It's been almost thirty years since R.E.M. made their debut at a party in an old abandoned church in Athens. Thirty years of rule-bending, tour-grinding, record-smashing, heart-breaking, death-defying, breath-taking music that has been the soundtrack to our lives. We've laughed, we've cried, and it's far from over still! So in celebration of the four guys and all the motley crew that have helped along the way, Athens is throwing a party!
A perfect circle of acquaintances and friends are showing up to play some of the R.E.M. songs that mean the most to them. You've got locals Casper & the Cookies and Supercluster. Then we've got longtime band friend, engineer, and occasional extra instrumentalist John Keane ready to rock. VieTNam, the rocky punk type group from the ATL will pay tribute to the boys as will ultra-funky Athens band The HEAP. And what would an R.E.M. tribute be without the guy who helped create and record the band's earliest sounds, Mitch Easter! Topping it all off will be B-52 Cindy Wilson, Dana Downs and the Debauchelors.
All of this is going down on Friday, April 2nd, 2010 at the Melting Point. It's $10 now and $15 at the door.Tickets are available now right here.Doors are at 6 p.m. and music starts at 8 p.m. Any out of towners needing a room can get a special rate with the code REM30. There may be other events going on that weekend in conjunction with the anniversary so I'll keep you posted on that. As per usual, the members of R.E.M. are not expected to be in attendance. Proceeds from the event will go towards charity. Presented by our lovely friend Cathy Edmonds.
I'm beyond excited about this whole thing. All I can think is: "Birthday party, cheesecake, jelly bean, BOOM!" Maybe I'll see ya there.
There's this little play that my hometown theater troop used to do called "All I Really Need To Know, I Learned in Kindergarten." It's cute and has a lot of good points. My mind is focused on Pylon today. And somewhere in the last year, through all the sadness, I realized something. Pylon has a lot of really good advice to give. Heck, some of these would make really good campaign/t-shirt/bumper sticker slogans. Not bad for a dance band, huh? Truly, all I really need to know, I learned from Pylon.
"Everything is cool." - Stress sucks. Really. I'm at a point in my life right now where absolutely everything I've ever known is getting thrown up in the air and I have to make some sort of sense from it all. Not really a day at the beach, that's for sure. So instead of worrying about the things you cannot change, dance. Sing. Thrash around on your bass guitar to an old record. Or just breathe in slowly and exhale whispering "Everything is cool. It's ok. Everything is cool."
"Working is no problem" - I work. A lot. Several jobs, some of which pay. Most don't however. Fortunately for me, I thoroughly enjoy my jobs most of the time. But every once in a while, I just feel cruddy. It's like you end up working and working and you're not seeing any sort of result. You feel like you're just running to stand still (apologies to Bono.) I remember reading somewhere that Michael took a job that ended up taking away his weekend but it paid well enough to allow him to get through the week unharmed. We work towards what we want. So yeah, sometimes work sucks but if you know that it will eventually pay off, then "working is no problem."
"There is no reason to be discouraged, just turn the knob to the left." - Ah, the joys of radio. College radio has often been my little place of sanity. Well, ok. My little place of insanity. WUOG is just one of those nutty little places left of the dial where anything goes. It's fun to have no limits. If I want to play 2 hours of nothing but the sounds of a babbling brook and a baby crying over it, I can! It's a change of perspective from your normal radio. So it is with life. When you get discouraged, ask what you could do if there were no limits. Change up your perspective a bit. Turn your vision a bit to the wacky and see what happens.
"Nothing can hurt you unless you want it to." - As a writer on the Internet, I get ripped to shreds on a pretty regular basis. Comment sections can be cruel and just launch into personal attacks on both my writing and character. Such is the nature of the Internet. But does it hurt? Sometimes. If I really let it get to me, then yes. That whole rhyme about sticks and stones is complete bull. Words hurt. Actions hurt. But if we take everything so personally all the time, won't we do nothing but hurt? It's ok to get upset about some situations in life. But we've got to learn to let the small stuff go. We're much stronger for it.
I saw this article yesterday where Keith Strickland of the B-52s talks about how making Cosmic Thing helped the band cope with the death of Ricky Wilson. Wow.
Usually, we think of records being cathartic for us, the listeners. Sometimes when there's a really emotionally charged slow song (think R.E.M.'s "Let Me In") we attribute that to the songwriters but when do we ever think that making shiny happy music could help cope with the dark feelings of loss? But it does, especially when you've lost someone extraordinarily close like a bandmate, a brother.
