One thing you can say about Concord's Avett Brothers is that they seem to have done just about everything right, steadily building a career that anyone would love to have. Although they've never had a hit single, the Avetts are one of the top-drawing live acts in the country -- and Grammy-nominated to boot. Their manager, Dolph Ramseur, has had a lot to do with the success of both the Avetts and their fellow Grammy nominees, the Carolina Chocolate Drops.

With two of his charges up for Grammys Sunday night, now seemed like the perfect time to make Ramseur our Tar Heel of the week. Check the story here; and tune in Sunday night to see if the Avetts or the Drops win. I'll be liveblogging the telecast here.

RALEIGH -- Just in case you were wondering, there are some audiences that even the mighty Avett Brothers can't rouse into motion.

Just 12 days after a raucous new year's eve show that worked a packed Greensboro Coliseum into a delirious frenzy, the Concord-based Americana band was the featured musical act at Gov. McCrory's inaugural ball Friday. Appropriately dressed for the occasion in black suits, the Avetts took to the Raleigh Convention Center stage for a two-song mini-set shortly before McCrory gave his speech.

They played two numbers from their latest album, the Grammy-nominated "The Carpenter" -- "Live and Die," which is also the end-credits song to the new movie "This Is 40"; and "February Seven." That was one joyous uptempo song and a somber slow one. And it was quite nice, even if the setting and their short time onstage didn't lend itself to their usual ways of cutting loose.

As for the crowd response, it was good, even if the black-tie audience mostly kept to their seats. But as the Avetts waved goodbye and left, the crowd did reward them with a very polite standing ovation.

Avett Brothers photo gallery

GREENSBORO -- Toward the end of the Avett Brothers' epic Monday night show, Seth Avett looked out over the new-year's-eve throng gathered at Greensboro Coliseum. "Thanks for having us at your party," he said, demonstrating admirable modesty by acknowledging the Avetts' bond with their fans. But let's make no mistake about who the hosts were.

Arguably North Carolina's best growth industry, the Avetts draw rabid crowds of faithful fanatics worldwide. They had a large 2012 with a top-10 album and Grammy nomination, and more big things are on the way in the new year (including a spot at next week's gubernatorial inauguration). But this show made a pretty spectacular take-away for the year just past, a wide-ranging two-hour-plus performance by one of America's best live bands.

Following a solid 55-minute opening set by Amos Lee, the Avetts came onstage done up for the occasion in matching white suits, which did not keep them from matching their audience's fevered intensity. Seth Avett spent much of the show's opening stitch airborne, jumping up and down, and the 15,000-voice accompaniment on "Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise" was something to hear.

Somehow, the Avetts make an arena feel as intimate as a front-porch hoedown. They don't scream quite as often as they used to, but Monday's show still rocked plenty hard, swinging between wild-eyed frenzy and pensive ruminations. They might be the world's first heavy-metal jugband and if that sounds weird, you'd just have to see it to get it.

Scott Avett moved between piano and banjo, occasionally blowing harmonica and hopping on top of the kickdrum at the front of the stage. Bob Crawford went back and forth between standup and electric bass, while Joe Kwon was his usual dervish on cello. And Seth busted out some four-way-hips dance moves that got over on sheer exuberance.

While the full-band arrangements were great to hear, there's still something ineffably cool about the Avetts when they strip down to the core trio of Seth, Scott and Crawford, which was the configuration for a mini-set starting with "Paranoia in B Flat Major." They also ventured out into the crowd to play a handful of songs on a satellite stage at the back of the arena floor, highlighted by Seth's cover of the Jim Croce chestnut "Operator" (proving that great songs are where you find 'em).

Back on the mainstage, the closing hoedown raveup of "Laundry Room" was my favorite part of the show, with Scott working the kickdrum as psychedelic lights pinwheeled across the arena's ceiling. They rocked up the jittery "Kickdrum Heart" with an almost metallic arrangement, ending with Seth on his knees beating the bejesus out of an electric guitar, and the folk-noir of "Geraldine" took us to the brink of midnight.

As the band vamped on "Auld Lang Syne," the crowd counted down the last 10 seconds of 2012. Confetti and balloons rained down, which turned the rest of the show into a collective game of volleyball -- punctuated with the sound of quasi-fireworks, as the balloons popped one by one.

The encore ranged from hopeful ("Salvation Song," with the Avetts' sister Bonnie out to sing) to furiously rocking ("I Killed Sally's Lover," in another acoustic-metal arrangement). Then they hit a note of quiet triumph with the majestic "I and Love and You" -- "three words that become hard to say."

But for anybody in Greensboro Coliseum as 2012 turned into 2013, it wasn't hard at all.

Grammy nominations concert photo gallery

North Carolina had a decent showing in the Grammy Award nominations announced Wednesday, highlighted by country singer Eric Church's two-category breakthrough. The Granite Falls native (and Appalachian State University alumnus) picked up a pair of nominations for his hit single "Springsteen," for country song and country solo performance -- and this is fresh off winning album of the year at last month's CMA Awards.

Charlotte native Anthony Hamilton was also a multi-category nominee, in R&B song ("Pray For Me") and album ("Back To Love"). Hamilton shared a Grammy in 2009 with Al Green.

