8 days ago
Part Bear
w/ Holy Liars, Deaf Judges
Saturday, Jan. 30 @ Caledonia Lounge
The Caledonia Lounge was pretty empty when I first got there for the Part Bear CD release show Saturday night. I then noticed the sign announcing that the bar still didn’t have its liquor license, so I assumed everyone was at a neighboring bar preparing for the night’s festivities. Luckily, people started to show up after a couple songs into The Holy Liars' opening set.
This three-piece Southern rock act, complete with matching cowboy hats, sang about the rougher side of life. Carter Ross’ honest and clever lyrics cover drinking, day-to-day survival, and the never-ending quest to get laid. It's all told with country flavor from the point of view of a guy with questionable morals, with choruses like “With sleeveless shirts and ripped jeans/I’ll be the dirtbag of your dreams” or “I’ll kiss you with this liar’s tongue.” I think you get what I mean. The music itself was loud and rowdy—just what you'd expect from this type of band. The guitarist's short-but-sweet wah-wah-drenched solos perfectly balanced out the songs. I discovered The Holy Liars at last year’s AthFest and since then have seen them improve with every show. I’m really excited to see what they do next and how they evolve as a band.
As soon as I saw the DJ equipment and the black pirate flag, I knew the next act was Deaf Judges, a local four-piece hip-hop group consisting of three MCs and one DJ. These guys are the real deal. There are no pre-recorded backup vocals like I have seen with so many rap groups. The DJ had total control of the music and effortlessly flowed from one song to the next. And while the music never stopped from the first note to the last, it also didn’t sound like one continuous song either, as tempo, mood and flow changed with each transition. Like the Beastie Boys' illegitimate children, each MC took the lead for a verse or two while the others provided backing vocals, emphasizing certain words and choruses. The lyrics themselves are a little nonsensical at times, but I think that actually adds to their charm and showcases the group's originality.
The Deaf Judges have been doing this a while and it showed. The set was tight and they really got the crowd excited by keeping up onstage energy and invading the audience while they rapped.
After a lengthy set change, headliners Part Bear took the stage in celebration of their CD release. It was their party, and the place was packed. People were standing on benches and chairs just to see the stage. I was lucky enough to be at the front of the crowd next to some hardcore fans who danced and sang with every song. The music itself was refreshing. It was exciting, energetic rock with a dirty, grungy edge to it. I was really impressed by this band's songwriting. Greg Collins' bass lines often played independently from the guitar rhythm, showing off his skills and proving that the bass doesn’t have to be a backing instrument. Some verses featured just vocals, bass and drums, so when that guitar roared back in, it hit you like a tidal wave. The band members themselves were very charming, cracking jokes and fooling around. They seemed very happy to get their CD out!
8 days ago
"The King Is Back"
Friday, Jan. 29 @ Buffalo's Cafe
The King is back and performing with some regularity—not on the star-studded stages of the world, but in the aptly named Big Back Room at Buffalo’s Café, located at 196 Alps Road, next to Borders. Perhaps in an effort to lure drink-happy college students from downtown, or perhaps merely to entertain the legions of older Athenians who find the scene at Allgood Lounge, for example, a little too juvenile, the owners of Buffalo’s provide a variety of entertainment. Buffalo’s hosts trivia on Mondays, dance lessons on Tuesdays, poker on Wednesdays and live entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays. Of course, Buffalo’s schedule is subject to change, so consult the website for details before making the drive.
But of all of those events, the one that piqued my interest was the Elvis show. About once every month or so, Buffalo’s brings in the Athens King, AKA Chris Shupe, to perform. Now, by some happy accident, I’ve visited Graceland three times in my life. The first time was with my family when I was a kid—a trip during which we also visited numerous Civil War battlefields (oh, family vacations). The second and third times I visited Elvis’ former home, though, occurred simply because I was in Memphis with friends who had never been before. Suffice it to say, I’m a fan of the King, sort of fascinated by his bizarre story, and even more fascinated with everything that came after he died, namely, the thousands of impersonators. But although Elvis remains popular the world over, we Southerners, perhaps by virtue of some unknown chemical they put in our barbecue sauce, are intricately connected to the man.
