North Mississippi Allstars & Robert Randolph: Dancing At The Crossroads
originally published October 3, 2001
“And my name is Robert Randolph. And this is a steel guitar. It is not an organ. It is not a keyboard. It is not a turntable. And we are The Word.”
Inviting the crowd into a call-and-response chant of the somewhat ironic name of this instrumental gospel project, the young Randolph continued to bridge the age-old cultural chasm separating Saturday night sensuality from Sunday morning saintliness. Then drawing his left hand up the 13 strings of his custom pedal steel, he launched players and audience alike into another ascent toward heaven.The Word is a collaboration among avant-jazz organist John Medeski (of Medeski, Martin & Wood), blues-rock trio North Mississippi Allstars, and “sacred steel” virtuoso Robert Randolph, whose stunning musical vocabulary and gospel fervor have only recently been witnessed outside of the Word Of God church where they were nurtured. And while there are currently no plans to bring The Word to Athens, music fans do have the opportunity this week to see both the Allstars and Randolph, performing in separate shows at the Georgia Theatre.
The North Mississippi Allstars is a powerful rock trio that combines the trance-boogie blues tradition of the Mississippi hills in a volatile mix with elements of classic heavy Southern rock, and modern dance club breakbeat rhythms. The punk intensity and tasteful virtuosity of brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson (guitars and drums) and the gospel sensibilities of bassist and high school friend Chris Chew, result in an impressively refined cocktail.
This elixir has stunned a diverse, growing audience since the brothers began performing and exploring their regional influences around 1996. Concocted deep in the “dirty South” (to use one of Luther’s recurring phrases) the trio's sound is dubbed “world boogie” by Cody, who adds his own guitar work and jaw-dropping electric washboard acrobatics whenever liberated from his drumming duties.After touring widely in support of the acclaimed 2000 debut album, Shake Hands With Shorty (Tone-Cool), the North Mississippi Allstars return to Athens this week with an album of new material titled 51 Phantom (Tone-Cool), ready for release on October 9.
Whereas Shake Hands… featured many of the traditional songs (however transformed) of the hill country boogie typified by R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, and Fred McDowell, 51 Phantom primarily features original songs composed in response to that tradition. The feel of the new album is a bit more organic, the diverse elements and influences less juxtaposed than assimilated. The album captures strong, spontaneous performances evocative of the band’s impressive live interplay. It was produced by Luther and Cody's father Jim Dickinson, a studio legend whose credits range from the Rolling Stones and Big Star to the Replacements and Primal Scream.
The backbeat-heavy, anthemic title track "Phantom 51" evokes the very spirit of the blues, attending on a late-night drive down U.S. Highway 51 from Memphis to New Orleans. “Sugartown,” a thumping and reeling groove that dominates the trio's current live set, combines bluesy riffs and washboard atmospherics in a dizzying representation of all-night party bliss. Kimbrough’s mournful wail “Lord Have Mercy” serves as a fitting complement, though the exquisite remorse of the lyrics is sublimated into lilting Eddie Van Halen-meets-Duane Allman exuberance via Luther’s guitar. Luther's and Cody’s older gem “Storm” echoes Brian Jones’ sitar explorations. Pops Staples’ “Freedom Highway” allows Chris and Luther the forum for a groovy call-and-response gospel as Cody subtly builds rhythmic intensity. The track belies its three-minute length by covering more emotional, spiritual, and musical ground than many bands can manage in 15 or more minutes.
Othar Turner’s authentic cane fife tradition is featured on “Circle In The Sky.” A riff partially evocative of Dickey Betts’ “Revival” plays heavily in the gospel original “Ship.” But to fixate on these touchstones is to miss what the Allstars are actually doing with the material, not to mention the transformations they accomplish. The soulful ballad “Leavin’” balances nicely and the concluding, one-chord, stompy romp “Mud” offers a celebratory invitation into the geographic and cultural landscape through which the album had just progressed. Such road signs are always less about where you’ve been than where you’re going, and the Allstars seem to practice out of that deep understanding.
