Tag: show
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The Asymptomatics Celebrate New Single ‘Two Possibilities’ With A Live Performance at Flicker Theatre and Bar
Athens has been home to critically acclaimed bands throughout the decades, marking the Classic City as not only home to the University of Georgia and its students but also a booming hub for artists and musicians alike. One such band is the funky, weird but strangely groovy The Asymptomatics.
The Asymptomatics, or “the Asymps” as they are often called, is a band of nine members who have made “chaotic” the name of the game. Since its formation in 2019, the band has garnered a name for itself within the music community of Athens. After the release of three singles, they have now added one more to their list of original music. To celebrate the release of their brand new single, “Two Possibilities”, the Asymptomatics recruited a list of prominent local Athens bands to play at Flicker Theatre and Bar for a night of unforgiving energy and sound.
Walking into Flicker is always a surreal experience, particularly on the evening of a gig. From the outside, bypassers can hear the beat of the featured band while they smoke a cigarette and drink a beer. Walking through the red curtains that lead to the venue portion of the establishment, stationed in the room next to the bar, I could see a sea of people bobbing their heads to the band, Neat Freak, which was followed by Late Notice and finally, Bog Bod. The celebrated feature of the night, The Asymps, performed last. Between bands, members handed out flyers with the single’s cover art designed by Hollis Midriff and they discussed their excitement to play their cleanest-sounding single live for the first time.
The band’s set began as most of its sets do, with the lead singer Max Mahieu relentlessly jumping around the stage with the band, maintaining an aura of chaos that has defined the group’s career, particularly in the past year.
The single itself possesses an eccentric guitar-solo build-up in the outro. Though their MO is full-fledged passion, this song was a pleasant departure as it boasted a more meaningful and slower vibe. “Two Possibilities” explores that little gray area in life by rejecting the idea of black-and-white decisions and outcomes. A simple song to describe how intensely unsimple this life can be, especially when young, as the band members are.
“A lot of times it seems like there’s two possibilities but, you know, in reality, things are a lot deeper than that,” says Mahieu. “It’s not just decisions you make, it’s the decisions of the people around you and the ones you love that affect your life and affect their life.” Mahieu’s family is the inspiration behind the song, which was written by Mahieu and his mom, who is a musician herself.
It’s both happy and sad which is reflected by the musicians as they played with electricity and passion, making the audience feel the underlying irony of “Two Possibilities”. Mastered by Jason NeSmith at Chase Park Transduction, “Two Possibilities” incorporates a classic guitar solo from the lead guitar that amplifies the emotional aspect of the song.
“We wanted to have this big rock section at the end that instrumentally captures the emotion and the vibes of the song that the lyrics start at the beginning,” said Mahieu.
From there, the band immediately transitioned to play their classic, most-noteworthy hit “GTFO! (Gerald the Friendly Orangutan)” which was a lighthearted and silly conclusion to a great show.
Though the chaotic transformation of the Asymptomatics onstage is something that some would deem messy and unorganized, those with an ear for passion would comprehend that this gives the band its personality, hence its rising claim to fame within Athens. A funk outfit of shameless chaos and a force to behold.
“Two Possibilities” is out now on all platforms, with the Asymptomatic’s first full album slated for spring.
Show Review: Earthday Everyday 2023
On April 22, Afterglo held its second annual Earthday Everyday music festival at Live Wire Athens. It was a busy day in Athens, coinciding with Normaltown Music Festival, Highlight Athens, and Athens Twilight Criterium. Starting at 2 p.m., a multi-genre lineup of artists took to the outside stages, with attention turning to the inside stage at 9 p.m., as the party turned into a late-night rave with the Nightshade Family. We’ve decided to highlight some of our favorite acts from this wonderful day.
We arrived just in time to hear Rhymes with Japan and Selah Samarah. The two very different styles of these acts set the tone for the rest of the festival. Rhymes with Japan was a DJ, drummer, and rapper trio that put together a fun and lively performance, even taking some time to dance with members of the crowd. On the other hand, artist Selah Samarah, sang several original folk songs, backed by guitar, mandolin, endingidi, and cajón,
Punk band Commune took to the stage after several openers and brought the energy. The moment they began playing I felt the audience inch forward and from that point forward the moshing didn’t stop. They were really engaging with the crowd too, cracking jokes and offering context for some of their songs. One of my favorite moments was when they played their song about property, shouting in unison “Property isn’t real!” (which is pretty punk in my opinion). They also played a new song, “Fallin Down,” which rocked, and announced it would be releasing soon with a new music video. We definitely recommend checking them out and be sure to keep an eye out for their upcoming content!
