American indie pop band, Smallpools, brought a full house to the 40 Watt Tuesday night. Formed in 2013, the band is relatively young, but you would never know it from the presence they bring to the stage. With big hooks, power chords and undeniably catchy melodies, it’s impossible not to dance and sing along as they showcase their genuine talent on stage.
Opening for the band was songwriter turned solo artist Phoebe Ryan, whose lighthearted pop and memorable melodies brought lots of charisma to the stage and got the crowd adequately pumped for alternative pop band, Machineheart. Their shimmering, upbeat sound and endlessly endearing vocals of lead singer, Stevie Scott, had the crowd absorbed in the music. The band closed with their hit, “Circles”–a bouncy track that earned its’ way into Spotify’s viral 50 chart earlier this year.
Both openers set the stage for the pop-influenced sound of Smallpools. The minute the band took the stage and broke into the first chords of “Over and Over,” the crowd went crazy. The positivity and eagerness of fans was tangible in the room, and this remained steadfast as the chords drifted into “Dyin’ to Live.” An impressive drum solo by Beau Kuther closed out the opening set, leaving the audience on a whimsical high.
When the band took the stage again, they slowed things down a bit with “A Real Hero”–an emotional track that highlighted the pure vocals of lead singer, Sean Scanlon. This mellow mood didn’t last for long though. Soon, Scanlon told the story of a girl trying to escape the fishbowl life in the catchy hit,”Mason Jar,” a track off their debut LP, LOVETAP!.
This mood carried into the next track, “American Love,” as the band promoted their tour of the same name. Surprisingly enough, Smallpools was signed to a major label in 2013 before they even played a live show. Flash forward two years and here they are, on tour promoting their first full-length album. However, as displayed in their show Tuesday night, this “lack” of experience is no hindrance to the vibrant performance they bring to the stage.
Before diving into the next track, the band gave an anecdote about one of their greatest musical inspirations–The Killers. An endearing mashup of Smallpools’ hit, “Karaoke” and The Killers’ track, “Human,” followed, leaving the crowd eager for more. One of the most exciting moments of the night, however, was when Scanlon urged the audience to put away all technology, for just one song. As the track, “Street Fight” filled the room, Scanlon jumped into the crowd with a video camera, giving fans a genuine, personal and undeniably exciting moment with the lead vocalist.
When Scanlon jumped back on stage, the band broke into an acoustic mashup of Major Lazer’s “Lean On” and the traditional “Lean on Me.” The acoustic melody was even complete with a campfire (on the iPad of course).
In the encore performance, the band performed an exciting arrangement of “Killer Whales,” complete with inflatable whales to toss around the crowd, followed by “No Story Time”–another track off their 2013 EP. The infectious single that drove the band to the top of the charts closed the night–avid Smallpools fans and newcomers alike found delight in the hit track, “Dreaming,” and the night ended on a playful high.
After Tuesday’s performance, it’s evident that this band is becoming more than just a big fish in a small(pool)–they are on their way to a bigger and better ocean.
With the neon title of their latest album illuminating the stage behind them and an eerie skeleton prop occupying the stage, Lord Huron filled the sold-out 40 Watt with a heartbreakingly beautiful sound on Wednesday night.
The L.A.-based indie-folk band originally started as a solo act by lead vocalist, Ben Schneider. After the release of a few EP’s, Schneider added four more members and the band quickly rose to success in their live tours. In 2011, they performed at multiple music festivals including Lollapalooza, South by Southwest and Outside Lands. Their debut album, Lonesome Dreams was released in 2012, followed by the 2015 release of Strange Trails, an album which set them up for their next round of live tours.
As fans followed Lord Huron to the 40 Watt, they were treated to the soulful sound of opening act, Son Little, a northeastern-based vocalist. With roots in acoustic blues, vintage soul and a little element of hip-hop, Son Little set the stage for the mellow but blissful noise that followed the rest of the night.
I was anxious to see what elements Lord Huron would bring to the stage in a live performance. With many of their songs inspired by adventure and location—even the name of the band itself—I knew a live setting was the perfect place for them to truly tell their story. The band started off on a mellow note, opening with “Love Like Ghosts,” a track off of their newest album. Schneider told the story of broken hearts and lost love as the lyrics “If you’re leaving, I gotta know why” reverberated around the room. The somber mood quickly turned around, however, with the bouncy rhythm of the next track, “Until The Night Turns,” again off of Strange Trails.