Fittingly, the Dickinson brothers have pursued collaborations that help mark the paths they’ve traversed or would like to explore. Among these are albums documenting Turner’s dying tradition and its African roots. This year’s solo debut from Widespread Panic’s John Hermann featured the brothers alongside Hermann and veteran Athens musician Paul “Crumpy” Edwards (Bloodkin and Barbara Cue).And it was the mutual obsession with gospel traditions that ultimately led both Luther and John Medeski to the recordings that documented the sacred steel tradition practiced in the Word of God Church. When Robert Randolph was coincidentally booked to open for the Allstars in New York – his first gig outside the church environment – it was taken as divine blessing for the then-evolving project. Chew, himself a participant in both the sacred and secular music worlds, came up with the perfect name for the group and the album that resulted: The Word.
Evocative of the beautiful opening of St. John the Evangelist’s gospel, which describes the incarnation of God’s Word in this temporal, material realm, the band moniker signals not only the music's gospel inspiration but the passing between worlds - musically and spiritually - that is responsible for its production. Transcending the distinctions between sacred and secular, the musicians operate in the spiritual truth of the music itself. That truth is powerful, as "The Word" performance at the Mountain Oasis Festival demonstrated.
Randolph’s blistering attack during his signature tune “Without God” and his ecstatic bodily antics during “I’ll Fly Away” will likely never be forgotten by those listening, dancing and watching. A recent "The Word" recording, available on Ropeadope Records, faithfully documents the quintet’s individual talents and daring interactions.
Fortunately, Randolph and his cousins, the “Family Band,” are intent on spreading the gospel beyond the New York club shows that established their following outside the church. The quartet’s appearance in Athens may offer the closest thing to heaven that the Athens nightlife crowd has ever seen.
WHO: North Mississippi Allstars, Jas. Mathus & His Knockdown Society
WHERE: Georgia Theatre
WHEN: Friday, October 5
HOW MUCH: $10
WHO: Robert Randolph, Dominic Gaudious
WHERE: Georgia Theatre
WHEN: Monday, October 8
HOW MUCH: $7
They're Baaaack: Dayroom Comes Home For A Reunion
originally published October 3, 2001
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For an unsigned band, Dayroom, featuring guitarist Michael Winger, keyboardist Jimmy Riddle, bassist Ryan Kelly and drummer Brad Zimmerman, accomplished a great deal over its lengthy run: establishing a solid fanbase, independently releasing three albums (1995's Perpetual Smiles, 1996's Contagious, and last year's Better Days), and earning a high level of respect among fellow musicians for it work ethic and dedication to craft.
These days, the former members all have normal day jobs and dabble with performing and recording music on the side. Winger and Riddle are both based in San Francisco and stay busy with various studio and club gigs. Zimmerman lives and works in Decatur. Kelly is based down in Statesboro. Out of the blue, the four announced their plans to regroup for two special shows this week.
Flagpole spoke recently with singer-guitarist Michael Winger, who sounded more than excited about the "reunion."
Flagpole: Exactly how did these "reunion" shows in Georgia come together?
Michael Winger: About two months ago, Jimmy came down to visit from Lake Tahoe where he's been living for the last few months and we started playing together. It felt good, and we both talked about it and decided that it would be cool to go back East for a while and see old friends while playing a show or two. So we decided on two.
FP: It's been a year and a half since the band played the "farewell" show at the Theatre. Is there any rust on the musical chops?
MW: I don't think there's any rust at all. I know that I'm a far better player and singer than ever before... Meanwhile, I don't think I've ever heard Jimmy sing as well as he's singing now. He's really improved dramatically, and he's playing as well as he ever has, so far as I can tell. I haven't had a chance to play with Ryan or Brad, but it doesn't sound like anybody's playing any less than we used to. If anything, we've all had a chance to practice and improve as musicians.
FP: Will the shows cover the three albums' worth of Dayroom stuff?
MW: I think we're planning on covering a range of new material, and we'll probably pull out some new tricks as well.