And the spirit of the King most assuredly lives on in the Athens King. The Athens King—who I hesitate to call by his real name—performs all over North Georgia, including, as he says on his website, “gospel events at churches, rocking gigs at pubs and bars, family fun at restaurants, and entertainment for personal events.” Imagine booking this guy for your birthday party; talk about kitschy credibility. The Athens King, as you might expect, wears a classic, white polyester jump suit, complete with fringe, large gold sunglasses with black lenses, prominent sideburns and the overgrown, shaggy haircut the King rocked in the '70s. This isn’t the svelte King of the '50s, or the black leather-clad King of the '60s. This is the Vegas King, baby, thank you very much.
The Big Back Room at Buffalo’s has about a dozen large, round tables that seat about 10 people each. The wall on the “front” of the room where the stage stands is covered with a giant American flag. At the Elvis show I attended, the King took the stage to a packed audience and much applause. The set was heavily modeled on the King’s famous Hawaii shows. He's backed by a live band as well, a notable departure from most impersonators who perform karaoke style with a backing track. The Athens King mimicked some of Elvis’ trademark karate moves on stage but spent more of his time roaming around the room, causing older ladies to giggle and children to smile. Honestly, the Athens King was something of a comedian, bantering with members of the audience and his band. The execution of the show was far from flawless, but the Athens King is a surprisingly good entertainer and quick witted.
Courtesy of Sharon, one of the owners of Buffalo’s, I was treated to a plate of Buffalo wings that were on par with the wings I’ve had at any other joint in town, except they were bigger, with plenty of meat on them. The blue cheese dressing actually had chunks of blue cheese on it, which was especially nice. The King would be proud, although I did not see any fried banana sandwiches (or painkillers) on the menu. Of course, booze is available to those who desire it.
In the end, attending the event alone was somewhat surreal. I had to chuckle at the fact that I was sitting in the back room of Buffalo’s Café on Alps, sitting at a table of strangers nearly twice my age, and watching an Elvis impersonator entertain the audience. I feel confident in saying that Buffalo’s Café will never eclipse the 40 Watt in terms of attracting kids out to see shows, but that’s not really the restaurant's goal, either. If you and your buddies feel like having a hilarious night out doing something you usually never do, or if you’d like to be ironical for a night, well, maybe the Athens King or any of the other nights at Buffalo’s is just what you need.
10 days ago
The Entrance Band
w/ Hot and Cold, Lights
Monday, Jan. 25 @ Caledonia Lounge
"Wait a second, I thought Dexter Romweber Duo was next week," I quipped as new local duo Hot and Cold blasted into its opening number. I was taken back to that early Athens: Inside/Out footage with Romweber just howling into the moonlight over a barrage of blues riffs and raucous percussion. Singer Joeseph Campbell has that same wild-eyed presence and booming croon, calling to mind, alternatively, The Cramps, Jim Morrison and any number of rockabilly greats. He's clearly sold his soul to the devil for that voice and those licks, bouncing and bounding in circles as he shred, as if playing his own private hopscotch game. Chase Prince matches Campbell's intensity on the drums, hammering away with an energy that's just a bit more raw than we've seen him unfurl with his main band, Spring Tigers. I caught Hot and Cold a couple months back at Go Bar, and it was a fun set, but it was mostly buzz and rattle in that small room. At the Caledonia, Campbell's voice had room to soar, and the melodic side of the band was highlighted. Dirtier and more theatrical than The Black Keys, more technically proficient than The White Stripes, Hot and Cold has a fresh, youthful take on an old sound. E6er and pal Will Hart was front and center for the whole set, head-banging away and playfully heckling in between songs. This is the kind of band you want to open a show; the duo really let loose and, in turn, loosen up the crowd.
