Music News & Gossip
Jun 9, 2004
Threats & Promises
Here we go again. You guys set 'em up and I knock 'em down. No long intro this week. Let's get to it...
Awards, Awards: Thursday, June 17 is the evening you're all anticipating. The 2004 Flagpole Music Awards Show is set to rock, and tickets are available as of today. Pick them up at Schoolkids Records, The Morton Theatre or the Flagpole office. Admittance to the show is $6 in advance or $8 at the door ($4 with an AthFest wristband). Look for full AthFest coverage in next week's paper. The nominees and performers are listed on p. 4 in this issue. [Chris Hassiotis]
Dancing With Reason: Mark Bell, proprietor and head DJ at Boneshakers, has organized a "Synergy," a dance party on Friday, June 11 to benefit I Am The World Trade Center's Amy Dykes. Diagnosed in late April with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Dykes is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment here in Athens. Any medical costs are a burden, however, and Boneshakers looks to alleviate that. According to Bell, the DJ duos Baxterstreet Boyz and Krush Girls will both host dance parties - one inside, one outside. Doors open at 9 p.m.; dancing begins an hour or so later. [Chris Hassiotis]
You Damn Sell Out: So while the David Byrne concert [see p. 21] Friday night at the Georgia Theatre is technically sold-out, you can still get in. How? If you're planning on attending the previous evening's J.J. Cale and Robert Cray Band show [see p. 23], the Theatre, in conjunction with promoters Jomo Entertainment, are letting you buy a special two-night pass for a mere $60. It's a good deal if you were planning on attending both shows, anyway. Visit www.georgiatheatre.com to purchase the two-night passes. [CH]
Feliz Cumpleaños: The birthday bash over at Tasty World mentioned last week looks to be a great way to spend your time: the Gemini Festival (it's organized by June birthday boys Andy Hollingsworth and Jon-Boy Cornelius) is the fourth annual event of its kind. Friday, June 11 and Saturday, June 12 you'll find Polemic, Motorcade, Donkey Punch, Scurvy, This Scares Me and more. All proceeds benefit Nuçi's Space. See the ABC section for full details. [CH]
I See A Darkness: Technology can be a blessing and a demon. On one hand more tools in the hands of the people produces a more democratic process in the dissemination of information,
and on the other hand it fills the world with more crap than it could possibly handle. Please refer to the former when reading what I'm about to tell you. Je Suis France members Ryan "Darkness" Martin, himself a former Flagpole writer, and D.J. Hammond, himself a former Flagpole advertising demon, started Nokahoma Records several months back and have steadily been working on releasing stuff. Where the "technology in the hands of the people" thing comes into play is that Nokahoma is a CD-R label. Recent releases include records by The Does, a "Canadian drone-folk-sludge-metal band" and the Polish/ Texan improvisational group Garlic Yarg, which is apparently the newest project headed by a character named Smolken who has also founded the very cool Dead Raven Society. It's stuff like this that makes me very happy the CD burners are so cheap nowadays. For more information on Nokahoma or it's artists, please write Nokahoma@gmail.com.
Like Little Cigars, But Not: Local band Cigarello has been recording over at the new Downtown Recording Company located on the third floor of Tasty World. Given Cigarello's powerful guitar sounds this makes for a perfect fit. The band hopes to have the completed album out in stores by the end of July. Currently the band is getting ready to rock y'all's faces at the new location of Lunch Paper, when it opens in the space previously occupied by The Engine Room, during AthFest. Other than also getting ready to enter the evil world of trying to secure distribution for their album, the band seems to be doing just fine. For more information and whatnot, write cigarello@hotmail.com.
Get In On The Ground Floor, Again: Austin, TX/ Los Angeles, CA label New West Records, also the current home of The Drive-By Truckers, has announced that it will re-release the first four albums by Athens icon Vic Chesnutt. The albums in question are Little (1990), West Of Rome (1992), Drunk (1993) and Is The Actor Happy? (1995). The albums in their re-release glory will feature liner notes by Fugazi frontman and founder of DC's Dischord Records Ian MacKaye. Look for bonus tracks to appear also. While any of these albums is well worth your while, I highly recommend his debut, Little, which features none of the slicker
production of later albums (it's as if producer Michael Stipe merely turned on a tape recorder) and is very raw in it's presentation. The emotional weight of this record is undeniable. I remember buying it the day it came out and I tried to turn as many people as I could on to it as I could then and I want to do that again now. For more information please check out www.newwestrecords.com.