FP: Since leaving Athens last year, what's changed the most in your perception of the modern music biz?
MW: That I don't need to tour all the time to be a working musician. I've given up all hope for commercial radio becoming a medium that I would ever find entertaining or enjoyable. I've quit listening to it. That probably means I'm old.
FP: What's up with your recent solo album, The Modern World?
MW: The album has done pretty well. I didn't do a whole lot to promote it since I was more interested in recording and writing an album on my own than I was in going out and touring to promote it. I'm glad I made it. It was a very cathartic thing to have a project completely under my control. I've since started working with some other people out here on my solo stuff, and I'm not going to comment too much on what's coming next, since I don't like to jinx things.
FP: Your Athens "CD Release" show for The Modern World was exactly a year ago at the One Love Music & Dance Hall. Was that your last time performing in town?
MW: Actually, Dayroom got together for a drunken moment of amusement at Jump Little Children's show in Athens last fall. It was the first time we had all been together in the same room since the band had broken up. Ward and Matt [from Jump Little Children] called us all up on stage, and we had a really fun time banging out "Cheap Wine." I think that was the only time that song had ever been played in the same manner it was recorded.
FP: What was the most difficult or discouraging thing about being a band in Athens?
MW: Athens can be a rather insular little world, and once people have an opinion of you, they are very reluctant to change it. Politically and culturally, it's probably one of the most open-minded places in the South, but any time you get in a place that small where everyone knows each other, it becomes difficult to reinvent yourself. Dayroom changed its sound three to five times over the course of eight years, and I think many people still think we just write songs about food.
FP: What was the most rewarding or encouraging thing about being a band in Athens?
MW: It's an incredibly low-pressure place. You can really do anything you want there and not have to worry too much about the consequence. I think that makes it ripe for creative work.
FP: What's the real story on [Dayroom manager and local promoter] Troy Aubrey? Friend or fiend?
MW: Oh he's both. No doubt about it [laughs].
FP: Will you play "Once In A Lifetime" Dayroom-style for us at the Athens show?
MW: Does that mean I have to play it with a rubber chicken?
The Drunk Stuntmen
Are My Roots Showing?
originally published October 3, 2001
"We do like to look pretty," jokes lead singer and guitarist Steve Sanderson, speaking via telephone. "No make-up, but we like to dress up. My favorite piece of wardrobe is my American flag cape."
Sanderson, 31, formed the band as the "Stuntmen" back 1991 with guitarist Terry Flood and bassist Scott Brandon after the three played together in various bands in nearby Taunton, MA. Guitarist/pedal-steel player Alex Johnson, pianist Scott Hall, and drummer Dave Durst completed the lineup. The band quickly earned acclaim in the Northeast for its searing live shows and whiskey-soaked tunes and eventually expanded its moniker to "Drunk Stuntmen" after a particularly boozy evening in New York City.
"We were in Times Square for New Year's Eve in '96," explains Sanderson. "I had a really, really bad breakup that sent me reeling. I was a little blurry at the time, but I swear that we all saw Alex stumble off the curb and do some sort of hard-spring with drink in hand. He goes down on his back and rolls to his feet and all the damn beer is still in his cup. Not a drop was spilled. The thing is that Alex is not a nimble figure; he's no gymnast. He was just shit-faced drunk, and he did the weirdest acrobatic move. Some guy walking down the street saw Alex's tumble routine, too, and says, 'Whoa, look at that! Damn drunk stuntmen!'"
Back at home, the band was unhappy with the state of roots-rock in the Northeast scene and took upon itself to forge ahead and do something about it. Sanders now considers Northampton - a rural western Massachusetts town surrounded by five major universities - a burgeoning hotbed of roots-rock.
"Western Massachusetts has the most fantastic roots climate," he says. "As far as the North goes, it's all right here. This is where it's coming from. In Northampton, we have a very loyal fanbase. Western Massachusetts is very rural. We've got the small towns. We've got the rivers. It's not like Boston. We're pretty much hicks out here, but we have this cross-section of influences from all over the world."