I think that Cosmic Thing is the most Athenian album out there. Not just because of all the references to the ATL Highway or Allens, but because of the way it came out of a painful place. It's always struck me as odd that when a musician around here dies, the first thing anyone asks is not "When is the funeral?" but "Can I play the tribute show?".
Strickland likens the album to an old time New Orleans funeral, the kind where everyone dances and parties and sings in celebration of LIFE. And Cosmic Thing is very much alive. It's the type of thing you throw on and just dance and sing to. That joy of being unrestrained, of the possibility of being able to do what you want...Yeah, our troubles are still there in the morning but every day seems to get a bit more bearable as time goes on.
I remember watching "Deadbeat Club" as a little kid. I'd sing along as best I could in that cute "lets make up words that sound like the lyrics" kind of voice. When I hear it now, and especially when I see the video, I get a little teary eyed. Not sure why. I see that I'm not the only one. I guess we all sometimes wish we could go back to earlier days. But that's not what life's about. Like "Deadbeat Club," we've got to keep moving on, taking the past for what it was and being glad we had it when we did.
The crowd laughed in agreement at the understatement. As I stood with my back propped up against the merch table, I couldn't help but shake my head and smile. Vanessa's words rang so true. Vic was a glorious bastard, our strange genius. What a life...
So in honor of this one man wrecking crew of emotion, his friends got together and sang a few songs. Some were Vic's, some weren't. All of them, however, were for him.
As I walked into the 40 Watt on Friday night, I ran into a wall of familiar faces, mostly musicians. They were chattering on about some random meeting with Vic that turned into an adventure, as most things involving Vic were wont to do. It seems he played with just about everyone, recorded with everyone else, and for the rest of us he was that unique creature that we'll have to tell the grandkids about one day.
And so his friends began taking the stage, one by one, to play tribute. I was struck by the emotional level in the room. It wasn't a joyous occasion, that's for sure. But upon looking around, it wasn't a sad one either. We all just looked....numb. We turned our attention to the stage, hoping to feel something.
What I remember was a beautiful blur of sound augmented by the shuffling of the crowd, the songs we knew so well sung by unfamiliar tongues. I never thought I'd be able to listen to some of these lyrics ever again, much less have them carried to me by friends. There was supposed to be a steady lineup, lists of who was on at what time and all that. After the 6th guest wandered onstage for a rousing version of a brute song, I had to set down my writing pad and just listen. I'm off work tonight.
The acts came and went quickly, courtesy of the R.E.M. backline and a quick hand from DeWitt Burton. It seemed like everyone was staying away from the more depressing tunes, the ones that dealt with the oft-covered subject of death. Understandable. This was a celebration of his life, his work, and his awesome sense of humor. In that vein, it was only appropriate that Howe Gelb verbally attacked the talking members of the audience, likening their mundane drunken chatter to second-hand smoke. His dark-eyed glare was something to behold. It was a true Vic moment if ever there was one.
Saturday night Guy took the stage with a large collection of Vic's family and close songwriting friends. It was an incredibly touching moment watching them play songs that Vic never got to release. It was heartfelt, painful, and oh so beautiful. Just like Vic's songs I guess. This beautiful agony....
As I was leaving the last show, a friend grabbed my shoulder and mentioned that he had just read my Chesnutt show review from November, his last in Athens. I still regret not being able to convey his last show in Athens the way it deserved. I had no idea how those last typed words would haunt me after reading them again. "I'm glad to be home, even for just a little while," he sang. He finished that show alone onstage, plucking his little guitar in a single dim spotlight.
That was Vic. A viciously honest soul with a haunting voice, a gift for song, and a sense of humor that endeared him to all who got to know him. So we sang out our blues and laughed together and bid farewell. We'll always have the music.
(Info Stolen from Flagpole)
Doors open at 8 p.m. each night. In addition to the live music listed below, there will be a slideshow of Vic Chesnutt photographs in the game room of the 40 Watt Club.
Oh wow. I can't believe it's time for this already but ATHFEST has announced the artists and tracks that will be on this year's Athfest Compilation cd. While the compilations can be very hit and miss sometimes, this one looks pretty damn good to me.
