at 1:00 am. Expect guitar-driven tunes in the style of Duane Eddy, Dick Dale, and Santo and Johnny. Also expect a few surprises!
Bands playing Saturday April 30th:
7pm The Surge!
The Surge's Eddie Katcher is one of those rare fellows who actually played surf music when it came out the FIRST time, and his enthusiasm for the sound hasn't diminished one bit over the years; He also sponsors his OWN instrumental festival, Atlanta'a Surf Fest, where we discovered a lot of bands we're having up here for the Instro Summit (The Mystery Men? and Daikaiju, for instance). When Cave owner Mouse Mock heard the Surge! play at the first Instro Summit, he IMMEDIATELY said, "We're doin' this next year!" If want to see how surf music should be played, look no further.
8pm Bu Hao Ting
The Instro Summit prides itself on having at least one wild card in every annual lineup, and it may not get any wilder than this! Endorsed highly by the members of Daikaiju, Bu Hao Ting is a Louisville, KY-based instrumental power trio. The name is taken from a Mandarin slang term, meaning literally "ungood sound". Formed in November 2005, members have described the band's initial efforts as "loud, formless, industrial noise."
"Frenetic drums, scattershot time signatures and raking, furious atonal guitars act as sonic uppercuts. It's not for everyone.
-LEO Weekly
9pm Noseriders
Formed after the demise of the semi-legendary Stunt Doubles, Wilmington's Noseriders offer surf music with a few new and refreshing twists, such a reverb-less and overdriven lead guitar playing against a reverbed second guitarist (the exact opposite of tradition), and liberal use of Moog and Theremin to add a new-wave edge to the fun. The Noseriders also have the distinction of being one of the few surf bands at the Summit who actually surf--regularly!--in their home turf, which pretty much gives them the street cred at this hoedown. The only band that gave Daikaiju a musical run for their money last year, Give 'em their props, and enjoy their show.
10pm Atomic Mosquitos
Veterans of our first and second Instro Summits, Alexandria, VA's Atomic Mosquitos have been belting out kickass third wave surf in the greater DC area for a while now. Their last record, "Meltdown" got an enthusiastic rave from the UK instrumental 'zine, Pipeline , and the US's Continental . They blew everyone away at our last Summit, playing songs inspired by everything from Aram Khachaturian to the Simpsons to Mountain Dew. Witness their two guitar, bass, drums and thermin lineup, and be muy impressed!
11pm Coffin Daggers
The Coffin Daggers deliver an all-out attack on the senses with diverse influences ranging from Surf, Punk, Garage and Psychedelic. To date, they've released a full-length album and two singles to critical acclaim. Their performances never fail to floor audiences from start to finish, prompting Chart magazine to declare: "No one comes close to The Coffin Daggers when it comes to all-out intensity...they will stomp a mudhole into your fragile minds."
12am Daikaiju
Considered by many to be THE band pushing instrumental surf rock to new and modern horizons, Daikaju offsets such lofty stuff with a wild Man Or Astro-Man meets The Power Rangers stage show, and songs that, significant or not, flat out ROCK. We're honored to have these folks at the Summit, although, given some of the hijinks witnessed at their recent shows, we hope they leave the Instro Summit gear (not to mention the Cave) intact after unleashing their weapons of musical mass destruction. The best quote we heard before their show last year: "They'd better be good!" Best quote after (from the same person): "Damn! They WERE good!"
1am Phatlynx / I'm Branded Contest / Rumble Jam / The Big Bass-Off!
Hopefully closing out our Saturday with big sloppy bang, Phatlynx is Crispy Bess (Killer Filler, ex-SCOTS) Groves Willer (Evil Weiner, ex-Family Dollar Pharaohs), Robbie Poore (the Strawberry Zots) and Colonel Dave Perry (Twilighter, ex-Dirty Little Heaters), four fat guys knocking out Link Wray style songs in a fun-filled set o' badass noise. Phatlynx also serves as musical emcees to two of the Instro Summits' most memorable events, and one brand new one! First is the "Can You Play as Wack'd as Link?" contest, in which guitarists join the band on stage and try to out-wild each other, performing their versions of the buh-zarre solo from Link Wray's classic "I'm Branded", in order to win a suitcase full of Instro Summit merchandise. The other is grand finale of the evening, the "Rumble Jam", where they try to cram as many guitarists on stage at the same time and have them all play Link Wray's signature song together in one massive, fuse-blowing wall o' sound. Last year, no less than twelve guitarists joined Phatlynx in the fun, Could they put even more on stage this year? We think so! And in between these two events is our newest, The Big Bass-Off!, where bass players compete to try and outdo each other playing the solo from the Who's "My Generation", the winner getting a special care package put together by our friends at Bestbassgear.com.