That being said…the following act, Lights, actually felt a little uptight. I guess I was misled by the track "Fire Night" posted on the band's MySpace, and I was expecting a glammier sort of bass-driven disco. And while the drummer was wearing a gold sequined top, this wasn't really music to dance to. The three Brooklyn ladies played ethereal rock numbers, with guitarist Linnea Vedder occasionally handing over lead vocal duties to drummer Sophia Knapp. The songs were pleasant, and whenever Vedder hit the pedals and added a little fuzzy umph to her finger-picked electric, it was always most appreciated. As a live experience, however, the set was pretty dry. You know how some bands make playing seem so natural and effortless? Lights is not one of those bands. Bassist Alana Amram stared at her fretboard the whole time, Vedder's occasional gesticulations seemed a little forced and Knapp sat almost uncomfortably straight in her seat, and the sticks in her hand somehow seemed too stiff. The arrangements were pretty tight and the composition was strong, but I just kept waiting for the band members to let their hair down, so-to-speak.
As if all eyes in the room hadn't been on Paz Lenchantin all night already, it was finally time for The Entrance Band to take the stage. Lenchantin is fairly well known, having played in Billy Corgan's band Zwan, plus Papa M and a few other adventurous projects. That night she had been lighting up the room in between sets, dancing wildly like a flower child to the house music, her waist-long brown hair twirling around her. She has an aura about her that's captivating, and when she picked up the bass guitar it was phenomenal. She has a very melodic, busy style of playing that I think is the key to making a power trio successful. It was almost as if The Entrance Band had two lead players the way she filled out the songs. And it was fun to watch her scoot around to the beat, flapping her spindly legs, knocking her knees together and sliding back and forth.
And really, it's not easy to be noticed when you're playing next to lead singer/guitarist Guy Blakeslee. He has to be one of the best frontmen I've seen in a while, and one of the few I've ever seen play Hendrix style—left-handed, upside-down guitar with all the spiraling hammer-ons, pick scrapes and blistering leads to match. The Entrance Band takes cues from the loudest psychedelic rockers of the '60 and '70s and even shares similar political undertones. "I voted for change, doesn't change a thing," he snarls on the song "MLK," after lifting a middle finger to the F.B.I. and the C.I.A. in a previous line. A couple of the more spoken-sung songs reminded me of Kasabian when they were good (so, just the first album), but more often I was transported to the sprawling fields of rock festivals from a bygone era. The group conveyed a spiritual sort of energy that made me pray The Entrance Band returns on a dual headlining tour with The Black Angels.
P.S. I just saw that Pitchfork gave The Entrance Band's self-titled release a 2.2. Fuck that. Maybe the record doesn't fully convey the group's live power, but I can at least say with confidence that the concert was a 9.0 (losing one point only for repetitiveness), and the record should sit maybe a fraction of a point below that at worst.
10 days ago
Vulture Whale
w/ Glossary
There’s just something about rock music that inspires one to imbibe. Unfortunately, at Caledonia on Thursday night, the only imbibing being done was of water from a cooler as the venue is still waiting for its state liquor license renewal. An unfortunate occurrence, for many reasons, not least of which is that the music of Vulture Whale, the raucous foursome from Birmingham, AL, goes especially nicely with a bottle of beer—which is not to say beer is a prerequisite to enjoy the music of Vulture Whale: to the contrary, no matter what the venue, no matter what the drink is in your hand (even cooler water), Vulture Whale is quite simply a powerhouse of a band.