Although the Drunk Stuntmen fit in with much of the heavier "alt-country" and roots movement, the band cites influences as diverse as John Denver, Thin Lizzy and AC/DC. This diversity is featured on the band's latest release, More Bad News, its third full-length.
"I grew up in a family that listened to Willie Nelson and Gram Parsons," remembers Sanderson. "Whenever Willie would come through town, I was there, my first show being when I was eight. Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash were who was played at the house. A good mix of other things as well, but they were what my family focused on. I did go through a little punk rock phase, in which I thought roots wasn't cool. But shortly thereafter, I was right back to listening to my Willie albums.
"You can tell a band that's just copying someone else's style as opposed to someone who is influenced by someone else's style and putting his own spin on it. The Drunk Stuntmen have their own music, but draw influences from everyone."
Flickerstick
On The Run Straight Up
originally published October 3, 2001
The remaining members of Flickerstick - vocalist/guitarist Brandin Lea, younger brother and bassist Fletcher Lea, guitarist Rez "El Dangeroso" Ewing and drummer Dominic Weir - share the sentiment, as the quintet is currently basking in the glory of its upset win on VH-1's series "Bands On The Run."
Flickerstick was formed in 1997 by Lea and Krieg while the pair were attending school at The University of North Texas. Specializing in an unusual brand of psychedelic rock, Brit-rock and pop, the band made its headquarters in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and toured the region, building a solid fanbase in the area. In 2000, someone at VH-1 took notice of a Flickerstick song featured on a Billboard compilation. When the pitch was made for "Bands On The Run," Flickerstick was at the top of the list of potential participants. After going through multiple interview sessions and auditioning gigs, the band was selected for the show alongside Soulcracker, Harlow and The Josh Dodes Band. The decision left Flickerstick quite surprised.
"We never tried... that was the weird thing," Krieg recalls. "And I think it's why we ended up getting picked. We didn't go out of our way to impress anyone. We were jerk-offs. We were the underachievers from day one."
"I think they chose us because we never thought we were going to get it, and we totally didn't give a shit," adds Brandin Lea. "And we totally were just blowing it off and joking around, being ourselves. We didn't make big productions; we just kind of filmed ourselves. They wanted a band that was going to be a little rambunctious, and I expect they got that from us."
The series portrayed Flickerstick as the drunken underdogs whose main talent rested in their absolutely killer live show. For the majority of the series, Flickerstick came in last place in merchandise and ticket sales, always trailing merch-monger Soulcracker. Admittedly, Flickerstick took a different, more laid-back approach to the series and the actual competition. Nonetheless, the stress of the cameras and knowing every move could be televised began to wear on the members.
"It was very intense and very stressful. It definitely got... old," remembers Brandin. "The first week or so it wasn't bad. It's something that is fun in small increments, but for months on end, it can get very old, very tedious. Everyday you have to be ’on,' at least looking somewhat presentable, and watching what you say and how you react to certain things and all that stuff."
But it was the three "battle of the bands" competitions where Flickerstick showcased its talent for performing and saved itself from elimination.
Krieg remembers the first competition: "Probably the coolest day that we had was when we won the first 'battle of the bands,' because that's when we realized we might actually have a fucking shot at this. ’Cause we were just like, dude give me a break, we're so going home first. And we knew it. Once they said there was a battle of the bands and we ended up winning it, it was really emotional for us. We were like, wow, maybe music can prevail."
Along with claiming an ultimate prize pack consisting of cash, equipment and a video, Flickerstick also won the instant fame that comes from having eight weeks of one's life televised. While the band has no complaints and no regrets, the members will admit that newly acquired recognition is a bit awkward.
"We get recognized just about anywhere," says Brandin. "That part of it is the biggest shock, because we did not think that would happen. It gets a little frustrating sometimes, but we all love it."
Krieg continues: "It's kind of like we gave people a window into our lives, but that doesn't mean that window is now forever open. But that's a small price to pay, I would say."
