Tag: Georgia Theatre
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Concert Review: flipturn Glows at the Georgia Theatre
Last Friday, Florida-based flipturn brought their Shadowglow tour to the Georgia Theatre for one glorious sold-out evening with support from Athens’ beloved Hotel Fiction.
Hotel Fiction
From the second Hotel Fiction stepped on stage, it became abundantly clear that they were meant to be there as Jade Ireland’s soft vocals and Jessica Thompsons’s sharp sound balance each other out so brilliantly. Their distinct vocals allowed them to shine independently or as a duo, whenever they decided to grace the audience with some of the most incredible harmonies I have heard. This was especially true when they played their breakout hit “Astronaut Kids.” During their set, they asked the audience members to hold up their phone lights to make it feel like space and this was very consistent with the overall vibe of the show, which I can only describe as what I imagine it would feel like to attend a rave on a spaceship.
Seeing a band perform in the city they are from always elevates the experience; while I’m sure that “Athens GA” sounded phenomenal at every show, I’m willing to bet it sounded just a little sweeter in the Classic City itself. There is nothing quite like a hometown show.
They played “Man on The Moon” off their latest EP Enjoy Your Stay and not only was it my favorite song from their set, it is now one of my favorite songs from recent years—calling it phenomenal feels like an understatement, but for now that’s the word I’m landing on. I fully intend on listening to this song an absurd number of times until I physically can’t anymore. Then, picking it back up sometime around May and doing it all over again.
Towards the end, they played “Instead of us,” which is a triumphant number about putting yourself first. It is so well written that it makes me want to tell off people that didn’t even wrong me due to how empowered it made me feel. In only four minutes, the song both destroyed and rebuilt me. To close out their set, they asked the audience to sing along to their song “Monster,” but I am confident the crowd would have done this unprompted.
Every time a song ended, I was sad because I didn’t want it to be over, but once the next one started, I immediately felt on top of the world again. My biggest regret going into the show is only knowing a couple of their originals. To repent for this grave error, I will immediately be learning all of them. Although traveling to outer space may be ambitious, Hotel Fiction is certainly going places.
flipturn
I was familiar with flipturn’s music prior to the show but after hearing them during soundcheck I knew that I was in for something special. My expectations were high going into the evening, and they were absolutely shattered within ten minutes; the atmosphere in the venue was fantastic, the energy on stage was electric, and frontman Dillon Basse and bassist Madeline Jarman did high knees that put my high school tennis conditioning to shame. (They were also given sparkly cowboy hats by an audience member for “Space Cowboy” which really added to the ambiance.)
On top of being great musicians, they just seemed like great people. I watched at one point as Basse struggled to get the lyrics out, because he was too busy smiling at the audience’s response to the song. This made it clear that they were as humble as they were talented. Later, I watched as he jumped full speed into the audience while trying to crowd surf, but was unfortunately greeted by the Georgia Theatre floor instead of the loving arms of the audience. I think that he felt a full array of emotions that evening.
They have a great catalog consisting of songs with choruses that were designed to be played in front of a packed venue, and are somehow able to keep the atmosphere in the room lighthearted, even when performing songs like “Whales” and “Goddamn” that feature heavy subject matter, like dealing with suffocating pressure and mental health respectively. They have the unique ability of making a room full of people shouting the lyrics “Goddamn my mind, sign of the times / If everyone’s fine, everyone’s lying to you” feel comforting instead of daunting.
After seeing them perform “Halfway,” which features a nod to Houston, and “Chicago,” I concluded that they should write more songs that mention cities. (I would like to throw Athens’ name into the ring if they’re open to suggestions.) These are the kinds of songs that make me want to drive around with my friends and an open sunroof; they made me feel like I was in a coming-of-age movie even though I am a prehistoric 23-year-old.
While the set mainly consisted of songs from their debut album Shadowglow, released last August, as well as some earlier releases, they also covered “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” by Tears For Fears. With the way they dominated the Georgia Theatre, they just might be on track to do so.
During the encore they played “Vanilla,” a deep cut from their debut EP Heavy Colors. Basse prefaced it by telling the audience that it is not normally a part of their set, but they were making an exception since someone yelled it out earlier. Based on how the audience responded to the song, I think it was a pretty good call. At the end of their encore, they brought out Hotel Fiction to join them on stage for fan favorite “Nickel,” a song and moment that reminded me just how much fun live music can be.
They mentioned that this was their largest headline show to date, but judging by the massive amount of talent that I witnessed that evening, I have a feeling this won’t be the case for much longer.
Jameson Tank at Georgia Theatre
Haley: Going to our first Jameson Tank show, we did not know what to expect. Entering the evening guided only by lots of beer, a dream and the legends passed down by our Vinyl Mag forefathers, our names are Haley and Jacob, and this is our story.
Jake: Let us set the scene for you: two awkward individuals posted up in the corner of the Georgia Theatre, merch table on one side, overcomplicated sound table on the other and overly intimidating band members all around.
H: I felt like Dorothy when she first arrived in Oz.
J: We got the whole press treatment with access all around: green room, mezzanine and even the extra special artist bathroom with a squatting stool. With full bottles of Jack Daniels all around and a stacked beer fridge at our disposal, our night kicked off.
