originally published January 31, 2007

Brrr. No, seriously. Brrr. Now that I’ve got that out of my system and into yours, I figured I’d welcome you back to another hearty helping of Athens area and related music news. Serve yourself below….

Spring Invasion Time: Widespread Panic is giving hometown fans and all traveling dudes and dudettes a reason to rejoice this spring. The band will play three shows at The Classic Center on Apr. 23, 24 and 25. For a little bit of historical resonance, consider the fact that the Classic Center now sits atop the space that was once home to the Mad Hatter Ballroom, where Widespread Panic played what's often considered its first "official" show on Feb. 9, 1986 (although the group had been playing out since early '85, this was the first performance to feature drummer Todd Nance). Although details concerning ticket sales were not confirmed as of press time, it’s a safe bet that info concerning these highly anticipated gigs will get to us sooner rather than later, so watch this space and check out www.widespreadpanic.com.

Ain’t Nothing Going On But The Rent: AIDS Athens is the proud beneficiary of a show to be held at the Georgia Theatre on Wednesday, Jan. 31. Featuring a greatest-hits-type performance by the cast of the touring Broadway show Rent, the night will also have a dance party with DJ Immuzikation and the new-to-town funk/ soul/ disco band Velveteen Pink. It's a $10 donation at the door, with all proceeds going to AIDS Athens. For more information, contact 706-542-2437 or email info@aidsathens.org.

And Such A Great Value, Too!: My young cousin said a few weeks ago, “Who buys CDs anymore?” An even bigger question, though, concerning the record-buying public is “Who buys 7” singles anymore?” Well, band and record nerds like me do. And a fervent, albeit small, audience of die-hard vinyl junkies. But how does bands deliver exceptional value and convenience while also having people acquire their music via vinyl? They do what S.I.D.S. did. On the band's latest 7”, courtesy of Goodnight Records (The Orphins, The Rosebuds, The Close), the single boasts a heavy-cardboard sleeve, a CD of all the music on the record and a bonus DVD of a three-camera-angle live show shot at Atlanta’s Drunken Unicorn back in January, 2006. Titled My Other Vehicle is a Stretcher, the record's A side and title track has been a live show staple for the band for over a year. And it’s killer, too. If ever a perfect fusion were reached between audience-alienating floor-show athleticism and propulsive, bass and keyboard driven, dark-New/No Wave, this is it. Go buy you one via www.goodnightrecords.com.

Snap To It: Normally, I don’t give much ink to the music scene's auxiliary services such as photography, graphic art, etc. in this column because I think it sounds too much like advertising. Still, when someone really warrants a mention for their work, I’m gonna fit it in. Case in point: local photographer Mike White. His website www.deadlydesigns.com features a huge archive of his photos taken of a veritable ton of Athens and Atlanta bands and I’ve been able to spend a good hour or so simply taking them in. Most recently, he’s taken shots of Psychic Hearts, M Coast, Christopher’s Liver and Cars Can Be Blue, among lots of other top local acts. Chances are you don’t know his name, but if you’ve been haunting the stage-front regions of any cool local shows over the past four years, chances are that you’ve seen him right next to you. You can also check him out via www.myspace.com/cyberkode.

In The Mood For Love: The local wham-bam upstarts and rockers in Darla haven’t made a huge impact on the Athens scene yet, but that hasn’t stopped 'em from finishing their debut album Bring on the Mimes, and getting their promotional tour together. This particular tour, the band's first, will send it to Japan to promote the album's release. Landing in the Land of the Rising Sun on Mar. 1, the band will play 15 shows over a three-week period. The album's release takes place Apr. 1. Comprised of members Jimmy Taylor (ex-Iron Hero), Chris Ellenburg (Southern Bitch), John Watson and Ryan Rawls, Darla plans to start recording another full-length as soon as the tour is over. This is great news for a band that was almost stillborn due to tragedy beyond its control and the personal demons of addiction suffered by more than one member. Now all these guys gotta do is actually play in Athens. Go visit them at www.myspace.com/bringonthemimes.

Sign ‘Em Up, Ship ‘Em Out: Local poppy modern/ alternative rock band The Winter Sounds has signed to Alpharetta, GA-based label Livewire Recordings, and thus joins the ranks of other eager hopefuls like Warm In The Wake, Nashville’s The Comfies and DC band Exit Clov. The Sounds spent many months on the road in 2006, and 2007 is looking to be not that much different. With drummer Jeremy King Cole unable to undertake this current tour, Donovan Babb (ex-Boulevard, Engineering) - who contributed tracks to the band's 2006 release Land of No Output - will take over. In other news, the band plans to record about five new tracks which are to be tacked onto a remixed and remastered version of Land of No Output. The new 14-track version will arrive in stores on May 22. For more info, please see www.myspace.com/thewintersounds.

Get Low: Local band The Low Lows is enjoying particular success across the pond nowadays. The debut album Fire on the Bright Sky, released in the United States by Warm Electronic Recordings and in the United Kingdom/ Europe by Monotreme Records, has received a very warm welcome from critics and fans. The band's fall tour of the United Kingdom, Spain and France was buoyed by a feature in Rolling Stone's French edition, a live session for the BBC World Service and having its video for “Dear Flies, Love Spider” aired on UK-MTV’s "120 Minutes." Film director Vincent Moon also shot two videos of the bandmembers during their stay in France. (In the interest of full disclosure, I should mention that, in addition to a million other jobs I have, I also do some work on the side for this band: nothing that would make the above statements untrue or not worth writing about, but, even so, you should know. 'Cause I love ya.) Regular drummer Jeremy Wheatley was unable to tour Europe due to work scheduling, so the band took along pinch-hitter Patrick Ferguson (Music Hates You) and he did wonderfully. The band returns to England and Europe for a string of shows across February and March. Go see www.myspace.com/thelowlows and check out two new unreleased tracks that have been posted; the next album, tentatively called Little Tigers, is due out later this year.

Books, Music, Etc: I know some of you out there are aware of the “Live at the Library” series that goes on in town, but if you’re not, here’s the scoop: it's monthly, it's musical, it's live, it's free. Local favorite Venice Is Sinking will play the February slot of the series on Sunday, Feb. 4 at 3 p.m. The show takes place at the Athens-Clarke County Public Library over on Baxter Street. The show is free, open to the public and put on by Friends of the Athens-Clarke County Library.

And now, as always, I remind you to keep your news coming in and always mention either Threats & Promises or my name in the subject line of all emails. I could never take the place of your man 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