5:00 p.m. was a hot time-slot because the upper stage saw the talented rapper Cardynal perform. They were a fan favorite, drawing the biggest crowd at that stage. Early in their set, the mood was set, as Cardynal paused their set to jump into the crowd and dance. A favorite song was “Mango,” where their lyricism and personality shined. They weren’t afraid to stray from rap, performing some R&B jams and showing off their vocal ability. The local rap scene is full of talent, and Cardynal is the perfect example. They had a great set!
Convince the Kid, a self-described “four-piece synth-rock band out of Athens” took the 9dk stage at 7:00 p.m. Ranging from spacey synths that make you feel like the world is ending to bass-heavy tracks that carried a lot more weight, the band held the audience attention well. A highlight for me was when frontman Trevor Thrift made use of a smaller drum kit and drum pads as drummer Vic Fisher banged away. Overall, the band had a lot of energy and a good understanding of song structure and tension, often having several members drop out to highlight a single instrument before reintroducing everyone with a bang.
Trvy & The Enemy were next up on the 9dk stage and had by far the most crowd participation of the entire festival. Rock instrumentation with rapping is usually best when performed live, and this was confirmation of that. Rapper Trvy, the recent Vic Chesnutt Songwriter of the Year Award winner, combined infectious energy with technical expertise to captivate the crowd. The performance ebbed and flowed from smooth and introspective to loud and heavy to jazzy and uptempo. “Gotta die a legend” and “Mama couldn’t you tell me where to go / I’m so sick and tired of being alone” were the lyrics that stuck most with us, out of both repetition and poignancy at that moment. Without a doubt, you should check out Trvy’s solo work and his work with The Enemy.
The outside stages wrapped up with Cassie Chantel, who we were impressed by. Before she even began, I was a fan, as she got the crowd hyped with needle drops ranging from Hiatus Kaiyote to Ice Spice. Her energy was infectious and she was a great performer. A favorite moment was when she played her song “Tennis,” causing the crowd to quickly realize why there had been so many rackets on the ground. It was pretty cool seeing everyone waving them in the air with the song’s chorus. She ended her set with a merch giveaway, earning her even more fans, if everyone wasn’t already.
As it turned to night, the crowd turned inside for a rave by Athens’ own Nightshade Family. They had a raised stage with stunning visuals, bringing life to the talented DJ’s music. From 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Izzy, Karezza, Mystic Grizzly, Chief Kaya, and King Shotta took over, each with their own individual styles and feeling. From flips of popular songs to complicated, electronic buildups, not a single moment failed to impress us.
In the spirit of Earthday, local University of Georgia student Christian Aldama instructed festivalgoers on how to garden, going as far as to distribute ready-to-be-planted seeds to anyone who wanted them. The also event made sure to highlight and venerate Tortuguita, an environmental activist who was killed by police in protest of Cop City, a proposed Atlanta Police Department base that would see serious destruction done to the Weelaunee Forest.
The 2023 Earthday Everyday festival encapsulated some of the many things that make Athens special. Students, locals, and families alike all came out to enjoy music together. Vendors sold handmade rings, confectioneries, CBD- and THC-based products, and more. It was truly a wonderful day of music, cool outifts, and even better people. Thanks again to Afterglo for putting on such a fun festival, and please take the time and check out some great artists!
Juna / Waitress / Monsoon / Howling Tongues at 40 Watt on February 19
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This past Thursday night at the 40 Watt saw a packed, diverse evening of what rock has been up to in the past three decades. It was also the debut event for local startup Aria Promotions, and they did a damn good job – the show was almost sold out.
