Monday, June 23, 2008
This year was really (probably) my last AthFest (maybe) ever... but without sentiment, here's what I did:
FRI: Holding fast to a personal pledge to schedule AthFest around me and not the other way around for once, I didn't end up downtown until very near 9 on Friday - missing a slew of undoubtedly good acts I'm sure, but that's the way it goes. However, passing by the second stage on the way to the main stage, I overheard about a song's worth of Kebert Xela's set. Cool sort of electronic stuff that comes off way more club-friendly than their myspace page would have you believe. Made me regret not having followed up on their invites these past coupla' years. Anyway, props to them.
Legal Bitch and I met up for Dark Meat's set right as it started. Listened to a few songs (including the family-friendly "Well Hug You Then"), and although the crowd was definitely into it, we decided it was a lot to take in early in the evening and sober (whereas they're always the perfect end-of-night set) so we headed towards the Caledonia.
Before even entering the Caledonia, I was informed that Producto was now a 2-piece. Accordingly, the loud outbursts in their songs had been minimized and it was a relatively sedate set. But for this time of the night it was perfect, so we both stayed till the end of the show. We also stayed for the Golden Gates set (which is really just Savoir Faire 2.0 it seems). The music is about the same - standard but highly enjoyable 90's "college rock" kinda stuff. Ended with a killer cover of the Glands' "Straight Down" (Ross was around, but not sure if he was watching then). Their photo is 2 paragraphs below because I didn't have a picture of those bands.
From there, we hiked up to the Georgia Theatre to get a spot for Contraband (which turned out to be Ninja Gaiden Band instead). Caught the end of the Folklore set where they were playing Kinks covers. Turned out really good. I actually thought they had the stereo on and were between bands when we walked in - so it was pretty together, especially for a band playing in the corner of the club (hence, no pic). Anyway, Ninja Gaiden Band performed well, but seemed to have a few technical troubles here and there and I've seen the act lots of times, so it didn't seem to hold its appeal at this point. Fun enough though. Passed Tony Clifton on the way out. Shoulda got a picture, but his beer-promo-looking girls kinda weirded me out with their oversized stickers they were forcing on people.
From here, I'm not sure the order of events, but I overheard a bit of Red Legs' set from Farm 255 when I was outside the Caledonia. It sounded like competently played 50's rock blended with something more modern. The description says something about the Kinks and Olivia Tremor Control, but I'd be more inclined to throw Buddy Holly in there somewhere. Anyway, I dug it and I can't believe I hadn't heard 'em before. Hit the 40 Watt for Iron Hero, who have reduced their numbers to 4 (I'm sure this is old news, but I haven't seen 'em in a while), while ramping the sound up to more straight-ahead rock (less dance-ish beats). They're good, no doubt, but I kinda miss the extra drums. Caught part of Hayride at the Caledonia too. Hayride is like Athens' mathematical constant.
Finally, The Arcs closed out the night for me. They proved once again why they are Athens' greatest band. Even after a few drinks, they were able to play with absolute precision and turn out catchy, hook-driven rock n' roll that stuck in my head the whole next day. They are amazing and were the highlight of AthFest for me. They should also hire Jeff Griggs as a professional heckler. If they hit the road, that would be needed. Anyway, that picture doesn't show the rock, but it was there in spades. Don't miss their future shows.
SAT: I've done my time in the Saturday outdoor heat. This year, I took it easy during the day and Legal Bitch and I made a firm decision that our first show of the night would be to see Night Moves (Gold) at the Caledonia. I would say this was the best "surprise" of the 'Fest. They were spot-on the entire set. I've seen them play a while back, but they really nailed it and despite what you "music is good no matter what time of day it is" people say, getting the crowd going at 8 PM when it's still light and everyone's sober is no easy feat. They pulled it off.
After a short booze break, I headed for Tasty World to see my friend's band, Thunderchief, play. You know when you go to a house party with hardcore bands playing all night? This is one of those bands. Raw. After a few songs, they paused to work out some guitar issues and I headed back to the Caledonia to catch the end of Colossus. It's like a bunch of late-20's music nerds tried hard to cross Judas Priest and Iron Maiden and absolutely nailed it. The crowed seemed to agree. Guitar tricks/faces, high-pitch (and on key!) vocals, riffs, the whole 9 yards.
Split time between A Armada and The Dumps in the next slot, both of which played great in their particular genres (the soft to loud builds with lots of precision for the former and the hardcore rock of the latter), but at the near-peak performance compared to past shows I've seen. Both held their crowds well. A Armada in particular seemed to draw louder-than-usual applause from the 40 Watt crowd.