The Ocho (Although We Only Counted Seis)
H: The second I heard the first chords of “Ain’t No Sunshine” playing from the Georgia Theatre bathroom, I knew I was in for a great time. When I came back upstairs the lights were dim, the girls were feral and my beer was only slightly warm. This Saturday night marked The Ocho’s first time playing at the iconic Athens venue, but they didn’t appear nervous. In fact, this seemed to fuel them.
J: The Ocho started off with some fantastic covers. As soon as they stepped out, the crowd rushed forward, and I fully expected a mosh pit to their cover of “Ain’t No Sunshine.”
H: They covered “Valerie” (best-known for its Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse version), which is an impressive feat in general, but even more so considering lead singer Will Pile was battling a cold. I’m not sure if NyQuil does sponsorships, but I’d like to officially nominate him.
J: Before the show, he confessed to us that he had just taken almost every single cold medicine available, making the performance of ol’ NyQuil boy extremely impressive. Also worth noting is Pile’s tambourine skills, which were awesome—I about fell over when he knocked it against his forehead.
H: They graced the audience with a cover of “Sheep” by Mt. Joy, and as a big fan I was thoroughly pleased with this rendition. Later on, when Pile and keyboard player Garrett Seitz switched places on stage, the audience collectively gasped and clutched their pearls. In contrast to the rest of his more casually-dressed bandmates, Seitz was wearing a formal jacket and sunglasses—a power move I greatly respect.
J: When they switched instruments for the final song, it completely blew my mind. The Ocho is certainly a talented bunch (of seis).
H: Amidst the crowd-pleasing covers, they also played four originals. To close out the set, the band played their debut single “Izzy.” While the song’s refrain asks “Izzy is he really stupid enough to let you go?,” the decision to save this song for last was anything but that. The atmosphere in the room was particularly spectacular during this song. The crowd knew every word. It was a special moment for a young band.
J: Everything made sense when an 8 ball was thrown on stage towards the end of their set. I’m hoping they got a resounding yes to the question “Do we rock?.”
H: I’m not sure what question they asked but if it was “Should we cover “Astrovan” by Mt. Joy soon?,” then the answer is yes.
J: I congratulated them as they came off the stage and found myself face to face with one of the funniest moments of the night as The Ocho was celebrating in the stairwell with their videographers. This night was full of talent and tomfoolery.
The Angelics
J: The Angelics gave an electrifying performance. I enjoy their music, but damn, they sound great live. It was funny seeing them come out and take their places because I did not expect anyone to play the instruments they did. We joined them for a nice dinner before and after nearly an hour of contemplation on who played what, I did not nail a single one down. They were a really kind group of guys, I must say.
H: The Angelics had a unique sound that reminded me of early 2000’s pop-rock, except if the singers of those bands respected women. At one point, lead singer Caleb Heiple’s glasses fell off while he was performing and he gained extra powers—think Clark Kent becoming Superman. From that moment on, he seemed to let go completely.
J: They gave us a taste of their upcoming EP Mom’s House, and it was really solid music. They had the entire crowd dancing to songs they had never heard before, which is a really impressive feat. They also played a song that won’t be included on the upcoming, which was not cool because it ROCKED. I remember just looking at Haley and exchanging a sad look of agreement, then us taking big gulps of our respective beers.
H: I’m honestly kind of mad at them for it because it was just that good of a song (the beer helped me numb the pain). I am open to forgiving them if they release it soon.
J: The most impressive part of their set was when they brought out violinist Julia Nyunt and trumpeter Ramon Zamudio. Their combination was beautiful. Nyunt absolutely shredded on her violin. Every set of eyes in the venue was on her when she played.
H: I’m not sure if it was due to their name or their RedBull sponsorship, but the band seemed to earn their wings Saturday night. Prior to this show the band had never played the Georgia Theatre, but I am willing to bet that they will return. As a whole, their set was fantastic and I am really looking forward to that EP.
J: They rocked so hard. Not a smidge of nerves or fear could be seen before the show. Their set was seamless, every cover was well-received and you could tell The Angelics had true fans in the crowd when they played their originals.
Note from Haley: This last part is for Kirby Smart and Todd Monken only so if that’s not you, you can skip ahead: you need to draft bass player Jason Angelich, because I am confident he can play football as well as he plays the bass. (This man is 6’8, we confirmed with him after the set.) When they threw out free t-shirts, his side of the stage had an unfair advantage.
Jameson Tank
H: The intro to their set felt like a fight song and I was immediately ready to go to battle with them (and I don’t think it was just because of the alcohol). During their set, I came to two realizations: if you told me that Billie Joe Armstrong and Tom DeLonge personally manufactured Jameson Tankersley’s voice in a lab and gifted it to him The Little Mermaid style to keep pop-punk alive I would believe you; and with how high he jumped on stage, track and field would be a suitable alternative career path for him if this music thing doesn’t work out. If he had asked an audience member to co-sign a lease or join a pyramid scheme they would have agreed—that is the kind of effect he had over the crowd.
J: Each member had their own distinct style. Their bassist, Javier Solorzano, was closest to me, and wow, what a man. He looks like your traditional metal guy if he had just rolled out of bed and thrown on whatever was closest. Edgy hair, funky shirt, and … slides? The guitarist, Bryce Burnette, was another story. He had on a sick jacket and an even sicker scarf covering the entire jacket (I nominate him for the coolest outfit of the night). And I’ll be honest, I was pretty jealous of his hair; he must have at least 4 steps to his hair routine.
