ACRN's Scene and Heard

Dave Rave 2-Year Anniversary / January 28 / The Union

2012-01-29T14:07:00.010-05:00

By: Kyle Rutherford, Contributor

The dark forces of the underworld were at hand at Saturday night when Columbus's roeVy creeped into The Union for Dave Rave's 2-Year Anniversary show.

The first set of the night by DJ Time Traveler was a fun and somewhat soothing set, where the crowd got really into the beat of the music, consisting mainly of electro-house. There were hula-hoopers, stage dancers, and everything seemed to open up just fine. His only problem was a somewhat annoying intoxicated girl that kept taking to his microphone to scream "DAVE RAVE!!!" over and over.

DJ B-Funk played a great set, mixing in remixes of popular pop/hip-hop with other electronic songs. His set made the whole place jump and heat up really fast. His set consisted of some heavy bass songs, like "Breakn' A Sweat" by Skrillex ft. The Doors, "Lionheart" by Afrojack, and "Save the World" by Swedish House Mafia.

Last out were "The dark lords of electro" roeVy, a hard electro/dubstep duo that don head coverings with red lasers pointing out of what is made to look like their eyes. The light show, the projected images, and the music made for an extremely intense set.

The projections consisted mainly of the group's name multiple times, "666," and upside down crucifixes. The energy on the packed dance floor was incredible, making me think multiple times that the floor would cave in. Their music was mostly original, consisting mainly of some very hard electro and dubstep, mixing in some of their recent songs off of their The Demons EP, like "Raum" among others.

Luckily for those in attendance, "the #1 party at the #1 party school" was at least 10 steps above normal.

Emily And The Complexes, Mom's Weekend & Difficult Dogs / January 27 / a basement in Athens

2012-01-28T12:39:00.004-05:00

By: Cassie Whitt, Blogs Editor

"UP DA PUNX," the flier for this event jokingly advertised, something refreshing to see in the Athens scene, which is dominated by a more quiet, happy-go-folksy sound that just doesn't do the trick for me.

So, what could be a better environment for a punk show than a shady-looking basement filled to the brim with some of Athens finest shady-looking-but-harmless characters?

A late start, a full basement and a mob of people outside the house signified that not everyone would get to experience the music up-close, but few seemed to mind that as Mom's Weekend (who seemed to be having an identity crisis at the start when they introduced themselves as Sign-Off) took the floorspace designated as the stage area.

"You guys can get all up in my grill. I don't mind," the vocalist proclaimed, coaxing the crowd closer before they launched into a set riddled with a mixture of old-school punk flavor, something more reminiscent of bands like Touche Amore or La Dispute and plenty of "weird Freudian shit."

"Did he just sing, 'I hate my hot mom.'" Yes. Yes, I believe he did.

Following Mom's Weekend, unexpectedly by most of the crowd, Snake Head (or Snakehead, or Snake-head; get a web presence, dudes), a hardcore band that mixed upbeat guitars with earth-rattling guttural growls drove people out of the basement by the dozens. "Fuck that," a few muttered, as they escaped the small-but-rowdy moshpit that dominated the tiny basement space.

Many went outside, where a practicing vocal trio (or quartet; it was too dark to tell) in the backyard became a more interesting and safe focal point.

The screaming stopped, the old crowd parted and a new one packed in for Emily and The Complexes.

It's all fun and games, you see, until the mosh pit breaks the window. Mosh they did, and window-break they did, an incident that cleared the potentially-guilty from the basement at the halfway point of Emily and The Complexes' set.

That's their drunken, shove-happy loss; as, Emily and The Complexes as a full band is well-worth watching. Formerly in Athens, Emily vocalist/guitarist Tyler Verhagen had performed only as a solo act, working his way from acoustic at the Fern Gully to electric at Casa before filling out his sound by adding drummer Tom Konitzer and bassist Jordan Finke at this show.

Having seen them in Columbus over Winter break as a full band, I can say that since then they have improved greatly. Even in the sub-par basement sound conditions, they sounded great: hands-down the best of the night.

Along with past crowd-pleasers like "I Don't Want To Brush My Teeth" and "Styrofoam Plate Blues" (with a full-band-given facelift beyond the version one may know from The Efficiency Demo), the band debuted a couple new songs, one of which was titled "Trailer Home" and introduced by Verhagen as being about Nelsonville. They also did not disappoint yours truly, a hardcore Alkaline Trio fan, with their cover of "Fuck You Aurora."

Next time Emily And The Complexes are in town, be there. And don't be the window-breaking asshole who ruins it for everyone. Seriously.

I skipped out before Difficult Dogs, but I overheard recently that they "bring out the indie bitches" and evoke the mosh. So, there's that.

Lennon Orchestra / January 20 / Jackie O's

2012-01-22T22:54:00.004-05:00

By: Kristen Spicker, Contributor

“Oh yeah, I’ll tell you something, I think you’ll understand.”

This is how Beatles cover band Lennon Orchestra started their set Friday night to a packed Jackie O’s full of dads and hipsters.

And let me tell you something: It was amazing.

I had many reservations going in. From the $5 cover fee to the idea of a three-hour set and the fact that if this band screws up The Beatles, it’ll be near impossible for any redemption. But Lennon Orchestra has been playing tunes from the Liverpool group for years, and their familiarity showed.

However, before I get too far into this I need to set a quick disclaimer: First, I was in the back of the bar and could barely see the stage. Also, it was loud back there and I might have missed a few technical things that I’ll critique later on. Third, although I like The Beatles I wouldn’t call myself a fan. I don’t know their discography very well. However, my father is a Beatles fan and he sat there all night telling me what changes Lennon Orchestra made and what they left out.

That being said, it was obvious with the first song, “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” that the cover fee was worth it. Lennon Orchestra’s lead vocals were stunning; no matter which member was singing. Unlike The Beatles, the band didn’t have one member sing John Lennon songs and another sing Paul McCartney’s songs, but instead divided it up in their own manner. Joey Hebdo skillfully managed to sing tracks from both vocalists while capturing the true essence of their voices.

Lennon Orchestra’s rendition of “I Me Mine” was one of the best of the entire set. The minute the song started my father sighed and said, “This is a tough one to do.” However, we were both extremely pleased with the outcome. Everything seemed to fit together smoothly. The drums were strong and the vocals were spot on. The transitions between tempos in the track flowed together effortlessly. “I Me Mine” proved that not only did Lennon Orchestra like The Beatles, but that they knew the music as well.

Another stand-out track was “Revolution.” Instead of picking one version to cover, Lennon Orchestra molded the two together. The result was up-tempo with less aggressive guitars. Although the back-up vocals went in and out throughout the song, the lead vocals were steady and strong then entire time.

The band took a break after an hour of playing before launching into “Eleanor Rigby.” Any of the kinks from the first hour had been worked out. The drums were sharper and the harmonies stronger. I was disappointed when the track was over, and would’ve been perfectly happy for the track to go on for another five minutes.

However, the first two hours were just a warm-up compared the to the band’s third time taking stage.

By that point in the night, the majority of the bar had enough drinks in them that Lennon Orchestra could unleash the “classic” Beatles’ tunes. “Hey Jude,” “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds,” “Across the Universe,” and “All You Need Is Love” all made an appearance. Lennon Orchestra stuck pretty close to the tried-and-true versions, which made audience participation all the easier, with woo girls and belligerent dads taking over the dance floor and providing the band with more back-up vocals than needed.

The Ridges and Deadwood Floats / January 13, 2012 / Donkey Coffee

2012-01-15T20:47:00.003-05:00

By: Colin Roose, Staff Writer

"Melodic folk-rock." That description could sound either intriguing or repulsive to you, but needless to say it carries some connotations. Three-chord acoustic strumming. Lyrics out of the Paul Simon handbook of singer-songwriter confessions. A rhythm section serving primarily to prop up the ego of the frontman.

Yet that was how Victor Rasgaitis, lead singer and guitarist for The Ridges defined his band's sound to an inquiring fan in line in front of me for their show with Deadwood Floats at Donkey Coffee. Despite the acclaim I had heard about the group, I must admit that my expectations were lowered upon hearing this description. I figured they would probably play okay-ish background music for chatting with friends over a latte, but not much more.

Well, if ever there were a case for the misleading homogeneity of genre labels, this was it. The Ridges' set was as far from coffee shop music banality as possible, showing the energy of stadium rock in the humble back room of the Donkey.

After about an hour past the scheduled start time of 8:00 due to sound difficulties, the Columbus-native Deadwood Floats were ready to play, mandolin and xylophone in tow.

The band stood out from the typical folk idiom with their uncommonly versatile musicians. Their drummer and accordion players switched roles occasionally, while singer Drew Williams alternated between ukulele and piano. Banjo and violin were also heard as the band showed off their charmingly eccentric original compositions. However, the highlight of their set was a cover of a song by Massachusetts band The Woodrow Wilsons, whose majestic guitar riff really made me wonder why its writers were so obscure.

By the time Deadwood had finished their set, the number of people in the room had reached fire hazard-like proportions, and the only standing room was in the back. It was so crowded, in fact, that Victor Rasgaitis came up to me and asked if he could remove my table in order to make more room for the audience before his band came on. That was the final indication that they were going to play more than tea-and-Scrabble fare.

The Ridges made an extravagant entrance into the show, standing among the crowd to perform their first song. It spoke volumes about the band to see that they did not need to be on stage behind amplifiers to make an impact, as Rasgaitis sang and played guitar while standing on top of a chair and percussionist Johnny Barton danced around with what appeared to be claves. The impact of a cello really hits hard when the strings are vibrating one foot in front of you.

When they finally did go up on stage, the fans all came near to the platform in some kind of folk mosh pit. Despite the pressure of the fans so close and the difficulty of fitting the six members in the small performing space, the group seemed undaunted and started directly into their next song. This was not a band to give meaningless introductions.

What followed was a whirlwind of pizzicato strings, whale-call imitations, and psychedelic-era backing vocals. With few breaks to even allow the crowd to clap, the band played through several numbers in succession, sounding almost like they were performing one grand 45-minute epic. Throughout the entire set, Rasgaitis moved around the stage, shouting and dancing like it was the last time he would ever perform, while cellist Talor Smith remained seated, bowing out the melodic lines with finesse.

However, The Ridges made it clear that they were a band to be listened to, not simply watched. The complexity of their music recalled the niceties of an orchestra rather than the folky indie band that they appeared to be. Barton more often provided subtle atmosphere with tambourine and cymbals than standard 4/4 timekeeping. The band included a trumpet, whose sound provided a wonderful brassy contrast with the guitar, violin and two cellos. The group took full use of the sonic capacities of their instruments, from gentle string interludes to bashing drums and fast strumming.

The best part of all, however, was their knack for bringing their compositions to life. Despite the overwhelming amount of energy and passion onstage, the members never tried to play over each other. Sometimes a solo cello or vocal part would appear, before eventually building up to a full band wall of sound. Everyone contributed for the sake of the song and the song alone.

The only real stage banter came when Rasgaitis announced before the last song that there would be a cheesy sing-along part at the end. The band's performance had stylistically veered toward a classical performance up to that point, albeit a very engaging one, but it began to feel like an arena show once the audience began to chant along. That small concession to the conventions of a normal rock concert was the perfect way for them to thank their audience and balance out their symphonic approach.

It was rather amusing to watch the reactions of the audience in front of me close to the stage. Some regarded the changing tempos and multi-sectioned songs with a blank stare, while others swayed back and forth, and still others tried to dance like it was club music. This kind of confusion indicates that The Ridges play what popular music is in dire need of right now - indescribable blends of sound whose creators follow their own musical instincts rather than being copycats to their favorite bands.

I don't blame Victor Rasgaitis for not quite knowing how to classify his band. After an hour of listening to their music, the best way I could boil down what I had heard was some kind of orchestral-folk-pop-jazz-rock. And if that's the sound of a band synthesizing diverse influences in such a natural way as The Ridges, more of that, please.

Evolve, Brothertiger and Blithe Field / January 14, 2012 / The Fern Gully

2012-01-15T15:14:00.006-05:00

By: Kyle Rutherford, Contributor

Take me to outer space!

The Fern Gully was packed and alive Saturday night when Blithe Field, Brothertiger, and Evolve came to play.

Blithe Field’s sample electronic set was great, starting in from some of his slower songs that kept the crowd mellow, but finishing off to some more dancey songs that made the floor start to cave. What was memorizing about his set was his focus. There was so much going on around him, but he never looked up of broke concentration. Very impressive in my mind.

Second was synthpop Brothertiger, who played the most energetic set of the night. Jagos’s lively set had the essence of a more upbeat Depeche Mode, with better vocal effects and louder keys. Everyone was moving for the entirety of his set, during which he played songs like “Feel” and “Lovers” from his Vision Tunnels EP, and some off his new LP Golden Years, which comes out March 27.

Last was Evolve, an alternative hip-hop artist from Cincinnati. What was great was the he did all of his own music in real time off of his laptop and a few effects/samples boards. Most of his lyrics were about civil issues, often things involving the government. Very punk-influenced. His electronic beats were phenomenal, making some crowd members want to go to outer space, and they were easily comparable to any professional electronic musician that has any sort of popularity.

Scubadog, Old Hundred and Jesse Remnant / January 12, 2012 / Casa

2012-01-14T19:39:00.006-05:00

By: Carolyn Menyes, Interviews & Live Reviews Editor

Maybe this is stereotypical... but junior year sucks. More specifically, winter quarter of junior year sucks: Too many classes, too much homework, and yeah, it's only week two. The only thing that got me through my 19 hours worth of classes this week was the idea that I would get to go to Casa Cantina on Thursday to see one of my favorite local bands, Scubadog. And that's exactly what I did.

I strolled into the venue and paid the $5 cover just in time to catch the last few songs of Jesse Remnant's solo acoustic set. At this point, the crowd was a little sparse, but the music was good, as is to be expected. Because of my tardiness, Remnant's time on the stage came and went too quickly, though he was soon to return performing bass duties for Scubadog.

Before that, though, Columbus' Old Hundred was set to play. They're frequently around Athens these days because they're recording an album at 3 Elliott Studio, and they sure do fit in. Their brand of alternative folk rock is perfect for Athens and Casa, specifically. The band produced full sounds that perfectly fit this old college town, and the audience definitely felt it.

A highlight of their set was certainly their last song: a cover of Neutral Milk Hotel's "King of Carrot Flowers." I've heard this song done by several other bands at local shows, but never before was the emotion of the lyrics captured so perfectly. The crowd, which had grown since Remnant's set, sang along to every word, creating one of those special bonding moments.

And finally, the moment I'd been waiting for all week had arrived: Scubadog was about to play. After their opening number, lead singer Jake Householder asked those in attendance to get cozy and close to the stage, which the audience did. Householder also preceded most of the songs at the beginning of Scubadog's set with something along the lines of "this is a dancing number."

And dance the audience did. Casa's floor was a mess of boogying bodies. Scubadog's infectious indie-pop was, in fact, the perfect way to let loose after a long school week, and not just for me. People shook their tailfeathers and shuffled their feet like they never had before. It was very much a party.

I'm unfortunately unfamiliar with most of Scubadog's song titles, but a highlight every time I see these guys is their love song, which Householder always precedes with asking the audience to grab and sway with the person/people in the audience they love. Seeing couples hold hands and friends sway during this lovely melody always melts my heart.

And also to continue their tradition of being slightly zany and always incorporating food, Scubadog brought out a birthday cake for David Bowie, who had just turned 65 on January 8. The audience sang "Happy Birthday" to Bowie, and a lady brought out a cake for him. Unfortunately, she dropped the pastry on the floor at the conclusion of the song, so no one was able to eat it (though many probably still would have). A Scubadog banner also found its way into the audience, and fans held it up and danced with the banner, while shouts of "SCUBA" echoed through the venue. It was all a little silly, but it was the perfect kind of Scubadog antic that makes their shows so fun.

The indie pop funtimes continued for a good while, but unfortunately, Scubadog's show was over all-too-soon. However, it was a dancing crazy fun time that was the perfect release for busy students.

Twenty One Pilots, MBANZA and Dean Tartaglia / January 12, 2012 / The Union

2012-01-14T12:52:00.006-05:00

By: Kyle Rutherford, Contributor

Sunshine and cats: that seemed to be the theme at The Union Thursday when Westerville, Ohio’s Twenty One Pilots rolled in to play a free show for a packed house of patrons who seemed happy to be out of the snow.

Opening bands included MBANZA and Dean Tartaglia from Mind Fish, both from Athens.

Tartaglia started the show with only him, his guitar, and a backup electronic drummer. Now, I’ve never listened to Mind Fish until I started writing this review, so I’m not exactly sure if he played any of their songs. But, he played a good amount of stuff that the crowd could easily grasp: a more pop-punk-like set that compares to Weezer, or even a stripped-down Fall Out Boy. The major mindfuck of his set came when he sang a song about his cat, using meow more than most lyrics.

The 8-piece MBANZA came next, donned in face paint and feathers to make themselves look like members of the Lost Boys from Peter Pan. Their Folk/Roots set was pretty great, though the younger crowd could only get into it had they had a few drinks in them. The more interesting part of their set came from a vocalist/percussionist who did some sort of a melodic yelling, like the guy singing at the beginning of The Lion King, but with no words. Their covers of “Lotus Flower” by Radiohead and “You Are My Sunshine” were interesting, as well as great.

Last onstage, much to the crowd’s pleasure, was Twenty One Pilots. It’s hard to give these guys a particular style, but I can say they sounded like a more electronic version of Flobots, but with the stage presence and energy of--dare I say it--Hollywood Undead; the rap skills of pretty much any great artist in the game; and a light show comparable to that of Innerpartysystem. By all that, the crowd was wowed. The raw energy coming out of the two members was incredible.

Most of the music played from a laptop controlled by drummer Josh Dun, but Tyler Joseph smoothly transitioned between singing/piano, keyboards, and rapping. The crowd was intense, with constant jumping and alcohol-spilling, though no one seemed to care. Their cover medley included “Steal My Sunshine” by LEN and “It’s Gonna Be Me” by 'N Sync, and everyone ate it up.

A band could be a crowd-pleaser, but not play well musically. But overall, the unsigned Pilots could soon be a force to be reckoned with in the alternative music world.

Hyrrokkin, Sport Fishing USA and Sign Off / January 5, 2012 / The Smiling Skull

2012-01-06T12:31:00.007-05:00

By: Kyle Rutherford, Contributor

A good crowd packed into the stuffy Smiling Skull Thursday night for a rock show of interesting styles. Out to play were Hyrrokkin from Yellow Springs, Sport Fishing USA from Yellow Springs, and Sign Off from Athens.

Sign Off started the night with a noisy experimental post-punk set, with songs that changed from a classic heavy punk sound to an experimental/electronic sounding noise rock in less than a few seconds.

Not bad for a band that only consists of a bassist and a drummer.

Next was Sport Fishing USA, a band that takes classic rock, shoves it into modern indie, and takes near-pop vocals and lyrics of young adult/teen angst and shoves them into the indie. It's like a a "turducken" (Chicken stuffed into a duck that is stuffed into a turkey and cooked) for the ears.

Some things that stood out about their sound was that brothers Nathan and Brendan Moore harmonized fantastically on practically every song played. Nathan was also able to break down into guitar solos and interludes that sounded somewhat prog-rock and experimental while the rest of the band kept the crowd moving.

Last out was Hyrrokkin, an avant-garde/experimental trio for which one could go absolutely ballistic. Everything seemed to be completely in-place, but so scattered and crazy when it came to how it was structured. No song sounded similar, with some songs sounding as metal as the background music of a Sylvester Stallone movie, or as soft as those of an ambient group. But normally the soft parts were only intros/outros to even more heavy instrumental insanity. What was thoroughly impressive was that the bass part easily kept up with the guitar riffs, even sometimes matching the pattern altogether.

ACRN's Pre-New Year's Bash: bustedBASS, Brothertiger, DJ Sweet Dee / November 14, 2011 / The Union

2011-11-15T14:38:00.010-05:00

By: Cassie Whitt, Blogs Editor

This whole DJ/dance scene: not my thing. I'm not even sure to whom's set I walked in when I arrived around 10 p.m. with friends who had just left their "History of Rock" class, though all indicators point to its having been bustedBASS.

The ACRN crew nestled close in the back of The Union, perched upon its newly-added stools around tall tables as a crew of people who are into the DJ-and-dance scene flooded the lit-up floor...with props. They traded off, each--in turn--wielding a light-up hula-hoop and this strange stick-on-a-string rave contraption that looked as if it were floating as they spun it around their gesticulating selves.

But, for me, the dancing was not the point. Pre-New Year's, the long-standing ACRN tradition of celebrating New Year's early because we will all be separated (often far from this university) on the actual event, was and will continue to be about the friendships this organization builds.

Later in the night as Brothertiger played, it became about being comfortable enough with those people to lose inhibitions (even if slightly aided by various liquors.)

Brothertiger's set had the majority of the crowd standing within ten feet of a stage, moving in a strange closed-eyed cluster of in-unison sways and sighs at the electronic, blissful music.

Okay, maybe for a moment I did get it, the whole "music's got me feeling so free/we're gonna celebrate" thing...

But I'm never dancing again, just saying.

Following Brothertiger, there was a mass-exodus of sleepy, sweaty people into the storm outside and a few of us remained for DJ Sweet Dee, which was an excellent choice; as, he played a delicious mix of darkwave that I enjoyed and understood more than the music of the previous acts.

A few remained on the dance floor, but most sat back and observed.

I ended the night flanked by two of my friends singing The Cure's "Love Song."

So, it all closed with my being back within my element, sadly without confetti in my hair (The Union forbade our usual confetti-tossing tradition) and with a walk in the rain on an oddly-warm November night to look forward to.

Not bad, Pre-New Year's 2011/2012.

Thomas Comerford, Dave Buker and the Historians, Emily and the Complexes / November 11, 2011 / Casa

2011-11-12T16:55:00.001-05:00

By: Kyle Rutherford, Contributor

Though the night air was chilly, that didn’t stop many people from hitting up Casa Nueva for a folk night that consisted of Thomas Comerford, Dave Buker and the Historians, & Emily and the Complexes.

The crowd was noticeably small, though, making it hard to distinguish between concert-goers and bar attendees.

The first act, Columbus’ Emily and the Complexes, the solo project of Tyler Verhagen, warmed up the crowd with his plugged-in folk-punk style. Standing alone, he won over many with his soft, yet occasionally throaty voice. Playing many of his originals, like “Emily, You’re Right” and “If I Had Money," as well as covering Alkaline Trio’s “Fuck You, Aurora." Tyler was able to let the emotion in his voice and lyrics radiate through the crowd.

The next act, Columbus’s Dave Buker and the Historians, were one of the more interesting acts of the night. Their electro-folk sound could’ve gone easily unnoticed, possibly because a lack of their full band. The vocals of Buker and Paul Valdiviez went well together, but when it came to a bar setting, it lacked relevance.

The last act, Chicago’s Thomas Comerford, ended the night with his blend of folk instrumentals, a southern-inspired voice without the twang, and echoing vocals. His ability to keep the mood somber but still feeling good was riveting.

Unfortunately, by the time he started to play, much of the previous crowd had left. With softer songs, as well as epic rock songs, Comerford blended in well with the bar style and with those attending.

The Ridges / October 28, 2011 / The Ridges

2011-10-30T18:09:00.005-04:00

By: Kevin Rutherford, Editorial Director
Photos By: Chris Dobstaff, News Editor

OK, let me get this out of the way, first...

YO DAWG, WE HEARD YOU LIKE THE RIDGES SO WE PUT THE RIDGES INSIDE YOUR RIDGES SO YOU CAN RIDGES WHILE YOU RIDGES.

Ahem.

For the second year in a row, rising Ohio stars The Ridges played an intimate show at The Ridges, the former insane asylum which ominously overlooks Ohio University, on the Friday of Halloween weekend.

Attendees were encouraged to don Halloween costume with the promise of a costume contest after the band's set. Picture quite a few delightful outfits, including a human trophy complete with his own platform on which to stand.

But the real stars of the show were The Ridges (the band), as is customary with pretty much any show the current and former OU students play. Since their inception, the band has taken the Athens music scene by storm, and thensome: most recently with fellow Ohio indie rock breaking artists Indigo Wild.

The Ridges took their name from the former asylum, and recorded their debut eponymous EP in its hallowed halls as well. The album was spooky, old-timey and--best of all--inherently Athens-esque, three adjectives that describe the asylum, too.