Lord Huron easily demonstrated their talent for layering sounds as a variety of instruments and sound effects were brought to the stage. In the next track, “Dead Man’s Hand,” Schneider surprised the crowd by whirring off a few chords on the harmonica and changing not just one or two, but three guitars throughout the show. The set offered an interesting contrast of sound, fluctuating between mellow and energetic, really giving fans the chance to absorb the emotion-enriched lyrics.
Of course, the band played a few favorites off their debut album including “Lonesome Dreams” and “She Lit A Fire,” both of which had fans singing along with every lyric. Although the majority of the show took on a relatively gentle and mellow atmosphere, the hand clapping and multiple “oh-oh-ohs,” were successful in getting the crowd adequately consumed in the show.
As the set came to a close, the band sang of being carelessly in love with the hit off of Strange Trails, “Fool For Love.” The ever-popular “Ends of the Earth” closed the show, followed by an encore performance of “The Night We Met” and “Time To Run,” a perfect combination of somber and bright that left the audience on a whimsical high.
Lord Huron brought their vision of the outdoors and adventure to life on the stage, creating an ethereal atmosphere that left the crowd eager to go on an adventure of their own. With the immense talent displayed on the stage Wednesday night, there is no doubt that the band’s fan-base will continue to build and follow them down whatever strange trails lie ahead in the future.
The line to the 40 Watt curved down Pulaski Street as people waited for the doors to open. Those who RSVP’d ahead of time were sent to a Red Bull Sound Select representative and given free chocolate chips cookies and foam black lips. Once inside, Muuy Biien performed an enthusiastic show and set the hardcore, punk mood for the rest of the night. Front man, Josh Evans brought the energy and the fun with his animated dance moves. After Muuy Biien, people migrated to the bar or outside for a cigarette. Even the boys of Muuy Biien made their way to ground level as fellow Black Lips fans. We weren’t outside for more than 30 minutes before my friend points out Black Lips’ singer, Cole, and the band’s female saxophonist walking by. It was an occurrence that seemed so surreal at the time, to be that close to performers dressed in their punk garb and makeup. Shaky Knees was a completely different experience; fans leaned over metal gates and bodyguards in order to reach for the Black Lips. The 40 Watt is much more intimate, eliminating the barrier between the audience and the performers. It’s not uncommon to see band members mingling among the audience with a PBR in hand or partaking in the chaos that is the mosh pit.
Finally, the seemingly misplaced 50’s standby music abruptly transitions to the rough and raw guitar sounds of Black Lips. Opening with “Family Tree,” the band wastes no time in amping up the energy. Cole gracefully trust falls onto a tightly packed group of audience members, and is just as gracefully placed back on stage. I vigorously nodded my head and bounced in the back of the crowd. The band recently included a female saxophonist that brings a new layer to the band’s sound. Although she is only present for a few songs, her power gives the songs new life. Its no secret that punk-rock shows can be overwhelming; one doesn’t come to a punk-rock show to sit in the back and not get pushed around. I think the genre is successful in generating an energetic crowd; as long as the performers are screaming into the mic and jumping around on stage, the audience is bound to follow. The genre gets back what it puts in. Have you ever been to a rock concert and not been able to dance? It’s hard. I think the same concept goes for any genre, but the punk-rock genre is all about creating chaos and instilling a rebellious mindset in its listeners.
