Athens Music Scene
By Eric Leighton
May 15, 2008
I think I’m turning into a vampire. I had my friend check out my canine teeth to make sure they aren’t getting any longer. I’ve measured them now. I’m watching them with my eye teeth.
Playing music makes for odd hours and pity to them who have to get up and go to work first thing in the morning (see the “Editor’s Notes” column today on page 4). It seems that lately I am there waving at them as they drive past. There will be time to sleep when I am dead, and I think my current lack of it will hasten that experience. Of course, if I am turning into a vampire, I will just be undead.
I’ve been making up bad jokes lately. People were accustomed to the fact that I would tell bad jokes; now that I am making them up, I get a lot of eye rolls. I don’t care. I’ve got a thick skin. Playing open stages by myself has taught me that often you might as well be playing to a wall – a very loud and drunken wall – for all the lack of attention you can receive.
There’s lots of great music this weekend. What a mysterious magical land we live in here, to be so inundated with musical talent from all over the globe. Yes, it is true. Go out and consume some music this weekend, if you can make the engagement. And if you are looking for it, it’s between Dayton and Marion.
Nelsonville Art and Music Fest
This festival combines for the first time the Hockhocking Folk Fest and the NAMT into one event. Under the guidance of Tim Peacock, both festivals became wonderful events, and to combine them into one seems to make sense. This year’s festival has close to 30 acts and promises to be a dandy time for all. It takes place in the historic village, Robbins Crossing, at Hocking College in Nelsonville. I for one am excited to see and hear Akron/Family, but there are hidden gems in there for everyone.
Friday’s show begins at 6:30 p.m. and features Silo Circuit, Sarah White, O’Death, Weedghost and Akron/Family.
Saturday morning at 11:30 on the Back Porch Stage, Zeb Dewar kicks things off, followed by his buddy Justin Gordon; then comes Tommy Ramone (yes, from the Ramones), Uncle Monk (Ramone’s Bluegrass Band), Woody Pines & the Lonesome Two, Sarah White, Michael Hurley and Southeast Engine.
Saturday on the Main Stage, the music begins at 1 p.m. with the delightful Weedhawks followed by the Wailin’ Elroys, Casual Future, Nostra Nova, Moviola, Dawn Landes, Justin Townes Earle and the night wraps up with the ever-popular Avett Brothers.
Sunday morning’s music begins at 11:30 with old-timey guys Born Old and continues with The Billy Cats, Michael Hurley, Dawn Landes, Red Stick Ramblers, and the festival finishes with soul diva Bettye Lavette. Smith says the Drive-by Truckers backed her up on a recent CD, though probably not this time.
Casa Cantina
Tonight features an Art Opening with music, food and, um, art.
Friday night, Los Viejos Blanquitos perform their crowd-pleasing Latin Jazz for a packed house.
Saturday night is Hip Hop Night with DJs and MCs and other two-letter-monikered individuals.
19 South
Five Foot Forward will rock out at 19 South tonight and then Fleshworld will annihilate what’s left of the crowd in their trademarked fashion.
Ace and AROC do the DJ thing on Friday night, TMO does it on Saturday. Monday you can Karaoke to your heart’s content.
Wednesdays you can listen to the Jazz Cream Assassins.
Jackie O’s Pub and Brewery
The Werks roll into Athens via Dayton tonight to breeze through a couple sets of guitar-strewn rock and roll. Special guests Aleph-1, a sample-driven trio from Ann Arbor, will open the night.
Friday night offers another installment of Merengue Night.
Saturday night SUPER-MASSIVE (formerly Selecter Reggae) will drop the grooves on you. These guys are a really good reggae band.
The Union
Tonight The Never Evers bring their moody and melodic music to the Union, backed by Spooktober, a gruesome twosome and occasional Jesty Beatz collaborators, and one of the newest bands around, Submarine Spaceship, whom I saw playing on the floor at Jackie O’s as a small child.
Friday night Dance or Die is back to whip people into a dancing frenzy.
The Union has a matinee show Saturday. Beginning at 3 p.m., folks of all ages can go and check out the “epic thrash” of Endless Vomit, Bohemian Grove’s death metal grip, the punk rock of Amish Electric Chair, a re-surfacing of Submarine Spaceship and the monstrous metal of Locusta.
Saturday night’s show takes on a more metallic flavor when Dead Sea returns along with Endless Vomit (a great name), Of Sorrow, and more.
Sunday night, the fabulous Insurrect returns to lay waste to the suspecting audience. To Kill Or Cure brings their W.Va. sci-fi metal to bear on the evening, Bohemian Grove are back for another shot, and As the Rotting Arise make their debut featuring members of TKOC and Endless Vomit. Also making their Athens debut is What the Moon Brings.
Donkey Coffee
Ukulele Typewriter performs Friday night at Donkey. The name gives you the instrumentation, and you can hear their wild take on any number of tunes. W-S Burn is an experimental folk group that features a singer named Pixie, her hauntingly beautiful vocals, and a lampshade, among other things. Yes, a lampshade festooned with all manner of dangly things that generate noise and look pretty. This show is the essence of odd, in the best way possible.
Saturday night is Film Night. They will be screening “The Yes Men,” a hilarious film about two guys who mess with the World Trade Organization. And I do mean mess. Check out what they do with fast food.
Uncle Buck’s
Uncle Buck is cranking up the Saturday night BBQs again. This Saturday you can go hear Cliff Starbuck & Colin John as they perform early blues and other fun tunes. The food is good and so is the environment. Visit unclebucksstable.com for directions.
Smiling Skull
After Hours is playing their third annual Spring Happy Hour show at the Smiling Skull on Friday evening. They usually start at 7 and play their original and classic material all night long, or at least until the bar closes. Special guest Tammy Jordan will join the band for a number of numbers.
Rhapsody - Nelsonville
Steve Zarate entertains the diners Saturday evening playing “classic folk and pop” tunes on his guitar and harmonica.
Albany VFW
Long Tall Shorty (formerly D&R Studio band) will play all the golden oldies to perfection at the Albany VFW on Saturday night beginning at 8:30 p.m. They usually have a fish fry before the show. Cue up Homer: Ummm, fish fryyyy…
Union Hall Theater
Sunday afternoon, you should take a drive out to Chesterhill and listen to Silent Lion as they perform their Baroque sounding, Celtic-laden music. They are playing at 2 and are certainly worth the drive. Barbiel’s beautiful voice will sound grand in that hall, and John Saunders’ picking on any number of stringed instruments is a sight to be heard. Explore unionhalltheater.org for more information and history of the place.
Big Red Barn
And of course, if you’re an OU student, you’ll probably make your way to FiveFest sometime on Saturday. The headliner is DJ Edsky from L.A., and Jesty Beatz will be playing, along with a bunch of other performers and bands on a ridgetop stage southwest of Athens. Take the bus, be careful, pace yourself, and actually try to listen to some music.
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