Music News & Gossip
Jun 16, 2004
Threats & Promises
Music News And Gossip
Well, this is AthFest week and those of you who have experienced it know that this is a huge deal for Athens music. For those of you who are from out of town, welcome to our wonderful city. I sincerely hope you have a great time and spread the good word about us. While you're making plans or in between bands, check out the latest in local news below...
Get Thee To A Mortonry: The 2004 Flagpole Athens Music Awards show takes place at the Morton Theatre on Thursday, June 17 at 8 p.m. sharp. Come show up to find out what bands take home the honors! A full list of the finalists - decided by you readers - is over on p. 2. It'll be a night of fun with a bevy of local performers, presenters and all-around goodness. Ticket details, lineup and all that business is also on p. 2 & p. 27. [Chris Hassiotis]
Royal Is As Royal Does: One of Athens' finest guitar-based pop outfits, Fairburn Royals, have entered the realm of writing for film soundtracks. Specifically, the film they've written one for is a documentary produced by local filmmakers Lauren Fancher, Emily Giles, Patrick Doyle and Matt Lisle. The subject of the film is Crawford, GA folk-artist Bennie Morrison. While we have yet to see if the marriage works there's no reason as of now to think it wouldn't. The film will be screen on June 18 during the Athens Film Foundation events [see story this issue] and afterwards Fairburn Royals will take the stage at the Caledonia Lounge as part of AthFest. Not a bad way to spend an evening at all. For more information please see www.athensfilmfoundation.org or www.fairburnroyals.com.
Farewell, We Sort Of Knew Thee: Local musician and businessman Chris Cates will be playing his final show as an Athens resident on Friday, June 18 at his AthFest showcase at The Roadhouse. Cates is known for his success in with his band Parakeet Nelson and also for being probably the first person in Athens with a CD burner. A few years ago, Cates opened his successful Mealtime Brown Studio and found instant popularity as local bands realized how easy and convenient it was to manufacture short-run CD-Rs for demos rather than paying for cassette tapes. Notably, Mealtime Brown manufactured the first several hundred CDs for the then-unknown Danger Mouse. (Seriously, he would manufacture these things 20 at a time and have to wait until he made the money back on those before making more.) It is this type of invaluable service Mealtime Brown was known for. Cates will continue performing and touring but will move his base of operations to Cologne, Germany. Go see his show and wish him well.
Conspicuous Via Absence: A few acts that have showcased during past AthFest events will be notably absent this year. But they have some very cool stuff going on elsewhere. Always entertaining and poignant punk bands Zumm Zumm and Carrie Nations, along with singer/ songwriter/ future-diva Madeline, will be heading up to Bloomington, IN to play the festival which is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of Plan-It-X Records. Plan-It-X has something of a symbiotic relationship with Athens in that so many of their bands come here to play and so many of our music fans buy their records. They've also released a few records of our own Athens crew, too (see above bands for clues). Plan-It-X and the bands involved have continuously reinvigorated the punk scene with a non-stop dose of the true DIY ethic. Not only has this produced some great records, it has also fostered an amazing nationwide community.
On the Road Again: Also MIA at this year's AthFest is local rapper Ishues. He'd been scheduled to perform on the outdoor stage and would've turned many new ears on to his rapid-fire,
savvy and slightly paranoid lyricism. He'll still do that, just all over the country; the AthFest appearance was canceled because highly influential "hip-hop philosopher" KRS-One has had his eye on Ish for a while and just tapped him to come along on a 13-city tour of the United States. Local promoter/ rapper/ Energizer Bunny Fort Knox will meet up with the tour out West, where he's been supporting the aforementioned Danger Mouse. [Chris Hassiotis]
Jam On It: Fans of Wednesday Night Bluegrass over at Tasty World will experience a slight shake-up, but nothing seismic, from this news. The Wednesday night open-jams will continue 7–10 p.m. and admission is still free, but there will be no more regular booking of bluegrass acts on these nights. There are a couple of other open jams in town, however, if one night a week isn't enough for you. Every Tuesday and Thursday from noon until 1 p.m. an open jam takes place at the University of Georgia's Mary Warnell Pond, located in front of the Forestry building on South Campus. Word is that this event is more old-time than bluegrass. (Yes, the genres can blend together, but there really is a distinction between them that I have no space to explain. That's what the Internet is for. And grandparents.) Thursday nights are also the night when the Athens Steam Co. Pub holds its regular bluegrass night. Also, every other Tuesday The Athens Folk Music & Dance Society hosts an open "picker" at Flicker which runs from 7 p.m. until it's over. So there you have it.
Or You Could Do This, I Suppose: On Sat., June 19, Matt and Evan Bivens of Jump, Little Children! will play a show on the lawn of the old Athens jail on Meigs Street with Tin Cup Prophette (AKA Amanda Kapousouz). Well, the jail is on Meigs, but the lawn is actually on Hill Street.
Either way, I assume that this event was planned so the bands could play by the light of the moon, but I fear they will be playing by the neon glare of Captain D's. Since this is a free show, feel free to hook the bands up with some fish or chicken from next door. Everyone likes chicken. (Which is actually really funny because I used to work with this German girl who could never get this band's name right and would refer to them as "Jump, Little Chicken." True story.) For more information please write to tincupprophette@yahoo.com.
