Athens Music Scene
By Eric Leighton
Athens NEWS Writer
October 18, 2007
My Mind is a blank sheet of Paper.
It sits on the table staring at me.
I pace about, trying to ignore the Glare,
so white; fearsome in its purity,
The Blankness, an affront to my senses.
I turn my back and stalk the dishes.
"What did we do?" they demand,
As they busily churn out additions to their pile,
"My mind is a blank sheet of Paper!" I plead,
The dishes concede,
Knowing well the depravity of my Avoidance Techniques.
They will be washed; but they will return.
Elbow deep in hot, sudsy water,
The Paper dishsolves in flights of bubbly fancy;
Rainbow torrents of thought twist and turn,
Leaping Hither and Yon,
Frantically freeing themselves from my Limited Scope.
Dishes done, I turn to the Paper, gleaming with menace,
Determined to wipe my hands with it,
Pull it from grace.
In the six steps to the table,
My Mind becomes pure as the Uncarved Block.
Stuart's Opera House - Nelsonville
Wednesday: Erin McKeown wowed the crowd at the last Nelsonville Art and Music Fest in July with her sweet-to-swing, rock-to-pop powers of persuasion. She has lots of talent going for her for a woman of such young age. She is an accomplished arranger, if I do say so. Wednesday she will do it all over again, undoubtedly with plenty of new material. Casey Neill, a rocking singer/songwriter from Oregon, will open the night.
The Union
Tonight, you will Dance or Die!
Double Gold brings their palatable pop-shmear back to the Union Friday night to psychedelicize your pate. Paper Machetes rock it out along with The Exceptionals, and please be sure to enjoy the guerilla-gypsy stylings of Amish Electric Chair.
Saturday night: Lookout! Skeleton Witch is gonna tear down the house while they release their new CD! These guys are metal at its best: super-tight, great arrangements and a kick-ass fan base. Also on the bill are some of the finest metal bands around: Throneroom, Midnight, Blueprint for Murder. I know, I should get a fine for overuse of the colon - and the liver.
Next Wednesday and Thursday nights, one of the best events of the year occurs when the Lost Flamingo theater troupe does their annual version of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
19 South
Tonight, 19 South is proud to present the agro rock and roll of The Revulvas and the Malabar Bros. Featured also will be Black Rose - which I believe is a Thin Lizzy tribute band. This, sadly, will be their last show.
The Mudfork Blues Band returns to town Friday evening with their professional take on the blues. This is one of their infamous "Get Home to the Kids" shows, meaning it will run from 7-9 p.m., and it's FREE! I'm not supposed to say anything -- and we all know how impossible that is -- but it happens to be a certain band member's birthday, right Doc?
Sunday is a benefit for Sergey Kahn, a student who is running for mayor of Athens. It's FREE for students to get in, which can be a confusing way to raise money. The show begins at 8 p.m. and features The Ordinance, Leonidas (Cincy) and Mister Got Heat.
Casa Cantina
Every third Friday, the Casa loves to Funk You Up with DJ Barticus and Iceburg.
Saturday night, Black Spyral Dancer gathers with Red Dahlia to rock your collective socks off. BSD slings a funky vibe that crosses over somewhere between the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Soundgarden - solid and slinky with nice changes and interesting chord progressions. Red Dahlia continues to be one of our greatest musical exports. RD walks a fine line betwixt beautiful and tragic, from delicate piano-driven moments to full-out rockers! Oh yes, The Blue Eyed Gunslingers are also on the bill.
Sunday night the Sonar Dub Sound System gets all multi-media on you, spinning wild and wooly musical mayhem.
Mondays are an old-timey jam with Rattletrap. This Tuesday will be "Karaoke: the Power to Sing." Hopefully. Wednesdays are Open Stage with Chris Biester.
Jackie O's
Tonight the Brevity Thing brings their swampy, greasy rock and roll back to Jackie O's. Jess Kauffman, one of my favorites at the Open Stage, will open the evening with her stirring and soulful tunes.