Opener Juna delivered sludgy, math-intwined boomers. Between the Prozac haze guitar chords, quirky time signatures, and buffet table drumming, they definitely qualify as new members of the emo revival. A few of their meandering guitar noodles seemed ripped straight from a Sunny Day Real Estate record. Despite technical issues at the beginning of the set, they were still able to churn out winding high-passion sonic explorations. Lead singer Hunter Whitehead is probably the most impassioned bassist the Classic City has ever seen, and I was halfway convinced drummer Sasha Schilbrack-Cole was gonna permanently maim his kit. They were also really, really loud – once again, thank the heavens for We’re hEAR For You.
Waitress was up next, and at this point it seemed that the night existed on an exponential \m/(>.<)\m/ graph. They sounded like a Black Flag-Descendents intermediary, and even on their slower, more intricate songs, they still sounded like a metal Dismemberment Plan. Lead Brian McGhee was beyond delightful, basically standing in as a stand up between their ultra-tight songs. He waxed poetic about everything from Clickhole to Cliff Bars, and was charitable enough to tell each of his bandmates just how hot they are. In terms of straight technicality, the night went to drummer Ryan Houchens, who gave me Whiplash if you know what I mean.
But then Monsoon took the stage, and holy SHIT. For just three Athens kids, they made a whole lot of really great noise. Singer and guitarist Sienna was a natural showwoman, prowling and climbing the stage like a feral bilingual lunatic. Their pseudo-Americanized J punk / coked up Beach Boys vibe is something I’ve been searching for my whole life and didn’t even know it. If Clocked were a band, it would be Monsoon. There’s nothing more enjoyable than watching three obvious best friends absolutely weird-out and wreck a set of songs that don’t quite sound like anyone else. I feel like an idiot for not having seen them before, and would now like to publicly swear my undying allegiance to this band.
Then Atlanta’s The Howling Tongues came on amidst smoke machines and a light show that would make Kanye West say, “Dudes, you’re doing a lot.” While a great technical band – they had clearly practiced their set and song changes ad infinitum – they were playing a bluesy brand of rock and roll that’s really not supposed to sound this rehearsed. They were pleasant enough, and on the surface they were great; but they felt an odd choice as city-slicker closers juxtaposed to the earnest, scrappy punk of the Athens bands that opened for them. Some garage rock bands who deal in Rolling Stones riffage fall victim to the uncanny valley of soul vs. precision, and it looks like the Howling Tongues are one such band. Their whole schtick felt too familiar – making a big show of chugging Jack Daniels; songs involving “I’ll give it to you” double entendres; women smoking cigarettes in red dresses. Every “Whassup Athens?!” and “How y’all doin’ tonight?!” platitude felt empty and forced. It didn’t help that lead singer Taylor Harlow asked permission to “play some rock and rooollll” from the audience between every.single.song, and his playful joshing of the crowd’s lack of energy became uncomfortable berating by night’s end. And I wasn’t the only one who noted the irony of the Tongues’ “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” cover. Basically, this is a group who’s proper to their own detriment, and doesn’t appear comfortable in their own skin. Loosening up would do ’em a lot of good.
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Juna
Haerts and Mikky Ekko at The Masquerade
The Masquerade is always an interesting place to see a show. Not necessarily in a good way. Being divided into three venues (Heaven, Hell, Purgatory), there are often conflicting events pulling disparate crowds into the same building. It can be a little awkward. But Friday night was a special one, indeed. Right across the hall from Purgatory, where Mikky Ekko and Haerts were billed to perform, Hell was playing host to a Wizard Ball. I’ll leave the imagery up to your imagination, but suffice it to say upon entering I was wondering if I was the only person not in costume.
Purgatory is the smallest of the three venues, and the room was less than half full before Mikky Ekko (born John Stephen Sudduth) took the stage. I will admit that I came into the show largely unfamiliar with Mikky Ekko’s catalogue, aside from “Stay,” the 2012 Grammy-nominated duet he recorded with Rihanna. Sudduth grabbed mine and the rest of the crowd’s attention pretty quickly, though. By the second song, I was sold. The guitarist definitely stole the show in these early numbers, but it disproved my earlier notion that Mikky Ekko’s music was slow and sleepy.
Moving into the super soulful “Mourning Doves,” Sudduth opened up and unleashed his voice in a huge way. Now I see why he’s fronting this band without playing an instrument; his is built in. For “Time,” the title track off his forthcoming LP, the drummer and synth player left the stage, allowing Sudduth’s voice to take an even more leading role.