Again decided to split the 12 o'clock hour. Caught the first part of Pride Parade's set at the Caledonia. Apart from the kick-ass music, I really like watching Pride Parade play. I mean, sure, they all look like models, but my point is that they absolutely control a massive wall of sound. I don't know how to say it better than that (not having honed my journalistic skills the least bit in the past 4-5 years), but they ramp a song up to near chaos then bring it back down in an instant and all seem to be totally immersed in it. I dunno, none of that helps anyone who hasn't seen them appreciate the show any better, but it's impressive.
We Versus The Shark, meanwhile, pretty much reserves the midnight Saturday slot at the 40 Watt. This was Sam's last show with the band. They've taken what seems to be a louder, more hardcore (I gotta find a new word) turn on the new record (is it just me, or is the "scene" getting angrier?). Not as dance-y, not at math-y, not as varied. The crowd seemed divided into people who were really into it (up front) and people who weren't (in back). I liked it, but WVTS songs usually take a few listens to digest, so I bought a copy of the record and headed out.
Caught the first part of Lona's set back at the Caledonia. They're a 4 piece and this was Clay's second set of the night (having opened for Billy Joe Shaver at Athens Arena hours earlier). You pretty much know what you'll get with Lona (really, the set hasn't varied much in the last 4 years). Clay has one of the best voices in town and writes great songs. If the guy would only write some new ones now and then, he could prove that to larger crowds.
Tired, I walked outside to sit and catch up with new and old friends. Good to see y'all out.
As always, watch Southern Shelter, Deadly Designs, and the revamped AMdC for much more and better coverage. And despite the fact that we didn't get passes this year (Boo! ... Actually, it was totally our fault for not having requested them in the first place), thanks very much to Jeff and everyone at AthFest for the wonderful event they put on yearly that brings bands to the top of their game and crowds in record numbers. It's a spirit unmatched most other times of they year and I've enjoyed the hell out of it for nearly a decade of my life. Thanks, y'all!
Labels: AthFest, TDJ Originals
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Labels: AthFest, Film and Video, Local Entertainment
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
"Film::Athens is currently accepting submissions for the 5th Annual Sprockets Music Video Competition to take place during AthFest 2008. Dates to remember:
April 01 early deadline
April 15 late deadline
June 14 sprockets show
June 19 flagpole music awards
Click here for more info and entry forms."
Labels: AthFest, Film and Video, Local Entertainment
Friday, July 06, 2007
I was tidying up the waiting area in my office yesterday, when I noticed that Athens Magazine's last issue featured folks I know on the cover - again, something no one had let me know. Turns out, that's their AthFest issue. Don Chambers, Dan Nettles, Mamie Fike Simonds, Wendy Musick, William Tonks and Eric Harris contribute to this sort of group interview about the scene that is Athens. Broad and a bit vague, but a good read nonetheless. What a weird supergroup that would be.
Labels: AthFest, Interviews, Local News
Monday, June 25, 2007
Labels: AthFest, TDJ Originals
Friday: First stop was Murder Beach at the Caledonia. These guys should play more often than once every 6 months, as it's always enjoyable. Lots of dancing and head bopping. Jeff Griggs needs a fan club. Stayed around to catch a bit of King of Prussia, which was also pretty enjoyable. Headed out to see what else was happening, caught a few songs from The Visitations at Hot Corner, but I don't think it's my thing. Caught about 3 minutes of Perpetual Groove and watched people noodling. Again, not my thing, although we were able to joke around all night about the groove not actually being perpetual. Hoofed it back to the Caledonia just in time to catch Nutria. I'm sure it sounds like we're always kissing their asses here, but Nutria is really, really good, and their set this night was loud, tight and vicious - the best I'd heard in a while. This is the only band in town who can cover both Christopher Cross and Motorhead in one set. If you missed this, you missed out. After that finished up, we hit the 40 Watt for some air conditioning and to hear Madeline. This was the first time I've seen her, and she's a lovely girl with a lovely voice. Give her music a shot if you haven't already. Made our way over to Little Kings to catch some of Venice is Sinking. The place was full of youngish looking kids who I think were waiting to see the Modern Skirts, so we were stuck outside watching through the fence. With the sound being shit as it was and being on the opposite side of the speakers, I'm afraid it didn't do these guys much justice. I've only recently gotten into this group and I plan on seeing them live more often. The bassist even rapped for a bit, which was awesome. Cooled off again in the Max Canada with some beers, then geared up to go see Ninja Gaiden Band at the Caledonia. I incurred the wrath of many by walking straight up to the door and ignoring the long line to get in (dragging Mailclerk behind me), then pushing my way to the front to stand on the benches along the wall so I could have a bird's eye view of the action. You don't have to post it in the comments - I know it was a bitchy thing to do, and karma will punish me eventually if one of you doesn't first. But who cares, these guys rocked! I'm always amazed at the dedication it takes to pull something like this off, and with each game/performance these guys are flawless and totally entertaining. I always want to ask the gamer dude how he avoids the dreaded "Nintendo thumb" I used to get playing Legend of Zelda for hours and hours. He even crowd surfed after he won, which I've never seen anyone do at the Caledonia before.
