Athens Music Scene
By Eric Leighton
Athens NEWS Writer
May 1, 2008
My television is talking to me. For real. I think it is trying to communicate with me. It is using the Closed Caption feature to send me secret communiqués.
I’ll be sitting there, minding my own business, watching a movie (as I can’t get TV reception where I live – not even PBS), and all at once the CC spits out part of a sentence that an actor is saying. I don’t have the feature turned on, unless Catfish is over, but for some reason, at least one time per sitting, it has a cryptic remark for me.
I’ve taken to writing them down. I figure that at some point I’ll know when the message is complete, and at that time I will assemble them, most likely in the form of a song, and sing it to the world. To divulge these sayings to you at this point would be imprudent and dangerous, so don’t bother trying to extract it now.
And yes, you might be thinking that between last week’s article and this week’s article I might be sounding a bit paranoid. Well, you’re not paranoid if they are really out to get you! Have I told you my theory about how Death by Aging was invented by the Secret Government that has ruled the World ever since the Illuminati finally gained control in the 1700s (at least that’s what They will have us believe)? And if the Illuminati aren’t real, can anyone tell me why it didn’t get picked up by Spell Check? Mmmhmm …
This weekend it’s all about Moms. I know a few of my friends look forward to this weekend more than the opportunities at a Wingnuts show. Take your mom out to hear some music this weekend and you’ll both be richer for it.
Donkey Coffee
Friday night, Southeast Engine puts on their inside voices and takes it acoustic at the Donkey. This will be Part I of their CD re-release party for “One Caught Fire,” which has been specially re-printed with a bonus track added for good measure.
Saturday night, Jesse Remnant (bass player for SEE and brother to Adam) will perform songs from his recently released album “The Human Cannonball.” Pittsburgh’s Emily Rodgers will trot out tunes from her album that’s due to be released this summer. She writes lush tunes that make your skin tingle, especially with that lovely voice of hers. Moms will eat her up!
Casa Cantina
Tonight the Casa Cantina is excited to have Paleface in the establishment. This anti-folk superstar takes a Tom Waits growl and a Daniel Johnson songwriting style and makes it go like crazy. (Editor Smith pipes in and says Paleface’s vocals are eerily similar to those of the great Austin singer-songwriter Jon Dee Graham, formerly of the True Believers.) Paleface and his drummer partner Mo are leaving happiness and satisfied listeners in their wake. The Sad Bastards along with Evan Harris & Driftwood Motion will fill out the bill. (Jim Phillips is writing about Paleface elsewhere in this issue.)
Friday night, those Funkin’ Kings of Rock and Soul, The Royales, help you and your mom let it all hang out. Greasy! Itinerant extra-terrestical provocateurs, Joe Bob Billy & the Texas Alien will open the night.
Southeast Engine plays Part II of their CD re-release party on Saturday night. Bears, from Cleveland (not to be confused with Adrian Belew’s band from Cincy, the Bears) will open the night with their catchy indie-pop that recently got them mentioned in Spin magazine.
Jackie O’s
Tonight we have the official return of Bobby Lane to Athens. Maybe 10 years or so ago, Mr. Lane lived here and played his darkly humorous tunes for us, and now Morgantown’s finest is back with Ms. Ruby Jean in The Weedhawks. Hearing them at a recent open stage, I found their tunes to be well-crafted and hilarious and their show to be well-thought-out and adorable. Joe Bob & Junebug (of Joe Bob Billy & the Texas Alien) will do a set of duets for you as well.
Friday night, Jackie O’s celebrates Moms with an International Dance Night.
Joe Bob Billy & the Texas Alien take to the stage full force Saturday night, and fun is sure to follow. Steve “Joe Bob” Carlson returns from Colorado for a weekend full of musical fun with compadres Catfish, Junebug and Chris Aubell. Rocking alien faux-bluegrass is the name of the game.
The Union
Brian Glaze & the Night Shift pull an all-nighter at the Union tonight. This crew features road-tested players from Brian Jonestown Massacre, the Cuts, Gris Gris, Battleship and more. I’m sure other bands are on this bill.
A FREE show is happening on Friday night – Media School Night. Russenorsk, Kaslo, Jeff Ellis, and Bud Caroll & the Southern Souls will perform. This will also serve as a CD release party for Kaslo and for Jeff Ellis. Congrats!
Saturday features Tom Waits Tribute Night! They did this for Lou’s Birthday a number of years ago, and the idea was so great that they had to try it again. Some of the featured bands performing the Growling One’s songs are Dropdead Sons, Dragline Bros, Never Evers, Sad Bastards, and Midwest Kid. I’m sure there will be more players and more fun.