“Pull Me Down” is Mikky Ekko’s oldest song, created with Clams Casino at the production helm, and it was a crowd pleaser for sure. The next stretch of songs really saw the band coming together as a whole, creating a huge, cohesive sound that filled the room with energy and emotion. “Pressure Pills” offered hints of hip hop in the beats and “Pretend You Care” carried this feeling as well with deep bass notes and a really interesting drum machine sound. The guitar-driven R&B Mikky Ekko offers is definitely at it’s best when the full potential of all of his band is used, and these three songs were by far the best of the night for me.
Before closing out with an epic performance of “Smile,” Sudduth explains that because Atlanta feels like home (he went to college in Macon), he’s going to play a song he didn’t think he would play again, the aforementioned Rihanna duet “Stay.” No, Rihanna didn’t make an appearance.
A night of incredible singers indeed, Nini Fabi of Haerts wasted no time warming up her vocal chords on “Be the One” and stand-out single “Hemiplegia,” the opening two songs of their set. Side note: hemiplegia is condition that Fabi has struggled with since childhood which causes half of her body to lose feeling and renders her unable to speak. She explains that the song is not about the condition itself, ”It’s a metaphor – you see exactly what you want to do but you can’t. Who hasn’t felt that way?”
Fabi creates her own little rhythm section on the next couple of songs, employing a circular string of bells on “Lights Out” and a tambourine on “No One Needs To Know”. In the early moments of “Call My Name,” she looks over her left and right shoulders, making eye contact with her band, and you can feel the connectivity between them as a group. This is something the band has been pretty open about; their closeness as a creative force is no secret. In fact, Nini and multinstrumentalist Ben Gebert have been making music together since their early teens.
There’s an over exuberant fan in the front row belting out the words to “Call My Name” as loud as she can scream and rather than seeming annoyed, Fabi actually embraces the excitement, and it seems as though she’s almost performing for her specifically. She even calls her out between songs “That’s really great up front; let’s see if you know this one.”
It was “All the Days” …and she knew it. The most interesting part of this song for me was the closing section in which Fabi used her double mic setup to echo herself with complimenting vocal effects. Pretty cool to be able to recreate layered vocal tracks in a live setting.
“The Creek” was a new song, and one that sounded completely different than what we’ve grown to know from the band. Unlike the anthemic build ups of many Haerts songs, this one was very up-and-down with very distinct changes in pace ranging from the hushed opening to something more reminiscent of guitar rock than Haerts’ brand of sweet indie pop. The crowd absolutely loved it.
But not as much as they loved the next song, “Wings,” the first single the band ever released and I assume the inspiration for the tattoo inside Nini’s left wrist. She has a genuine smile on her face as she dedicates this one to the crowd before soaring into a beautiful performance of the epic single.
There’s a pause after this song in which she tells a short story about recording their song “Hope” in a 2-minute record booth at Third Man Records in Nashville. She had teased earlier in the show about having a contest coming up in which they would give away “a lot of money” to which I quietly responded “or a piece of vinyl you just recoded in Nashville?”. Being the responsible journalist that I am (cough, cough), I had seen mention of this on their Facebook when doing a bit of research the day before the show. I guess that was my winning ticket to the contest, because she handed me the one-of-a-kind 6” record and proceeded to perform the song, followed by the closer “Giving Up.”
It sounds way too trite to even write this, but it’s my honest perception that there really is so much heart in this band. From the way they describe their own story (at length) in their bio to their creative connectivity and passionate musicianship to their inspired songwriting, Haerts take their craft seriously and the emotion comes through ever so clearly. Their performance was epic, beautiful, enchanting, spirited, and inspiring, and it let me forget – for about 45 minutes – that there was a mini Dragon Con happening in the next room.
Old Crow Medicine Show at The Classic Center on November 20
If you were raised in a place anywhere near the South, you’re probably used to being surrounded by some type of folk or country music (even if it’s unwillingly). However, within the decade, national radio is starting to hear a greater variety of music and a brand new genre. That genre, which falls somewhere between alternative country, bluegrass, and folk/Americana, has given us a number of gems- The Avett Brothers, The Devil Makes Three, and Old Crow Medicine Show.