So, a return to the place where one might be able to say it all began (or, a place that the band seems to owe much to, as they may have not been the same band without it) is always enticing. It's like if a band wrote an entire album about Athens (and Appalachia, as an extension) and then returned to the city to perform said record. See: Southeast Engine.

"We're The Ridges. We're at The Ridges.... beer is involved," announced Ridges frontman Victor Rasgaitis at the beginning of their set. He announced that from within a room of the asylum that juts out from the others, a larger room that probably didn't actually house any patients, but certainly saw quite a few in its time. Rasgaitis, who has a boyish exuberance when it comes to his band, and who is almost chronically smiling, was flanked by the rest of the official members of the band--cellist Talor Smith and percussionist Johnny Barton.

The band has auxiliary members who join them for every show, and included in this night's tally was another cellist, two violinists and an accordionist. Oh, and add in group vocals from just about every member of the band, as well as multiple members of the audience.

A Ridges show is certainly an inclusive affair. Even if it is one's first time seeing them live, as it was for a few in my group, one feels included and encouraged to sing along, no matter what. Whether the band is playing their own material or covers from folk artists such as Damien Rice and Sufjan Stevens, shows with The Ridges are both entertaining and enrapturing no matter one's familiarity with the music. That is something I think bands, especially on a more local level, should strive for, but having been in Athens for nearly four years now and thus having seen countless small-time acts, I feel confident saying that not many bands can do this like The Ridges.

What certainly helps is the band's likability. The music is not abrasive, and the personalities of the performers are warm, eager and welcoming. Plus, I've never met a person who told me that they dislike The Ridges. You don't get that often. Their appeal is infectious.

The Ridges rolled through 11 songs before the set's close. In addition to playing all songs off their debut EP (save for the brilliant "The Insomniac's Song," my personal favorite), staples such as "Jackson Pollock" and "Dawn of Night" also worked their way into inclusion, the latter an especially magnificent tune which will hopefully be included on a future release.

With an eagerness to play comes infectious energy. Rasgaitis was all over the place, sometimes even atop the chair on which Smith usually sat, singing to and directing the crowd in expansive sing-alongs. Barton is also entertaining to watch, even garnering a few raucous cheers from his xylophone solo. It may have been the first xylophone solo I've ever heard, I should add. Other members of the band are extremely calculating with the utmost precision, hitting each note with ease. Many of the members of the band are actually classically trained, and it shows.

Nervous laughs were heard halfway through the set, at which point Rasgaitis announced to the crowd that "our cars are being towed!" The accordion player promptly exited the room. Following his return, Rasgaitis announced again, "our cars will not be towed!" to much rejoicing.

After a fantastic cover of Damien Rice's "Volcano," the band ended their set with a cover of Sufjan Stevens' "Chicago." The cover had particular meaning, because of the band's recent trip to the city. Last weekend, The Ridges traveled to Chicago to record their first Daytrotter session. Say what you might about Daytrotter these days, especially given their recent announcement of charging folks for downloads of particular songs. Nonetheless, Daytrotter is important, a milestone achievement for a little band out of southern Ohio.

A lot of covers exist out there, but I can honestly say that The Ridges' "Chicago" cover is one of my favorites. Having seen their general excitement performing the song a few weeks ago prior to Daytrotter, and now seeing it live, it's clear that the band believes that this may be their biggest shot yet at breaking out of Ohio and into the public consciousness.

I don't like to say this often, and I may sacrifice my journalistic integrity doing so, but fuck it--I think they will. In fact, when it comes to local music, I may not have had as great a feeling as I do about The Ridges, with the aforementioned Indigo Wild coming a close second. This band of musicians---and note I said musicians, because they truly are, not just your average guys that can kiiiinda play guitar and bass and such--seem to have bigger and better press each month, thus far culminating with Daytrotter.

To say that is not saying that good things will come to the band, but that's what music journalism is sometimes all about. You make assumptions and declarations on bands you think will go big. Sometimes it succeeds, sometimes not. Check out Rolling Stone and SPIN's past lists on the matter. Wiz Khalifa got huge, as was expected. Ferraby Lionheart? Not so much.

But we still make these declarations regardless. Sometimes because we just think we'll be right, and sometimes because we WANT to be right. In the case of The Ridges, it's both. Not only do I want this band to break it big, I really do think they will.

Only time will tell. Until then, if you haven't already, check them out. If you live in Ohio, see them when they come your way. When their Daytrotter session finally goes live in a month or two, download it. You won't regret it.

Tubax, Marbles for Eyes & Tribraco / October 7, 2011 / Donkey Coffee

2011-10-14T21:30:00.004-04:00

By: Katie Pinter, Contributor

Last Friday night, Donkey Coffee had the sounds of Tubax, Marbles For Eyes and Tribraco fill its cozy corners.

Though there was a small crowd, Tubax kept the mood high with their combination of reeling electronic rills, steady beats and funky guitar tunes. Basically, Tubax sounds like what a literal arcade fire should be.

The band from Bologna, Italy announced in the middle of their set that they were on their first tour in the United States and were very excited, which was clearly shown through their enthusiastic performance of original songs like "Bigfoot." Altogether, Tubax was a breath of fresh air for the normally chill stage of Donkey and really set the tone for what was coming next.

Following the animated group was Marbles For Eyes, who delivered an indie rock set bursting with soft harmonies, nostalgic lyrics, and country-rock-infused guitar riffs. From the Cambridge, Ohio group was a great variety in songs that ranged from simple singer-songwriter croons to thumping, bluegrass-inspired numbers.

Marbles got the audience involved from the beginning when a member of the crowd got onstage to fix a guitarist's strap and later when spectators were encouraged to clap along to a number. In addition to their sophomore album's being released, lead singer Matthew Smith informed the group that Marbles will soon sell DVDs and, eventually, hoodies to help keep fans warm. With the audience's warmth in mind, another Marbles member suggested they start selling fireplaces too, an idea encouraged by the crowd.

Last but not least, Tribraco finished the show on a high note. Featuring music from their newest album, Glue, the group from Rome, Italy delivered high-energy rock songs (also referred to as "hot" numbers by the lead guitarist), along with a psychedelic, mellow vibe. The band described the inspiration for a variety of their songs: some came from "South American music and impressions," while others were based upon a dry and windy village in Italy or burlesque.

Tribraco became not only a musical experience, but also an educational one when they taught the crowd how to say an Italian phrase that is said to musicians when the audience wants more music. This term was used so much that the band played an additional three songs at the end of their set.

The show was something that could have only happened at Donkey, and I now will be expecting future shows to deliver the same level of enthusiasm, along with the occasional joke and foreign language lesson.

Mountain Stage / October 9, 2011 / Templeton-Blackburn Auditorium

2011-10-14T10:44:00.007-04:00

By: Emily Votaw and Amanda Norris

Homesickness is one of the most clichéd, yet horrendously universal experiences of any young person who sets out on his or her own--and especially for college students.

But "home" is many things to many people.

Yet, the most palpable aspect of homesickness may be longing for all the stuff your family does, and for some youngsters, a key part of their parental identity is latched onto NPR and the soothing, boring sounds it so oft provides for aging hippie mothers and fathers.

Maybe the Mountain Stage performance at Templeton-Blackburn Auditorium on Sunday, October 9 was simply a set of local (ish) bands playing at a central part of campus. But I would like to argue that it was, indeed, a parent-palooza.

And not just any kind of parents gathered to see some good kind-of-old-fashioned alt-country Sunday night.

Oh no.

Intellectual sorts.

“Out the wazoo.”

I hope those parent-sorts enjoyed the incredibly short sets put on by the numerous acts. The night started out with a painfully folky, though incredibly endearing and very impressive set by Karen Casey & John Doyle. Kind of like when that folk show comes on after Garrison Keillor’s "A Prairie Home Companion;" when any sensible dad switches the radio off.

And that set set the tone for the night – very skilled players playing for not very long.

Local musical sweethearts Southeast Engine played exactly three tunes, all expertly pulled off, especially their heart-wrenching rendition of “Adeline of the Appalachian Mountains." Keyboardist Michael Lachman was donning his traditional super-spiffy suit – a shocking exclusion from the band’s last Athens gig at Casa Cantina. I found comfort in its return.

In fact, I suppose you could just say that Sunday was a comfortable night, saying that I was surrounded by people who could be my parents and surrounded by the reassuring-yet-incredibly liberal-leaning organization that permeates all NPR events.

Needless to say, I didn’t feel too homesick that night.

--Emily Votaw, Staff Writer
_________________

Continuing where our dear Emily Vowtaw left off...

Ha Ha Tonka stole the show-- According to The Post, that is. Somehow the band's photo made it above the fold, much like they somehow got everyone in Mem Aud to stand and clap along to their, to quote Arlo Guthrie with all the irony that entails, "four-part harmony, with feeling."

I'm not sure how it happened. Perhaps I am disconnected, but I could not help feeling like I was watching Hanson-gone-country, all dressed up to play the church social in the best flare jeans that money can buy. For the record, I don't mean that as a compliment.

Luckily The Jayhawks, who closed the night, put on an enjoyable set. Their country-blues-folk-infused jam was worthy of all the hyphens and the listen. Much like Hot Tuna, who played earlier in the night, they played stuff your parents would love and you would tolerate-- which is a-okay in my book.

To close the mountain stage, all of the performers gathered for a communal jam of Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth." The track was excellently arranged, and of course my favorite soloist was Southeast Engine's keyboardist-- and, if only to echo Miss. Vowtaw's comment-- my, didn't he look snappy while doing it.

--Amanda Norris, Staff Writer

Groove Street Fest / September 24, 2011 / The Dairy Barn Arts Center

2011-09-25T17:45:00.010-04:00

Story and Photos By: Brooke Bunce, Contributor

Saturday marked the premier of Athens’ very own Groove Street Fest, organized by Paul Drury (director of the summer fest Boogie on the Bricks) and Jack Gould (saxophone player of First Street Heat.) The outdoor festival took place at The Dairy Barn Arts Center and brought together bands from all over Ohio to jam out in a Bonnaroo-type atmosphere.

As would be expected with any street-style musical fest, art vendors were aplenty at Groove Street, featuring handmade jewelry, do-it-yourself tie-dye and even a djembe drum booth. The lineup featured 12 bands, including notable names like headliner and Athens regular Papadosio, First Street Heat, Elemental Groove Theory, Any Colour, HELLNAW, The Pinstripes and Mojoflo.

Columbus band Twenty One Pilots were somewhat out-of-place compared to the rest of the Groove Street lineup, but that did not hinder their performance in the slightest.

Decked out in skeleton costumes, the band put on one of the most memorable sets of the day. Composed of two members, the group combines piano, drums and synthesized beats to create a brand of music that is truthfully indefinable. Lead vocalist Tyler Joseph successfully riled the timid, not-yet-intoxicated crowd into moving and shaking to his sometimes singing, sometimes screaming and sometimes furiously rapping lyrics. Accented by drummer Josh Dun’s hard-hitting drum beats, Twenty One Pilots utilized audience participation to their full advantage, at one point even moving Dun to the crowd to play percussion amongst the crowd while Joseph pounded the drums on stage. They definitely amped up the Groove Street energy and readied the audience for a night full of jamming.

Lima, Ohio natives HELLNAW (Hell Naw) took the stage shortly after, showcasing another two-member group that packed a punch. With speak-singing vocals reminiscent of Cake and heavy jazz-inspired bass lines, HELLNAW fit the bill of the expected Groove Street act. The group’s fast-paced funk continued to keep fest-goers moving, but there were times when it seemed the drawn out jam sessions were more for the enjoyment of the musicians than the audience.

As the night progressed, glow sticks were unleashed and the hillside continued to fill with Groove Street attendees. Highly-anticipated bands soon took the stage, which included Elemental Groove Theory, First Street Heat and headliner Papadosio.

Members of Elemental Groove Theory joined First Street Heat on stage and vice-versa, transitioning the two acts virtually seamlessly for an antsy crowd. Both Athens favorites and multi-membered, the two soulful bands delivered high energy performances that crowded the tiny festival stage. As always, EGT and FSH put on eclectic, funky, soul-inspired and ethnic-infused sets that left the crowd stomping their feet, swaying their hips and wanting more.

To end the night, Papadosio delivered their unique brand of jams that can only be described as electric-house-funk-soul. Extended instrumental jams suggestive of Ratatat and harmonic vocals demonstrated why it is that Papadosio has gained success across the country. Hypnotic flashing lights and fog enhanced the atmosphere of the performance and ended the night on a psychedelic note, leaving Groove Street attendees hopeful that the festival will become a yearly staple.

Emily & the Complexes, Dan Lurie & the Quarter System , and Kyle Sowash / September 23, 2011 / The Fern Gully

2011-09-25T17:26:00.004-04:00

By: Katie Pinter, Contributor

Deep in the urban jungle that is downtown Athens, lies the mystical venue called Fern Gully. While it may not include fairies, fruit bats, and an Elton John soundtrack like its '90s movie namesake, the venue did feature the musical stylings of Emily and the Complexes, Dan Lurie, and Kyle Sowash, all of which were pretty magical.

Starting off the night was Tyler Verhagen's Emily and the Complexes, a singer/songwriter act from Columbus. From the beginning of the show, Verhagen enraptured the audience with his croons about longing and heartache with a healthy dose of angst here and there. The folk rock set was closed with a cover of Against Me!'s "Sink, Florida, Sink," with which the crowd was more than happy to help sing along.

Following the solo act was the trio Dan Lurie & the Quarter System. Coming in all the way from Portland, this indie-pop rock group dished out songs on every topic from chicken sandwiches and trampolines, to reminiscent tunes about OU's Jefferson Hall and South Green. Lead singer Dan Lurie was happy to be back at his alma mater with drummer/"snuggle bunny" Daniel Mancini and singer/wife Vanessa Rehder, but even happier to have his Athens references understood.

Soon after their crowd-pleasing rendition of "Robocop" by Kanye West, the band was accompanied by Kyle Sowash for a few electric guitar soaked numbers, which nicely complemented Lurie's lighter style.

And then there was one, just the solo sounds of Kyle Sowash to finish off the night. Also from Columbus, Sowash played his indie rock with a rougher tone than the other acts that made his set feel right out of the '90s. One of the highlights from his act was his version of the FreeCreditReport[dot]Com jingle, which his band actually recorded for a contest, and definitely kept the crowd laughing.

But just when everyone thought the show was over, Sowash dusted off an old track with a great story behind it. As told to the crowd, Sowash and Lurie were at an ice cream shop in Portland when an antsy tyke in front began morosely singing about the ice cream clown sundae he was desperate to eat. Lurie and Sowash took the boy's words and made separate versions of what is now "Vanilla Clown." Their collaboration couldn't have finished the evening on a funnier note.

In the end, the show delivered a massive amount of laughs and cheers from the crowd, all thanks to Emily & the Complexes, Dan Lurie & the Quarter System, and Kyle Sowash and their rocking beats. With Hope, there will be more nights of magic and entertainment in the future at The Fern Gully, Athens' most elusive and enchanting new venue.

Those Darlins / September 21, 2011 / The Union

2011-09-22T17:10:00.001-04:00

By: Carolyn Menyes, Interviews/Live Reviews Editor

Okay, so maybe it was a Wednesday night. And maybe I had two papers due the next day that I was only about 40% done with. And maybe I'd gotten only minimal sleep during the previous week. (Junior year is a killer, by the way.)

But! It was ladies' night at The Union. Duke Jr. opened, followed by Columbus's Lydia Loveless and then the stars of the night: Those Darlins. And there was no way I was going to miss one of my favorite bands playing in my favorite little college town. So, as the clock struck 10 p.m., I headed uptown to see the show and to be incredibly irresponsible.

But, I think I made the right choice.

After my male companion and I paid our expensive but justifiable $8, we cold hear the sweet sounds of local folk favorites Duke Junior and The Smokey Boots. They're one of the local acts I enjoy most and a consistently good time, so I was pretty stoked.

The group was certainly on-point on this Wednesday night. Playing to a semi-sparse crowd, Duke Jr. played a good bit of songs I didn't recognize, so I have to assume that they're off their upcoming album. The new direction is one of which I greatly approve. The songs are a little saucier and a little sexier but still maintain the folk-ish, country edge we all love about these guys. I missed about half their set, so I don't know how many older songs they played total, but they rocked out to the always pleasant "Travelin' Man," which had me stomping my pink boots.

Before I knew it, their set was over. After I took a quick step outside, Lydia Loveless was up. She was the act I was least interested in. I'd heard good things (apparently she's been reviewed by SPIN), and she did put on a good show, but that whole part of the evening is a bit muddled in my mind. I was mostly anxiously awaiting the arrival of Those Darlins to the stage and creeping to look for them in the crowd.

However, Loveless did still manage to entertain me, and I have no intention to imply she was boring or bad. Apparently, all her songs were relatively long, as she said, but they were good enough on every level that each individual song, and consequently her set, went by quickly.

At one point, two members of Duke Jr. were do-si-doing in the crowd, so my dear friend Hannah and I followed suit. And if any musician (especially one I'm unfamiliar with) makes me want to make an ass of myself in that manner, then they're a-okay.

Then, Lydia Loveless left the stage, and I got exponentially more excited. Those Darlins were up next! We made our way to the front of the stage, prepared for the insanity that was about to ensue. I'd seen Those Darlins a year-and-a-half ago at Nelsonville Music Festival, and ever since then, I've been aching to see them again.

They started off by playing "Be Your Bro," the first single off their latest album Screws Get Loose. This set the precedent for the evening, during which they played most, if not all, of their second record. The girl group vibes they mixed with their signature sassy southern sound is quite original and makes for a roaring good time.

However, that leads to my only real complaint about the evening: too much new stuff. To my memory, Those Darlins only played two songs off their eponymous debut, "Red Light Love" (as seen in those Kia commercials) and "Wild One."

Despite the new material, The Union was still hopping. Though the audience tended to hang back for Duke Jr. and Lydia Loveless, everyone crowded around the stage for the headlining act. Personally, I have never danced so much at a show before. My friend and I boogied and stomped our boots like there was no tomorrow (or more specifically, no classes tomorrow). We sang along to all the words we knew so well and had a concert experience that rivaled any show that rolls through Columbus.

Realistically, Those Darlins played for well over an hour, but their set flew by. Before we knew it, they thanked the crowd and got off the stage. But! This is where my life was made.

Post-show, I gave Kelley Darlin a thumbs up and told her they put on an awesome show. Apparently, since Hannah and I were shaking our tailfeathers and shouting along throughout the whole show, the band took notice. Kelley then thanked us for our participation and that they all appreciated it and then gave us hugs! And it was a glorious hug.

So, back out into the cold, concert-less fall we went. And even though it's only been a day, I'm totally anxious to see Those Darlins again.

Rosie Haney, Kaitrin McCoy, and Megan Terese / September 16, 2011 / Donkey Coffee

2011-09-17T21:30:00.006-04:00

By: Jacob Betzner, Staff Writer

It was an acoustic pop night at Donkey Coffee featuring pianist and singer/songwriter Kaitrin McCoy.

Rosie Haney and her banjo-pickin’ friend kicked off the show, presented by Brick City Records, with a little self-proclaimed “hipster music” infused with bubbly comedy, and Megan Terese impressed the crowd with her rangy voice accompanied by the smooth guitar playing of Tom Atha.

With a good voice but limited guitar playing technique, what Haney lacked in musical ability she more than made up for in making the crowd laugh. She took the crowd on a “tour of hipster music” and ended her solo set with an a capella version of Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow’s hit “Picture” while the crowd laughed uncontrollably. Her friend then joined her for an original song about getting drunk. The song's chorus, “Tonight, you’re getting drunk/as a skunk/Who’da thunk/you could get so drunk?” also made the crowd cheer.

Next up was Zanesville native Megan Terse. Joined by Tom Atha, Terse hit a bunch of big notes and performed a beautiful cover of Etta James’ “At Last.” The duo added a few originals, covered Edwin McCain’s “I’ll Be,” and finished with a heartfelt original about a failed relationship.

Finally, Kaitrin McCoy continued the night of music and laughter by playing her all-original set, which included a song about “stupid” boys and considering becoming a lesbian, giving Haney a run for her money. McCoy tried a few new songs out for the crowd including her catchy song with the working title “Addicted to Love" to close the show.

The light music combined with some good coffee made for a nice little concert for a chilly Friday night in Athens.

High Castle, Pigeonholes, Nurser, and Hippie Grinder / September 15, 2011 / The Smiling Skull

2011-09-16T21:55:00.008-04:00

By: Sam Boyer, Staff Writer | '90s Blogger

My first venture to The Smiling Skull was marked by some apprehension. As a socially awkward sophomore, the thought of wandering beyond Court Street filled me with a ridiculous sense of dread. Translation: I’m really weird and I don’t like hanging out with people. But I’m a big girl now, and I have the ability to traipse around Athens like I own the damn place. Kind of.

Now that we’ve established the proverbial “popping” of my local venue cherry, I can get into the super rad experience that ensued.

The Smiling Skull looks slightly menacing upon first glance, but inside lies the coziest little hole-in-the-wall you ever did see. And by cozy I mean littered with (sometimes X-rated) graffiti and various vintage beer signs. Home sweet home.

The first band up was Pigeonholes, a pop-punk outfit from Parkersburg, W. Va. As I am partial to bands of the punk persuasion, I dug these guys. They were playful and had the three-chord progression thing down pat. The lead singer had a permanent smile plastered on his face, which translated to my face. If you’re happy, I’m happy, dude. And if you name one of your songs “This Coke Tastes Like Pepsi,” you automatically get my seal of approval.

The Skull started to fill up pretty quickly after the first set, but it wasn’t claustrophobia-inducing. One reason why I prefer The Skull over The Union: Atmosphere. There isn’t a ton of space, but the close quarters make for the dank bar equivalent of a group hug. “You smell like PBR and sweat. Let’s be friends!”

But I digress. Nurser was up next, and since I am ignorant to the local scene, I kept an open mind. Unfortunately, Nurser didn’t quite woo me the way Pigeonholes did. The former is a noise-rock band, so comparing the two is absurd. But after a few songs, I came to the conclusion that Nurser is just not my cup of tea. Too much noise, not enough rock. But that’s just my humble opinion. I am not the master of local music.

Due to the fact that I hadn’t eaten much all day, I only caught a few songs during High Castle’s set. What I did hear was fantastic. West Coast punks always rub me the right way. They kind of had an early Green Day thing going on, and considering my GD obsession, that is a very good thing.

I regret not seeing Hippie Grinder, but hopefully they come back around. My expectations for a “hardcore punk” band are very high.

ACRN's Lobsterfest 2011: Day Three / June 4 / South Beach

2011-06-08T15:17:00.004-04:00

By: Amanda Norris, Staff Writer

Bridesmaid

Bridesmaid are great at what they do-- which is play hard-hitting stoner metal-- but their sound translated awkwardly to the South Beach vibe. I’d love to see them play at the Smiling Skull or the Union with a crowd of their fans but in the context of a non-Ozzfest-outdoor-festival, the vibe was odd.

Whale Zombie

The best and worst thing about being deeply involved in the local music scene is that I see many of the same bands over and over again. I love that-- but I would be lying if I said it didn’t get old every now and then. That being said, I have seen Whale Zombie play more times than I can count. But I have never seen them quite like I saw them--or rather, heard them-- at Lobsterfest.

I have heard their endless waves of layered progressive rock soar in the acoustics of Stuart’s Opera House. I have moshed for them at the seemingly ill-fitting venue Casa Cantina. And I have found them most at home at the Union with it’s underground (yes, I realize it is upstairs, but you know what I mean) vibe suiting them perfectly. But never have I experienced them outside, in the afternoon sun, on a lazy Saturday.

Until Lobsterfest 2011 that is.

With no shoes upon which to gaze, I treated Whale Zombie’s set as a much needed pseudo-siesta-- staring up at the blue sky, getting lost in the chord progressions of a familiar sound in an unfamiliar setting. Sometimes it’s nice to change things up.

She Bears

I never knew She Bears in their Athens days but Columbus seems to have treated them well if what they debuted as new material is an indication of their new direction. She Bears’ Saturday set proved them still capable of producing solid indie pop-rock for the head-nodding, even despite recent line-up changes.

____

By: Scott Smith, Album Reviews Editor

The rain tried to end Lobsterfest's third day before it had even begun.

Blithe Field

The festivities began at noon, and by 12:30, the sky got dark and ominous, leading to a half-hour-long downpour. The courageous and efficient ACRN sound crew was able to save all of the equipment, and after taking some more time to set everything back up, Blithe Field was able to conclude his set.