Sunday night the ACRN DJs will be showing movies and spinning records and CDs and what-have-ya.
Hip Hop Shop has found a new home at the Union every Monday, and they have an Open Stage every Tuesday.
Blue Gator
Papadosio fires up the machinery to give the Blue Gator a go on Friday night. These guys have been touring around the region a lot lately, and I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if they were soon on to bigger and better things, so you best check ’em out now.
A Mom’s Dance Night comes along Saturday night for those Moms that likes to boogie.
Smiling Skull Saloon
One of Athens’ longest-running bands is preparing to call it quits this summer, so every chance you have to go see and hear The Couch Slugz, you best do it. Led by Wayne DeVault, this band has been around for 21 years, and played more parties than nearly anybody in this overpopulated band town. Good, tight, no-nonsense rock ’n roll is the order of the day, and they’ll be delivering it at 9 p.m. Friday at the Smiling Skull. Mark on your calendar their finale Slugfest show Friday, July 18, on the Toscano’s patio, at the culmination of Athens Brew Week in Athens.
Baker Center
Tonight the Front Room features a few acts not from this town. Urban Transit will bring their rock and roll stylings to bear on the FR. Ryan Horne (not to be confused with Paper Airplane’s Ryan Horns) is coming up from Atlanta to ply his musical skills at your pleasure: good songwriting. Micah Dalton, also from Atlanta, brings a more soulful sound to his tunes compared to townmate Horne’s more Americana leanings. Dalton’s songwriting is insightful and evokes some Prince-like comparisons.
An art happening on the Second Floor of Baker Center in the Lounge is the thing on Saturday night. The OU School of Music Faculty Jazz Ensemble will provide the music, and visual performing artist Richard Hight will apply paint to canvas in a choreographed manner.
Wild Turkey Festival – McArthur
An up-and-coming country star, Trent Tomlinson, headlines the annual Wild Turkey Festival tonight in McArthur, an easy 35-minute drive west of Athens on U.S. Rt. 50. Some country fans think Tomlinson, who writes all his own songs and has a rock edge to his country, could be the next Josh Turner or Brad Paisley. The show starts at 8 p.m.
19 South
We March is preparing to go on a U.S. tour, so they figured they would toss one off and another one back tonight at 19 South to get good and hung-over for the drive. They’ve recently revamped their lineup, adding Matt Toledo from Red Dahlia to the bass and Alex Neff to the drums. I haven’t heard the present configuration, but the musicians are top quality. Speaking of quality, The Dragline Bros. add their super-fine rock and roll to this mayhemic mix. Expect friends and others to fill out this bill.
Friday night, Hiatus brings out their groovy, reggae-inflected funk for a crew of happy dancers. They will do an early set and make way for Greenleif, the Akron-based funk rockers. This band is replete with a horn section that could out-blast a train.
Saturday night, for Moms that need to see some hot, young flesh, there’s an All-Male Revue, benefiting the InterActivist I bet.
Memorial Auditorium
Country super-star Sara Evans will be at Memorial Auditorium on Monday evening. She is a platinum-selling singer who received a Top Album nomination from the Country Music Awards and she might be more familiar to you from her recent appearance on “Dancing with the Stars.”
Rhapsody - Nelsonville
Steve Zarate will hum a tune and harmonica-ize along with his fine fingerpicking while you dine at the Rhapsody on Friday.
Fur Peace Ranch - Darwin
The Will Kimbrough Trio is performing Saturday night at the Fur Peace Ranch, just a few miles down the road in Darwin. Kimbrough is a guitar player’s guitarist, tearing up and down the fretboard with precision and soul. He has side-manned with Jimmy Buffet, Rodney Crowell, Todd Snider and Kim Richey to name a few. Pete Huttlinger will open the night. He is one of those guitarists who makes you look around and see where the other guitar players are hiding. He’s a damn fine fingerstylist who happens to be the National Fingerstyle Guitar Champion. Take mom and find out why.
Federal Valley Resource Center - Stewart
A perfect Mom-style event is cooking up at the Federal Valley Resource Center in Stewart Saturday at 7 p.m. Megan Cameron’s frenetic piano playing, backed ably by her band or solo, is the perfect companion to her soaring vocals. The Calliope Feminist Choir is made up of close to 40 women who share their love of music with their feminist beliefs, and they strive to bring across all of that every time they perform. Donations will be taken at the door and there will be FREE FOOD! Take Rt. 50 east to Rt. 329 at Guysville and follow that until you see the old middle school building on your left.
That’s about all I have to offer from this week’s column, but you can be sure there is plenty of stuff to do during Estrogen Fest, er, I mean Moms Weekend. Have fun, and daughters, lock-up your mothers – before the police do!
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