In a day and age full of drinking anthems, the popularity of “Wagon Wheel” ranks somewhere among “Sweet Caroline” and “Free Bird”. The song, co-written by Bob Dylan, has launched Old Crow Medicine Show into stardom. Being within this potluck genre means “Wagon Wheel” is a top pick for a variety of radio stations and listeners alike.
Although I wasn’t sure what to expect when seeing Old Crow Medicine Show at The Classic Center on November 20, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised.
Upon arriving, I noticed the crowd was very mixed, ranging from young college students to senior citizens. The huge theatre with possible seating of 2,600 filled the complete lower level and a majority of the lower balcony, after the doors opened at 7pm.
The night promptly started at 8, with Dom Flemons, previous member of the popular Carolina Chocolate Drops. Flemons, complete with a tilted hat and suspenders, introduced the audience to an instrument called “the bones”. Similar to playing the spoons, except with animal bones (hence the name), this was only one contribution to Flemon’s unique old-time talent. His distinct voice, skilled banjo pickin’, and alive stage presence was an interesting pre-cursor that got everyone anxious to see the main act.
After about a half hour intermission, the lights among the crowds again dimmed and revealed the headliner, which consisted of seven men, each posted at a different instrument and adorning a different pair of cowboy boots.
Throughout the performance, the members of Old Crow switched between a multitude of instruments; including guitars, vocals, dobro, fiddle, upright bass, drums, banjo and even an organ. But one thing was constant: the energy and vivacity.
Fitting together and reaching a point of perfect sync can be a struggle for all bands, especially big ones, but Old Crow had no problem with this.
Nor did they have a problem connecting with the audience. From the very beginning, the two lead singers, Ketch Secor and Christopher “Critter” Fuqua, were very verbal and weren’t short of Georgian references. Each audience member could relate to something they said, whether it was talks of Commerce, Gainesville, or Madison County, or distinct Georgian landmarks like the Braves and I-85.
Was it rehearsed? I’m not sure and it didn’t matter. The audience connected to what they were saying, right down to their Southern drawwww-ls.
But those weren’t the only stories they told. The band members also explained how they picked up ultra talented pedal steel player Gill Landry, busking on the streets of New Orleans. And apparently, after Bob Dylan heard Darius Rucker’s cover of “Wagon Wheel” on the radio, he sent Old Crow another song, “Sweet Amarillo”, the third track on their latest album Remedy.
The story they didn’t tell? Cory Younts, who performed a trifecta of drumming, organ playing and whistling, has also played mandolin with fellow Nashville star Jack White.
Needless to say, by the end of the concert, the immense talent in the room was obvious- of each musician and of the group as a whole. Although the pit had been standing since the beginning, the rest of the room stood up around “Wagon Wheel” and didn’t take back to their seats.
Old Crow invited Flemons to re-join the stage and from that moment until the very last, the theatrical performance became more than just that: it became a good time. The only thing worse than a boring audience is a boring performer, and this show was the complete opposite. If I walked in with a tinge of doubt, then I left it inside that building.
Old Crow Medicine Show is certainly a show, and a show worth seeing for anyone that enjoys genuine talent-driven artists and one rowdy, hell of a time.
Alvvays at the Drunken Unicorn on November 15
We rely on music to transport us via our imaginations to far away places opposite of current surroundings. Last Saturday at the Drunken Unicorn, as the temperature dropped well below the national average for Atlanta, Toronto-based Alvvays carried the crowd away to a place to where sun and sand are plentiful and summer love is in bloom.
Decked out in their matching white converse, they opened the show with “The Agency Group”, a slow but climactic track that showcases the peaks and depth of Molly Rankin’s vocal range blended well with Alec O’Hanley’s crooning guitar.
With her thick Canadian accent and effortless rapport with the audience, Rankin’s stage presence is absolutely infectious. Perhaps it was just the ambiance of the venue that caused one audience member to say, “I think she’s the closest I’ll ever get to seeing an actual unicorn.”
Slow and deliberate, “Dives” featured Rankin and keyboardist Kerri MacLellan harmonizing fluidly, a testament to the long-term friendship between the two women.