One Last Thing Before I Go: Sincere thanks go out to those who made my birthday party at the Caledonia a success. If you missed it then you missed seeing "The Roy" Coughlin from Nuçi's Space and Some Animal play his solo set that made me think he was channeling Richard Thompson through his voice, Psychic Hearts who rocked my - and everyone else's - face off yet again and An Epic At Best deserve to be enshrined in majesty. All these performers deserve every bit of good that can come their way.
And that's it for this week. Keep it coming in and I'll keep it going out. Reference either me or Threats & Promises in all email subject lines. The pump don't work 'cause the vandals took the handles via email at music@flagpole.com, voicemail at 549-2360; or by post at P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603.
Gordon Lamb
Get Thee To A Mortonry: The 2004 Flagpole Athens Music Awards show takes place at the Morton Theatre on Thursday, June 17 at 8 p.m. sharp. Come show up to find out what bands take home the honors! A full list of the finalists - decided by you readers - is over on p. 2. It'll be a night of fun with a bevy of local performers, presenters and all-around goodness. Ticket details, lineup and all that business is also on p. 2 & p. 27. [Chris Hassiotis]
Royal Is As Royal Does: One of Athens' finest guitar-based pop outfits, Fairburn Royals, have entered the realm of writing for film soundtracks. Specifically, the film they've written one for is a documentary produced by local filmmakers Lauren Fancher, Emily Giles, Patrick Doyle and Matt Lisle. The subject of the film is Crawford, GA folk-artist Bennie Morrison. While we have yet to see if the marriage works there's no reason as of now to think it wouldn't. The film will be screen on June 18 during the Athens Film Foundation events [see story this issue] and afterwards Fairburn Royals will take the stage at the Caledonia Lounge as part of AthFest. Not a bad way to spend an evening at all. For more information please see www.athensfilmfoundation.org or www.fairburnroyals.com.
Farewell, We Sort Of Knew Thee: Local musician and businessman Chris Cates will be playing his final show as an Athens resident on Friday, June 18 at his AthFest showcase at The Roadhouse. Cates is known for his success in with his band Parakeet Nelson and also for being probably the first person in Athens with a CD burner. A few years ago, Cates opened his successful Mealtime Brown Studio and found instant popularity as local bands realized how easy and convenient it was to manufacture short-run CD-Rs for demos rather than paying for cassette tapes. Notably, Mealtime Brown manufactured the first several hundred CDs for the then-unknown Danger Mouse. (Seriously, he would manufacture these things 20 at a time and have to wait until he made the money back on those before making more.) It is this type of invaluable service Mealtime Brown was known for. Cates will continue performing and touring but will move his base of operations to Cologne, Germany. Go see his show and wish him well.
Conspicuous Via Absence: A few acts that have showcased during past AthFest events will be notably absent this year. But they have some very cool stuff going on elsewhere. Always entertaining and poignant punk bands Zumm Zumm and Carrie Nations, along with singer/ songwriter/ future-diva Madeline, will be heading up to Bloomington, IN to play the festival which is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of Plan-It-X Records. Plan-It-X has something of a symbiotic relationship with Athens in that so many of their bands come here to play and so many of our music fans buy their records. They've also released a few records of our own Athens crew, too (see above bands for clues). Plan-It-X and the bands involved have continuously reinvigorated the punk scene with a non-stop dose of the true DIY ethic. Not only has this produced some great records, it has also fostered an amazing nationwide community.
On the Road Again: Also MIA at this year's AthFest is local rapper Ishues. He'd been scheduled to perform on the outdoor stage and would've turned many new ears on to his rapid-fire,
| |
Jam On It: Fans of Wednesday Night Bluegrass over at Tasty World will experience a slight shake-up, but nothing seismic, from this news. The Wednesday night open-jams will continue 7–10 p.m. and admission is still free, but there will be no more regular booking of bluegrass acts on these nights. There are a couple of other open jams in town, however, if one night a week isn't enough for you. Every Tuesday and Thursday from noon until 1 p.m. an open jam takes place at the University of Georgia's Mary Warnell Pond, located in front of the Forestry building on South Campus. Word is that this event is more old-time than bluegrass. (Yes, the genres can blend together, but there really is a distinction between them that I have no space to explain. That's what the Internet is for. And grandparents.) Thursday nights are also the night when the Athens Steam Co. Pub holds its regular bluegrass night. Also, every other Tuesday The Athens Folk Music & Dance Society hosts an open "picker" at Flicker which runs from 7 p.m. until it's over. So there you have it.
Or You Could Do This, I Suppose: On Sat., June 19, Matt and Evan Bivens of Jump, Little Children! will play a show on the lawn of the old Athens jail on Meigs Street with Tin Cup Prophette (AKA Amanda Kapousouz). Well, the jail is on Meigs, but the lawn is actually on Hill Street.
| |
One Last Thing Before I Go: Sincere thanks go out to those who made my birthday party at the Caledonia a success. If you missed it then you missed seeing "The Roy" Coughlin from Nuçi's Space and Some Animal play his solo set that made me think he was channeling Richard Thompson through his voice, Psychic Hearts who rocked my - and everyone else's - face off yet again and An Epic At Best deserve to be enshrined in majesty. All these performers deserve every bit of good that can come their way.
And that's it for this week. Keep it coming in and I'll keep it going out. Reference either me or Threats & Promises in all email subject lines. The pump don't work 'cause the vandals took the handles via email at music@flagpole.com, voicemail at 549-2360; or by post at P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603.
Gordon Lamb
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