Todd Pontius     Rock Around the Block Looking back on a year's worth of music in Charlottesville isn't easy. While it hasn't been among the best years in memory, it hasn't been the worst either. This was the year that STU-COMM showed Charlottesville what they wanted to hear, the year that Jon Spencer and Sebadoh came to town, and the year some CD pressing plant made a mint on local music, along with other various and sundry items of note. Some of the local venues wised up this year and discovered that people would pay money to see more than tired, refried southern rock. Soul Coughing, G Love, and Morphine have all come to town more than once within recent memory. Three years ago Uncle Tupelo was still together; now both incarnations of the band (Wilco and Son Volt) have played Charlottesville. While not a return to the live music heyday that Charlottesville witnessed in the mid- to late eighties, more and more touring bands of increasing quality have chosen to pass through town. Several smaller venues have filled out interesting niches for themselves as well. My wish for 1997 and 1998? That the inflow of music coming to Charlottesville continues while the local music scene expands. Both of these depend on people going out and getting involved. What's your excuse? Let's all get around the old "if they're local, they can't be any good" syndrome that's much too prevalent in music scenes. One of the more pleasant surprises in local music came two Thursdays ago when The Ninth played upstairs at Orbit on the corner. The Thursday night I was there, Orbit seemed like a nice place to go and drink imported beers and watch older men watch younger women (but you gotta be 21, girls!). The bar's overall feel is strangely self-conscious; a carefully constructed "faded" look that's certainly a departure from seeing music at the Tokyo Rose (where "kids-n-concrete" is the dominant vibe). The audience was more interested in themselves than anybody onstage, but that is kinda how The Ninth operate. A "party band" for the nineties? I dunno. Their music isn't that different from the dictionary definition of "party band," i.e. "good tunes with a good groove." I like The Ninth for several reasons: their godlike puissance at their instruments, the jaunty changes in the songs, the fact that the drummer looks like he wants to take his shirt off. The main reason, however, that lets me say, "The Ninth are worth your time," is they know that the last ten years in music have happened. Most bands that I've seen lately put some tired groove onstage from about seven years ago, work with the changes, and turn on the flashing lights. These guys are musicians and seem to know that the trick in art is knowing when to stop. Tasteful, man, tasteful. The Ninth are fresh and fun, and you should go see them. And ladies, lead sports guitarist Dave Sickmen does look like a young Roger Daltrey (from The Who, duh), but he's taken. The year isn't over, though. There are still several great shows that would justify a return to Charlottesville if you leave when classes are over. The Olivia Tremor Control and Neutral Milk Hotel are two bands that vied for number one slots on people's "best of" lists within the past year. The competition over strangest band name still hasn't been decided yet. If you like pop music that's occasionally more than slightly damaged, go see this show. Both bands like to drag lots of shit onstage with them, everything from tape loops to accordions, so it should be pretty wild. Check 'em out when they come to town next week. My predictions for next year in Charlottesville music? I looked into the ol' crystal ball, read leaves, and thought about it for awhile ... 1. The Chicago-based Drag City label reissues old Ectoslavia material. For those not in the know, Pavement's Steve Malkmus and Bob Nastanovich bided their time in this combo for a few years while in school here. I figure, why not let this stuff see the light of day, unless it's terribly embarrassing? All those "Pavement ist rad" kids might accidentally buy a copy. 2. A Happy Flowers reunion. In the early and mid eighties these guys mixed Freudian tropes and too much cough syrup, resulting in a sound that was as fractured as Ween, but as scary as Gwar. Yikes! 3. Techno takes over. Raves are getting better and better, the quality of the DJs is improving ... who knows? Maybe 1997 is the year that techno breaks for good in C-ville. 4. Local favorites the Curious Digit on Conan O'Brien. Josh's beard is far too long for Letterman, and I see similarities between the Digit's drummer and Max Weinberg. Is it the hair? Who knows? Their appearance catapults their label into the black, and Darius Van Arman buys an El Dorado. Sure, Charlottesville's a small town, but it could happen.

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