Then there was Jameson Tankersley, the epitome of a rockstar, with his long, blonde hair and striking white shoes. The second you lay eyes on him, it’s hard not to think “damn, that guy is meant to be on that stage.” Lastly, their drummer, Connor Ankerich, wrapped it up perfectly, with just a good ol’ black tee. They hit about every demographic of style we have here in Athens.
Jameson had a sleek guitar with “FUCK YES” written in black tape on the back, and it perfectly summed up his energy. The bassist had a really cool 5 string bass, accented with a cute little scarf wrapped around its head (to compliment the guitarist’s scarf), the drummer had a bold Jameson Tank logo on a flashy red drum set, and the guitarist had a stark white guitar (to again compliment his scarf), all tying together to form one of the sickest setups I’ve ever seen. Looking like that, I knew I was in for a hell of a show.
H: Early into the set, the band covered the 2008 party staple “Don’t Trust Me” by 3OH!3 and the audience screamed the lyrics “You tell your boyfriend (boyfriend), if he says he’s got beef / That I’m a vegetarian and I ain’t fucking scared of him” with such a fervor that PETA would’ve been proud; the only thing that would have made that moment better is if the crowd began throwing Beyond Burgers at Tankersley.
J: And a hell of a show it was. Tankersley has a stage presence like no other, rocking with the crowd and jumping high as hell (his signature move). I quickly came to understand why Jameson Tank was such a household name around Athens—I could literally feel the love from the crowd. Fans sung every word and the girls were screaming like Harry Styles was in the building.
H: Halfway through the set, bassist Solorzano took over lead vocals to play an original heavy metal song. Even though I understood none of the words, I throughly enjoyed it. (For context, imagine someone performing a song in a deep, guttural growl). After the song, he jokingly said “Ouch,” and I would like to thank him for his sacrifice.
J: It was a stand-out moment. His aforementioned metal look shone through. His screaming vocals stunned every person in the crowd. That guy is extremely talented.
H: Later in the set, he harmonized on a fairly high-pitched song which showed that he really can do it all (including having excellent hair, a reoccurring theme tonight).
The crowd response did not waver as the band went back and forth between timeless covers (“Smells Like Teen Spirit”) and heavy-hitting originals (“Too Hot to Hold,” “Fight Fair”), a testament to their talent. They played a cover of “When You Were Young” by The Killers that single handedly healed my trauma from a freshman year situationship because now I have a different memory to associate the song with. So thank you Mr. Tank & Co!
At some point, I watched as guitar player Bryce Burnette chased whiskey with a RedBull on stage and I am now both slightly afraid of and in deep awe of him.
J: At the end of the show, all the performers joined Jameson Tank for one final song, and it was a special moment. I couldn’t help but chuckle when there were three people all smashing down on the keys as the show came to a close. It looked like every single one of them had a blast that night.
H: While Tank might be in their name, the band sure as hell didn’t.
Show Review: Rainbow Kitten Surprise at the Georgia Theatre
Last time Rainbow Kitten Surprise played in Athens, Georgia, they played a single show at one of Athens’ mid-sized venues: the 40 Watt. Two years later, on Tuesday, April 3, they returned to Athens with Ohio-based folk band CAAMP for a show at one of the largest and most iconic venues in Athens: the Georgia Theatre. This explosion in popularity for the band in the Athens scene shows just how rapidly the band’s fanbase is growing worldwide. Rainbow Kitten Surprise, an alternative/indie group from Boone, North Carolina, fits right into the Athens music scene, and this showed during the concert by the sheer number of times the crowd knew all the lyrics to a song. Despite their rapid growth in popularity, the band hasn’t forgotten their history with Athens. After performing a song, lead singer Sam Melo asked the crowd who attended their previous show at the 40 Watt two years ago. Melo even remembered the name of the bar that he hung out with fans at after the show.
Rainbow Kitten Surprise made their entrance by walking out to a song reminiscent of “I Wanna Be Like You” from the Jungle Book soundtrack. The lighthearted song set the scene for the band’s stage presence throughout the show. The closeness between the band members could be seen in how they all interacted and joked with each other on stage as well as in how they fed off each other’s energy during songs. This made the show feel more relaxed as the audience got a peek at the comradery between the bandmates.
The band’s newest album, How to: Friend, Love, Freefall, is due for release this Friday, April 6, so it should be no surprise that the setlist for the show contained a healthy amount of songs from the new album mixed in with classic hits from older albums. The band started off with a hit from their soon-to-be-released album called “Fever Pitch”. As the show progressed, the band performed classics like “Cocaine Jesus” and “Devil Like Me”, which the audience ate up. The band lit up when the audience would unanimously sing back all the lyrics to these classics. Sprinkled into the set were a few more unreleased songs from their upcoming album. Some of the songs included powerful spoken word verses, similar to parts in older songs like “That’s My Shit”.
A variety of themes were explored in Rainbow Kitten Surprise’s new songs as well. Before starting one of the new songs, bassist Charlie Holt called out the devastating effects of the opioid epidemic across the United States before the band launched into a song exploring the suicidal and lethal effects that drug addiction can have on someone. One of the opening lyrics of the song stuck with me: “Try not to kill myself today”. The band isn’t afraid to be blunt with lyrics, and this heightens the emotional intensity in their music.
