Athens Music Scene
By Eric Leighton
Athens NEWS Writer
September 27, 2007
The ups and downs of human existence are a pain in the tush. I suppose that's why the Eastern religions strive for balance. We Americans love our drama and our ecstatic moments. We tend to medicate away the bad things. Since I have run out of my prescription of Repressitol(TM) and the doctor won't give a prescription of Effitol(TM), I guess I'll have to plow through the tough stuff. Oh well. Who wants to be happy all of the time? I mean, if there were no sadness to work through, all of the singer/songwriters would disappear. Music would be dealt a terrible blow. I suppose I should be thankful for sorrow.
Gone too would be sarcasm. That would be tough. How could I bear to get through the writing of this article on a weekly basis without it? Indeed, my life would be shattered, and we would all turn into a bunch of Ned Flanderererses. Shudder the thought.
Better yet, shutter your thoughts altogether; close them right up - that's what we've been taught to do. "Buck up," they say. "Get over it," they declare. The infamous They, back again. Geez, can I not escape myself and my recurring themes, let alone my recurring dreams? Rather, let me alone, my recurring dreams.
Parents Weekend at OU is upon us, and with the start of Hocking College classes on the go, this ought to be a real wing-dinger of a musical smorgasbord (my inside info tells me I'm right). I know you kids might not have the hipness to go check out live music, but I bet your folks love it. Go forth and listen - with your parents!
Donkey Coffee
Thursdays are the Open Stage featuring host Troy Gregorino, not Greg Troyorino as I may have tried to report in the past (much to my chagrin).
Friday night brings the melodic and roots-based acoustic music of Brent Hopper & Brittany Reilly from Bay Village, Ohio; nice harmonies and good picking.
Megan Cameron and Amethyst Stone join forces with Esskyma to weave melancholy ambient music for you in the cozy confines of Donkey on Saturday night.
Blennerhassett Hotel - Parkersburg
Steve Zarate will hold court at the Blennerhassett tonight from 5:30 until whenever he stops a few hours later. Maybe Aaron Burr will pop in! Dinner and drinks anyone?
Jackie O's
Tonight will be a Sexual Assault Awareness Benefit. What will happen is anyone's guess.
Friday night is night one of Mountainfest, a benefit to raise awareness of Mountaintop removal mining and the devastating effects it's having on our local and regional environments. The music begins at 7 with the Paranormals and will run through the end of the night with Justin Arthur, Silo Circuit, Attic Grove, Sad Bastards, and Rhombus.
Blackcoin makes its last Athens appearance on Saturday night (what no Halloween?). This reggae-infused rock band features loads of high-energy originals that make you swoon to the tunes. The band is moving to Southern California, so it may be a while until we see them again. Let's send them off in style.
The Union
The Ataris roll into town tonight with their emocentric rock and roll. Melodies and heartfelt lyrics overtop a solid base of fuzzed-out rock and roll. Six Gallery and El Fabuloso round out this evening appropriately.
The Black Tentacle Mass will be worshipped at the Union on Friday night. Providing the music for the mass will be some of the premier metal and rock bands around: Blue Print For Murder, Black Tusk (Savannah, Ga.), Dead Sea (Columbus), The Makebelieves and Endless Vomit. The mass will begin at 9.
Dance or Die returns to the Union on Saturday night.
Sunday night, from Nebraska, comes the laconic and witty band The Good Life. Nice songs, mostly about heartbreak and the like. I like their sound. Also from Nebraska is Capgun Coup, a more rock and roll crew that reminds me a good bit of the Violent Femmes, though they are more dissonant and aggressive. Two for two. From Lawrence, Kansas, is The Fourth of July, yet another love-drenched poppy group with nice arrangements. This will be a pleasant show for a Sunday night.
Wednesday night, Oakley Hall, an alt-county-ish kind of band from Brooklyn, play laid-back and groovy tunes with a variety of singers and a veritable army of electric guitarists (and one fiddle player). Nice stuff, full of "oohs" and "ahhs." Upon repeat listens, I would have to say, "yeah!" Oakley Hall, named for the famous writer of Westerns (whom the band actually met last week) also has the Editor Smith seal of approval. Look for a feature story on OH coming on Monday. Kaslo opens the night.
Blue Gator
Devon Allman's Honeytribe hits the Gator tonight. Should be sweet. Yes, this is Gregg Allman's son, and yes, he rocks it in his own right. He's got daddy's voice and a hard-rocking band, though they don't much sounds like the Allman Brothers.
Oval Opus brings their radio-ready rock back to the Gator Friday night. Joining them will be the talented popsters Jakob Freely and Urban Transit.
Red Wanting Blue returns to the Gator for a Parents Weekend spectacular Saturday night. Scott Terry is a road dog for sure. He is a storehouse of musical knowledge. Ask him and he can sing you about any song in any genre. He has kept this band chugging along for years and deserves the credit. He's also J.T.'s brother. Go hear them.
Sunday night, the ever-popular Badfish - a Sublime tribute band - returns to the Gator.
Casa Cantina
Tonight Casa is having an InterActivist and People Might benefit featuring DJ Barticus and AK.
The Billycats return to the Casa on Friday night to put the western swing into hazz, or do they put the jazz into western Swing? Whatever. This band features members of The Royales, The Wingnuts, Realbilly Jive and more. They are one of my favorite bands in town; top-notch players performing my kind of music.