It wasn’t long before I saw my girlfriend crowd surfing a few bodies in front of me. She was so close to the stage that I think Cole looked her square in the face. A few girls gabbed back in forth in front of me, a few even checking updates from Instagram as the band played “Boys in the Woods.” I couldn’t go to a Black Lips show at the 40 Watt and remain in the safe section. People started to filter out of the crowd, making their way to the calmness of the bar. The aggressive moshing and flying toilet paper rolls were too much to handle, but I grabbed my friend by the hand and pushed our way closer, eventually reuniting with my crowd surfing friend. I knew the concert was coming to an end, and I also knew I would regret it if I didn’t enter the ominous mosh pit. I asked my crowd surfing friend to come with me, which she agreed to without hesitation. As we pushed our way into the pit, the temperature immediately climbed 10 degrees and the humidity was enough to stifle my breath. Once in the center of the pit, my legs and arms became pinned to my body. It took all the power I had to pull an arm up for defense. I finally got my head up enough to see Jared’s sweaty, red face and the veins popping out of his neck as he belted out “Bad Kids.” In a blur, I see a guy jumping off the stage, and it’s my job to catch him. Immediately the impact takes my friend and I to the floor. I was surprised to feel people reaching for me, helping me up. It wasn’t long before the weight of so many bodies took its toll, and just as I felt a crushing sensation in my chest and a tingling in my face, I moshed my way out of the pit.
Just as Black Lips ended, the crowd chanted for an encore, and the band willingly obliged. I discovered I’m not much of a mosher, but I was proud of myself for taking a chance. Their recorded songs definitely have a cleaner quality, but there’s something about the rawness of a blood-curdling scream and the feedback of a guitar that gets to the heart of the audience member, physically. If you’re heart isn’t racing at a Black Lips concert, you’re either in the bathroom or passed out.
Atlanta-based band Stokeswood returned to Athens last night in support of their new EP, ‘2075.’ The electronic pop/indie rock group filled the Georgia Theatre with a young crowd, and the driving dance beats created an energy that was tangible both on and off the stage.
Stokeswood wasn’t the only one to take the stage by storm, however. Athens-based band Walden opened for the group, bringing an energetic live performance that lit up the stage. Their unique cover of “Pumped Up Kicks” was a favorite of the night and had the whole crowd singing along. Following the young band was Wrenn, the quirky, Athens-native queen of pop. Her rich, vibrant vocals and nationally recognized beat-boxing were the perfect combination to get the crowd adequately stoked for Stokeswood.
The energy from Wrenn and Walden carried into Stokeswood’s opening set, which included “Tightrope Talent,” a catchy track off the album In The Field of Vibrations and their newest single “2075” off the album of the same title. As the buoyant electronic beats reverberated around the Theatre, lead vocalist Adam Patterson danced around the stage barefoot, showcasing his talent as he switched instruments during and between songs. This eclectic style brought an ethereal quality to the stage, making it easy to get lost in the band’s soulful musical stylings.
Other fan favorites of the night were “Our Streets” and “Forget,” both off of their newest album, 2075. If the vibrant dance beats weren’t enough to get the crowd pumped, then the colorful laser and light show that accompanied the music were more than adequate at getting the job done. The band put on a light show worthy enough to battle any Jedi and as colors of green, purple, yellow, red and blue filled the room, you couldn’t help but jump and dance along with the vibrant beats.
2075 was recently awarded Best Local Album by Creative Loafing and after their show last night, it’s no surprise why. With their variety of instruments, the band creates a sound that is both textured and soulful—a mesmerizing sound for any listener. From electronic pop to alternative and indie rock, Stokeswood encompasses a variety of genres, a factor that will help them continue to grow their fan base. With captivating performances like the one seen at GATH last night, there’s no telling what this diverse, lively group will uncover next.
Purity Ring’s opener for their Another Eternity tour is LA-based artist HANA, and she took the stage last Saturday night in front of a packed house at Austin Music Hall. My first thought was that this is what Grimes would be like if she had a bit more pop culture appeal. You know, pretty face, tight clothes, all the stuff people want to see from a female musician (gag!). But real talk, the music was similar, just significantly more accessible than some of Grimes work. Come to find out, Claire Boucher actually calls HANA a dear friend, and Blood Diamonds (who worked with Grimes on “Go”) was the producer on HANA’s “Clay.” A not-so-curious connection.
HANA was alone on stage with just a mic and and whatever electronic goodies she was hiding behind her sashed equipment table, and her one-woman show commanded the crowd’s attention regardless of whether they were there to see her or not. She was a great choice for an opening act, and will stand to gain a lot of fans as this tour continues. She made one of me.
Floor level tickets had been sold out for days and Austin Music Hall was full to the brim for the start of Purity Ring’s set, which they opened with “Stranger Than Earth” off their new album Another Eternity.