Soon after the final episode of "Bands On The Run" aired, Flickerstick inked a major deal with Epic Records, thereby allowing the band an opportunity for even more exposure. A revamped version of the band's Welcoming Home the Astronauts drops on November 3 and includes show favorites "Beautiful," "Coke" and "Direct Line," as well as "Smile" and "Execution by Christmas Lights," which didn't appear on the album's original version. And already, the first single "Beautiful" is playing on radio stations across the country.
Though things have hardly slowed down for the Flickerstick guys and even the three other bands, VH-1 has a second season of "Bands On The Run" in the works. As most of the original participants would do it all again in a second, Krieg has some advice for the next series' cast: "Just be who you are. That's why people liked us, because there were no pretenses with us. We didn't put on any masks or anything; we just did what we do, and that's what my advice would be to anyone else. Play your music, love your music and just be yourself."
KUDZU FILM FESTIVAL 2001 SCHEDULE
originally published October 3, 2001
Tickets Tickets for Tate Center events are on sale now at the Tate Center Cashier's Window or call 542-8074. Tickets for all other events are available at individual venues the night of the event.
Venues All screenings will take place at the Tate Student Center Theater and the Georgia Museum of Art on the University of Georgia campus. Morning Coffee with the judges will take place at Blue Sky Coffee, 128 College Avenue.
Prizes Awarded by Kudzu judges for "Best Short Film," "Best Feature Film" and other categories that the judges make up as they go along. Viewers will cast ballots for the Audience Choice Award. All prizes will be awarded at the ceremonies on Sunday night.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7
7:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. Student Films In Competition (UGA Tate Center Theater). Admission: $8, $5 (Students) Note: All films are listed in the order they will be shown.
L'ENFANT, LA VACHE ET LE COCHON (Digital video, 5 min.) Directed by Nicholas Cervini. Images of a naked child walking on all fours, a cow and a pig are juxtaposed in a thought-provoking, rhythmic dance.
HELICOPTER (16mm, 21 min.) Directed by Ari Gold. What do you do when someone you love gets killed with a famous person? A poignant ode to the filmmaker's mother, Melissa Gold, who died in a helicopter crash with rock promoter Phil Graham. Winner of Best Short Film at the 2001 SXSW Film Festival.
MELTING GLASS (35mm, 29 min.) Directed by Patrick Grandaw. An American glassblower must grapple with work in the glass factory and the divided loyalties of his Czech girlfriend. Shot in Prague.
THE INTERVIEW (16mm, 5 min.) Directed by Courtney Davis. An absurdist's view of eye patches and job interviews that involve mind control.
TEXAS PETE (16mm, 10 min.) Directed by Mark Nelson. A sportscaster narrates the story of Texas Pete, the founder of the "Whale Rodeo."
NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK (16mm, 7 min.) Directed by Eva Saks. The beautiful Penny is torn between her Heavy Metal lifestyle and her one true love - Fred Astaire!
SLITCH (16mm, 23 min.) Directed by Dianne Bellino. A teenage girl is ridiculed by her two older sisters, who dub her "slitch" - a combination slut and bitch. Featuring music written for the film by Will Oldham.
THOU SHALT NOT KILL (BetaSP, 4 min.) Directed by Yuk Ting Chan. A brief treatise on the philosophical aspects of people killing other people. Who has the right?
THE CONFESSION (16mm, 22 min.) Directed by Carl Pfirman. An award-winning short that depicts the compelling (and seldom-told) story of two older gay men, partners for decades, as one comes to terms with his impending death, homophobia and the Catholic church.
BACON WAGON (35mm, 15 min. ) Directed by Lonny Zion. The Bacon Wagon man is harassed by his enemies for giving away free bacon, so his best friends decide to help out be reenacting his life story.
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE (35mm, 20 min.) Directed by Jennifer Derwingson. The lovelorn Lucy learns life lessons about love and beauty from a retired B-movie actress-turned-magician and a former March of Dimes poster child when their bus breaks down in the middle of nowhere.
