Your Athfest: Tunabunny

tunabunny’s athfest diary

hey jordan. not sure if this is what you had in mind when you asked us to write about our athfest experience. went into a lot of detail about preparing for the show because i don’t think a lot of people know what goes into that kind of stuff, and it might be interesting.

Our weekend started thursday with the banner-herald writing “The experimental sounds of Athens’ own Tunabunny aren’t for everybody,” in their Athfest preview. I’ve heard of back-handed compliments, but I think the ABH may have invented the first ‘front-handed insult’.

-Or “bitch-slap” compliment, as Mary Jane coined.

That night we checked out the Flagpole music awards for a while before we headed over to check out the E6 movie night at Cine. I always like the FMA’s. Just when they threaten to descend into the same annoying self-indulgence you see in most award shows, someone or something pulls the show back from the brink and reminds you of what makes Athens such a unique & wonderful place to live. For example, when the nominees for best video were being projected and the dvd started skipping all over the place during Dead Confederate, Kenosha Kid—the house band in the pit—spontaneously took over Dead Confederate’s song. The Morton Theatre erupted in laughter & applause.

Creepy were so amazing that we couldn’t leave until they finished, but thankfully the E6 thing started a little late. We ran into Joey, one of the Major Organ directors, as we came in, and when I asked him how much we had missed, he looked at his watch and said, “oh yeah, I guess we should start”. The entire program was wonderful, and the Major Organ movie turned out fantastic.

maybe it should just start here...

Friday was the day we played Athfest. Scheduled to go on 10:00 at Cine as part of the HappyHappyBirthdayToMe showcase (we have a split 12-inch coming out with them in August). Mike, the head of HHBTM, calls me around 5:00 or so to tell us the load-in’s at 8:00 and could we please make sure to hang around to help Casper & the Cookies unload something called ‘bafflers’—we will learn the next day, while watching the wrecking crew documentary, that they are in fact called ‘baffles’—that they’re bringing along to help make the room sound better.

Mary Jane comes by our house around 6:00 to load-up half the stuff in her car. We put the rest in Brigette’s car and then rush off to meet our friend Paul for dinner. La Fiesta doesn’t set well in Brigette’s stomach and by the time we pull up outside Cine she’s feeling pretty queasy.

-Paul encouraged me to get the sizzling shrimp fajitas after a brief internal debate with myself about decadence. Should come with a warning: do not mix with pre-show adrenaline.

We had already decided that we’d just pay the 5 bucks to park in the lot behind Cine if it was available, but for the moment we just park in the driveway and start carrying in our stuff. Some kind of wine reception was just finishing, so we have to make our way through a lobby packed full of people giving us dirty looks for saying things like, “Excuse me” while we have our arms full of drums, amps, etc. After we get all the stuff in, I go looking for a parking lot attendant while Mary Jane pulls into the lot. As soon as she starts driving, someone appears across the street waving frantically.



“Hey,” he shouts, “she can’t park there.”

I’m already on my way across the street to pay him. “Is it full?” I ask.

“What?”

“Is the lot full?”

“No, but she can’t park there.”

“Why can’t she park there?”

“Because that’s a pay lot.”

“But. . . I know.” I squint into the sun going down behind the Snow tire building. “That’s fine. It’s okay. I mean, we don’t mind paying. . .”

His eyes dart back & forth between me and Brigette’s car. He seems unsure.

“What is it to park?” I ask. “Five dollars?”

“Yeah. Five dollars.”

“Here’s ten. For her car, and for that Ford Focus right there,” I say, pointing to Brigette’s car. “Can we just pull in anywhere?”

“Yeah,” he says, still acting confused. I wonder if parking in these lots was always this complicated. I think about asking him if we need a ticket or anything, but figure he probably would have given me one. Maybe he just remembers which cars are parked in the lot. Maybe that’s why he wasn’t following our conversation—he was busy memorizing what kind of car I was driving.

I pull into a parking space. Every single car has an orange ticket on their dashboard. Great. By this time, my shirt is completely soaked through and I can actually feel my eyebrows starting to get heavy with sweat. I’m getting ready to head back across the streeet when I hear a girl’s voice yelling, “Sir! Sir!”

I turned to see a girl, probably in her early 20’s driving a Mercedes. “I work here, and—well actually my father works here—is it okay for us to park in here?”

“I don’t know. I don’t work here.”

She makes a face at me that says, some fucking good you are, and drives off. Human beings are an interesting species.

Run back across the street. Get two orange tickets. Run back across the street to get one of them to Mary Jane before she heads inside. See a van parked in Cine’s driveway with a trailer attached to it. That would be Casper & the Cookies. Brigette is standing next to them waving me over, but I point towards the parking lot and keep going. She gets a confused look on her face.

-I wasn’t confused about you, I was just telling a story that required facial expressions.

Finally, Mary Jane and I, cars secured, make it back to Cine and introduce ourselves to Casper & the Cookies—Jason, Kay, and...I forgot the other guy’s name. Sorry, other guy (I’m sure he doesn’t remember my name either).

-His name is Jim, actually. And he carries a caboodle full of treasures and make-up.

We learn a little bit about ‘bafflers,’ although Jason isn’t sure that’s what they’re actually called. We talk about bad experiences we’ve both had with the sound at Cine in the past. Finally, around 8:30 everything’s inside and we’re relaxing on a couple of Cine’s couches when Brigette remembers something.



“I forgot to bring drumsticks.”

“Oh, shit.”

-I think it was me that said “oh, shit” actually. But visions of previous shows where Chloe scavenged for the perfect size branches to use as legs for the kick drum cheered me up.

“Should I call Chloe and see if she can get some from Jesse?”

“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.”

-Thank you, I thought it was a good idea also.

Ten minutes later we learn that Jesse doesn’t have any drumsticks. Oh well. We’ll just ask to borrow someone else’s. Chloe suggests that there are a lot of trees along Hancock Street and some of may them have sturdy branches.

Ten minutes later we learn that Casper & the Cookies, a band we share a label with, a band we just saw perform the night before at the FMA’s without a drummer, no longer perform with live drums.

Another band on the bill, Forever, shows up. They are from Portland, and they will end up sleeping at our house later on that night. I tell Brigette that it’s her turn to ask to borrow drumsticks, having embarassed myself enough when I asked Casper.

I walk around a little to check out the Black Lips. When I come back, I ask Brigette if she talked with Forever. She said they left to go watch the Black Lips, but she’d ask them when they got back.

-I am a considerate lady. My first interest in meeting a band who has traveled all the way from Portland on a six week tour is not, “oh hello, can you give me something please? Because I’m irresponsible and forgot?” No, I say “hello, how was your 12 hour drive? Oh you slept on a kitchen floor last night? Why don’t you relax and go catch the Black Lips.” Class, Scott. Class.

Doing the math in my head—our set starts at ten, Black Lips’ set ends at ten—I immediately call Chloe, who is walking around somewhere with Mary Jane.

“We need drumsticks really bad. Nobody here has any.”

Chloe says she’s on it.

Ten minutes later, Chloe walks in with a pair of drumsticks. Although she won’t tell us where she got them, we eventually learn that Teddy from Marriage got them for us. Thanks, Teddy!

-Ted Kuhn is an amazing human being.