On Friday night, Vulture Whale performed songs from its second self-titled album and its new EP, entitled Bamboo You (downloadable for FREE!. While I enjoyed the selections from its albums, I was particularly excited to hear the songs from Bamboo You performed live. For those of you who don’t know, Bamboo You features Vulture Whale doing its best impersonation of a British band. The members of Vulture Whale were raised on the British bands like The Stone Roses and The La’s, to name a few. To that end, Wes McDonald, the singer for Vulture Whale who lived in Athens for several years, playing in a band called The Ohms, sings with a faux British accent. While that concept admittedly sounds a little ridiculous and, honestly, off-putting, somehow Vulture Whale’s infectious energy pulls it off. For whatever reason, when listening to the band live or on its recordings, it is always obvious that the group doesn’t take itself too seriously. And that makes the band’s songs that much more fun to listen to.
At Caledonia, Vulture Whale performed for nearly an hour, with McDonald veering into faux British accent territory for numerous songs. “The Pipe” from Bamboo You was a highlight of the night. While I was disappointed that—despite my entreaties—the band did not play its hit from its second, self-titled album, “Sugar” (music video accessible here), I thought the set was just stellar. Even with no booze in the establishment, the venue was comfortably peopled, and the crowd seemed to really enjoy the band. The members of Vulture Whale, which include (besides McDonald) Les Nuby (formerly of Verbena) on guitar, Jack Waitzman on drums, and Keelan Parish on bass, really gelled together.
Finally, while I only caught a couple of songs by the next band, Glossary, who is on a mini-tour with Vulture Whale, I really enjoyed its music as well. Many of their songs sounded like Thin Lizzy, which in my book is a major plus.
13 days ago
The Good Graces, Night Driving In Small Towns, Daniel Lawson
Friday, January 22 @ Flicker Theatre
Friday night was cold and overcast. The grey skies above toyed with the idea of, rain and the moon was reluctant to show its face. These conditions are not ideal for most outings, but they made a night of folk music in Flicker’s cozy, warm theatre more appealing than usual.
After sinking myself into one of the many comfortable chairs and couches that casually decorate the space, I was surprised by the first band's intro. It was a completely electronic instrumental song played on a Tenori-on by The Good Graces' keyboardist. Now, for those of you who aren’t familiar with a Tenori-on, let me explain: It’s a handheld 16x16 grid of LED switches that can be used in different ways to create a constantly evolving song. Basically, a touchscreen Etch A Sketch of sound. As the song went on it got more or less complex as the musician touched different parts of the instrument's screen. It was a fascinating way to start the show and the first time I’ve seen the instrument used. The rest of the band joined the keyboardist on stage as his song wound down and went right into their first song as a group. Experimentation seemed to be the middle name for this Atlanta band as they played a wide variety of instruments throughout the set with constantly shifting arrangements. Even language wasn't consistent as The Good Graces threw in a song sung completely in Spanish. Overall, the lyrical content tended to be personal and a little left-field but entertaining.
The second band to play that night was Night Driving In Small Towns. This band was a four-piece with a female vocalist that slew me with her honest and breathy voice. You could feel the heartache and melancholy in her lyrics as she sang about missed opportunities and lost loves. The music itself was also intoxicating. The musicians tried to convey a mood with every song, and the chemistry between band members was a treat to watch as well. They really enjoyed what they were doing, and that joy spilled into the crowd. Needless to say this potent cocktail drew people in from the bar side of Flicker and quickly filled the seats of the theatre.
Rounding out the night were actually two acts combined into one. Jeremy Wheatley and Daniel Lawson decided to do their set together, playing each others' songs and some covers, too. Most of the songs were preformed on one or two guitars with accompanying harmonica. The set wasn’t very structured. Most of the time they decided on what song they were going to play a minute before playing it. There were also gaps between songs as the players got ready or a friend from the crowd told a story. So, it felt more like hanging out with a band than seeing a show. I think this turned some people off as I noticed people leave during the set, but I personally enjoyed the intimacy and informality. A particular highlight was a number that featured a friend of the duo conducting the crowd in collective foot stopping. Most of the songs were soft and slow though, and it was a sweet ending to a wonderful show.
Live Reviews RSS Feed
Share This Page 
View the Paper in PDF
Past Issues