The stage was outfitted with a sea of cables hanging from the ceiling, each sporting a string of illuminated pearls. Throughout the show, the tentacle-like cords showcased a superb array of colors, patterns, and effects, changing from song to song to match the vibe and the pace of the music. This set up was not only fun for the crowd to look at, but I would bet they are pretty fun for singer Megan James to play with on stage, and I know the woman or man controlling them behind the scenes HAS to have a good time. I want that job.
They skipped through the first handful of songs at a quick pace, cruising on the excited anticipation you could feel pulsating through the room at the step of the booming bass. Speaking of the bass, they had it turned up a few more notches than I recall from the last time I saw them (which was a few years ago on the Shrines tour). I had been warned that the sound at Austin Music Hall was not the best, but Purity Ring capitalized on what they had to work with, filling the large space with more sound than I honestly thought the duo possessed. While listening to a Purity Ring record in your bedroom might not give you the sense that this band has the potential to get loud, a live show will prove you quite wrong. What can seem like sad, quiet music in one setting transforms into a thumping pop concert in another.
After the first five songs (including “Heartsigh,” “Obedear,” and “Lofticries”), they paused briefly to thank HANA for opening up, and I paused to make a note to do some research on how Corin Roddick’s touch-sensitive light-emitting drum machine worked, and thankfully, their behind the scenes video with Creators Project answered a lot of my questions. Each “cocoon” is connected to a midi machine which turns the stroke of his drum stick into a wave form which can then be run through Ableton to translate it to a synth note. I think I got that right. Learn more here.
They also discussed in the interview their desire from day one to create a visual performance that was engaging for the audience, and to not just expect people to want to watch a guy press buttons on a keyboard. From their humble DIY beginnings with the Roddick’s first home-made light set up to the full-stage experience they are able to put on now, the band are certainly not a bore to watch. Mission accomplished.
With a huge eruption from the crowd and explosions of firework-like lights, they jumped right into the popular single “Push Pull” before hushing things down to build up to “Belispeak,” a cut from their debut record. While Shrines is notably more quiet and creepy (yes, creepy) than their more recent material, it was interesting to see this older song translated to their new live show. I never thought I’d feel like “Belispeak” was a dance party kind of song, but the crowd in Austin thought otherwise. They continued on the old-song train with “Crawlersout” which saw James hopping behind the instrument table with Roddick to add a few notes of her own.
If I had thought the crowd was nutty before, I was proven wrong when they went into “Bodyache,” one of the singles from Another Eternity. I should be used to things like this by now, but it was wild for me to see so many mouths singing along when a few years ago, the vast majority would of these people would have thought only of a piece of jewelry symbolizing a commitment to abstinence if someone mentioned “purity ring”.
For “Dust Hymn” I was more than happy to see the illuminating gong that James used on their last tour resurface. This time, rather than standing alone on the side of the stage, the gong was hung high above Roddick’s table, with James ascending a platform to showcase it’s effects.
I must admit that I lost it a little when the first few notes of “Flood on the Floor” came through the speakers. I just cannot fathom how this song was not a single. It’s absolutely the most hard-hitting track on the album, with the most fierce breakdown of anything they’ve ever put out. I won’t try to sell you on it, just watch for yourself.
If anyone thought that there weren’t enough interesting lights and light-up instruments on stage at this point, James appeased their desire for more when she revealed a new toy – a row of light-emitting vertical tubes she played while wearing mirror-lined gloves that threw the light in all different directions. Another note to self to research how this thing works.
The two songs she played with this instrument were a slow point in the show. That’s not to be taken in a bad way; one of my favorite things about this band and this show in particular is their ability to take the listener on a roller coaster of dancefloor-ready tracks to slower, more melodic ones like “Sea Castle” and “Stillness in Woe”.
After an old favorite “Fireshrine” saw an animated crowd brimming with enthusiasm, James paused to address the group, who absolutely went nuts upon her expressing her love for Austin. She also warned, “We have one left and we don’t do encores.”
What had been missing from the set? “Begin Again,” of course. With a mass of people screaming the words back to her, James let the voice of the masses sing the end of the last verse as the music faded. With the drop of that next beat, she threw herself into the eager crowd and surfed her way through to the end of the show.