For starters, I've heard every band on this list before. While that's not really a qualification, it's a bit telling. These bands are pretty popular around these parts, compared to last year's cd which featured a lot of unknown and under the radar cuts. Apparently, the final 16 tracks were culled from over 140 submissions. The record comes out May 4th, 2010. Expect a live release party around that time as well.
1. The Whigs - "I Don't Even Care About the One I Love"
2. Hope for Agoldensummer - "Be Free"*
3. Charlie Garrett Band - "Wasted Time"*
4. Timber - "Sad & Scrawled"*
5. Spring Tigers - "Just Suggesting"
6. The Incredible Sandwich - "Where You Are"*
7. Five Eight - "The Ballad of Frankie Jr."
8. The Packway Handle Band - "Outskirts"
9. Modern Skirts - "ShipShape"*
10. Pride Parade - "If You See Her, Say Hello"
11. Ken Will Morton - "Tell It to the Wind"*
12. The Vinyl Strangers - "So Long, Heartache"
13. William Tonks - "Allelujah"*
14. Timi Conley - "New Boyfriend"
15. The Orkids - "Told You So"*
16. Venice Is Sinking - "Bardstown Road"*
(* marks previously unreleased material)
While reading about some of this on Flagpole, a comment caught my eye. It claimed that the cd isn't exactly representative of what's hot in Athens right now. And to be honest, he/she/it is right in theory. There is a lot more out there than this. But how could a single cd even begin to represent this town? Hell, I can't even fit everything I need into a two hour long show. Don't even get me started on the iTunes Athens playlist... But I'm looking forward to hearing this comp. and it really just serves as another reminder of all the craziness that Athfest inspires. Really wondering who's gonna headline this year. It's only a few short months away.
This week it's time to dig into our pockets and go watch some live shows that will benefit someone and somethings other than ourselves. The benefits that are going on this week are a great way to give back while having some fun. Make sure to check out the Vic Shows going on at the 40 Watt this weekend, it's a wonderful way to remember this amazing musician.
TONIGHT 40 Watt Club Girls Rock Camp Benefit
Creepy
Incendiaries
The Orkids (Read the CD review here)
Allison Weiss
Flicker Theatre & Bar
Songwriter Showcase
New Earth Music Hall
Archnemesis
Flight Risk
THURSDAY Tasty World Uptown
Fire Zuave (Flagpole did a great review of the band)
Heypenny
Vanillin
The Wales
No Where Bar
The Laney Strickland Band
Snap!
Caledonia Lounge
Cotton Jones
Thayer Sarrano
FRIDAY The Melting Point
Abbey Road LIVE!
40 Watt Club The Vic Shows- Night 1
Five Eight
The Romper Stompers
Jack Logan and Kelly Keneipp
Ham1
Dave Barbe & the Quick Hooks
Kelly Hogan
Todd McBride
Rob Veal
Amorphous Strums
Ben Mize
Flash to Bang Time
Jill Carnes
John Keane
Nathan Sheppard
SATURDAY 40 Watt Club The Vic Shows- Night 2
Will Johnson (Centromatic)
Elf Power
Victoria Williams
Howe Gelb
Patterson Hood
Mercyland
Guy Picciotto and Mt. Zion
Lambchop
Tenement Halls
Mark Linkous and Jeffrey Richards
Tasty World Uptown
Midnight in the Garden
The Melting Point
Grogus
MONDAY Flicker Theatre & Bar
Kenosha Kid
Tasty World Uptown
Built Under
Dan the Juggler
TUESDAY 40 Watt Club Perry Johnson, Jr. Family Benefit
Adam Payne Band
JazzChronic
Kite to the Moon
The Suex Moon
I don't know what it is about Nate Nelson's voice that seems to draw me into his songs but dammit if I haven't listened to his record about 10 times in the past week or so. Usually, Nelson just sings over a strummed guitar and lets his voice do all the dynamic work. On the stuff I've heard lately, however, he's got some backing vocals and accompanying instruments: guitars, drums, keys and the like. For some singer-songwriters, that's where you'll lose interest. Nelson is different though.
Anytime I see Nate perform, I'm amazed at how well he transfers over his sound to a live setting. Sure, the crowd that seems to follow him around is not my typical gang but hey, the music is good. Nate's an observational singer, often writing songs about writing songs. There's one about him struggling for words, one about walking around with friends, another about trying to sing... His songs tend to lean towards the softer side of rock, sometimes blending so well into each other that I can't tell them apart. The real draw remains his voice. My favorite by far is the track "Hoping that Home Will Stay at Home." It's absolutely gorgeous. If you're looking for a talented young songwriter, Nate's your guy.
