CRAP Shoot

Country! Rock! Alternative! Pop! Acronym them all together and you get CRAP -- that is to say, the CRAP Festival, an annual compendium of Southern bands, local and nonlocal. The 18 Wheelers specialize in the back catalog of big-beat honky tonk and rockabilly. Will Thomas perpetuates the recurrent yet somewhat underappreciated "rockin' country boy drenched in Southern R&B" subgenre, receiving studio support from none other than Spooner Oldham -- writer of more rock 'n' soul classics than you've had hot breakfasts. The Dharma Bombs mix Southern-fried boogie with the piano-driven finesse of the Band and classic Elton John, while Clambake combines mad eclecticism with the oddball humor of They Might Be Giants. The velvet-throated Matthew Sabatella, whose Rambling Gamblers comprise members of the aforementioned outfits, channels Woody Guthrie through classy pop savvy à la Brian Wilson and Elliott Smith. Such a night, a veritable Whitman's Sampler of roots tuneage, and for a mere ten spot at that.

CRAP hits the fans Friday, June 17, at Tobacco Road, 626 S. Miami Ave., Miami. Tickets cost $10. Call 305-374-1198 for starting time.