Music News & Gossip
Threats & Promises
Music News And Gossip
originally published September 20, 2006
Drink deep and absorb this week’s news as if it were wine from water. Well, maybe not that much, but you know what I mean. Start sippin’ below…
Venice Is Sinking
More Beauty: The local gorgeousness-creators of Venice is Sinking will continue to make the rounds of several Southeastern venues in the next couple of months. Although the Venice is Sinking camp has been somewhat quiet for a little while, all signs point to the band staying busy through the winter. In addition to playing a bunch of shows, the group is working on its next album - tentatively titled Azar - but warns that the record probably won’t reach fruition for a good while. The current release Sorry About the Flowers continues, though, to receive praise nationwide and music-press readers will surely come across some of this coverage without much effort.
Travelin’ Band: Atlanta band Parade is currently in the midst of its first significant touring as it travels up the East Coast, back through Atlanta and then around the Southeast. Riding in a brand-new van and carrying a load of new material, the band will play Atlanta venue Lenny’s on Saturday, Sept. 23 and again on Nov. 17. Check out www.myspace.com/paradeband or www.weareparade.com.
New Stuff Out Now: Several new albums from Athens acts have come out in recent weeks, and here are a few to take note of. Long Legged Woman, the project by Gabe Vodicka and Justin Flowers (both formerly of American Erutrevo), has released its noise-ridden/ one-take-live-recording titled 1. Pegasuses-XL has released XL, which is full of heavy, keyboard-based rock and The Low Lows have released their shoegaze-/ country-filled album Fire on the Bright Sky courtesy of Athens label WARM Electronic Recordings. All should be available in local stores and if they’re not, then start a riot. By the by, The Low Lows are playing a show Friday, Sept. 22 at a DIY venue here in town to celebrate the new album; check out www.myspace.com/thelowlows for the, ahem, lowdown.
A Special Few Will Want to Know: Although originally formed in 1991 and broken up not many years after that, Athens punk band Vomit Thrower continues to mark its place in the world. And by marking its place I basically mean pissing (metaphorically, of course) on stuff. Now the band has invaded the Internet and, although it played its last "final" show in 2004 at Lunch Paper, has placed some live songs online for all to enjoy. This final lineup of Vomit Thrower comprised Chuck “Schade E. Libido” Creasy, Adam Onstott, Adrya Stembridge and the late Rob Briess. Even though nostalgia is a worthless trip most of the time, it still makes my little heart beat with joy to think of an entirely new crop of folks stumbling upon Vomit Thrower. Visit www.myspace.com/vomitthrower and get hit.
Recent History: The former members of defunct Athens band Reading have established an Internet presence to allow fans to capture the music so many of them have been wanting. The band has put up links to download its eight-song recording, which was done by local engineer Asa Leffer. You can also find a link to download Reading's final show which took place Aug. 27, 2004. Reading, which mutated for the most part into current neat-o rock group Iron Hero, was a nice fixture on the Athens scene; all this stuff is available over at www.myspace.com/readingband.
Chris McKay
Ty Manning
It’s Happy Hour Again: Ty Manning of Bearfoot Hookers will host an every-other-Thursday singer-songwriter showcase over at the Caledonia Lounge. The shows are during the on-again/ off-again Caledonia Happy Hour of 6–9 p.m. Billed as The Caledonia Happy Hour Song Swap, the biweekly event debuted last week, so the next one is Thursday, Sept. 28. Check Flagpole’s ABC listings for the lineup, but know that each event will feature four artists singing songs and playing acoustic guitar. Also, if anyone wants to get in on this, please contact Manning at 706-318-9872 or email tybo69@yahoo.com. In other news, the Bearfoot Hookers will play the Georgia Theatre on Thursday, Sept. 21 when they open for The Everybodyfields and The Avett Bros.
Fist City: Kay Stanton of local pop group Casper & the Cookies may rock hard on-stage, but apparently she can also hold her own when it comes to busting up barroom fights. After a tussle broke out at a gig in Huntsville, AL, recently, bandmember Jason NeSmith somehow wound up in the midst of it and got hit in the head. Observing this, Stanton jumped the perpetrator and the dude quickly left the scene. Rumors that the band is considering changing its name, in light of this incident, to Casper & The Gangstas are unfounded and should be disregarded. You can ask 'em for yourself when they open for Architecture in Helsinki at the 40 Watt on Friday, Sept. 22.
Super Sugar High: Local twee-pop act The French Toasts joins Casper & the Cookies and a bunch of other bands on the newly released compilation Yay 4 Cuteness. Released via Smithfield, VA, label Valiant Death, the compilation is, true to its title, dedicated to overbearing amounts of cuteness, sweet things and general preciousness. The French Toasts weigh in with the track “Hot Chocolate Youth” and the Cookies contribute the track “Stratosphere.” More information can be had by surfing over to www.valiantdeath.com.
Stocking Stuffer: Although it’s not going to see release until the seems-like-forever far off date of Nov. 14, I figured I’d go ahead and let y’all know about the DVD release of Widespread Panic’s Earth to Atlanta. Courtesy of Sanctuary Records, the release is the recorded version of the live simulcast that was shown nationwide on May 9 from the Fox Theatre in Atlanta. So if you’re a fan or know a fan or just want to spend money, plan to pick one up. Until then, check www.widespreadpanic.com for updates, further details and other addenda.
And that fills up this week. Be sure to keep your news coming in and always mention either Threats & Promises or my name in the subject line of all emails. I have always been here before via email to music@flagpole.com, voicemail at 706-549-9523, ext. 203, or by post at P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603.