Show goes great. Even the things that go wrong are somehow going right. Towards the end of “Outer Space Is the Center of the Earth” Brigette goes into this improvised monologue about self-improvement that nobody can hear except for Chloe. They both get so excited by brigette’s rant that they decide to leave the performance, locking themselves in a bathroom stall laughing and hugging each other long enough to confuse a woman washing her hands in between the low points of the Allman Brother’s documentary. Now it’s just me & mary jane and the sound of Brigette’s voice distorted by a delay pedal and stuck on an endless loop. I just kind of sit there on the floor while mary jane dances around what’s left of the performance. Eventually, I reach up to the keyboard and drone a couple of notes, bending them in & out of tune with my thumb. This sounds really nice together, brigette’s voice & the keyboards. Mary jane brings me some of her beer. I think I’ll sit here for a while. Mary jane sits down next to me and we finish the beer together.

I guess chloe & brigette aren’t coming back, so I eventually get up to go turn off brigette’s amp (along with her looping voice). When I get there, it occurs to me that it’ll be more appropriate to the spirit of the show if I use Mary jane’s guitar to turn off the amp. My first attempt only cranks the volume, which raises brigette’s voice to ear-shattering levels. My second shot misses. But the third one gets the amp to turn off. Silence. I toss Mary jane’s guitar onto the floor and sit back down. That was fun. People clap. People yell. I get up and say thank you. Mary Jane & I start to clean up. Chloe & brigette come back. We’re all smiling & laughing at how much fun we had.

It’s a great feeling when a show goes perfect and everything sounds the way it’s supposed to, but I’d say it’s an even better feeling when you just do whatever you feel like and try to create something special and slightly crazy—and it works. Then it feels like you got away with something. I think the first adrenaline rush, the thrill of doing something right, is like the joy you get with a good report card. Our excitement is more like vandalism. Or shoplifting. Like walking out of a shopping mall with a new jacket you couldn’t be bothered to pay for.

We get all our stuff out of the way for the next band. Too exhausted to go anywhere. The idea of rushing over to catch Dexter Romweber sounds great, but it’s just not happening. There’s a lot of people who want to say hi, friends & strangers who want to say nice things about the show. And the idea of resting on that couch and talking to people sounds more appealing than Dexter. Later, I will regret not going, but it made sense in my brain at the time. Plus, every single person not affiliated with HappyHappyBirthday has left Cine by the time Forever starts playing. In the span of 15 minutes, the number of people in the room has shrunk from about 75 people to five. Ouch. I convince myself that I owe it to Forever, if not to the entire HappyHappyBirthday family to do nothing more than sit in Cine drinking cold—actually, slightly cooler than room temperature would be more accurate—beer and spending the rest of the night right here.

Which is pretty much what I did. Towards the end of Casper’s set, we snuck our stuff out a side door, said goodbye to everyone and went our separate ways. We made $100 for the show, a new Tunabunny record (normally we make closer to $20, which we usually spend on Jesse—who does all recordings for free). Brigette & I stopped at Waffle House to get something to eat, and then headed home to clean up a little before Forever showed up. They left in the morning, and Brigette and I got up a little before noon and decided to treat ourselves to breakfast at Ike & Jane’s, since it was a special weekend and all.

- Tunabunny

Dispatches from Athfest, Day 2, Friday

I slept late, feeling every single step that I took last night beating me down like the most vicious boxer. Little did I know that I would feel that exhaustion twofold by the end of this day. The late sleep-in led to me eating a bologna sandwich for lunch (which I'm sure you needed to know) and then hopping in the car at around 3 p.m. to head to downtown.

I met up with Tony and Rebecca and we walked around a little bit, discussing various plans for the weekend. The heat was being absolutely brutal so we headed into an icecream shop for smoothies and shakes. While I was waiting for their orders to get filled, I was pondering over my friend David's plight. Poor guy works for a news organization yet they hadn't even bothered to give him a press pass to the shows. I had given him a few names to check out and he eventually got them. And here was my shiny little pass. My very first, honest to god, media pass. So AMJ was finally recognized as an actual journalistic being. WOW.

After our shakes, we decided it might be best to invest in some sunscreen. I'm whiter than pale so the SPF 80 was looking really good to me. Ended up with some cheaper stuff. After a long, sad, and slow look at the remains of the Georgia Theatre, we had to split ways. I was due at a video shoot for WNEG. Me. On tv. Again with the wow.

I was so nervous about being on television. And LIVE no less. Where do I look, what if the questions are hard? Fortunately for me, Jeff Montgomery was posing the questions. Music guy for the win! The shoot was over before I realized it, leaving me free to soon go to the beginning of Athfest at the stage. I happened to run into Bruce who was on his way to shoot a segment for the same program. We chatted a little until his ever present Blackberry rang. I jetted off to the Main Stage, fingers crossed that the action hadn't already started.



I managed to arrive just as The Empties were taking to the stage. I'd reviewed their album for Flagpole once and mentioned how the live act was so much better than the record. They still sound a bit too much like Jet for me but the show was good. I ran into about six different MBUS people on the way to meet my friends at the back of the stage area. Daniel was working the backstage area, Matt and Matt were at the AthensMusic.Net booth along with Mr. Aubrey, and a few more classmates had shown up just to listen in. I gave out some stickers (yay!) and collected a lot of business cards.

While looking at the business cards, I was reminded of my childhood days when I collected Pokemon cards. Now, all grown up, I'm still collecting cards. Now who would be that holographic Charizard...?

Anyway, I met up with Tony and Rebecca and we were starting to get really hungry. Luckily, our friend the Ice Cream Man was ready to supply us with deliciously free frosty treats! I ran into Matt again who was still at the booth when he should've been getting ready for his own gig later at Wild Wings. The hunger came back so we all sat in front of Clocked and waited for it to open.

Then our good friend Ziona showed up and there was much rejoicing. The little group of chat friends that had met over a year ago on Murmurs was together for the first time! Huzzah!

We missed most of the next few bands but then Dead Confederate began striking their guitars, signaling that maybe we should get a good spot. I apologized once again for having to step into the journalists' pen to shoot some video. While I was going deaf, I was trying to figure out the sheer logistics of the night. Three bands that I really wanted to see, all playing at 10 p.m.



With the footage out of the way, I decided I would just have to leave Nuci's Space and miss the Modern Skirts. I've seen them a few times now and it just really made no sense to kill myself getting from Cine to Wild Wings to Nucis and back. So the friends began walking to Nuci's and I headed to the car to grab Ziona's wristbands and shirt. Paid my parking fees and drove down to Nucis. I ended up just leaving the car there for most of the night.

When I got there, Liz Durrett was in the midst of a beautiful set and my friends were outside waiting for the wristbands. With the little green bracelets secured around our wrists, we entered into the packed space and tried to find sitting room on the floor. Since the party was thrown by some people I know, I kept bumping into familiar faces. It sounds really bad but I had forgotten how much I missed them.

The clock reached 9:30 and I knew I had to jet if I was going to make it to Cine in time to see Tunabunny. Another rushed goodbye (Sorry!!!), and a quick sprint downtown. I managed to trip over a stick on my way, leaving me mad and a bit flustered when I finally got to Cine. By that point, it was 10:10. I managed to film a quick song (63 Crayons cover) and run down the street towards Wild Wings for Leading Edge.

