Last November at Dragonfly Friday
Atlanta band presents songs from Over the Top or Under the Weather

By Jeff Eason

Last month’s POPAsheville Festival proved without a doubt that the Southeast has a plethora of great new bands that strive to compose and perform their own catchy material. One of the latest of these bands to capture the nation’s attention is the Atlanta group Last November. Armed with a great new album, Over the Top or Under the Weather, Last November is poised to make the leap from regional phenomenon to national stardom.

Last November will perform at the Dragonfly Theater and Pub in Boone on Friday, February 20 as part of a triple bill that includes the bands Young & Running and Hot Vegas. The show starts at 10 p.m. and admission is $5.

Over the Top or Under the Weather gets much of its sparkling sound—one that leaps from the speakers—from the production skill of platinum-selling producer Steve Haigler. He has previously produced albums by Brand New, Oleander, and the Pixies, among others.

“When we were in high school we used to sit around with acoustic guitars singing songs from the Brand New’s Deja Entendu,” said Luke Pilgrim, Last November’s guitarist, vocalist and primary songwriter. “Working with the man who produced that record was a pretty surreal experience for us.”

Over the Top or Under the Weather features high, melodic vocals, crunchy guitars and plenty of hook-laden songs. The first single from the album, “The Bumper Sticker Song,” has quickly become a favorite of college radio stations around the country. Other standout tracks from the album are “Jesus Had Breakfast in Bed,” “Butter Me Up” and the lushly baroque pop tune “Sunday Afternoon.”

In addition to Pilgrim, Last November features Tyler Ayers on bass, Zach Baxter on guitar, keyboards and vocals, and Taylor Woodruff on vocals.

For more information on this show, call the Dragonfly Theater at (828) 262-3244.

Acoustic Syndicate Saturday

The western North Carolina super-group Acoustic Syndicate was one of the hottest acts in the country in the early part of the decade. With album after album of scorching hot tunes that blended bluegrass, jazz, reggae and rock, Acoustic Syndicate consistently sold-out every venue it visited.

A few years ago, the band disbanded in favor of family life. But in the past two years, the original group has reunited for a few select shows. Acoustic Syndicate will reunite this weekend for a show at the Dragonfly Theater and Pub in Boone on Saturday, February 21. The show starts at 10 p.m. and the doors open at 9 p.m. Tickets are $15 per person.

Saturday’s show will feature Steve “Big Daddy” McMurry on guitar, vocals and mandolin, Fitz McMurry on drums and percussion, Bryon McMurry on banjo and vocals, and Jay Sanders on upright acoustic and electric basses.

The band has performed recently at a select number of summer festivals and was recently one of the featured acts at the Chinese New Year celebration in Negril, Jamaica.

For more information on Saturday’s show, call the Dragonfly Theater at (828) 262-3244.