In a refreshing change of pace, Alvvays chose to play their most notable single “Archie, Marry Me”well before the end of the show as the crowd sung along with Rankin. The track recently gained even more attention last week after being covered by Ben Gibbard in Seattle.
“Party Police” was perhaps the truest test of Rankin’s vocal range in a live setting and one she passed with flying colors as she raised her voice one octave towards the end of: Don’t have to leave, you could just stay here with me. This is just one example of the bands quirky and natural style that translates well from outlet to audience.
For the encore the band chose to play a new song called “Haircut”, a more post-punk influenced track that still encompasses the dreamy sound we’re used to. After the show we caught up with drummer, Phil MacIsaac who said that while they enjoy playing new songs, there are no plans to record a new album anytime soon. “We’ve been touring our asses off, there’s just not enough time right now,” He said. Alvvays kicks off their international tour in 2015 and will open for the Decemberists in March.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. at Terminal West on November 11
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Approaching the box office at Terminal West on Tuesday night, I could hear what sounded like an acoustic version of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.‘s “Beautiful Dream” and I had to check my watch. Doors at 8pm. Music at 9pm. And there’s an opener, right? It’s not even 9:30. How can this be? Am I really missing the show? And one of my favorite songs at that? Sh*t.
I walk inside and indeed, it is true. Detroit boys Daniel Zott and Joshua Epstein are on stage, instruments in hand, singing away. It was only after the next song (which they explained was written for the first album but didn’t make the cut) that I learned what was happening here. The opening act didn’t show. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. was opening for themselves. Sort of awkward. Sort of awesome. They continued with a couple covers, admitting they were killing time, ended with The Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows,” and let the crowd know they’d be back out in a bit.
Returning to the stage after the typical 20ish minute break, the duo are now joined by a live drummer and multi-instrumentalist in the backstage to fill out that bigger sound we were missing in their stripped-down opening set and clad in different outfits (Daniel even dropped the blanket he had wrapped himself in and wrestled his guitar strap over). Like a whole new band, right?
Beginning the “real” set with “Morning Thought,” the first song off their 2011 album It’s a Corporate World, they cruised through a handful of familiar favorites employing the energy and explosiveness we’ve come to love from these guys, with Joshua wasting no time hopping off stage and getting down into the crowd only three songs into the set.
Their newest single, “James Dean” was prefaced with an anecdote explaining that they released the track without the knowledge or consent of their record label, and albeit lacking label support, it’s gone on to be the most successful song they’ve ever put out. Personally, it’s not a favorite. But the crowd most certainly had a more palpable reaction than to any other song so far in the evening, which included some great ones… (“Don’t Tell Me”, “Simple Girl”, “Vocal Chords”…)
Following the new with the old, next up was “When I Open My Eyes” trailed by one of my favorite songs of the evening “Run” off their 2013 release The Speed of Things. This one was a close second to the super-melodic “War Zone” which came up after they played another new one, titled “In the Middle.” This new song was much more promising than “James Dean”… I kept thinking of “Burning Down the House” every time they went into the chorus. Not a bad thing at all.
The telephone mic Josh had been using on and off throughout the show gets called into action to mic his sax for “War Zone,” and they closed the main set out with the anthemic “Almost Lost Detroit” before returning with “A Haunting” to open up the encore. Complete with bubbles galore and the most wild light show we had seen thus far in the evening, they continued with arguably their biggest hit and certainly most dance-inducing song “If You Didn’t See Me [Then You Weren’t On The Dancefloor]”.
The evening closed on a make-you-want-to-hold-hands-with-the-person-next-to-you note with “Nothing But Our Love” and both Joshua and Daniel immediately bolted from the stage to the merch booth, embracing clamoring fans and happily signing countless autographs.
If opening for themselves wasn’t already a fairly big hint, this was a true sign that this couple of Detroit boys, despite their success, haven’t lost their humility and gratitude for their supporters. A good reason to keep on loving Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. and coming out to enjoy their rowdy and shamelessly enjoyable live shows.