The emotional intensity didn’t come solely from the lyrics though. Lead singer Sam Melo performed the lyrics with a variety of expressions. On more upbeat songs, he would kick and twirl around on the stage in an odd way, but this only added to the energy present on stage. While he sang, Melo’s face would contort in various expressions and he would use animated hand gestures, almost as if he was acting out the lyrics or performing a free expression dance. Melo seemed to be telling tales through the lyrics as well as through his expressions and gestures, and this drew the audience further into the show.
The band exited the stage and promptly returned for not one but two encore performances. At one point during the second encore, Melo took off his shirt during “Run” and even entered the crowd at one point during “That’s My Shit”. The band left the crowd feeling electrified, exuberant, and content with the fact that there was no better way to spend a beautiful Tuesday night in Athens.
All photos by Emma Korstanje
Review: Judah & the Lion: Going to Mars Tour
Tall Heights :
Colony House:
Judah:
The first of Judah & the Lion’s two-night sold-out stint at the Georgia Theatre in Athens, GA, started strong and ended with a bang. The “folk hop n’ roller’s” constructed a show as equally meaningful as it was exciting, and easily kept fans on their toes for the entirety of the night.
The show opened with Tall Heights, an electrofolk duo out of Boston, MA. At this point, the theatre was already quite full and the musicians played to that pressure well. While they crooned, they found incredibly interesting ways to engage the audience—at one point pulling off one of the coolest in-show magic tricks I’ve ever seen. The group asked the entire audience to pull out their various phones, to call another in the room, and then put the call on speaker. These calls echoed throughout the theatre and really brought the performance to another level.
Next up was Colony House, a group out of Nashville, TN. These modern-day Beach Boy rockers had a strong following in the audience and definitely played to that strength. The group was upbeat, incredibly high energy, and carried the confidence of experience. Though considerably louder (think: drums-shaking-ribcage-loud) the band managed to keep a clean sound to show off their technical prowess.
Both openers were met with really strong reactions from the crowd. Then there was Judah. The crowd erupted.
Understandably so, as the Nashville-based headliners opened the set with a dance-party rendition of “Booty Wurk (One Cheek At a Time).” The group held this vivacity through the entirety of the set, intertwining hip hop and folk seamlessly throughout.
The band played much of it’s Folk Hop N’ Roll album, out in 2017. However, the show was far from the average, sit-and-watch-for-two-hours, set. Just as the bands that preceded, Judah & the Lion kept the show interactive.
With moments like a dance-off during the song “Reputation,” a surprise cover of “Mr. Brightside” featuring all three bands, and the crowd singing competition during “Green Eyes”—which later determined which side of the stage members would dive off of—the band kept the show accessible and genuinely fun. Just a really good time. The crowd continuously had no clue what was coming next, but surely it was going to be great.
Through the fun, there was some sentimental, deeper-meaning to the show. Frontman Judah Akers told the story of the bands first show outside of Nashville, which happened to be at a smaller venue in the Athens area. The show seemed to carry a lot of meaning for the group, as Akers grew a bit emotional before launching into the inspirational “Going to Mars.”
The show “ended” with a two-minute dance party during one of the band’s biggest hits, “Take It All Back,” before an encore was demanded. Once again, they brought out the other two bands for an incredibly sweet, stripped down rendition of “Lean on Me,” before ending the set with “Water,” a track from the bands 2014 album Kids These Days. I’m fairly certain that the general sentiment of the crowd was of a “One more song!” mentality, but with a band like Judah & the Lion that certainly doesn’t come as a surprise.
10/10
Show Review: Portugal. the Man at the Georgia Theatre
With the monumental success of Portugal. the Man’s latest album, the band has had to cope with being extremely successful while still staying true to their original sound. Tickets for their two-day run at the Georgia Theatre in Athens February 26-27 sold out relatively quickly, leaving many of their longtime fans worrying that their show would be more of an ode to “Feel It Still” than anything else, but this was not the case. If their Athens, Georgia shows are any indicators of the future of Portugal. the Man, fans can rest assured that the band won’t forget their roots anytime soon, no matter how successful they become.
The setlist of their Tuesday night show in Athens was anything but predictable. While there’s no avoiding playing crowd favorites from their newest album, ‘Woodstock,’ the band still was able to incorporate tracks from their other albums, including ‘Evil Friends,’ ‘In The Mountain In The Cloud’ and ‘The Satanic Satanist.’
Commonly known for covering and repurposing classic hits, Portugal. the Man wowed fans by starting their set with Metallica’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall,” thus setting the stage for the heavy guitar and theatrical light show to come. By no means did the band play song after song just as they come on their albums, but rather, they enhanced their songs with guitar solos and jams. This, combined with the impressive, trippy laser shows and graphic designs, led to a very experience-driven performance. The band succeeded in combining heavy rock, indie-pop and funk to make for an excellent show.
When it comes to personality, the members of Portugal. the Man seemed to embrace a dry, yet loveable sense of humor. At the beginning of the show, the band projected the words “We are not very good at stage banter, so tonight’s performance will feature some slogans written by our management. Thank you for your continued understanding,” on the screen. Sure enough, much of the “banter” was done through screen projections including, “Do you like to smoke weed” and “Thank you for downloading, or stealing, our album.” Their merch also included a shirt that read “I liked Portugal. the Man before they sold out.” Even some of the staff at the Georgia Theatre spoke of how funny and easy-going the band was.