It seemed like every bar felt the need to play a Michael Jackson song over the loudspeakers. As I ran faster and the lights began to blur, the strains of "Billie Jean" slammed into the beats of "Thriller" and so on until my head was pounding. I bounded up the stairs just in time to find Matt's band playing...Billie Jean. Dammit. They played one more song and then were through. I had at least fulfilled my promise to make it to the show. We sat and talked for a bit before heading back towards downtown and the 40 Watt.



We were ambushed from behind by our ex-classmate Duckie who was off to the Morton Theatre for several shows there. Matt made his way to the parking deck and I headed off to see that live-wire Dexter Romweber. I had last seen that ball of fire at a WUOG sponsored event where I helped run sound. Dex has been traveling around with his sister, doing duo work and getting a lot of high praise.

I ran into a few of my photographer buddies, one of whom was being harassed a bit by a former band member of an old Athens band that shall remain nameless. It was a bit creepy. But he soon went away and I took up my usual post in the corner of the Watt and proceeded to watch Dexter and his sister rip the White Stripes a new one.

My schedule has planned out that we'd be headed over to see Caper and the Cookies. I didn't make it. The friends all returned from the Skirts show and offered to walk me back to the car. We caught up with Matt, fresh from putting up his gear. He made a completely, just plain-wrong, joke and I had to threaten to kill him.

After their laughter died down, we continued walking to my car. Parted ways with Matt after a short, slightly threatening chat. The walk was really long and gave us all time to be as nerdy as we wanted. We all piled in and I cranked up "In Time." And we sang. Truth be told, we had pretty great harmonies going on until we had to drop Tony and Rebecca off at their car.

I dropped Ziona off at her hotel and then made my way back to the apartment. I was having a hard time sleeping so I put on my custom "Sweetness Follows" playlist and drifted into sleep on the most comfortable couch on the planet. My boss found me sprawled that way the next morning.

Dispatches from Athfest, Day 1, Thursday

The alarm clock went off at the wrong time, leaving me in a bit of a pickle. I had wanted to get off to Athens at 9 a.m. Instead, it was more towards noon by the time I left the hometown for the sights and sounds of Athens.

I put on my special Athens playlist. It's the stuff that you like to sing really loudly in the car while driving down the highway and the slower, more pensive songs for travel through the small towns and countrysides. I've driven this way a lot. The playlist timing is almost perfect.

Getting into town, I parked in the College deck to run some errands. First, off to the office to see if I could get the key from my boss to her apartment. She was busy in a meeting so I hung out for a bit with my other co-workers until my cellphone started buzzing. I needed to get to Flagpole.

It was extremely hot and I hadn't had the time to change clothes so my pants and dark shirt were sticking to me. Drenched with sweat, I managed to make it into the offices without dying. And then I find out my editor had just stepped out. UGH. So I turned around and headed downtown. I could see the streets practically melting in the heat. And my phone rang again.

It was Tony, a friend from Murmurs.com. He and his girlfriend Rebecca were waiting for me outside The Grill. Seeing as how Tony lives in Massachusetts and Rebecca lives in Pennsylvania, we haven't met. But I knew them at first sight. What a cool thing the internet can be, bringing together friends and fans! We chatted for a bit and got some smoothies (beyond yummy) and sat down to take a break from the hot sun.

Again, my phone rings. This time it's the Ice Cream Man wanting to set up an interview. He'll be at Wuxtry soon so we just agree to meet there. We then set off towards Athensmusic.net headquarters to pick up some stuff for our other friend Ziona. We get up there and enjoy the luxurious air conditioning for a bit while they find our order. Nice to see Troy again. We run back to my car and deposit the goodies along with my newly purchased piece of Murmur vinyl. It's so shiny...

We wander around a few stores until Tony points out a giant white truck parked outside. It's the Ice Cream Man! Hooray! We catch up to him and I drag him over to the Transmet tables for a little chat. He's filming with Dead Confederate and a few other bands during Athfest. He also spent the last night sleeping in a parking lot. Oof. He's very charismatic though and the chat goes well.

I'm feeling bad about having to leave my pals behind again but we part ways on College and I head off to find the key to the apartment. This time, my boss is in the office and I grab the key from her. After she finishes a sketch of where her place is, I take off and head back down to Flagpole, hoping my editor is there.

And she is! Yay! I get my wristband for the fest as well as a few missed paychecks and we're ready to go. I rush back to my car and drive to the apartment. I've got to get ready for the Flagpole Music Awards.

Well, I'm a mess but I try to fix up as best as I could before I head to the V.I.P. pre-party at Farm. Ken Will Morton's playing as people are chowing down on various shrimps and cheeses. I think I spy a familiar hat...yup. Jon Bird in the house. It was great to finally meet him in person. We've been tweeting back and forth for a good while now.

I also run into my friends Daniel and Steven from MBUS. Beyond thrilled to see them. We're sitting there talking about the new stickers I made up for the blog when Daniel gets a text. Michael Jackson is dead. Woah. Did not see that one coming at all. I never really cared much for Jackson's music but there's no denying we had just lost a powerful force in the music world.

I had to leave and go to the Morton for the presenters/Flagpole pre-party. A little bit quieter than the last party, it had some really good food. Or decent food that tasted really good because I was hungry. Not really sure about that. We were herded backstage and told to wait for our cues.

Backstage was a clusterf*** of different performers, presenters, and people who knew people who wanted to hang out. I had a great chat with a few new musicians and finally met Trent Allen in person after having interviewed him via phone. I kept going over my speech in my head. The original draft had a lot to do with sparks and passionate fire and other flame imagery. I nixed most of it due to the GA Theatre fire. It probably wouldn't have been a big deal but I didn't feel comfortable saying all of it.

So I waited in the wings, holding the extremely heavy Flagpole award. My editor Michelle walked out onstage to introduce me. I was so focused on not tripping over the wires that I only caught a few phrases. Something about writing and then "certified Athens Music Junkie, Jordan Stepp." And then something entirely unexpected happened. There was a loud cheer.

I can't quite describe what was going through my head at that moment but it was something akin to shock, joy, nervousness, and pure adrenaline. I couldn't see a damn thing due to those lights but I heard someone yell my name from the back of the theatre. If it was you, thanks so much! I forgot most of my speech and just winged it.

I was presenting a special award to Bruce Burch and the MBUS program at UGA. Being able to do that was very important to me. Not just because I got to get up onstage and all that jazz but because I owe a lot to the program and especially Bruce. Had I had my druthers, I probably would've included the fact that very few people get to have a mentor that actually cares about his students. And one that sacrifices a lot of sleep and time and money to make sure they are successful. (Thanks Bruce.) Instead, I made a joke about his blackberry and the gale force winds that couldn't rip it from his hands.

With the presentation over, I headed back to the balcony in the dark. One thing about the Morton that I dislike is the seating. Those benches are hard and very prone to splintering. Needless to say, I was pulling those splinters out of my hands and legs for a few days. The rest of the awards went well. I was a bit surprised at some of the winners but all in all it seemed fair.