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Roky Erickson with Black Angels at Terminal West
My two roommates and I went to see Roky Erickson. We were anxious to see what kind of people would be at a show featuring Roky Erickson (obviously The Black Angels headlined). We walked in behind a middle-aged double date. One of the women was wearing gold metallic go-go boots. Of course, The Black Angels are a psychedelic-rock band, so I was expecting oddities like this one. It was a sold out show.
We walked in in the middle of Roky Erickson’s performance, and I cried a little on the inside. I wanted to see him walk on, but I can imagine it: probably simply and without acknowledging there was a crowd of Black Angel fans before him. Roky Erickson got his start in 1966 after co-founding The 13th Floor Elevators. Later in 1974, “Two Headed Dog (Red Temple Prayer)” debuted a more rock and roll side of Roky, as compared to his original psychedelic style. “Two Headed Dog” became a single, which he of course, featured at the show. I assumed he was the reason most of the older folks showed up. He wasn’t alone on stage, though. He was accompanied by three guitarists, a beautiful keyboardist and a drummer, all of which were young and healthy. Roky seemed out of place. He still has long hair, although more gray and he seemed to be looking at the guitarists at either side of him, looking for a nod of approval I was looking forward to seeing him by himself. I wanted to see him on a stool with a guitar singing, “I Love the Living You”. Roky is the epitome of raw, so much so that his acoustic songs become revelatory. He is the only artist that can bring tears to my eyes and yet sing so simply. Nonetheless, he was there, in the flesh, a legend. I was glad to know Roky existed outside of my head. He left as simply as I assume he came out.
Enough of my swooning over Roky Erickson. The crowd multiplied, along with random puffs of smoke overhead (“eh-hem”). There was still a varied age group. To be honest, I had never listened to Black Angels prior to this night. The stage was set with four stand-alone canvases and one large canvas backdrop. Projections splattered the stage with trippy colors and star images. The music played but no Black Angels. I could feel the excitement gathering, and the crowd grew louder, but still, no Black Angels. After two or three minutes of this titillation, they walked on. I was expecting a grand entrance, but I guess you don’t need that when you’re the Black Angels. The crowd went wild, as the cliché goes, and they began. The drummer, a shaggy haired girl that looked like she could stare anyone to death, played a heavy, slow beat. Then the vocalist broke in. This was literally a psychedelic experience – not just The Black Angels but the event as a whole. To my right was a young, sweet couple and to my left a guy that looked like Mick Jagger’s clone. I was still having post-Roky effects, and it was all too much. I wouldn’t have missed this show for the world. It was a once in a lifetime experience, and I shared it with two great people, and that is what makes a concert review-worthy.
SHOW REVIEW: 2013 NCAA Big Dance Concert Series
The NCAA came to Atlanta last weekend and in addition to basketball fanatics a like, the sporting event brought with it The Big Dance concert series. High profile and sought after artists such as Muse, Dave Matthews Band, and Sting headlined the Saturday and Sunday shows in Centennial Olympic Park.
Saturday’s Coke Zero Countdown show kicked off that afternoon with the Athens’ favorite Yacht Rock Revue. Following our favorite ‘70s tribute band, was Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. In addition to making thrift stores popular as ever, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis proved their worthiness in the music spotlight not just by singing about poppin’ tags. The duo started us off with their song “Ten Thousand Hours” later followed by Macklemore (aka Ben Haggerty) draped in his now famous fur coat enthralling the audience with their chart topping hit “Thrift Shop.” That afternoon the crowd was also treated to the fan favorite “Same Love” and the recent hit single “Can’t Hold Us.”
In his hometown glory, Ludacris took the stage after Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. His charisma was the highlight of his performance (as if you have seen Ludacris perform before, you’ve seen it all) before. If his set at the Coke Zero Countdown happened your first time seeing Luda in action, it was a memorable performance as he broke out all the old favorites such as “Welcome to Atlanta,” “Act A Fool,” “Money Maker,” and “Roll Out”. Flo-Rida’s set followed.
The most anticipated act of the evening was of course the infamous MUSE. No surprise that they were headliners due to the NCAA using their chart topping hit “Madness” as the theme for this year’s March Madness. Although they gave us this single early on in their set, they were able to jam pack what seemed to be any song everyone hoped to hear from them into their hour long performance. Their stage presence was electric, captivating, and powerful. So powerful in fact that during “Follow Me” they blew the power (or perhaps just the mix board generator lost power). Following the 20 minutes of silence they continued on and Saturday in Centennial Park ended on a high and ever memorable note.
