Chrissakes
w/ Benard & Mistletoe
Wednesday, April 15 @ Go Bar
originally published April 16, 2008
David Cope
Chrissakes
They’re in small pockets - a few stalwart kids in Athens, one house in Atlanta that I’m aware of, a few sleepy rock towns in North Carolina - but the remnants of the scenes that screamed bloody murder in the '90s remain, however few and far between. Chrissakes is an example of the enduring tradition of bands that want it all: the scrape and grind of Chicago post-punk, the ominous lurch of metal, the white-knuckle effect of blown-out psych, and the uncomfortable personal touch of what was “emo” before it became what “emo” is called today. And the band members' status as aspiring torch-bearers is sort of funny when you consider that most of these kids are, well, a hell of a lot younger than they sound.
And it’s even funnier to consider the fact that despite their youth, they definitely bear the mark of “scene vets”: Drew Smith has done more than his share of time in the Athens house show scene in bands like Life Is a Fight and (in)famous libido-themed screamo band Love Potion Number Nine. After years behind the drums, he has effectively taken on the role of guitarist, as evidenced by the badass guitar solo on the MySpace jam “Granby.” (More recently, he’s been surfing dronescape oceans with highly-recommended-enjoying-highly solo project Chartreuse.) Rob Thomason has been effectively sneaking into clubs in Athens since his high school days, and after a brief crash course in self-taught drum pummeling, is playing - to quote Cinemechanica’s Mike Albanese - “with authority.” Bassist Helen Rhinehart has the kind of tone that sounds like everything on the amp turned completely to 10, but that’s just because that’s exactly what she does.
After recording with local producer Joel Hatstat, Chrissakes is set to release a split LP with an as-of-yet undisclosed band and, presumably, continue thrashing apart houses and clubs alike.
New Pornographers
w/ Okkervil River
Thursday, April 17 @ Georgia Theatre
originally published April 16, 2008
Okkervill River
Named after a short story by Russian author Tatyana Tolstaya, Okkervil River is slowly but surely becoming a major buzz band on the indie circuit. Pitchfork, Harp and Rolling Stone, just to name a few, have all included the band on their "best of" lists already. The fourth album from the Austin group may be its most compelling to date. On The Stage Names, the band incorporates a lot of the raw "looseness" of Black Sheep Boy, but takes a pointed look at itself through a more professional lens. Artful and unexpected arrangements, lyrical obscurity, and the self-deprecating attitude that infiltrates this record no longer sound haphazard. Rather, it comes across as meaningful in the same way elements of film might come together. The mature sound of The Stage Names matches well with the overall themes of history, disclosure, and what it means to be Okkervil River. Pop culture allusions pervade the album, and the lyrics sometimes sound a little too literary, but when all is said and done, Will Sheff writes one hell of a rock song.
The more focused direction may be a result of the band's recent collaboration with Jim Eno of Spoon, or the fact that this latest incarnation of Okkervil River features the same unified line-up that toured extensively supporting Black Sheep Boy. In addition to the August 2007 release, this past December the boys put out a nine-song collection titled Golden Opportunities Mixtape, which contains eight covers and one live version of an original. To top off a busy year, Okkervil River landed a slot on NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien and performed "Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe." Okkervil River is currently in the midst of its East Coast tour and plans to grace Athens with its presence as well.
“Student-Run Record Label Showcase”
Thursday, April 17 @ The Melting Point
originally published April 16, 2008
Blue Flashing Light
As part of learning the ins and outs of the music biz, students in the University of Georgia’s music business program take part in a student-run record label. They assess bands, “sign” them to the label, learn about the legal and financial sides of the equation, and get the bands into a studio to record a song. “Running a record label definitely entails a lot,” says Carmel Joseph, a senior public relations major taking classes in the program. “You have to make sure all your booking, recording, publicity and promotion are all intact.”
All the work culminates in a happy-hour showcase at the Melting Point, putting on display the work of the students and the bands alike. “I think one thing I learned about having your own label is that it is a must to maintain a great relationship with your artist. Having an artist or band that's easy to work with makes everything else easier. It also makes the process more fun because there is that vibe,” says Joseph, whose group is called Six-Shot Records and is working with the twangy Atlanta rock band Joshua Fletcher & the Six-Shot Romance. Other groups worked with Athens acts who all fall into the accessible, radio-friendly rock and roll genre: Blue Flashing Light, Ponderosa, Gift Horse (formerly Walcott), Beyond Tomorrow, Rockinwood, The Cubs and Olympus Mans.
All eight bands will play at the free and open-to-the-public showcase; it starts promptly at 5 p.m., and with each band performing just one song apiece and all the bands sharing a backline, band changeover should be minimal and the showcase should wrap up by 7 p.m. - that’s eight bands, two hours, zero dollars. Representatives from the school will be on hand to provide info for anyone interested in UGA’s program, too.
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