PILLOWFIGHT (16mm, 4 min.) Directed by Scott Rice. A comedy all about the battles that sleeping couples wage against each other in bed.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 8
7:30 p.m. Special Screening (The Georgia Museum Of Art) Admission: $4, $3 (Students)
PUNK ROCK/HEAVY METAL KARAOKE (VHS, 90 min.) If you liked Heavy Metal Parking Lot or always look forward to butchering a rock standard at Foxz, you'll enjoy this full-length documentary by New York filmmaker Sonny Aronson. Filmed in and around the Arling Grocery rock club in Manhattan during the summer of 2000, the film chronicles the personalities and particularities behind a weekly event wherein a live band kicks out the jambs and members of the audience become the lead singer, encouraged by a barroom full of pumped fists and banging heads. Featuring a professional drummer out of Letters To Cleo (Dave Richman), a lovable numskull guitarist (Devin Emke), a grumpy bassist (Rob Kemp), and a genuine British punk rock veteran acting as emcee (Owen Comaskey) who shouts, "It's like a fucking concert, man!" between singers.
9:00 p.m. Special Screening (The Georgia Museum Of Art) Admission: $4, $3 (Students)
ATHENS GA.: INSIDE/OUT (35mm, 82 min.) The colorful 1987 "rockumentary" about the rise of the modern Athens music scene directed by Tony Gayton (he has a new one coming out next year titled Fool Proof). Shot in and around Athens in February 1986, this film includes fantastic old live footage and interviews and focuses on big players of the "early days" like Pylon, The B-52's, Limbo District, and (of course) R.E.M. It also targets some of the scenesters of the time including Time Toy, The Squalls, Kilkenny Kats, Dreams So Real, The BBQ Killers, and the Flat Duo Jets. Watch for a haggard Peter Buck in his pajamas drinking beer on his porch. Chuckle while William Orton "Ort" Carlton pontificates about "the zen of Athens." Cringe while Michael Stipe dances like Popeye. Smile when the late John Seawright reads "I Broke My Saw." With Howard Finster, Jim Herbert and many others. Highly recommended for any music fan.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9
7:30 p.m. Special Screening (The Georgia Museum Of Art) Admission: $4, $3 (Students)
8:45 p.m. Special Screening (The Georgia Museum Of Art) Admission: $4, $3 (Students)
A STIRLING PERFORMANCE (mini DVD, 40 min.)
This is a recent documentary by British filmmakers Andy Cronk and Deb Richards (of the Lonely Goat film company) that covers an unusual "three-night" concert series in Stirling, Scotland by R.E.M. during its 1999 Up tour. The film chronicles the non-stadium gig and the impact the band's presence had on the small town and its residents. The film made its Scottish premiere on August 25 at the Dominion Cinema on Newbattle Terrace in Edinburgh. This is the Athens premiere.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10
7:00 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Kudzu Films In Competition (UGA Tate Student Center Theater) Admission: $8, $5 (Students)
THE SNOWMAN Lane Nakamura
BEYOND THE OCEAN Tony Pemberton
CLOWN CAR David Garrett
SEX & DEATH Cat McKeirnen
DOG DAYS Ellie Lee
BURIED Kathryn Bucher
DISCHARGE, NWO Deni Blaise
9:30 p.m.-2:00 a.m. Green Lantern Techno-Dance Party w/Spaceshot & DJ(40 Watt Club) Admission: $5, 21 & up
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11
10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon "Morning Coffee w/ Margret RR Echeverria & Candice Bennett" (Blue Sky Coffee) FREE!
7:00 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Kudzu Films In-Competition (UGA Tate Center Theater) Admission: $8, $5 (Students)
F8 Jason Wen
REVOLUTION OS J.T.S. Moore
DODGEBALL Donald Bull
BIKE RIDE Tom Schroeder
BREAKDOWN John Webb
A CRISIS OF FAITH D.J. Kadigian
SEVEN STOREYS Boris Ivanov
8:30 p.m. Green Lantern Music Showcase (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Admission: $5, 21 + up. (Bands subject to change.)
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11
10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon "Morning Coffee with Mark Wynns & Stephen Les" (Blue Sky Coffee) FREE!
