Faced with fewer bands touring through the American South, club owners appear to have re-evaluated their own profit margins and the sources of their income. Why pay some band from New York a big fee to perform, when a local band can fill the room or at the very least cover the costs for the night at little or no money?
Local music is an important part of any city's music scene and part of the joy of living in a city with a thriving local music scene like Atlanta is watching our local favorites grow and mature as artists. But when the club owners no longer can pack the room with fans of the latest buzz band, they have to figure out how they can afford to keep the doors open with fewer customers, so with lower volume, they have to reduce their costs by paying the locals less and less, and before too long the music fan is faced with enduring whatever band the club can scrape together to play for free that night and with putting up with fewer and fewer comforts (AC, clean toilets) in the club itself.
In a perfect world, our fine local bands would rise to the occasion and fill the empty stages left by the touring bands that refuse to venture too far from home, but in the imperfect world in which we live, there's a downward spiral as owners realize they can make greater profits by paying the bands less, or even nothing at all, and the quality of the music on stage suffers as a result.
So, yes, I've been to fewer shows this year, partly because there's been fewer shows this year, in my humble opinion, worth seeing.
But then, suddenly, an oasis appears in the desert. Over the next week, Atlanta will get to experience Swans (Friday), Fear of Men (Monday), Marissa Nadler (Tuesday), and Boogarins (Wednesday), and then almost nothing for the month of August. But then, just as dramatically, we'll get another overload of shows on September 8, 9, 10, and 11, with Car Seat Headrest, (8th), Angel Olsen (9th), Quilt and Mutual Benefit (10th), and Joanna Newsom (11th).
So don't lose hope, Atlanta, there's still good music to be heard out there, and in the meantime we can support our local artists like Little Tybee at Terminal West on August 5, Takenobu at Eddie's Attic on August 13, and Hello Ocho and Jeffrey Bützer at The Earl on August 29 and September 3, respectively.
The big event of this week, the 800-pound gorilla in the room, is the three-day Sweetwater 420 Fest in Centennial Park this weekend. I won't be going as the bands booked don't quite align with my personal tastes; they didn't last year either, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see Snoop Dog perform. In any event, it's been impressive to watch the festival grow from a single-day event in Candler Park with mostly local bands to a large, three-day event with nationally touring acts.
But even without the Fest, this is still a better-than-average week for Atlanta music, with sets by Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, Esperanza Spalding, Mother Falcon, American Authors, and Hurray For The Riff-Raff, and revivals of bands like LA punks MDC, as well as 90s radio stalwarts Bush and Sister Hazel. Finally, for a week that begins with a band called Must Be The Holy Ghost and features a set by Spirits and the Melchizedek Children, there will be not one, not two, but three separate Christian rock bands performing this week.
As always, please keep in mind that musicians and night-club proprietors lead complicated lives and I'm prone to errors, mistakes, typos, and fubars; it's advisable to confirm any of the information below on your own before making plans.
MONDAY, APRIL 18
MDC, Deathwish, The Swingin' Dicks, Nag (The Drunken Unicorn)
Alternately known as Multi-Death Corporation, Millions of Dead Cops, and Millions of Damn Christians, hardcore punk legends MDC topped the Dead Kennedys in the 1980s by performing politically charged songs that were arguably more extreme than what got the Kennedys into trouble.
Must Be The Holy Ghost, Slowriter, Kakune (529)
We last saw Raleigh's loop-crazed Must Be The Holy Ghost at a day party during 2014's Hopscotch Fest. For this show, he will be supported by Atlanta's Slowriter (Bryan Taylor).
Must Be The Holy Ghost at Hopscotch, September 2014
Trevor Jackson, B. Justice, GOLDe, Vedo the Singer, Skooly (Vinyl)
Indianapolis' Trevor Jackson launched his singing career in 2013 with a string of R&B singles, including Like We Grownand Superman, both of which landed on his New Thang EP later that same year. A handful of singles scattered across 2014 and early 2015 led to In My Feelings, the singer's guest-filled debut album.
