//Greenville Live Music Preview: August 4th-8th
ez shakes

Greenville Live Music Preview: August 4th-8th

A Stacked Lineup of Shows To Look Forward To…
Brett Barest

This is one of those weeks where I look at the iOnGreenville music calendar and cannot help but feel like things are not just back to normal but, perhaps, better than ever. Young, local up-and-comers are at The Radio Room, The Parlor Pinks are promoting a wildly eclectic lineup of artists at The Artistry, and The Spinning Jenny is giving us a great reason to come to Greer for the second Sunday in a row.  If this is what a weekend of live music looks like here in the Upstate going forward, I am all for it.

Thursday at The Radio Room

First up is Luxx at The Radio Room Thursday night and, if you know anything about me at all, you know I am going to mention Luxx every time they have a show. They caught my attention in a big way with their 2020 EP release Deluxx Edition and followed up with an even more impressive full length album Songs From the Simulation earlier this year. Also, even if it was a short set, their performance at the Upstate Music Awards back in May solidified my opinion that these kids are the real deal.  Thursday night they will be joined a couple of other young acts with Atrial and Dandy & the Lions, the latter of whom wins my unofficial, made-up award for “Best New Band Name”.

Saturday at Artistry Workshops

Saturday sees the return of the promotional arm of The Parlor Pinks with TPP Events bringing us “Your Birthday Party” at the Artistry Workshops & Gallery Saturday night. The idea was conceived by The Parlor Pinks’ Rae who celebrated their birthday this week but previously noted that “everybody’s birthday sucked last year.” That sentiment was all the inspiration it took to put together a birthday party for everybody, regardless of the date on the calendar, complete with birthday décor and Wildflower Cupcakes. Like all TPP Events lineups, this is a mixed bill with four wildly different artists each taking a turn on stage for one of the most eclectic shows you will ever see – right up until you see your next TPP lineup.

The “Your Birthday Party” lineup features Charleston’s Babe Club, the Upstate’s own Shyland Flowers, Atlanta’s Antiquarian, and Asheville’s Bombay Gasoline. Babe Club describes themselves as capturing the essence of 1970’s Blondie and 1990’s The Cardigans but that can easily be shorthanded to simply “awesome”. Influences aside, their sound is all their own and I have loved every bit of it that I have listened to. Shyland Flowers needs no introduction on this page as I have sung his praises time and time again as one of the most talented hip-hop artists on the local scene. Bombay Gasoline definitely brings the fire as an all-female electro rock quartet and Antiquarian brings an electronic element to round out and tie the whole vibe together. Also, it should be noted that The Artistry is arguably the best place in town for this sort of energy and spirit and I could not be happier to see TPP Events making their return to the scene at this particular venue.

Sunday at The Spinning Jenny

Finally, Greer’s Spinning Jenny brings us the third installment of their Second Sunday Concert Series with live music on their patio and local food trucks for the perfect way to close out your weekend. Columbia singer songwriter E.Z. Shakes brings his brand of Americana with a distinct voice and deeply personal storytelling that is the perfect Sunday afternoon porch music. Local favorite and friend Vilai Harrington is the host and opening act, offering up a great local artist to pair with the regional talent.

As usual, these are but a few of the shows that caught my attention in the weekend ahead but, as the iOnGreenville calendar will show, there are way more shows to choose from. As long as you are getting out and supporting live music at our local venues, there are no wrong answers here. Be safe and enjoy the show.