originally published July 18, 2007

Okay folks, here’s another week of news to use and blues to lose so start reading now. Yeah, right down there…

Not All Marriages Are Likely: Nigh unimpeachable label Constellation will release the newest album by Vic Chesnutt on September 11 of this year. Entitled North Star Deserter it was recorded at Montreal’s Hotel2Tango studio and the cast of band members is nothing short of incredible. Players include Guy Picciotto (Fugazi), Eric Craven and Genevieve Heistek (Hangedup), Bruce Cawdron (Godspeed You! Black Emperor), T. Griffin (The Quavers), Chad Jones and Nadia Moss (Frankie Sparo) and the entire lineup of Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band. The relationship was sparked when film director Jem Cohen suggested Vic record at Hotel2Tango and work with various Constellation artists. When Constellation was given the opportunity to release it they, of course, jumped at the chance. Please see www.cstrecords.com for much cool stuff.

Celebrate Me: Okay, now I'm going to blow my own horn. Anyone that's interested is invited to come to the Caledonia Lounge on Friday, July 20 and celebrate my birthday with me. In actuality, my birthday fell in May but a booked-solid club and other things conspired against me back then, so we're gonna celebrate two months late. Why? Just for fun, you son-of-a-gun! Featured bands are the fabulous New Sound of Numbers, Atlanta's indescribable One Hand Loves the Other and, also from Atlanta, the incomparable Selmanaires. How's that for hyperbole? There will also be a magic show (!!) performed by Athens' own soundguy/musician Kevin O'Neil. It only costs $3, so come on down.

A Very Special Benefit: Local musician Philip Kohnen and his Latin band One L will play a benefit show over at Farm 255 on Saturday, July 21. The show is for the program run through Nuçi’s Space named “S.O.S” (Survivors Of Suicide). While so much of the focus on suicide deals with prevention and understanding, it’s also supremely important to remember that whenever suicide occurs there are always people left behind. That’s who S.O.S. reaches out to. The show begins at 10:30 pm and the band should play right up until about 1 am.

Too Much Time On My Hands: Okay, look. I’m an information fiend. If I could pull it off, I’d be awake 24 hours a day absorbing every shred of anything I could get my hands, ears and eyes on. That probably isn’t healthy, but that’s the way it is. The all-around good guys in Atlanta band Deerhunter are helping me with that goal by having recently updated their website www.notownsound.com as well as the band's blog over at deerhuntertheband.blogspot.com. Currently still plowing away on one of their never-ending tours the band will return to Athens on Thursday, July 26, at the Caledonia Lounge as part of the Team Clermont Summer Festival.

More, Better, Faster, Now!: Local old-style punk band 696, and I mean that sincerely and excitedly, is currently working on a follow-up EP to its already-released Bacon Bits EP. According to the band the new stuff should be available in late July or early August, but fans and curious people can still pick up Bacon Bits for a mere $2 which is, as they say, "like, only 28 cents a song!" Although the band won't play again until August 10 at Nuçi's Space, I still think you should go looking for them over at www.myspace.com/696. Fashion punks need not apply, though. These guys are so far from fashion I'm surprised they even have clothes.

Lineup Nearly Complete: A few weeks ago we reported on the upcoming Devilneck MetalFest happening at Repent from August 23 to 25. Well, it looks like the lineup is settled and will include: Tacos! Tacos! Tacos! Tacos!, In The Lurch, Rat Babies, Stygian Apothegm, Banana Hammock, Gravebound, Whiskey Shit Vomit, Hoth, Caltrop, Black Cobra, Cancer Slug, Midnite Snake, Ear Mound Shrine, Polemic, The Stifling, Foxfire, Negative Earth, Amazilla, Telestrion, Tualatin, The Dumps, Black Tusk, Maximum Fucking Carnage, Bear Meat Cabin, Comanche, Waited, Pride Parade, Black Skies, Light Pupil Dilate, Subrig Destroyer, Colossus, Christine, Weedeater, Music Hates You, Withered, Sourvein and Zoroaster. If you were to buy one T-shirt from each of these bands, you could freak your grandparents out for a solid year. For a bunch more info please see www.myspace.com/devilneckmetalfest.

Keep Hope Alive: Hope For Agoldensummer has shifted the release date for its newest album to (roughly) fall of this year. Originally slated to come out a while ago, the majority of the album is completed and ready to go. The band is still accepting pre-orders for the record and thanks the folks who ordered it a year-and-a-half ago. Pre-ordering also gets fans a copy of a compilation of previously unreleased - and presumably never-to-be-released-again - live and studio tracks. Also, the more folks who pre-order this, the sooner it will be out. Hope For Agoldensummer saw the departure of percussionist Jamie Shepard and cellist Will Taylor earlier this year but has continued on as a trio consisting of Claire and Page Campbell along with Deb Davis. For info on ordering and other whatnot please see www.myspace.com/hopeforagoldensummer or www.hopeforagoldensummer.com.

Band leaves Town; Comes Back Later: Local rockers Nutria just completed its first-ever tour. The nine-date trek took the band up through the east coast and back down again. No reports yet from the band about how it went but I’m assuming no disasters or we’d have probably heard about them by now. The band's current album is the double-CD behemoth Metronome/Cheef on Fundamental Records. The band next plays Athens on August 10 at the Caledonia. Need more info? Any other questions should be directed toward www.nutriaworld.com.

Be sure to keep your news coming in and always mention either Threats & Promises or my name in the subject line of all emails. Get on the good foot 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