TUESDAY, APRIL 19
American Authors, Ryan Star (Vinyl)
Falling somewhere between the heady introspection of Alt-J, the arena-sized folk-rock of Mumford & Sons, and the urban, heartfelt grandeur of Fun., Brooklyn's American Authors offer an emotional and propulsive mix of summery indie pop and meticulously crafted, commercial modern rock.
Audacity, The Rodney Kings, The Mumzees (529)
Audacity play scrappy Californian garage punk.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20
Thao & The Get Down Stay Down (Terminal West)
Thao & the Get Down Stay Down is an indie pop band led by Thao Nguyen, whose songwriting tends toward the musically playful and lyrically heavy-hearted. Before forming The Get Down Stay Down, she collaborated on a single under the name Merrillthaocracy with tUnE-yArDs' Merrill Garbus, who produced The Get Down Stay Down's fourth album, Man Alive, which was just released last month.
Robyn Hitchcock is one of England's most enduring contemporary singer/songwriters and live performers. Despite having been persistently branded as eccentric or quirky for much of his career, Hitchcock has continued to develop his whimsical repertoire, deepen his surreal catalog, and expand his devoted audience beyond the boundaries of cult stature. He is among alternative rock's father figures and is the closest thing the genre has to a Bob Dylan (not coincidentally his biggest inspiration). Comedian Eugene Mirman opens.
Robyn Hitchcock at Eddie's Attic, February 2014
Eugene Mirman opening for Andrew Bird, March 2012
Har Mar Superstar, Pls Pls (Aisle 5)
Har Mar Superstar (Sean Tillmann) is a balding, out-of-shape white man with a pencil-thin moustache who croons sex-laden R&B tunes while break dancing. His live shows, sung to the backing of a small boom box, usually culminate in Har Mar stripping down to his underwear (often of the tighty whitey variety). So there's that. Atlanta's Pls Pls opens.
Pls Pls at Criminal Records, L5Fest, 2013
True Widow, Slimy Member, Spirits and the Melchizedek Children (The Earl)
Heavy and melodic, True Widow has a heavy and melodic sound that takes its cues in equal parts from the worlds of drone, post-rock, and shoegaze, blending rumbling guitars, sprawling songs, and drifting, reverb-soaked vocals. Atlanta's Spirits and the Melchizedek Children open.
Spirits and the Melchizedek Chilren at 529, January 2014
TacocaT, Boyfriends, Wet Nurse (529)
Seattle Weekly noted of the palindromic TacocaT, "If Pabst Blue Ribbon were a band, it would be TacocaT. TacocaT is discordant and goofy—like an R-rated Presidents [of the United States of America], but with Hillary(s) in the Oval Office. They're an OK band to thrash around drunk to . . . so we'd recommend waiting for their next sweaty club gig to get the quintessential TacocaT experience." 529 should provide just the setting for the female-fronted Seattle quartet.
TacocaT at Bumbershoot, 2012
THURSDAY, APRIL 21
The Disco Biscuits (Terminal West)
First of a two-night stand by trance-fusion band The Disco Biscuits before their next-day set at the Sweetwater 420 Fest. Sold out.
Amanda Cook (Center Stage)
Amanda Cook is a Canadian artist and worship leader known for her passionate, faith-based singer/songwriter pop music. Expect a lot of Christians in the audience.
Roadkill Ghost Choir, Tedo Stone, Oak House (The Earl)
In case you missed them last week at The Earl, Roadkill Ghost Choir return to The Earl, this time backed by Atlanta's Tedo Stone and Athens' Oak House.
Roadkill Ghost Choir at The Earl, August 2013
Oak House at The Earl, January 2016
Thoth Nemesis, Black Mass, Spore Lord, Homicidal (529)
Metal.
FRIDAY, APRIL 22
Sweetwater 420 Fest (Centennial Olympic Park)
Kid Rock headlines the Day One lineup that includes The Disco Biscuits, Cypress Hill, Lucero, Pepper, Zoogma, Paper Diamond, Illenium, and Ployd.
Cypress Hill at the Sixth Annual Atlanta Pot Festival, April 1, 1995
Esperanza Spalding (Center Stage)
Esperanza Spalding is a fine jazz bassist, but has also distinguished herself playing blues, funk, hip-hop, pop fusion, and Brazilian and Afro-Cuban styles as well. The Portland musician's recent Emily's D+Evolution is an ambitious, prog-rock infused concept album revolving around a central character named Emily, Spalding's middle name.