7:00 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Kudzu Films In Competition (UGA Tate Center Theater) Admission: $8, $5 (Students)
JOSH W. Johnnie Semerad
LADY IN THE BOX Christian J. Otjen
THE PIRATES OF CENTRAL PARK Rob Farber
THE BALLAD OF LITTLE ROGER MEAD Mark Carter
I'M GOOD FOR IT John Huba
FRISBEE FRENZY Jon Riche
THE MAN WITH THE EMPTY ROOM Todd Korgan
THE AMERICAN ASTRONAUT Joshua Taylor
9:30 p.m.-2:00 a.m. Green Lantern Music Showcase (40 Watt Club) Admission: $5, 21 & up (Bands Subject To Change)
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13
10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon "Morning Coffee w/ W.I.Z." (Blue Sky Coffee) FREE!
9:30 p.m.-2:00 a.m. Eyeball Music Video Showcase (40 Watt Club) Admission: $8, $5 (Students)
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14
8:00 p.m. 2001 Kudzu Film Festival & EYEBALL Music Video Showcase Awards (The Morton Theatre) FREE!
See next week's Flagpole for a comprehensive Kudzu schedule with all the films in competition and coverage of the Green Lantern and EYEBALL Music Video Showcase events!
Comedy In Athens
Laughter Is The Best Medicine, Or Maybe Beer
originally published October 3, 2001
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Grecian-5: We are not a freak show
As gloriously advertised on television, Grecian-5 might be the best anti-gray hair agent on the market. Many Bob Barker dopplegangers have commented on its usefulness to alleviate the official hair color of the elderly, yet this local improv troupe has concocted a controversial new method to cure the effects of aging: laughter.
Ready to kick into high gear after a summer hiatus, Grecian-5 owes its origin to a chance encounter of wacky proportions; it happened this past winter. Micah Sherman (henceforth referred to as "The Lamp" after unfortunately losing his lifelong nickname of "The Sherminator" to the American Pie saga) and Steven Capps were bussers like any other bussers. However, the two shared a secret, a secret so tremendous it would eventually lead them to leave their coveted and high profile jobs at the Grill: they shared a trait the insiders like to refer to as "being funny." Armed with the necessary ingredient instilled in all of the great successful comedians (except Gallagher), they gathered with several friends of similar comedic persuasion and set out to prostitute themselves and their name to a laughter-prone public (their current incarnation includes performers Matt Driggers, Brent Buckelew and TJ Hammer). It worked, and they landed an early debut performance at the Boar's Head.
There are many things that can be said of the Boar's Head. Sadly, existing as a haven for comedy is not one of them (if it's not beer or breasts, it is oft ignored in said lair), as Grecian-5 discovered during a discouraging attempt to impress the audience with their quick wits and interactive comedy. They describe their show as a longer, more extensive and marketable version of the popular "Whose Line is it Anyway?" (with an added touch of the inspirational Wesley Willis). They have since found audiences (with pulses) in Chapel Hill, Nashville and South Carolina who appreciate their performances of short and long improv games, sketches and spontaneous hilarity oddly resembling, as TJ describes it, "an improvised foreign film."
"We're like the indie rock of pizza. 369-8037. We'll be happy to take your order," pontificates The Lamp. "When people think of comedy in Athens, they think of The Damn! Show, but we're not them. We put a lot in live performance and skill and techniques. Stuff like that. That's all I want to say."
After prodding, he continues, "What a lot of people don't know is really not exciting, so I'm not going to tell you about it."
Steven Capps adds, "There's other people trying to do their own thing. We're trying to give a boost from the back; maybe a good game pat. Hell, even a great game pat."
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Don't equate UGA with discount comedy: the Silly Spider Monkey Fiasco might have to drop a barrel on your ass. You won't find these cats lost in a cigarette haze with a dangling microphone and lone spotlight as their only two friends; their sketch comedy ventures dazzle the screens of UGA Housing 12. They've got the wisecrack credentials to deliver the goods, lacking only custom-built designer sunglasses and fly back-up dancers alert to chant "Hey, Ho" in zero to one flat.
