Athens Music Scene
By Eric Leighton
August 30, 2007
This life seems to be a risky one, and as a person who is not exactly averse at taking certain risks, I will embolden myself toward this adventure: DJs. At the risk of stirring up a hornet's nest that will sting me like the one I ran over with the tractor this morning, I will let loose with a rant, but first, a preface.
I have been going through some life changes, as we all do. This has been a period of intense self-examination, and I have found myself proclaiming my likes and dislikes a lot lately. I noticed this tendency over the weekend. Perhaps in the attempt to reclaim myself, I am going through an "I am" sort of phase. Who knows, I'm sure my armchair psychiatrist will have a few things to say about it.
Something I learned from Editor Terry is that it's good to stir things up once in a while. Nothing gets readers writing letters to the editor more than a stirring piece with strong, borderline extreme opinions abounding. That said, let me rant for a bit.
I am a musician. Music is my life blood; the playing and performing of it, mostly, and recording can be fun too. I don't consume much music. I play so often any more that my brain tends to be filled with the tunes I am working on so that there is little room left for casual listening.
One thing that I absolutely despise is the existence of Wedding DJs. They should all be removed from the planet. Better yet, they should be put into a room and forced to listen to each other spin the drivel that they do at weddings. I'm talking about your average run-of-the-mill wedding DJ here. This is an industry that any idiot can get into, and boy, the guy who did the wedding we played at on Saturday fits the bill. A computer and a play list of illegally downloaded songs is about all you need to get into the biz. Ugh.
This kind of reprehensible crap is killing the soul of America. Weddings have become as predictable as the mall. I suppose the majority of Americans are in that category, but I just can't take it any more. Apparently the DJ at the wedding our band played at was "super pissed" that we showed up to play - at special request of the bride. It seems that our good, live music was a threat to his stature as cool guy playing crappy music.
They began tearing down their gear when we started playing, but left up just enough stuff so that when we took a break he could insult us further. He played Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama," which was fine until he started doing his DJ jerk-off manipulation of it. I could have screamed -- defacing 'Bama'! Needless to say, we soon retook the staging area; and they took to the highway, quickly.
I realize now that I could go on and on about this topic, so I will try to reel myself back in. If anyone can tell me why a DJ is better than a live band on any occasion, I would like to hear good arguments for it. I want solid, non-fiscal reasons why a DJ is better than live music. Give them to me, if you can find any. Heheheh.
Athens Amvets
The D& R Studio Band will be classic rockin' the night away at the Amvets on Saturday night from 8 to midnight. These guys can play classic rock as well as they play classic Motown, and that's pretty good.
Casa Cantina
The freshmen take over Saturday night for Re-Introduktion Dance Night at the Casa Cantina.
Tuesday night a unique conglomerate of bands is coming through Athens: EuroRock 2007. This will apparently feature 10 bands "from around the globe." Some of these may be Dionne Lennon, Doana, Midterm Break, The Models, Friendly Fire, Exit Avenue, Powderhog, Xms3, Bram Glam, Antonious and Valerie Davis. I hope that's the night the European beers are on sale! (www.myspace.com/eurorock) Editor Terry is using some photos of said EuroRock bands with an article in Tuesday's paper, though he was wondering how he's supposed to know which of the zillions of bands on the bill will actually make it to Athens. The Myspace page isn't any help on this count. Any help?
Baker Center
Tonight, Southeast Engine chugs to a stop at the Baker Theater at the new Baker Center, a fine room by all accounts. Casual Future will also appear.
Friday night at 9 the effusive Victor Rasgaitis will propound his energetic acoustic music to you in the Baker Center Ballroom. Following will be a band called Trippin' Billies, a Dave Mathews Tribute band. Wow, the world needs more than two of those!
The Union
Tonight the Union presents The Terrible Twos with local rock mavens We March, along with The Frustrations and Fleshworld: Sounds loud and fun.
Wheels on Fire, who will be fresh back from a tour for Saturday night's gig, had the extreme misfortune of having all of their gear ripped off when they were in San Francisco. I effing hate jerks like that, and don't get me started about the West Coast! If you could show up and give the band love and support on Saturday, that would be awesome. Mishka Shubaly you have all seen by now in Beat the Devil. He comes to town with his own game on Saturday. He's got a new album out, "How to Make a Bad Situation Worse," and it sounds great. The Dragline Bros. take their near-perfect rock and roll to the stage as well this fine night.
Jackie O's
Friday night features Boston's The Grownup Noise, a band that creates sonic soundscapes from Beatlesque to the VU. They have a lead cello player and a variety of tricks up their collective sleeves. Make them welcome, please.
The John Turck Trio comes down to Jackie O's for a bit of rockin' bluesy, rockin' mayhem on Saturday night.
Sunday night, The Brett Mitchell Band will be coming through town on their way back to Michigan. A little bit folksy, a little bit rocking, with lap steel and harmonies galore. Sounds like a great Sunday night.
Sandstone - Logan
Steve Zarate seems to have cornered the market at the Sandstone in Logan. They can't seem to get enough of his pickin' and singing; that's why he's back on Friday night.
Hometown Showcase
Moonville will be the featured artist on "Hometown Showcase" this week. You can listen in on WATH-AM 970 Saturday mornings at 10, and Sunday evenings at 7.
That might be all that there is for this week, but get ready because the musical floodgates are about to burst. Bugout!
Oh, wait, Editor Terry has one of his periodical musical recommendations for you. He swears by the new Mendoza Line EP, "30-Year Low." It's this Athens, Ga., by way of Brooklyn, N.Y. indie-rock band's final album, and marks the breakup of the two co-leaders' romance and artistic relationship. Smith says it's the best breakup album since Richard and Linda Thompson's classic "Shoot Out the Lights."
So, if you like depressing records, this must be the one for you!
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