On the whole, Another Eternity has infinitely more pop value than their debut album, and whether you consider that a good or bad thing, the’ve upped their own game in terms of how they perform these songs live, both new and old. They continue to evolve into a more pop friendly outfit, and I’ll be the first one to applaud them for their success. I just hope they don’t let this Nick Jonas collaboration go too far…
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The Movie Life. All photos by Samantha Nakhoul.
“The last time I saw you act like this, we were kids.”
A couple weekends ago The Masquerade entertained thousands of Atlantans with a dream lineup of 60 punk and hardcore bands. The name was fitting, given the recent selling of the venue to a multi-family developer who plans to turn the land into a mixed-use development. Its proximity to the BeltLine, a former railway corridor turned linear park, made the acquisition inevitable. It remains to be seen what will happen to the building, but early plans call for the former Du Pree Manufacturing Company Excelsior Factory to be repurposed as part of the massive development. Though the old mill hangs in a poetic state of purgatory, one thing is for sure: the days of concerts at the iconic venue are numbered.
The recent headlines made the inaugural Wrecking Ball music festival that much more compelling. With a ridiculous lineup that included Descendents, The Get Up Kids, Coheed and Cambria, Desaparecidos, Thrice, Glassjaw, Appleseed Cast, American Nightmare, Modern Life is War, Braid, Pianos Become the Teeth, and Foundation among others, the only way it could’ve been any better was if they brought in an actual wrecking ball after Coheed and Cambria closed it out on Sunday and literally tore the place down. So many of these bands started their careers in Hell and slowly worked their way up to Heaven and eventually out to the Music Park. Part of what made the weekend so great was hearing the artists share their personal experiences playing these stages. The Get Up Kids recalled their first trip here 20 years ago touring with MxPx and even played the first song they ever wrote as a tribute. Conor Oberst mockingly seemed into purchasing a condo on the land, and Descendents had to be yanked off the stage, though probably not in protest. It seems every band that has ever passed through this city has played at least once at The Masquerade, and that is what makes this place so special. Yeah, the sound isn’t very good, and it feels like the floor will collapse at any second sending everyone in Heaven to their death, but there’s something about this musty old clap trap that keeps us coming back. Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Public Enemy, Nine Inch Nails, the list goes on, but this weekend was a celebration of punk.
I’ll admit this lineup would’ve been much more exciting to me 15 years ago, and maybe I was in attendance solely to keep my 16-year-old self from coming back and murdering me in my sleep. Many of these bands have slipped into “guilty pleasure” listening status while others serve as a consistent reminder of who I am and how I got here. Each one reminds me of riding around on hot southern nights with the windows down and five friends singing at the top of their respective lungs. It was a throwback, and I’m okay with that.
For my personal tastes, Saturday was the reason I was there. The Music Park stage got things rolling with The Coathangers, The Lawrence Arms, Title Fight, and The Movielife. The latter putting on an energetic set during which they thanked the crowd for making this “the best show (they’ve) ever played in Atlanta.” They even commented on the amount of lyrics being shouted back at them – apparently the New York of the South has never been so welcoming of this actual New York band. Inside, Braid, Small Brown Bike, and Samiam lit up the Heaven Stage to round out the afternoon.
As night fell, everyone moved out to the Music Park for main attractions: The Get Up Kids and Descendents. This was the first time I got to see The Get Up Kids, which were amazing. I know they’ve been doing this for a long time and have been involved in several other big name and solo projects over the years, but I was so impressed with their sound. Nothing against the other bands, but Matt Pryor and the boys were the most professional sounding band of the weekend. They went through all the classics including Red Letter Day, Ten Minutes, Shorty, Action & Action, Holiday, and Mass Pike, among others. I forgot just how many catchy songs they had written and was genuinely surprised how many of the lyrics I could still belt out.
The night came to a close with Descendents, who have made perhaps the biggest impact of any band on punk music over the course of their 38 year career. Most of the musicians at this festival probably had at least a couple of Milo’s songs on their earliest mixtapes or playlists, and many were on stage taking it all in. They went through a crazy long set of about 30 songs before the PA system was cut, and everyone was told to go home, proving just how punk rock these old guys remain.