Donning a Pink Floyd T-shirt to match the "The Wall" banner in front of all his equipment. The electronic musician led the crowd through a subdued pop landscape. His songs are upbeat but not exactly danceable; a comforting middle ground for fans who seemed to want to relax and just enjoy the music rather than let the heat take an even greater toll than it was already taking.

Asobi Seksu

To close the event was New York band Asobi Seksu. Instead of the dense shoegaze that band is known for, they instead debuted new songs for their upcoming album, Fluorescent. The new songs moved away from layering of the guitar sounds and instead opted for a more synth and lyrically-driven approach.

Asobi Seksu has really been wrongly pigeonholed as a shoegaze band, but the reality is that the band is an amorphous, ever changing musical act. Unfortunately, the weather wouldn't play nice again, and the band's set had to be cut short.

Setbacks aside, it was great three days for Ohio University, ACRN and Athens. A fantastic way to end the year, and some wonderful sounds to linger in our ears as summer vacation comes to the horizon.

ACRN's Lobsterfest 2011: Day Two / June 3 / The Union

2011-06-04T14:18:00.006-04:00

The Friday night edition of Lobsterfest 2011 started off at The Union with Nurser, a band who seemed very much at home within the confines of the dark upstairs music venue.

I had missed Nurser to this point, and actually had not read anything about them aside from our hilarious interview with them this week. So, aside from knowing them to be humorous young gentlemen, I had no idea what sort of music to expect.

Nurser plays a sort of... we'll go with noise rock. I can certainly see why some people would not be into this (it does seem to be a very polarizing genre), but I dug it. Shane Riley's guitar sound was probably the most untuned I've ever heard, and his vocals were admittedly a bit hard to hear over the cacophony of noise built up behind him. Then again, that's probably the point. Is it the point? If it's the point, they're winning.

One thing I could comment on was the overall tightness of the band... you can tell they've not been a band as long as some of the others, and--as a result--there does seem to be times that a beat is missed or delayed, or that something simply doesn't seem right with the music. These are just tiny instances that don't take away from the overall experience, but I'm sure they'll be back in the fall sounding better than before. And perhaps, as per their interview, playing in the vault of Chase Bank. Which would be rad.

Following Nurser was Evolve, a hip-hop act (sometimes duo) out of Cincinnati. This was my third experience with Evolve, the first coming at last year's Lobsterfest. Let me say that Evolve is an act never to be missed when he comes to the area (take note, Lobsters and Athenians not at the show last night!). Evolve is not your normal hip-hop/rap act. Rapping about the "social climate in modern Capitalist America," as he put it in an interview with us last fall, Evolve incorporates electronic beats and sounds into the easy-going rhymes. It's definitely a laid-back affair compared to what one may be used to from his genre of music.

The one thing that always irks me about Evolve's set is its length. I cannot say whether it's the fact that I'm enjoying the music or that the set really is that short, but a show with Evolve always seems to blow by. Short and sweet is at times something I can get behind for certain acts, but I'd love to hear more from Evolve. Maybe someday.

--Kevin Rutherford, Editorial Director
________________

Narrow and the Brights. See them. Immediately.

Frontman Tim Race, whose vocals fall somewhere between a less melancholic Ian Curtis and a less-produced Paul Banks, and drummer Zach Inscho, a percussion powerhouse, put on the best set of the night with the help of their bassist Brad Wilson, no slouch himself.

Soaring guitars, a drum kit getting worked-- nearly abused-- and the conclusion that Narrow and the Brights are undoubtedly the strongest post-punk act I’ve seen come through yet this quarter, made Lobsterfest, Friday night edition, completely worth it.

After Narrow and the Brights went Child Bite. Hardcore is not my forte but I can defintely respect these guys. I probably won’t be caught at Haffa’s buying their album, but their energy was staggering. I am still trying to figure out how their keyboardist/vocalist made it around the stage that much, seemingly without missing any of his parts. I am also still trying to figure out how their bassist ended up on the floor of the Union at the end of their final track with a girl straddling him. Details will be provided as further developments come to light.

--Amanda Norris, Staff Writer

ACRN's Lobsterfest 2011: Day One / June 2 / Casa Cantina

2011-06-03T21:29:00.004-04:00

ACRN’s Lobsterfest couldn’t have kicked off better this year. Not only is every night free for festival-goers and those who randomly stumble into the right bar on the right night, but the lineup is a virtual who’s-who of the Athens music scene as well as a few fresh faces from out of town.

Last night was a meat and potatoes kind of evening. The venue: Casa Cantina, an Athens staple and a personal favorite of yours truly. The performers: Stomp The Condor, The Kyle Sowashes, Scubadog and Tin Armor, all acts that have developed a particular following here in town.

Unfortunately my arrival was delayed, and I was only able to catch Stomp The Condor sing happy birthday to a fan in the crowd. I was disappointed to say the least, those guys seemed like fun.

After settling in, one thing became abundantly clear to me--the place was packed, and there were more people constantly filing in. I’m not a regular on the bar scene, but I can’t remember the last time I saw Casa that full in the three years I’ve been going there.

In hindsight, I shouldn’t have been so surprised . The Kyle Sowashes were about to go on, but before last night I wasn’t aware of what a big deal that actually was. The bands upbeat lo-fi indie-pop is infectious. Some of the lyrical content can get lost in the loud distortion, but the brand of music and the quartet’s excellent instrumentation (guitar solos from Mr. Kyle Sowash, himself, on nearly every track) leads to such a great live show that it’s hard to care. I’ve had people simply gush about this band to me, and I’m now starting to understand why.

Nearly everyone stuck around to see Scubadog, but there was no sense of mystery surrounding it all for me this time. If you’ve trolled around the local music scene in the past few years, these guys have become all too familiar. Teddy Humpert and Jake Householder are now in their second band together. It was the first time I’d seen them with new drummer Chris Mengerink, but I honestly think this is the best show I’ve seen out of them. Maybe these journeymen are ready to break through.

To my chagrin, Casa seemed rather cavernous just minutes after Scubadog finished. The band playing the late slot unfairly has to deal with tired eyes and the need for rest from fans more so than the other acts. Most times you don’t miss anything particularly spectacular, but then again Tin Armor doesn’t normally fill the late slot. The Columbus pop act remains one of the best kept secrets. I’m starting to see the same devoted faces when Tin Armor comes to town, a sort of cult following, if you will. That sounds strange coming from a pop act, normally there’s an instant universal appeal. Consider me baffled, but hopefully soon more and more people start to notice.

Lobsterfest continues tonight (June 3) at The Union at 10 P.M. and then Saturday in front of South Green campus starting at noon.

Like I said before, it’s all free, so your broke ass doesn’t have an excuse not to go.

--Scott Smith, Album Reviews Editor

"The Smorgasbord" / May 27-28 / Haffa's and GG's Bubble Tea's Basements

2011-05-29T18:40:00.007-04:00

What do you mean Baker Center is closed? They actually expect us to walk up that hill all weekend?

Memorial Day weekend turns Athens into somewhat of a ghost town. The University essentially shuts down, most of the student body goes home, and a tumbleweed can be seen making its lonesome journey down an abandoned Court Street—granted the tumbleweed is in the form of an empty natty box… but I digress.

There is one event Memorial Day weekend that the left behind (I thought the rapture was last weekend?) can look forward to: “The Smorgasbord.”

Smorgasbord Day 1:

“The Smorgasbord” kicked off at 7:30 Friday Night at Union Arts, a.k.a the Basement of Haffa’s Records, with a performance art piece.

Here I will choose to lift a phrase from Staff Writer Scott Smith: “I’ve never been equipped to interpret interpretive dance.” Nor have I, Scott, nor have I. And so I chose to sit that one out in what was left of the day’s sunshine while I waited for word that singer/songwriter/poet Dawn Parker would be taking the stage.

Now I’ve seen Parker read at Donkey Coffee’s Designated Space pretty regularly, and the girl is honestly one of the best writers I’ve ever encountered. People who are getting ready to leave will literally sit back down when Zach Fulton (emcee of DS and organizer of the Smorgasbord) calls her to the stage just to hear her work. That being said, I had no idea she could sing. She can. Beautifully. Between her poetic lyricism and heart-breakingly smooth vocals, her set was definitely one to remember—as was her interpretation of the Decemberists’ “The Crane Wife” with which she closed.

Following Dawn was a poetry-reading by Dan Moore. Moore, another frequenter of Donkey’s DS, gave a truly phenomenal performance. I’ve seen him read his work countless times but never with this much feeling, this much truth.

I took a break from the Smorgasbord and returned for Hannah Cook’s acoustic set. She played some great originals, particularly one about a recent camping trip, but her cover of Ben Kweller’s “Lizzy” stood out above all the rest. That girl needs to put that on youtube. Immediately. It would shame all of the other covers into submission within the first 30 seconds. Cook was joined midway through her set by two other musicians, a guitarist and pianist. They complimented her well and, despite breaks to tune, put on a lovey show. I hope to see more of them in the future.

Closing out the night was another poetry-reading, this time by Jesse Pyle. If you’ve never been to Union Art’s, imagine a basement under a record store with black walls and floor, minimal lighting, a chain-link fence, a few random balloons, and an assortment of college-aged hipster kids, well over half of whom are toting liquor in their purses/murses. Now, imagine a man in a suit who looks like he just stepped out of Harvard grad school circa 1964 reading in fluent Anglo-saxon and Italian.

I love this town.

Day 2:

The Smorgasbord reconvened Saturday at 7ish in the basement of GG’s Bubble Tea.

Opening up the night was poet Justin Carel. Carel is another poetic talent who frequents DS and, again, though I have seen him read before and always been impressed, there was just something about this particular performance that showed he was pulling out all the stops. Carel has an uncanny ability of mixing beat poetics, humor, social conscious themes, and devastating nostalgia into creations that leave a listener sometimes laughing, sometimes heartbroken, sometimes a little of both, but always enthralled. On top of that, he does improvisations with help from audience suggestions. How Carel can turn the suggestions of “socks” and “turtles” into an introspective piece on humanity is something beyond me. But thank god he can.

After Carel, was a set by 99₵ Dreamz. It was honestly his best show to date. His beats were perfectly in line with his vocals, there were no technical difficulties, and he brought bags of computer paper strips. The computer paper thing might seem strange to you. Clearly, you have no idea how fun it is to mosh in a pile of that stuff. Try it. Go ahead. I’ll wait. Okay, now you understand.

Jokes and stage antics aside, 99₵ Dreamz has some seriously bitingly clever lyrics. He passed judgment on the college hook-up culture with “I still had the nerve to call you the very next day/ despite knowing that you slept with him instead of just fucking me” on the track “Somewhere Near State Street.” He sent a heartwarming shout-out to his girlfriend, Danielle Wallette. He did a duet with his best friend Jeni Shaw—a girl with crazy pipes who needs to play out more. And he even wrote a new song about the rapture, probably his most impressive one yet which deals strongly with dystopic themes: “I was there when the world was supposed to end/ May 21, 2011/ All the college kids were outside drinking their beers/ Nothing changed here.”

I left the Smorgasbord soon after the 99₵ Dreamz set, but I did stay long enough to see a particularly endearing short film about the family that owns Souvlakis’, narrated by their 8 year old daughter.

I can think of no better way to spend Memorial Day in Athens than in dark basements with good friends, good music, and good poetry. These are our college years. This is our smorgasbord.

--Amanda Norris, Staff Writer

ACRN St. Jude Benefit Show / May 5 / The Smiling Skull

2011-05-06T18:47:00.004-04:00

A sleepy brain and a game of “Would You Rather” later, and we were on our way to the Smiling Skull. We were apprehensive of the price at first, but morally we couldn’t allow ourselves to use that excuse, given the show was a benefit for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. We had to think of the children.

The Athens-famous, omnipotent, flawless Nurser took the stage (of sorts) first. Things went better than the last time I saw them, but their music is so weird that it’s hard to tell when things aren’t going well. I mean that in the best way possible. There are definitely some inventive sounds coming from them, particularly from Shane Riley’s guitar. He finds the most obscure notes to play, but stirs them together so that they transition solidly.

They had some new material to lay on the growing crowd, one song in which bassist Sam Mink had to step out because he hadn’t learned his part yet. To that, Riley said something along the lines of, “Our bassist can’t play to this song because it’s such a rager.”

Blithe Field was next and to my and everyone else’s dismay, he was having technical difficulties. He tried to push through as best he could, but the beats weren’t quite the way they were meant to be. Still, he had a supportive crowd that wished him well, but his set was forced to end too soon.

Stomp the Condor, very much unlike Blithe Field, was a weirdo, rambunctious bunch. Or, really just the lead singer/keyboardist/guitarist was. They played rowdy tunes that the crowd greeted with rowdy energy. It was punk rock and other stuff at its finest. A couple of them took off their shirts, too, and of course that’s always a good time, even more so when the shirtless are wearing jorts.

The crowd was at its largest with Brothertiger, which usually is the case every time he plays. I only stuck around for a couple of songs, but left a trippy, happy, dancing group of people. That’s alls yous gotta do, anyway.

Apparently we raised $300! May good causes be benefited and may good music be cherished for all of eternity.

--Hannah Cook, Managing Editor

Of Southeast Engine, Echo & and the Bunnymen Covers, and Allen Ginsberg

2011-05-01T11:03:00.004-04:00

It begins with Allen Ginsberg. It always begins with Allen Ginsberg. And this Friday night, it began with Allen Ginsberg--or at least a man with his glasses and hazed stare--hitting on my mom on the Casa Cantina dance floor.

Yes friends, it is Moms Weekend in Athens and as we all know, when spring dawns on this town things can get a little preposterous. We know this, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

The walk from West Green to Casa alone proved that Athens would be in top form: encounters with Rick the Court Street pianist, two dueling violinists outside of Bagel Street, the late-night accordionist making a rare appearance before after hours, and even an enthusiastic breakdancer outside of the diner. There were almost as many street performers on Court Street Friday as there are bars. I love this town.

We arrived at Casa just in time to catch the beginning of opening act Wolf Ram Heart’s set. We also beat the door man--cheating Casa out of cover charge is a rare and exciting feat. I almost felt bad about it until the front man of Southeast Engine congratulated us. If the headliner sanctions it, it’s fair game. But I digress: Wolf Ram Heart.

Let’s talk about Wolf Ram Heart. Like most people who were raised on too much VH1 Classic, I love Pink Floyd but I also love to hate on all other forms of prog rock, all the time, always, no exceptions. Wolf Ram Heart is the exception. I loved their set. They played flawlessly and got people dancing, high praise for an opening act. The highlight was their cover of “Lips like Sugar”-- nothing gets the cougars boogieing like Echo & the Bunnymen.

After Wolf Ram Heart went Scubadog. It was their first show with their new drummer and I have to say it was a success. Whether their guitarist is using his capo as a slide or they are using an ipad as a musical instrument, Scubadog never fails to change things up and have a good time. Their set was great and Jesse Remnant from Southeast Engine even got up to play moroccos for them.

Speaking of Southeast Engine... Athens loves Southeast Engine. They are the kings of Casa Cantina. They might be on Daytrotter, but they are NOT a “national act.” They are our act, and they are great at it. They introduced tunes from their latest album Canary, which they referred to as their “ode to Athens,” and each one was a hit in its own right. Whether singing devastatingly poetic ballads about Appalachian coal miners or upbeat toe-tappers, Southeast Engine knows how to put on a great live show. They recognize that the surest way to a girl’s heart is with a harmonica but make no mistake, these boys can JAM when they are compelled.

A “bro” in the front row who had a few too many tried to get loud with Southeast Engine, but no one messes with the kings in their castle. Their drummer, always one for entertaining facial expressions, exclaimed “Shut up!”--while simultaneously accomplishing an excellent fill, I might add--and the offender retreated into the shadow of his flat-brim baseball cap, not to be heard from again.

When the set was over, Athenians of course begged for more, and the boys of Southeast Engine, like the gentlemen that they are, gave the crowd a choice: “Would you like rock first? Or anthem?” “BOTH!” we exclaimed, and they obliged, ending with a guitar solo off of the base drum. If only there would have been slashing windmills involved. Maybe next time Casa...

-Amanda Norris, Staff Writer

Emily and the Complexes/The Smiling Skull/Duke Junior and the Smokey Boots/Casa Cantina/Buffalo Killers/The Union/April 15

2011-04-22T16:35:00.004-04:00

The rain in Spain might fall gently on the plains, but the rain in Athens pounds the bricks with more force than the hooves of Athens P.D. at Palmer Fest. Be that as it may, Athenians will get down rain or shine and, when they do, staff writer Hannah Cook and I will be among them.

After partaking in some pre-gaming...er..."snacks," we headed to the Smiling Skull to catch Emily and the Complexes. The atmosphere at the Skull was lively and we danced and twirled amidst friends and townies to the sounds of Tyler Verhagen's outlaw-acoustic-folk-blues-indie creations. He bantered with the crowd and made Harry Potter references and gave his all on every tune. Those who made their way down Union Street despite the weather were not to be disappointed. But it is not for Hannah Cook and me to stay in one place. When Verhagen (a.k.a. Emily and the Complexes) strummed his final note, we were compelled to move on.

As we made our way back to Athens' favorite crossroads (Court/Union), we ran into a few characters—including Zak, the emcee of Donkey Coffee's beloved Designated Space—and convinced them to join us at Casa Cantina for Duke Junior and the Smokey Boots. After coughing up two dollars for the cover, and receiving two frowny faces on each of our hands courtesy of the doorman's Sharpie, we positioned ourselves in front of the stage as the band set up all of its equipment. While I was rocking keen hiking sandals (monsoon season is no time for heels, ladies—certainly not in the city upon many hills), Hannah Cook's boots were itching to start smoking—and smoke they did. Duke Junior brought its A-game, playing roots so lively no toe in Casa was immune to tapping. We stayed and boogied for most of the set, but 12:45 rolled around and it was, again, time for us to be moving on.

With the Skull and Casa already covered, the only logical ending venue to our night of show-hopping was, of course, The Union, for whatever was left of Blackoutfest. We made it just in time to catch the end of an experimental band whose name I do not recall... So what I mean to say is, we made it just in time to loiter outside while we waited for word that Buffalo Killers were setting up. When word came, we were up that staircase in a hot second and positioned right at the front of the stage, ready to get our blues rock on. The Buffalo Killers started off a bit slow but once they got their momentum going, there was no stopping them. What began as a mediocre set ended with multiple bangs and an enthusiastic crowd that showed its appreciation by jostling until the law would let it jostle no more, and the bar had to give the traditional "You don't have to go home, but you do have to get the fuck out of here"—always a boost to a band's ego. Luckily, the Buffalo Killers deserve such an ego boost. I hope they enjoyed their Goodfellas and return again soon.

They say that rainy days are meant for staying in. They say that nothing good happens after 10 p.m. They say a lot of things. Hannah Cook and I refuse to take stock in such nonsense. Next time, I suggest you join us. The Athens music scene is alive, and we are all alive within it.

--Amanda Norris, Staff Writer

ACRN's 40th Birthday Bash / April 8 / The Union

2011-04-09T19:06:00.005-04:00

ACRN turned 40 on April 9 at The Union, and if you weren't there, then it's your own damn fault.

Alumni and current Lobsters alike turned out, making the show one of the most well-attended shows I've seen ACRN put on in a while. Given my absence from Athens for the previous four months, seeing the formidable lineup of bands was quite intriguing. Whale Zombie, In Silent Movies and Scubadog had been personal favorites prior, while the D-Rays were a completely new act for me. With a lineup featuring some of my Athens favorites and one that could very well be destined to join those ranks, it was sure to be a great night.

The D-Rays are a psych-garage rock band that features Erick Coleman on guitar, Missy Pence on bass and Aaron Lemley on drums. Now, I will probably be showing my unfamiliarity with the Athens music scene prior to, say, 2009, but I'm not quite sure what band(s) -- if any -- the former two had been a part of prior to the D-Rays. I only assume they've been in some other bands due to their playing ability. Coleman was great on guitar, and probably quite formidable on vocals as well, though the vocal mix we're all so used to at The Union made him a bit difficult to hear.

I enjoyed everything about the band. Coleman and Pence were tight together, with Coleman letting loose some ripping guitar solos and Pence staying steady with more than a few appealing basslines. I can dig any band in which I can actually hear the bass quite well, and the D-Rays are one such band. And to be quite honest, the most pleasant surprise of the band's set in my mind was drummer Lemley. He so happens to be the drummer of Athens country-folk standard Duke Junior and the Smokey Boots in addition to his tenure here, and while I absolutely adore the Boots' music, Lemley's drumming was far more subdued -- as one might expect from such a band. With the D-Rays, Lemley seems to be able to let loose far more often, and it's altogether quite appealing, as he's an extremely talented drummer.

Given my relative ignorance of the band's genre, I can't speak to whether the band played mostly covers, mostly original tunes, or any combination of the two. I do know at least one song was a cover, as it was announced as such. I could not recognize any of the songs, so I cannot and will not speak to the original ownership of each song, but I will say this: if they were covers, I think they did the originals proud, and if they were originals, these guys could be going somewhere-- or at least could release a kick-ass album.

In Silent Movies, now a Columbus-based three-piece, took the stage next. It had been over 10 months since I had seen the band, always a favorite around here, so my excitement was evident and I pretty much told everyone at The Union to which I spoke that hadn't seen the band before (see: freshmen) that they were about to see a very formidable set. And ISM didn't disappoint. Throwing in some seemingly newer songs (I'm pretty sure I hadn't heard the songs in question, at least) and the standards such as "Deep Sea Diver" and "Plan of Attack."

Speaking once again to the general inability to hear vocals all that well at the venue, it proved slightly difficult to discern that what singer/guitarist Josh Landis was saying from time to time, but quite frankly, I was enjoying the set from nostalgia enough that I didn't care all too much. Both Landis and bassist Mike Jones were quite fun to watch on vocal-less segments of each tune, Landis following the old Christopher Walken/Bruce Dickinson adage of "Explore the space." I was also surprised to find that the band had found a new drummer: Randy, whose last name I do not know. I'm not going to be that guy that decides to compare old versus new from here, but we'll certainly say that Randy is a more-than-formidable replacement.

Now, let me get this out of my system: SCUUUUUUUBBAAAAAAAAAA.

Yep, Scubadog was the next band. Scubadog showed once again why they're one of the best live acts in Athens today. Truly, words cannot and will not fully describe the enjoyability of the four-piece's set. Jake Householder and Teddy Humpert were a devastating two-pronged attack as always, on both vocals and guitar/bass. Their banter is hilarious, and their songs are just damn catchy. In one such instance, Householder deemed the band's upcoming tune about their affinity for cops, which set Householder and Humpert into a minute-long shpeel ("But aren't they all?") before finally declaring, "Respect your local law enforcement officers!"

For me, the funniest part about seeing Scubadog live is that I still don't know half the names of the songs. Do I know the songs in terms of actually recognizing them when they're played? Absolutely. But aside from "Randy" and "Patience," I've got nothing. For me, that almost adds to the myth of Scubadog, a "super-group" of sorts that hadn't even released any recorded music until recently, when two singles were released digitally. If there is one band that I wish would record a full-length here in Athens, it's Scubadog. Hands. The fuck. Down.

Before I continue on, I must express my happiness that Josh Antonuccio is still playing in the band. Unless I just heard incorrectly, I had been under the impression that 2010's ACRN Lobsterfest was to be his final show with the band. This statement, was it ever made, has been disproven a number of times now. I'm not complaining, because Antonuccio is probably one of my favorite guitarists to actually watch play.

By the time Whale Zombie rolled around, I can honestly say that I was a little inebriated due to the fact that my 21st birthday had been just two days prior, meaning that I could actually buy drinks for myself -- and that I very much did. This caused my attention span to become a bit limited, and thus my engagement with Whale Zombie's set was curtailed. Still, as always, they put on a great show. Despite their not playing my personal favorite (I think it's titled "Transcendental Bullshit"), the mix of instrumentals and vocal-infused tracks kept the audience on its toes and moving -- quite a bit. Aside from a corner of The Union that went into a frenzy during the D-Rays' final song, dancing was never as crazy nor as plentiful as it was during Whale Zombie's set.

All in all, I'd say the night was a rip-roarin' success. Super yayz, all bands involved. Super. Yayz.

Following the show, I hit up the Union Street Diner -- and let me tell you, 3 a.m. steak and eggs has never tasted so delectable.

--Kevin Rutherford, Managing Editor

Goo Goo Dolls / April 6 / Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium

2011-04-08T14:23:00.005-04:00

Crowds of eagerly rowdy college students and families filed outside of the Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium as they waited for their chance to burst in and take their places in the rock-and-roll-infused extravaganza.

