Athens Music Scene
By Eric Leighton
Athens NEWS Writer
September 20, 2007
I love the fall - from grace, that is. Nothing like picking yourself up and dusting yourself off and jumping back into the game that is life. I also love the fall - autumn, that is. The heat dissipates and my brain starts to work again. It's nice to remember that my brain is occasionally useful - unfortunately not at times like this when I need to be clever and witty. So it goes, as Mr. Vonnegut would have said.
The fall can be a time when creativity flourishes, and when the crushing reality of winter dawns on me much too late. I love to laze about on these glorious afternoons and pretend like I have no responsibilities. OK, let's face it, I love to do that all the time regardless of the season. Still, when I see Mr. Fat Squirrel busily stuffing away food for the winter, I want to get a gun and shoot him for reminding me that I am way too late in laying up wood. Kidding, I actually send my dog after him. No, kidding again.
Sometimes the fall is about kidding, as I was reminded at the Pawpaw Fest last weekend (what a blast!). I occasionally suspect that the Joe Bob band is somewhat responsible for a number of those children's parents getting together in the first place. Heheh, little rugrats. There are still a few music festivals left for us to check out before old man winter sets in and makes me feel like an old man. I suppose misery does love company. Though today I am not miserable, I would definitely enjoy it if you were to join me in a stroll through the Athens Music Scene. Shall we?
Casa Cantina
Tonight the Casa has a fun show set up for you when Michael Holt rolls into town. He used to be in the Mommyheads, and he continues to make fun music and bring it to you. His song, "All the Michaels in the World," is a total hoot, totally recommended listening. Chris Forbes of the band Orchestraville is an Athens' alum and crafts wonderfully quirky tunes. Jerry Decicca of Columbus's Black Swans is also on the bill and definitely worth a listen or two (or three).
Friday DJ Barticus and Ruckus Roboticus are gonna Funk You Up.
Saturday night, Southeast Engine will rock the Casa. Their recent signing with a big indie label ensures their increased visibility to the world, but sometimes that means we will see less of them. Now is the time, people. Machine Go Boom is a band from Cleveland that "totally rocks," according to Leo of SE Engine. As he tends to have good taste, I will believe him.
Sunday night the Sonar Dub Sound System will bring the Casa to life with their many and varied turntableistic ideas.
Mondays are reserved for the Rattletrap String Band. Good old-timey music. I got to sit in with them last week. Thanks guys.
Tuesday night, Sin Ropas arrives in town to put you into a world of their own design, spacey, dreamy, odd and delightful. They apparently will be showing the animated works of Brent Green. The Teenage Prayers hail from NYC and offer up a refreshingly straightforward rock and roll that makes me want to jump around. The Cast Asyde will open the night.
Wednesday nights are open stage with host Chris Biester. His art show is hanging in the restaurant. It's great.
Jackie O's
Tonight you can get all steamy and sexy at Merengue Night with Juan Soto.
Friday at 7 p.m., Tony Adami will perform solo for happy hour and then later you can catch him and his whole band, After Hours, as they rock with increasing originality.
Ep3 is a band that recently relocated from Ohio to Atlanta, Ga. I had the good fortune to hear them perfom at JO's right before they left. Saturday night with keyboard player in tow, they will throw down their solid and rocking grooves for you.
Monday nights a fella called Junebug (who looks suspiciously like me) hosts an open stage. Tuesday nights you can put on your kilt and go hear great live Celtic music. The open jam on Wednesdays is on indefinite suspension.
The Union
Casual Future will rock the Union tonight in their trademark fashion. Joining them will be Oh My God and one of my favorite groups, Beard of the See, a band that sounds like Mountain and looks like the Snails.
Friday night we should be very excited because The High Strung are coming back to the Union. These guys are cool, flat out, and one of the most fun bands running the circuit. Go hear them. The Dragline Brothers, also totally rocking, and The Paper Machetes round out the night.
Saturday's show looks to be a fun one. Gito Gito Hustler is an all-girl band from Japan. They rip it hard like the Ramones. How fun. The Little Darlings from Columbus rock it out with a similarly mostly female cast, and our own Revulvas (no longer Loaded) will strut their rock and roll for you.
Peelander-Z, a Japanese Action Comic Band, is gonna change your world on Wednesday. These are my kind of fellas. Human Bowling is just one of the many fun things that can happen at a Peelander-Z show. These folks have traveled all the way from the Z section of planet Peelander to share their antics with you. The Birthday Suits, another entertaining Japanese act, will open the night.
Blue Gator
The Lab Rats return tonight to bring their thrift-shop hip-hop back to the Blue Gator. These guys are a lot of fun and have been gathering quite a following.
Mike Perkins returns Friday night to entertain you with earnest and compelling music.
Saturday night, the fabulous Spikedrivers will show up in Athens to rock you in the most satisfyingly, cityfyingly hillbilly manner. See you there.
Tuesday nights the Paranormals host an open stage. Don't sign up, just show up.
Wednesday night the out-of-towners Polydream will unleash their rock and roll upon you.
Stuart's Opera House
Stuart's Opera House is action-packed this weekend. Tonight the completely hilarious and very talented songwriter Todd Snider will perform. For those of us in-the-know, he's a must hear. Incredibly witty tunes are his forte, and if you have yet to give a listen, do yourself a favor with a fervor.
Friday night, in an odd confluence of a conference, The Royales will perform at Stuart's. The National Network of Forest Practitioners are having their annual conference. This event is open to the public - either with dinner and show, including speaker, or less money just to see the Royales. The show begins at 8.
Saturday night, in conjunction with the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway, Stuart's will sponsor a Square Dance at the railway station in Nelsonville. The Rattletrap Stringband will provide the tunes.
Sandstone - Logan
Steve Zarate will perform his music both Friday and Saturday nights at the Sandstone restaurant in Logan.
Donkey Coffee
Tonight is the open stage hosted by Troy Gregorino; it runs from 9-12.
Friday night the energetic and talented Victor Rasgaitis will perform along with Pete Nitsch.
Saturday night Black Spyral Dancer brings it down a couple of notches and shows you how their music translates acoustically.
Salaam
The Coolville Hotclub takes you back to Paris of the '30s, reeling that Django jazz. Back from their summer hiatus, they will regale you tonight about 6:30.
Baker Center
There's a band open stage tonight at the Baker Theater. Sign-ups are in the Front Room, I believe. Also in the Front Room tonight, Denison Witmer will perform along with Marla Hansen and Zephuros, though I did see a similar listing for this show on Saturday. I'm guessing this one is correct.
Bruce Dalzell is hosting the open stage at the Front Room on Friday.
Kaslo, with Eric Metronome (good timing), will rock out the Baker Theater on Saturday night.
19 South
Tonight is Ping Pong night at 19 South. The Wooly Lemons will take on Drive Fast in a no-holds-barred battle 'til the end.
Wednesday night Black Spyral Dancer will rock it out with Mister Got Heat.
Hometown Showcase
This week's "Hometown Showcase," a radio show heard Saturday mornings at 10 and Sunday evenings at 7 on WATH-AM 970, will feature Terry Efaw from McGuffey lane.
That's about all that I can recall for this week. Luckily, I've already forgotten whatever it was that I'm supposed to remember, so umm ... I guess I'll see you next week.
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