Leapin' lizards, there's a lot of news this week. Since I know for a fact y'all have been sluggin' down more than your fair share of hot coffee you should be plenty awake to absorb all this knowledge I'm about to impart. The impartment begins below...

Get Your Elf on This Spring: Athens rockers Elf Power have staying power like you wouldn't believe. Having grown up from being a four-track bedroom project more than nine years ago to a full-fledged rock force is no easy task, I'll have you know. The band also managed to side-step the inevitable fan backlash that came with the popularity and then demise of The Elephant 6 Collective. At any rate, here's the scoop on what the band has been up to and will be doing. Springtime will see a new album by the band. Titled Walking with the Beggar Boys, the album will drop on April 6 and will be released on the local Orange Twin label with whom the band have been inception. The album features crooner Vic Chesnutt on a couple of tracks. A "big tour" is planned for the spring also, but no clue as to how many shows this will include. All you guys can catch them locally, though, when they rock out with Zumm Zumm at Tite Pockets on January 30 and then again with Jucifer at The Georgia Theater on February 7. For more happenin' news please see www.elfpower.com or www.orangetwin.com.

Picks, Sticks and Strings, These are a Few of My Favorite Things: You gotta love it when a local business can really meet the needs of a community and make bank at the same time. Such is the case with our own beloved Musician's Warehouse. Responding to the needs of local musicians who seem to find themselves in a perpetual bind when it comes to things like guitar strings, drumsticks and 9-volt batteries on the nights of their gigs, the store has announced that they will be open later into the evening Monday through Saturday. The stores will remain open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. at the downtown location and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Saturday at their location out by Georgia Square Mall. The mall location's closed on Sunday and the downtown location is open from 1-6 p.m. on Sunday. If this doesn't give you guys plenty of time to figure out that you're out of something essential then maybe you shouldn't be playing a show at all. Oh, as a side note to other businesses that think this is all just ass-kissing, I'll make you a deal: Do something cool like this and I'll kiss your ass, too. Deal?

Gimme, Gimme Shock Treatment: Okay, folks the call has gone out for help with the 14th Annual Mental Health Benefit. Volunteers are needed to help with the art exhibition and auction, benefit concert and all sorts of other stuff from now until February 7. If you're unfamiliar with The Mental Health Benefit, it was founded in 1990 in response to a need the organizers saw in the Athens community to de-stigmatize mental health problems and also to support those with problems. In addition to doing a great amount of work fighting the prejudice that accompanies mental health disorders, which run the gamut from panic attacks to schizophrenia, the organization also provides clear information to those in need on where to get help and how to best respond to mental health crises. I really can't say enough about how great this annual benefit is and I would go so far as to say that if it weren't for the positive groundwork laid by these folks in the community I would doubt that a resource such as Nuçi's Space would even exist here. Oh, donations for the art exhibition/auction are also needed. For more information or to donate your artwork or time please contact Lisa Majersky at 549-7888.

Where is it now?: Athens-Omaha wonder combo Now It's Overhead - Andy LeMaster, Clay Leverett, Orenda Fink and Maria Taylor -

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have just finished up work on the band's sophomore album. Fall Back Open was recorded at Chase Park Transduction by LeMaster; Saddle Creek Records will drop the album on all of us come March 9. That month and the following, the band will tour the States, then go to Europe in May, where Now It's Overhead's self-titled, ghostly electro-pop debut recently debuted to much well-deserved acclaim. [Chris Hassiotis]

You Know, New York Got Fined Millions Of Dollars For Making Garbage Islands: Man, oh, man. Local improvisational group Garbage Island is going to take over this entire town. I swear it's true. Who woulda thunk that a band intent on not having any "songs" with nearly all members coming from a rock and roll background would be able to so thoroughly infiltrate and subsequently dominate, the rock-noise-art-improv scene in town? Know what?

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Who cares who would have thought it or not, because it's just frickin true, pal. At any rate, here's what the band is up to. On January 29, at the Caledonia Lounge, Garbage Island member Craig Lieske will perform with the one-off "stupor group" No More Revivals which will feature New Yorker Jeremiah Cyerman and local musicians Jeff Reiter and Brian Head. Garbage Island proper will rock the stage, along with Maserati drummer Steve Scarborough, later that same night after a performance by Ceramic Duck. There's some other stuff that the band will be up to later on but I'll save that for later so's you don't OD on this stuff. Unfortunately, there's no website to send you to or I would. But, in the words of the band members themselves "Garbage Island doesn't fuck around!"

Things to Remember: The 2004 Flagpole Music Directory is under construction and coming together fast. To get your band, label, store or service listed - or to update the existing listing - just visit www.flagpole.com and click on the handy button. This thing's invaluable, and will help you book gigs, find equipment and build a better tomorrow. Deadline is Feb. 6! And remember this, too: AthFest CD submissions are open until the end of February. Pick up a form at any Musician's Warehouse or at www.athfest.com. Go for the gold. [Chris Hassiotis]

Man if that doesn't fill you up then I just don't know what. Oh, if you guys are inclined to go see the Suicide Girls burlesque show at the 40 Watt this week I can damn nearly promise that you will forget about seeing any bands the rest of the night. Hell I'll be there, and I can't stand piercings and tattoos!

For the rest of you that'll undoubtedly spend that evening writing your news to me, remember to mention my name or Threats & Promises in the subject line of all emails and get your news in early and often. Stay on the scene like a sex machine via email music@flagpole.com, voicemail at 549-2360; or by post at P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603.

Gordon Lamb