I joined Rebecca and Tony outside where I was pulled aside by a Red & Black reporter, wanting my opinions on Athfest. Since when did I become an authority on this stuff? It's mind boggling. I answered some questions and then we all went on our merry way to see Supercluster at Little Kings. I managed to stay for a little while but the laptop and sleep were calling. I bade farewell for now to my friends and headed back to the apartment, ending my first day of Athfest 2009.

Flagpole Award Winners

Electronic: Immuzikation

Jazz: Half Dozen Brass Band

World: DubConscious

Jam/Funk: Widespread Panic

Experimental: Diet Rock Star

Hip Hop/Rap: Deaf Judges

Roots Americana: Packway Handle Band

Country: Kaitlin Jones and the County Fair

Rock: Dead Confederate

Pop: Modern Skirts

Punk/Hardcore: American Cheeseburger

Metal: Harvey Milk

Tribute Band: Ziggy Stardust

Solo Performer: Madeline

Upstart of the Year: The Incredible Sandwich

Best Live Band: Of Montreal

Music Video: Hope For Agoldensummer: "4th Night"

Album Cover Art: Modern Skirts "All of Us in Our Night"

Best Album: Bloodkin: "Baby They Told Us We Would Rise Again"

Band/Performer of the Year: Widespread Panic

Special Award: Bruce Burch and the UGA Music Business Program

And here. We. Go!

ATHFEST kicks off today with the Flagpole Athens Music Awards at the Morton Theatre at 8 p.m. Featuring performances from Dead Confederate, Casper and the Cookies and many more. Plus a lot of familiar faces *cough* hint *cough*. So get up here if you can.

Don't forget, we're taking anything you've got to give us. Video, audio, words, pictures, etc. Just send them all to athensmusicjunkie@gmail.com.

Follow blueshades on Twitter for live updates from the bars, stages, and anywhere else we end up.

ROCK!

New Modern Skirts Songs

Our good buddy Matt Daniel happened to get to the Modern Skirts sorta secret midnight gig at the brand new Tasty World Uptown and so graciously gave us these videos to post. For those of you wondering where the Skirts' sound is heading next, be warned. This ain't no "Pasadena."

Now before you go running to the hills and locking yourself in the closet with Catalog of Generous Men on repeat, give this new stuff a listen. When a band stops pushing their creative boundaries, they become stale and predictable. The Skirts are doing what every good band should do: evolve.

"D U I"


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Athfest: Essential Info

GEORGIA THEATRE ATHFEST SHOWS NOW AT MORTON THEATRE

The incredible loss of the Ga Theatre has forced Athfest officials to come up with an alternate venue for the shows originally planned for the GAT. All the shows will be held at their originally scheduled times at the Morton Theatre.

ATHFEST MAP

If you're like me and have no sense of direction, you might like a map. Here's a great one.

ROCK DOCS: MUSIC DOCUMENTARIES

Need to beat the heat but don't want to stop the music? No problem. Cine will be showing a number of musical type movies during Athfest. Included are the can't miss "Athens, Ga. Inside Out," the Elephant 6's "Major Organ and the Adding Machine," "Rip, A Remix Manifesto," and a collection of rare performances and interviews circa 1984 from R.E.M. to be shown before "Inside Out." Check this site for more details such as movie times and additional films.

LEND A HAND

There's still time to volunteer! Sign up here to help at a stage, venue, merch, and all sorts of cool stuff.

ATHENS MUSIC HISTORY TOUR

Get to know the town better with an awesome tour led by the Side Effect's Paul Butchart. More info here.

MERCH DONE EASY!

As mentioned in the comments of another post by our friend Jeff, Athensmusic.net will be out full-force to serve your Athens music needs. You can find their booth next to the main outdoor stage and it will have tons of stuff from local bands like shirts, cds, videos, etc. They do take credit cards. You can even buy stuff online pre-AthFest and pick it up at the booth if you want.

SHOW YOUR STUFF

Don't forget. We're looking for pictures, video, audio, writing, drawings, whatever from you and your experiences at Athfest. Please share. Cause sharing's nice. Info here.

The Warm Fuzzies at the Melting Point

BY SOFIA PEREA

The Warm Fuzzies are crashing into the Athens music scene with unexpected force. I’ll admit that I had never heard of them before Wednesday night’s concert at the Melting Point, but apparently I’m the only one. They currently stand as one of the top three contenders for Flagpole’s Upstart of the Year Award, a veritable feat by itself considering the influx of good new music we get in Athens each year. Success couldn’t come to a nicer band; they invited Athens Music Junkie to come out and enjoy their show and asked so politely that we couldn’t refuse.

The show opened to a small but suportive group at the Melting Point with Nashville-based band HeyPenny (a band I highly recommend checking out) opening. After HeyPenny’s energetic set came The Warm Fuzzies who kept up the same frenzied pace. The Warm Fuzzies are what I would consider perfect summer music. They were energetic and endearing all at once even though the Melting Point was less than half full. I couldn’t help but wonder that if they were this excited with a half-full room, how amazing will it be to see them during Athfest?

But back to why the Warm Fuzzies will be on my constant summer sound rotation. Simply put, this band is fun. They sang songs that ranged from the merits of cheese to falling in love in the Dairy Queen drive through; a welcome change from the over-emotional, self-indulgent whining that mainstream music seems to lean towards. Funny and silly, these are the songs I could see myself singing and smiling to as I drive with the windows down and no real destination. Most importantly for the club-kid in me, they make for great dancing music. Think of Weezer, an influence that the band easily admits to, in their most energetic moments and now inject some Red Bull into it. I couldn’t keep from tapping my foot and wishing there was enough room to dance around. The concert ended up being the best midweek pick-me-up I’ve had in awhile.

This is definitely a band to keep an eye on but I’m sure all you trend-savvy readers know this by now. When a band releases a CD that smells like bubblegum and quotes Cyndi Lauper, I, for one, know I have found a summer mix staple.

The Warm Fuzzies will be playing Saturday June 27 at Athfest on the Hull Street Stage outside at 2:40.

The Georgia Theatre Will Rise Again

(Photo/Stephanie Sharp)

(Photo/Waites Lasseter for Red & Black)

I must thank all of you who tweeted, twitpic'd, and called me during the day. Special thanks to Matt Daniel and Gordon Lamb who supplied info and photos during the events. Sorry the last post was so rushed but I needed to get the info out. This is new media reporting guys, and we couldn't do it without you! UPDATES TO COME AS NEWS BREAKS.

What Happened:

A passerby called 911 around 7 a.m. because he saw smoke coming out of the doors. Several groups of firefighters were called in to battle the blaze. The heat was extremely intense and could be felt nearly a block away. The smoke could be seen from across town.

Since there's an electrical housing near the Theatre, they shut off electricity to downtown (which more than likely included REM's offices as well as my own office building). Power was restored in the afternoon. Certain streets will remain closed until Sunday.

The roof collapsed soon afterwards. The firefighters managed to save the front of the building but the inside is absoultely destroyed. The owner, Wil Greene, intends to rebuild but figures the whole place a loss.

WHO IT MESSES UP
Perpetual Groove was slated to play there tonight and has moved to the Classic Center on Saturday night, devoting all the show's proceeds to the Theatre and a dollar from every beer to the staff. The Athfest shows that were to take place inside have now been moved to the Morton Theatre, remaining at the same times.