Casper and the Cookies just finished shooting some stuff for their next music video ("Sharp!"). You can check out the video to "Little King" here. Lots of familiar faces...
The Modern Skirts will be playing a free show on Tuesday at Allgood for Mardi Gras! They say to bring your New Orleans liver...
We bid farewell to local stage filling band Dark Meat. They called it quits this past week after a lot of drama and a bit of fun. May your rock live on and I hope your eyesight recovered.
We're also saying a sad goodbye to Tallahassee's Vinyl Fever. It closed its doors on Sunday after more than 25 years. It was a favorite of our FL branch. Support your local record stores folks. They may not always be there...
Caledonia Lounge: NOW WITH BOOZE! Also, Gordon Lamb is told by AMJ via twitter that he is a snarky type guy. His response? :(
Valentine's Day has always been really good for Athens. In 1977, the B-52's played their first show and in 1979, Pylon auditioned and found its singer, Vanessa. About 30 years later, bassist Michael Lachowski joined me for a DJ session at WUOG. Also, huge thanks to Paul Butchart for posting some photos from the B's first show on our Facebook page.
And in case you just totally screwed up Valentines Day for your special someone, might I suggest getting them the appropriately titled Sorry About the Flowers by Venice is Sinking? Rumor also has it that some members of ViS not only watch football but NASCAR as well!! That's just plain unhipsterish of them!
As always, if you want the latest bits of Athens news, follow Jordan on twitter. Find out news, opinions, and random info like Drive A Faster Car considers "Country Feedback" to be one of her top 5 R.E.M. tracks along with "Strange Currencies." Who knew?
If you've got any news you want blasted around teh Intarwebs, drop us a line at athensmusicjunkie@gmail.com.
(It's REM! IN SNOW! SnowStipe is wearing a toesock for a scarf! Wish I knew who made 'em.)
As Gordon Lamb so eloquently put it, "Rushing to the market in fear of a few snowflakes is my right as an Athenian. HERITAGE, NOT HATE!" Yes, every time there's a small threat of snow here in Athens town, the stores get swamped with people shopping for supplies. According to latest weather reports, we're looking at a possible 4 inches of snow.
There's a very good possibility that if this snowstorm does happen, I'll be out of power. However, if the snowflakes have mercy upon my soul, they will allow me to listen to my records at least. I learned last year after Randy's snow that not much can beat a romp around town taking pictures in the snow followed by a nice, long groove session.
There's really two ways to go about the groove session: a) listen to nothing but the slow and quiet songs that remind you of winter OR b) deny any existence of snow by playing upbeat surf rock. With that, I'm giving you two short playlists I made last year. Unfortunately, I'm not embedding any MP3s (long story).
SNOW? WHAT SNOW?! Playlist:
"White Tornado" - R.E.M.
"Hot Corner" - B-52s
"Hot Pants" - The Agenda
"Hot Bed" - The Whigs
"Barn Burner" - Harvey Milk
"Cool" - Pylon
"Down by the Beach" - Oh-Ok
"Hyboria" - Spring Tigers
DEAD OF WINTER Playlist:
"The New Year" - Azure Ray "Cold Weather Romance" - An Epic At Best "Winter Breathing" - Brad Downs "Sleep" - Sleepy Horses
Athens Blur Magazine announced on Tuesday that the next issue may very well be its last. It's a very serious decision and may not be a final one. The possibility of ABM continuing as an online entity or eventually publishing again both hang in the air. For now though, Blur is on hiatus after a good two year run in a very treacherous era for both news publications and music in general. For all of us freelancers, well, this has been happening a lot lately and doesn't seem like it's going to stop anytime soon.
It's a very sad thing to have to watch it go. I know Alec and all the staff poured a lot of time, effort, and love into Blur. I know nothing about their current state of affairs or what ultimately led to this decision but I honestly hope that Alec and the gang will be up and running again soon whether it be through Blur or something else.
So many bands, so little time... However we suggest you take time to see Dark Meat's last concert ever, take a peek at the WUOG Valentine's dance, and go hear Randall Bramblett, one of the nicest guys we've ever met.