An enthusiastic roadie was seen playing wall ball in an alleyway against the wall, waiting for the band to go on. I heard a group of college students singing in unison, “Goo Goo Dolls! Goo Goo Dolls!” confirming that they were, in fact, waiting to see the popular band from Buffalo, New York with the same name.

As I pushed my way through the doors and found my designated seat (that I did not sit in, since rock n’ roll requires no lounging around), I overheard several women swooning over lead singer John Rzeznik. One woman who was near the front of the stage even turned towards the hungry audience and excitedly threw her arms in the air several times and hurrah'ed to get the rest of us even more riled up than we already were, all the while managing to form her hands into rockin’ devil horns. The amount of energy and suspense was fantastic; it was possible to even smell the musty fumes of sweat as fans jumped up and down, prepping for what was bound to be a rock show of epic proportions.

The opening act, Kingsfoil, brought the atmosphere’s energy level on overdrive and they even had a free t-shirt giveaway on Twitter. A group of rowdy dudes next to me started swaying and dancing to the music, their baseball caps falling into their eyes from the immense force of their un-choreographed movements. When Kingsfoil left the stage it grew black and a new backdrop emerged from the previous one. The high-pitched screaming indicated that it was time for the Goo Goos to take the stage.

Strobe lights, fog and killer acoustics were all part of the Doll’s impressive set. Rzeznik even called out a couple in the front row. The woman’s boyfriend seemed uninterested in the show and Rzeznik was able to get him initiated into Goo Goo-dom through the use of witty banter and his amazing lead singer sass. The show was fantastic, and the gang played famous songs such as “Slide” and “Better Days” as well as songs featuring vocal performances from bassist Robby Takac. Much to my dismay, I left for the restroom during the middle of their set and as a result, missed the first forty or so seconds of “Iris” (at least I was able to run back to my seat for the majority of the song).

When "Iris" ended, the band thanked Athens and exited stage left, I turned to my friend Morgan and shook my head at her since I had a premonition that the Dolls were not going to be gone for long and would need to return for the audience’s demand of an encore. My precognition was indeed correct, and the Dolls with their perceived trickery, came back onstage and, to the audience’s approval, played about five more power-driven ballads.

The Goo Goo Dolls really made their exit right after their encore and as soon as they exited for good, swarms of fans grabbed their personal belongings dangling from the untouched chairs behind them and scurried out of the auditorium. On my way out I spotted college students and families alike, proudly donning Goo Goo Dolls merch. The appreciation and overall energy of the Goo Goo Dolls’ “friends” (as Rzeznik called his fans) were part of the reason why this show was undoubtedly a major highlight in Athens history.

--Capril Ciulla, Staff Writer

3/31 Free Show at Casa Scene and Heard: Vagrant Beat, Walk the Moon, and Mind Fish

2011-04-01T19:45:00.008-04:00

It’s been about three weeks since I have seen the Athens local post-hardcore 5-piece Vagrant Beat and I must say that I am continuously impressed by the quality of their performances and the music itself. After listening to their opening set for recently-gone-viral, Cincinnati native synth-pop group Walk the Moon and Athens’ rock group Mind Fish at Casa Nueva, I consider myself a part of their fan club, The Vagrants (as opposed to Beaters).

Before the show began I took some time to talk with Walk the Moon drummer Sean Waugaman about the band’s recent success. He told me stories about SXSW where the band played with The Airborne Toxic Event amongst others. Walk the Moon recently gained popularity from their music video for “Anna Sun” and as a result have had an article published in Spin magazine and will be on the Last Call with Carson Daly show tonight, April 1.

The energy Walk the Moon played with was infectious as the entire crowd danced to the catchy choruses of songs like “Quesadilla” and “Car”. They played two new never-heard-before songs, one of which was unnamed and the other I quite honestly just can’t remember the name of. After the show, lead singer Nicholas Petricca thanked the audience, especially those who were at their show last year in the Spacement and encouraged everyone to stick around for Mind Fish and hang out with them after the show.

Mind Fish took the stage with the windows already fogged up from the energy of the previous two bands, and did what they do best; which is putting on a very hands-on performance that included lead singer Dean Tartaglia dancing on things and with his adoring fans in the audience. The band definitely got the crowd involved, inviting people up on stage to shake their hips and even got those who didn’t know many Mind Fish’s song singing along to their medley of Foghat’s “Slow Ride” and their own song “Detroit Rock and Roll." The night ended with the repetition of the lyric “Dean’s got a band and it’s the best in the land” and, despite the slight narcissism, Mind Fish gave a performance that kept the crowd on their feet and dancing all night long.

Highlights of my night? Lead singer of Walk the Moon, Nicholas Petricca's, coming up to me and thanking me for rocking out so hard during their set and the scream at the end of Vagrant Beat’s song “Vignette." Gives me the chills every time.

--Matthew Bemer, Staff Writer

Vagrant Beat photo: Ryan Murphy

Kaitrin McCoy and Dawn Parker / March 4 / Donkey Coffee

2011-03-05T23:02:00.003-05:00

As I ventured into the back room of Donkey on Friday night, I was feeling a little bit concerned. You see, the last time I went to a show at everyone's favorite coffee shop, it was fall quarter of my freshman year. I was there to see an open mic night, and during my somewhat lively game of Scrabble, my group was yelled at by the hippie musician on stage for not paying adequate attention.

So, yeah, Donkey and I don't have the best track record for shows. However, I decided to put our differences aside and go out to see Kaitrin McCoy for her C.D. release show. My friends and I arrived a little early, paid our very reasonable $2 cover, and sat on a back couch to chat with the lady of the evening. Before we all knew it, the nine o'clock hour had come and opening act Dawn Parker took the stage.

Armed with a guitar, the opening act started in to her first song. Her smooth and soothing voice overtook the reasonably-sized crowd for the first song and a half. Unfortunately, Parker's string broke halfway through her second song. It was a little awkward as she finished out the song, but the situation was handled as well as it could have been. Instead of finishing out her set with only five strings, the guy handling the sound offered to run home to grab his guitar so she could display her songs as best as she could. Parker took him up on his offer, and a spontaneous 20 minute intermission was taken, as the crowd listened to Radiohead songs and chatted amongst themselves.

When the guitar was retrieved and Parker retook the stage, she replayed the entirety of the song that was interrupted at the request of her musical savior. And it was a good thing too. This track was easily the most memorable of Parker's set. With the interesting, yet powerful lyrics like "He's my brother just as sure as you are mine / But I only eat and drink with my own kind," she certainly had the audience thinking. Parker continued her set to the attentive audience with more of her sing songy acoustic jams, including a cover of Neutral Milk Hotel's "King of Carrot Flowers Pt. One." Parker then rounded out her set with a Christian hymn, which was simple and pretty.

The opening talented songstress must have brought a lot of support with her. Because as Parker left the stage, many people left the venue. That's just unfortunate for them, because the next act, Kaitrin McCoy, showed that she has a huge amount of talent. As she sat down on the piano bench, her bubbly personality was super evident. McCoy chatted with the audience for a second and thanked them for coming, took a sip of her water, and busted into her first song.

The small, yet attentive audience, was then wowed by McCoy. She displayed an impressive range both vocally and on the piano. Her songs were mainly on the more serious side of the spectrum, with honest lyrics about life and love. This was then offset by her bouncy little stories between songs, including an adorably failed joke, and the overall positive vibes she sent out. This aspect of her personality, however, was displayed when she sang "The Silly Song," a Ben Folds-y, well, silly song about how boys suck. McCoy also successfully tackled a Regina Spektor cover, which is certainly no small feat.

Finishing up at 10:30 to "let [the crowd] get drunk in true OU fashion," McCoy left the Donkey piano bench to sell copies of her CD, Icky Romantic (an anagram of Kaitrin McCoy). I suppose I can't speak for the rest of the crowd, but I left feeling jealous of all the singer-songwriter talent that oozed from both Parker and McCoy. 'Twas a night of simple, pretty music, which is really the best kind.

And while Donkey as a venue is still a teensy bit too quiet for my taste, I found myself re-accepting it as a venue. Particularly because I didn't get a stern lecture from any shoeless hippies.

--Carolyn Menyes, Staff Writer

Brothertiger, Monolithic Cloud Parade, Historians, and Iron Jim & The Broken Hand Band / March 3 / The Smiling Skull

2011-03-04T22:02:00.003-05:00

Things didn’t go quite according to plan last night, but unexpectedness and spontaneous behavior is what makes the fun world spin ‘round. And that’s just where we were last night—the fun world, also known as the Smiling Skull.

On the bill for the evening were Brothertiger, Monolithic Cloud Parade, Historians and Iron Jim and the Broken Hand Band. Who, I believe, ended up actually playing were: Brothertiger, Historians and Iron Jim with a different bassist than usual, with no trace of Monolithic Cloud Parade. A bummer, yes. But the night still went on and good spirits were still rustling like the ghosts at a Christmas feast at Hogwarts (Microsoft Word knows what Hogwarts is!).

Iron Jim played first, but I missed most of it since the hustle and bustle after my first arriving was still going on after they ended. I don’t remember hating the sound that was going on, though. I guess that means they were okay in my book.

Historians were next, and I didn’t absolutely love them. It could have been due to the crumby sound system, but the vocals seemed a little off. They played a varied set, though, with no song sounding quite like the other, and sometimes the intricate and bouncy instrumentation picked up the slack, but for the most part, I wasn’t too enchanted.

Brothertiger, as per usual, got most of the people on their feet and cutting loose. He’s got quite a following too. In between songs, one could hear many chants of “Brothertiger!” and even some singing along a bit. It’s safe to say he’s an Athens favorite and he’s one of my favorites too. Anything a sister can boogie to is something a sister loves—and loves even more if it’s unique and self-created.

--Hannah Cook, Managing Editor

Vagrant Beat, Damn Animals & Zapaño / February 25 / The Smiling Skull

2011-02-27T12:46:00.003-05:00

For the past two weeks the members of Vagrant Beat have been up until the early morning recording and practicing down the hall from my room, filling the hall with echoing sounds of reverb and phaser guitars. Last night at the Smiling Skull, I finally got to hear all those sounds come together live.

Vagrant Beat may have been the opening act, plagued by technical difficulties, broken guitar strings, crappy mic stands and wasted biker folk; but the 4-piece post-hardcore act couldn't have had more energy. What really impressed me was the lead singer's willingness to get into the crowd and jump around. Their sound was impressive: obvious At-the-Drive in influence mixed with lots of effects-driven guitars and an occasional Ian MacKaye-esque scream from the lead singer, Ryan. Overall, I was impressed by the sound and quality of the live performance they gave, given the rough start they had.

Following them was an Athens garage rock band called Damn Animals. There's not much to say about their performance. Outdone by the opening act, they just sounded generic. For a moment I thought they would break the mold and play something unique when their guitarist brought out an auto-harp, but disappointment ensued.

Zapaño closed the night. I have heard a lot of buzz regarding the jazz fusion/progressive rock quartet and I must say I was very impressed. They sounded a lot like The Mars Volta with some stoner metal influences. Frontman Sean really got the crowd into the music with his impressive vocal improvisation. The band as a whole is tremendously talented and it definitely showed throughout their solos.

The incorporation of a saxophone into their music definitely brought a fresh angle into their music and I really enjoyed the show, until I got a half hour into it.

Repetitive bass lines combined with similar breakdowns and song structures made the show drag, and I was actually glad that they ended close to 1 A.M. and did not go until 2.

Although the Skull may not be the best place to hear a band, last night was definitely a great night to see Vagrant Beat and Zapaño put on a show.

--Matt Bemer, Staff Writer

Flow Town Four / February 15 / Red Brick Tavern

2011-02-16T10:32:00.003-05:00

If you asked me where I’d most likely be found on a Tuesday night, I’d probably say curled up in my bed, watching the latest episode of “Tosh.0” or “South Park." The last place I’d suggest would most likely be Red Brick Tavern with a beer in hand, especially considering my 9 a.m. class the following day and my lack of sleep because of midterms and exams.

However, I admit, after this past Tuesday that may be the first place to look for me.

Because this past Tuesday I experienced my first Flow Town Four show.

It was fate that brought me to Red Brick that cosmic night. Okay, so it was more like my editor had stared me down into taking a show preview for Flow Town Four and I was supposed to interview them before their weekly tavern performance. Instead, I ended up watching their entire set and having more fun than any responsible adult should on a weekday night.

Flow Town Four deserves recognition alone for the fact that the so-called “stage” the band performed on was about the size of Red Brick’s bathroom. Dead serious. When they started setting up their instruments, I honestly didn’t think they would fit a drum kit up there, let alone three amps, multiple instruments and all four band members. However, the band persevered.

They kicked their two-hour long set off with Better Than Ezra’s “Good,” which is also the simplest term to describe their performance. In my year and a half at Ohio University, this is one of, if not my favorite, live performance. The band mixed their set with a lot of mid-90ies and early 2000s classics; songs that they knew would keep bar shufflers interested. Every couple of tracks Flow Town Four played an original, fit perfectly into the setlist.

The dual vocals with guitarists Benjamin “Butch” Wagner and Jordan Youtz allowed Flow Town Four to vary the music they covered with songs such as; James’ “Laid," Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” and even Coolio’s “Gangsta's Paradise”. The latter left me extremely impressed, considering it’s not everyday that you find a white boy with a guitar in small-town Ohio who can actually rap.

Even though Flow Town Four had already won my heart over through their impeccable cover selection and their genius flow of O.A.R’s “That Was a Crazy Game of Poker” into Blink-182’s “Dammit” it was their performance of “Flippy Floppies," an original track written by Youtz, that turned me into a fan. The laid-back, surfer style can make anyone smile and the lyrics are so damn catchy that I cannot stop singing it in my head.

When a band plays for two hours, it’s typically pretty easy to find yourself spacing out. Hell, I even find myself losing interest in a 50-minute class. But the band had my attention the entire show. They made me want to dance and sing, and left me literally sitting on the edge of my seat in anticipation of what song they would play next.

The good news about Flow Town Four is that they play at Red Brick every Tuesday starting at 10 p.m. The even better news is that you can still get in if you’re under 21, and if you arrive around 9 p.m. your chances of getting carded at the door are slim to none. The best news however, is that you’re going to hear a talented Athens band play some amazing music.

Kristin Spicker, Staff Writer

The Miracle Vitamins / February 12 / Smiling Skull

2011-02-15T18:17:00.004-05:00

Saturday night was one of those nights that I had to piece together with my friends afterward, just to make sure everything was as preposterous as I remembered.

It was.

One is always bound to run into some characters at the Smiling Skull and, perhaps because the weather is getting nicer, Saturday night seemed to bring out more characters than usual. Townies were getting in touch with their argumentative sides. A group of shufflers-- who probably would have felt more at home at Crystal or even Dave Rave-- were clamoring for “birthday shots” for their “girl’s 21st.” Two dogs-- referring to the animal, not the two old men hitting on miss birthday shots-- were getting their mingle on. You would think that two dogs roaming freely about a tavern would be odd. It wasn’t. Those dogs were the most normal, chilled out, occupants of the Skull Saturday Night. But I digress. I’m here to talk about the music.

We stayed for one band. It was all we could bear.

They were called The Miracle Vitamins, and they hailed from Toledo. I’ve been instructed by a friend who is much more tolerant than I am to state that some people were enjoying it. I, however, would like to clarify that “some people,” refers to an enthusiastic potential cousin or groupie of Miracle Vitamins and what was presumably his less enthusiastic sidekick, who proceeded to dully nod his head in the affective manner characteristic not of the ironic-though-appreciative hipster kid, but rather of a normal human being who is extremely bored.

Miracle Vitamins was a folk group. They had a drum machine. They had a leapfrogesque-piano-keyboard-toy. I cannot make this stuff up.

Every song in their set inexplicably referenced New Hampshire. That prompted my friend, an Arctic Monkeys fan, and myself to write a parody of "Fake Tales of San Francisco" on the spot: “He talks of the east coast but he’s from Toledo/ I don’t quite know the distance/ But I’m sure it’s far/ Yea I’m sure it’s pretty far/ And yea I’d love to tell you of my problem/ You’re not from New Hampshire you’re from Ohio/ So get off the stage/ and put down the fake piano thing.” Not very creative, I’ll give you, but hey, maybe if we get Weird Al to record it we’ll have ourselves a hit. Regardless, we ditched the Skull soon after and headed for the Union Street Diner.

The waitress asked our orders and two of my friends ordered the same thing. In reality, his response was “I’ll have what he’s having.” In a perfect world it would have been, “I’ll have what he’s having, as long as it doesn’t include any Miracle Vitamins.”

*Contributions were made to this in the form of collective-remembering from Corey Sheely [non-staff writer], who offered a non-future-music-critic’s perspective; Chris Dobstaff [staff writer], who diligently took notes on his iphone and offered invaluable help in the act of penning uncreative song parodies; and Jacob Bowman [staff writer] who failed to make what could have been the night’s most memorable quote an actual quote.

--Amanda Norris, Staff Writer

ACRN's Date Auction 2011

2011-02-11T17:31:00.005-05:00

So this year's ACRN Date Auction was successful, to say the very least.

I made it just in time last night to catch the end of She Bears' set and immediately regretted not having arrived sooner. Because had I come to The Union before 12:30, I might have seen more of the band's delightfully catchy rock performance, which they executed sans shirts. Delicious.

After a couple bottles of liquid courage in the form of PBR (judge on), I was ready to be auctioned off with some Wizard's Guild goodies. During this intermission, the rest of a troupe of ACRN members and other prizes were sold to the highest bidders of the night. Thanks so much to all who participated!

Whale Zombie took the stage after the auction closed and brought their standard level of distorted, surf-y, noisy rock in an appropriately deafening volume. After playing for a while, the trio ended on an extremely heavy noise jam note, allowing outsiders (who I assumed to be friends) to assist in adding to the noise on the various instruments.

Overall, a good time was had by all, and the funds for Lobsterfest were supplemented in a generous and exciting way.

--Courtney Baldasare, Editorial Director

Another Perspective:

Let's just say it's a little bit discouraging being bought for $17 from a girl you don't even know. I would imagine she just wanted a cheaper tattoo, seeing as I came with a Decorative Injections coupon, but still. Come on. I even offered a free slice of Goodfella's of whatever flavor you wanted. There's only cheese and pepperoni, but essentially the possibilities are endless.

Regardless, ACRN's Date Auction was a total blast. There was a really decent turn-out, wonderful music and rambunctious times.

Brothertiger played first, and so we danced, of course, because that's what you do when a delicious slice of electronic pop music is handed to you. And it was his birthday, so happy birthday, Brothertiger.

After that was some bidding. That went well, though it seemed like the only people truly interested in buying people were people in ACRN. At one point, I bought Matt Wesley and a certificate to Fluff for $12. Best $12 I ever spent, but Matt, I expect a band practice from you now. Lord knows is been way too long.

She Bears was next and it's an understatement to say they were well-received. Two girls bought them for $150 and a romantic pizza-party in Columbus. Oh and also for them to take their shirts off. Nice.

The crowd had dwindled a bit by the time Whale Zombie came on, but those left were a raucous bunch. I was forced into a playful mosh pit that had me sliding and falling all over the floor. Dangerous, but fun. Sometimes you just have to live life on the edge.

--Hannah Cook, Managing Editor

Nelsonville Music Festival Headliners Announced at Benefit Show

2011-02-05T16:01:00.010-05:00

Duke Jr. and the Smokey Boots undoubtedly stole the stage last night at Casa Cantina as Scubadog, Whale Zombie, and Chris Biester opened, but the real show-stopper was the announcing of Nelsonville Music Festival’s headliners.

Chris Biester’s soulful voice and blues/folk guitar got the crowd going early in the night. His onstage banter was not only heartfelt, but also hysterical. Sharing personal experiences of near car crashes and more, he got the crowd laughing and ready for the show to come.

Scubadog’s set was fun and energetic, playing mostly the band’s own material. The band covered Bruce Springsteens’s “Dancing in the Dark,” which got the lights off and the hips shaking at Casa.

After Scubadog’s set, the headliners for Sunday and Friday of the festival were announced. On Friday, the festival will welcome country music legend George Jones. Jones has had 14 number-one country hits, including his 1959 song “White Lightning.” On Sunday of the festival, Neko Case will bring her indie fury to Nelsonville. Known for her solo work and work with the New Pornographers, Case is among the best female singer-songwriters in the world.

Whale Zombie played next with their ambient, flirting with shoegaze, style. Every band that played seemed to have a little extra vigor in their set, excited at the thought of Nelsonville’s yearly extravaganza.

After Whale Zombie’s set was the moment everyone was waiting for. The announcement of Saturday’s headliner was here. The crowd grew almost silent and then the words were spoken. The Flaming Lips will be headlining Saturday of the festival, and the crowd erupted.

The Flaming Lips have been kings of the indie scene for almost 30 years now. The Flaming Lips are most known for their album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, which is not to lessen the band’s 12 other albums.

Duke Jr. and the Smokey Boots took the stage after that. The band played a mix of new and older songs, each of which as earnest as the last. The sultry Jessica Kauffman got the crowd going with the band’s rendition of “Shaking All Over,” and Kyle Martin’s vocals also captivated the crowd. Matt Horne’s fiddle and banjo combo brought it all together as Aaron Lemley and Casey Davis mesmerized as well.

This very well may have been the show to see this quarter in Athens, but Southeast Engine may prove otherwise opening sibs weekend Friday February 18th at Casa.

--Brian Bound, Staff Writer

____

A second perspective:

“What is happening in Casa Cantina right now?!?”
“I think... I think it’s a mosh pit”

Friday Night in Athens marked what was perhaps a first for beloved Casa Cantina, a full out mosh-pit (complete with token mohawk-dude) brought to you by Whale Zombie. That hard wood floor has never seen so much action. I hope someone got those kids some tofu fries. They looked exhausted by the time Whale Zombie finished their set.

Scubadog killed it, as always. I’m not sure anyone represents a college town band better than Scubadog and that’s why we love them. Well, that and that Bruce Springsteen cover.

Duke Jr. and the Smokey Boots closed the night. Unfortunately I had to book-out part of the way into their set, but from what I saw they we’re playing great and by the looks of the crowd they would carry on without me just fine.

All this being said, maybe you heard it mentioned that last night at Casa marked the announcement of the Nelsonville Music Festival 2011 headliners. Neko Case Sunday night, George Jones Saturday night (apparently I was the only college kid that knew who George Jones was. Let me school you: Elton John’s glasses, the rugged "badassadry" of Johnny Cash, and a sad sad soul. He wrote country songs when they were still worthy of a listen. I swear, there was a time when that happened), and--hold your breath indie-kids--THE FLAMING LIPS Friday night! Now I’m not a big Flaming Lips fan myself but I’m still darn proud that our Nelsonville Music Fest can attract such a big act. Great Job, fest-planners.

Now, someone help that mohawk-kid. I think he hurt his arm...

--Amanda Norris, Staff Writer

Guinea Worms, Blithe Field, Mousetrap Breakfast Serial & 99c Dreamz / February 3 / The Smiling Skull

2011-02-05T15:54:00.008-05:00

It was so cold last night that I let grumpiness consume me on the walk to the Skull. With my hood up, my shadow looked like a human-lion or a person with a fro, but blocking the frigid air from slapping me in the face was all I cared about.

When we passed over that Union hill and the Skull came into view, contentment immediately replaced my grumpiness and I was ready to forget about my fragile, fractured ankle and rock out with my cray-cray out.

First up was 99 cent Dreamz, who is a a man named Paul. By himself, he played some pretty raw tunes consisting of his guitar solos and electronic drumbeats. He apologized for the shitty sound a few times, because the sound wasn't THAT great. But he worked with what he had, which was apparently music equipment he bought from friends. The best part of his set was when he invited his friend onstage with him to perform a rap-garage rock hybrid of sorts. The guy rapping, whose name I didn't catch, was awesome and really s'pportin' his buddy Paul. I was grinning pretty big the whole time.

After that was Blithe Field--a local favorite of mine. There may not be a lot of action going on onstage, but it's as if his fingers are band members in and of themselves, each responsible for an instrument within a button.

I can't help but find myself mesmerized by the bouncing movement. It's such a mystery as to what noise will come from each tap and manipulation of the machine. Once the ear's anticipation is met, it's deeply satisfied with the sounds of children laughing and soothing synth and samples of acoustics and even Joanna Newsom! Boy was a excited to hear that neat little tweak of "Peach, Plum, Pear."