I can't stress how much that place means to all of us. It was a great large venue for bands like Dave Matthews Band and B.B. King but you'd probably know it best as the place where Shinny Happy People was filmed. Wil put his heart and soul into the venue for the last 5 years, remodeling the place as best he could. We're all behind him and I'll keep you updated on further plans for rebuilding.

Also of interest, it appears that there has been a large amount of requests from Athensmusic.net for Georgia Theatre shirts. Glad to see support out there.

WHERE TO FIND MORE INFO:
Best Coverage: Red & Black
Best Music Angle: Flagpole
Other info: Athens Banner Herald
Cubed view of fire

GA Theatre Catches Fire on Friday Morning (Updated 11:15)

(Photo/Gordon Lamb)
(Photo via Twitpic by VeniceisSinking Lucas Jensen)

A lot of us woke up to bad news this morning. At 8:30 I got a text telling me that the Georgia Theatre was on fire. Not believing this, I ran to the computer to check my local sources. And guys, it's true.

Downtown Athens is now filled with smoke from the raging fire that began sometime around 7 a.m. on the second floor of the Georiga Theatre. The Fire Department was called at 7 a.m. and proceeded to fight, spilling water into the theatre. Someone said it looked like "they were splitting it." According to reports from my friends there, several blocks of downtown have been blocked off. The heat from the flames could be felt as far away as the Morton theatre.

Perpetual Groove was scheduled to play tonight and tomorrow. Greene has spoken with Athfest organizers about moving the scheduled acts to Legion Field or the Classic Center.

UPDATE (11:15)
Still no word on what caused the fire. Buildings near the Theatre were not harmed. No one was injured. Power was turned off intentionally but will be back on between 11 - 12 today. A large crack has formed in the side of the building and officials are very concerned with the integrity of the structure. It's basically just a few walls standing very awkwardly up. Police are asking everyone stay away since they'll be working for the rest of the day.

P Groove has been moved to the Classic Center for Friday and Saturday night. SATURDAY CONFIRMED ONLY. Athfest acts may be relocated to Classic Center or Morton Theatre...

Jared Bailey reports that Wil will rebuild though Wil suspects a total loss. We're behind you guys! Rebuild!

(Photo Via Twitpic Ryanetics)

The apperance now resembles just a shell says Wes Delk via Facebook. The front looked saved by the inside is gutted. Reports on twitter are saying that downtown may not open or may be delayed today. The power outages downtown are expected to last until the afternoon, prompting many to either go home or go watch the firefighters.

To give you a sense of how important the Theatre is to Athens, here's a quick history lesson. The theatre has been a landmark in Athens since 1978 when it opened with Sea Level (Randall Bramblett/Chuck Leavell). It shut down as a music venue in the 80s until 89 when Pylon opened it back up. It is currently under the ownership of one Wilmont Greene. To say that it's been an important venue is an understatement. R.E.M., Widespread Panic, the B-52s, and so many major touring acts like Tom Waits and Dave Matthews Band have played there. Folks are hoping it is not a situation like the one that occurred with Tyrone's O.C. many years ago.

UPDATES AS WE GET THEM

MORE PHOTOS BELOW, Follow Illuminatedeye for more twitpics as the day goes on.
(Photo via Twitpic by VenicisSinking)


(Photo Via Twitpic by SSHARP)

Sources: http://athensmusicandarts.tumblr.com/
http://www.redandblack.com/home/ - Best
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/stories/2009/06/19/athens_fire_georgia_theatre.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

Help Us Cover Athfest!

I never wanted AthensMusicJunkie to be a solo empire after I realized people actually read this thing. Anyone can set up a soapbox on the digital alleyways of the internet and scream into the distance. What I want to see is a community. One of Athens music fans, friends, family. So here's the pitch.

I WANT YOU!

Actually, I want your help covering Athfest. Your photos, stories, catchphrases, video, drawings, poems, tweets, whatever! I know you're a creative group.

Last year, I typed up a summary of each day of my experience at Athfest. But I want to hear your stories. I'm calling you out. I want to hear it from the angle of the bands playing (looking at you Venice, Tunabunny, Leading Edge, etc.) I want to see it from the photographer's point of view (Mike, Chris..get on it!) and read about it from your own words. Both the scene veterans (Gordon, Jeff, you know how to do it) and the people who've never been to Athfest (Ziona, Keet, glad to have you aboard!). Any soundmen (Asa? Wes?) or managers (Daniel? Matt?) would be more than welcome to write about your experinces too.

And yes, I'll still be writing up some reviews and impressions of Athfest too. But I'd rather hear from you. So what's in it for you? Well, um, probably stickers and my undying gratitude. And you own the content you produce and we post so that might look good in your portfolios. In my wildest dream, if we had enough content, maybe we could put together a scrap book...

HOW TO HELP COVER ATHFEST
VIDEO:
Upload videos to youtube as responses to (the yet to be posted) "Athfest 09" on the AthensMusicJunkie youtube site. Make sure to include info like who the film is of, what day of Athfest, and the words AthensMusicJunkie and Athfest in the tags and description.

AUDIO:
Have some epic bootleg of the show (with permission please) or color commentary? Upload it to YouSendIt and email it to us at athensmusicjunkie@gmail.com. Please include crucial info like who you are and what the audio is of.

PHOTOS:
Got a Flikr or Photobucket account? Tag the photos with #athfest and #AthensMusicJunkie. Or if you'd like to see them on this here site, email 'em to athensmusicjunkie@gmail.com with a description and your credit info.

TWITTER:
I'll be tweeting from various places during Athfest so you can follow me (blueshades) for updates on shows and such. If you're tweeting during Athfest, let's all use #athfest to mark the tweets for easy searching. I'll also be using #AMJ but that's optional of course.

ESSAYS, REVIEWS, COMMENTS, & OTHER WRITTEN STUFF
Email them to athensmusicjunkie@gmail.com with the subject line "Athfest (topic here)". After a quick check for content (we like to keep it PG-13 here), we'll throw it up on the page.

Again, this is just something I've been wanting to do and the whole thing depends on what you would like to do. If it does something really cool, you can say you were part of it. I hope this works...

QUESTIONS? IDEAS?
Email athensmusicjunkie@gmail.com or write in the comments.

Flagpole Athens Music Awards Finalists!

Well, last month we looked and listened and voted and here are the results of the Flagpole Athens Music Awards! Congrats to all the finalists. Don't forget, the Awards Show kicks off Athfest next Thursday at 8 p.m. at the Morton Theater. I'd recommend getting yourself there. You might see a familiar face or two.