A Very Good Friend To All: The Athens rock community lost a true friend on Thursday, May 27, in the death of Rob Brese. Brese, born Robert Baxter Brese III, passed away from complications stemming from a motorcycle accident last month in Atlanta, where he had lived for the past few years. At the time, Brese was working for International Technology as a computer specialist (a skill in which he was entirely self-taught.) I first met Rob around 1992 when he and others had started running rock shows in the vacant building that had previously held the Rockfish Palace and now holds Boneshakers. At the time he was playing drums for Uncle Messy. Rob and this same group of enthusiasts would go on to open Hoyt Street North, which was located in the same building that originally held The Grit over at the now long-gone Hoyt Street Station. At Hoyt Street North, Rob was the guy who would make your band sound as best it could, given the club's limited technology. During this period, he and other formed the long-departed band Baby Fishmouth. Rob most recently had played bass in the reformed Vomit Thrower which played at the Lunch Paper just a few months ago. Although he had made his new home in Atlanta, Rob could still be found at the odd show here in Athens and was always a joy to have around. I have many great memories from long nights hanging out at his house and he at mine. A lifelong music fan, Rob was veritable encyclopedia when it came to rock music knowledge. (And he defended my tastes on more than one occasion by saying, "Gordon, you know, me and you are just philistine punk rockers!") The fact is that he touched the heart of everyone he came in contact with. Memorial services were held on Sunday, May 30, at Athens' Bernstein Funeral Home. As is the case when people leave Athens, contact is lost; this may be the first time some acquaintances of Rob's will learn this news. The family requests that if you would like honor Rob's memory, please make a donation to the Georgia Elks Aidmore Children's Center, 2394 Morrison Road, Conyers, GA 30094 or to the charity of your choice.
Still No Tour, But Hell, Gas Is Expensive: Widespread Panic fans may not be getting a summertime tour from their guys this year, but they can still get their fill, or at least some of it. come July 13. This is the date announced by the band's Sanctuary Records, that fans can get their grubby little paws on Umber Cobra. The disk, a live acoustic set, recorded last year at the Myrtle Beach, SC House Of Blues, is the second of three disks planed from those sessions and the first acoustic disk the band has released. The twelve tracks include covers of songs by Vic Chesnutt, Blind Faith, Bloodline and Talking Heads, among others, and a small helping of Panic originals also. For more information, go to www.widespreadpanic.com.
And that's it for this week. As always keep your news coming in regularly and I'll get it out there for you. Please remember to reference either me or Threats And Promises in the subject line of all emails. Raise your voice in swells via email at music@flagpole.com, voicemail at 549-2360; or by post at P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603.
Gordon Lamb
Awards, Awards: Thursday, June 17 is the evening you're all anticipating. The 2004 Flagpole Music Awards Show is set to rock, and tickets are available as of today. Pick them up at Schoolkids Records, The Morton Theatre or the Flagpole office. Admittance to the show is $6 in advance or $8 at the door ($4 with an AthFest wristband). Look for full AthFest coverage in next week's paper. The nominees and performers are listed on p. 4 in this issue. [Chris Hassiotis]
Dancing With Reason: Mark Bell, proprietor and head DJ at Boneshakers, has organized a "Synergy," a dance party on Friday, June 11 to benefit I Am The World Trade Center's Amy Dykes. Diagnosed in late April with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Dykes is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment here in Athens. Any medical costs are a burden, however, and Boneshakers looks to alleviate that. According to Bell, the DJ duos Baxterstreet Boyz and Krush Girls will both host dance parties - one inside, one outside. Doors open at 9 p.m.; dancing begins an hour or so later. [Chris Hassiotis]
You Damn Sell Out: So while the David Byrne concert [see p. 21] Friday night at the Georgia Theatre is technically sold-out, you can still get in. How? If you're planning on attending the previous evening's J.J. Cale and Robert Cray Band show [see p. 23], the Theatre, in conjunction with promoters Jomo Entertainment, are letting you buy a special two-night pass for a mere $60. It's a good deal if you were planning on attending both shows, anyway. Visit www.georgiatheatre.com to purchase the two-night passes. [CH]
Feliz Cumpleaños: The birthday bash over at Tasty World mentioned last week looks to be a great way to spend your time: the Gemini Festival (it's organized by June birthday boys Andy Hollingsworth and Jon-Boy Cornelius) is the fourth annual event of its kind. Friday, June 11 and Saturday, June 12 you'll find Polemic, Motorcade, Donkey Punch, Scurvy, This Scares Me and more. All proceeds benefit Nuçi's Space. See the ABC section for full details. [CH]
I See A Darkness: Technology can be a blessing and a demon. On one hand more tools in the hands of the people produces a more democratic process in the dissemination of information,
| |
Like Little Cigars, But Not: Local band Cigarello has been recording over at the new Downtown Recording Company located on the third floor of Tasty World. Given Cigarello's powerful guitar sounds this makes for a perfect fit. The band hopes to have the completed album out in stores by the end of July. Currently the band is getting ready to rock y'all's faces at the new location of Lunch Paper, when it opens in the space previously occupied by The Engine Room, during AthFest. Other than also getting ready to enter the evil world of trying to secure distribution for their album, the band seems to be doing just fine. For more information and whatnot, write cigarello@hotmail.com.