Don't forget about the dog! There was a big ol' black mastif just walking around the bar and he was a cute-cute. I tried to make friends with him, but so was everyone else, and he didn't choose me.

Up next was Guinea Worms, and they were rambunctious young men: Rambunctious and weird and a total blast. They played some hardcore-ish garage rock that was as coarse as a horse(?). We found ourselves jumping around the Skull's solid ground, punching our fists through the air and kicking our heels and shaking our heads. That remained pretty consistent through their whole set.

We missed the last band because we grew tired and hungry and decided it was time to leave.

And so, the sound that lay me to sleep that night was that of my ears' ringing, which was so piercing that I, aloud, asked my ears to please be quiet. And they didn't listen, and still aren't listening. Damn ears. I can only imagine how incapable you're going to be when I'm old.

--Hannah Cook, Managing Editor

Photo Credit: Guinea Worms Myspace

Hey! I got a fever! And the only cure.... is more Pomegranates

2011-01-17T17:07:00.000-05:00

In case you are wondering, that is my Christopher Walken impression of Stuart’s Opera House’s Cabin Fever Festival. I took a little artistic license with the direct quote. You would have too if you’d been there to see these boys’ set on January 15.

Opening the fest was Bird & Flower, two folkie songstresses serenading the crowd in the lobby of the Opera House as we milled about sipping coffee, browsing for art and trolling for record deals.

Then, let the steps open and the games begin, as Whale Zombie takes the stage, prog-rocking their little undead-mammal hearts out, starting the night off with a bang.

Closely following, the Alwood Sisters put on a great sit-down set: Folk-twinged with psychedelic goodness.

Then Pomegranates was a definite highlight. They switched instruments on almost every track, grandstanding their musical talent in the best way possible. The crowd was mesmerized, which explains why the Pomegranates--- dressed like every sensitive musician type you ever crushed on in highschool--- spent most of the post show hiding back stage.

After Pomegranates went Wheels on Fire. They had... a very energetic keyboardist.

Finally, at long last, Maps & Atlases took the stage. Maps & Atlases is like that friend that you know is too cool to hang out with you, but they haven’t figured that out yet. They put on a killer set and then proceeded to come down into the crowd for an unplugged encore that stole the show. A one-man guitar rendition of “Ongoing Horrible” closed an unreal scene, and the band stuck around to talk afterwards making us all wonder, why can’t every band be this talented AND friendly?

It’s safe to say, my Cabin Fever has been cured.

--Amanda Norris, Staff Writer

Scubadog, Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas & Zapaño / November 11 / Casa Cantina

2010-11-13T21:13:00.006-05:00

We love Scubadog—for obvious reasons. They’re wonderful musicians, charming, handsome, funny. If only Scubadog as a collective could be our boyfriend. Until that can be arranged, though, I’ll settle for a free show.

Casa Cantina greeted us with warmness and Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas. We missed most of their set, and regrettably so. But I spent more of my Goodfella’s tips (ALWAYS tip at Goodfella’s, you guys) on their album anyway. The last two songs were wonderful and worth being jealous over, at least from a girl’s perspective. Hernandez has a voice cultivated by the heavens above. It was a perfect blend of pitches and harshness, accompanied by some jazzy, rambunctious piano playing. The band backing her brought it all together. Certainly if they haven’t already reached some sort of fame, they’re on their way to it.

Scubadog took the stage next, and I was shaking in my boots with excitement. And once again, they came bearing treats—but this time vegetarian friendly.

The talk of their releasing two new songs at the show was finally put to life. Inside homemade fortune cookies were fortunes holding the most majestic and secretive information known to man—the code to download the songs. They were selling those for two or three bucks, but decided to throw a few into the crowd for fun and kindness’s sake. Once again, my unlucky hands didn’t get one, but never catching anything free is something I’m used to.

Their set consisted of songs old and new, all of which were perfectly executed. Their guitarist’s hands moved all over the fret board, and it was almost mesmerizing. The riffs he was playing were innovative and complicated. He was a mad man.

Zapaño was next, and I had never seen them before. The moment they started, though, I was really intrigued. The singer Sean was super sensual, moving his hips all ova da place. His legs twisted and bounced and split.

The music was something comparable to Mars Volta with a lot of peculiar but marvelous instrumentation and wild singing. I left early, but the next time they play, I’m for sure there.

The crowd was a sea of dance, and never had we moved so much and so hard. Yet another successful Scubadog undertaking.

--Hannah Cook, News & Live Reviews Editor

Thumpdaddy / October 17 / Smiling Skull

2010-10-18T17:20:00.005-04:00

Turn down Union Street. Keep walking straight until you think you’ll get raped. Then keep going, you’re in the right place. Turn into sketchy biker bar. Fight past the townies and get your groove on because Thumpdaddy is in the house.

Thumpdadddy’s been groovin’ for decades and it’s easy to see why George Clinton jammed with him back in the day. The man is a funk titan and the band ain’t bad either.

They took the stage, sporting hats the belles of the Kentucky Derby would covet, and knocked out the best “Mrs. Jackson” cover Athen’s has ever heard. After a short “pause for a good cause," a.k.a Thumpdaddy's meeting and greeting with the crowd, they launched into the main set sequence. The show started out slow, as these things often will, but get enough PBR into those kids in plaid and they get down with their bad selves. “Play That Funky Music, White Boy” lightened the mood and from there the revelry never stopped.

By the end of the night, The 'Skull had erupted into a giant dance party. Both feeling and smelling funky, the crowd requested encore after encore until Thumpdaddy could thump no longer. And we ACRNies were lucky enough to walk away with a free C.D. from the hands of Thumpdaddy himself. It will display prominently in the station... after visits to each of our laptops.

--Amanda Norris, Staff Writer

Jones for Revival, Rootstand & Elemental Groove Theory / October 9, 2010 / Jackie O's

2010-10-13T21:57:00.002-04:00

Welcome to the world of jam bands. At Jackie O’s on Saturday night, Rootstand and Jones for Revival played long jam sessions oriented to groove in their own transcending styles.

Rootstand, a band from Michigan, blended their own version of hip-hop, celtic, and bluegrass music together to form an all-out hootenanny in Jackie O’s main bar. While parents and their children celebrated Parent’s Weekend with a drink or ten, Rootstand played two separate one-and-a-half hour sets. Keeping the feet stomping and the hips shaking, they covered Johnny Cash, The Doors, and many more while still keeping their own songs flowing. Brant Losinski, the band's singer/guitarist said, “I love coming to Jackie O’s and the atmosphere here in Athens.”

Jones for Revival, a band from Youngstown, kept the crowd largely entertained in Jackie O’s Public House. The band's mixing their indie-acoustic jam style set an the mood for an intriguing night, to say the least. As their set played on, they showed that they could jam with the best of them and the crowd seemed to thoroughly enjoy what singer/guitarist Jimmy DeCapua was dishing out. Singing tales of leaving Ohio for better things and the emotions that go along with it, DeCapua seemed to have a real resentment towards his hometown of Youngstown.

The real surprise of the night came late as Elemental Groove Theory took the stage and not only drew in a crowd, but had them grooving all night. Many people wandered into Jackie O’s Public House late on Saturday and found EGT jamming better than they may have ever done. With astounding vocals and a flowing chorus of instruments EGT captured the crowd and drew some of the attention away from Rootstand next door.

As the night winded down, all three acts seemed more interested in starting their nights than sticking around. All-in-all it was a great show more than worth the $3 fee to get in.

--Brian Bound, Staff Writer

The Films of Tom Comerford / The Athena / October 2

2010-10-12T18:48:00.005-04:00

Ladies and Gentleman, I give you Mr. Tom Comerford. Tom is an original jack-of-all-trades, master of -- well -- all. Trained in sculpture, performance, and the classics, Tom has embarked on an influential series of films depicting not only the landscape of our nation's past, but the steadily decaying landscape of the present. His work has been screened at such venues as the Ann Arbor Film Festival, Anthology Film Archives, San Francisco Cinematheque, and the London Film Festival. As if all of that wasn’t enough, Tom travels with his band Kaspar Hauser and rocks the socks off of the Mid-West and Eastern United States.

At his screening at the Athena on October 2, 2010, Tom showed three of his films: Dèpart (2000), Land Marked Marguette (2005), and his latest masterpiece, The Indian Boundary Line (2010).

Initially, I had no clue what to expect. All I knew was that I was surrounded by School of Film TA’s and note-takers. When the lights turned off and the first film began, a blind man could probably smell the anticipation seeping through my pores. The first film, Dèpart, was shot on a homemade pinhole camera at a train station in Iowa City, Iowa. Accompanied by screeching static and a distorted French narration by a man recalling life on the tracks. It was reminiscent of the Lumiere Brothers and their 1895 masterpiece L'Arrivée d'un Train en Gare de la Ciotat, or simply Train Leaving the Station. Watching that film showed me that Comerford was the real deal. The next two films came on a jet-pack fueled by irony. Their focus was basically how much of American civilization has discarded the vast history of our Native American roots (sorry Pocahontas) in the form of spray paint, plastic, and cement.

Just a couple scenes worth mentioning: In one comedic scene, Tom and a couple of friends dress up in dollar store Halloween department quality Jesuit regalia and retrace the same route down the Chicago Portage that Marquette and Louis Jolliet canoed in 1673. Except in Comerford’s addition, the “settlers” are discovering not a world of newfound beauty and nature, but one of stagnate water and large, run-down, graffiti-covered buildings. One must think: Is our past so far behind us that it can’t be reenacted without hearing a roar of laughter from the audience? Tom’s answer is yes. There are constant scenes of the future, and how it is suffocating our past like Lou Ferrigno suffocates, well, anything he puts his hands on.

The other was a scene of a young child playing on a playground that lies on what used to be the Indian Boundary Line (now Rogers Avenue). Sure, watching a cute little guy explore a big new world is entertaining, but there was a much deeper message. The point is that we children of the future are born into a world that we know nothing about. We did not help create it, explore it, or institutionalize it. We are simply, here. So living today is similar to a child's playing in a playground. We wander around aimlessly, curiously, and neglectfully. There are traces of our nation's landscape, but they lie in the hands of graffiti-ridden informational signs and plastic beaches of garbage.

-Samuel Sloma, Staff Writer

Monolithic Cloud Parade, Scubadog and She Bears / Casa Cantina / September 30

2010-10-02T23:31:00.006-04:00

There are nearly too many events that were squeezed into Thursday night: So many that I can hardly wrap my mind around them clearly or cohesively. I’ll do my best, though, to collect from my weary memory what I can.

At about 10:30 we entered Casa, only to greet a nearly finished Monolithic Cloud Parade. To that I said “crap.” They were really great for that last song-and-a-half I heard. They seemed like a motley crew, but their sound was perfectly unified. It’s such a shame that I didn’t see them long enough to come up with very many ways to describe them. But if you were there, you know.

Dear Lord, Scubadog was absolutely a blast. I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed them more because of the incredibly ridiculous inclusion of the audience, the performance itself, the humor and the absurdity of it all. The band said so many silly things. I laughed so hard so much.

In celebration of Rocktober, Scubadog had treats for the crowd. Every once in a while during their set, they would break into that song that marching bands play before every victorious event in a football game. When it came for the crowd to join in, we yelled, “Hey! Free Meat!” and up over heads and arms flew mini beef jerky pieces. The lucky ones who caught one celebrated as if they had caught the fly ball at a baseball game. Unfortunately, he didn’t throw any to the side of the stage where I had taken my place.

The whole situation was enjoyed so thoroughly by the band and everyone else. When they ran out of meat, the lead singer was super apologetic, as if he ran out of grants to heaven. “Hey, I’m really sorry about the meat situation guys.” It was such a humorously sincere apology.

Their set was outrageous. They played their instruments so robustly, with fingers bouncing all over the fret board for mad solos of sorts. My hands turned blue just from watching them. They even rocked out so hard that the lead singer’s shoes came off. With that, he said something along the lines of, “you know you’re rocking out when your shoe comes off.” They also played some new songs that were intricate and exciting to listen to. I hope their album comes along quickly.

There was so much more banter from everyone. It’s just too hard to put it all together into one page of recollection. But all in all, it was a hilarious thing to watch. I was perpetually smiling or dancing, or both. Usually both.

We intended to leave before She Bears came on, only because it was getting to be our bedtime. But, it so happened plans worked out otherwise and I was able to see a good amount of She Bears’ set.

Not that they were ever terrible at all before, but they sounded a lot better this night. I think it was because I could clearly hear Steven’s singing, which can sometimes be an issue. Their songs, even the old ones, sounded different in some ways, as if they had added more intricacy. The people watching were really into it, dancing together, spinning around, and nodding heads.

Everyone in all of Casa was satisfied.

Before leaving, I was standing outside waiting around to leave. A person who I suppose we would classify as a “townie” came up to me and started showing me his tattoos that HE apparently did himself. That was mind-boggling to me. He even had a tattoo on the palm of his right hand, and he’s left-handed. He was a hardass to say the least. He told me he had about $1,000 worth of music equipment in Casa and that if any body touched it, he’d kill them. Then he told me: “Anyone who messes with you, I’ll kill em’.”

I said, “Well, gee. Thanks.”

As he was walking away to leave, he said, “That’s just how I am.”

--Hannah Cook, Live Reviews Editor

Southeast Engine, Josiah Wolf and Ortolan / Casa Cantina / September 17

2010-09-19T17:28:00.006-04:00

Following one Cobra and a seven dollar fee, Carolyn and I found ourselves inside the Casa Cantina. A little too late. I’d say we missed the majority of the first band, who was Ortolan, a band of four girls who were really great from what I saw. They played some folksy indie-rock for us, making my mouth incapable of forming a frown. The singer’s voice was a lovely one comparable to -- maybe -- Laura Stevenson a little bit, especially with darling harmonies flowered from the other girls. Of course, it made me want to be in a band. In fact, that thought took control of my mind for most of the night. Sweet envy.

Next was Josiah Wolf, the drummer of WHY? who are from Cincinnati (Halright home.) He was accompanied by a woman who an awesome outfit and a graceful voice. And Josiah-- My goodness! He has arms and legs trained like a circus lion. He was playing guitar and drumming simultaneously. Yeah. Imagine the confusion your right brain and left brain would go through during that. It’s like rubbing your stomach and patting your head at the same time, but much much harder, I would imagine. And not once did he appear to have a single flaw, at least not to my untaught eye.

Those two formed the sound of a band of at least four people. His voice, a little nerdy and talky, which I didn’t think was a word but my computer didn’t underline it, so we’ll go with it, was delightful with the lyrics he was singing. Some odd words that don’t make much sense but that fill your brain nonetheless. I loved every minute of it.

One slice of Goodfella's and a midnight dinner in a dark corner off of Court Street later, and we were back in Casa to see Southeast Engine. It had been a whole summer since we had seen them last, so my feet were hot with the readiness to listen and boogie. And so I did, to the best of my ability.

After having us applaud for the opening bands and the movie Space Jam, the band went into a pretty long set of new and old ones. Not once did my feet stop twisting or my knees stop bouncing. Or those of anyone else, for that matter.

Southeast Engine is wonderful to everyone, but I’m convinced no one loves them more than a certain man in a fisherman hat. To anyone who wasn’t moving, he insisted otherwise. He waved his hands in the air with a “come on” so that we would clap louder. He trudged through the crowd all over the place to personally ensure that people were reacting to the music in the way it deserved. He loves Southeast Engine. And fishing, probably.

--Hannah Cook, Live Reviews Editor

Elemental Groove Theory taught me how to move

2010-09-18T14:33:00.003-04:00

Elemental Groove Theory taught me how to move...

Granted, "moving" for me is not much more than nodding my head, maybe moving my leg a bit, and not TOO much else. But it's more than what it used to be, particularly at the onset of my college career. As opposed to not moving at all, I'll take this any day.

I had the honor of seeing EGT in concert for the fourth time Thursday evening, and for the second time (maybe third... hell, I can never remember these things) with the like-minded First Street Heat.

This time in particular was for the eight-piece's CD release party, the first of -- hopefully -- many. Students and non-students alike trudged from all over to the Union to witness an evening of horns, hula hoops and funk-- all in the name of a brand new album from one of Athens' most prominent bands.

The First Street Heat were a more-than-worthy opening band. The band's malleable, ever-changing lineup was still as tight as can be, with swelling brass and stellar vocals from Ben Kain, Eden Lee and Eric Turner. And, of course, people got down. Like whoa. It may well be because it was freshest in my mind, but I cannot remember seeing that much dancing at a show in quite some time. And what was more? The place was packed. The two bands have always been known to bring large crowds to the Union for their shows, and Thursday night was no different. If you were in the front of the audience and had to leave even for a moment, you'd have to forget about getting that spot back. Things were intense.

Elemental Groove Theory only ramped up the intensity of the evening. Though the First Street Heat were, as always, exceedingly eye-catching and entertaining, there is no funk rock band I've seen that can beat EGT. Having heard their new album in its entirety (a must-listen, by the way) and having spoken to a few band members themselves in an article I wrote last spring, I can confidently say that the band is simply too talented and entertaining to pass up on any night.

It was a great hour-plus of music. After starting off with an immense jam-like song sans vocals, singer Rachel Maxann emerged onstage as the band launched into -- arguably -- their best song, "Live Your Style." It contains a lyric, "Music will change everything," which I particularly like. It's simple, sure, but it can be the truth. And when you see the crowd reaching toward Maxann and the stage while she sings those lyrics, well, it certainly is inspiring to say the least.

The night wore on but the intensity never died. Bassist Matt Urminski aimed his bass into the crowd like a shotgun, guitarists Mark "Mavis" Meredith and Dan Perez traded harmonic, blistering guitar solos, and the brass/woodwind combo of saxophonist Kyle Slemmer and trumpet Dustin Bastin are seriously two of the most talented players of each respective instrument I've had the opportunity to see live. Keyboardist Mike Brokamp's solos were always welcome and the crowd always seemed to dig them, plus the guy has an incredible amount of energy while onstage. Drummer Eric Wright donned an enormous fuzzy hat for the occasion. Frankly, while watching him, I thought about how it was a wonder that the thing even stayed on as he played.

Hilariously enough, after finishing up their album's closing song, the ten-minute "The 751," Urminski leaned into the microphone and asked the crowd if they liked the song. He proceeded to note that ACRN called the song the worst on their new album. For a fleeting moment I felt like yelling out that not all of ACRN thought this, that this was just one person's opinion, especially since the track was one of my favorites on the album. But to each their own, right? Right.

The evening ended just shy of 2 a.m., after the band had played most (maybe all? It's so hard to keep track!) of their new disc and had inserted in a few covers and other originals as well. The verdict: I think everyone most certainly left satisfied. I know I did.

Though seeing them live is an experience in and of itself and should be witnessed at all costs, Elemental Groove Theory also has a great record out now that is many, many months in the making. Go out and get it. You won't be sorry.

--Kevin Rutherford, Managing Editor

Lobsterfest: Day Three!

2010-06-05T20:43:00.045-04:00

Lobsterfest is right! I look like a damn lobster right now with this sunburn, and it doesn't even make sense that I do; seeing as, we were only outside for the first couple hours of the morning!

As I walked to set-up at 10 in the morning, I shot a venomous glare at a kid who was toting an umbrella as he walked, thinking his preparation for rain a curse. Turns out, my causality logic may be a bit off, but the kid was wise to have had an umbrella.

Stages were set and humans were arriving on South Beach when storm clouds started forming. Promo Director Aaron Vilk announced before the first act's playing, "We're gonna rage out here for as long as possible."

We didn't get to "rage" outside for very long at all...

Melk was the first act of the day, and the only one that got to play outdoors. Their set was preceded by a long, low growl of thunder before Mother Nature got a slapping of drowning-outage in her gloomy face from the drum and bass duo that comprised Brian Jackson and Ghost of Asa Phelps' vocalist/guitarist Ryan Ford (or "Boomer" and "Sick Old Bastard" as they preferred to be called onstage). Rough instrumentation and unintelligible lyrics were the name of the game with Melk, though, I think I may have picked up some "fuck"s here and there. The band's sound was just as ominous as the looming storm clouds that would force Lobsterfest into the South Pole below Nelson after its performance.

The migration to the South Pole was a quick one as everything got packed in and the original stages were covered with protective tarp. Inside the air-conditioned rec room in the parking garage, everyone found a place to sit and to socialize as we waited for everything to get reorganized.

Bag of Hair, formerly known as Sandcrawler, captivated the room as the drummer and guitarist went madmen on their instruments and what appeared to be an interpretive dancer in an Iron Man mask wearing an American flag as a cape pranced and flailed about. I wont lie and say that he didn't make me nervous, but those dancing at the front of the crowd didn't seem to be so weary, especially when the band announced that they were playing a song from "Pete & Pete."

Then came Legends of Wrestling

What the hell, Brotthheerrrr? Legends of Wrestling, a Grindcore sideshow of all things brutal, took place in a makeshift wrestling ring with two-man tag-team of Ty Owen and Pat Snyder pacing within its confines. They wore football pads with nails driven through them and red and black face paint. Terrifying.

With songs that were shorter than the roughly 30-second intros given to them played from a Mac and screamed over by the men within the ring, Legends of Wrestling held my and everyone else's attention.

Characters such as a honky-tonk bigot, an evangelical hater with a "God Hates Grind" sign (Aaron Vilk in drag) and Bret Hart met their ends at the hands of the Legends and their harnessed Warrior powers via guitar-beating, light-tube shattering and trashcan doom respectively. I actually found it hilarious and, even...brilliant. Too far? No. Brilliant. I even left with a bruise on my arm from being barreled into by Owen after the set. I'm just glad no one lost an eye from those football pad nails.

At that point, as I sat at the merch table, performances started blurring together for me, perhaps because it was nearing dinner time and I had yet to have breakfast or that my sunburn was starting to eat at my brain. The tunes just weren't motivating me to get up from being the obsessively organizing shirt-nazi behind the merch table to get a better view.

In Silent Moves, Whale Zombie, and Manor Animals are bands I often hear praised here in Athens and in this blog, but that I had neither actually "scene" nor heard (haha, get it?) until Lobsterfest. All three, especially the latter two, drew a very distinct crowd, one that appeared to have actually seen them play as many times as I had heard they were playing. They danced, sang along and had a fabulous time to the music.

I must admit at this point that my attention is something that is easily lost, and -- though the music was good, I can't remember much of it. Again, sunburn blur. I do, however, remember one song from, I believe, Manor Animals that had the lyrics, "Oh, oh, oh my God!" happening. That was cute.

I believe it was during Scubadog's performance that I left to edit Carolyn's review of Lobsterfest Day 2 and came back to catch the end of The Cutter Family's set then to be re-energized by Tin Armor, whose music made me start bobbing my head again.

I was able to stick around just long enough to see my favorite local band, The Ghost of Asa Phelps.

I don't know why I even like those guys. There's so much dude happening all the time with them. Seriously. It's an almost overwhelming amount of brothership. Well, maybe I like them because I like dudes. Maybe I have an attraction to dudeship. Nah, I think it's the fact that the bassist definitely started playing Alkaline Trio's "Trouble Breathing" as they soundchecked. That's what gets me with those guys: It's familiarity and closeness to my tastes that most other Athens bands don't offer that helps make me feel more secure in this place. Now I'm writing like I'm selfish, but whatever. I enjoy the band. What can I say?

The last time I had seen TGOAP, the band performed a Misfits cover, and I'll admit that I was crossing my fingers for another one this round, but I wasn't disappointed when they covered "Fortunate Son" by Creedence Clearwater Revival for the singer's father. It certainly lead to sing-alongs and grins... Not that sing-alongs aren't the absolute norm for those guys. Again, DUDES, a pack of them, are always found in the front row ready to lend their voices for gang vocals. They played two new songs, one of which was a slow one, described by the band's singer/guitarist as being "about a girl, but -- in a way -- aren't they all?" True.

I left at 8:30 p.m. just before She Bears played to look for an icy lake of aloe into which I could throw my sensitive-skinned self. Before I left, I took note from Ty that I should at least come back to see Coltrane Motion play. I probably should have and would have taken that suggestion had I not fallen ill by the time I reached my dorm room.

Oh, well. I got my 10 hours in at Lobsterfest and can't wait to do it again next year!

Fortunately, Miss Hannah Cook was there to tell you how the rest of the day went!