Electronic:

• DJ Triz
• Immuzikation
• SeaDub

Jazz:

• Carl Lindberg
• Half Dozen Brass Band
• Kenosha Kid

World:

• Bob Hay and the Jolly Beggars
• DubConscious
• One L

Jam/Funk:

• Randall Bramblett
• The HEAP
• Widespread Panic

Experimental:

• Diet Rock Star
• Killick
• Sweet Teeth

Hip Hop/Rap:

• Athens Boys Choir
• Deaf Judges
• Future Ape Tapes

Roots/Americana:

• Don Chambers
• The Corduroy Road
• Packway Handle Band

Country:

• Colt Ford
• Kaitlin Jones and the County Fair
• Corey Smith

Rock:

• Dead Confederate
• Pride Parade
• Twin Tigers

Pop:

• Allison Weiss and the Way She Likes It
• Modern Skirts
• Venice Is Sinking

Punk/Hardcore:

• American Cheeseburger
• Chrissakes
• Pegasuses-XL

Metal:

• The Dumps
• Harvey Milk
• Lazer/Wulf

Tribute Band:

• Gimme Hendrix
• Pastor of Muppets
• Ziggy Stardust

Solo Performer:

• Brock Butler
• Liz Durrett
• Madeline

Upstart of the Year:

• Gift Horse
• The Incredible Sandwich
• The Warm Fuzzies

Best Live Band:

• The Corduroy Road
• Deaf Judges
• Of Montreal

Music Video:

• Dead Confederate: The Rat
• Hope For Agoldensummer: 4th Night
• Venice is Sinking: Ryan's Song

Best Album:

• Bloodkin: Baby They Told Us We'd Rise Again
• Dead Confederate: Wrecking Ball
• Modern Skirts: All of Us in Our Night

Album Cover Art:

• The Incredible Sandwich: The Incredible Sandwich EP
• Modern Skirts: All of Us in Our Night
• Of Montreal: Skeletal Lamping

Band/Performer of the Year:

• Dead Confederate
• Modern Skirts
• Pride Parade
• Widespread Panic

Again, congrats! Now, if you're wanting my opinion on who's gonna win/who I wish would win, leave your request in the comments.

Athfest 09: Tips and Tricks

This time next week, I'll be gearing up for my favorite event of the year: ATHFEST. With friends from Murmurs.com and some readers of this here blog coming for the Fest, I've been bombarded with questions about how to make the most of time spent here in Chronic Town. The following is stuff we wished we had known last time. See ya there!

1) Have a buddy. As magical and otherworldly as Athens can be, it's still not safe for you to wander about at 2 a.m. by your lonesome. A buddy can act as a designated driver or just a safety precaution. Better yet, travel in packs of four. That way, when some sour puss wants to leave the venue, you can throw someone else to the wolves and still enjoy a rockin' evening.

2) Pre-plan your meals. If you're not a native Athenian or don't have a continental breakfast at your hotel/couch/sleeping bag, take along some powdered donuts or Poptarts for breakfast. This will save you some money that you can later use for merch.

Lunch is typically the cheapest meal. Try to schedule your lunch breaks during the hottest part of the day (noon-3) so you can get some cool air and good food at the same time. The GRIT, longtime staple of Athens, is cheap and extremely good for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. Closer to the stages is Clocked (next to the 40 Watt), The Grill (downtown near the arch), and tons of food vendors outside near the main stage.

For dinner, if you've got the budget, you might want to try the National (next to Cine). Other options include the previously stated along with the Varsity, Five Guys, and Mellow Mushroom. If you're a little short on cash because you decided to buy the vinyl instead of the cd, then you may just want to pop into Trapeze for a small bite or head over to Farm 255 for some homegrown cooking.

3) Befriend a local. Local people in Athens tend to be nice with a few exceptions. If you have no idea how to get to the Georgia Theatre from College Avenue, ask someone. Athfest volunteers usually have a t-shirt on that screams "ATHFEST STAFF" or something like that. They'll point you in the right direction. Other helpful people can be found behind the counters at Wuxtry Records and Schoolkids Records. They'll probably even be willing to talk about some of the acts playing that day. Some have been known to act as tour guides...

4) Meeting the band. Most bands are insanely nice. They like fans. You're a fan. Therefor, they like you. If you really want to meet one of the members, be warned. Some performers need alone time before and after a show to get out of SHOWMODE. Unintentional grumpiness may ensue. I carry around a small sharpie marker on my keyring at all times. While I use it for marking cds and stuff, it's helpful when you run into, say, one of The Whigs. I also used to carry around just the inserts from my favorite albums that I'd like signed. Last Athfest, I got them all. I saved myself a trip back to the room to fetch them and didn't have to carry around a ton of discs.

Also, just an FYI for out of towners, if you do happen to see a "famous person" walking around, please remember that he/she is a person too. You wouldn't want to be interrupted during dinner by some random stranger wanting you to sign something right? Common sense will go a long way here. Be nice, be yourself, be calm and all will be cool.

5) BREAKS, BREAKS, and more BREAKS. No lie, Athens gets hot in the summer. Most people know that. But if you've never been here, then you don't know about the humidity factor. Dry heat is one thing. Moist, damp, suffocating heat is another. Current forecasts are calling for small amounts of rain during Athfest week. That equals pure misery for the unprepared. Bring tons of water. I'd recommend a little fan. Sunscreen is a must if you're attending the outdoor shows. I'd recommend t-shirts and shorts but wear actual shoes. Some idiots seem to like breaking beer bottles on the ground and leaving them. Get in the shade, get in the pub, get out of the heat when you can. Might I recommend a good music store?

6) Take the Merch and Run. Buy before the show. Here's a little secret. Over 60 percent of the bands you will see during Athfest have been on tour a good part of the year and have limited merchandise for you to buy. If you know you like the band, get the shirt/cd/hat before. If you're the type to wait and see, then try to get to the merch area during the last song(usually in the back or lit by X-mas lights). For general Athfest stuff like special event shirts and anything you find in the artist market, weigh your options. Either buy in the morning and leave it in the room or buy it later and risk it not being there. Buying in the middle of the day = hot, sweaty you carrying bags of stuff.

7) Choose Shows Wisely. If you've seen a band 8 times and they're playing the same time as a band you want to see, that's not really a difficult decision. More than likely, you're looking at four bands that you have no clue about. This is where some pre-planning might come in handy. Or hell, be spontaneous. Go where the music leads you.

8) Remember Every Moment. Just have fun. You'll see some great sights, eat some good food, and make new and interesting friends. Take pictures and video. Buy the shirt. And if you'd like to share your story, email us at athensmusicjunkie@gmail.com. Hope to see ya there!

Debate: Are the B-52s an Athens band?

One of the perks of being surrounded by such a colorful collection of friends is the incredible debates we often engage in while waiting for a band to come onstage. They range from the mundane (Pepsi/Coke) to the profound (What is Happiness?). One of my favorite debates of all time took place in the back corner of the 40 Watt on a cold November evening.

The discussion? Are the B-52s an Athens band? For me, it was a no brainer but the following is what I can remember from a few months back. Feel free to join in in the comments.

NO: At one point, I will give you this, the B-52s were an Athens band. They were the art school, I don't care what you say, Rockin Lobster party band. They got the scene started, no doubt. But guess what? They moved. Yup. They took off to New York and it hasn't been the same since. Only one member even lives remotely near Athens now. And when was the last time they played around here? Is Atlanta really that good that they'd skip town and not play? I can only wonder how many people felt slightly betrayed by that decision. The Bs haven't been part of the local scene in decades. Maybe they were once the darlings of the town but that time is long since past. No one talks about them anymore. They're not an Athens band anymore.

YES: They made their last album here dude. Sure, they're all in other places but you don't fault the V3 for living on the West Coast instead of in Athens with the rest of R.E.M. If you can still have that spark and have breathing room, why not move? I'd wager that if the Bs hadn't moved off, the connections between NYC and ATH wouldn't be nearly as strong. They paved the way for a lot of people. A "big in Athens" band didn't mean squat to people then. Obviously they still feel a connection here. I mean, they did a whole song called "Hot Corner." Saying the B-52s aren't an Athens band is like denying any of this ever happened. Without the B's, there really wouldn't have been the massive worldwide recognition. The B-52s were, and ARE, the original Athens band.