Guest returns to their native Athens Saturday for a night of electronic-laden jamming - the predecessors to Papadosio in no small way. If you like Papadosio, you will like Guest. These guys are now scattered around the globe, so these occasional shows should be viewed and listened to with delight. Welcome home boys.
The Birds of Avalon alight at the Casa on Tuesday night. These folks are super fun rock and roll, '70s North Carolina style. Awesome band - speaking of which, The Makebelieves will open the night, perhaps with another equally delicious band. I always work Tuesday nights - shucks.
Baker Center
The Jarts bring their neat acoustic/blues/indie hybrid to the Front Room tonight, replete with a cello. I like this band a lot. Winter Makes Sailors, also tonight, is the solo project of Sean Gardner of Melty Melty fame. Quiet, introspective, melancholic pop music.
Bruce Dalzell does his thing every Friday when he hosts the Open stage at the Front Room. He does it every Wednesday at the Bunch of Grapes room too.
Rhapsody
Duo Glide will have a two-evening stay at Rhapsody Restaurant in Nelsonville this Friday (Final Friday) and Saturday. The music begins at 6:30 and goes till they close. This incarnation features Dale Kulchar on the fancy guitar licks and Ted Harris on all manner of woodwinds.
Court Grill
The Brevity Thing gets long-winded with their "feral rock and roll" at the Court Grill on Friday night. Classic rock and jamalicious originals are their forte.
Tuesday nights Dale Kulchar hosts the Open Mic beginning at 8.
Union Hall Theater - Chesterhill
The Local Girls -- a mostly a cappella group that performed at the White House and on the radio show "Prairie Home Companion" as well as toured with Chubby Checker and performed with David Bromberg -- will sing the night away at the historic Union Hall Theater in Chesterhill, a mere 30-minute drive from Athens (www.unionhalltheater.org).
Reclaim Music Fest
The Reclaim Music Fest (v1.5) is taking place Saturday at a beautiful expanse of land in rural Meigs County (yes, I know that's redundant) near Rutland, Ohio. The music begins at 3 p.m. and features a Family Tent with music shared by Laura Nadeau, as well as a full stable of other performers: Factory Street Dance Studio, Linda Johnson, McGovern Brothers, The Paranormals, Liz Pahl & The Pahlbearers, Woody Pines & The Lonesome Two, Casual Future, The Bad Chemicals, The Heartlanders, Silo Circuit, Wheels On Fire. Free camping with the modest admission fee. For directions visit: www.myspace.com/reclaimmusic
Smiling Skull
The Brevity Thing pulls a double-header of sorts, into a deep pool of greasy, "feral" rock and roll at the Skull on Saturday night. This will be a good venue for them.
Sustainability Fest
The Sustainability Fest runs this weekend, Saturday and Sunday. All I know for sure is that there is always music, and that Steve Zarate performs at 2 p.m. on Sunday. They are at a new location this year at East State Street Park in Athens at the end of East Park Drive, and not the fairgrounds.
Fur Peace Station
Saturday night at the Fur Peace Station, Oteil Burbridge (Oteil and the Peacemakers) creates soulfully funky music. Known for his work as a bass player for the Allman Brothers, this fella is way more than that. I particularly like the reference to King Crimson's "Red" in his song "Monk Funk." Funk, jazz, straight-up soul, he does it all, and his band is right there with him. If you have the dough, roll it on out to the Ranch Saturday night.
Mountain Fest
Part two of Mountainfest takes place Saturday outside the first floor of Baker Center on the Baker Center Green. The music begins at noon and is interspersed with speakers. Featured musicians are: Paul Gartner, Jen Osha, Mike Morningstar and Leila Carter and Friends.
19 South
Ever bold in their attempts to reclaim this club from the depths of its sordid past, 19 South continues to book quality entertainment each week. Tonight is the 2 Elliot Band, who I am assured bring a great crowd and will pack the house. I couldn't find any info on them, so I will go with what I was told.
Friday nights are always DJ AROC, and Saturdays are DJ TMO.
Sunday night will be a punk rock/metal show that will be free or super-cheap with Amish Electric Chair, Goodbye Goats (featuring Andrew's broken hand), The Outskirts and Endless Vomit - whose top-speed regurgitation is fascinating to me.
Wednesday night Moonville will do their endless danceable groove.
BW3's
Steve Zarate has notched out another spot for his musical self, this time at BW3's. Each Wednesday for the foreseeable future he will perform from 8:30-11:30 p.m. He may turn this into an Open Stage-like event, or not. Stop in and see what he does.
Mid-Point Music Festival - Cincinnati
Three Athens bands will be showcased at this Thursday through Saturday music festival in Cincinnati -- Liz Pahl and the Pahlbearers (11 p.m. Thursday at Kaldi's); Princes of Hollywood (midnight Saturday at Kaldi's); and Southeast Engine (Friday midnight at Speakeasy). This fest is patterned after Austin's legendary South By Southwest Music Conference, where dozens (hundreds?) of bands play showcases at multiple venues in and around the downtown area.
Whew. If I were getting paid by the word, or by the hour, this week would be a good paycheck. At least it's going to be awesome music! I will see you at the gigs!
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