--Cassie Whitt, Blogs Editor

_____

I didn’t even know this so-called South Pole existed. When the sky was cracked down the middle with a strike of lightening and everyone collectively decided to move the show inside, I was so confused as to why they were going into a parking garage. “You…you guys. That’s…not…a place,” I thought. It was a place, though, with a stage and a refrigerator and chairs and inside-ness. But it was an odd atmosphere for live music. I felt like I was in the lobby of a hospital or in a dining hall at a summer camp. Needless to say, it just didn’t seem like the right place for Lobsterfest.

But Lobsterfest controlled the South Pole. South Pole did not control it. And despite the technical and weather mishaps, bands, duos, lobsters and weirdos alike rose to the occasion.

As Cassie covered the beginning of the day, I shall cover the end. Although, there are a few things from the beginning that I’d like to discuss. Only because…shit got weird. And sort of scary.

Ty Owen, I hardly know you, but you never ever fail to freak me out entirely, and I’m sure that’s sort of the point. Cassie will do the description justice, but I just had to add my personal thoughts and feelings about the matter.

First, I hope the three dudes who got hit brutally by light bulbs, guitars, chairs, “cocaine,” etc. are okay. It looked painful and real. I hope that I didn’t look like too much of a pansy in comparison to the badassness when I threw my hands to my cheeks and widened my eyes in worry.

Second, those boys are quite the screamers and quite the intimidators. They were just pacing around the home-made wrestling ring, making a mess, spitting water, dripping sweat and face paint, beating the crap out of people. Dear GOD.

Third, way to be inventive. I wasn’t sure what to expect as I had heard mutters of eagerness about this Legends of Wrestling. I honestly thought it was going to be a band playing whilst people wrestle. But this was much more creative.

Music wise, not really my style. I’m much more in to calm Indie delightfulness. If I had to put a contrary to that, it would probably be Legends of Wrestling. It’s okay though, because the show in and of itself was entertainment enough for me.

I missed a few bands during my naptime. I know, I know. I shouldn’t have missed Lobsterfest for a nap. But if you only knew my weariness. It just had to be done.

I also skipped out on a couple bands who I had seen before, like She Bears and The Ghost of Asa Phelps, so I wasn’t terribly upset, though I am sorry.

What I was terribly upset about, however, was that I didn’t get to see what musical essence the young man in the dress (Evolve) had to offer. I knew, just from lookin’ at ‘im, that it was probably going to be really interesting and probably really worth not napping. When I walked in as he was clearing off his technological who-nots, I asked about him. Apparently it was a DJing and rapping sort of thing. Which makes it all so much more bizarre. I guess I’ll never know.

I caught the end of Coltrane Motion, who were really cool. They were two men sounding like many more. One was on a keyboard and computer, the other on electric guitar, and they worked together to form danceable beats and clever sounds. There’s nothing I love more than some good electriconically-steered music. The movement of their bodies only added to it all. They twisted their legs around, slammed their feet backward, jumped, hunched over, nearly always looking like they would fall down. They were limitless.

I wondered who the people in bright yellow, marching band-looking uniforms were and apparently I was really out of the loop for not knowing. Forgive my ignorance. They were Flotation Walls, and they were magnificent. They had dynamics and joyous harmonies that were radiating like a sun’s rays through their bright yellow bodies. The girl’s voice was so beautiful. It had a sort of opera tone about it, very full and impeccable. But then she could also make it rougher and loud. It's the sort of voice I wish I had, but I won’t digress to that. At the last song, the lead singer, in all his cheery sincerity, came off the stage and into the crowd, as we all sung our last verse of “oohs” and “aahhs” together, like an unpolished choir.

Check out a video our Managing Editor Kevin Rutherford took of Flotation Walls' performance:

Flotation Walls - "Kids, Look at the Waves" from Kevin Rutherford on Vimeo.

Russenorsk was the last band I saw. I honestly don’t feel like I can be the one to write about them. They’re an Athens legend I unfortunately missed as a youngin’. But I looked around often, at all the people in the crowd who clearly realized what they had missed since September. And they were rejoicing in the reunion, both with tears and smiles. Perhaps the song that triggered wild emotions most was “Long Winter’s Coming.” Even in me it did, and I wasn’t around to see any of this unfold.

The cello was alluring behind Tim’s unique chords and crafty loop pedaling. Man, I love a good orchestral string instrument in modern music. All their instrumentation pieced together so perfectly. It just didn’t seem like they hadn’t played in months. Their warning of potential rustiness was not necessary No apologies were needed, and no forgiveness was shed. Everyone was just enjoying the moment for what it was worth and soaking in the nostalgia. This whole thing needs a much grander description and appreciation than what I’ve given. But if you were there, you know.

I missed Sidekicks! Crap! Apparently it was a good show too. I just figured since I wasn’t that into to pop-punk stuff that it just wasn’t for me. Stupid stereotyping!

Alas, my first Lobsterfest is over, and those set to leave have had their last. We young ones have big shoes to fill and a turny, adventurous route of footsteps to follow. We can only hope we’ll make it out alive and well, the way our old friends have.

I was going to get all sentimental about the leaving seniors and juniors, but this may not be the right place or right time. I can’t get like that anyway; I have finals to study for.

--Hannah Cook, Live Reviews Editor

Photos and Flotation Walls video Courtesy of Managing Editor Kevin Rutherford

Lobsterfest: Day Two!

2010-06-05T18:24:00.007-04:00

So, I have a bit of a confession to make...

Despite the fact that I have been in this wonderful student organization known as ACRN since the beginning of fall quarter, this night, better known as Lobsterfest Day 2, was my first local Athens show ever.

Oh, how I avoided the local scene at all costs! I'd walk past The Union slightly faster than everywhere else on a Saturday night and avert my gaze when "Scene & Heard" blogs came up in editorial meetings. While many nights, schoolwork and money and other social gatherings were distractions from a good old-fashioned concert, sometimes I had no excuse not to go except the fact that I didn't really want to.

I figured it was about time to just deal with whatever reservations I had about shows here in Athens and just go to one, especially since the end of the year is so close. I'd seen both Duke Jr. & The Smokey Boots and Southeast Engine at Nelsonville Music Festival a couple weeks ago and have become quite fond of both bands since then. The mixture of two bands I like playing at the end of the year and the fact that this was an event hosted by ACRN made it the perfect choice for my first show.

I walked in a few minutes late into what appeared to be a honky-tonk. The Casa Cantina crowd was having a raucous, boot-stompin' time with The Graveyard Shift. While most of the crowd was bopping their knees or tapping their feet, many were much more into it. For instance, an elderly man over to my far left was doing a proper hoedown dance! If the atmosphere wasn't amusing enough for a first-timer like myself, the music was also quite enjoyable. The Graveyard Shift played good ol' country music with a blues and rock twist, which is exactly what I've been into lately.

Musical highlights from their set were a catchy little number about a high school dance and a song called "Get Back," during which the crowd helped out singer Aaron Heindel (who sports a fantastic mustache) by shouting back "heart around" at him in the chorus. The Graveyard Shift was a fun and wonderful start to the night, and their set was over all too soon for me.

Next up was Theodore, who I'd never actually heard, but heard nothing but good things about. If I'm a sucker for one thing, it's a genuine, heartbreaking voice, and Justin Kinkel-Schuster has got it. His controlled screams mixed with the band's rich, yet fun sound in "Engine Number Nine," melted my heart while allowing me to have a good time, and it certainly confirmed all the good things I'd heard about this St. Louis quartet.

After their truly delightful set was one of the reasons I had decided to come out that evening... Southeast Engine. Though I saw them from the merch tent at Nelsonville, I recognized that that was not the most ideal way to hear them, and I was right. The crowd clearly loved Southeast Engine, as that is when Casa was the most packed. Though certain substances may have been involved, the crowd was jumping and dancing and singing their own hearts out to the tunes they all know so well (especially to the chorus of "Ooh's" in a song later in the set). These hometown heroes were definitely on point. The show was high energy and perfectly played, despite a few issues with feedback from the microphones. The combination of the perfect energy from the crowd and the delightful melodies from the band made me sad that this was only my first time seeing Southeast Engine up close.

Though my feet hurt, my eyes were drooping, and my tummy was rumbling at this point, I knew I couldn't quite yet leave Casa because Duke Jr. was about to go on. Just like at Nelsonville, they put on a fabulous show with their country/blues influenced rock. The second song of the set was a bluesy, sultry cover from the '60s that was just straight-up sexy and got the crowd grinding. The more country-influenced songs also got people do-si-doing and singing along, especially to "Travelin' Man," a clear favorite.

Lobsterfest night two was a clear success, with both the crowds and bands doing their jobs perfectly. I couldn't imagine a better way to start off my career of going to local shows, and I'm sure to do more of it in the future.

--Carolyn Menyes, Staff Writer

Southeast Engine photo courtesy of: Kevin Rutherford

Lobsterfest Day One Correction

2010-06-05T03:51:00.003-04:00

As pointed out by Promo Director Aaron Vilk, there was a bit of a misunderstanding about the lineup of Psychedelic Horseshit in our latest review for the first day of Lobsterfest.

Vilk commented:

"...PsychShit's lineup was Whitehurst and Adam and Beth from Times New Viking as the rest of the band...I don't think Rich is in it anymore. "

We apologize for the misunderstanding.

--Cassie Whitt, Blogs Editor

Lobsterfest: Day One!

2010-06-04T20:48:00.013-04:00

Dearest Lobsters,

You know the drill. Lobsterfest. I wouldn't go as far as to say that it's the goal of our existence, but it's perhaps the most prestigious event of the school year for ACRN-ers. It is the sum of all that has happened from the beginning of September to now – the beginning of June, nine months later.

Though last year's fest was a one-day ordeal on South Beach, this year's installment pumped up the jams, taking it from one to three days at three different locations.

Thursday's show took place at that so-hallowed ground, a staple of the Athens music scene: The Union. Lobsters and non-Lobsters alike descended upon The Union late Thursday night for a night of delicious, drunken debauchery and sweet, sweet music.

I made it my goal pre-Lobsterfest to catch at least a portion of each performer's set this year, and barely kept my hopes alive after arriving a bit late to the festivities. I caught the end of Blithe Field's set and was pleased to find that since I last saw Spencer Radcliffe's musical project in a live setting, not much had changed musically. The key difference was the addition of a drummer. I should note that it was the first time I'd seen Blithe Field since the end of January, so that may be a late discovery on my part. Nonetheless, I really liked what I heard despite only catching maybe two songs. From electronic beats and computer-esque blips to recorded voice samples, now complemented by live percussion, Blithe Field is an act that will – with hope – be around for a few more years to come in Athens, and it should not be missed. I'll be excited to catch another set of his next fall.

After the din died down and the bustle of musicians coming on and off the stage subsided, Seascapes took to their set: A blast of garage-y rock with some definite pop hooks and punk sensibilities. Brace yourselves for the biggest example of musical deprivation this side of the Hocking River: it was my first time seeing Seascapes. As with Manor Animals, whom I will finally be seeing on Saturday, I had somehow missed Seascapes all this year. I certainly wasn't avoiding them; it simply never happened. That said, I'm glad it finally did.

The quartet, which was showcasing its new EP for sale in the back of the venue, was on its game. Featuring a double-pronged vocal attack from guitarists Brian Rudell and Dan Whiteley and the occasional group vocal courtesy of bassist Matt Tarnowski, the set definitely garnered the attention of the slowly-growing crowd at the Union. Drummer Zach Inscho was no doubt a highlight as well with his formidable drumming; that man will also be a part of the Russenorsk reunion Saturday night. Maybe you should be there, too. Hint, hint.

The next act was the source of my most recent musical education: godversussatan. I had never been to a certified noise show before, but I have a feeling that this was the closest I've ever gotten to one. And you know what? It was cool. I listened to some of the collective's tunes beforehand and thought they were definitely interesting, but it's a whole different experience to see things unfold live.

The four men of godversussatan had enough instruments to form a 20-person, possibly more, band. And everything had a purpose, from more conventional instruments such as guitars to music-makers of which I didn't even know the name. Trombones made appearances. What looked like a keytar had a place. Drums were scattered around the back of the stage with members taking turns going ballistic on them when the situation called for it. Did I mention it was loud? Trust me, you did not want to be standing next to the amps during portions of the set. I was probably 6 feet from the stage and my ears are still ringing as I type this.

I'll be checking out those guys and similar acts more often in Athens from now on. You can be sure of that. Though some earplugs to curtail the noise at its shrillest might be a good investment. Like I said, my ears are still ringing. It's my only battle scar of the evening. I flaunt it proudly.

Once the amalgamation of instrumentation was removed from the stage, Lobsterfest veterans The Kyle Sowashes took to the stage. As I've stated in a previous Scene and Heard post, the Sowashes were my favorites of Lobsterfest 2009, and so I was thrilled to see them back on the bill this year.

They say some music gets better the more you listen, and I think it's safe to say that that applies unabashedly to The Kyle Sowashes, at least for me. Though I'd obviously enjoyed their shows in the past, last night was the zenith of my Sowashes experience to date. The band treated the audience to both old favorites like "I've Been Working on My Resume" and cuts from their new album, Nobody. Never was there a dull moment. Band leader Kyle Sowash's glasses humorously continued to slide down his nose for the duration of the set, though some trusty Lobsters were there to slide 'em back up, as the show must of course go on.

About halfway through the set, audience members began calling out their favorites – having the Sowashes in Athens often and having their records in the ACRN studio will do that to a band. The guys laughed many of them off, sometimes seemingly surprised that people knew the songs mentioned. All in all, the audience seemed satisfied of the song selection, and the Sowashes appeared to be appreciative of the support from what they continually claimed to be "the best college rock radio station."

Quite frankly, their set almost seemed too short, though it was probably the longest one of the five acts at the Union. Having a blast pressed up against the front of the stage will do that to you. And the Sowashes' music is simply gleefully infectious. Smiles abounded and singalongs prevailed, and Sowash thanked us one last time before departing back into the audience as preparations for the final act of the evening were made.

Columbus's Psychedelic Horseshit was that final act. The three-piece was a fine addition to the evening and a formidable, if not brief, end to Lobsterfest Day One. The lo-fi "shitgaze" band seemed on the verge of collapse with each passing song, though that is certainly to be expected from their musical stylings. It's not a bad thing, we'll put it that way; it's meant to be that way.

Psychedelic Horseshit blazed through their set, pausing only briefly between songs before launching back into the madness and singer Matt Whitehurst's gaze trained straight forward as he sang and strummed his guitar. Drummer Rich Johnston* was a sprightly fellow too, sometimes on his feet and leaning over his kit as he rhythmically pounded away. Their songs, a collection of dynamic, lo-fi, uncompromising noise-pop tunes, were perhaps difficult to see through at first but were cohesive soon enough, and souls not bobbing their heads to the rapid-fire beats were hard to come by.

The show ended somewhat abruptly with Whitehurst bidding all a goodnight as showgoers turned toward the exit. The warm June evening was certainly unmoving after being in the sweaty confines of The Union for the previous 3-and-a-half hours. Lobsters young and old fled the scene, some off for more early-morning commotion, others such as myself heading back to prepare for the next day's events, including of course day two of Lobsterfest.

I'll see you there.

--Kevin Rutherford, Managing Editor, Dude with the Shitty Digital Camera, All Around Swell Guy

___

Editor's note:

Lobsterfest continues tonight at Casa Cantina with Duke Jr. And the Smokey Boots, Southeast Engine, Theodore and Graveyard Shift. The show starts at 10 p.m. and the entrance fee is $6.

Also, make your way to South Beach in front of Nelson Dining Commons by the Volleyball courts all day tomorrow for the free Lobsterfest finale!

More details about Lobsterfest.

Friendship Show

2010-05-27T21:49:00.005-04:00

It’s Wednesday, and 10:30 p.m. is past the point of the night's being young. The night is old. An old old man, slouched over on his floral sofa, glasses askew and falling asleep to the mid-morning news with his gray-muzzled Terrier doing the same on his lap. Alas, I’m going out anyway because sometimes you just gotta live life on the edge. And if the night is old, then I may as well not be. So, off to the Union I go.

I smoothly hand the man at the front door a five-dollar bill. No permanent marker tonight, Ba-bee! It doesn’t matter, though. It’s Wednesday.

Alone, I walked up the stairs and stood pretty awkwardly in front of the stage, which was taken up by three young men playing some punk rock-y tunes. The Ghost of Asa Phelps were they (Yoda?), and it was my first time seeing them after hearing their name so many times around town.

Although I’m not quite that into punk rock-y tunes, I still found them entertaining. They brought me back to my earlier days. Before one of their songs, the singer/guitar player said, “This is a song about getting drunk and fucking up. I think I’m getting a degree in that here in a couple weeks.” It was funny. I laughed internally because I had no one to share the humor with at the time.

After those guys, Stomp the Condor came on, and me -- oh my -- were they a goofy group of dudes; lots of goofy dudes, at that. Their music reminded me something like Man Man mixed with ska and punk, and -- quite honestly -- I can’t think of a genre to perfectly squeeze them into because I’m bad at that.

One thing’s for sure, though: They moved in peculiar ways, sometimes taking their saxophones and other brass who-nots and strumming them like guitars. Sometimes they bounced up and down and distorted their faces. Basically, they were perpetually being weirdos.

I left for a moment to step outside with my friend Danielle (HAPPY BRTHDAY!), hardly expecting to miss much. Upon return though, it appeared that the men had removed their shirts, which I’m assuming happened either because the crowd (probably mostly the guys) requested it, or maybe they just got hot and bothered. Or just more goofy, which I didn’t think was possible (more on that later, though, because turns out it’s entirely possible). Regardless, they were playing shirtless. And they were playing wildly. And they gave me a free CD. Thanks, guys!

And next was the one-and-only, lovely lady, dollface, peach, cupcake, sex-kitten (wait. sex kitten a synonym for cutie? I don’t think so, Thesarus.com) Laura Stevenson, and of course the four men with her who made up The Cans, I’m assuming. I’m finding myself becoming more and more in love with Brooklyn bands, and these guys only heightened the infatuation.

They were SO good. That’s my lazy way of putting it. In more detail, Laura’s voice was charmingly adorable. She could fluctuate it from dainty falsettos to coarser yells. She could pluck around chords to make them sound entirely unique and then, without hesitation, turn it into a harder, fuller strum. There was a man on a squeeze box and if that statement alone isn’t good enough, too bad because I don’t know how to describe one of those.

Beside the music itself, Laura had such a delightful-ness about her. She was so kind, very thankful, and downright hilarious, able to literally turn anything said into a comical relief even if the songs she was playing were sort of sad. I could sit here and name all the jokes and wits she threw at us, but I won’t because communicating it through a blog will make it lose all its appeal. Besides, you should have been there anyway.

Last but not least were She Bears. The crowd, unfortunately, had dwindled by then. But those who chose to stay were not disappointed, because they got to hear a new song, if not, two (I’m not sure).

Oh, and about the Condor men, I noticed two of them were choreographing dance moves to the songs She Bears were playing. That’s where they proved they could be stranger. I sort of got distracted by it for a while even, and cracked up a lot. On top of that, there were a lot of jokes about Stephen’s drunkenness and a lot of mentioning the set’s dedication towards Shea, as it was his last She Bears show for a long while.

It was like watching a friendship show. In fact, the entire night was like watching a friendship show! Aw, how nice.

2:00 a.m., and the night is on the verge of death it is so old. But when it happens, it will be a peaceful death. The sort of one we all hope for.

--Hannah Cook, Live Reviews Editor

Country Time = Sexy Time

2010-05-22T22:15:00.004-04:00

Paying the two dollar underage fee for a free show was entirely worth it. I’d even take that poorly drawn…angry(?) face on both my hands, ‘cause Andy Friedman’s in town, everybody! Not only is his rough folk soul terribly handsome, but he also has some serious talent, both musically and artistically.

Upon my arrival to Casa Cantina, it was like I had walked into a country line dance. Er, something of the sort. There weren’t really any lines, or synchronized foot kicks, but there was some…sort of grinding going on, which amazed me or made me feel awkward. Is it possible to feel both those at the same time? Anyway, aside from the sexified do-si-do-ing, there were some more original moves going on. Hips and arms were flailing about and drunken smiles were wild.

Although there’s no harm in being more indulged in your moving bodies, it irked me a little when Friedman played a slower song that was not quite fit for dancing, and people just turned away and talked loudly amongst themselves. It seemed he literally was just playing to the backs of people’s conversations. Granted, it was a bar. I understand that. I guess I just felt bad for those few minutes.

On a lighter note, the bassist was probably the cutest man I’ve ever seen. He looked something like Michael Bolton from "Office Space." His cute, little glasses rested a little ways down his nose and his eyes peered around anxiously as his mouth formed happy frowns (if that makes sense). His pants were a little too short, and his button-up, short-sleeved flannel was only partially tucked in. He. Was. Wonderful.

Duke Junior came on after and continued to be the source of rhythm for those dancing. As usual, they were entirely loved by everyone for every minute. They’ve got a sensual twang about them. I hope they never leave Athens.

--Hannah Cook, Live Reviews Editor

Getting Down on the Floor at Friday’s Dave Rave

2010-05-16T12:27:00.002-04:00

Okay, so after I wrote a preview of this show, I made sure to dress accordingly-- as if it was a strictly white tie affair. I went to the Dollar Tree to buy a white t-shirt, cut it up into some edgy asymmetrical tank top (thank you, middle school home ec. class), and wore the bare necessitates, because I was prepared to dance my ass off!

Dave Rave is an OU bucket list essential. For last night’s show, the upstairs Union transformed into the inside of a tanning bed (I don’t think they were emitting UV rays – hopefully) thanks to all the black lights hung above the dance floor. I was immediately given a highlighter for the event from organizer/DJ David Alexander, then I looked around figuring out what my first plan of attack was with this trusty school utensil.

As the place crowded out, I saw that everyone put their right brain to good use. The control factor of a highlighter provides more benefits than the traditional body paint, and people were writing phone numbers, back tags like “show me your tits” and “the one to get down,” and even took highlighting to the body and face. The highlighters were also utilized by the crowd for social benefits, because -- seriously -- what better way to say, “Hey, I was totally checking you out from across the room” than to make a spontaneous marker attack to the body of your targeted subject? What are they going to do?! Note to self: be careful with targeting a subject you’re not interested in. Messages get mixed-up and you’ll find yourself completely cornered by a man trying to rub up on you.

The web director Branka Sormaz and I had to halt our dancing to laugh in amazement at some of the face art – including goggles, rings around the mouth, and, for -- some reason -- a favorite among the plaid-shorts wearing men, dots and slashes all over the face. The event had a small kiosk for all your traditional black light needs, which were so affordable it’s no question that attendees jumped on the glow sticks, additional highlighters and neon bracelets.

So the music: Well, I sure didn’t mind getting down to the variety of David Guetta tracks, including two of my favorites “Toyfriend” and “Memories,” mixed into Alexander’s, who was the second to first DJ of the night before headliner DJ B-Funk, set. There were the occasional major pop tracks thrown in; such as, Madonna's “Like A Prayer” and Kings of Leon's “Use Somebody” – which let me add, ended up being a crowd killer with its shift of tempo, but I mostly recall moments of building percussion to high-synth breakdown that happened at least once every ten minutes.

You know those moments when you and your friends form a dance circle, minding your own business, swinging your hips and chest like it ain’t no thang, and then suddenly some enthusiastic attendee jumps in to do some crazy leg jivin’ and you don’t know what to do? That seemed to happen with almost all breakdowns and I was left bewildered. However, seeing the gay-ladened faces from the audience as they spastically gyrated, jumped, flailed their arms up in the air, etc., was the most satisfying attribute of the night.

With hazed vision thanks to the fog machine, and white shirt growing more transparent thanks to some hard sweating, I had to retreat from the circle to go outside to get some air. There should have been a “WARNING: Exit At Your Own Risk” sign somewhere because I ended up screwing myself over by having the snaking line outside fill in the spots of those who left the party, including myself. The two hours inside was enough for the experience, but I’m just bummed I couldn’t report some potential crazy audience behavior to this blog’s beloved readers.

--Rika Nurrahmah, General Manager

Palmer what? Oh. No thanks.

2010-05-09T20:00:00.003-04:00

I’ll ditch Palmer Fest for a show at the Manor any day.

First off, getting maced by almighty cops and witnessing people throw beer bottles at the police horses doesn’t sound like something I want to be a part of for very long. Besides, watching a horse get shot and killed in war movies is always the most heartbreaking part. They just cripple at their joints and fall to the ground. Not that a beer can is as forceful as a bullet, but still. So freaking sad.

Second, it’s an intimate solo show at the Manor. Need I say more? I will. Tim Race, Wooden Wand, and some local technology-embracing wonders. There.