Funny Vid Friday

I have waited a long time to see this up on youtube. Thank you flowerofthemoon. The skit kinda sucks but it gets worth it about 3:10 minutes in.



You can tell when I'm not in Athens when I put up videos like this. Like to be out of beat-down range!

Farewell to We Versus the Shark?

Met with the message "This band will not be playing shows after June 26," I stared at the myspace of We Versus the Shark with a dropped jaw. Wowzers. I've only seen my Homedrone co-blogger's band once ever so hearing that the last show is nigh, I'm a bit crushed.

To be honest, I don't really remember that show. I do recall it being obscenely loud. The music, however, I know from WUOG. Man, we even had this great drawing of Jeff that hung on our wall for a long time. Don't know where it's at now since the move.

So grab that copy of Murmurmur and play the hell out of it. Dirty Versions will serve you well too. Can't wait for the numerous side projects guys.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
And now a message from the mouth of the shark itself:

We Versus the Shark is going to play our last show for a very long time at the Georgia Theatre on Friday, June 26th as part of Athfest.

The next time you see us, things will probably be different: we might have a different name or a different line-up. Scott will have his degree from UGA and we will be well-rested from not touring four months out of the year. And hopefully we will have a really great album to share with you.

Those who attend our "last show for a very long time" at Athfest can expect a set list that reaches all the way back to the beginning, and so it's only appropriate that we will be joined onstage by founding member Samantha Paulsen. Thanks and hope to see you assholes there.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

It's the End of Tasty World as We Knew It (But We'll Be Fine)

I've long suspected something was going down with Tasty World. It began early last year when the venue moved from its original double the trouble two story ensemble to keeping the second floor stage as the main (and often only) focal point. Then the ever in the loop Jon Bird sent a cryptic sounding tweet via Twitter talking about Tasty World redoing the downstairs to appeal more to the posh college crowd.

Then today I read in the Athens Banner-Herald that our fears were well founded. Tasty World is indeed getting a major overhaul. It's gonna be closed until June 20th for "rerockification." The most interesting tidbit is the rumor of calling it Tasty World Uptown. That'd be a nice way to connect past and present of course but dude, I miss my two story tower of ear splitting pain and wonder.

Tasty World's held some memories for me personally. I'm not much of a musician but it was home to my first gig in Athens, playing guitar at a Leonard Cohen tribute. I always walked past it going to and from campus. it stands as a giant middle finger to some of the elite snobby sorostitutes of campus and the greedy money taking UGA offices on the other.

I'm gonna have to wait and see how this turns out. I haven't been in Athens when a venue with such standing has undergone a major change. Yeah sure, I saw D.T.'s turn into Rye Bar (vast improvement) but it's not quite the same. So here's looking to the 20th and what news it may yet bring.

An Uncertain Flight: Helping the Darlings

(Photo/Jordan Stepp)

You may remember our friends Chris McKay & the Critical Darlings from previous posts here on AMJ. Since we last saw them, they've parted amicably with guitarist Joe Orr, played a number of high-energy gigs, and have created one or two um...interesting...videos for songs from the latest release "Satisfactionista." So yeah, we're fans and when we saw this, the gears in our heads started turning.

During the recording of "Satisfactionista," the band created something like 40 songs for the album and had fans vote on the final tracks. A lot of work got cut but the band moved on a continued writing. Now they have some new songs that they've worked out and REALLY REALLY want to record for a new album/EP. Like everyone else in this economy, they need a bit of help.

The band is asking fans and friends to help donate towards the new record. But don't think this is a simple charity case. No, the more you give, the more you get. Your basic $5 option gets you a download of the single and all updates on the project. At the top levels, bonuses include everything from unreleased tracks and signed swag to bassist Frank designing and building a custom guitar/bass for you, a ride around in Chris' car and just a jaw-dropping amount of other stuff.

I'd really like to hear that pre-Darlings stuff and the acoustic arrangements sound pretty awesome. Of course, it is very tempting to get them to craft a song about a radio dj whose show gets overrun by rock stars....

It's a solid investment in this cruel economy. Chris is a man of his word and you will not be disappointed with the results. The goal is currently set at $2000 but if you are of deep pockets and want to basically rent the Darlings, I'm sure they won't object too much. Just make sure to feed Chris every once in a while. He gets a bit grumpy between meals.

Another Athens Song About...Space

(Art/Ziona Kocher)

You can't say that the songwriters of Athens aren't a bunch of dreamy folk. Many of us spend nights outside in tents or on roofs, listening to crickets and looking at the night sky. Many a good song has been inspired by those brightly burning balls of gas and frozen space junk hanging up there in the black. The following are some Athens songs about space or have some connection with planets.

"Satan's in Space" - Packway Handle Band
A delightful little folk tune about the dangers of letting your guard down against the Prince of Darkness. Turns out that ol' Lucifer is everywhere you are too. Even in space. So next time you're floating around collecting moon rocks, watch out for a hoofed space suit.

"Solar System" - Vigilantes of Love
A beautiful and haunting ballad from, in my opinion, the best songwriter in Athens. With vivid imagery and a soft performance from the Vigilantes, the quiet tune will stick around to find you in the depths of the night, making you wish you could listen to it forever.

"Astronauts" - Modern Skirts
A rare song sung by Phillip, it's the understated parts of the song that really grab onto you and force you to re-listen. Harmonies seem to come from outer space, bouncing off the satellites and into your brain.

"Little Aries Girl" - The Bros. Marler
A country tribute to times gone by. It's more about the girl than the Aries part. True, Aries is a constellation more so than anything else but it is considered a masculine, positive sign. Found on the album "Songs For Pluto."

"Man on the Moon" - R.E.M.
Probably the song that best represents the R.E.M. sound, "Man on the Moon" deals less with the lunar and more with the abstract ideas of life embodied by Andy Kaufman. Putting a man on the moon could be seen as the pinnacle of human achievement. So if you believe they put a man on the moon, isn't anything possible?

"Comet" - Five Eight
A touching song from the rockers about how the little one is a comet in the subject's sky. It's amazing how comets often only come around once every few centuries. It takes a very special person to be a comet. At the same time powerful and beautiful.

"Saturn Return" - R.E.M.
Full of references to the great beyond that is space (see what I did there?), it's the quiet and contemplative sound of this Reveal track that makes it work. Written from the viewpoint of a woman who takes a ladder to the top of her workplace and just leaves everything behind by looking up at the stars. Sometimes that's the only way.



"Another Athens Song About..." is a continuing feature where we discover and dive into topics that appear to be popular with Athens bands.

Turned Inside Out: Time Toy, Oh-Ok at Little Kings

(Graphic ripped from remhq.com)

As I sat in a small chair in the corner of Little Kings, watching people flow through the door, I had to ask how in the world I got here. Yes, I know, I got in my car, drove around for twenty minutes looking for a parking place, failed, paid $5 to park in the Cine lot, walked through the door, paid, and sat in the chair. I would hope that much would be obvious.

