Athens Music Scene :: Week of May 21 to May 27, 2009
Written by Eric Leighton
Thursday, 21 May 2009 07:09
I’ve been working out here at the AMS HQ before writing my article — pumping irony. I think it helps me steel myself for the work ahead, so I don’t listen to things with a tin ear. The light cast into the darkness from my window has caught the attention of a Luna Moth (an incredible creature) and a bat — possibly the one that flew into the house the other night. Did you know there is no need to freak out when a bat gets into your house? Just open up your doors and wait a bit. They’ll find their way out. I wish you could say the same about musicians... I have been studying the Law of Octaves. It is brain-spinning stuff. I’m following it into a variety of areas such as genetics, the I-Ching, the Periodic Table of the Elements, Leary’s Eight Circuit Model, chess, the Noble Eightfold Path, Bucky Fuller’s Synergetic-Energetic Geometry and Nikola Tesla. Check it out yourself, or wait and see if I return from Chapel Perilous. Just when you think you know something, POW! Everything becomes small and insignificant again. It feels good.
The Union Tonight, the Hip Hop Congress presents “Baltimore Club Night” featuring DJs from Baltimore and Athens. Friday night the She Bears bring their melodic, oft melancholic music back to the Union for a nice evening of music. Kaslo adds their unique tones to the proceedings as do Front Royal, the newish and talented Mind Fish and John Landis. Certain unsavory rumors seem to hint that this might be the last show for Front Royal. We’ll hope not. Saturday night Skeletonwitch returns to the Union. These guys are constantly on tour all over the world, and they freaking rock. If you have yet to see them, I say do it now before ticket prices jump out of reach. Goodbye Goats are always theatrically metal-fying, Guns ‘n Ammo are always a good idea, and Sothoros starts the night off.
Donkey Coffee Friday night Donkey is having a benefit for the Last Chance Corral. Duke Junior & the Smokey Boots (Jess Kauffman’s new project) will provide entertainment along with Tim Pfaff and more, I bet. Saturday night a double reunion of sorts is happening at Donkey. Big Red Truck, a staple of the Athens music scene in years gone by (15 of ‘em), and Zen Machine will gather their wits about them and have a go at their respective material. BRT features Cactus Pears’ drummer Bryan Gibson, Donkey’s own Chris Pyle, and the Bedells, Don and Lori. They sound a bit similar to 10,000 Maniacs and R.E.M. ZM has been a long time in getting back together (20 years), and they had a Violent Femmes and Smithereens kind of groove going back then. The Iguana Nasties open the night.
Stuart’s Opera House - Nelsonville Stuart’s Opera House is actually hosting their first opera on Friday evening. First ever? Now we can say the place is well-named! Cincinnati Opera will present “How Nanita Learned to Make Flan” at 7 p.m. Friday. Tickets are FREE for this opera, which is based on a popular children’s book of the same name. I’m guessing this is a kid-friendly event. I want some magic shoes!
Standing Stone - Amesville Saturday a reunion of artists who lived at the Standing Stone artist community sometime in the last 15 years is being held. There will be an art show beginning at 10 in the morning, and music will happen on and off throughout the day. The Lennon Orchestra will enjoy stretching out. John Wetzel will likely perform, as will the Paranormals, Religion of Love and a variety of other acts. This is FREE. Take Ohio Rt. 550 toward Amesville and take a left on Brawley Road. Look for the signs, both physical and metaphysical.
19 South Friday night iPhonic gets hip at 19 South (“Hooked on iPhonics” app now available). Red Army keeps the manifesto pumping along with the Serious Snakes from Cincy and Partisan Press out of Columbus. Saturday night The Ordinance comes out firing rockets at 19 South.
Smiling Skull & Bruce Manor - the Gun & Knife Show This two-part festival takes place on West Union at the Skull and The Manor (house concert) on Saturday, starting with the latter at 4 p.m. The Skull picks it up at 10 and runs it through to the end of the night. You can catch many of the following at either establishment, though the promo e-mail didn’t make it clear who was playing where: Spooktober, Super Predator, Midwest Kid, We March, Evan Harris & the Driftwood Motion, Sad Bastards and Abiku play at the Bruce Manor while the Skull has Le Vansona, October Fist, and Amish Electric Chair.
Casa Cantina Tonight you get to hear The Snails if you go to the Casa Cantina. Their playful rock and roll doesn’t cut much air round these parts too often, so you must get it while you can. Madame XD is something new to me, but the Order of the Spur — a JJ Reid production — is a favorite of mine for sure. Friday night Wheels on Fire make their last appearance in town (at their CD Release Party!) before heading out on a month-long tour of the states. Expect rock and roll and a fine set from one of the newest and most interesting acts around, The Hairy Hearts. (See an article on Wheels on Fire’s new CD elsewhere in this fine publication.) If you can’t wait until July to see Woody Pines, then I would suggest heading to the Casa on Saturday night to get your jumpin’ jazz-filled crunkified ragtime bliss. Woody Pines that is. Colleen Carow of Broken Ring will open the night with a solo show around 9:30. Sunday night the Casa has an Ohio Brew Week benefit with help from the likes of Evan Harris & Driftwood Motion, the Paranormals, Duke Junior & the Smokey Boots and Wonky Tonk. Don’t forget, many people have Monday off from work! Whoohoo!
Jackie O’s Tonight you can get your glam-rock fill at Jackie O’s when the next best thing to Queen, Lollipop Factory, returns. The heavy-rocking Wooly Lemons get their warm-fuzzies out and let rip in the opening slot. SUPERMASSIVE is back at Jackie O’s Friday night. This Cincy band rocks the roots reggae and are a perennial favorite at JO’s and in Athens. And you know they have to be good with all those capital letters. Ann Arbor’s Rootstand is back at Jackie O’s on Saturday night. The boys and their big bus will take you through their own bluegrass-y variety show. Good tunes and good times. Next Wednesday there will be a benefit for something the likes of a Native American taking a trip to Palestine. I might be close; I really should know.
Sandstone - Logan Dale Kulchar helps get the Sandstone back in the musical swing Saturday night at 6:30. Dale has a nice mix of blues and jazz thrown in with his rock and roll.
ARTS/West The Aquabear Legion is back with their monthly concert at ARTS/West tonight. Russenorsk will perform their critically acclaimed new album “Comforts,” and Brian Harnetty will produce soundscapes with found sounds and Appalachian instruments. His new album was made in cahoots with Bonnie Prince Billy. The Prince/Jacobs Duo will conjour up an improv set for your warming.
Restaurant Salaam Getting a Sunday night jazz program is just one of the many things that Salaam is doing right these days. Their new location on West Washington is affording them all kinds of fun, including bringing the Jazztet in Sunday at 6 p.m. Featuring valve trombonist Ernie Bastin, saxophonist Matt James, guitarist John Horne, bassist Terry Douds and drummer Guy Remonko, these guys take all manner of jazz and make it their own. Also of note: Guitarist John Horne wants to hip people to the fact that he can help you get a discount on tuition for the National Guitar Workshop if you contact him at his Web site johnhorne.com very soon.
I suppose that I have run out of events about which to tell you for this week. I’m glad we work our way up to spring. The excitement is almost too much. Just a few weeks more of this frenzy and then — more frenzy, just more subdued and hot. Sweat on brothers and sisters.
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Show/hide comments
&lscript>