The outdoor vibe on Sunday was a little more laid back with Yuck, Basement, and Cave In paving the way for a rather subdued Thrice set. The harder hitting acts like Foundation, Glassjaw, and Blacklisted were pushed indoors where multiple hangovers were sweat out in front of the Heaven Stage. Back outside, Desaparecidos, and Coheed and Cambria finished off the weekend. Not much to say about them except that Conor was Conor, and Coheed was much less epic than usual, only playing around a dozen songs.
Overall, it was a great weekend to be a punk, and I’m glad the organizers of Wrecking Ball were able to put together such an amazing group of bands as part of The Masquerade’s farewell concert series.
A few things I found curious:
Purgatory wasn’t Purgatory – it was a merch-sized tent out in front of the venue. The real Purgatory was roped off as an artist’s lounge – kind of a bummer.
Thrice and Glassjaw were scheduled in overlapping time slots, making it impossible to see each of their sets in entirety. I wasn’t the only one upset about that flap, as Dustin Kensrue even felt compelled to comment on the obvious mistake during their set.
The discovery of the weekend came in the form of the band Somos who shut down the Purgatory Stage on Sunday night. The Boston based quartet are playing a refreshing brand of catchy emo throwback tunes. They have a full length titled Temple of Plenty that I highly recommend giving a listen. Be on the lookout for a recently finished record in the coming months.
Cayucas, helmed by twin brothers Zach and Ben Yudin, named themselves after “a sleepy little seaside town” in California, and you can almost hear those rolling waves in their music. It’s dreamy, sunny, and just plain makes you feel good, the same way an ocean breeze kisses your cheek and puts a smile on your face.
They brought their summery vibes to the Parish in Austin last Sunday night, with Seattle surf-rock band Hibou opening the night. Hibou is the new project of 21-year-old Peter Michel, former drummer of Craft Spells. The energy these kids brought arguably stole the night for me, at least in terms of surprise. I wasn’t familiar with their music previously, but with Michel dancing around the stage barefoot and his lead guitarist in old-school Adidas flip flops and a massive grin stuck on his face, I couldn’t help but be enchanted. Keep an eye out for these guys; their debut record is coming out this fall on Barsuk.
Cayucas carried some of that energy into their headlining set, opening with their most recent single, “Moony Eyed Walrus,” and heading straight into another fairly upbeat track “Hella,” both off their new album Dancing at the Blue Lagoon.
The rest of the evening felt a bit more subdued, moving through a nice selection of their sway-enducing singles including “Cayucos” (the name of the city from which they take their name) and “Will, “The Thrill”” (one of my personal favorites… something about the line “oh my God, is this really happening to me?” gets me every time).
The definitive song of the night may have been “Blue Lagoon,” which saw Zach Rudin back on guitar after a few songs on keys and one which he provided only vocals. It’s super sharp, jangly guitar sounds had the entire crowd swaying along and it seemed to be one of the most recognizable for the room.
The next song, “Ditches,” slowed things down in a big way, followed by “Deep Sea” and “High School Lover,” which was written about Zach’s high school lover, who has apparently gotten married since and doesn’t know the song was written about her. This was one of the rare moments of banter between the band on stage; they weren’t a very talkative bunch. They did, however, make time to shout out Hibou before leaving the stage. There was mention of a Matt Damon impression, which we were not treated to, but watch out for the Hibou bassist busting that one out somewhere down the road.
Cayucas may not have provided the most energetic of performances, but it seemed to fit with their hazy tones, perfect for lazy summer days, and appropriate for the lethargic tendencies that Austin’s summer heat can bring.
With the recent news that Wet Hot American Summer is getting a Netflix reboot, it’s easy to slip into campy (sorry) nostalgia. Think back to the halcyon days of food on sticks, eau de bug spray lingering in the air, and weirdly intense two-month friendships which end in unfulfilled promises to “totally write to each other like all the time!!” If you find yourself missing summer camp, then boy, do we have good news for you: Campfest. Is. Here.
In the same way that Dave & Buster’s is a Chuck E. Cheese for adults, Campfest is a return to the cherished American tradition of outdoorsy, activity-packed summer camp – with a musical twist. We could tell you about the crafting on crafting on crafting, or the karaoke and cornhole competitions, or even the festival’s preposterously picturesque location at a real summer camp in the Blue Ridge mountains of Georgia. But this being Vinyl Mag we’re gonna tell you about the surprisingly rad band lineup.