And although they kept talking to a minimum, when someone from the band did speak up, it came across as very genuine. After the band went off stage before the encore, guitarist Zach Carothers came back on with a drink in tow to tell fans how much he appreciated them and how much he enjoyed his time in the “beautiful town” of Athens, Georgia. The rest of the band then joined Carothers for an encore of “Sleep Forever,” “Smile” and a crowd-pleasing cover of the Beatles’ “Hey Jude.”
As fans left the theatre, overall morale was high thanks to the creativity and passion of Portugal. the Man. It’s rare to see a band embrace sudden success in such a positive way, and it seems that the band is only getting better with time.
Show Review: Jenny Lewis at the Georgia Theatre 5/13/15
Jenny Lewis, den mother of millennial hippies and all bespeckled in her sherbert rainbow pantsuit, made a triumphant return to the Georgia Theatre this past Wednesday night. Why triumphant? As Lewis noted in between divinely delivered pop geodes, the last time she played Athens – or tried to – the Theatre was going through some fire troubles. “The marquee was a melty ‘Jenny Lewis’ for weeks,” she joked. But thank goodness GATH was still standing this time around, because man, what a show.
Despite the highly anticipated Voyager-themed stage set, one Lewis described as “bronies on acid,” she played a pretty even mix of new material, old solo songs, and Rilo Kiley classics. Of course she played “Portions For Foxes,” but she also dug up older stuff like “With Arms Outstretched” and “You Are What You Love.” Every song was met with more rapturous applause and girlish (for some, guyish) screaming than the last. The audience, a near sold-out crowd, was in one of two modes: transfixed or Beatlemania-ing. It was like seeing their hero transported them back to the first time one of Lewis’ songs spoke to their souls (probably somewhere around their first breakup, but that’s just a guess), which is exactly what great music is supposed to do: act as a time machine.
But the only person in the room even happier than the crowd was Lewis herself. Even though she tried to play coy by busting out her evident acting background – strutting around stage with her hand in her pocket like a self-important businessman, gingerly handing a fan a single rose, taking every opportunity to climb monitors like a conquering Athena. But eventually neither she nor her band could hide their sheer joy at every singing-along face. They were even good sports when humongous pink and blue balloons were unleashed, and certain audience members thought it apt to keep punching them onstage. When they closed out their pre-encore set with “A Better Son/Daughter,” it felt like a genuine call to arms for anyone going through a sea change (get it? Nautical puns?), and Lewis dedicated “Girl On Girl” to women in bands everywhere – a much appreciated dedication these days. After the band took their post-encore bows, it was implicitly clear that the Theatre’s comeback wasn’t official without a, er, metaphorical Jenny Lewis barnburner.
Bonus fun fact: Lewis’ favorite shoe store is Kum’s, for when she’s in need of mismatched Keds from the 1980’s.
SETLIST:
- Head Underwater
- Silver Lining
- The Moneymaker
- The Next Messiah
- With Arms Outstretched
- Just One Of The Guys
- Slippery Slopes
- Close Call
- Pretty Bird
- You Are What You Love
- The New You
- She’s Not Me
- Portions For Foxes
- A Better Son/Daughter
ENCORE:
- The Voyager
- Girl On Girl
- Love U Forever
- Acid Tongue
4/5
Slingshot 2015: In Review
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2015 has put another successful Slingshot Festival in the books. Despite hiccups here and there, this year’s festival drew unique and eclectic acts from around the world. Almost every band thanked the festival, and organizer Kai Riedl, for putting together such a fantastic offering, and I’d have to agree. But since we’re all bound by the physical impossibilities of linear time, my only regret is not seeing every act all at once. Where’s a Time-Turner when you need one, right?! Ba dum tsh. Anyways: it’s safe to say that another physical impossibility was having a bad time at any of these shows.
Thursday
Slingshot being a world-focused festival, it was more than appropriate to start things off with groups like Lassine Kouyate. Adam Klein, artist-about-town, has previously traveled to Mali for Peace Corps assignments and to visit friends he’s made there. A couple years ago he decided to go Graceland and record his own versions of traditional West African Mande roots music. He performed some of them at Hendershot’s as a six-piece, singing us songs about rebuilding after genocidal violence and the true price of blood diamonds.
Japan Nite is a reliably supersonic experience, and the bands at Live Wire delivered. Zarigani$ was like a Japanese Death From Above 1979, throwing in random psychotic bass-tastic outbursts followed by ska influences and whistle playing. Somehow the vicious low-end punk still had a girly bounce, and even the dads in the crowd got into it. Peelander-Z were their usual colorful selves, playing duckpins and crowdsurfing with an ecstatic audience.
Rounding out a packed first night was Andy Hull of Manchester Orchestra flying solo at the Theatre. Between him, the single guitar, a trained spotlight, and a small crowd, the show was almost uncomfortably intimate. Like a conversation with close friends, he was deeply touched by the fans who showed up – especially when a few requested the deep cut “Colly Strings.” Hull dug into his solo and Manchester Orchestra discographies in backwards chronological order, with passionate and bone-chilling results.
Meanwhile, DJs like Nosaj Thing and Clark blew minds at the 40 Watt with hypnotic dubstep beats and laser shows that would be enough to seize out a dog. The Watt’s disco ball has never looked better.