Saturday: I was totally psyched to see Pride Parade at the Caledonia. I brought earplugs and boy did I need them. 3 guitars = loud. Tight, furious, loud, wonderful rock music. The place was packed and I'm glad, as this is my new favorite rock band officially as of right now (and hopefully lots of other folks feel the same way). Headed out to the main stage to check out The Whigs. I hadn't seen them since they switched bassists, and the new lineup sounds much tighter and more rock-oriented than they have in the past. A drunken, mouth-breathing, 50ish-year-old dude standing behind me said if this were 30 years ago, Julian Dorio would be playing drums for Led Zeppelin. Julian Dorio is no John Bonham but he is undoubtedly one of the best drummers around (Esquire magazine thinks so). The Whigs are doing their own thing and doing it well, and I've been enjoying it for years. Hats off to them. I know at some point we popped in to Hot Corner to catch some of Titans of Filth, but I don't remember anything about them other than some chick played flute (and no, Robo Dave, not the skin flute). Rolled in to the Caledonia to catch Freeball. Nick Bielli is a madman. Jetted out of there to go see my old friend, Count Kellam, over at Farm 255. With the support of a solid backing band, he pulled off a great set. However, the door guys at Farm 255 boxed me in for about 10 minutes and I had to jump the fence (and almost bust my ass, which was a show to see itself) to get out of there, causing me to miss Pegasuses XL. I can't even say the word "Pegasuses." Dammit. I decided to pop into Hot Corner to see Christopher's Liver, and they brightened my spirits quite a bit. Their set was a bit sloppy, but I think that's part of the charm. Their drummer looks a bit like Sarah Silverman. One piece of advice to her though: don't wear a short skirt if you play drums. I think I saw the singer trying to calm down a bunch of rowdy underage idiots in line for Ninja Gaiden Band the night before ("Chill, man, you're screaming right in my ear!"). If that was you, Mr. Christopher's Liver, I salute you. Hightailed it back to Caledonia to catch Music Hates You. I love their shows if only to watch how enthusiastic their fans are. Mosh pits remind me of my glory days in the 90's. I flip my double birds to you, MHY, because you kicked ass. Cut out a bit early to catch We vs. the Shark at the 40 Watt. The place was packed to the rafters, and as always, they blew the roof off the joint. Every AthFest this band OWNS this venue, and tonight was no exception. They finished up early enough for us to swing back into the Caledonia to see Southern Bitch. Adam and Wendy Musick are the nicest folks around town, and I'm happy to see Wendy doing well and on stage again, kicking ass in a slinky dress and heels. This is one of the tightest lineups in town and for the brief part of the set I caught, they killed it. Cut out early to catch some of Cinemechanica at the 40 Watt, and again was amazed by how intense, precise, frenetic and insane their live shows are - the interplay between these guys is amazing. Riding high on adrenaline, I rushed across town to catch some of Dark Meat at Tasty World. It was my first time seeing this band, and I enjoyed the 10 minutes I could bear to stand in the packed to capacity, sweaty, pushy crowd. Wish I had ventured out to catch them at the Squirrel the night before. Incredible stuff. A warning to the bartender who sprayed water on the nice Leica lens in my new camera - when I find you I'm going to beat you with a roll of quarters wrapped in a sock. That is all. The Georgia Theater wasn't done rocking, so I stood in the doorway and caught a couple songs by Don Chambers + Goat. And yep, they were great too. I caught 4 of Athens' best bands in one night in the space of an hour and fifteen minutes - God bless AthFest.
Sunday: I was about AthFested out, but I made it downtown to catch a few songs by Drive-By Truckers. I'm not a big DBT fan (in fact, I don't own a single one of their records), but their live shows are great. The crowd and the heat - not so great.