Threats & Promises
Music News And Gossip
originally published September 20, 2006
Drink deep and absorb this week’s news as if it were wine from water. Well, maybe not that much, but you know what I mean. Start sippin’ below…
Venice Is Sinking
More Beauty: The local gorgeousness-creators of Venice is Sinking will continue to make the rounds of several Southeastern venues in the next couple of months. Although the Venice is Sinking camp has been somewhat quiet for a little while, all signs point to the band staying busy through the winter. In addition to playing a bunch of shows, the group is working on its next album - tentatively titled Azar - but warns that the record probably won’t reach fruition for a good while. The current release Sorry About the Flowers continues, though, to receive praise nationwide and music-press readers will surely come across some of this coverage without much effort.
Travelin’ Band: Atlanta band Parade is currently in the midst of its first significant touring as it travels up the East Coast, back through Atlanta and then around the Southeast. Riding in a brand-new van and carrying a load of new material, the band will play Atlanta venue Lenny’s on Saturday, Sept. 23 and again on Nov. 17. Check out www.myspace.com/paradeband or www.weareparade.com.
New Stuff Out Now: Several new albums from Athens acts have come out in recent weeks, and here are a few to take note of. Long Legged Woman, the project by Gabe Vodicka and Justin Flowers (both formerly of American Erutrevo), has released its noise-ridden/ one-take-live-recording titled 1. Pegasuses-XL has released XL, which is full of heavy, keyboard-based rock and The Low Lows have released their shoegaze-/ country-filled album Fire on the Bright Sky courtesy of Athens label WARM Electronic Recordings. All should be available in local stores and if they’re not, then start a riot. By the by, The Low Lows are playing a show Friday, Sept. 22 at a DIY venue here in town to celebrate the new album; check out www.myspace.com/thelowlows for the, ahem, lowdown.
A Special Few Will Want to Know: Although originally formed in 1991 and broken up not many years after that, Athens punk band Vomit Thrower continues to mark its place in the world. And by marking its place I basically mean pissing (metaphorically, of course) on stuff. Now the band has invaded the Internet and, although it played its last "final" show in 2004 at Lunch Paper, has placed some live songs online for all to enjoy. This final lineup of Vomit Thrower comprised Chuck “Schade E. Libido” Creasy, Adam Onstott, Adrya Stembridge and the late Rob Briess. Even though nostalgia is a worthless trip most of the time, it still makes my little heart beat with joy to think of an entirely new crop of folks stumbling upon Vomit Thrower. Visit www.myspace.com/vomitthrower and get hit.
Recent History: The former members of defunct Athens band Reading have established an Internet presence to allow fans to capture the music so many of them have been wanting. The band has put up links to download its eight-song recording, which was done by local engineer Asa Leffer. You can also find a link to download Reading's final show which took place Aug. 27, 2004. Reading, which mutated for the most part into current neat-o rock group Iron Hero, was a nice fixture on the Athens scene; all this stuff is available over at www.myspace.com/readingband.
Chris McKay
Ty Manning
It’s Happy Hour Again: Ty Manning of Bearfoot Hookers will host an every-other-Thursday singer-songwriter showcase over at the Caledonia Lounge. The shows are during the on-again/ off-again Caledonia Happy Hour of 6–9 p.m. Billed as The Caledonia Happy Hour Song Swap, the biweekly event debuted last week, so the next one is Thursday, Sept. 28. Check Flagpole’s ABC listings for the lineup, but know that each event will feature four artists singing songs and playing acoustic guitar. Also, if anyone wants to get in on this, please contact Manning at 706-318-9872 or email tybo69@yahoo.com. In other news, the Bearfoot Hookers will play the Georgia Theatre on Thursday, Sept. 21 when they open for The Everybodyfields and The Avett Bros.
Fist City: Kay Stanton of local pop group Casper & the Cookies may rock hard on-stage, but apparently she can also hold her own when it comes to busting up barroom fights. After a tussle broke out at a gig in Huntsville, AL, recently, bandmember Jason NeSmith somehow wound up in the midst of it and got hit in the head. Observing this, Stanton jumped the perpetrator and the dude quickly left the scene. Rumors that the band is considering changing its name, in light of this incident, to Casper & The Gangstas are unfounded and should be disregarded. You can ask 'em for yourself when they open for Architecture in Helsinki at the 40 Watt on Friday, Sept. 22.
Super Sugar High: Local twee-pop act The French Toasts joins Casper & the Cookies and a bunch of other bands on the newly released compilation Yay 4 Cuteness. Released via Smithfield, VA, label Valiant Death, the compilation is, true to its title, dedicated to overbearing amounts of cuteness, sweet things and general preciousness. The French Toasts weigh in with the track “Hot Chocolate Youth” and the Cookies contribute the track “Stratosphere.” More information can be had by surfing over to www.valiantdeath.com.
Stocking Stuffer: Although it’s not going to see release until the seems-like-forever far off date of Nov. 14, I figured I’d go ahead and let y’all know about the DVD release of Widespread Panic’s Earth to Atlanta. Courtesy of Sanctuary Records, the release is the recorded version of the live simulcast that was shown nationwide on May 9 from the Fox Theatre in Atlanta. So if you’re a fan or know a fan or just want to spend money, plan to pick one up. Until then, check www.widespreadpanic.com for updates, further details and other addenda.
And that fills up this week. Be sure to keep your news coming in and always mention either Threats & Promises or my name in the subject line of all emails. I have always been here before via email to music@flagpole.com, voicemail at 706-549-9523, ext. 203, or by post at P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603.
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