Athens Music Scene
By Eric Leighton
July 12, 2007
Hello, folks. Sorry I was delinquent in my duties last week, but sometimes a bug has just gotsta get away. Back and rested and ready to start a new phase of life, I was stricken to find out moments ago of the passing of my friend Spencer Roberts, affectionately known as Spanky.
He was, in my estimation and by his own admission, the biggest Voodoo Birds fan on the planet. He knew the songs better than I did, and I'm in the band! He had a VB tattoo planned that was just beautiful. He loved live music.
I'm sorry that it's a bit too fresh for me to process, as I saw him just hours ago, really. It's tragic that life must be cut so short for whatever reason. Spanky, we will miss you and the gifts that you gave us. That's all I can do right now.
To avenge this catastrophic turn of events, I am sure he would want us all to go out and listen to a bunch of live music. I know I will; I guess I'll see you there. Cheers, buddy, from your mockstar.
Jackie O's
Merengue fever takes over Jackie O's tonight with Juan Soto leading the way.
The Brevity Thing will drag out a night's worth of music for you Friday night. They take blues-rock faves and spin 'em 'round and 'round.
Saturday night, from Shreveport, La., comes The Peekers. These guys are fun. Their decidedly lo-fi recording is delightful and chock-full of melody and playfulness. I would highly recommend this crew. Opening the night might just be Silo Circuit or some other fine act.
Monday night is the kickoff of Brew Week. Jackie O's is a natural starting point. The Paranormals will follow the opening ceremonies at about 7 p.m., and The McGovern Brothers will perform fine bluegrass music from about 9 onward. There might even be a little time left for some Open Stage action, who knows.
The Union
Friday night, by way of Ames, Iowa, we get the pleasure of listening to the Poison Control Center. Originating as a 13-piece band and whittling it down over the years to a more manageable size, these guys construct fuzzy pop gems that bristle and twistle, both catchy and un-catchable, definitely south of T. Rex. The driving rock of Men of Gentle Birth will team up with the unstoppable White Album to open the evening.
Saturday night, the Japanese duo of Birthday Suits let loose a sonic display worthy of a much larger group. Guitar and drums get it done, except for those places where a bass would be nice, but you know how I feel about that. These guys have been here before and definitely rock it out. The Outskirts will open the night featuring Mikey, Dawna, Jason P. and Mike. These folks are just cutting their teeth in the scene, and it's fun to see the excitement they have for their music. Share in it Saturday.
Tuesday night, the Plexi-3 from Milwaukee will take to the Union stage. These two girls and guy make some bouncy, slightly jangly, full of stops at top-speed kind of music. Fun. The Paper Machetes and The Never Evers will open the night.
Rhythm on the River - Pomeroy
Friday night, for free, you can listen to the great singer/songwriter/producer/session guitarist Will Kimbrough. What a talented fellow. He tells stories through song in a way that evokes the talents of John Prine and Todd Snider, among others. They pull you in and you listen to where they take you. It's difficult to overstate how big this guy is in the Americana/alt.country world. Check out how the All Music Guide (www.allmusic.com) begins its write-up of Kimbrough: "Best-known as a name in the CD liner notes of some of the hippest country and rock artists of the '90s and 2000s, both Will Kimbrough's solo and his band work have been championed by critics on both sides of the ocean." Later, All Music calls Kimbrough "a gifted songwriter and talented musician influenced by giants like John Lennon and Alex Chilton..." Sounds good to me (and editor Smith, who just added this last part).
Court Grill - Pomeroy
Big Wiggle squiggles into the Grill Saturday night. This Wellston group has a good local following. Sounds like good ol' rock and roll to me!
Donkey Coffee
The Jarts return to the Donkey stage Friday night with their unique brand of folk-infused country-blues replete with a cello. Good solid music. Grown individuals with banana suits will special guest on Friday, yes, Bananarchy!
Nelsonville Art and Music Festival
The third Annual NAMF will be held Saturday beginning at 3 p.m. between the train station and Hocking River in Nelsonville. This growing festival has brought lots of great performers to the area in its brief run, and this year is no exception. The Squirrel Nut Zippers, one of the most interesting bands to evolve out of North Carolina in a while, are back and itching to swing your butts in the wind. Add to that Grammy Award-winning artists Brave Combo (here for the second year in a row), and you have only just begun to fester. The Erin McKeown Trio will showcase the young S/S's immeasurable talents, and Hillbilly Idol will give you the truth about real country music, the way Hank and Lefty meant it to be. If you like steel guitar, you'll be in heaven for this set. Bakelite 78 comes to us by way of Chicago but it features two long-time Athenians. Rob Rial and Jason Grey are but two of the crew who offer up a ragtime-y country-blues, with just a dash of swing. I'm excited for these guys. This will be a reunion of sorts with the producer of their latest album, Jimbo Mathus.
Casa Nueva
Southeast Engine cranks it up at the Casa on Friday night. These guys have gelled into a formidable band, and I for one am proud to have them out on the road representing Athens. Red Dahlia is another band I could say similar things about. They are out working hard and getting things done. They are also on this bill. Dayton's Captain of Industry will also be in an opening position.
Smiling Skull
Saturday night at the Skull, early so as to catch the show up the street, We March will hold a 7-inch release party. These little suckers are going fast, so you'd better grab you a couple quick. I love seeing We March at the Skull. Vena Cava, some punk rockers from San Diego, are gonna be kickin' it, as well as Milwaukee's Chinese Telephones. This will be a kick-ass warmer-upper for a great evening of rock!
That's all that I have for this week. I'll see you at the gig.
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