As always, a special thanks goes out to the AthFest organizers and volunteers who put a great amount of effort into the planning and execution of the event - it's great to have something like this in our town that kids, teenagers, and adults of all ages can enjoy, and I look forward to it every year. In particular, many thanks to Jeff Montgomery (sorry we missed you at the info booth!) and Michelle Roche for hooking up TDJ with some sweet media passes. I felt important (or self-important, at least).
Saturday: I was totally psyched to see Pride Parade at the Caledonia. I brought earplugs and boy did I need them. 3 guitars = loud. Tight, furious, loud, wonderful rock music. The place was packed and I'm glad, as this is my new favorite rock band officially as of right now (and hopefully lots of other folks feel the same way). Headed out to the main stage to check out The Whigs. I hadn't seen them since they switched bassists, and the new lineup sounds much tighter and more rock-oriented than they have in the past. A drunken, mouth-breathing, 50ish-year-old dude standing behind me said if this were 30 years ago, Julian Dorio would be playing drums for Led Zeppelin. Julian Dorio is no John Bonham but he is undoubtedly one of the best drummers around (Esquire magazine thinks so). The Whigs are doing their own thing and doing it well, and I've been enjoying it for years. Hats off to them. I know at some point we popped in to Hot Corner to catch some of Titans of Filth, but I don't remember anything about them other than some chick played flute (and no, Robo Dave, not the skin flute). Rolled in to the Caledonia to catch Freeball. Nick Bielli is a madman. Jetted out of there to go see my old friend, Count Kellam, over at Farm 255. With the support of a solid backing band, he pulled off a great set. However, the door guys at Farm 255 boxed me in for about 10 minutes and I had to jump the fence (and almost bust my ass, which was a show to see itself) to get out of there, causing me to miss Pegasuses XL. I can't even say the word "Pegasuses." Dammit. I decided to pop into Hot Corner to see Christopher's Liver, and they brightened my spirits quite a bit. Their set was a bit sloppy, but I think that's part of the charm. Their drummer looks a bit like Sarah Silverman. One piece of advice to her though: don't wear a short skirt if you play drums. I think I saw the singer trying to calm down a bunch of rowdy underage idiots in line for Ninja Gaiden Band the night before ("Chill, man, you're screaming right in my ear!"). If that was you, Mr. Christopher's Liver, I salute you. Hightailed it back to Caledonia to catch Music Hates You. I love their shows if only to watch how enthusiastic their fans are. Mosh pits remind me of my glory days in the 90's. I flip my double birds to you, MHY, because you kicked ass. Cut out a bit early to catch We vs. the Shark at the 40 Watt. The place was packed to the rafters, and as always, they blew the roof off the joint. Every AthFest this band OWNS this venue, and tonight was no exception. They finished up early enough for us to swing back into the Caledonia to see Southern Bitch. Adam and Wendy Musick are the nicest folks around town, and I'm happy to see Wendy doing well and on stage again, kicking ass in a slinky dress and heels. This is one of the tightest lineups in town and for the brief part of the set I caught, they killed it. Cut out early to catch some of Cinemechanica at the 40 Watt, and again was amazed by how intense, precise, frenetic and insane their live shows are - the interplay between these guys is amazing. Riding high on adrenaline, I rushed across town to catch some of Dark Meat at Tasty World. It was my first time seeing this band, and I enjoyed the 10 minutes I could bear to stand in the packed to capacity, sweaty, pushy crowd. Wish I had ventured out to catch them at the Squirrel the night before. Incredible stuff. A warning to the bartender who sprayed water on the nice Leica lens in my new camera - when I find you I'm going to beat you with a roll of quarters wrapped in a sock. That is all. The Georgia Theater wasn't done rocking, so I stood in the doorway and caught a couple songs by Don Chambers + Goat. And yep, they were great too. I caught 4 of Athens' best bands in one night in the space of an hour and fifteen minutes - God bless AthFest.
Sunday: I was about AthFested out, but I made it downtown to catch a few songs by Drive-By Truckers. I'm not a big DBT fan (in fact, I don't own a single one of their records), but their live shows are great. The crowd and the heat - not so great.
As always, a special thanks goes out to the AthFest organizers and volunteers who put a great amount of effort into the planning and execution of the event - it's great to have something like this in our town that kids, teenagers, and adults of all ages can enjoy, and I look forward to it every year. In particular, many thanks to Jeff Montgomery (sorry we missed you at the info booth!) and Michelle Roche for hooking up TDJ with some sweet media passes. I felt important (or self-important, at least).