Making an appearance at the inaugural event are Cold War Kids, the Whigs, Langhorne Slim, Roadkill Ghost Choir, Hey Rosetta!, and Margo and the Pricetags. What better way to stay warm (as warm as you’ll want to stay on a September night in Georgia) in the mountains than a few great bands playing anthemic, ringing rock and roll?
Indie rock is a broad umbrella. If you’re into the harsher, rawer chord assault side of things (as this writer surely is), the Whigs are your bag – check the nuclear bomb that is “Someone’s Daughter”. And you know we always love giving shoutouts to the hometown heroes. But for the mellower folks out there, Cold War Kids and Hey Rosetta! make what I like to call midnight music. It’s contemplative, heavily reverbed, and is generally good for looking thoughtfully out of a car window at the world racing by. Hey Rosetta!’s excellent 2015 record Second Sight is full of such offerings. Cold War Kids, as most of you probably know, make alternative piano ballads that are the perfect comforting nightcaps after a long day of adult league dodgeball. And then there’s the funk side of things, brought to Campfest courtesy of Alanna Royale and her Dap-Kings vibiness. Goes without saying that this lady has a killer voice.
Alternately, Langhorne Slim (nee Sean Scolnick) prefers the rootsier side of bouncy acoustic rock. Though he hasn’t released music since 2012, his discography goes back nearly a decade and is full of fantastic bluegrass-informed numbers like “Coffee Cups” and “Set Em Up”. Speaking of roots music, you mainly need to get your ass here to see newcomers Margo and the Pricetags. They hail from Nashville and unfortunately aren’t on Spotify yet, but that’s no excuse not to fall in love with her whip smart back-t0-basics country.
It’s worth mentioning that Campfest, which runs September 18-20 in Camp Blue Ridge, GA, isn’t even done announcing its full lineup. Wristbands and day passes are on sale here, but why the heck wouldn’t you want to overnight it?
AthFest –also known as Athens-Clarke County’s premiere local music festival – went down this weekend, and here is a brief VinylMag recap of some things that happened.
Another year, another exclamation that our music scene is better than yours. I mean, where else can you find this much talent in one town? Don’t say New York, Portland, Nashville, or Austin; that was a rhetorical question and those are cities. As Harry Kagan from Music Band so eloquently put it, “You can’t shake a stick in this place and not hit somebody with a drum key.” The annual summer showcase of Athens’ musicians was the best we’ve seen in recent years. The organizers put together a nice mix of Athens upstarts and established heavyweights while mixing in a few nationally known touring acts to attract one of the largest crowds to date.
Most of Saturday afternoon was spent dodging light rain showers, catching up with friends and fanboying at Caledonia Lounge’s Dirty Athens Day Party. This is truly the place to see and be seen during AthFest. You’ll pay no cover, drink cheap beer, and discover some gritty new punk band along the way. It’s a great way to ease into what is sure to be a long night. The highlights were locals Hot Fudge, Crunchy, Grand Vapids (keep scrolling), and Nashville’s Music Band. The latter put on perhaps the tightest and most energetic set I saw all weekend. Those guys are true professionals.
Then the rains came. I’m talking heavy – like Bells Beach at the end of Point Break heavy. The 50 year storm was upon us, and Manhattan Cafe was my once-in-a-lifetime wave. I rode it out and settled in for Hardy and the Hard Knocks on the Hull Street Stage where Morris played slightly more uptempo than recent live offerings. The small townie stage next to Little King’s Shuffle Club provided the perfect setting for their brand of rowdy backwoods grunge. You’d be hard pressed to find a band producing a more authentic sound than these guys.
The day’s outdoor headliner was beloved Athens weirdos and hired hands of Montreal. I haven’t missed one of their local sets since I was transplanted to the scene three years ago, even traveling to Atlanta one night for a Terminal West date with Monsoon. Seeing of Montreal is always a treat, no matter which musicians Kevin Barnes assembles to come along on his carousel of oddities. Their live performances are often legendary, and it’s rare to see an artist that cares so much about his stage presence and interaction with the audience. That being said, this set proved that Barnes and Co. is an act that must be experienced in the confines of four walls; outdoor stages and open air just don’t do them justice – especially when you’re banging bodies with smelly, rain-soaked strangers. Maybe the years have finally caught up with me, but five songs in, I was ready to make a move.
