Threats & Promises

Music News And Gossip

originally published May 3, 2006

Have you ever noticed how a few threats and a few promises make for an ultimately unsatisfying relationship? Well, this column is the exception to this rule and I’d like you to know that I feel very comfortable in this bond that we’ve formed. Let’s renew our vows below…

It's That Time Of Year Again: Okay, folks, it’s time for you to put your thinking caps on and start voting in the 2006 Flagpole Athens Music Awards. You can vote on-line at www.flagpole.com/Awards or use the ballot in this week's Flagpole and mail it in or drop it off at our office. You’ll notice that this year, just like last year, we have assembled a healthy batch of nominations in each category, but you are always free to write in your own nominations. The ones you see on the ballot merely represented what a jury of brainstorming local music types came up with after long deliberation. Tell us we were right, or kick us to the curb. Everything will be announced at the 2006 Flagpole Athens Music Awards Show, which kicks off AthFest on Thursday, June 22 at the Morton Theatre. You will be reminded again.

Genesis: Speaking of which, things are beginning to come together for this year's AthFest. Looks like the 40 Watt has its roster firming up, with bands like We Versus the Shark, Casper & the Cookies, Iron Hero and The Whigs, among others, performing. And according to www.athfest.com, Drivin' N' Cryin' will close out the four-day festival, headlining Sunday night on the outdoor stage. It's also interesting that the Melting Point and Transmetropolitan are listed as official venues this year; hooray for expansion! More, surely, to come.

Meet You In The Ladies Room: Local band Fiasco is celebrating the release of its debut album If Never Was Enough with a show at the Georgia Theatre on Wednesday, May 3. To gather the storm, the band will give away free copies to the first 50 people who show up, and ladies get in free from 10 p.m. to midnight. Well, party.

(Loud Life: The local Christian hardcore promoters behind the occasional “Living Loud” shows have another event coming up this week. Featuring Atlanta metal bands Becoming The Archetype, Society’s Finest and Inked In Blood, the event will take place at UGA’s Wesley Foundation on Monday, May 8 at 7 p.m. The show is all-ages and open to the public. Seemingly as sincere about promoting bands they like as they are about sharing their faith in Christ, the promoters are an enthusiastic bunch that promise not to cram anything down anyone’s throat. (And although their website features an icon of Jesus Christ with the words “…and he said to the people, go forth and rock,” I’m pretty sure Jesus never said that.) The show is a mere $4 and more info can be had by contacting livingloud@gmail.com.

An Epic Export: Athens band An Epic At Best is, in its own words, “finally doing a proper tour” this month. The band kicks things off on Tuesday, May 9 at the Caledonia Lounge with sidewinders Count and Engineering. After this, the band will wind its way through 18 days of shows through the South, Northeast and along the East Coast. The group's debut album There Will Be Rain was recently released by Two Sheds Music and, in proper record label form, will be promoted to radio and press during the tour, ensuring that the band comes back to town Aerosmith-style.

Back To His First Name: A little more than a year ago, this page made mention of a local law student making creative electronic/ rap music under the name MC Travel. Well, since then, the man behind that name, Jamie Radford, decided to go under his real name, recorded an entire album and is set to release it. Tentatively titled Athens, the album will hopefully be filled with more tracks like “This A Breakup Song,” currently featured on Radford’s MySpace page. Radford’s sound is best described as slightly low-slung, lounge-oriented, electronic hip hop. Even when his subject matter is serious, it’s hard not to imagine these songs being pumped through the speakers of some glass-tinkling cocktail lounge. Very nice stuff. Look for the album to drop soon, and check him out over at www.myspace.com/travelrecords.

It’s Good To Be The King: Local guy Bart King spent a busy month this past January recording tracks over at Atlanta’s Dallas Austin Music Project studios and has finally finished mixing down the three tracks for folks to listen to. King and his band The Fair Shakes will continue recording for their upcoming album, albeit not at DARP. Truth is, the band has a few studio options when it comes to recording and hasn't yet decided what to do. With a sound that is in the key of most modern acoustic blues rock, King blends the soulful with the personal; while this type of stuff is not always my thing, King makes a more than solid go of it and consistently produces quality. Check him at www.myspace.com/bartkingandthefairshakes.

New Band In Town: For some reason there’s been a hell of lot of already-formed bands moving to Athens in the past couple of years. Some are great and some are atrociously bad. You can judge Athens' newest residents if you go check out Savannah transplant Celerity. The members play their debut as Athens taxpayers (they have previously toured through town) on Monday, May 8 over at Tasty World with Horrible Idea and Misfortune 500. Their music? A blend of paint-by-numbers grunge-pop that does nothing for me. But screw it, everyone’s got a dream, right? Find them at www.celerityrocks.com.

Big Deal Jam: By now, most of Athens knows that Don Chambers + GOAT are kind of a big deal. Well, soon it appears the Nashville music establishment will know as well. The band was invited to share the stage with such greats as Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, Connie Smith, Travis Tritt and Kathy Mattea. The event is the 5th Annual Marty Stuart Late Night Jam and the show will take place June 7 at Nashville’s legendary Ryman Auditorium. The show is a benefit for charity MusiCares, which provides many personal services for folks in need, including medical care, financial aid and other assistance. Over the past five years, Stuart’s annual event has raised more than $50,000 for the charity.

Man Named Crane: Athens/ Atlanta dude Anthony Crane - who performs under the single name Crane - is headed back into local Pigpen Studio to finish work on his newest EP. Some folks might remember Crane from his former band Blue Hiram. If you’ve never heard Crane, but you’ve heard former House of Pain member Everlast, then you’ve heard Crane. The similarities are amazing. Hear for yourself over at www.myspace.com/craneproject.

Oh, Hell Yes: After more than 10 years of rocking, traveling and thrilling audiences, the almighty Jucifer has signed to preeminent metal label Relapse Records, currently home to bands like Alabama Thunderpussy, Mastodon and Don Caballero. Jucifer's first release for the label will be called At the Hands of Our Intercessors and will drop sometime in the early fall of this year. Curiously, this seemingly unique album title is identical to that used by David Barbe's old Athens band Buzz Hungry back in 1995. Either way, this is major news for the band and I applaud its efforts, long and valiant as they have been, entirely. For more information, please see www.relapse.com.

Over and out. Be sure to keep your news coming in and always mention either Threats & Promises or my name in the subject line of all emails. What’s your name, little girl, via email to music@flagpole.com, voicemail at 706-549-9523, ext. 203, or by post at P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603.

Gordon Lamb

Gordon Lamb