Friday
Vinyl Mag likes to party – this should be no surprise. So we hosted a couple showcases, the first being at Caledonia on Friday and featuring Dreamboat, Nightmare Air, and a very special Washed Out DJ set.
Dreamboat were one of many of E6 offshoots to play the festival, with John Fernandes on violin. The band’s cosmic pop, Henry VIII-esque chamber pop guitar licks, and vocal harmonies were enough to bliss out the crowd, but the colorful orb projected onto the group made it official: Dreamboat lives up to their name. Think Smoke Faeries with a little bit of U2 bombast thrown in, and you can get the idea – every song left the audience so entranced, we almost forgot to clap.
Up next were Nightmare Air, Dreamboat’s polar opposite. Proclaimed the ‘loudest band in L.A.’, their literally amp-busting amplitude woke up a lulled and contented crowd. Appropriately employing a smoke machine to create some nightmare air, their angular punk-and-stadium rock tunes stared into the void, like a Shiny Toy Guns played through Dinosaur Jr. volume levels.
Finally, Washed Out’s Ernest Greene brought his earnestly (sorry) chill vibes to the small space. Greene combined house, dub, funk, and hazy psych plinks to keep the crowd bobbing. To make things get weird a bit, he brought an hourlong cinema smash featuring disturbing images of dissections and war propaganda and advertisements for companies like Standard Oil, Mazda, and Jell-O. Essentially it was like Mad Men word association on acid (so maybe just a day in the life of Roger Sterling), or a hyperspeed iSpy book for adults only.
Over at the Theatre, Lord Fascinator opened things up with his freaky instrumental techno, requiring audience participation in the form of pulling people onstage and dressing them in body suits with attached face masks.
Up next were Reptar, playing an album release show for their upcoming Joyful Noise Recordings offering Lurid Glow. Somehow the show wasn’t as packed as theirs usually are, but it was just as fun. They played classics like “Cable” and used a giant slingshot (HAH) to shoot t-shirts into the crowd.
Saturday
Saturday saw the continuation of Slingshot’s film contingent, with several movies screened at the Globe for free to all. William And The Windmill tells the amazing and heartwarming story of William Kamkwamba, a Malawian who, at the age of 19, used scrap metal and an outdated book to build his village a water-pumping windmill. Next up was a short called Brooklyn Farmer about the rooftop gardens of New York’s ~coolest~ neighborhood. (Between these first two films, one might get their faith in humanity’s future genuinely restored, which is kind of Slingshot’s whole deal.) Next up was Palimpsest, a quirky short about a house tuner who’s on call if you think your toaster and shower aren’t in the same key. Finally, the last full feature Buttercup Bill is a tense ‘psychosexual romance’ about love, obsession, jealousy, and what it means to be a soulmate.
Vinyl Mag continued to throw down with its second showcase, featuring more E6 greatness in Mind Brains and Nana Grizol. Mind Brains opened things up with impassioned, Circulatory System-aping psychedelic explorations of the soul. Naturally they too had some freaky videography to go along with the experimental sounds, mostly putting bizarre insect habits on display (even though I am deathly terrified of bugs, I watched for you, reader, I WATCHED FOR YOU).
Closing out the early evening, Nana Grizol put the poppier side of E6 on display, with songs that could fit in anywhere in the discography of the Apples In Stereo. They also gave Live Wire’s sound guy a shoutout, and it was well-deserved – sound quality has been spotty in Athens venues recently, but the new management at Live Wire clearly hired a pro.
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Nightmare Air pre-set. Photo by Matt Lief Anderson.
15 Must-See Shows at Slingshot 2015
Ahh, spring. That magical time when the freezing rain subsides, the hillsides grow wild with kudzu, and Slingshot slingshots itself back into town. This year’s lineup is as eclectic as it’s ever been, but with significantly bigger names set to fill the marquees of Athens.
Arcade Fire’s Win Butler will be doing a DJ set as DJ Windows 98, as will James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem. Reptar will be playing a Georgia Theatre album release show, and cameos will be made by Jamie XX of the xx and Andy Hull of Manchester Orchestra.
As always, your best bet is to buy a three-day pass. Here are the 15 shows we’re looking forward to the most.
15. Every Art Installation (seriously) (Thurs-Sat @ Creature Comforts)
One of the most unique things Slingshot brings to Athens is the wide variety of thought-provoking electronic art installations. Last year saw hand stitched QR codes, weather balloon projectors, and a ton of reinvented psychedelic imagery. Though the installations are spread across downtown, they’ll be somewhat centered around Creature Comforts. Check out the electronic artists page to see what you’re in for.
14. Ruby The Rabbitfoot and Viking Progress (Friday @ Hendershots)
Athens’ favorite chill pixie dreamgirl Ruby The Rabbitfoot will be playing Hendershots on Friday, in support of her recent release New As Dew as well as even newer material like “Hooky Queen.” She’ll be joined by The Viking Progress, whose appropriately boat-themed songs use the same sad, droning horn sections of Neutral Milk Hotel‘s past.
13. Cottonmouth and SEX BBQ (Thursday @ Go Bar)
Though the billing may sound like a picnic gone horribly wrong, don’t sleep on either of these bands. Cottonmouth‘s alien sounds would fit in well with the electronic art crowd – though “avant hip-hop” is thrown in occasionally, this is a group of whacked out sonic explorers. Atlanta-based SEX BBQ are a little more Ath-traditional, with surf guitars bumping up against coy vocals and playful rhythms.