TONIGHT Caledonia Lounge
Bow Legged Gorilla
Damon Moon and the Whispering Drifters
Geisterkatzen
MacGregor Burns
New Earth Music Hall
Party City
40 Watt Club
Evan Dando
Retric
THURSDAY 40 Watt Club
Brad Downs & the Poor Bastard Souls
William Tonks
Go Bar
Bomb the Music Industry
Peace, Loving
New Earth Music Hall
Supervillians
The Wailers
Flicker Theater & Bar
Man Gave Names to All the Animals, Vol. 3
FRIDAY Flicker Theater & Bar
The HEAP (one of AMJ's newest addictions)
Madeline (read the interview with her here)
Mother Jackson
Still, Small Voice and the Joyful Noise
Little Kings Shuffle Club
Daffodil
F'n Heartbreaks
Nuclear Spring
New Earth Music Hall
Dark Meat (LAST SHOW EVER! Make sure you watch this amazing band on their final night)
Judi Chicago
SATURDAY The Rialto Room
Randall Bramblett (an early favorite of the blog)
Flicker Theater & Bar
Zombie Bar
Go Bar WUOG Valentines Dance
La Chansons
MONDAY Flicker Theater & Bar
Kenosha Kid
TUESDAY 40 Watt Club
As Tall As Lions
Cage the Elephant
Morning Teleportation
Winston Audio
I love Hayride. I'm seriously disappointed in myself that it's taken this long for me to use them for a New Addiction post but there you go. Maybe it's more of an old familiar pull than a new addiction... Anyway, these guys have been around forever, strumming away at the Caledonia mostly on Monday nights and popping up on the odd compilation or two.
Nothing fancy pants here, just straight up no BS garage rock. They reappeared sometime in 2008 and keep swearing that they're recording. It's refreshing to have some good ass-kicking rock and roll to listen to after a parade of pop and a herd of twang bands. Curses is in personal rotation here at the AMJ office but if you want to listen to some pure Hayride, check out what Sloan's got over on Southern Shelter.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna find out what conditioner Sweeney's been using on that mane of his. Can't...stop....staring....
Over the weekend, I met up with an old friend to catch up on our lives and ended up discussing the inevitable "What are you doing with your life?" question. He was about to get engaged to his longtime girlfriend, got a decent job in a corporation, etc. So when asked what I was up to, I talked about the usual stuff but for some reason mentioned my pipe dream of eventually writing a few books about Athens. "Like what?" Like what indeed...
This conversation came on the heels of meeting a young guy who is trying to write a book about the Elephant 6 collective. A huge task to be sure and not one that I'm sure my computer's hard drive could handle. I've done some work in fiction, nothing serious but it was really fun. I still work on that piece from time to time when I'm in a particularly verbose mood. But in all seriousness, the lack of more current works of Athens music quality (R.E.M. bios not included) is a bit disturbing. So I compiled a list of book titles and excerpts that I'd like to see done. Who knows? Maybe I'll get to write one myself some day.
Cool: The Story of Pylon
Hurrah's is like a sweatbox tonight. Randy's shirt is already untucked, Michael's blood red top is burning up, and it's only a matter of time before Curtis loses his completely. It's the middle of February but the Athens, GA band seems to have brought the summer heat of their native town with them to NYC. It's suffocating. The thump thump thump thump of the drums is pulsating the stage, acting as a cue for Vanessa to twirl around like a spinning top, dress floating in an imaginary breeze. She nearly misses her next verse but reaches out and grabs the microphone just in time. "You can dance. If you want to. Dance. If you WANT TO!"...............
Something in the Water
One thing to consider when thinking about Athens music is the ideal geographical location of the town. The capital city of Atlanta is not too far away, giving any band with a ride access to not only venues but resources like recording studios and one of the world's busiest airports. Also of importance, Macon, a historical music town that has sadly seen better days. Home of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, Macon was once the home of Capricorn records and acts like the Allman Brothers Band and Otis Reddingduring its heyday in the late 60's and early 70's.....
The Georgia Theatre: From Film to Fire and Everything in Between
The heat is intense, scorching the sky. People stick their heads out of cars several miles away and see a large plume of smoke coming from the edge of downtown. Some students near the UGA Arch remark about the heat and turn their eyes in horror to the vast, dark cloud drawing nearer. Cell phone in hand, they dial. "I think the Theatre's on fire....."
Athens, GA: The Drinking Town with a Music Problem
(Yes, I stole this title from the compilation cd. We could make it a package deal. Sheesh.)
