Threats & Promises

Music News And Gossip

originally published March 15, 2006

It looks as if our wintertime malaise is just about over, and it’s high time to fall into spring. Get it? Anyway, look below for instructions on how to keep on keeping on…

All The World’s A Stage: Local performers are encouraged to seek out gigs at popular local bar The Globe, which has been trying to book a weekly performance over the past several months. Billed as acoustic singer-songwriter showcases, the shows happen every Monday night at 10:30 p.m. and feature a single performer. Local hotshot Adam Klein has already performed one of these gigs, as have Patrick Carey (The Ginger Envelope) and Ryan Taylor (Little Green Chairs), and the semi-reclusive but always entertaining Spencer Rich does so on Monday, Mar. 20. Booking inquiries should go straight to Kimberly Gibson via gibson_kimberly@yahoo.com.

Layin’ Out In Watkinsville: The stunningly beautiful Ashford Manor Bed And Breakfast will once again crank up its outdoor “Concerts on the Lawn” series this year. So far, the only dates that are solidly nailed down are the Monday shows, but a series of Tuesday nights is in the works, and should be solid real soon. The first few shows include Sounds of Motown (May 1), Zydefunk (May 15), Funkle Ester (June 5) and Grogus (June 19). Yeah, this is pretty good advance notice, but season tickets are available for the entire deal, so I’m sure you’re glad to know well ahead of time. Anyway, individual tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids over the age of six (under that, and your little ones get in free). Picnicking is allowed and encouraged, and the set times of 7–9 p.m. are perfect for a family-style outing. For more information, please call 769-2633 or visit www.ambedandbreakfast.com.

C’mon and Take A Hayride: When not busy making babies or bankrupting major labels, 15-year-old Athens band Hayride dedicates its time to making some of the most solid rock and roll to ever ooze forth from this little burg. The trio is reportedly finally finishing a new recording; the as-yet-unnamed opus features drummer supreme Dave Gerow (ex-Ceiling Fan, A Mercy Union) and founding members Nick Bielli (bass) and Kevin Sweeney (guitar, vocals). The band currently has a sneak-preview track available for listening over at www.myspace.com/hayrideband. The spooky instrumental track “Kosmos” is either a new departure for the group or something completely tongue-in-cheek for the normally riff-oriented combo. Let’s hope this sees the light of day this year.

Venice Is Rising: After making itself relatively scarce over the past few months, Venice is Sinking is on the rise again. The local band is set to release its newest album Sorry About the Flowers, and has scheduled a double-bill of sorts to celebrate its release. On Thursday, Apr. 13, the band hosts a listening party for the new album at Little Kings, and on Friday, Apr. 14, the band plays a two-set CD release show at the fabulous 40 Watt. Everyone who comes to the 40 Watt show will receive a free copy of the album as they walk through the door, and when you add all this to the fact that The Ginger Envelope is opening the show, it’s really hard to see where you could go wrong with this one. You’ll be reminded closer to show time.

Everything Is Coming Up Orange: Local label Orange Twin continues to astound with the quality of its releases. A perfect example is the newly released recording by German singer-songwriter Sibylle Baier. The album Colour Green was recorded on reel-to-reel tape in the artist’s home country between 1970 and 1973. Drawing comparisons to artists such as Nico and Anne Briggs, this sole album by Baier was buried in the mists of time before her son shared it with Dinosaur Jr. honcho J. Mascis, who then slipped it to the Orange Twin folks. Also upcoming for Orange Twin is the sure-to-be-impressive label debut for local dude-about-town Geoff Reacher. Impossibly entitled Avec Reacher C’est Plus Sûr, the album should hit stores sometime this summer.

On Screen Jams: The media department of the University of Georgia Main Library will present a film series titled “Up Jumped The Boogie” next week at UGA’s Student Learning Center and Nuçi’s Space. The idea is to explore the “four pillars” of hip hop culture. Those are, of course, emceeing, breakdancing, deejaying and graffiti art. Here’s the schedule: The Freshest Kids (Monday, Mar. 20, SLC Room 247), Style Wars (Tuesday, Mar. 21. SLC Room 245), The MC (Wednesday, Mar. 22, SLC Room 275), Scratch (Thursday, Mar. 23, Nuçi’s Space) and Wild Style (Friday, Mar. 24, SLC Room 275). All screenings begin at the oddball time of 6:50 p.m. and are free and open to the public. A special demonstration of hip hop scratching will follow the Scratch screening at Nuçi’s Space, courtesy of local hip hop duo Classic City Breaks. I’ve seen these films, and I’m particularly drawn to the vintage footage utilized in some of them. Hopefully, they will all offer the viewer something of value. For more information, feel free to contact Brad Martin, the head dude in charge, via ded@uga.edu.

And You Will Know Us By Our Exports: Local bands SIDS and Coulier will make good use of UGA’s spring break this week, as they each head out of town on separate jaunts. SIDS will take a trip that winds through Memphis, TN, Brooklyn, NY and ends up in Asheville, NC. Coulier will travel through North Carolina, out to Ohio and then back through Nashville, TN. Both bands have a way of either captivating or repulsing their audiences, so I fully expect a few tour stories that are, in actuality, war stories. But, you know what they say - tour is hell.

Grandbabies: It’s worth noting that Kingpins, the new bowling alley in the Homewood Hills strip mall (slowly proving itself to be the new Normaltown), is stretching into the musical arena. Every Tuesday at 7 p.m., longtime local musician Jim Sherman delivers a set on the brand-spanking-new grand piano in the lounge. Sherman has a staggeringly deep repertoire, and was a fixture in the late ’90s at the now-closed pub Churchill’s. Rumor is that there may be some sort of karaoke or karaoke-esque solo performance series going down at Kingpins in the future, too.

And we’re off. Be sure to keep your news coming in and always mention either Threats & Promises or me in the subject line of all emails. You didn’t have to be so nice 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