Created in the fall of 1998 by UGA freshmen/savage lady hunters Trevor Williams and Travis Holcombe (who has since retired from the troupe), the Fiasco has grown from early crude experimentation with digital cameras (think scripted "America's Funniest Home Videos" B-list material, with the occasional second place clip. What do you expect? They were freshmen after all) to a full-blown assault of ha-ha hi-jinx. For best results, equate live action "Muppet Babies" spoofing MTV non-music related line-up. Last season's "Crouching Gladstone, Hidden What Guy" stands as a firm testament to their broadening scope - ask the Association for Higher Education Cable Television Administrators. They presented the Fiasco with a national award for outstanding achievement in an entertainment program (resumé fodder galore).
The current cast includes founder Trevor Williams (fearless leader and all-round gold medalist in buffoonery and realistic Siamese-twin portrayal), Stephen Hendricks (Dancing bandit Hot Steps Willy and any other character existing in a state beyond Caucasian), Neal Holman (recognizable as the grizzly-chested Brad Pitt stand-in in their Fight Club spoof "Book Club"), Andrew Jelicka (One armed weather mime and the pride of Dunwoody), Ed Mundy (computer guru and author of "Silly Spider Monkey: Behind the Fiasco") and Shelly Stover (continuously typecast in any sinister role not involving testicles). Mired in success and a healthy dose of testosterone, the group's recent auditions for female cast members have had a large turnout. Season Four will bear fruit in November, when "Our Dream Show," focusing on weird elements in dream, thoughts and the subconscious, premieres. For those in need of a fix and adamantly opposed to heroin, there is some talk of past seasons making their way back into Channel 15's Thursday scheduling rotation some time in October.
Comedians: The Lesser Utilized White Meat
Stand-up comedy is essentially the O.G. of the funny bone - one person and its imagination versus an assembled crowd of strangers eager to judge. Being that comedy and beer are the ultimate buddy-buddy sitcom, it's a small wonder Athens has been able to sustain a regular stand-up comedy venue.
That is, until DT's re-opened, and Classic City Comedy moved in like gangsters at a gun shop. Now boasting a bi-monthly rendezvous, Classic City Comedy offers gleaming comedic spillover from Atlanta, as well as a friendly hand of introduction to those willing to submit themselves to the sheer uncertainty of "Open Mic." They have since held a performance at the Burntstone Brewhouse and hope to invigorate Athens with monthly top-notch comedy events. Marshall Chiles, host and advocate of Classic City Comedy, saves the routine for the stage and breaks it down: "I think this town really needs comedy. Comedy has always been the cousin of music. There's a demand for it. The Damn! Show sells out every time they play. If you like comedy, come to the shows. It'll be like the Punchline, only in Athens. I'll guarantee it'll grow."
UGA is also doing something to liven the comedy world (besides enrolling freshmen). Shindigs at Tasty World on the first Monday of every month offer the opportunity for UGA students and alumni to foist their comic manifestations on an eager, young and mostly student crowd during the UGA Comedy Club. It can only be likened to the resin ball of comedy: a pleasant surprise with the potential of making you feel somewhat dirty. Lacking professional guidance, the evening program careens from clever jokes and scenarios to Def-Con 5 levels of silence and blank stares. More unpredictable than a contact high, the good comics often contain enough spunk to overlook the few miscreant stragglers that always pollute such a free-for-all event. Members of the Silly Spider Monkey Fiasco (see above) and Yukko the Clown, of The Damn! Show (see below - Hell, just continuously read and re-read this article in case you have trouble maintaining the thread of continuity) have used the UGA Comedy Club as an outlet for individual stand-up to some avail.
The Damn! Show: You've Read About Them Elsewhere
...so there's no reason to mention them again, save that their crude humor sketches and numerous "final shows" are the biggest comedy draw in Athens.
And then...
There's a lot of comedy around town this week (check Out There!) for complete listings. Don't even try to say you don't need a reason to laugh.
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