According to various sources, Athens has the most bars per square mile of any town. Whether this is actually true or not can be debated but it only takes a trip downtown on a Friday night before the big football game to believe it whole-heartedly. Some have also claimed that Athens has the most bands per square mile of any town. The same trip downtown on a Friday is proof enough of that. If there's anything the town has, it's a good soundtrack and a great thirst..........
Rich Someday: The Randall Bramblett Story
His eyes glance across the room, searching for that one person he's gonna connect with tonight. The band behind him is stumbling around, plugging in guitars and shifting amplifiers. The smokey atmosphere is making it a little harder to see but there in the corner is a couple, watching intently as Randall adjusts his saxophone. Bingo. He smirks just a little and turns to the band. They're ready. Drum count...one, two, three...and out comes this wail...........
Of course, there's a lot of other ideas jotted down here. Some Widespread Panic stuff, a couple of Athens/Art book ideas, and a random history of WUOG project that still boggles the mind. Don't even get me started on the music video ideas or the film documentary. That's a different blogpost...
Athens dodged another potentially awful venue fire after some quick thinking employees and concert goers helped stop a fire that had started at Flicker Theatre, only a few doors down from the 40 Watt club. According to Flagpole, a performer had just taken the stage when people began to notice the smell of smoke.
The owner called 911 while an employee attempted to put out the visible flames. Firefighters arrived on the scene shortly, tore up some floorboards, and put out the rest of the fire.Though the official cause has not been cited, it is believed that this incident is similar to another one that happened 6 months ago when a patron dropped a lit cigarette down a small hole in the front deck.
Needless to say, we're all still on edge here whenever there's smoke spotted in the downtown area. The Georgia Theatre fire has left that danger charred in the memory of many a music fan. Thank god everything and everyone ended up okay.
What is it about cover/tribute bands that seems to get people so up in arms? I don't really understand it. Is there something just completely wrong with the idea that a band would do nothing but play other people's material just for the hell of it?
Don't get me wrong, there are a LOT of crappy cover bands out there. And there are a lot of original bands that do really crappy covers. But sometimes you just want to hear some music that you actually know, you know? It's why the Abbey Road Live band is always such a draw. Wrong Way did pretty well too. It seems like there's a different cover or tribute band every week. So why do they provoke some people? I'd really like to know.
Then there's the people who love to bash on games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band. "It's not real." Well, duh. Of course it's not. I play bass (not well, btw) but I still enjoy tapping those plastic controllers with my friends because a) it doesn't require a lot of practice b) you all don't have to be on the same level and c) there's no real pressure. It's just plain fun. Yes, playing the real bassline on a Police song is a bit more satisfying than the fake version but seriously, it's just a game.
What got me thinking about cover bands? The fact that I'll be seeing the incredible Strawberry Flats tonight! (Oh stop rolling your eyes. You knew they'd be on the blog again!) I'm only sad that the giant cheeseburger in paradise will be missing this time. Regardless, it's gonna be a fun night. Watching a cover band. Cause it's awesome.
Professors aren't giving homework, students aren't doing homework, bartenders are switching shifts, and many a DVR is whirring away. Yup, LOST fever has gripped Athens. Tuesday saw the premiere of the first episodes of the last season and boy, there were a lot of parties going on.
I am more than aware that my usual DJ shift at WUOG falls right at the same time as that massive cultural mind-warp that is LOST. I think I'm one of about 8 people in town that hasn't watched it. Well, I saw part of the first season. Regardless, I figured I'd try to subvert the norm by doing an All-Athens LOST Themed Show on Tuesday night. And holy cow, it can be done!
Since I am Lost illiterate, I depended on my friends Brad and Charlie to figure out what themes to go with. Anything dealing with planes, islands, and ghosts was fair game. Kudos to Charlie for pulling out Ruby Isle's "Atom Bombs." Anyway, the playlist was awesome and I nearly scared myself with how closely some of the songs related to the show.
But I'm far from the only one doing the "LOST" thing. That photo at the top of the blog is a painting by local artist Lauren Gregg for the LOST Underground Art Project. If you dig that, here's where you can find some of Lauren's other work.
Not to be outdone, LOST fans Mat and Ryan Lewis created an alternate theme song which Jesse Lockwood helped turn into a 1960's sci-fi action series credit reel. It's so awesome, TIME MAGAZINE picked up on it!
