Threats & Promises

Music News And Gossip

originally published March 24, 2004

By the time you read this, all our homeboys will be back from South by Southwest down in Austin, TX, and I'll be bringing you some news about their antics next week. But for now, you're gonna have to make do with some good ol' homegrown news. But you know what they say about homegrown, don't ya?

A Good Cause, Yes It Is: College students have gotten caught up in all types of trendy causes over the years ranging from sweatshops to animal rights to separate dorms. But one cause that has kept going is the fight against cancer. The local chapter of Colleges Against Cancer (whose name begs the question, "Are there actually colleges for cancer?") is hosting a benefit show at The Georgia Theatre on Wednesday, March 24; proceeds go to Relay For Life which is another cancer awareness benefit in which people walk through the night and host track-and-field type events. Colleges Against Cancer is an adjunct of The American Cancer Society and focuses on making cancer awareness a priority on college campuses. Performing on the 24th will be Full Fathom Five and The Dave Matthews Cover Band. With approximately a dozen sponsors on board, the bands will perform for free this night in order to help the cause out. (And this begs another question: "If the Dave Matthews Cover Band cares, shouldn't you?") For more information on the show, the organization or to help out please contact Collegesagainstcanceratuga@hotmail.com.

Five O'Clock Rock: Forceful, compelling and passionate, Five-Eight has forever (well, for 15 years) worked it hard. The combo of Mike Mantione on guitar and lead vocals,

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Dan Horowitz on bass and Mike Rizzi on drums has created some of the most reliable rock in this town, and now the band's releasing its first full-length since 2000's The Good Nurse. Simply dubbed Five Eight, the album won't be officially released until May 4, but the band will have copies for sale at its BreastFest show at the 40 Watt on Thursday, March 25. Look for more info in Flagpole closer to the album's release. [Chris Hassiotis]

They're Not Girls And They're Not Cute. But That Never Stopped Anyone Before: Atlanta-based comic book artists Josh Latta, Brad McGinty, and Jennifer Young (okay, so there's one girl) are seeking to bring "new respect to an oft overlooked medium." To this end they went and founded Cute Girl Demographics and on Wednesday, May 5, they will be hosting a comic release party at Atlanta's EARL featuring the local bands Tragic Plastic, Homeroom and Light Pupil Dilate. Word is that around five or six titles will be released at this show and apparently they have a lot more on their schedule. Best I can figure is that they're taking inspiration from the then-radical underground comics of the early 1970s - if that's the case then more power to 'em. About themselves they say, "Standing out in a landscape of big-eyed school girls, robots, and hyper-idealized men and women cavorting around in tights and capes is a challenge." Well, hell, no one said life would be fair. For more information on the bands, the comics and whatnot, please email Jennifer Young at avenjaleh@yahoo.com .

Um, Thanks, Ted. Now I Really Care: Okay, so I'm sitting at work, getting ready to finish up some Latin homework before I go get rocked by femme-voiced pop-warlord

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Ted Leo who played the fabulous 40 Watt on Monday, March 15. So I'm thinking I'll check his website out and see what Leo has to say for himself. Well, sure as I'm sitting there, it appears Mr. Leo has jumped on the whole "anti-Urban Outfitters" bandwagon. The retail clothing chain has come under fire for selling a T-shirt bearing the slogan "Voting Is For Old People." Supposedly the dupes over at Punkvoter.com, who led the charge against the chain store, think that the youth in America is so dumb as to actually not go vote because of a damn t-shirt. Nearly every modern punk, emo and whatnot band of any stature has jumped on this cause. The stores have pulled the shirts after this outcry. (But this begs the question: "How can rock bands get upset at a shirt that makes fun of voting but not get upset at shirts that encourage wasted votes? Ralph Nader, anyone?") At any rate, I'll forgive Leo everything simply because his show rocked and was wonderfully punctuated by a great cover of Stiff Little Fingers' "Suspect Device."

Uptown, Downtown: The lineup for this year's Music Midtown has been announced, and as usual, a number of local artists have made it in. Drive-By Truckers, Bain Mattox, The Whigs, Ishues and The Tom Collins will provide what they can for those who show up to see national acts like REO Speedwagon, Wyclef Jean, Twista, Damien Rice, Cee-Lo, Fountains of Wayne and Foo Fighters. But as always, the festival looks to be a mix of the great (neo-soul/jazz singer Joss Stone) and the laughably terrible (Fuel). Check the complete lineup over at MusicMidtown.com. [CH]

Help Still Needed: Look, it's too late to get Johnny Thunders into a methadone clinic and it's too late to say, "Um, hey, Sid, how's about giving me the knife?" But it's not to late to help out someone else who has clearly had as much influence over the ears of the Atlanta underground rock scene as those two tossers had over the scene in general. Of course, I'm speaking about Jon Kincaid. Longtime host of WREK radio show "Personality Crisis," Kincaid suffered a heart attack back in January. You know this 'cause I mentioned it then. I am mentioning it again because the man is still hospitalized and the bills are mounting beyond belief. If you never even heard his show, but understand how vital folks like this are to our precious cultural landscape, then please consider throwing a few bucks his way. Donations can be made nationwide at any Bank Of America branch. The name of the fund is the Jon Kincaid Medical Expense Fund. Kincaid is easily as important to the rock education of Atlantans as any of the bands whose records he spins. Have a heart (sorry).

And I'm out. Keep the news coming and I'll get to it quickly. Be sure to always reference either me or Threats & Promises in the subject line of all emails. As LL Cool J said, I need love via email at music@flagpole.com, voicemail at 549-2360; or by post at P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603.

Gordon Lamb