The Wild Breed Boys bring their barroom bluegrass to Jackie O's Friday night for a foot-stomping good time. Just try to keep your hats on! Woody Pines and the Lonesome Two will open the evening in their trademarked ragtimey manner.
Saturday night, The Lennon Orchestra will perform music from the Beatles, John Lennon and George Harrison. This will be the last show featuring Joey Hebdo on the lead vocals, so be sure to be there. To be clear: This is not Lennon Fest; this is just one of the bands that plays at Lennon Fest. The annual festival will take place Dec. 8 at the Union this year.
Sunday night will be a special show when Western Civilization rolls into town to share a bill with Esskyma and Zephurous. WC combines ethereal otherworldly music with some electronic beats and other oddness to make a unique sound. Beautiful female harmonies really bring the music alive. Stop out and see this touring band on Sunday.
Court Grill - Pomeroy
Ladies, I am sorry to say, but you are too late. The region's most eligible bachelor has fallen in love and is to be married. That's right; Jackie Welker is tying the knot, and to go out in style, he is throwing a big ol' party tonight at the Grill and we are all invited! To make merry and music, he has hired The Frank Harrison Group. I am told if you like Robert Trower, you will love Frank.
Smiling Skull
Tonight, Emerson B carries on the Bartlett family musical tradition when he performs his acoustic hip-hop. I had the pleasure of playing with his father, Johnny B, many years ago. Emerson is a talented young man who carries forward his father's legacy in much the same way his dad would do if were he Emerson's age today.
Saturday night the Skull kicks it fancy with four bands. The Can Kickers are a jug band on speed without the jug. They hail from Connecticut and are on a lengthy tour. Woody Pines and the Lonesome Two step back into the fray with more kazoo-laden madness. Delay, a band from Dayton, and Spooktober, both of whom failed the Google test, are also on the bill.
Donkey Coffee
Michael Morgan and Dwight Daugherty gather their strengths and perform lovely music for you on Friday night. Morgan is a member of the Nashville Songwriters Association and has had songs recorded by Conway Twitty, Ed Bruce and Jimmie Davis, to name a few. Daugherty fronts a local bluegrass band, if I recall that much, if not the name.
Saturday night D-Squared, an Arizona harp and guitar duo, will woo you into submission. They have fabulously beautiful music to offer. Jerry Rockwell will open the evening with his masterful lap-dulcimer playing.
Blue Gator
Ordinary Peoples come back to the Gator tonight to do their hip-hop rigmarole. They have been working hard for many years and have a solid fan base.
Jesty Beatz makes a triumphant return to Athens from the West Coast Friday night. This talented rapper has been making waves wherever he goes, and he is always welcomed back to his alma mater with open arms. This show is upstairs.
After Hours performs all kinds of classic tunes from Simon to Taylor, the Band and beyond. They also have a nice package of originals. AF plays Friday downstairs for FREE!
Papadosio runs it back to the Gator Saturday night to mesmerize you with their electronica-laden grooves. These boys know how to pack the place. Bouncy bouncy go thee.
Sunday afternoon at 4, the High Society Jazz Band will perform their regular gig. Everything from Dixieland on is in their canon.
Baker Center
There will be a band Open Stage at Baker Center Theater tonight. You can sign up at the Front Room.
Bruce Dalzell hosts an Open Stage every Friday night in the Front Room. Guess where you sign up?
The Front Room hosts Saturday Night Jive as Hillel Rocks the Front Room.
Head of Femur headlines the show at Baker Theater on Saturday night. Nice melodic tunes with a touch of weird and some nice harmony singing. Originally they came from Nebraska but now they call Chicago home. Cleveland's Coffinberry sling a melodic and scruffy and occasionally aggressive brand of tuneage. They are a nice fit for this bill.
Well, that's about all I could process this week. I hope to see you at some gigs!
Comments
Please log in to post a comment.
