Athens Music Scene (10-22-09)

The frost is on the pumpkin. The Japanese ladybugs are back, leaving their foul smell and taste wherever they may flutter and crawl. The persimmons are smooth and sweet, but mostly gone. The dogs are shedding (and wrestling), making room for their winter coats, still meager and thin as compared to the mighty Bobo's phalanx of fur. Everyone seems to be eating (or drinking) more. Winter is close upon us.

The fruits of the season's labors have been put up, stocking the larders; the chimneys are being swept, the wood collected, chopped and stacked. I continue to pester the local wildlife and our new neighbors with my outdoor musical pursuits when the days are fair. A conversation I had with a new friend the other day brought me around to one of my recurring themes: How my surroundings are reflected in my music.

When I lived in cities, the music I performed was dissonant and aggressive; traffic, crime and violence; filth and fury; youth and psychedelics. When I moved to Athens oh-so-many years ago, I began my living-stupid-in-the-woods project, with primitive conditions prevailing. By necessity, electricity-based music went out the window and behind the outhouse to compost. Acoustic-driven music became the norm, and as I have an aversion to electricity (due to an uncomfortably intimate moment with some lightning while small), my transformation (heheh) to acoustic instruments was a natural one.

Bluegrass, folk and classic country suddenly made a lot more sense to me. Pounding the drums behind a punk-rock band seemed absurd. As the sun went down and the oil lamps came on, the strains of strings would echo in the valley. I soon abandoned my drum kit and set about accumulating acoustic instruments, a windy, briar-strewn path that has served me well.

While in Colorado last winter, I lived in Colorado Springs, right downtown. Even though Pikes Peak dominated the skyline, there was plenty of real city grit present, too, and I came back here fired up about playing rock and roll. It fizzled as soon as I nestled back into the hills.

Before coming here, I always liked the vibe that bands from Athens had when we played shows with them. There was a mystique about Athens, and by extension the bands that dwelt there. They were so stoned and laid-backlaid-backlaid-backlaid-back all the time, or something

I recognize it as the footprint left upon your soul by the place that you live. There is a reason that music from New Orleans sounds like it does. You can feel it when you walk the streets. Athens is one such special place. I have been to a lot of the "hot spots" as I have identified them by the music produced there, and none seems to suit me more than Athens.

To all of the folks coming in to town this weekend, I invite you to get a glimpse of the soul of Athens by frequenting the numerous music venues in town that are hosting live bands. You'll see what I mean.

Smiling Skull

Tonight the Open Stage returns with guest host Jesse Wilkes.

Friday night Travis Weisenborn debuts his new blues-rock project called Hard Luck Child at the Smiling Skull. If you like a SRV approach to blues, this is the show for you. Mark Gannon, occasionally known as the MaadHatter, comes down from the Canton area to give you a dose of "old-school folk rock."

The Wallabeez have a new video up on YouTube featuring their new lead singer, veteran songstress Lyn Smith, who will also be featured in their concert Saturday night at the Skull. This band just keeps developing into cooler and cooler shades of blue. One Hundred Hurricanes comes over from Morgantown to let fire with their indie-rock sensibilities, and The Real Molloy returns to the Skull via Huntington to groove you with their jam rock.

Jackie O's

Fox & Hounds bring Bill's bluegrass back to the bar tonight. Steven Fox (Spikedrivers) strums away at the mandolin in this project, so stop by to get a slightly spacey take on traditional grass.

The Annex - which is the new, high-capacity room Jackie O's has been getting ready all summer - has a Backdrop magazine event tonight. It is to celebrate the release of their new issue, but their Web site had nothing I could find with my limited Internet availability. Send your show info to athens.music.scene@gmail.com.

Joe Bob Billy & the Texas Alien would never call themselves (ourselves) a bluegrass band, but the music is a close neighbor, let's call it alien-grass. Songs about drinking and fornicating with aliens will seem to make up most of Friday night's set, but there are some real charmers in there too. Steve Carlson (Joe Bob) is in town for the weekend so come out and say "hi" (is he late for Homecoming, or is he here for Parents Weekend... hmmm). The Paranormals, for whom I also play, will open the night with their ridiculous humors.