12. Shehehe, Little Gold, and Pinecones (Thursday @ Little Kings)
Shehehe are a good time any way you slice it. Whether it’s the straight-ahead punk of “Rollin'” or the Corin Tucker-aping “Hail Vagina”, they are in the lucky position of keeping several punk traditions alive. Little Gold, on the other hand, bring trashy Detroit-inspired rock and roll to the table. But what would an Athenian fest be without some indie psych? To be sure they are (generally) a psychedelic band, and their sound is concise but sometimes hard to pin down. Their recent single “Sleep Is Forget” plays like the Byrds fed through Ian MacKaye’s tube amp.
11. Salad Days Screening
Speaking of Ian MacKaye, every punk and hardcore band Athens has ever hosted owes much of their sound to the D.C. hardcore scene of the 80s and 90s. Obviously artists like Minor Threat, Fugazi, and Government Issue ring out, but Salad Days digs deeper into the Dischord vault. Check out the trailer here.
10. Normaltown Records Showcase feat. Dave Marr, Cicada Rhythm, and Daniel Romano (Saturday @ Caledonia)
Here at Vinyl Mag, we love ourselves some Normaltown, so their showcase on Saturday is a must for those getting overwhelmed by the explorative nature of psychedelic rock. Rootsing things down will be Cicada Rhythm with their particular brand of almost jangle noirgrass, plus the back-to-basics country crooning of (somehow Canadian) Daniel Romano. Athens legend and Man About Town Dave Marr will also be there, so, you know, ’nuff said.
9. Comedy Night feat. Kurt Braunohler, Ron Funches, and Kyle Kinane (Saturday @ Morton)
Slingshot also brings the laughs every year, and in 2015 we’re lucky enough to host these big names in alt comedy. That podcast you listen to? Kurt Braunohler has most likely guested on it. And don’t forget his IFC gig hosting the absurd gameshow Bunk!. Ron Funches has rolled through various late night standup corners to muse about Black tuba players and the inherent freakiness of identical twins. Kyle Kinane has guest starred in a ton of shows and movies, and his specials Whiskey Icarus and I Liked His Old Stuff Better show his wide comedic range.
8. Ryley Walker, Roadkill Ghost Choir, and Andy Hull of Manchester Orchestra (Thursday @ GATH)
Like the Normaltown showcase, Thursday’s GATH shows will be stripped down and based in purer southern traditions. Roadkill Ghost Choir play a shimmering, steroid-popping type of noirgrass that occasionally slips into War on Drugs territory. Andy Hull of Manchester Orchestra drops the yowling southern shoegaze affectations when he goes solo – most of his songs are him and an acoustic, featuring more personal and plaintive songs about growing up as a pastor’s kid. And Ryley Walker’s Voice Of The Seven Thunders-esque guitar work is a can’t-miss; he’s also something of a vocal dead ringer for Jim Morrison.
7. Kenosha Kid Album Release w/ Etiene de Rocher (Saturday @ Hendershots)
Athens being the Classic City, the old is bound to intermingle with the new. This juxtaposition will be in full swing on Saturday with the jazz stylings of our own Kenosha Kid, and Etiene de Rocher, an Athens transplant from the Bay Area. Kenosha Kid are known for modern reinterpretations of stalwart jazz ideas, and they play Hendershots all the time so they’re very comfortable in that space. Etiene de Rocher’s music is a grab bag of 60s and 70s influence, and songs like “Juniper Rose” sound like a newly-discovered section in “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”.
6. Reptar Album Release w/ Skylar Spence, Fascinator (Friday @ GATH)
A hometown Reptar show is a special thing to behold, but throw in an album release and you’ve got grounds for another broken floor (hopefully the Theatre is built better than that.) The Joyful Noise recruits will be joined by Skylar Spence, who are similarly funk-sample laden. And make sure to get there early for Fascinator, whose of Montreal-emulating visuals pair nicely with their paranoid, ravine-jumping, Beastie Boys-emulating sound.
5. Single Mothers and Monsoon (Friday @ Live Wire)
The beach-punk-spazz stylings of Monsoon is probably the best live show in Athens right now, so see them any chance you get. Playing alongside them on Friday at the Live Wire (formerly New Earth) is the Canadian hardcore four piece Single Mothers, who sound uncannily like a pissed off Hold Steady.
4. Japan Nite (Thursday @ Live Wire)
Japan Nite 2014 was a festival highlight, so don’t expect anything to change this time around. Peelander-Z are making a colorful return to Live Wire, along with fellow Japanese punkers Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re, Quorum, Bo-Peep, and Zarigani$. The fin. will be there to slow things down a bit, with their melodic M83-influenced plinks. God Bless America and all that, but expect these whippersnappers to remind us what punk started as in the first place. There will be leather jackets, and there will be ‘tude.
3. Night of Too Many DJs feat. Michael Lacowski of Pylon, DJ Windows 98 aka Will Butler of Arcade Fire, and James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem (Saturday @ GATH)
Okay, when these names are all sharing the same stage, “too many” doesn’t really apply. Deejaying may not be the same as seeing these folks’ full ensembles, but consider the wealth of musical knowledge that will inhabit the Theatre on this night. This will be the dance party to end all dance parties.