Labels: AthFest, TDJ Originals
First a big thank you to the AthFest folks for another great year. It was without a doubt the most crowded I've seen it in the clubs in many years, so that's a testament to some hard work, I'm sure. And thanks for the passes.
That's right, passes. We were legitimate as all get-out this weekend. That of course brings the deeper shame when you find by the end of Saturday night that clear judgment of musical talent is out the window. Clearly, unprofessional.
Fun, though. And I'm still not used to my new camera so my pictures mostly sucked. Click on any photo for a bigger, more entertaining, still sucky photo (unless it's LB's - hers were good).
FRI: Night started out on a great note. After a delicious pasta dinner courtesy of Transmet, me and LB ran down to catch Murder Beach at Caledonia. They were really on. I know we kiss a lot of butt around this time of year (we as in most of Athens) because there's a solidarity that's unparalleled for most of the rest of the year, but this is one of the best Murder Beach shows I've ever seen. Harmonies were very tight - which makes a big difference in a band like this or Nutria or the Sunshine Fix, which rely heavily on harmony. Great show. Plus, of course... Griggs.
Moving on, Nutria was also especially "on". They really played an up-tempo show with excellent harmonies as well. I did not perpetually groove but for about three seconds (Travis as a jam band?), but I feel like I let the groove ride throughout Nutria's set (coincidentally, "Let The Groove Ride" was the official slogan of this year's AthFest). Nutria is about as close to a harmony-driven rock n'roll as you get in this town since the demise of Ceiling Fan (who are always sorely missed) and it had that spirit of fun about the whole show - even during Robo-Dave's impromptu riffing.
Afterwards, we went and checked out Venice Is Sinking whose set at Little Kings immediately preceded the Modern Skirts. So, guess what - you couldn't get in. And the sidewalk was choked with all kindsa folks. Even this lady whose patchouli scent made standing at the gate too much longer not so much a possibility for me. So, LB and I packed it up and headed to the 'donia again for Ninja (Gaiden) Band - where there was a big line of folks waiting because of some fire code issues, I think. Long story short, we got in (see LB's post... yeah, it's not just a blogger name). The band was awesome - Noah (is that his name?) totally won the thing in record time and everyone loved it. He deservingly crowd surfed to celebrate the victory. Well done, sir.
At this point, my legs hurt and LB agreed, so we called it a night. Big mistake. I heard nothing but great things about Dark Meat's set at the Squirrel.
SAT: Slept in, took care of schoolwork all day. Missed my second of 3 Dark Meat performances. Lame, I know. Anyway, started out the night once again at 8 PM at the Caledonia to see Pride Parade's first Athens show. They played loud and precise for 45 minutes. The place was absolutely packed. It seemed to genuinely impress the band as Andrew didn't make any obscene or belligerent comments for the entire set. Pretty sure that's a first. Musically, I'd like to compare it to Clutch with Cobain singing, but they'd hate that comparison. Maybe Southern grunge? I don't know. But it held the crowd. And in any case it was cathartic and a great start to Saturday's shows.
Next I saw the Whigs perform at the outdoor stage. Gotta say, I was impressed as I expected to be. At the beginning, there were indeed worries about the sound. But they kept mostly with the rockers and eventually it all evened out. Pretty much every show this whole night made me wonder how singers who scream a lot maintain their voice. Anyway, Sam's holding his own up there too. Brings a different presence and they are certainly more energetic than last time I saw them play. Alan Jackson was great too. Though it was at this point that an old friend of mine showed up and we both decided it would be a good idea to start buying beer. Bad idea.
Jump forward a few bands and drinks and an impromptu "people I lived with sophomore year of college" reunion later and we're at Music Hates You at the Caledonia. I've pretty much stopped trying to take photos at this point and this was no place for it (thanks for taking awesome photos, LB!). The place was insane. Mosh pit like you haven't seen since '94 (you know the one) and an atmosphere of excitement. I think most people knew what to expect, but in the back (where my risk-adverse attitude keeps me at metal shows) you could see the faces of the bewildered. Helluva show. Or at least great spectacle.
Back to the Watt for We Versus The Shark's set, which had already started (early?) when we got there. This is the point where good journalistic ethics (after all, we're legit) dictate that I should qualify everything I say. So, keep that in mind. The Sharks played a heavier, looser set than I've seen them do. As always, the joy is in the tightly controlled chaotic spurts and the interplay between instruments. And the loudness and awesomeness. I need a new adjective. In any case, fun as expected and packed. Very packed. They finished up their set, and one of the aforementioned roommates got to the wobbly point. You know the point. Worry sets in. I skipped the merch booth (grab the CD next time, Sharks) and tried to move the circus to Caledonia.