I hustled up to the Georgia Theatre rooftop to catch the last few songs of Woodfangs. After seeing their name on nearly every flier and admittedly only hearing some of their music over the last couple years, I was excited to finally see them play. The small sample size (only 3 or 4 songs) did leave an impression. John Harry’s psych-saturated guitar and energetic, sometimes spastic vocals paired with dry banter really make for a fun listen. Rather than feed off of Harry’s energy though, the other ‘fangs seem to drift in and out, failing to make much of an impression. I’m willing to give these guys a pass, as the crowd was nearly non-existent – its tough to get up for girlfriends and old roommates. The most important thing Woodfangs provided were clever licks over an upbeat albeit dark, rhythm. After sporadic, heavy afternoon downpours forced me to slug a couple beers at Manhattan, the sound of Woodfangs ushering in the night was a truly welcome sound.
With the night fully descended upon Athens, The Rooftop crowd swelled just in time for Grand Vapids: Part Two. While the Dirty Athens day set was heavy on Deerhunter with hints of Cloud Nothings, the nighttime version featured the melodic indie drone they debuted in January. Spurned Caledonia fans from earlier saw a band returning to their roots. What I saw was a band that approached the weekend with the same intentionality of every pick stroke and melody present on Guarantees. Simply put they catered to the party, showed a little more personality, and displayed some musical growth. That kind of thought and dedication to their craft is what has this band poised for a breakout. If you hoped to find Athens’ next big export at this year’s Fest, Grand Vapids is the one you want to pretend like you’ve been listening to for months.
Surfer Blood was probably the band I was most looking forward to at this year’s AthFest. After just missing them at Shaky Knees, I was curious to see how their music translated to the stage. They played all the songs you’d expect, and quite flawlessly at that. Stage presence left a lot to be desired, but the precision at which they played was refreshing to see. After seeing them for myself, my worries of them being merely a studio band were put to rest. They’re deserving of the early success.
On Friday night – well, Saturday morning, really – the Caledonia crowd was treated to some electrifying punk ‘n roll courtesy of Savannah quasi-locals CUSSES. The impossibly loud trio, made up of lead singer Angel, guitarist Bryan, and drummer Brian, played a no-muss-no-fuss set of L.A. glam rock with jagged industrial edges, and as with any good rock show, things got a little weird.
Like I said, these three sure made a racket. Every song saw Bryan headbanging to his axe, Brian’s arms swinging madly at his kit, and Angel convulsing and high-stepping about the stage. Corny as it may seem, the woman has literal moves like Jagger. She kicked and raged around like a punk rock Ke$ha (for the record, I’m positive I’m not the first to make that comparison), perfectly physically conveying the leather clad spunk in their music.
As omnipresent as punk may be at the Caledonia, CUSSES were also able to seamlessly blend their Black Flag influences with metal, hardcore and hair alike. Much of Bryan’s METZ-y riffage unironically drew from hair metal and stadium rock bombast (now would be a good time to mention Angel’s RATT shirt). “I’m Gonna Get You” feels like L.A. in the 1980’s, whereas “The Wait Is Over” sounds like Metallica’s bottom fell out.
But even metal from Georgia dabbles in performance art from time to time, and CUSSES were no exception. There were distortion jams and otherworldly time signatures; there was upside down cymbal playing; and there was a whole lot of intense eye contact. Nothing within five hours of Athens is without its experimental side.
Punk, rock, metal, glam, yada yada yada – the interesting thing about CUSSES was their ability to flirt with all those different genres without plunging into one too obviously. “Hey You” even approached pop at times, blasphemous as that may be, but it was all blended so well, trivial labels simply fell away. In short, CUSSES are like the fidgety ‘problem child’ at an elementary school – they may not seem like they fit into any particular category, and authority figures may be a little freaked out by ’em, but they’re destined to become the cool kid that everyone wants to hang with.