Bands playing Sunday May 1st:
7pm Killer Filler
The official Instro Summit "Host Band" (and our first time introducing the Cave to new drummer Kevin Conolly), Hillsborough, NC's Killer Filler plays a royal mix of 60's inspired surf, soul, & lounge, fronted by goofball organist/guitarist Crispy Bess and Stoic guitar master Bryon Settle. Picture a three-way cross between the Ventures, Booker T & the MG's and Henry Mancini playing a rowdy party, and you'll know what they're up to. Come early to witness the hijinx!
8pm The Third Expression
Referencing sounds from such diverse and eclectic wellsprings as Brian Wilson, Jamaica's Studio One, Cachao y Su Orquesta, Jimmy Webb, Les Paul, The Shadows, Ernesto Lecuona and Booker T. & The MG's, The Third Expression blend a wide array of influences that gather elements from classic pop, jazz and old school roots music along with more exotic flavors. The musicians in the The Third Expression have performed and recorded as sidemen for a 'who's who' of artists from North Carolina and beyond including: Tift Merritt, Ryan Adams, Caitlin Cary, Big Al Anderson (NRBQ), Dexter Romweber, Terry Anderson & The Olympic Ass Kickin Team, The Two Dollar Pistols, The Connells, Phil Lee & The Sly Dogs, The Backsliders, Whiskeytown, Duane Jarvis & Los Flacos, Amy Rigby, Roman Candle, Hank Sinatra, Kennebec and more. (Crispy adds: Fans of Danny Gatton's musical hijinks should not miss this one-surf fans witnessing Mike Krause's guitar playing may find their jaws permanently hanging open after the experience.)
9pm The Monterreys
From surfy 60's romps, spaghetti laced sounds, and spy tinged thrillers to Mexicali horns and loungey, longing interludes, the Monterreys from Charlotte NC will keep your ears pricked up and ready for the sonic excursion. A wide array of instruments and styles will be introduced along the journey and you will be captivated with the Monterreys curious, musical odyssey. These folks are brand new to the Charlotte surf scene, and will be making their Chapel Hill debut at the Summit. Come by and introduce yourselves!
10pm The Hi-Five Revival
Like Killer Filler, The High Five Revival is a band started as a home studio creation that sounded so good it went live. Fans of groups like Thee Ghastly Ones, Agent Orange, and the Decendents, This Kingston, NY Trio of Surfcore musicians tend to talk little about what they do, and prefer to let their music do the talking. (Crispy adds: And from what I've heard, they kick royal arse)
11pm Blood Red River
If you can avert your eyes from the spectacular show put on by Blood Red River's official go-go girl, Miss Bliss (and judging from the crowd at year's Summit, not many did), you'll find a fast-paced, twangy and rockin' group along the lines of Huevos Rancheros or Mustang Lightning's instrumental work. One of our busiest local instrumental acts, Blood Red River takes surf punk, ditches the surf, and gives the punk a Capital "P". If they were in a Frankie and Annette movie, they'd be the house band at the Von Zipper gangs' hideout.
11:45pm The Instro Summit Raffle
Just before the final band of the night, the Instro Summit will draw the winners of our first annual raffle, the proceeds of which are divvied up among the bands playing that weekend in order to give them a (hopefully) decent amount of money to get them home, and to give them a reason to want to come back next year. Prizes this year include three (count 'em ) Three Flip brand video mini cameras, generously donated by Flip Video, and a our grand prize, a brand new Eastwood Saturn 63 guitar, donated by - you guessed it - Eastwood Guitars. And for people fretting that they may not be able to be at the Cave that late on a Sunday, fear not; we are using the fanciest type of raffle tickets that allows one to leave their contact info on them, and thus not have to be present when the winning tickets are drawn. You can't lose - but you just might win!
12am Kill, Baby...Kill
Our Summit closes with...REVERB OBSESSED HOODLUMS, HELL-BENT ON DESTRUCTION , Kill,Baby...Kill are a shine runnin', reverb lovin' group of Alabama hood-rats, returned from the dead to get revenge on a world that stole their legacy. Taking nods from the likes of Link Wray, Screamin Jay Hawkins and the drive-in Horror Culture of their time, Kill,Baby...Kill leave ears and heads bleading with their reverb-drenched, instrumental attack. (Crispy adds: Like Man...Or Astro-Man?, Daikaiju, and the Necronomikids, Kill,Baby...Kill is yet another amazing kick-ass surf band hailing from Alabama. We're thrilled to have these folks close out our event, and frankly are starting to wonder what they put in the water down there.)
And of course, featured every night is our good buddy from Baltimore, DJ Bumpadelic, spinning a whole mess of some of the finest instrumental vinyl to ever get cut between our bands!
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By employing the organic combination of hand percussion (featuring the cajon), original modernist harmonica, melodic/percussive acoustic guitar joined by electric bass and keyboards, along with thoughtful and impactful lyrics propelled by soulful and unusual vocal harmony,
Climb Jacobs Ladder has put the emphasis of the music solely on the impact of the songs. There is no boom or bash to divert the listener's attention. It is music with meaning, music that matters.