Southern Bitch started the set with possibly their greatest 4-5 songs. The crowd loved it. It's the perfect thing at 1 AM at the end of AthFest Saturday. Loud, upbeat, energetic, and completely in the moment. It was music to get lost in. Unfortunately, another band fitting that bill was also hitting the stage soon after, but they were a hike away at Tasty World.
We tried, we really did, to see Dark Meat. But the hike was just too much for the man with the wobbly legs who, at some point in trying to jaywalk our way to speedier travel, managed to face-plant onto Broad Street. Theorizing that he'd fit right in at a Dark Meat show, I pressed to keep going, but the long line and the fact that he was propping himself up on a trashcan made me think twice. Strike 3. That was a wrap for Saturday AthFest.
SUN: Again, schoolwork and sleeping in (and recovery) dominated the day, but I managed to catch the end of Kimberly Morgan's set outdoors. She's got a fantastic voice and it seemed like the crowd was into it as well. The band is of course top-notch as well. This is fun country stuff and perfect for a Sunday afternoon. Didn't get any pics, though.
Took a while for the full DBT setup to transition onto stage. A well-deserved big congrats to the AthFest crew preceded more waiting. Finally, they took the stage at about 7:15. By about 7:25 LB and I had had enough of the tightly-packed crowd and the heat. Did manage to hear a new Cooley song that was great before I left, though.
I headed over to Cine to catch Dangerous Highway in what was very nearly a private showing. Wonderful subject, great personalities in the interviews, and of course a great soundtrack. That being said, the production value and editing did leave a lot to be desired at times. If someone were to really take the reins in post-production and polish this thing, it could be a great film. Worth seeing, though, as is. Eddie Hinton was simply a phenomenal musician. And any effort to bring his story to more folks is commendable.
Finally, I went and saw the last few DBT songs including an impressive cover of Springsteen's "State Trooper". At this point, AthFest was very much done. Another great year and thanks again for all those who make it possible. It's really one of those events that reminds you why so many musicians come here and makes you appreciate all you get to see and do and hear in this town. Thanks, Athens!
Labels: AthFest, TDJ Originals
Friday, June 22, 2007
So, AthFest weekend is here again. Always a magnetic sort of time around town. We'll of course be out and about taking pictures and whatnot and hope to have some stuff up Monday or Tuesday.
For this post, instead of giving a complete band-by-band rundown of what I plan to see or trying to cover everything I'd ideally LIKE to see, I got Desktop Publisher, Legal Bitch, and photography genius Mike White (of Deadly Designs fame) to contribute their "can't miss" picks as well.
Keep in mind, this is not a comprehensive showing of everything we're gonna go see - and obviously not even close to every act we'd like to see. Again, no links cause I don't have time (trying to get obligatory work out of the way before tonight!)...
FRIDAY:
8:00 - Murder Beach (Caledonia)
Does Jeff Griggs live at the Caledonia? (LB)
When's that album coming out, again?(MC)
9:00 - Engineering (GO Bar)
If you never got to see one of my personal favorite Athens bands before they broke up, now is your chance! Dance rockers Engineering play an Athfest reunion show. Comprised of Zach Hinkle (The Cherokee), Matt Sapp (Timber), and Donovan Babb (Boulevard, The Winter Sounds). This might be last last time you will get to see them, Donovan is touring with The Winter Sounds, and Zach is moving to New York. Put your dancing shoes on! (MW)
10:00 - Nutria (Caledonia)
Always a great live show and a nicer bunch of guys can't be found in town (and yes, I'm including Robo Dave). Sometimes Michael McDonald even makes a special appearance, and that is not to be missed. (LB)
10:30 - Madeline (40 Watt)
I've never seen her live, and I figure it's about time I should. (LB)
10:30 - Jack Logan, David Barbe, Don Chambers (Flicker)
The entire Friday night lineup at Flicker is truly a great one. (DP)
11:30 - Venice is Sinking at Little Kings
I only recently saw them live for the first time, and 'twas good. I'm hooked. (LB)
12:30 - Dead Confederate (40 Watt)
I've heard good things, so it's time to check them out again. (I saw them a few years back in Birmingham, but I've heard it's a much tighter ship now.) (DP)