It was a show made for a full house.

Unfortunately, the Manor didn’t have quite the turn out I think we were all anticipating, which is a shame because it deserved everyone in town’s undivided attention.

I hate not knowing the names of people whom I’m watching. I believe that the first act of the night was a man by the name of Tyler, who produced noises made for murder movies. It’s not that it’s bad: it’s that it frightens me and makes me feel like something awful is going to happen at any moment. Perhaps that’s the point though.

Following that somewhat daunting, yet neat performance was Tim Race of Manor Animals. He sat in front of the sparse crowd, wearing his Poppa Johns uniform (he still had pizzas to deliver to all the drunk, hungry people across town) and played for us some tunes he’s written throughout his years. It was quiet and personal and I felt so bad when my friend’s completely illegible drunk text message made me laugh (and snort, I feel forced to admit) during one of his songs. That teaches me to never look at my phone during a set again. Anyway, as it was my first time seeing Tim play away from his fellow Manor Animals, I was incredibly impressed with how well he was able to carry a unique tune that perfectly accompanied the acoustics. I think some people, including myself, were even getting a little emotional over it.

The man of the night, James Jackson Toth, or Wooden Wand, came on next and laid out some delicate acoustic for the welcoming Athens crowd. His folksy, somewhat unrefined voice fit nicely with the simplicity of the night. It seemed he settled pleasantly into the living room of a stranger’s home. To my dismay, I had to leave and find my out-of-town friend, who had sprained her ankle and was limping across Athens by herself. But, luckily, we made it back in time for a few more songs.

Last was another person I was unfamiliar with, but it may have been my favorite of the night, given the mood I was in. In front of a suitcase with two electronic boxes on top sat a young man, legs crossed and fingers ready. It honestly sort of amazed me how such neat and cohesive noises came about with the simple touch of some buttons. It was honestly one of the coolest things I’ve heard. Sometimes he played samples of people talking and other times he let the noises say it all. I don’t know. It’s hard to explain now that I’m not there. But I do remember quite vividly just being transfixed on the buttons he was pressing turning red, then off, red, off, synchronizing with the beat.

Yet another successful night at the Manor, topped off with a Union Street Diner midnight snack. All was well in Athens last night.

--Hannah Cook, News/Live Reviews Editor

Will you dance, dahling?

2010-05-07T14:00:00.008-04:00

So my senior-year-of-high-school sister may be attending her real prom tonight, but I'm convinced that ACRN's $2 Prom last night probably trumped any fluffy-dressed, line-up-on-the-staircase-for-photos event that she'll experience.

The crowd may have been sparse, but those who were there definitely held their own to make it quite the night on the town. There were flapper dresses, draped pearls, fedoras and lots and lots of plaid (..unless you're me, of course, who used this opportunity to re-wear a faux-blood-splattered, completely torn apart prom dress, last seen on Halloween '09).

Despite the 1920s theme, ACRN D.J.s were spinning tunes from all different eras (which was fine with us, because really, how much intoxicated dancing can you do to the Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith?).

People jumped on the stage to crowd-pleasers like Miley Cyrus' "Party in the U.S.A." (I know, I know, but get a few drinks in ya, and you, too, would be stoked on the song), and the entire crowd was crooning at The Smiths' "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out."

Considering the playful throwback theme ("The Great SNATsby"), the good company and the energetic D.J.ing, it was a pretty successful night.

--Kristin Nehls, Staff Writer

AEM Fest Domination

2010-05-03T09:56:00.000-04:00

This time one year ago, the Athens Experimental Music Fest to me was a culmination of all things frustrating in the music world. I hated the "noise" domination and the way it was slowly creeping into the Athens music scene. Frankly, I couldn't understand the appeal of scraping together metal sheets, or why creating feedback via mics next to speakers was really considered "music."

Thankfully, a year's time has proved me more open-minded.

This year I couldn't wait for AEM Fest, mostly because I've realized over the past year that "experimental" music can't be compartmentalized into the simply category of "noise," and that some of this stuff -- a lot of it actually -- fuckin' rules.

So I moseyed in and out of AEM Fest for about nine hours, and reviewing all of the bands is virtually impossible. Instead, I'll give you some highlights. (Disclaimer: I am not cultured in this scene at all. I really don't know how to distinguish what's "good" and "bad." Given that all of these sets were so drastically different, I'm just giving you my take on what was pretty groovy.)

Programs

So I'm not even going to pretend like I know what's good when it comes to this stuff, all I know is that Programs puts me in a trance that I don't really want to snap out of. Deemed as "Athens' industrial drone," Ty Owen's total and complete concentration is intriguing. If you missed it this weekend, be sure to come out next week when Programs comes back to Athens with Wooden Wand.

Interstates (Etc)

Brandon Greter actually played under a different guise, taking the stage with his musical partner Sarah Spaulding... but these two were kind of adorable (...although "adorable" might be pretty much the biggest insult ever at a fest like this one, I absolutely mean that in a good way). I might be biased since I know them personally, but Greter and Spaulding started off with this adorably harmonious guitar paddling, and continued on with a set that was -- how else to say it -- sort of upbeat and fun? Basically, I dug 'em.

Blithe Field

Becoming a staple to the Athens music scene, Blithe field was as fun and smile-inducing as ever. And when I say smile-inducing, I'm serious. Just try to get through one of his set's without smiling relentlessly. I dare ya.

Do Chimps Battle?

HOLY WOW. Returning for their second go at the AEM Fest, these people totally knocked me out. They played towards the end of the night, and rather than the crowd dying down, people were STOKED. They had the crowd a'rumblin' and the touch of femininity that's rare in this scene brought something totally new and awesome.

Sonofafuckingbitch

Notorious for their short songs and to-the-pointedness, these guys closed the night with some well-received and highly-appropriate rage. These two dudes -- Aaron Vilk and Ty Owen -- are raw as shit, and proved that shirtless-ness at male-dominated noise show is actually a contagious condition.

All in all, a pretty great experience. Kudos to Vilk for putting this fest on yet again; I hope it's one that continues to grow.

-Kristin Nehls, Blogs Editor

Gettin' Crunk for Jesus! Wait, Can You Do That?

2010-04-25T20:39:00.000-04:00

The Christian rap concert that took place at Siegfred Hall Saturday looked and sounded a lot like any other rap concert, but with people spitting about their love for God and a lack of the sexually liberal, scantily-clad women. This was definitely a kid-friendly show, but the energy was about as grown as the college kids who put it on. Plus, the lyricism these emcees had were far beyond basic.

Only 1 Way opened up the show. They were a pretty energetic trio, did a lot of dancing on stage and were very charming. They even threw in a full dance routine for one of their songs, which no one was ready for!

Then Defender of the Arts, aka Michael Stover, a freshman from OU came on stage. His message was about being a college student and a Christian, a message that was pretty relevant for the OU students in attendance. He totally ripped an Atmosphere joint, a straight hip-hop record, which definitely surprised me. All and all through his lengthy rambling between songs he was humble and down to earth. You could definitely tell it was his very first performance.

D-MAUB, which stands for Dedicated to Making All Underestimaters Believers, performed next. He was awesome during the sound check as he spit a quick freestyle testing the mics, so I knew before the show started that his set would be dope. He had a mean, slick flow and aggressive lyrics. He was very comedic and sounded nothing like a contemporary Christian. My favorite line out of his set was "and its all because He picked me like a nice fro." But his set, unlike the other artists who performed, wasn't all "God is good all the time" and "Praise the Lord". D-MAUB came with a crunk joint called "Keep My Name Out Your Mouth," a song about backstabbers. This song had the crowd hopping around like they were ready to fight... all this for Jesus? That's what it felt like. However, there were no violent lyrics in the entire song.

A female emcee named Candance Evans also performed. She instantly shot down the popular "Jesus is my Homeboy" tees, spitting an anti-homeboy freestyle. Then she came with a highly female/hetero-fabulous rap about being married to Christ. I mean, you don't hear about men saying they are married to Jesus Christ, do you? It's pretty rare.

With all of these gritty beats being played and crunk-esque lyrics, I almost forgot I was at a Christian rap concert put on by Divine Covering, an organization that creates programs for the Christians in the Black community. I had a good time being here, and it let me know gospel music has become more than just hand-clapping, foot-stomping, call-and-response spirituals. It's developing into something almost anyone can find themselves listening to.

-Star Watson, Blogger

It was a CD release party! Yeah!

2010-04-24T13:07:00.000-04:00

Last night was the Manor Animals' CD release party for their new EP "Rearranger" at The Spacement. This is a blog about it.

Upon arrival, I don't even know who was playing. It was their last song and it was just some guy on the drums and a guy on the guitar. Allegedly, one of them was singing but I don't believe it. Everyone was super into it -- maybe too into it if you ask me. But then again, I veer more toward being aloof and never feeling an extreme emotion. So whoever was playing, they were a bit too raucous and noisy for my taste but they got the crowd going. I even heard one little peanut of a male say "I am so. FUCKING. tired" before wiping his face and exiting The Spacement.

Next up was Krill. I spent a majority of their set trying to come up with a clever play on their name and a word to describe them. MagKRILLiscent? But they weren't.

Krill was kind of "blah" even though the crowd experienced "The Doppler Effect of Concert Interest" (I just coined that so it's a little bit rough). The front row is always the one that goes all in immediately, even if the band is shit. And then, everyone slowly has an "oh yeah, music" reaction and starts nodding their heads as well. It's all very strange and scientific.

Naturally, Manor Animals played last. By the third song, a substantial crowd had gathered and it seemed as though everyone had decided it was prime time for a moshing/pushing/"dancing" session despite the fact that they were playing "Ceremony" by New Order which I just can't imagine is the type of song that entices people to push and shove.

All right, I'm going to wrap this thing up. Manor Animals was enjoyable as they usually are. The other bands were mediocre despite the crowd really giving it their all in shifting from foot to foot or nodding their heads, and the crowd was a strange mixture of fun and people that I wanted to tear down with witty and critical insults. A usual Friday night in Athens.

Oh, and I stopped in at Dance or Die. NO ONE WAS THERE.

-Kaitie Firm, Blogger

Blackoutfest Day 3

2010-04-18T22:53:00.000-04:00

10:45 P.M

There seems to be an inherent tardiness bound up in weekends for me; thus, it was nearing 11:00 p.m. as I finally approached The Union for the third and final installment of 2010’s Blackoutfest. As I neared that beloved stretch of sidewalk, the buzz of lubricated chatter coupled with a flood of patrons rushing to suck down cigarettes signaled the end of a set. I hurried to find dear friend and editorial director Jill Mapes, who informed me that the remainder of the evening held naught but two bands in store – apparently, Nebraskan rockers Brimstone Howl were unable to make it. Quite unfortunate, as I was looking forward to hearing from a band that has Flannery O’Connor listed on their MySpace as one of three influences.

Ah well, I shrugged as I ambled towards the bar. I suppose a good band is hard to find.

Thrilled with my pun and trying not to dissolve in self-satisfied giggles that would surely (and deservedly) draw disdain from my fellow show-goers, I readied myself for the onslaught of rock promised by the rearing-to-go Greg Ashley Band.

11:48 P.M

The Greg Ashley Band has been pounding it out for a good 20 minutes or so now, and have just delved into a 15 minute instrumental track that ultimately commandeers their set. The ability of these fellows to shift from easy, floating, borderline-trippy riffs to throbbing, insistent ROCK with such ease is really quite admirable. Their collective intensity is concentrated in their faces, in the hard knit of a brow and in the rolling beads of sweat. The drummer, who, bucking tradition, has set up his kit front and center, is so intent on his task that it’s a surprise his eyes haven’t bored holes in the skins. His sticks, the ends swaddled and bulbous, never falter.

12:40 A.M

DEAD MEADOW! DEAD MEADOW! F*CKING DEAD MEADOW!

In a valiant attempt to ensure that all those around him are well aware of who they are about to see, the slightly-swaying fellow in front of me seems to have gotten jammed on repeat. He’s loud, yes, but so cheery – despite the fact that I’m continually having to duck his precariously clutched libation, I find myself joining in on his excitement. After all, it is f*cking Dead Meadow.

By the time the band has finished setting up and the first chord has rung out, The Union is nearly completely obscured by a dense fog. The machine responsible gurgles satisfactorily on stage, continuing to spew its vapor innards as the audience whoops and gropes about wildly. Amidst the haze, Dead Meadow launches into their distinct brand of semi-psychedelic rock.

1:50 A.M

The band played until 10 minutes 'til closing time, and rarely have I seen The Union so energized. There was a surprising amount of moshing/failed crowd surfing for a band often characterized as “stoner-rock,” but hey, I’ll take that buzzing sort of high energy crowd over a stock-still audience any day. The band greeted the hour with equal enthusiasm, ultimately drawing Blackoutfest XV to a close in a most satisfactory manner.

I meandered downstairs to say goodbye to my scattered-about-the-bar friends before taking off, and as I walked in was greeted by raucous laughter, clinking drinks and the crack of one last game of pool, an overwhelming air of camaraderie and a resounding chorus of Sister Christian by Night Ranger. God, I’m going to miss this place come June.

-Jen Kessler, Managing Editor

Blackoutfest Day 2

2010-04-18T01:17:00.000-04:00

Blackoutfest summoned the masses to The Union on Friday as Skeletonwitch played to a near-capacity crowd on the festival’s second day. Bands took to the stage at 6 p.m., as Wizard Beasts, Spooktober, Saturn Missle Batteries, Dropdead Sons, Guinea Worms, Bass Drum of Death, This Moment in Black History, Thomas Function and Buffalo Killers put on a rock ‘n’ roll clinic prior to the headlining set at 12:45.

Regrettably tardy to the performance of “South-beast” Ohio hardcore band Wizzard Beats, I arrived for the lo-fi, high energy set of Spooktober and the anthemic psych-rock of Dropdead Sons. The venue was as crowded as the bill, and Cleveland punk outfit This Moment in Black History did not fail to enthrall its audience in one of the most furious performances of the night.

Not to be outdone, Skeletonwitch signaled its return to Athens with the familiar flurry of blastbeats, airborne beer and dueling guitar that earned the band its rabid following. I staggered out of The Union thoroughly impressed with the endeavors of the independent music community in putting on and hosting the event for 15 years.

Seeing the energy in that diverse line-up made it a memorable night in Athens. Stay tuned for Saturday’s headliners Dead Meadow and the rest of another mammoth lineup.

-- Marshall Pearson, News Editor

Blackoutfest Day 1

2010-04-16T15:56:00.000-04:00

The rocking and the rolling and the blacking-out began for the weekend last night with the kicking off of the first night of Blackoutfest, now in its fifteenth year. Being that it was a Thursday show, the crowd was modest but dedicated as bands began at 6 p.m. with Bright Effs, Holly Grahams, Seascapes, Hex Net/Dragline Bros, We March, Puffy Areolas, The Johnny Ill Band (a Terrible Twos side project), Wheels on Fire and headliner Tyvek.

While I was not able to get to The Union as early as 6, the bands playing in the latter part of the evening certainly rocked the house, and Tyvek, of Detroit, MI., was a great end to the night, wailing and howling with their voices and guitars. And trust me—plenty of people were blacked out for it! The fun continues tonight with headliners Buffalo Killers and Skeletonwitch. Get there early if you need to buy tickets -- I'm told 150 advanced ones have already been sold!

-Kelly Kettering, Features Editor

ACRN birthday -- pretty much awesome

2010-04-10T08:09:00.000-04:00

On a cool April Friday night, Lobsters young and old descended upon the Union for a night of cake-induced debauchery, balloons and well, obviously, good music. Lots and lots of good music.

ACRN's 39th Birthday Show began with a bang with the boys of Andrew W.K. cover band Who Knows? (hailing from Athens High School). Who Knows? took to the stage in front of a mixed crowd of both high schoolers and OU student s, and they certainly got the crowd into a raucous mood, inciting singalongs and even a near-mosh pit. Adding to the intrigue was the presence of a plethora of balloons tossed into the crowd, which bounced about like beach balls at a Nickelback concert. (By the way: if you can correctly name the movie I just so wittingly referred to, send me an email at Kevin.S.Rutherford@gmail.com and I will high five you the next time I see you.)

A portion of the crowd dissipated following the end of Who Knows?'s set (apparently ACTs were the next day), though a sizable crowd remained for prog-jazz quartet Five Deadly Venoms, while a few latecomers straggled in. They were the lone band I had seen before (Lobsterfest 2K9, wut wut!) and, as with before, did not disappoint. Flipping between vocal tunes and instrumentals, the band employed the use of a saxophone -- which was played captivatingly by also-guitarist Ben Ashman.

The tunes subsided for a while as a glorious lobster cake was presented for all to see onstage. And as anyone who's spent way too much time on the internet knows, when presented with delicious cake, you must eat it. And so we did. And it was delicious.

In my cake-induced stupor, I was caught off guard when the next act, In Silent Movies, went on. Thus I could finally check them off as one of those local acts that I keep hearing about but never actually see. I'm glad I finally made it out to see 'em. This trio probably has one of the better chances of any in the area to turn heads on a larger, more national stage. I hate to make a Muse reference here because the style of music is most definitely not one and the same, but dammit, I haven't heard three guys make this much noise since Muse. Their banter was perfect as well. "Women and Children First" and "Deep Sea Diver" were certain standouts.

The evening reached the beginning of its end, with the Cutter Family closing out the party. By that point, many of the attendees had departed for the evening. It was almost somewhat amusing that the apex in terms of turnout had showed up for the first band, whereas the low point was for the final act. Nevertheless, the Cutter Family put on a blistering show, with rapid punk numbers and songs about, as the frontman put it, drinking and being alone. Ah, the good life.

The time came for closin' up, and so those of us who remained at the show to its close headed on out, back into the cold, I for my usual ritual of Ali Baba's Gyros after a Union show. All in all, it was a diverse show, full of many different sounds and many different people. Thanks to the Union for having us, and happy 39th, Rock Lobster! Way to do it with style.

-Kevin Rutherford, Senior Critic

Hey man, are you here for the chill wave?

2010-04-09T13:35:00.000-04:00

The Smiling Skull may just be one of Athens' most precious "hidden" gems; for the Union-dwellers who are low on cash and sick of the same 'ole crowd, The Smiling Skull is definitely the place to check out. And if you weren't there last night, I have to be honest when I say that you missed.

I've never seen The Skull so hoppin'; students and townies alike were diggin' the tunes brought to us by yours truly, ACRN. The night started off with Chiswola, who debuted last week at The Union's free show. Honestly? They weren't really my jam. I thought they sounded unrehearsed and a bit too off-the-cuff -- but I'm probably biased, just in that their taste didn't really align with mine. I'll hand it to them, though; they're doing something different, and for that I commend them. Plus, they got the crowd movin' and groovin', so kudos for that.

"Hey man, are you here for the chill wave?" <-- Decidedly the best pick-up line ever, Brothertiger came up next, bringing on said chill wave. I don't know if my "beverages" were slowly sinking in or if this music is truly just mesmerizing at any given time, but Brothertiger enchanted me into a stupor that I don't often fall into in public. I totally dug 'em, and based on the equally-entranced audience, I'd say they were altogether well received.

Sad enough, Whale Zombie was the last act I caught last night. The aforementioned beverages were consumed all too quickly, and my bed was a'calling. But Whale zombie, as usual, was a toe-tapping, dance-able success. They were the perfect end to my night, as ended my night squirming between too-full tables and too-drunk college kids towards my walk home. Whale Zombie's tunes reverberated in my brain for the remainder of my evening, and altogether the kick-off to ACRN's birthday weekend was a total success.

-Krisi Nehls, Blogs Editor

Good music, awful photos, nice night

2010-04-03T15:58:00.000-04:00

First off, I love free shows. Especially free shows that happen at The Union. Unfortunately, last night was apparently the night to have shows because they were happening everywhere.

Chiswola started things off, and to my surprise, the stage wasn't being utilized; it was actually really awesome. The crowd was really into it and the band - described as "surfy chinese punk" - seriously delivered. With loud, catchy drum beats, fast and dirty guitar licks, and screaming vocals, how could anyone go wrong?

I chatted with the drummer, Brent Lawson, for a few minutes and he had this to say: "At the beginning, I felt excited. At the end, I felt tired." Understandable what with the non-stop drum playing he did. Perhaps even more laborious as he was wearing sunglasses in the already dark Union.

So, Chiswola. What the hell does that mean? The response I received was, "it means 'we're so fucking angry.' It's kind of girly, like if a girl got really frustrated she would say [at this point, Lawson adapted a classically exasperated girl voice] 'Ah, chiswola!'"

I stuck around to see Mr. Leg. It was this kid sitting on the floor with a magical box which played samples of songs but also enabled him to add different sounds, songs, and beats. At this point, I was really feeling it and thinking "Why is this not Dance or Die right now?" The only thing I wasn't into was that he would play some delicious, sexy beat and then suddenly (I guess this is what makes it "experimental") there would be a bunch of commotion with cymbals and piano and lyrics and it just threw off my whole groove.

But it was free so who am I to complain?

-Kaitie Firm, Blogger

A touch of home (plus some supa' fans) at Casa

2010-04-03T11:27:00.000-04:00

Finally. A night where the miserable cold isn’t hindering my ability to walk safely and comfortably around town. Instead, it’s pleasant and agreeing with most everyone’s outfits of shorts or skirts or bare arms. For now, I’ll not bitterly question Ohio for it’s consistent fluctuation in weather. I’ll forget about the fact that it was snowing on my Spring Break because tonight I’m not wearing my Sam’s Club winter coat (thanks, Dad) and it’s okay.

My friend and I arrived to Casa a little after 10:00 in hopes that things would have sort of gotten started. But one thing I’ve learned is that shows in Athens never really start when they say they will on Facebook. So we walk through, pay our 7 dollars and get a smiley face drawn on our hands. Yeah I get it. I’m not 21. Drawing a smiley face doesn’t make me feel any better about that. Big, bold permanent marker is big, bold permanent marker no matter the shape it’s drawn in.

Anyway, we sort of awkwardly waited around for Manor Animals to begin. I’ve seen them a fair amount of times and if my ears heard correctly, they played for us some new tunes that’ll be coming out on their new EP here soon. They also tapped around on this odd little white contraption that made neat sparkling noises. I wonder what it was...?

Pomegranates, a band from Cincinnati, came on after. Naturally, I was pretty giddy about seeing them not only because they’re super good at playing this pretty unique music, but also because it felt like a little piece of home (that I missed a lot quite honestly) was coming to remind me that it was still there. Of course, that wasn’t what Pomegranates came to do. I mean, they don’t even know me. Regardless, they played, and it was wondrous. Jumpy and dreamlike noises were being showered on the crowd and it felt even more surreal with smoke drifting around their bodies and through gleaming green lights.

The reaction of listeners was also sort of surreal. I couldn’t decide who to watch and wonder about more - the four girls in the front who were obviously all about some Pomegranates as they were flailing and singing and taking pictures of themselves with the band in the background... OR the plaid-shirted man to the right of the stage who was dancing like an old fool and making all sorts of dancing faces. He was funny. Since the Pomegranates' supa’ fans were standing right in front of me, they took up most of my distraction from the band. Thanks a lot. No, I’m kidding. Pomegranates are really good, I know. They deserve some serious attention, no matter the way it’s presented I suppose.

I reluctantly left with my friend after they played and ended up missing Southeast Engine. But I can imagine they were Athens’ favorite and played as well as they ever do. I can imagine people danced like old fools.

-Hannah Cook, Staff Writer

Via Audio: even whiskey couldn't save 'em

2010-04-02T18:59:00.000-04:00

I stepped into The Union Thursday night with a sense of slight curiosity for the out of town band, and to see how Athens' own have progressed since the last time I saw them. It's been a few months since the last time I saw Manor Animals, and they were still quite the young band then. Since then, one of our own at ACRN has written a very good feature article, and the band has evolved from a side project that gets shows, to something of a burgeoning entity around the Athens musical scene.

On the other hand, Brooklyn-based Via Audio was on the bill, and I'd spent some time of my Spring Break visiting a friend in Brooklyn. We hung out in Park Slope and Williamsburg and I saw Black Lips and drank a lot of Brooklyn Lager. Nevertheless, I felt after only three days in New York's undeniably coolest borough that I was of the city. A false belief indeed, but the fact that I knew which subway stops were the so-called “hip” stops led me to believe that I should check out this Brooklyn band, even if I'd never heard them before.

