New Year's Dance Parties

Monday, December 31 @ Various Venues

originally published December 26, 2007

With most students out of town, Athens over the holidays takes on a particularly revelrous tone. Local businesses, clubs and restaurants throw parties both private and public, and there's cheer aplenty available for the finding. New Year's Eve in particular offers healthy options; since the holiday fell on a Sunday last year and most bars and clubs couldn't open, it's time to work double-time and make up for last time around.

Dance parties are big for New Year's, as Athens loves a chance to shake its collective ass, and the 40 Watt's annual Krush Girls/ Twin Powers throwdown always draws a crowd eager for the latest mixed in with '80s and '90s hits. The Mercury Lounge starts things off with a jazz band around 8 p.m., but kicks out the jams with DJ Baby Pandas (Flagpole music editor Chris Hassiotis) at 10 p.m. and 2007 Flagpole Athens Music Award winner DJ Mahogany at midnight; that'll be your place for vintage funk, soul, R&B and classic dancehall rock and roll.

DJ Diamondstar Halo heads up Chapel's celebration, and in the past he's leaned towards rock and danceable punk hits. Detour gets all sweaty with a male cabaret earlier in the night, but then after the midnight countdown, DJ Isaac gets his dance on with pumping contemporary dancefloor sounds. Over at Little Kings you'll find DJ Topless, though details as to what or who that is (and whether he or she is actually topless) weren't available at press time.

There's a whole lot more going on - check the rest of the listings in The Calendar! for detail. If you're up for some bands, you may want to hit up Tasty World or the Georgia Theatre, or head away from downtown to Alibi or Allen's. And if you're more in the mood for a full-on extravaganza (and the accompanying high ticket prices) check out what the Melting Point and the Classic Center have planned.

Chris Hassiotis

"Beautiful Losers: The Music of Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen & Tom Waits"

Saturday, January 5 @ Tasty World

originally published December 26, 2007

"The one thing that all of this music has in common is that it is all about beautiful losers," Jeffrey Butzer said in early 2007, while discussing the songs of Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits with fellow Atlanta musician Justin Curfman. The guys took their interest in the tunes of poetic heartbreak and drama and translated it into a live show, covering material from all eras of the singers' long and varied careers. Early, roaring Nick Cave? Tender, Dylan-esque Leonard Cohen? Hipster boho Tom Waits? Piano ballad Cave? Bass-heavy, portentous late Cohen? Wild, yowling Waits? All songs appear in some form or another.

"Jeffrey Butzer & The Midwives have a sort of French café, spaghetti western interpretation of the material," says Curfman, while "Feeding Fingers bring a dark post-punk, New Wave take on the material." Drew DeMan of rustic ATL band No River City appears as a guest vocalist for Jeffrey Butzer & The Midwives.

The first "Beautiful Losers" show took place on Sept. 28 at The EARL in Atlanta, with Michael Bradley filling the third slot, and more than 200 in attendance. For the Athens show, Curfman and Butzer have recruited local hard-times singer Don Chambers, whose own gravelly vocals and lyrical obsessions have allowed for easy paralleling between the subjects of tonight's tribute. Sanni Baumgärtner, of Dancer Vs. Politician and Audition With Max Reinhardt, joins Chambers onstage, and the two will run through selections that include the rousing Waits song "Hoist That Rag," off 2005's Real Gone, and Cohen's "Bird on a Wire," a song also recorded by Johnny Cash on one of his American Recordings albums.

Chris Hassiotis

The Howlies

w/ Entertainment, Ghost Train

Wednesday, January 9 @ Flicker Theatre & Bar

originally published December 26, 2007

The guys in Atlanta band The Howlies like to make threats and promises. Since I've not had the occasion to see them live yet (they've only played in Athens once), I can't say for sure if they back up their claims, but I can say that I've been digging the band's blurry blend of psychedelic indie garage since first hearing it on CD several weeks ago. The group promises a smokin' live show (but what band doesn't?) and sends messages describing itself as "the greatest band in the world" (what band doesn't feel that way? All should, y'know, or else why be in a band?).

"If you have any doubt of our endless conviction and ruthless aggressiveness towards total world domination than you better well call your new kraut pope to bat, 'cuz you's gonna need the big guns to exorcise this mad parade of drunken lycanthropy," say the bandmembers via email. Sure, the "world domination" thing is as tired as, um, something really tired, but the tunes the band cranks out are just totally solid. So either The Howlies are a real deal, rock-and-roll trash machine ready to do business with the devil in order to carve out their piece of the world or, on the other hand, The Howlies are sheep in wolves' clothing with a keen eye toward what the kids are digging these days. I tried to ask them about all this, too, and took them at their word to "call anytime." I did - no answer and I think the number was wrong, too.

No matter. Rock and roll, if it's about anything, is about taking chances and, dammit, I'm gonna take a chance on The Howlies and see if these guys will ignite Flicker like they've promised. You probably have no good excuse to not take a chance, either.

Gordon Lamb