Get In On The Ground Floor, Again: Austin, TX/ Los Angeles, CA label New West Records, also the current home of The Drive-By Truckers, has announced that it will re-release the first four albums by Athens icon Vic Chesnutt. The albums in question are Little (1990), West Of Rome (1992), Drunk (1993) and Is The Actor Happy? (1995). The albums in their re-release glory will feature liner notes by Fugazi frontman and founder of DC's Dischord Records Ian MacKaye. Look for bonus tracks to appear also. While any of these albums is well worth your while, I highly recommend his debut, Little, which features none of the slicker
| |
A Very Good Friend To All: The Athens rock community lost a true friend on Thursday, May 27, in the death of Rob Brese. Brese, born Robert Baxter Brese III, passed away from complications stemming from a motorcycle accident last month in Atlanta, where he had lived for the past few years. At the time, Brese was working for International Technology as a computer specialist (a skill in which he was entirely self-taught.) I first met Rob around 1992 when he and others had started running rock shows in the vacant building that had previously held the Rockfish Palace and now holds Boneshakers. At the time he was playing drums for Uncle Messy. Rob and this same group of enthusiasts would go on to open Hoyt Street North, which was located in the same building that originally held The Grit over at the now long-gone Hoyt Street Station. At Hoyt Street North, Rob was the guy who would make your band sound as best it could, given the club's limited technology. During this period, he and other formed the long-departed band Baby Fishmouth. Rob most recently had played bass in the reformed Vomit Thrower which played at the Lunch Paper just a few months ago. Although he had made his new home in Atlanta, Rob could still be found at the odd show here in Athens and was always a joy to have around. I have many great memories from long nights hanging out at his house and he at mine. A lifelong music fan, Rob was veritable encyclopedia when it came to rock music knowledge. (And he defended my tastes on more than one occasion by saying, "Gordon, you know, me and you are just philistine punk rockers!") The fact is that he touched the heart of everyone he came in contact with. Memorial services were held on Sunday, May 30, at Athens' Bernstein Funeral Home. As is the case when people leave Athens, contact is lost; this may be the first time some acquaintances of Rob's will learn this news. The family requests that if you would like honor Rob's memory, please make a donation to the Georgia Elks Aidmore Children's Center, 2394 Morrison Road, Conyers, GA 30094 or to the charity of your choice.
Still No Tour, But Hell, Gas Is Expensive: Widespread Panic fans may not be getting a summertime tour from their guys this year, but they can still get their fill, or at least some of it. come July 13. This is the date announced by the band's Sanctuary Records, that fans can get their grubby little paws on Umber Cobra. The disk, a live acoustic set, recorded last year at the Myrtle Beach, SC House Of Blues, is the second of three disks planed from those sessions and the first acoustic disk the band has released. The twelve tracks include covers of songs by Vic Chesnutt, Blind Faith, Bloodline and Talking Heads, among others, and a small helping of Panic originals also. For more information, go to www.widespreadpanic.com.
And that's it for this week. As always keep your news coming in regularly and I'll get it out there for you. Please remember to reference either me or Threats And Promises in the subject line of all emails. Raise your voice in swells 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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