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I first encountered the name Kenny Roby while listening to a Whiskeytown bootleg from The Brewery, recorded Oct. 22, 1999. Not having been in the Triangle during the great alt-country hope, I never got to see the band for which he is best known, 6 String Drag.

But after getting my hands on those records, I moved on to his solo material. At the time Roby was not playing out very often. The first time I was able to record him a few years later, he was playing fantastic original tunes while trying to be heard over a noisy American Aquarium crowd at The Pour House. I immediately became a fan.

Roby just released his latest album, Memories & Birds, which is being hailed as his best. He's playing two shows at Kings on Friday, with JKutchma opening the first (7:30 p.m.) and the Temperance League opening the second (10 p.m.)

Today's session features Old Quarter, a band that, despite having released only one EP to date, is one of the more promising groups in the Triangle.

Old Quarter carries the alt-country torch, so we didn't dream of doing this acoustic session anywhere but Slim's. Old Quarter's sound combines some of the best elements of traditional country with a rock 'n' roll propulsion, putting them in the same conversation that includes The Backsliders and American Aquarium.

With only an EP out, they've got a lot further to go to stay in that conversation, of course. At least there's a full-length album planned for later this year. "We have plenty of songs. Just have to work them out and figure out financials for recording," says frontman John Massengill. "We're shooting to hit the studio in the early spring."

Old Quarter will be at Kings tonight, Feb. 1, along with Chip Robinson and The Cousins. They'll make their Durham debut at Casbah Feb. 7, with Elonzo and Octopus Jones.

Until then, here is "Wolves" from their EP, Live Oak.

The Debonzo Brothers are one of the hardest-working groups in Raleigh. Confident in their sound regardless of the publicity (or lack thereof) it garners, they can be seen at nearly every venue in the Triangle during the course of a year, from playing Sadlack's outside in December to a quiet acoustic performance at The City Tap in Pittsboro.

Last year, they released One Damn Heart, a fine collection of alt-country tunes with a slight pop take. It's interesting to consider the musical influences driving the duo: Their father, Dave Debonzo, is quite the acoustic guitar player; see him perform and know where the brothers get their passion.

They have recently joined the Cardinal Collective, a self described South-Eastern Indie Rock Collective that leans more toward alt-country. Several local groups are in the unit, including Some Army, Old Quarter and Jack the Radio. "Networking with that group of bands across the state [makes] bills easier," says Jeff Debonzo.

Catch the Brothers Monday, Jan. 21, at Local 506 with Magic Mike and Todd Warner. Their next band show is Feb. 8 at Tir Na Nog.

In early 2012, Christy Smith performed a few songs from her Tender Fruit project for this video series. She brought along her duet partner, Patrick Dyer Wolf. After a few duo and solo tunes, we asked Patrick to play us a tune. As a sideman for The Tender Fruit, his delicate touches accented Smith's songs well.

Today, his primary group is called Goodnight, Texas; in late 2012, they released their debut CD, A Long Life of Living, an upbeat and old-timey disc. The song we present today, "Wristwatch," falls between The Tender Fruit and Goodnight, Texas. It is a brooding, melodic number with a soft and weary delivery.

As for future collaborations with Christy Smith and the Tender Fruit, he says, "She, and I, to a lesser extent, have been in record mode in recent months and haven't done too many shows, but you can look out for a new record and more from The Tender Fruit in the not too distant future."

Meanwhile, Goodnight, Texas is about to hit the road for the next two months, but first they will play The City Tap in Pittsboro on Jan. 25.

It took us a while, but we were finally able to track down Dan McGee of the Spider Bags to come do a few songs. Between playing a get-out-the-vote rally in Durham, in-store performances and a number of recent club shows, Spider Bags have been busy of late. That's understandable, as their latest album, Shake My Head, is bound to turn up on a number of year-end lists.

Today we present a song from Dan that is neither in his usual tempo nor at his typical decibel level—unless you happen to catch him doing a solo performance at places like The Layabout in Durham, that is. Dan came in to perform a number of solo numbers, as well as a very interesting North Carolina-written cover we will share at some point in the future. Enjoy.

The purpose of the Indy Week's Simple Music Video Series is to capture local and touring musicians who we feel are producing something special. The hope is to capture something very simple in order to mirror the experience of viewing a performance as if you were in a small crowd watching a quiet set. We hope for content of the music to be the primary focus of the series, not multiple camera angles meant to keep the viewer guessing and entertained.

Most bands featured in the series will be a sample of the deep pool of talent in the Triangle, while others will represent some of our touring favorites.

It was difficult not transforming into a complete fanboy when Chip Robinson came to perform several songs a few days ago. It was election night, after all. But midway through the first song, perhaps sadly, I no longer cared who won.

After seeing and hearing the fire coming from Robinson as he performed a familiar "Angelita>Bells>Angelita" medley, I was day dreaming what it was like to see the Backsliders in the mid to late '90s. I was underage and a few dozen miles west, but I'd like to think I could have gotten into The Brewery or Local 506 somehow. Alas, I'm left to continue day-dreaming while reading one article after another describing those days where Robinson and the Backsliders were both kings and pioneers of an alt-country scene that seemed as magical as it was wild.

These days, Robinson can be found at a pickup gig here and there without much consistency. In late September, an interesting development came about for the too-young fanboys of the Backsliders: Robinson and Steve Howell reunited for the first time in more than 10 years for a benefit show at Slim's. Oh the agony, hearing about it after the fact. But all is not lost: On Dec. 15, the Robinson-Howell quartet being billed as The Backsliders will be taking the stage at the Pour House presumably with Jac Cain running sound. I will be knocking on the door excessively early.