Add in the fact that one of this blog's very favorite musicians actually builds the sets for LOST and you've got enough Athens LOST goodies to make even Smokey jealous.
When I had finally gotten to the Melting Point, it was already looking pretty rough outside. The wind had been blowing a bitingly cold air across Athens, bringing with it miserable rain and a bit of sleet as well. I immediately ran into Ritchie and Matt from Flash to Bang Time. Thankfully, they seemed to like the article I had written and didn't feel like beating me with the drumsticks that were lying on the table within easy reach. They were worried about Magnapop. None of the band had shown up yet. It was already 8 o'clock. Flash went on at nine and Magna right after. We all hoped that they hadn't gotten snowed in. Of course, in Georiga, snowed in means there's been snow spotted.
I crept up behind Ziona, scaring the daylights out of her after an already strenuous flight from Florida. It must've been my lucky night because no punching or kicking ensued from that either. Huh. It was SO great to finally get to see her again. She's my right arm as far as photos for AMJ are concerned and she does such wonderful work with our Facebook group that I really hoped that she'd have a good time. Soon enough, our lovely intern Sofia joined us, finally bringing all of the official AthensMusicJunkie staff together for the first time. Aw, so special. We even took a cheezy picture later to commemorate the event.
I had to step away from the table for a second to apologize to Wes for not coming to the Melting Point in a LONG while. He was forgiving though and we promised to hang out again just as Kevin Sweeny came through, mumbling about me always being at the Rialto. After correcting him (I'm almost always at the Caledonia), I tried to get back to the table but was thwarted by a mass of musicians. A very happy meeting indeed.
Once I finally got back to the table, Ziona, Sofia, and I began discussing various upgrades for the blog, different crazy antics of Athens musicians, and our general lives. Food arrived and we were soon munching away while Flash to Bang Time took the stage. I shifted around in my seat, not knowing how the other three felt about the article and hoping that it had brought in some people to see the show. The place was slowly filling up, a very good sign.
FtBT roared into action, playing a few of the same songs I had heard at their practice session a few weeks before. I was absolutely thrilled that they played "Horatio," a song I had heard on some compilation a while back. Nice to finally know the lyrics to it. They also played "Beggarweed," an ode to a dog and one of my favorites.
Magnapop was set to go next but there was some guitar trouble that ended with a lot of ear-splitting EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE noises. It got sorted out (sorta) and the show went on. I've never really heard much Magnapop but I was impressed by what I heard and the energy that was onstage, especially the vibes coming from Linda Hopper. I squeezed into a corner to shoot some video. I had just gotten settled when Michael Lachowski pops up and starts taking pictures, ending up in my shot throughout the entire video! It's a good video, despite some creative cropping. I made sure to mention it to Michael later, laughing about how it was the ONLY one I shot all night of Magnapop.
Last up was Supercluster. I got pulled away at the second song to talk to Hopper so I missed a lot of the show but Ziona and Sofia seemed happy with it at least. Probably the best moment of the night came after I had gotten reseated and I turned to look around. Michael was leaning up against the wall near the merch table, a mix of pride and admiration spreading across his face. He watched Vanessa, just enthralled. Supercluster had a captive audience for sure, though some of us were focused on Jason's shoes and how he managed to not break his ankle in those platforms. After an encore that included "Across the Universe," some of Flash to Bang Time joined Supercluster onstage for a very awesome cover.
It was a great night and a ton of fun getting to spend some time with Ziona and Sofia together. The weather was still pretty awful when Ziona headed out so I stuck around and chatted with some of the musicians, discussing some upcoming projects they had going on. By the time I got home, I just collapsed on the bed in full clothing and didn't get up until 11 a.m. the next day.
THE NEXT DAY
I woke up to a ringing phone, a ringing head, and a cat clawing at my door. Last time Ziona came up to visit, we had lunch with Chris McKay and his wife Amanda. Since we thought it'd be nice to repeat the experience, we invited Chris' bassist along for the ride. We met at Wuxtry (in the cold), walked to Transmet (in the cold), and managed to have an extremely long lunch break. Ziona had made Chris a hat which leads to this chapter I call: "In Which Chris McKay Attempts to Don a Hat." Never in my life have I seen someone have such difficulty putting on a hat.
