Kurt Vile

Kurt Vile at Shaky Knees, Atlanta, May 2013

A little over a month later, and I'm still grateful for whatever King Kurt did on Sunday afternoon to make the rain stop at the Shaky Knees festival for at least the hour that he was on stage.

Tunes From The Tombs

Yesterday, I attended the Tunes From the Tombs event at Atlanta's Oakland Cemetery for the third year in a row.  I don't know how long they've been holding these fundraisers for the Historic Oakland Foundation, but this year was clearly the worst of the lot.

For starters, in 2011 and 2012, it was a two-day event (although  I only got to attend for one day during each of those years), but this year it was only a one-day event.  Previous year's "suggested donation" was $10/day, or $15 for a two-day pass.  This year was $15 for the single day.

Which I would have been fine with if they had crammed the same or a similar number of musicians into that one day.  But instead, they actually offered less.  While in years past they would have three of four stages scattered around the cemetery, this year they only had two stages, and none of them offered any rock music.   The musical styles this year included country, folk, jazz, blues, and swing, but there was little to no rock music offered.

This is a shame, because although I certainly appreciate those other genres, in years past the event served as  nice little showcase for up-and-coming Atlanta rock artists.  In years past, I had heard The Coathangers, Lucy Dreams, Mood Rings, and Athens' Twin Tigers, among others, perform in the cemetery, and it is where I first heard Women's Work and Von Grey, but I don't expect I'll hear most of this year's bands again, except possibly headliners Blair Crimmins and the Hookers, perennial Tombs From the Tombs performers the 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra, and the Wasted Potential Brass Band, who tend to perform at events like the East Village Strut and the Little Five Points Halloween Parade.

I have no idea how the decision was reached to skew the event away from "new" music to such middle-of-the-road Americana, and to charge more for less music and of a lower quality, but it was surely deliberate - I can't believe that a no emerging Atlanta bands would have been willing to participate.    

On top of all this, there were fewer beer vendors present, resulting in staggering long lines for beverages, and the restrooms were few and far between and also had long lines.  Little logistical foobars like this might be expected at a first-time event, but these problems weren't evident in 2011 or 2012, which makes one wonder who decided to mess with something that worked, and why.

Having got through all of that negativity, on to the positive: the bands that actually were there.  Some representative pictures are provided below, but those who may want for some reason to see more can go to my Flickr page.

The Breeze Kings

Wasted Potential Brass Band

Little Country Giants

Bird City Revolutionaries

Rolling Nowhere

The Bonaventure Quartet (feat. Amy Pike)

The Deadfields

4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra

Slim Chance and the Convicts

Blair Crimmins and the Hookers

I hope the Historic Oakland Foundation continues this event in the future, but I also hope that they give some consideration to giving the audience more value for their money.  I know I will be looking at the line-up much more critically when I decide whether or not to attend next year. 

Astral Pattern

Three of the five members of S.C.U.M are now back as dream-pop practitioners Astral Pattern, a band reportedly influenced by a trip to Dusseldorf to see Kraftwerk. Thanks and a tip of the hat to Fanfarlo for making me aware of this, even though I'm now majorly crushing on singer Melissa Rigby.

Radiation City

So this was fun: last night, Portland's Radiation City played The Earl in Atlanta.  Joseph War opened.

War started with a two- or three-song acoustic set, solo on stage with just a harmonic and an acoustic guitar (the strap of which broke), before going electric with a full band.  During the second portion of his set, the string broke on his electric guitar (it might have been one of those nights for him), but Radiation City was in the audience watching and their guitarist lent him his guitar to finish the set.

Mishaps aside, War put on a fine set of original songs, highlighted by his capable and masculine voice. A good start for the evening.

Headliners Radiation City took the stage around 11:00 pm.

I saw Radiation City play a free set for KEXP one September morning during MFNW 2012 and although I couldn't remember a single specific note, I recall being impressed by Lizzie Ellison's vocals.  I knew they were good enough to get me out of bed early after nearly 5 days of Bumbershoot and MFNW to hear their 10:30 am set at The Doug Fir Lounge, and I remember being pleased enough with their set that I was ready to come back out and see them when they came through Atlanta last night.

Radiation City at Doug Fir Lounge, MFNW, Sept. 7, 2012

What's funny is that I don't remember them as being nearly as good as their performance was last night at The Earl.  Ellison's vocals were as warm and sensual as ever, but she was ably backed with some terrific harmonies, and various other members of the band all took turns at lead vocals as well.  They employed a lot of interesting rhythms and all played various percussion instruments at various times.  In all, it was a great set of songs by a very capable and accomplished band, and either I wasn't awake enough that September morning to fully appreciate them or they're one of the most improved acts of 2013.

But don't just take my word for it.  Check out this recent set for yourself:

I think they chose their song Lark, the song  in the video above, to close their set, asking if we'd mind if they closed with a lullaby, promising that it would get a little boisterous toward the end (we allowed it).  Check out some of the other videos at the end of the clip above to get an idea of their range.

So what I guess I'm trying to say is that I'm glad that I trusted my instincts and went out to hear a band I only half-remembered as good, and I can guarantee you I won't soon forget them again.  However, I still don't know what they have against old upright pianos.

Motion Sickness of Time Travel

In addition to having one of the coolest names in music today, Georgia's Motion Sickness of Time Travel (Rachel Evans) has just released Song of Zenana, one of the most soothing ambient tracks heard in a while.  Listen late at night and enjoy.   

Father John Misty

Father John Misty at the godforsaken Masquerade, May 11, 2013

New FJM video, this time for Funtimes In Babylon.

Is that the set from Donnie Darko?

Gold & Youth

How am I supposed to keep up with all of the great new music coming out when a band like Vancouver's Gold & Youth come out with an album as good as Beyond Wilderness? And to distract me even more, they put the whole thing up for streaming (below), release a video (even further below), and offer a song for free download over at The Current.