Sunday was the last day of the music festival and an early arrival to the park proved to be crucial in order to see the headliner of the Capital One Jamfest Dave Matthews Band. Before the park hit its limit of the 30,000 capacity and a small riot outside the park ensued later that day, Blind Pilot started the concert early that day followed by the ever loved Grace Potter & The Nocturnals. In her staple sparkling ensemble and spunky stage attitude she enchanted the audience with her ballads of “Stars” and my personal all time favorite “Apologies,” and then amped up the energy with the sounds of her single “Paris” and “Medicine.”
Sting took the stage next mixing in some Police favorites along with some of his top hits. He opened his set with “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You” and then into “Demolition Man.” A Few songs later the audience was singing a long with “Fields of Gold,” “Message in a Bottle,” and “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da.” He closed out his set with “Roxanne” and soon encored with favorites of “Desert Rose” and “Every Breath You Take.”
Dave Matthews Band closed out the music festival and they did so with an energy that reminded me of their Central Park show in 2003. The Jamfest show from last weekend was reminiscent of this throwback due to both shows having the same opener “Don’t Drink the Water,” or perhaps DMB is just as good as they ever were. Their set was an all night jam fest that included crowd favorites of “Crush,” “Jimi Thing,” “Mercy,” and the ever loved “#41”. DMB brought the pure heat with their encore of “Two Step.” Whether you were in the front row or standing outside on the sidewalk after being shut out, anyone in the area of Centennial Park that night heard something special, and I couldn’t think of any better way to end this music, and basketball, filled weekend.
Junius show review
The Basement played host to a quartet of post-rock and hardcore influenced groups on Wednesday, February 22nd in Columbus. Junius was co-headlining the show with O’Brother. Sainthood Reps and local group The End of the Ocean rounded out the bill.
The End of the Ocean got things rolling, doing their best to engage the sparse crowd with their brand of post-rock, interspered with pre-recorded monologues that served as interludes between songs. I had the opportunity to talk a bit with bassist Bryan Yost after their set, and he mentioned that they are in the midst of self-booking a tour that will travel all the way to the West Coast of the US! Bottom-line: look out for these guys! As hard-working and talented as they are, there is no doubt that some level of success is headed their way.
Sainthood Reps followed with their mixture of alternative indie rock and post-hardcore. This new Tooth and Nail Records band from Long Island wowed the audience with their distorted guitars, sung/shouted vocals, and periodic percussive jamming from the frontman in tandem with the drummer. They opened their set with “Monoculture” and also played what have since become my favorite songs of theirs – “Dingus” and “Animal Glue.” Long story short, this band went from being “meh, I’ll check them out sometime” to “Wow! I need to get their record” over the course of 30 minutes.
Quintet O’Brother next took the stage, and it was clear that they had the crowd ready to rock. The post-hardcore-esque “Machines I and II” started the set and got audience members excitedly shouting all of the lyrics back at the stage. It was interesting to see how much their drummer could accomplish with such a simple kit, and it was entertaining to see the long locks of the Dang brothers (on guitar and bass) flying everywhere as they head-banged in unison. “Ascension” found bassist Anton Dang with a bow in his hand to get just the right effects, and “Lo” found the entire band getting what might be their most catchy set choice across in an impeccable manner. The finale of the set was the back to back “Poison!” and “Lay Down”, which sounded just like they did on the record, if not better.
Massachusetts’ Junius roared to life onstage amidst a backdrop of 4 light towers with “Betray the Grave.” Junius is not meant to be simply amusing – they put their all into shows. Rather than indulging flamboyant onstage actions, the three guys I had interviewed hours earlier in a restaurant chose to simply lose themselves in the music. I could see what they meant by having to experience their music in a live setting to get the full effect. Their sound belongs in a larger venue. As I told Joel, their bass player, I’ll be watching for the day they play arenas and use crazy lazer light shows. Am I embellishing? Maybe, but the potential is definitely there.
Be sure to check out my interview with Junius.