Duke Junior & the Smokey Boots is the kind of band you can take your parents to see Saturday night. Wholesome and good, friendly, with harmonies intact and good leads. They are on the cusp of something big. The Hiram Rapids Stumblers is a string band of sorts that have its musical sensibilities firmly planted in a jar of corn liquor. Fun.

The Union

Not to be missed is the debut Friday night of The Goodbye Goats: the Rock Opera. I have heard tales of this mythical beast, and if anyone can bring this off, it is them. This is must see music!

Backdrop magazine is hosting a Fall Music Fest Saturday night featuring "tons of bands."

"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" will happen Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. Always a good reason to wear skimpy transvestite gear.

Casa Cantina

Tonight at the Casa The Heartlanders return to form with their ramshackle country sound that reminds me of so many old pickup trucks. I intend that as high praise. Weird Science brings back the spirit of Thomas Dolby, and The Snails make an all-too-rare appearance with some of my favorite, angular, yet catchy tunes.

Friday: International Dance Night will have your folks dancing to a wide variety of styles best suited to natives of the region. Great fun for everyone. DJ Self Help will take you there.

Saturday night those Funkin' Kings of Rock & Soul, The Royales, will help loose those hips and shake those shoes when they unleash a barrage of funk-laden goodness. Joe Bob Billy & the Texas Alien will open the night with a set of classic, foot-stomping Joe Bob tunes. (A certain music writer that you know and love, or just know, plays in both bands.)

ARTS/West

It's Aquabear Legion Live time again, and just in time to conjoin with ART/oberfest Friday at ARTS/West. Seascapes is a new-ish band making the rounds these days featuring members of current and defunct bands such as Paper Machetes, Russenorsk and Spooktober. Liz Pahl will sing you sweetly melancholy tunes and Dead Winds of Summer will showcase Andrew Lampela's improv-ed and experimental music. This is a FREE show, and I think starts at 8 p.m. Is a musician without the ability to ad-lib musically considered to be improverished?

Donkey Coffee

Friday night's show will benefit St. Jude's Children's Hospital. ACRN.com and Coffee With the Folks present this concert and have rounded up the Bob Stewart Band along with Shaun & Abigail Bengson (Zombie Nationalists), Teddy Humpert (Kaslo) and Maureen Neer (Octopus).

Saturday night's show is a real winner and folk-friendly all around. Peter Mealy & Laurie Rose Griffith are Athens ex-pats who relocated to Virginia some years ago. They have a sweet and intriguingly laid-back folk style that always makes me smile. Jewel of the Rust Belt is the vehicle that promulgates Billy Rhinehart's delightfully quirky songs. To achieve this he has enlisted Johnny Borchard, Jimmy Smailes and Bruce Dalzell. Mighty fine.

19 South

Friday night iPhonic tops the bill of this grab bag of rock and roll outfits. Mindfish adds quirk and quality to the bill, The Ordinance fire some of the heavy stuff, and Kan.Dee.Flip makes their debut in this column and on that stage.

19 South has an Open Jam every Monday night.

Tuesday nights pick up a new regular musical act in the form of First Street Heat. I haven't heard about them or from them, but I know where to find them each week.

Wednesday night Triangle Pancake makes eating breakfast an exercise in geometry. The ubiquitous Special Guests will make an appearance.

Union Hall Theater - Chesterhill

Simply Ira will lay some smooth R&B on you Saturday night at the Union Hall Theater in Chesterhill, Ohio, a breathtaking drive this time of year. Classic rock 'n' roll is also slated for release.

OU Inn

Steve Zarate will be crooning for your parents as they check out Cultler's Restaurant in the OU Inn Saturday night from 6 to 8:30. If you're lucky, your folks will invite you along to dinner.

Rhapsody - Nelsonville

Dale Kulchar is back wafting mellifluous melodies toward you while you dine Saturday night at Rhapsody Restaurant in Nelsonville. Take the folks for a nice stroll around the historic Public Square, visit some shops, and grub down.

If someone steals your music, have you been riffed-off? I wanna know. Get out and hear some music! Giggity. Submitted allegro by the Articulator 1500.