Lunch was great. Chris and I tend to get all chatterboxy so the topics of conversation jumped from freelance photography to getting banned from high schools to R.E.M. to the Critcal Darlings and just about everywhere in between. After we realized it was nearly four (!), we broke camp and went shopping. Poking around Agora, we found some hilarious old novelty records (rejects from Mills' collection perhaps?), a lot of yarn, and some really cool old lamps. I love that store, just wish I had the money to spend in there. At least I know where to go for when I move out of the current residence.
ANYWAY. Ziona gave me possibly the most appropriate shirt in the world. I also got a really awesome scarf, some pins, and my very own little plushy bunny thingy. It's freakin adorable. We agreed that food would be nice before the Skirts show so we'd meet at Clocked around 8 p.m. then head to the Watt.
A few minutes before I should've left, I got the message that Kris had died. It was a shock and I ended up having to sit down for a bit before leaving for dinner. Rock and roll seems so silly in the face of life sometimes. But I needed to go and not dwell on it. There'd be time for dwelling later. So I ended up in Clocked where Matt was also waiting for us. Then onto the show.
I had to speak with a friend about Kris so I basically didn't get to see much of Thayer. I found Ziona fiddling with her camera near the coat check where an ever so snarky Candice lay in wait. I ran into a ton of others during the night but I've probably name-checked too much already. We scooted our way to the front of the stage and I crossed my arms, put on my best music critic face and said "Ok Reptar. Impress me." After the wall of energy had knocked me down, I considered myself impressed. They're messy at times but at least they're having fun.
We were waiting for the Modern Skirts to hit the stage when the smell of pot drifted over towards us, making me a bit green around the gills. We retreated back to the perch near the merch and discussed our options for the show. Ziona's camera could get good pictures from back there, my flipcam cant. So I did the only thing I could and basically squeezed my way to the front to get the footage. You're welcome.
I dunno what possessed them to slick back their hair like that but when Jojo said "I don't normally dress like this," there were more than a few "THANK GOD"s that went around. The Skirts previewed a lot of material from the upcoming third album. It's very percussive and a lot less melody is involved. Sure to be a polarizing record but you either evolve or die in your little safe groove. They also ended up playing "Pasedena." For some reason, it didn't really feel like a Skirts homecoming show. Usually, they're a lot more into the crowd, fun loving and willing to play "Indiana Indian" on their third encore. Maybe it was just me....
When it was all over, we walked to my car, freezing our asses off. I gave Ziona a small gift bag which she seemed pleased with. We hugged and then left. She headed back to Florida on a morning plane and I headed back to the residence to type up this story and Kris' obit. I don't remember much of Sunday, except that when the phone rang at 3 p.m., I sat up in my bed and was confused. Then I got it. I had fallen asleep in my clothes once again. I count that as a good night.
SO! My computer decided to be a complete ass and delete my very long recounting of the weekend and Youtube decided to not be my friend and is taking forever to upload my videos. HMPH. Anyway, consider this a placeholder post until I can get the real thing up and running.
Coming up soon on AthensMusicJunkie:
We send intern Sofia to a coffeehouse for music stuffs.
Taking a look into of Montreal (hopefully live and up close!)
A breakdown of some of our favorite Widespread Panic songs
An interview with REPTAR
Soul-crushing Open Mic Nights
Calendar Picks on Wednesday (of course)
Contest in March...
A look at some dearly departed venues of old (Goodbye I & I..)
Art in Athens Music
and more...
We're always looking for good story ideas though. PLEASE send us a line if you've got an idea for something to cover to athensmusicjunkie@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you
Can't Spell Grammy without "GA": Major congrats to the Zac Brown Band for their shiny "Best New Artist" title and Booker T whose "Potato Hole" (featuring the Drive-By Truckers) won "Best Pop Instrumental Album." I didn't realize there were so many categories to be nominated in so apologies to any locals I missed. I also didn't get to watch the awards but I'm told they mentioned Vic Chesnuttin the memorial section of the broadcast.
Deaf Judges had a cd release over the weekend. Dude, it's awesome.
Reptar opened for the Modern Skirts this weekend. I was seriously doubting them mainly because of all the buzz they had but damn, they impressed me with their sheer energy. And the marching horns section. That was a nice touch.
Ziona (resident AMJ-snarkmisstress and Facebook slave) came up to Athens for the weekend. I'll be posting about our adventures tomorrow. Expect lots of photos, videos, and a lot of fun times.