1:00 - Ninjaband (40 Watt)
The members of Cinemechanica once again check into the Nintendo Rock world (as they have before as Contraband, Megaband, and occasionally Zeldaband) - this time scoring the soundtrack to Ninja Gaidan. Seriously, that was a tough game back then. Hope it's easier in your 20's. In any case, it's gonna rock. (MC)
2:00 - Ceramic Duck, Dark Meat (Secret Squirrel)
If you're still walking, the Secret Squirrel's hosting a kick-ass after-party featuring the reunion of Ceramic Duck and an end-of-night performance by Dark Meat. Helluva way to close down Friday. (MC)
SATURDAY:
1:00 - Jackpot City (Outdoor Main Stage)
They pretty much only play at festivals now, but they're one of the few great "rock" bands left in town and have some fantastic harmonies to boot. (MC)
4:00 - Hope For Agoldensummer, Dark Meat (Schoolkids Records)
Once all their members are in the store, good luck being one of the other 5 people who can get in there.(MC)
Ben Clack: "We'll have some guests apearing with us..we're looking for people to record and take pics and or film the show..there will be some covers and new arrangments.. but 100% acoustic with the exception of a small amp for bass and mandolin."6:00 - The Winter Sounds (Outdoor Main Stage)
The ever touring Winter Sounds come home to play on the Athfest Outside Mainstage. (MW)
8:00 - Pride Parade (Caledonia)
Former members of Brown Frown make their hometown debut. Think Brown Frown with some country twang. (MW)
Can't wait to see 'em live. During this time the Max Canada bar will be self-serve. (LB)
The hype is true. They are amazing. Very, very loud, but incredibly tight. A wall of sound thing going on. If there's one show you definitely should not miss (if you like loud music to any degree), this is it. (MC)
9:00 - The Whigs (Outdoor Main Stage)
I don't care that everyone likes them or if they're constantly touted as "the next big thing." They've always been good and I've always enjoyed their music and live shows. Better yet, you can come see them for free at the main stage this year, so please do. (LB)
I have been a detractor of this band in the past - having been very underwhelmed at shows and turned off by their crowd and hype... but I have to say they made a great album (you should listen to some of it if you haven't) and some vids on YouTube show that their stage presence has sharpened immensely. Plus, they've got something to prove after the disastrous sound last time they held this spot. Could be their year to rock the Fest (MC)
9:00 - Titans of Filth (Hot Corner Coffee)
Another much-hyped band, though mostly locally. If The Whigs aren't your thing or you just wanna see something else too, y'oughta go see this show, just up the street. (MC)
9:30 Willie-T Express (Georgia Theatre)
William Tonks, Jon Mills, and Aaron Philips. Should be cool to see what they come up with. (DP)
10:00 Freeball (Caledonia)
They are rockin. Not much else to say here other than that. (DP)
10:30PM - Pegasuses-XL (40 Watt)
If you haven't seen these guys yet, do yourself a favor, por favor and see them. Think Braniac meets The Dismemberment Plan with some hip hop thrown in. (MW)
11:00 The Dumps (Caledonia)
One of the tightest "hard core" bands in town. (DP)
12:00 - Music Hates You (Caledonia)
These guys blew me away last year (literally and metaphorically). Note to self, bring ear plugs (and possibly brass knuckles). (LB)
Definitely the most memorable show of last year's festival. (MC)
12:00 - Folklore (Hot Corner Coffee)
When my ears need a break from MHY, this is where I'm headed. (MC)
12:30 - We vs. the Shark (40 Watt)
It wouldn't be AthFest if I didn't see WVTS at the 40 Watt. I have never been disappointed at one of their shows. Sure to be one of the highlights of my weekend. (LB)
Not to try and jinx 'em, but they don't play bad AthFest shows. In fact, it seems they're mostly at peak performance almost every time at the Watt in general (MC)
Jeff Tobias: "Just letting you know that our Saturday show at the 40 Watt at Athfest will be our release show for our new EP/DVD, which is called "EP of Bees EP/We Wanted a New Government, Not Odd Time Signatures." It's four songs on the CD and then a full live show and a "documentary" of the recording of our last record, "Ruin Everything" on the DVD. Our guitar player almost gave himself an aneurysm working on it so we're very proud to finally be putting it out."