Concord's Avett Brothers earned their first-ever Grammy nod with their current album "The Carpenter," nominated for best Americana album alongside Mumford & Sons (one of their half-dozen nominations) and rising young star John Fullbright.

After winning best folk album with their 2010 major-label debut, Triangle old-time group Carolina Chocolate Drops will try to start a streak. Their latest album "Leaving Eden" picked up a nomination, also in the folk-album category.

Brevard's Steep Canyon Rangers were nominated last year alongside Steve Martin. This year, they get a bluegrass-album nomination all to themselves for "Nobody Knows You."

Finally, Triangle expatriate Ryan Adams didn't get a direct nomination himself. But Adams' most recent release, 2011's "Ashes & Fire," was nominated for best-engineered non-classical album. Producer Glyn Johns and mastering engineer Bob Ludwig would get that trophy.

The Grammys will be presented Feb. 10 in Los Angeles.

In an online interview last month, "Eastbound & Down" creators Danny McBride and Jody Hill gave a nice shoutout to the Triangle music scene. Asked their favorite bands, they listed Black Keys, Avett Brothers, Jesus and Mary Chain, Bob Seger, MC5 -- plus Dynamite Brothers and Lonnie Walker,  two groups that  call the Triangle home.

McBride and Hill come by their Tarheelia honestly, since they studied film at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. So it's no surprise that Sunday's episode of the HBO series will include a Lonnie Walker song, "Heartbreakin' Ball," which you can hear playing over the concluding synopsis and end credits. Tune in at 10 p.m. Sunday.

Dynamite Brothers have had songs on the show, too, and drummer Scott Nurkin even appeared in an episode this season, playing in an onscreen band.

Oliver Gant isn't even in kindergarten yet, but he sure does have friends in high places. Young Oliver has been battling sacrococcygeal teratoma for the past year, so the local music and arts communities have been pitching in with a series of benefit shows to help out his family. The latest is "Racing the Cure," featuring an upper-echelon slice of the regional music scene playing multiple venues in downtown Raleigh on March 23. This might be the only time you'll ever see the Avett Brothers in a club around here where they're not headlining.

Tickets are $25 and allow entrance to all three clubs. They go on sale at noon today (Wednesday) at etix.com.

Kings
8:15-8:45 -- Jack the Radio
9-9:40pm -- Schooner
10-10:40 -- Filthybird
11-11:40 -- The Old Ceremony
midnight-12:25am -- Avett Brothers
12:30am -- Ivan Rosebud & JYU

Tir Na Nog
8:15-8:45pm -- Hooking Up
9-9:45 -- Hammer No More the Fingers
10-10:45 -- Whatever Brains
11-11:45 -- Lonnie Walker
midnight -- Annuals

Pour House
8:15-8:45pm -- Gross Ghost
9-9:45 -- Spider Bags
10-10:45 -- Patty Hurst Shifter
11-11:45 -- Birds of Avalon
midnight -- The Love Language

'PBS NewsHour' aired an interview last night with the Concord, N.C. band, the Avett Brothers. In the interview, they talk about feeling homesick for North Carolina when they're out on the road. Watch it below.

Watch the full episode. See more PBS NewsHour.

Reason enough to tune in to tonight's Grammy Awards Show: North Carolina's Avett Brothers (left) will perform with Bob Dylan and Mumford & Sons. David Menconi has more on that over at On the Beat (he'll also be live-blogging the show all night).

Eminem leads nominations with ten, followed by Bruno Mars with 7. Jay-Z, Lady Antebellum, and Lady Gaga each have six nominations. Barbra Streisand will be honored as Person of the Year.

Here's a full list of nominees.

Scheduled to perform: Eminem, Lady Antebellum, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Arcade Fire, Cee Lo Green, Miranda Lambert, Justin Bieber, B.o.B, Bruno Mars, Monáe, Muse and Jaden Smith. 

Mick Jagger is said to be performing a tribute to the late soul singer Soloman Burke.

The show airs at 8pm tonight on CBS.

Here's another excellent little coup for Concord's Avett Brothers: They're playing Sunday night's Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, even though they're not nominated. But wait, it gets better: They're playing with Bob Dylan, as part of a three-song "special salute to acoustic music" that also includes Mumford & Sons (a.k.a. the British Avett Brothers) in addition to Dylan. That might be even cooler than the Johnny Cash star turn the Avetts did last year. "Head Full of Doubt, Road Full of Promise" is on the set list.

The Grammys will be on CBS from 8 to 11:30 p.m. Sunday.

Back in October, the Avett Brothers played Walnut Creek to 7,000-plus screaming fans -- their first Triangle headlining show in the Triangle in more than two years. Less than three months later, they're headed our way again, and playing in significantly more intimate surroundings this time through. They've just announced a last-minute show Wednesday night at Cat's Cradle, heading up a terrific bill that includes Bombadil (playing its first show since the summer of 2009) and The Low Anthem. It's a benefit show for two worthy causes, so tickets are $40. Expect a quick sellout.

UPDATE: Quick sellout is right. Looks like it took less than a minute...