Music News & Gossip

Threats & Promises

Music News And Gossip

originally published July 20, 2005


In full anticipation of your weekly needs, I've compiled a healthy dose of what you're looking for. Nutrition begins below…

Jomo No-Mo?: The once-ubiquitous Jomo Entertainment has been pretty quiet for a while now. Flagpole checked in with Jomo honcho Josh Moore this week to see exactly why things aren't as happening as before. The scoop: Moore recently moved to New York to accept a job with massively huge concert promoter AEG Live. Moore's primary responsibility is handling booking for the Nokia Theatre, which is slated to open this fall in Times Square. But what about Athens? "I still do plan to do shows in Athens, Atlanta and around the Southeast," says Moore, "but for now I am focusing my attention on the Nokia Theatre. I have a few offers out for Athens now, which I hope to wrap up soon, but I will be doing less and less there over time. I lived in Athens for 10 years and love it to death there, but I have always wanted to live in New York… Hopefully I will continue to bring national acts to Athens that wouldn't otherwise come to such a small city." Josh, Athens wishes you well and looks forward to seeing you around sometime. Thanks for all the shows.

The Effects Of Gentrifugal Force: On Tuesday, July 12, organizers for the independent performance/ practice/ community space known as Tight Pockets, located on the northeast corner of Hancock Avenue and N. Pope Street, were greeted by a cease and desist order from the Athens fire marshal while preparing to open the space for a show. Speculation on the future of Tight Pockets quickly swarmed Athens and Flagpole spoke with Ian McCord, formerly of local band Carrie Nations and a Tight Pockets organizer. "Tight Pockets is definitely done," says McCord. "We had seen this coming for a few months, considering all the new construction happening around us. But the good news is that this has gotten people inspired about starting a new place. Everything was so convenient by having Tight Pockets around that the punk scene had gotten a little lazy." McCord also spoke of having a new place that will be integrated with the Athens Recess Center, but no definite plans have been made. Tight Pockets began hosting shows in May of 2002 and its passing, while sad, seems to have some folks proving that hope springs eternal. "I think in the long run I'm glad it's lasted this long," says McCord, "but I'm kind of relieved we'll have the chance to start a new thing."

Hey Hey Delay: Southern Bitch, which late last year locally released the album Snake in the Grass to much acclaim, was set for Captiva Records to give the album a nationwide release on Tuesday, July 26. However, the record's release date has been pushed back to Tuesday, Aug. 9.

Not Just Music But Memories, Too: For a few months now, people have been somewhat disappointed that the upcoming "Athens Rewind" party was to be a private event. The organizers have decided to make at least part of it open to the public. A concert at the 40 Watt Club on Friday, July 29 will feature Pylon and an augmented version of Oh-OK (with Charles Greenleaf, Josh McKay and Kevin Sims joining original members Linda Hopper and Lynda Stipe) and original Athens scene member Paul Butchart performing deejay duties. Word is that other "celebrity deejays" will be performing also. Tickets are $22 and available at www.40watt.com. So what is "Athens Rewind"? Well, it's an event that is something akin to a high school reunion in that it is bringing together folks who were involved in the Athens music/ art scene between the mid-1970s and the mid-1980s. Although most of the festivities remain private events for invitees only, the concert should be a fun one. I have just spent the better part of two hours poring over the photo and flyer archive located at www.athensrewind.com, and anyone who is interested in seeing a glimpse into the very special world of the early days of the Athens music scene should do the same.

The Chasers

The Gift That Keeps On Giving: Country gadabouts The Chasers this week celebrate the release of their first album, appropriately titled The Chasers, Vol. 1. Swing by Mell's Place in Bogart out past the Georgia Square Mall on Saturday, July 23. The free show starts around 10 p.m., and the band has a show booked "you know, for the more downtown crowd," according to frontman Clay Leverett, on Friday, Aug. 5 at the Caledonia Lounge.

Another Point On The Art + Rock Continuum: A new show by local artist Susannah Darrow opens at the Caledonia Lounge on Thursday, July 21. Titled "Love Is Something You Fall Into," the show features prints by Darrow throughout a range of media. The opening runs from 7:30-9:30 p.m. That same night, in celebration of the opening, a rock show featuring Some Animal [see ABC Box on p. XX], The Ginger Envelope and Venice Is Sinking takes place at 11 p.m. at the club. The art opening is free but the music will set you back about $5 or $6. If you want to see Darrow's art, be sure to be there that night as it's quite likely it will only remain on the club walls for a few hours.

Robert Schneider

It Just Gets Easier And Easier: More news has come in from the Athens Popfest camp as they announce that one-day passes are now available for those who wish to forego the four-day pass purchase. Available at Wuxtry Records, Low YoYo Stuff Records, Schoolkids Records and the Athens Music Museum, tickets for Aug. 11 and 13 cost $10 each, and tickets for Aug. 12 cost $12. These tickets will get you into the shows being held at the 40 Watt. The events at Little Kings will be only for four-day-pass holders due to the venue's limited capacity. The second "surprise guest" has been announced - the first being Pylon - and it's The Marbles, which is another songwriting avenue for Apples In Stereo main-man Robert Schneider. For complete details, please see www.hhbtm.com/popfest.

The Showcase Showdown: Fresh from performing at the 40 Watt, Athens band Sursie has its eyes set on an upcoming Atlantis Music Conference showcase at Atlanta's Apache Café on Aug. 13. Originally conceived as a studio-only project back in 2000, the band is comprised of Star Scott (Reason: Biodynamics) on vocals and Shannon Sausser (Bling the Children Back Home) performing drum and vocal duties. Their live show is fleshed out by Dan Roth (Little Green Chairs) on keyboards. Their music is a mix of funky bass and drums with a heavy dose of emotive vocalizing. You can hear them over at www.sursie.com.

Darling, They're Still Around: If you missed Five Eight's popular performance during AthFest, or even if you didn't, you can catch the band as it works its way back through Athens and lands at the Caledonia Lounge on Friday, July 29. Polemic opens the show and folks are advised to get there relatively early because this show will fill up quickly. One of the longest-lasting Athens bands, Five Eight also plays the Atlantis Music Conference on Aug. 13 with a showcase at Atlanta venue Kenny's (not to be confused with Lenny's).

Showcase Showcase!: Don Chambers + GOAT also perform on Aug. 13 at an Atlantis showcase, this one at the Star Bar. Chambers also plans to take his band on the road this fall, heading all over the Southeast and perhaps even to Germany in October.

North to the City: Troubadour Kevn Kinney will deliver his final performance as a native Athenian on Friday, July 22 at the 40 Watt Club. The Drivin' N' Cryin' frontman has plans to move to Brooklyn, NY in August. The 40 Watt show features Kinney with his full band Kevn Kinney's Sun Tangled Angel Revival. The aforementioned Don Chambers opens with a solo (or solo-with-minor-accompaniment) set.

Timeshift: The Olivia Tremor Control/ Tall Dwarfs show out at the Orange Twin complex has been moved from Sunday, Aug. 7 to Saturday, Aug. 6, which puts it, unfortunately for local music fans, in direct conflict with Team Clermont's "Blue Ribbon Ball." Look for more info here as the show approaches, and get all the lowdown you need at www.orangetwin.com. The twice-aforementioned Don Chambers + GOAT has been added as the opening act.

And it's all over for this week. Please get your news in early and often and always reference either "Threats & Promises" or me in the subject line of all emails. I got 99 problems via email to music@flagpole.com, voicemail at 549-9523, ext. 203; or by post at P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603.
Gordon Lamb

Gordon Lamb

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