GRRR GRRR: Rising to meet a deep void in the dance, electronic and experimental landscape, Rabbit Hole Studios is quickly becoming the go-to place for promoters of such to book events and shows. To wit, Cool Kid Booking has a totally ace show on deck for Thursday, Oct. 28. Featured performers are DJ Nate Crime spinning an all-vinyl set of ‘80s and ‘90s goth and industrial; the debut of DJ Xitt, which is Xander Witt (Muuy Biien), who will play industrial, Electronic Body Music (EBM) and dark electro; and Atlanta’s DJ Daddy Rock playing industrial and EBM. With respect to the aforementioned, the real treat tonight is the return of late ‘80s-early ’90s Athens industrial pioneers Nerve Clinic. This won’t be akin to a fully live show. Honcho Monty Greene (Damage Report) has clarified that “it will be presented like a DJ set, but with his original music and a few songs will have him doing live vocals.” Even so, for those who have waited so long, this proximity is pretty damn special. By my best estimation, it’s been close to four years since Greene has opened the clinic in Athens, so jump on this. Music begins at 8 p.m., and there is no official charge, but donations are graciously accepted. Rabbit Hole Studios is located at 1001 Winterville Road.
YOU CAN’T GO HOME AGAIN: It would be incredibly difficult to overstate the personal influence the 1987 documentary Athens, GA: Inside/Out has had on my life, and I’m far from alone in this sentiment. Now, the years-in-production sequel, Athens Inside-2: Red Turns Into Blue will make its Athens premier Friday, Oct. 29 at The Morton Theater—with an after party at Creature Comforts—in advance of its online and DVD release on Nov. 5. While the new film still features music—notably Pylon Reenactment Society, Drive-By Truckers, Linqua Franqa, Oh-OK and more—the film appears to focus heavily on the Athens politico-social landscape. Because a screener was not made available to Flagpole, my initial reactions are based solely on the available trailer which, to any fan of the original film, presents an Athens in the 21st century that bears little resemblance to that of the late 20th century. And, to be fair, both the music scene and political landscape have changed quite a bit during this time. Significantly, though, the original film relished the overall mood of the scene as one that was primarily driven by restless young people largely outside the purview of the local establishment. The limited scenes I’ve seen of the new film appear to show the exact opposite: a scene largely vocalized by folks well into adulthood, scene legends, politicians, etc. If anything, it feels exceedingly establishment. There also seems to be a heaviness here to be borne by its audience. Production-wise, too, this film was shot over a span of three years, whereas the first film was made in a few months. Because I’ve not seen the whole thing, I’ll reserve final judgement, but everything about this feels so remarkably different that to call it a sequel in any way feels like attempted coattail riding, but I hope I’m wrong. For more information, please see facebook.com/athensgainsideout.
DANCE THIS MESS AROUND: AC Carter, who currently presents professionally under the name Klypi, has assembled a compilation based on the spirit of the dearly missed Ad·Verse Fest. It’s titled Ad·Verse Mix·Tape and compiles tracks from Freak Daddy, Daisha McBride, Morgan Bosman, Taylor ALXNDR, Ripparachie, Blimpee, Internet Boyfriend (ft. Gracie Grace), Caughy, Klypi, Flesh Eater, Bacon Grease, The Queendom and Ivy Hollivana. Everything here can be loosely categorized under a big electro-pop umbrella but with important distinctions between each. I personally lean hard toward the slouchy moodiness of Morgan Bosman, the futuristic Kate Bush-isms of Ivy Hollivana, Taylor ALXNDER’s indie synth-pop, and the almost happy hardcore of Bacon Grease. This comes out Oct. 29 on all streaming services, as well as cassette tape. The tapes were funded by the Athens Cultural Affairs Commission, and donations for such are earmarked to be donated to Atlanta’s Clutch Community Center. If you want tapes, head to adversemixtape.bandcamp.com, and for more information on all this in general, please see adversefest.space.
BACK IN THE SADDLE: Hunter Morris & Blue Blood have a new single out on Oct. 28 named “Give Me Back The Days,” which will appear on the band’s new album Give In To Livin coming out Nov. 19 via Super Canoe. On Saturday, Oct. 30 Blue Blood (9:15 p.m.) will play the 40 Watt with Heffner (11 p.m.), Blunt Bangs (10:10 p.m.) and Convict Julie (8:30 p.m.). At 11:45 p.m. there is a Prince Late Night Dance Party with DJ Mahogany and DJ Problematic for the People. Because folks will also celebrate Halloween this night, there is a costume contest with prizes as well. In the spirit of full disclosure, I recently assisted Blue Blood in writing a new bio for the album and, as a long-time unabashed fan of Morris’ songwriting, was happy to do so. Even so, it should be mentioned. This new track features Morris’ welcoming vocals right up front, and the tune itself is an upbeat tale of reminiscence. Find this on all streaming services, and gather more info over at facebook.com/bluebloodtheband.
MAMA, WE’RE ALL KWAZY NOW: It’s been a long time between Kwazymoto albums, but that’s going to change on Oct. 29. That’s when the band releases the new seven-song Sketches of Separation. The band’s last full-length release was 2018’s My American Family. The band has long excelled as one of our town’s preeminent heavy groups but, across the course of several years, has become increasingly conceptual. Opening track “A Knight in Bleeding Armor,” recently premiered at flagpole.com, is an unsettling meditation featuring samples of Glenn Miller’s big band. This mood is revisited in closing track “Charon and The River Styx.” In between these songs, the band pummels its audience with a body of work that shakes hands across the metal-industrial landscape. While it’s certainly the artists’ intention that this be listened to in its original sequence, if you need a relatively recognizable point to jump in, head for track six, “Across The Acheron.” That’ll get you where you’re going. Find this via kwazymoto.bandcamp.com, and smash that button over at facebook.com/kwazymot0.
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