These beliefs in tow, I arrived to The Union late under a growing haze of whiskey-induced drunkenness. Now, I don't know if it is just me or if this is some kind of universal truth, but does music not sound 10 times better when one is under the influence of alcohol? It does. There, I answered my own question.

Manor Animals have improved drastically since the last time I saw them, and they are now able to command The Union stage with relative ease. The days of their own basement, fond as they may be, were cramped and sweaty, but under the red glow of The Union stage, the jangly flavors of the Animals' music swelled and breathed with openness and ease. Singer Tim Race's voice quivered and shook as he led the band through a 30-minute set as the crowd, friends and newcomers alike danced and sweat to the roommates' rhythms.

In between sets, I resumed my Union custom of playing and losing a game of pool, while also making very poor passes at women. I smoked more cigarettes and drank more beer in defeat, hoping that Via Audio would pick up my down-and-out spirits.

And, they didn't. I now redact my statement from earlier claiming that all music sounds good when one is drunk. Is it the blandness, the lack of fluidity and cohesion in a song that makes it sound bad? Are they not playing in the same key, or are they playing legato's when they should be playing staccato's or any other musical jargon that I can't claim to understanding? It may damn well be a combination of these things, or none of them at all. What I know is that I am a man of simple and undiscerning taste, and still yet, Via Audio could not satiate my musical thirst. They were not original and they sounded just like every other band in the world that waves its flag under the moniker of “indie.”

And OK, no band is ever truly original and everyone sounds like someone else, but with that universal truth in tow, is it so hard to create enjoyable music that'll get my body to shake and move and sweat and cause me to temporarily forget about worldly problems in the rife of a rock 'n' roll show? Perhaps, maybe it is. Who am I, a music critic writing in a car on his way to Columbus and listening to Jack Johnson, to judge someone else for their attempt at art?

Alas, readers, I apologize for leading you down that road. Existentialist quandaries aside, my night ended halfway through Via Audio's set. I gave up, I got drunk and I talked about stupid things with friends. Another Spring Thursday spent at The Union, and definitely not the last.

-Paolo Balboa, Staff Writer

What rock competition? High Schoolers just want to have fun!

2010-03-08T08:46:00.000-05:00

It has been almost three years since I last stepped foot into Athens High School, and that was my 2007 graduation. Out of sheer curiosity, the need for content for a feature article and Saturday boredom, I finally returned with my two siblings (who go to the school) and boyfriend to see how the then-freshmens are utilizing their last semester as impending graduates.

Battle of the Bands took place in the school's small auditorium. Its capacity pushes somewhere along the line of 250, but seats were not needed for half the attendees. The whole event was set-up by the school's student council, so the emcees of the night were its two representatives. (My foggy memory renders me unsure as to exactly what positions.) As their between-sets introductions proved, this event was and has always focused itself on the current AHS students. Although poorly rehearsed (if at all), the students seemed to get them. This is also true with tonight's roster of performers, as once again, I felt out of the loop during certain instances of the night.

On the contrary, I don't see anything wrong with it, because this was the most spirit-filled, enthusiastic Battle of the Bands I have ever seen. Seriously, where DID all this enthusiasm come from?! Each band, regardless of how good they were, managed to cover the floor with spectators. In return, the spectators flailed their arms, shamelessly sang along and pushed to the front to touch their classmate's hand and warm their hands in guitar solos. During the second half of the show, I grimaced every time a wave of bras catapulted their way on stage. I didn't want to know from WHO they came from, but I was in panic when one made its way towards me. There are two cops in patrol. I am an adult. I'd rather not deal with them at a high school event.

This entry would be novel-worthy if I went into every detail of the night. Some highlights include a "freestyle" rap interlude after The Remedy's cover of Weezer's "Say It Ain't So," in which awkward attention directed itself at the freshmen when half of the audience pointed and screamed, "Freshmen! Freshmen!" Two and Fro, the freshmen-filled second act, blew away everyone with their instrumental talent, taking on licks and solos of "Foxy Lady" by Jimi Hendrix and incorporating a classics-influenced original called "Baby, You're Smokin'." The metal-established act T.M.P. stole my wretched heart with an Iced Earth and Megadeth cover. It was also ladies night, as most took over the acoustic performances and played varieties from Paramore, The Veronicas, Taylor Swift and The xx.

Like the Athens' music scene, most bands performing that night shared band members. Some of the bands played to perfection, while others emulated the end project of practicing on Rock Band. The night capped off with the residential Andrew W.K. cover band "Who Knows?" They have an original called "Keep It Up," which was eerily similar to anything Andrew himself would have composed. After party-chants, a bursting piñata filled with candy and Magic cards and an impromptu, experimental set, it was the funkified Mauve Avengers who took the first prize: four-track recording in the ACRN studio, plus a spot in an ACRN-hosted show.

-Rika Nurrahmah, Senior Writer

The First Street Heat lets the funk flow

2010-03-05T18:46:00.000-05:00

I haven't been to many shows at The Union since arriving in Athens, but I feel like I've seen enough to guess what the crowd will look like. I expected (and eventually spotted) the indie kids in skinny jeans and plaid shirts, the girls glammed up to catch the attention of the lead singer, the bros with spiked hair who came to fist pump and the group I've always associated with in concerts: the apathetic metalheads wearing hoodies, with crossed arms and trained “even if this band doesn't suck, I will refuse to admit it” looks.

As time went on, I began to see people filter into the club that didn't fit any of these stereotypes. I saw a girl sporting high heels, a perfectly-maintained afro and huge doorknocker earrings walk in immediately after a guy wearing a fedora and a bright red pimp coat. I questioned what kind of band I was seeing when at least three men rocking their best lounge singer gear entered. And I just didn't know how to respond when a guy in a chest-baring top that instantly brought “Jimmy Page in the late '60s” to my mind came in. Oh, and did I mention the guy in a purple pimp hat, which looked suspiciously like one that can be won at a county fair?

Turns out this was the band, The First Street Heat. They took the stage, but this was hardly a traditional four-piece. When they launched into their first song, I counted 10 people on stage, easily the most people I've seen performing on the cramped stage of The Union. Despite the sheer amount of sound coming towards the audience, The First Street Heat was always on-point. They warmed up the crowd with some funk, R&B and pop covers that had the audience jumping, drunkenly singing along to saxophone solos and generally enjoying themselves. The band covered Sugar Ray's “Fly,” and instead of laughing it off as a joke like the general population does to Sugar Ray, they waved their hands in the air and sang along to the chorus with the two vocalists.

The First Street Heat continued with excellent covers of Curtis Mayfield's “Move On Up” (you know, that song everyone knows because Kanye West sampled it?), Stevie Wonder's “I Wish” (you know, the song that everyone knows because Will Smith sampled it?) and even a few Bob Marley songs.

The set closed out with the band playing their originals, which ranged from reggae to ska-punk to a few jazz/rap tunes when they were joined on stage by a rapper who spit rhymes to the backing of a tight brass section. I'll admit that I'm a sucker for jazz rap, and they caused me to temporarily forget my role as a concert metalhead . So I really got into these songs by air-drumming, throwing my hands up, and generally looking like a fool. I didn't mind how I looked though. For those few hours, I saw music fans from all walks of life united in appreciation of a band bringing some very underrepresented genres of music to a tiny stage.

And to top off the night for me, right before The First Street Heat played their last song, a very intoxicated girl bumped into me and spilled a good portion of her drink onto my favorite white hoodie. One of these days, I have to remember to not wear anything that I want to keep clean to concerts.

-Travis Boswell, News Writer

John Walsh reps Positive Scene with High Fives, Hug Pits

2010-02-28T04:42:00.000-05:00

Pheromones and Dopamines both play rad sets that rattled my happy brain waves. I notice a few faces I don’t recognize, and the crowd seems to be even with representatives from Athens and Columbus. Fairfield natives John Walsh opens their set, and immediately I’m impressed: extremely fast melodic hardcore with twinges of ‘90s pop-punk.

Thrash? Don’t mind if I do!

The Brown Town basement shifts into a punk rock dance floor. Friends good-naturedly grab each other in football lines and mosh. The chick in front of me leans forward and shakes her appendages while simultaneously raking her metal claws in the air. Another girl seems to experience spasms in her legs and shrugs her shoulders to her ears, all the while manically shaking invisible cans of Cool Whip in her fists. John Walsh’s singer theatrically grabs his chest and crashes into a friend. The two tumble to the floor and the singer finishes the verse on his back before leaping to his feet. He’s generous with mic grabs on the originals which results in a duet in the final chorus of their anthem “Closing the Gap!”

John Walsh rips into “I’m in Love!” a breakdown-laden slow jam in which the band professes its contentment with sobriety. The band prompts audience members to engage in a “hug pit” during the next song. They play “Hugs!” an ode to embracing, and a dozen-person mosh wheel commences to spin about the basement. The group’s participatory, inviting demeanor spawned a kind of crowd command.

John Walsh embodies characteristics common to punk-derived genres: pop-punk style guitar and drum lines adjacent hardcore breakdowns and sing-a-longs. Modern punk and hardcore bands tend to direct great thematic focus on isolation, anger and other forms of emotional turmoil. John Walsh keeps hardcore vocal style but its lyrics promote a positive perspective and embrace punk community members as friends. And still promotes pits. Pits filled with high-fives.

It’s been awhile since I’ve attended a punk show in which I didn’t witness individuals display attitude, unnecessary violence and excessive drinking. This show proved to me, though, that people can still form communities with integrity. The patrons and bands that played last night demonstrated real commitment to creating a participatory, comfortable atmosphere. The sky poured down snow. Brown Town doesn’t allow booze. It was a Saturday night. All of the preceding function as deterrents for show attendance, yet the basement was comfortably packed with people who care about their community.

-Dani Purcell, Senior Writer

Unfamiliarity at its finest

2010-02-27T12:46:00.000-05:00

Dear livejournal,

Just kidding. But really.

My emotions were running wild last night. Was it the PBR and cheap vodka putting a hazy barrier around the balanced part of my mind? Possibly. But more so I’d say it was the music and the people, both of which (as a freshman) I’m not too familiar with around here.

After trudging and slipping as quickly as we could across town to get to the Manor house last night, we arrived too late to see In Silent Movies and a little ways through Theodore’s set. But luckily, I snuggled in a place right up front, literally about a foot from the bass player.

Usually, in cases like this, a part of me gets jealous of people’s abilities to create music that can have a moving effect on other people. After all, I want to be in a band, and only in my dreams can I contrive music like that. It’s a bit discouraging at times. But last night called for merely an appreciation of it all.

Theodore was definitely appreciable. At some points they made me kinda sad, but in a good way. It’s just emotional tunes that I think take some sort of toll on everybody listening. They were captivating and mollifying and a bunch of other adjectives that probably couldn’t do them justice. And they seemed like such kind souls, too.
Bruce Manor’s own Manor Animals came on last. They fit so comfortably in their own little basement. The band played a jaunty set and my knees and heels quickly found the beat. And people were bantering and clapping and havin’ fun and bein’ friends.

The atmosphere of the night couldn’t have been more charming. And there’s no better way to top it off than with a pit stop a the Union Street Diner. Oh sweet bagel and cream cheese that I could make myself in my dorm room, but for some reason it’s so much better here -- I’ll pay $1.27 for you any day.

So while I’m still not too familiar with things around here, I think I’m getting there. And enjoying myself thoroughly while I’m at it.

-Hannah Cook, Staff Writer

Sparse crowd at Casa misses a true-blue bar band

2010-02-26T15:22:00.000-05:00

The Cowboy Angels rolled through Athens last night for a free show at Casa Cantina. Let me say that again: free show. Sadly, for a free show, there ended up being less people there than shows I've been to in town with a $5 charge.

Of course, one must take into consideration the day of the week. It was a Thursday. Some of the college crowd (myself not included) still had class the next day, and Thursdays in general are not known for having a huge amount of patrons in the bars, but regardless, Casa seemed rather empty.

That said, it was not a bad evening in the slightest. After paying the $2 underage charge to get in (which I was totally expecting, since "free show" in Athens only ever seems to mean "free show for those 21 and up"), I took a spot next to the bookcase and waited patiently for the show to start. Speaking of that bookcase, they've got a nice selection there! I mean, shoot, if I could have actually seen the words through the dark, I might've finally started reading The Da Vinci Code!

Kicking off the evening at around 10:30 was a band known as the 65's, who I hadn't heard of and still don't know much about. Definitely some former members of the Sad Bastards in it, though. A very good band through-and-through, if anyone ever gets the chance to see them. Country-tinged, but what seemed to be a folk-indie influence as well. They're all very talented and seem to be veteran musicians.

My mind began to wander toward the end of the band's set and while the Cowboy Angels set up. This is what happens when I'm ungodly tired. I began to update my Twitter for no reason whatsoever, even going as far as quoting Kindergarten Cop. I cursed my underage-ness since I'm thirsty and I'm in a bar. I began to wonder if eating all those burritos beforehand was a good idea (spoiler: it wasn't). I began to debate whether or not the Punk Goes (insert genre here) compilations deserve to exist. And finally, I decided to open a hipster loft in Portland and form a bluegrass band featuring a drum set worthy of Neil Peart, just to be really ironic. All true facts.

The Cowboy Angels finally took the stage and my mind snapped back into focus. I had interviewed the guitarist earlier in the week, and he told me that the band was country rock, the Stones with some Drive-By Truckers in there. And you know what? He was pretty much spot on.

The Angels are pretty much the quintessential bar band... not that they can't and won't expand beyond that. The songs are generally mid-tempo, there're no crazed guitar solos going on, and singer Dan England is actually a good vocalist. I had thought of a comparison to him at the show, but sleep has caused me to forget it. Let's put it this way, though: he could certainly front more than just a country-rock band.

I must express my disappointment at the lack of people at the show, once again. This is mostly out of respect to the band... I know people are going to have other things to do, especially on Thursdays, but I feel bad for them in that they're a touring act just trying to get their music out there and make a little bit of cash. One show like this isn't going to be a problem necessarily, but if a whole tour gets like this... well, I can't help but think that funds might be a little sparse by the end. Then again, you know what they say: Rome was not built in a day. Every band goes through shows like this. When my bluegrass band finally hits the road, we'll no doubt encounter the same problems.

When the set was complete, I made my way to the back of the place to pick up a copy of the band's CD, The Burden of Love and Sin. There I met both the vocalist Dan, and Gavin, the band's tour manager. Really nice guys. I really do hope nothing but the best for them. I expressed my hope that there would be a few more people out the next time they came around Athens, if by chance they do head out here again. Maybe on a Friday or Saturday night in much warmer weather.

-Kevin Rutherford, Senior Critic

Sibs Weekend... breaking down a $15 bill

2010-02-22T12:17:00.000-05:00

The line-up of musicians for this year’s Sibs Weekend Concert was a disaster waiting to happen.

3rd Degree consists of some pretty sexually frustrated guys who didn't get selected to be in the already overly-sexual group Pretty Ricky. Little singing was involved in their set, but a lot of grinding on the stage and slithering to the ladies in the crowd with their tongues. Then they violated the hell out of this girl in a "bedroom only" lap dance on stage. I literally LOL’d! I put my headphones back on after that, hoping I could hear anything else over their performance. I was really hoping I did NOT pay 15 bucks for this crap.

Once Corey Bapes came on the stage, a vast majority of Cleveland area folks hopped out of their seats and started bouncing around the aisles. You could tell from the performance that he is highly loved in Cleveland. But he and his hypemen should’ve stayed in Cleveland, because they were not worth my money. Maybe like a dollar out of the total 15. He earned a buck because it was nice to see the crowd get hype to “Bitch, It's the Corey B!” Plus his delivery was nothing less than crunk. Many seats were still empty, yet the air was filled with the scent of sweaty and stinky pits after his performance.

After a great opening from his DJ/MC Jasmine Solano, the highly anticipated Wiz Khalifa came out singing “So Long” with the crowd. Small glitches and a miscommunication between he and the DJ began killing Wiz’s high and the crowd’s drunkenness. When he performed “Say Yeah,” I couldn't even hear him rap his own lyrics over the sweaty crowd emulating them. Neither could he. So he said fuck it, and started dancing on stage. His delivery was on-point once the crowd got to actually hear him from there on out. Most of the stuff he performed was off his mix tapes, and it ended up that the crowd unable to sing with him. Overall, it was worth 6 of my fifteen.

J-Cole stepped out to a very hesitant crowd. After his opening song -- with its crazy lyrical delivery and charm -- the crowd crept closer. A couple of blends later (Kanye’s “Cheers to the Roc” and Jay-Z’s “Dead Presidents”), he had the crowd, especially the hip-hop crowd, rocking with him. His next song “Losing your Balance” lost the hype of the crowd, with the intense conscious rap song killing the buzz of the crowd that was ready to party. It was actually a pretty good set, but the crowd grew restless and began yelling “Where's Mario?” At this point you couldn't blame them with the rest of the misleading opening acts for Mario. Out of the 15 bucks for this concert, he was worth 6 bucks because he didn’t back down to the audience’s request for sex-craved, booty-shaking music and held his own as a real hip-hop emcee.

The intermissions were the best part of the show! Random appearances by 3rd Degree, who humped the stage more than Shakira humps everything else. I really hope the TBAMA staff sterilized the stage after this concert, or else whoever steps on the stage will endure a sticky situation. It was a joy to see the drunken dance battles in the audience as well.

Once Mario got on stage, almost every female began screaming until her esophagus fell out. OK, maybe not all that, but it was definitely loud. His claim to “Re-do Valentine’s Day” definitely happened. His singing was great, the song selection was spot-on and the near-sex scene was baniddles! Sorry LL, the ladies love Mario now. He managed to address mishaps throughout his career, including his videos that have been filled with lighter skinned Black women, so he sang his new song w/ Lil’ Jon and R. Kelly called “Chocolate Girls.” He also sang happy birthday to someone, too! To continue itemizing my receipt for this performance, he was worth the rest of the bill.

Overall though, I could’ve kept my tail home. There was no real line-up to this concert, instead it was a random group of musicians put together by an organization that I’m pretty confident made this line-up just to make some money. There was no theme in this concert whatsoever, and the atmosphere of each artist was thrown off by the different crowds that was there for a certain artist.

-Star Watson, Staff Writer

Sometimes it be like woah

2010-02-21T13:31:00.000-05:00

It's currently 2:46 p.m. on Sunday. My tummy is rumbling, my breath stinks of cheese and beer and my brain is violently attempting to exit my cavernous skull. The familiar signs of boozing and loosing have me feeling like I had my ass kicked... hard. Which in not untrue. Indeed something walloped my fanny last night. It was Larry and His Flask.

Guinness, yelling and beards were the order of the evening. I knew LAHF could bring the pain to such a degree that the Richter scale wouldn't be able to keep up. I didn't know they could bring said pain with a deliciously Irish sensibility. I felt like gorging on raw potatoes and screaming Gaelic blibber blabber during the entire show. There's a reason these six Oregonian gentlemen and one remarkably friendly girlfriend await a tour with The Dropkick Murphys. The reason is because they could make Mahatma Ghandi get buck wild.

A man named Tom VandenAvond was playing some interesting folk music when I entered. Apparently he too engaged in the ass-kicking business. His voice was strong. It was a tried and true, a veteran brand of strength that not many can attain. It was the kind of strength that you can only acquire after years of a pack-a-day habit. It was strength that never quivers but rests gently beside the realm of complete and utter despair. Basically, I had the distinct impression Tom had been through some shit, both good and bad.

Then he invited most of LAHF onstage for a few songs. They played "Dirty Old Town." If you are unfamiliar with "Dirty Old Town," you are a bad person. If you live in Athens and aren't familiar with "Dirty Old Town," there is no hope for you. Call it a life and move to Detroit immediately. "Dirty Old Town" is a song by The Pogues, who essentially wrote the book on keeping it real (which interestingly enough was co-authored by A Tribe Called Quest and Beethoven. Here is a Wikipedia article about this book). The wonderful cover left all in the audience weak in the knees. It was like listening to Jameson.

There isn't much more I can say about the rest of the evening that hasn't already been said about Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time. It was perfect, took less than six hours to enjoy and left me with the desire for more. I can confidently say it was one of the best shows I've seen in Athens in some time.

-Davis Chambers

Sibs Weekend + Woody Pines = awesome

2010-02-20T16:24:00.000-05:00

Before embarking on their upcoming European tour in roughly a month, Woody Pines and the Lonesome Two stopped by Casa Cantina Friday night for a rollicking set. I was excited for this show, having circled it on my calendar for a couple of reasons. I had missed the trio when they last rolled through Athens, having discovered them just a few months ago. To boot, my younger brother, Kyle, was coming to Athens for Sibs Weekend. He hadn't visited Athens since I myself was his age (he's 16, I'm 19) and had certainly never been to a show in Athens. I was determined to show him a good time, even if the style of music was not exactly his thing.

Off we went, arriving at Casa at roughly 10 in the evening. It was at this point that I assigned Kyle to camera duty, for two reasons: firstly, I wanted to give him something to do; and secondly, I didn't want to do it. He seemed completely fine with it, so it really was a win-win for me. I have the intrinsic ability of messing up any picture I take. I could be taking a picture of the Capitol building in D.C. from across the mall and totally miss it. No joke. This actually happened to me once.

Woody Pines went on at a quarter til 11. And that's when shit got crazy.

So much dancing. So much flailing. The audience was moving. It was like a drunken barn dance minus the line dances, which I was totally expecting to break out the entire time. This would probably have been less surprising had I experienced an act along the lines of Woody Pines before that night, but this was my first time too. Kyle and I looked over at each other, stupid grins etched upon our faces. We do not come from a family of dancers. We were so out of place, it was hilarious.
The night wore on. A nearby man grinded up against me as he danced. Subconsciously, I'm hoping. Next to me, a girl dropped her beer, which was thankfully in a plastic cup. The crowd did not care. They danced through the expanding puddle on the floor. A staff member of Casa arrived shortly after to clean the mess. Placing a rag under his foot, he cleaned the puddle to the beat of the song, almost dancing along. Did I get a kick out of that? You bet.

My brother's comments cannot go unmentioned. He mentioned early on that the show reminded him of being at a Pentecostal church. I suppose that's not a horrible comparison. Throughout the show, he was consistently remarking at how downright interesting this show was. That in itself made the night worth it. I'm a self-conscious person; I worry about whether or not my guests are having a good time. When they are, I am.

Another beer dropped -- this time, it was in a glass bottle. Did the crowd care? Of course not; they danced right through it. I mean, what's a little glass in one's foot, right?

Woody and his bandmates were simply great as well. These guys put on a frolicsome show, if you could not infer that from the crowd reaction. It's a down-and-dirty bluegrass hoedown, from quick numbers about farmers to slower, swing-influenced songs that really set the couples in motion. Woody adds harmonica and kazoo to the mix at times along with his guitar, with double bass and percussion backing him. A saxophonist/clarinetist was also present on this night and was a supremely welcome addition.A string broke on Woody's instrument toward the end of the set. What does that mean, aside from changing the string? Whiskey, apparently! As Pines down his glass of whiskey, I stood there and wondered if this was actually was some sort of unwritten tradition. Sounds good to me, though. When I get big, hit platinum and all that jazz, I'll be breaking five to six strings a night at minimum. You know why.

The band's set ended a little past midnight. It was a mere 10 minute break; they were coming back and would be performing well into the evening. We, however, took our leave at this point, having to get up at a decent hour the next day. I would like to thank Woody Pines for a great show (or half of a show), though. You've gotta be doing something right if you can get a metalcore-leaning kid like my brother into a bluegrass band. Stay sweet, fellas. Stay sweet.

-Kevin Rutherford, Senior Writer

Battle of the Bands '10

2010-02-14T12:56:00.000-05:00

ED2010 and SPJ joined forces and hosted an absolute raging Battle of the Bands last night at the Union. The show had the place absolutely filled and attracted an audience of Athens locals and OU students looking and finding a good time and good music from the local scene.

The set list included the band, Sufferin’ Moses Blues Band, Mind Fish, First Street Heat and Solis; having the musical style range from garage to mellow to funk, everyone’s taste was satisfied. Each band held their own when it came to entertaining the crowd, especially entrancing the pre-gamers, which was quite entertaining to watch.

While the winner was announced in the wee hours of the night, and I departed early, one band definitely stuck out — First Street Heat. The near dozen-man group was a true ensemble, all donning outfits from decades past, rapping, playing several different instruments (like saxophones) and showing off… dance moves. More impressive than their image and hip-hop funk music was their ability to captivate an audience so much that the Union briefly resembled a miniature disco.

The Battle was successful, and I hope that it can make an annual appearance.

--Jazmine Reed, Contributor