I meant, how did I get to wait for two bands (and Magnapop's singer) that I had only seen in Athens, Ga.: Inside Out? I had only heard Oh-Ok through Ethan at the station. Yet here I was, watching a slideshow of Ingrid Shorr on a laptop across the room and surrounded by her friends. They were gliding around from table to table, chatting away and looking at the wares. Yet I felt like I was the one who was a ghost.

The rain had finally stopped on Friday. It's been a dreary few weeks in Athenstown. The moisture still hung in the air like an unfulfilled promise. The suffocating Georgia heat gave way to a cooler evening, the stars appearing one by one in the night sky. I walked into the doorway and stepped outside to the little lawn where some children were playing cornhole. The music hadn't begun yet. The streets were filling up with people desperately searching for parking spots and failing like I had.

I propped myself up against the side of the building. It's been a long week requiring me to wake up FAR before I normally would in order to get everything done. The strands of lights outside made me smile. I guess it's an Athens thing. Wouldn't be as great a venue without the lights. Lots of chatter coming and going. I heard a powerchord and drifted back inside.

(Photo/?)

False alarm. I sit back in "my" chair, watching people pass. A man came over to the couch, most of which I wasn't occupying, and set down a guitar case.

"Do you mind me doing this here?" he asked very shyly.

"Not at all," I replied, looking at the strange guitar he was pulling out of the case.

He had replaced the bridge and was fiddling with the strings but finding it very hard to keep it in tune. He had a singular repetition to his movements. Put the string in, tighten the bottom, tighten the head, strum, tighten the bottom...and on and on until he was satisfied. I couldn't help but stare. Replacing guitar strings always frustrates me. I couldn't imagine trying to replace the bridge. The man placed these odd looking glasses on his face and lit up a small disc-like light in order to see. Between the guitar, screwdriver, string, and light, he was having a bit of a time.

"Can I hold that for you?" I asked.

"Please!" he answered.

He finished getting all the strings in place. And began to tune with one of the largest tuners I've seen in a while. It's big so "you can see it from the stage." He had shed his glasses by this point and was now bending and pulling the strings taught so when the whammy bar was used, they would stay in tune.

"I'm Danny by the way," he said, still pulling strings.

"Jordan, nice to meet you," I said, still enthralled by his precise movements.

He smiled and set the guitar in its case. Almost showtime. It would only come to me later that this man is Danny Cottar from Time Toy. He had a friendly face.

(Photo/?)

A friend of mine from WUOG came by. Jennifer was last seen trying to steal the Patti Smith vinyl from the station on the last "official" night. And I was watching her like a hawk. I'll be damned if anyone is taking anything from the station. Much less Patti Smith! A short conversation ensued then Michael Lachowski came by with a hug and a smile.

I was so glad to see his face. My encounters with the honorary WUOG dj have been few since February. We had run into each other briefly the night before at the Melting Point during Dead Confederate. His magazine is about to see the light of day again and there are things he is planning for the summer that will be spectacular. Seeing him now, in this place, gave me bittersweet feelings. It hit me that the last time I had been here, it was during Randy's wake, watching Michael toast his dear friend. Tonight though, he was smiling and bouncing around with the rest of us. It was so good to see.

The crowd seemed to have grown larger by the time we had finished saying hi. I spotted a few familiar faces from the "local celebrity" collection hanging around in the back. Venturing over to get some water, I just managed to make it back to the front of the stage in time to run into my editor from Flagpole, Michelle. We were both impressed with the number that showed but our attention soon turned to the stage when we heard the familiar *squank* noise of a guitar plugging in. Linda Hopper and Ruthie Morris took to the stage.

I'm still very much new to some of these songs but the minute the duo launched into "Favorite Writer," I had to sing along. Those R.E.M. bootlegs sure come in handy. And there I was, standing in the crowd with my flip camera recording everything for fear that I might miss it. I was very pleased with the set and turned to tell Michelle so but she had vanished. Sighing, I put away the camera and milled around inside, looking at the amazing painting by Sam Seawright. Something I could never afford but there's not any harm in looking at it right?

"Jordan!"

"Holy cow, TUNABUNNY!!" I cry, leaping into the arms of my guest djs. What a completely random happenstance. We chatted happily about what they've been up to (think new record!) and Athfest and how crazy it was that we were about to see Time Toy. Really, THE Time Toy that we remembered from Athens, Ga.: Inside Out. And see them we did.



It should be noted that Time Toy had a small but cult like following during its days as an active band. It should also be noted that they freakin rock. Poetry meets dance rhythms meets guitar swirls. I could only bring myself to tape a single song due to my uncontrollable urge to bop up and down. A quick glance over to my right reveals a very happy Michael Lachowski and to my right and a bit behind, a smiley Michael Stipe. Then it happened.

Time Toy launched into the song from the movie ("Hi") and I swear that something felt different. I looked around again and there seemed to be so many people that I knew I didn't know but I felt like we were friends anyway. And here was a band, not one I'd seen on a movie screen but one I'd stumbled upon playing a smokey venue in 1985 while crawling around the pubs with my friends.

Lachowski confirmed what I'd felt when I spoke to him after the set outside for an air break.

"They haven't changed a bit. They play just like they used to."

The feeling was finally fading a bit so I took the chance to review what I had shot. Apparently, my flip camera has the same grainy quality as the ones shooting Inside Out. It really was like I had stepped out of time to capture this moment.

Bidding was slowing down on the items being sold for Ingrid's benefit. Oh-Ok and Flash to Bang Time were setting up onstage when I spied Mr. Stipe peeking at the bid list for the autographed copy of "Hello." Nothing wrong with a bit of sheer curiosity right?

I hear clapping and whistling so I whirl around in time to watch Oh-Ok/Flash to Bang Time take the stage. Neat! Ethan used to talk my ear off about Oh-Ok. I really wished he were here to see this. We all bopped and hopped and danced and sang and shouted and laughed and had so much fun. It seemed like the shuffle club building would explode with so many people inside.



The set ended and the band dismantled itself, members hopping offstage and wandering into the crowd, hugging siblings and friends. I overheard someone say, "I haven't seen you in twenty years!" I can barely imagine being close to my friends twenty years from now, but this small exchange set off a very long thought about friends and family.

I've heard it said that people can tell what kind of person you are by the company you keep.I don't know Ingrid but I know some of her friends. She must be a damn swell person. My mind is blown by how close these people are after some thirty odd years of knowing each other. And an event like this to benefit a friend serves as a testament to their opinion of her.

People always ask, "Why is Athens so successful?" Trying to figure out its source has befuddled many professional music commentators. It's not something that you can measure by gold records or indie credit. It's not something in the water or the red clay or even the proximity to Atlanta. It's all more simple than that. It's the people. The people who you choose to be your family and friends. The relationships that you work hard to keep. The ones who loan you a couch to sleep on, a shoulder to cry on, and throw concerts in your name. And that's something that will outlast any Athens band.

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Time Toy & Flash to Bang Time will be playing The Melting Point with Love Tractor and Five Eight during Athfest on Saturday.

Support breast cancer research.

Just FYI for you completists, Ingrid is the subject of R.E.M.'s "(Don't Go Back to) Rockville," the twangy little Mike Mills penned tune. She went back. But the love for her friends stays.