Against Me!
w/ The Riverboat Gamblers and Fake Problems
Thursday, February 22 @ 40 Watt Club
originally published February 21, 2007
Shane McCauley
Against Me!
While some bands dream of having their video on MTV, playing Wembley Stadium or winning a Grammy, Against Me! frontman Tom Gabel has smaller-scale aspirations. “It is actually my dream to one day sell out the 40 Watt,” he declares. And each time his punk-rock outfit plays Athens, Gabel gets closer and closer to realizing his goal.
Hailing from Gainesville, FL, Against Me!’s origins date back to 1997 when then-17-year-old Gabel began playing out as a solo artist. Since then, Gabel and company have evolved into a bona-fide band and developed a loyal grassroots following. However, Gabel has drawn the ire of his fans on two particular occasions. The first was when Against Me! signed with the independent punk powerhouse Fat Wreck Chords back in 2003. The second was December of 2004, when the band inked a deal with (gasp!) major label Sire Records. But Against Me! shouldered the hand-wringing and backlash of young punks nationwide and made a conscious effort to avoid any classic major-label rookie mistakes going forward.
Nonetheless, the guys confronted a freshman pitfall head on: selecting a super-producer to collaborate with on their major-label debut. At the helm for the forthcoming New Wave, due out this Spring, was Butch Vig, who's worked notably with Nirvana and Garbage and is the man responsible for creating some of the life-changing albums that Gabel cut his teeth on growing up. “He has an unbelievable resume, and for the resume he has, he could be the biggest prick he wanted to be,” says Gabel. “But he was completely cool.”
With a major-label deal in hand, a new album recorded with one of the most high-profile producers around and fans who've stuck by the band through all of the label-hopping, Against Me! appears to be on the right path for now. So come on Athens: why not help make Gabel’s dreams come true?
Push!
Westside Daredevils & The Owen 4
Friday, February 23 @ Caledonia Lounge
originally published February 21, 2007
John McDonald
Push!
Searching for a band, Athens guitarist-vocalist Lauren Osborne last spring teamed up with Paul Nunn of the defunct band Astra. "I met Paul and we just started putting some of my songs together, recording them," she says. The two rounded out the band, recruiting Jeremy Sellers and Josiah McGaughey, also from Astra. "[We] talked about putting a band together and a timeline for what we wanted to do. We all agreed to meet at Nuçi's Space and have a practice, and it was like, 'Damn. Right on. Let's get this show on the road!'" Dubbed Push!, the group made its public debut nine months ago on a sweaty June night at the Caledonia Lounge.
Osborne sports a throaty, pouty vocal delivery that's on par with Chrissie Hynde or Gwen Stefani; the sound of her classic Gretsch woven through Nunn's more textured guitar approach tills the infrequently explored common ground between rock and roll, '80s pop and atmospheric shoegaze. McGaughey's snazzy drumming and Sellers' jauntily prominent bass lines supply Push! with a prominent rhythm section, no simple supporting backline here.
Push! has spent about two weeks, all told, over the past several months holed up with producer Daniel Rickard (Suny Lyons, The Low Lows, Tin Cup Prophette) recording an as-yet-untitled debut album at sound engineer Andy Baker's home studio. "We work really well with Daniel," says Osborne. "He's really patient and unpretentious, super great, sweet and talented. I'd say he shares our vision."
"Basically we want to use it to book shows out of town, get out of Athens, that kind of thing," she says, predicting a more formal release soon. "Spread the word and use it mostly as a promotional thing." With a passionate, urgent sound that counterposes the group's sedate stage presence, Push! is the type of band eager to showcase meticulous sonics. Expect to hear more from 'em in the coming months.
Jeremiah Cymerman’s Big Exploitation
Saturday, February 24 @ 40 Watt Club
originally published February 21, 2007
Jeremiah Cymerman
There is an increased interest and admiration among the American indie-rock scene for jazz and experimental music of a particular stripe; namely, the forward-thinking music created by Miles Davis, Albert Ayler, Alice and John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman and Sun Ra, among others. Though encouraging, this also leads to an awful lot of posturing and a tendency for some musicians to assume that because they admire said artists that they are somehow attuned to them. Nothing kills jazz faster than this mass pseudo-intellectual uprising that seems to occur every few years. Jazz, and by extension experimental music in general, is propelled by long-haul students and innovators; not by quick-change artists who fancy themselves a musical version of Kerouac’s angel-headed hipster.
Jeremiah Cymerman is in it for keeps. He will return to Athens from his New York home to celebrate a CD release [see review here] with his Big Exploitation group. Throughout three performances in a single night, Cymerman will present the drone work of Matthew Welch (Tzadik Records) as Welch performs his "Symphony of Drones, Opus 44.” In this piece, Welch displays his particular droneplay system, which incorporates various ornamentation and excursions with the flexibility to allow for "real-time negotiation" (i.e. improvisation).
Cymerman will host two film presentations accompanied by music. First up is Just a Closer Walk With Thee by Jonathan Railey, with music composed by Cymerman featuring a six-piece group. Then Cymerman will present The Short Films of Jonathan Railey with the director running the projector and featuring a cream-of-the-local-crop 13-piece ensemble.
This unique performance will also take place at ATHICA (hosted in conjunction with the "Transience" exhibit) on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Both shows are a treat and the type of thing that separates the faithful from the window shoppers. (Note that Saturday's $5 show at the 40 Watt is an early one that starts at 7 p.m. and is separate from the club's Black Lips/ Dark Meat show later on in the evening.) For the uninitiated, think of it as a language lesson by the immersion method. Learning languages is never a simple affair, but is nearly always a rewarding experience.
If you are having problems with the site, or have questions or suggestions, please contact us here. Thanks!
Care to comment on this article? Click here!
You will be the first person to comment on this article.