2. Vinyl Mag Showcase feat. Prince Rama, Nightmare Air, and Dream Boat (Friday @ Caledonia)
Our showcase will be kind of trippy, man, so prepare yourself. Dream Boat do indeed sound like a boat to your dreams – they create experimental, faraway sounding beats that vaguely resemble church bells. Prince Rama are more concerned with melodies, but are similarly characterized by distance – their heady songs have Warpaint grooves and creepiness, with plenty of chanting, obviously. Nightmare Air are what you might imagine an all-werewolf band to sound like – dark, loud, and dangerous, but still pretty compelling.
1. Vinyl Mag Presents Nana Grizol and Mind Brains (Saturday @ Live Wire)
Mind Brains are one of the latest iterations of Athens’ storied psych scene, featuring former of Montreal and Olivia Tremor Control players. Like its predecessors, Mind Brains have invented a world for themselves; they classify themselves with monikers like “experimental” and “muffins”, and their press kit states thusly: “Mind Brains’ new album drops on Hamuary 666th, 1945, and hearing it is not unlike happening upon a horde of corrupted Gregorians using garbage-picked toys and circuit-bent home-aids to worship at the high pagan monoliths of Silver Apples, Tubeway Army and Chrome.” Nana Grizol use crunchy indie rock to backdrop singer Theo’s sad, emotive lyrics, and while they may not be as quirky as Mind Brains, they’re a little more danceable. Horns and handclaps will be plentiful.
SHOW REVIEW: EOTO at Georgia Theatre
On the eve of a month that many of us consider to be the start of the season of spring, a flower was in full bloom. Instead of promises of warmer weather, the blooming spectacle of EOTO’s iconic lotus flower stage promised concertgoers a night of seemingly endless body-moving jams. The duo, comprised of Jason Hann and Michael Travis, both members of the acclaimed jam band The String Cheese Incident, played the Georgia Theatre in Athens on February 28. The electro-jam show was a complete improvised, free-formed, and live mixed party.
With anticipation for the main act growing, opener Crizzly and his MC took the stage with high energy that translated through the receptiveness of the crowd. Between the bass drops and familiar hip hop samples, Crizzly’s set of “crunkstep” enthralled the audience and the party started — the night could only go up from there.
As Hann and Travis took to the lotus stage, a welcoming roar of the crowd filled the theatre. The set began with down tempo jams and complementing visuals as the lotus flower morphed with colors of pinks, purples, and blues. It wasn’t long until EOTO was building the crowd up through a fusion of jam and dubstep. In addition to the inevitable bass drop that was to come next, EOTO pleasantly surprised the crowd with laser visuals. This use of lasers and the manifestation of psychedelic images on the lotus set the tone for the rest of this livetronica set.
Travis’ use of his MacBooks, software, keyboards, guitar, and bongos, and Hann’s drumming and vocals kept the audience on a unstoppable trip of funky heavy house music. With a steady energy of builds and drops, Hann’s spitting freestyle was added into the equation. Throughout the night, the music of EOTO was constantly evolving and maintaining a pace that left the crowd constantly wanting more.
The set progressed into a blend of something I can only define as Arabian reggae–sounds of the Middle East fused with slow motion grooves and island vibes. This journey of worldly sounds eventually blasted off into a raw spacey trance with an accompaniment of mesmerizing visuals. Heavy bass and a fast tempo throughout the rest of the show kept the crowd continually raging until the very end.
With the end of the encore and the house lights of the Georgia Theatre turned on, a disappointment swept over many in the crowd that night. A disappointment because the intoxicating transcendental escape from reality was over.
Backstage Beers with Jimmy LaValle of The Album Leaf
The Album Leaf just came to the Georgia Theatre (if you’re from Athens and you didn’t go, just…seriously?) on their tour with Tycho. And guess who got to interview them? Damn straight. Me. And it was awesome.
This was another big one for me. I have been a mad fan of TAL since some forgotten-but-much-appreciated friend of mine introduced me to In a Safe Place back when I was 14 years old.
The interview took place after their set (which was crazy good—they put so much into their shows, and experiencing it is extremely rewarding). My videographer and I headed backstage to wait for them immediately after they finished up. While we were waiting, we may have run into Scott Hansen (Tycho). NBD.
So, Jimmy LaValle- nicest, most patient guy. He was perfectly happy to let us wait around backstage and chat while Tycho and everyone got ready to go on. There was no sense of “let’s get this over with” from him, which would have been totally understandable considering that he had come straight from giving a killer performance.
I could seriously go on about this for another couple of pages, but I’m just going to let the interview speak for itself. Go ahead and check it out, and be sure to hit up The Album Leaf and Tycho on their tour if you haven’t already!
Being able to hear Tycho in the background during this interview really sets the mood
Photography/videography by Amy Anderson
Tour Dates
Sep 21 Black Cat Washington, DC
Sep 22 The Trocadero Philadelphia, PA
Sep 23 ATP “I’ll Be Your Mirror” New York, NY
Sep 25 The Waiting Room w/ Mono, Chris Brokaw Omaha, NE
Sep 26 Fox Theatre Boulder, CO
Sep 28 Artiface * VENUE CHANGE w/ Drew Andrews Las Vegas, NV
Sep 29 The Satellite Los Angeles, CA
Sep 30 Bottom of the Hill San Francisco, CA