After a lengthy hiatus, Athens Face/Off returned last May, thanks largely to the efforts of Flagpole Arts Editor Jessica Smith. The event, which randomly groups 60 local musicians into 20 new bands and tasks them with writing 10 minutes of original material in a span of weeks, happens again this Saturday at the 40 Watt Club. Expect beautiful, barely controlled chaos spread across multiple stages all night long. We caught up with five of the newly formed groups to ask exactly what they’ve got up their sleeves.
Turdchurch
Members: Kris Deason (Hot Fudge), Jeremy Wheatley (Palace Doctor), Patrick Morales (The Viking Progress)
Flagpole: Has anyone in your group participated in Face/Off before?
Patrick Morales: I believe we all have.
FP: What was your expectation going in? How has the experience been so far?
PM: I think we were all excited to to get to play with people we’ve seen around town but never had an opportunity to jam with. So far, so good. My last few experiences with Face/Off were last-minute cram sessions. With this group, we pretty much figured out our set in an hour, almost three weeks in advance. A Face/Off miracle.
FP: What can people expect to hear from your group?
PM: Hmm… a tasty treatise on conflict, purity and Cool Ranch Doritos.
Nuclear Option
Members: Nina Guzman, Jesse Kennedy (Wild Abandon), Scott Woodward (T.S. Woodward)
Flagpole: Has anyone in your group participated in Face/Off before?
Scott Woodward: I was in… Face/Off several years ago with Jeff Tobias as host. I was also in last year’s edition.
FP: What was your expectation going in? How has the experience been so far?
SW: I didn’t have any expectations, but I did secretly hope I’d have a chance to shred some drums. That didn’t happen, but I’m excited to shred some toy piano instead! The experience has been positive, especially now that we’re past that first slightly awkward meet-up, when everyone is trying to find some common musical ground while getting to know new people at the same time. It’s like waking up on a desert island with a couple strangers, and the only thing each of you has is an instrument.
FP: What can people expect to hear from your group?
SW: People can expect to hear classic Yamaha keyboard beats such as “Club,” “Acid Jazz” and “Dance Pop 2” layered with percussive toy piano and organ sounds, Native American flute solos, sweeping cello arrangements and, if they’re lucky, an interwoven sprinkling of Donald Trump tweets as spoken word.
Whom’s Legumes
Members: Gary Eddy (Gary Eddy Band), Logan Shirah (Severe Blush), Jeremy Kiran Fernandes (John and Kiran Fernandes)
Flagpole: Has anyone in your group participated in Face/Off before?
Gary Eddy: I participated last year. I really love the concept.
FP: What was your expectation going in? How has the experience been so far?
GE: My expectations were few aside from knowing it would go smoothly. And it has!
FP: What can people expect to hear from your group?
GE: I’m an avid improviser. Logan’s output is very solo-based and takes time to form. So we all worked together through his process and included all our inputs. Through a MIDI controller, he sequenced samples that we performed. When it’s all together, we will play different instruments along with the collaborative production. So stoked.
Blood Death
Members: Ryan Olivera (Manray), Erika Rickson (Motherfucker), Reeth Dasgupta (Reap)
Flagpole: Has anyone in your group participated in Face/Off before?
Ryan Olivera: Reeth has never done Face/Off before, but Erika and I have both been clobbered by one of these in the past.
FP: What was your expectation going in? How has the experience been so far?
RO: I had no idea what to expect going in. The last Face/Off I participated in saw me paired with two drummers, so I was ready for anything this time around.
FP: What can people expect to hear from your group?
RO: People can expect a quick pummeling of heavy tunes. All three of us share a similar comfort zone, so I’m hoping we can smash everyone hard with a few big/riffy songs.
John Is at a Cheerleader Party
Members: KyKy Renee Knight (Harlot Party), Flynne Collins (Nihilist Cheerleader), John Spiegel (Cult of Riggonia)
Flagpole: Has anyone in your group participated in Face/Off before?
Flynne Collins: Yes! John and I have. It is KyKy’s first time.
FP: What was your expectation going in? How has the experience been so far?
FC: It’s nerve-wracking to play with people that you don’t know at all or don’t know well. It takes a certain amount of trust to share music with other people, because often songwriting comes from a vulnerable and personal place. That being said, our band really hit it off, and we are excited to share what we’ve put together.
FP: What can people expect to hear from your group?
FC: Our band will be a conglomeration of our individual styles. There are aspects that take each of us out of our comfort zones a bit, but we also are playing things that each of us can identify with.
The Schedule:
9 p.m.
CB Radio: Chris Bartenfeld, John Lukas, Thom Strickland
National Biscuit: Chris Lott, Jason Trahan, Thomas Valadez
Significant Lip: Al Daglis, Mike Merva, Kay Stanton
Tinderoni: Cash Carter, Adriana Thomas, Naoko Uno
10 p.m.
The Dooobie Brothers: Natalie Gazaway, Paul Trudeau, Derek Wiggs
Nuclear Option: Nina Guzman, Jesse Kennedy, Scott Woodward
Pure Mood(s): Taylor Chicoine, Christina Rowland, Marie Uhler
3 Sans Plan: Laura Camacho, Nate Lee, Jim Willingham
11 p.m.
Superfluid: Christopher Ingham, Emileigh Ireland, Sean McDonald
4/4 ∞: Jace Bartet, Enoch Bledsoe, Erica Strout
Flee Market: Maggie Gibson Blauvelt, Philip McGill, Landon Woodward
Whom’s Legumes: Gary Eddy, Jeremy Kiran Fernandes, Logan Shirah
12 a.m.
SQUID: Sienna Chandler, Garett Hatch, Alex Pfannkuche
Chad: Chris Ellenburg, Ryan Vogel, Gene Woolfolk
Turdchurch: Kris Deason, Patrick Morales, Jeremy Wheatley
Taco’d Stan: Luke Fields, Brian McGhee, Ben Salie
1 a.m.
Jim Wilson Presents: Froogazi: Margo Fortune, Blake Stewart, Jake Ward
John is at a Cheerleader Party: Flynn Collins, Kyky Renee Knight, John Spiegel
Blood Death: Reeth Dasgupta, Ryan Olivera, Erika Rickson
Like what you just read? Support Flagpole by making a donation today. Every dollar you give helps fund our ongoing mission to provide Athens with quality, independent journalism.