Hooting and clapping in this video provided by Dan McGee of the Spider Bags who, turns out, is also a huge Chip Robinson fan. I shudder to think there are people who are not.

The purpose of the Indy Week's Simple Music Video Series is to capture local and touring musicians who we feel are producing something special. The hope is to capture something very simple in order to mirror the experience of viewing a performance as if you were in a small crowd watching a quiet set. We hope for content of the music to be the primary focus of the series, not multiple camera angles meant to keep the viewer guessing and entertained.

Most bands featured in the series will be a sample of the deep pool of talent in the Triangle, while others will represent some of our touring favorites.

"A Sight for the Human Eyes," the opening track of Guiding Eyes for the Blind, is mesmerizing—very dynamic and layered. I was surprised to learn, then, that Human Eyes leader Thomas Costello and company recorded the entire album at his home. Producer Ryan Gustafson had urged Costello to record a few songs that ended up turning into an album, released on cassette. A digital download of the album is available on their bandcamp page and is highly recommended.

At the DiggUp Tapes day party during this year's Hopscotch Music Festival, the band made quite the splash. Their set from the festival was picked as a highlight and posted on NYCTaper.com courtesy of Live Music Archivist Jonas Blank and is available for free download. As Blank remarks, "I think we may be seeing more of them outside their home region."

The purpose of the Indy Week's Simple Music Video Series is to capture local and touring musicians who we feel are producing something special. The hope is to capture something very simple in order to mirror the experience of viewing a performance as if you were in a small crowd watching a quiet set. We hope for content of the music to be the primary focus of the series, not multiple camera angles meant to keep the viewer guessing and entertained.

Most bands featured in the series will be a sample of the deep pool of talent in the Triangle, while others will represent some of our touring favorites.

If there could be good news from the fact that his full-time group Megafaun is taking some well deserved time off, it is that folks in the Triangle will get to see Phil Cook & His Feat perform more often.

Thursday, Nov. 1, Phil and his brother Brad are involved in a very interesting project. They will be live scoring the documentary Without a Fight, which centers around how the sport of soccer can bring about social change in Kibera, one of Africa's largest slums. The event is part of a block party premier of the documentary, with food trucks. See the Without a Fight website for further details.

Friday, Nov. 16, Phil will be joining a bill with Hiss Golden Messenger at The Pinhook along with Ama Divers. This should be an excellent show with likely a few collaborations as well.

It took nearly a near to track Phil down to join us to shoot these few songs, and it was well worth the wait. This week we present Phil Cook & His Feat playing, "Frazee, Minnesota" from his Trekky Records released Hungry Mother Blues and "Scorned," a track from Megafaun's self-titled release. Enjoy.

The purpose of the Indy Week's Simple Music Video Series is to capture local and touring musicians who we feel are producing something special. The hope is to capture something very simple in order to mirror the experience of viewing a performance as if you were in a small crowd watching a quiet set. We hope for content of the music to be the primary focus of the series, not multiple camera angles meant to keep the viewer guessing and entertained.

Most bands featured in the series will be a sample of the deep pool of talent in the Triangle, while others will represent some of our touring favorites.

Since his time with Beloved and Classic Case, Josh Moore has occasionally appeared with new music—opening a local show, releasing a sporadic seven-inch record, popping up to sing background vocals. With all of these appearances, it's puzzling as to why he isn't playing out constantly. As you'll hear in this week's session, despite covering another artist, the pureness of his voice is something to behold.

There have been mentions of an upcoming solo project, and Moore recently released a clear-vinyl single featuring the songs "New Morning" (which you can listen to here) and "End of the Night." It is available at All Day Records in Carrboro.

Josh is also involved in another project of a very different nature. "This is my newest jam in this group, BIGDIXX," he explains. "We recorded it in Bollywood. We've got like five BIGDIXX records. That's mainly what I'm working on with Tommy 2 Strawz and Ol' Sidewalk. We have a Travelers Club EP dropping soon on Bandcamp probably."

Until then, here is Josh Moore with Ryan Gustafson, covering the Ryan Adams song "Tomorrow."

The purpose of the Indy Week's Simple Music Video Series is to capture local and touring musicians who we feel are producing something special. The hope is to capture something very simple in order to mirror the experience of viewing a performance as if you were in a small crowd watching a quiet set. We hope for content of the music to be the primary focus of the series, not multiple camera angles meant to keep the viewer guessing and entertained.

Most bands featured in the series will be a sample of the deep pool of talent in the Triangle, while others will represent some of our touring favorites.

When we set out to do this series, I wanted to represent all of North Carolina. Today, we feature friends from the western half of the state, Town Mountain. They are a traditional-leaning bluegrass band who should be included in anyone's discussion of the best Tar Heel bluegrass acts. Not only are they strong instrumentally, but lead singer Robert Greer is special. As far as traditional bluegrass bands go, if you don't have a lead singer with an authentic Southern drawl, it just doesn't seem right.

Here we present two songs from their latest, and arguably best, release, Leave the Bottle. The first song, "Run Junior Run," is an ode to Wilkes County's own Junior Johnson and his attempts to dodge the law while running moonshine in the '50s. The second, "Greenbud on the Flower," describes a stir-crazy person waiting for spring to begin. Both are solid numbers from a solid album.

The purpose of the Indy Week's Simple Music Video Series is to capture local and touring musicians who we feel are producing something special. The hope is to capture something very simple in order to mirror the experience of viewing a performance as if you were in a small crowd watching a quiet set. We hope for content of the music to be the primary focus of the series, not multiple camera angles meant to keep the viewer guessing and entertained.

Most bands featured in the series will be a sample of the deep pool of talent in the Triangle, while others will represent some of our touring favorites.