1:00 - Southern Bitch (Caledonia)
I missed their first show back in action a few months back and regretted it ever since. I won't make the same mistake again! (LB)
They consistently put on the most intense and rocking sets at AthFest year after year. (DP)
1:00 - Southern Bitch (Caledonia), Cinemechanica (40 Watt), & Dark Meat (Tasty World)
Why does this happen every year?... Trying to float between Southern Bitch at the Caledonia and Cinemechanica at the 40 Watt and hoping both finish early enough for me to see the end of Dark Meat's set at Tasty World. (MC)
SUNDAY:
4:00 - Little Country Giants (Outdoor Main Stage)
Friends keep telling me to see them, and I still haven't, so AthFest is as good a time as any. (DP)
6:00 - Kimberly Morgan and The Everlovin' Band (Outdoor Main Stage)
A girl with a voice, and great players to back her up. You really can't go wrong here. (DP)
When's that album coming out, again? (MC)
6:40 - Lake City (Outdoor Second Stage)
Trust me, trying to squeeze to the front of the Truckers crowd is setting yourself up for struggle, discomfort, and possibly trouble. Why not go check out Lake City, a solid band in their own right, and then get a comfortable, but not too-close view for DBT? (MC)
7:00 - Drive-By Truckers (Outdoor Main Stage)
A fist-pumping way to close out the festival. A newish lineup, plus Spooner Oldham. (DP)
MONDAY:
8:00 - Work (Your Office)
Call in sick. (DP)
OTHER EVENTS:
Dangerous Highway (Cine)
Need I say more? Well, I will. It's about Eddie Hinton, one of the best white soul singers that is, unfortunately, no longer with us. (DP)
Eddie Hinton was amazing. Not sure if this documentary is great or not, but in any case it may not make it to DVD for a while, so y'oughta see it now. If you want Patterson Hood's opinion on it all, he's gonna be introducing the film and doing some Q&A at the Monday night 10 PM show.(MC)
Before The Music Dies (Cine)
Can't make up my mind if I wanna see this or not. Seems like it's probably 2 hours of preaching to the converted, but sometimes attending a rally isn't so bad. (MC)
The Wired Electronic Thing (Detour and Little Kings)
Seems like a cool addition to AthFest, and a maybe a good place to go on festival downtimes. (DP)
Widespread Panic Exhibit: "The Earth Will Swallow You" (Lyndon House)
I went to this on opening night and even if you aren't a fan, the art work is really varied, and the exhibit is very well done. (DP)
If you want a planner of your own, you can get 'em here and of course Flagpole has those handy inserts this week.
Many thanks to Mike for his input as well as to the folks at AthFest and Michelle Roche for providing us passes this and every year we've been blogging (on short notice every time cause you know how our memories are). Them and Popfest are about the only only folks to ever recognize us as "journalists". Man, we've got them fooled. Shhhh.
Back later with pics. Have a kick-ass AthFest, y'all.
Labels: AthFest, Tonight In Athens
Friday, April 06, 2007
In case y'all don't read the comments (or any other Athens music sites), the AthFest headliners were announced. Friday is Perpetual Groove. Openly defying the previous night's headliner's name, the Whigs head up Saturday night, and the Drive-By Truckers perform Sunday in what'll surely be their earliest show in a while. Thanks to DCB for the heads up.
Labels: AthFest, Music News
Thursday, March 08, 2007
In case you missed it everywhere else, the tracklist for the AthFest 2007 CD is up now and all 20 bands on it have never appeared on an AthFest CD before - so there's something to be said for that. Here's the details.
Labels: AthFest, Music News
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
in association with AthFest 2007 Film::Athens presents...
4th Annual Sprockets Music Video Competition
Call For Entries
Film::Athens is currently accepting submissions for the 2007 Sprockets Music Video Competition to take place during AthFest2007
2007 Sprockets Music Video Competition features music videos from Athens area filmmakers and bands [winners will be screened and awarded during the flagpole music awards ceremony]
April 15 early deadline
April 30 late deadline
June 20 sprockets show
June 21 flagpole music awards
June 23 teenscreen show
Sprockets Call for Entries - more info and entry forms at http://www.filmathens.net/sprockets
TeenScreen Call for Entries - more info and entry forms at http://www.filmathens.net /teenscreen
announcing Sprockets Blend Coffee from Jittery Joe's!
a smooth French Roast combining Shade Grown Colombian, Tanzanian Peaberry and Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee beans to create a rich, well-rounded flavor
support sprockets while supporting your caffeine addiction online at jitteryjoes.com and at Jittery Joe's Baxter location Athens
watch sprockets videos online!
after some technical/hard drive issues is forcing us to recapture everything, we finally have started posting the video archive. they are being put up in no specific order and we have a bunch more to go so check back often!
Labels: AthFest, Film and Video, Music Video
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