originally published February 7, 2007

Let’s get this going right now. People, start reading…

Join The Whig Party: The local hot shots in The Whigs are looking to add a guitarist/ keyboardist/ multi-instrumentalist to their lineup. This move follows the departure of founding member Hank Sullivant. The Whigs is a heavily (no, really) touring band, and anyone who even considers auditioning must be prepared to begin touring soon, especially considering the trio… er, potential trio has a show booked at the 40 Watt for Mar. 2. All hopeful contenders should contact the band via thewhigs@comcast.net and, y'know, have their shit together.

Three-Night Stand: Whoo, it's gonna be one packed week in April. So you've got the three Widespread Panic shows at the Classic Center on Apr. 23, 24 and 25, and now Flagpole has word that, although the ink's still drying on the contracts, the Drive-By Truckers are scheduling a three-night stint at the Melting Point on Apr. 26, 27 and 28. That's six days of shows from two bands with rabid fans! The Trucker shows will be mainly acoustic affairs and will kick off the band's "The Dirt Underneath" tour; tickets aren't on sale yet, but will surely go fast.

Meat The Press: Local band Dark Meat has a couple of impressive gigs coming up outside of the announced threesome of dates with Black Lips and Fatal Flying Guilloteens. The band will perform at a party thrown by comedian David Cross at this year's South by Southwest festival in Austin, TX, and sharing the bill are Cross himself, the previously mentioned Black Lips, comedians Bob Odenkirk and Patton Oswalt and partymaster Andrew W.K.. In September, the band is slated to play the “Camper Van Beethoven Campout” in Pioneertown, CA. Let’s hope the 400-plus member ensemble can keep it up until then.

Can’t Lick ‘Em: The band formerly known as Col. Knowledge & the Lickity-Splits, now known simply as The Lickity-Splits, is to play its final show with its original lineup on Thursday, Feb. 8. No word yet on which members will leave and who will replace them, so I won’t even speculate. This will, however, be the band's last show for several months. The show takes place at the fabulous 40 Watt and the band opens for the formerly Athens-based Woggles [see feature story here]. Harbor no doubts about The Woggles, folks. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the band, and I have many fond memories of sweat-filled nights at its shows. Attendees can expect an absolutely top-notch show for their entertainment dollar. For more information, please see www.thewoggles.com and www.myspace.com/colknowledgeampthelickitysplits.

The Bird Flies Alone: Peter Alvanos, founder and maintainer of local band Fabulous Bird, will play a solo show Thursday, Feb. 8 at the Flicker Theatre & Bar starting at 8:30 p.m. Alvanos says folks should expect ballads and rock numbers, but that leaves the field pretty wide open, doesn’t it? Thankfully, Alvanos has already proven himself to be an able songwriter and a solid performer, so you won’t have to worry about him belting out “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” or some such shit. In other news, Fabulous Bird is currently recording a full-length record with Bill Doss (Olivia Tremor Control, Sunshine Fix, Apples In Stereo) recording and producing. An EP from the band will see release on Valentine's Day.

Get Religion All Night Long: I have nothing but the utmost respect for people who put their money, time and effort where their mouths are, and for Christian organizations who are honest-to-God (pun probably intended) actually Christ-like. Such is the case with local mission church The Sparrow's Nest and non-profit, faith-based organization Revolve. On Friday, Feb. 9, Revolve will host a show at Tasty World featuring Squat, Jessica Fore, The Sum and the Gabriel Kelley Band. Tables with information covering the various missions of The Sparrow's Next, which does incredible work here in Athens, and other organizations will be set up and representatives from each will attend. Beginning the following Tuesday, Feb. 13, Revolve will host a weekly cultural discussion focusing on film, music, art and literature with spiritual themes. This weekly discussion is also at Tasty World, and starts at 6:30 p.m. For more information on the events and on The Sparrow's Nest, please see www.sparrowsnestmission.org.

Eastside Coffee Club: The Athens Area Council For The Blind will host a night of music over at Cups Coffee Café (1911 Barnett Shoals Rd.) on Saturday, Feb. 10 from 7 to 10 p.m. The cover is a donation to the group, so make it a good one. Featured performers include The Earlier Worms (featuring a guest appearance by the former Earthworms/ Flood City Shootout singer and Vinyl Strangers main man Joe Guerzo), The Vinyl Strangers (with Reid Howland, Ian Werden and Guerzo), Old Fireworks (featuring longtime Athens musician Mamie Fike-Simonds) and Silent Lunch (featuring the best band name in Athens right now). There is to be a big-ol' audience-participation finale, also, with everyone in the place doing something. Sounds fun.

Kinda Goofy, But For Charity: The 2007 UGA Idol singing competition will take place Tuesday, Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the UGA Performing Arts Center’s Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall. Sponsored by UGA Hillel, sorority Sigma Delta Tau and the UGA Music Business program, the event will feature 15 vocalists performing a range of music to include rock, pop, country, big band and jazz standards. Featured special performers include step-show team Delta Sigma Theta, UGA’s Dance Dawgs and a cappella vocal group The Accidentals. If attending, be sure to get there early and catch the pre-show reception on the lawn outside the center from 5 to 7 p.m. All proceeds from the events will benefit Prevent Child Abuse America. The winner of UGA Idol will receive $500 or, as Jeff Spicoli would say, “righteous bucks.”

Steady Wins The Race: Local musician, cartoonist and house-show enthusiast Jacob Hunt continues to make steady progress with his reformed Tracer Metula, and the band now boasts a new bass player in the form of Matt Sapp (Timber, ex-Another Broken Vehicle, Engineering). In other news, the band has recorded some new tracks which should be on the Internet any day now and Tracer Metula will perform on WUOG 90.5 FM’s "Live In The Lobby" on Thursday, Feb. 8 and then again at local tattoo-and-piercing-exhibit-slash-bar Repent on Thursday, Feb. 15. For more info and music, please see www.myspace.com/tracermetula  .

They Must Be Running Out Of Names At The Band Name Store: Local musician Jon Ivey has disbanded his, um, band Dirty Sanchez & the Pancho Villas and formed a new group with the equally horrible name Dead Skin Lover. Promising a sound that is “more extreme and diverse in terms of dynamics and style,” Ivey plans to take the band out to a local stage in the near future. For more info, please see www.myspace.com/dspanchovillas.

Easy on, easy off. Keep your news coming in and always mention either Threats & Promises or my name in the subject line of all emails. Don’t hold me to it 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