The SteelDrivers (Terminal West)
Sold out show by the soulful Nashville bluegrass band.
The Disco Biscuits (Terminal West)
Late-night second show of the two-night stand by trance-fusion band The Disco Biscuits, following their set at the Sweetwater 420 Fest. Sold out.
Sister Hazel, The Georgia Flood, Christian Lopez (Variety Playhouse)
Sister Hazel is an alternative rock band from Florida, whose style blends elements of folk rock, pop, classic rock 'n' roll and southern rock. Their music is characterized by highly melodic tunes and prominent harmonies. Their song All For You was a 90s radio staple.
Rend Collective (The Tabernacle)
The Rend Collective are a modern praise and worship band out of Northern Ireland that grew out of a group of Christian friends looking for a way to bring spirituality more in line with the complexities and confusions of life in the 21st century. A nice second helping for fans of Amanda Cook (See Thursday night)
Mother Falcon, Takenobu (The Earl)
An ambitious symphonic rock/orchestral pop collective based out of Austin and spearheaded by bandleader and founder Nick Gregg, Mother Falcon was formed in 2008. Taking a cue from other classical-minded pop artists like Sufjan Stevens, Beirut, and the Polyphonic Spree, the group eventually added members and by the time they began performing, numbered anywhere from 11 to 20 musicians on any given night. Mother Falcon quickly became a must-see event around town, playing numerous high-profile festivals and releasing a string of well-received EPs and LPs. Atlanta's Takenobu opens.
Takenobu at 529, July 2013
Funk You, The Get Right Band (Aisle 5)
Funk.
SATURDAY, APRIL 23
Sweetwater 420 Fest (Centennial Olympic Park)
Bastille headlines the Day Two lineup that includes The Roots, Rebelution, Dawes, Maceo Parker, The North Mississippi All-Stars, AWOLNation, The Word, Tokyo Police Club, Chrome Pony, and Minnesota (the band, not the state).
Tokyo Police Club at Shaky Knees, May 10, 2014
Dawes at Shaky Knees, May 10, 2014
Leftover Salmon, Ripe (Variety Playhouse)
Official Sweetwater 420 Fest late-night show featuring Leftover Salmon, who will be playing the festival the next day.
Questlove (The Loft)
Another Official Sweetwater 420 Fest late-night show.
Hurray For The Riff Raff, Promised Land Sound (Terminal West)
New Orleans-based indie folk outfit Hurray for the Riff Raff were formed by singer/songwriter/banjo player Alynda Lee, a Bronx-raised Puerto Rican troubadour who left home at 17 to ride the rails and eventually landed in the Big Easy. After honing her skills on the washboard with a gang of train-yard musicians called the Dead Man's Street Orchestra, she picked up the banjo that a close friend had given her and began writing her own songs. Hurray for the Riff Raff's signature blend of folk-blues and Southern gothic Americana is often rounded out by a rotating cast of accordion, guitar, organ, and musical saw players.
The Explorer's Club, Robert Schneider, Casper & the Cookies (The Earl)
The Explorers Club is a pop rock band from South Carolina whose surf rock sound has drawn comparisons to the Beach Boys. Supporting the band will be Elephant 6 collective member Robert Schneider of Apples In Stereo.
Underøath, Caspian (The Tabernacle)
Amanda Cook fans (see Thursday night) and Rend Collective fans (see Friday night) who want their Christian rock with a harder edge should enjoy Florida's Underøath, who have evolved from a run-of-the-mill Christian metalcore band into a fluid, dynamic, and energized rock group that adeptly blends emotive melody, charged punk rock rhythms, and a chunky, engaging bottom end.
Probably the other end of the spiritual spectrum from the Underøath show.
SUNDAY, APRIL 24
Sweetwater 420 Fest (Centennial Olympic Park)
Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals headline the Day Three lineup that includes Leftover Salmon, Ludacris, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Atmosphere, Manchester Orchestra, Robert DeLong, The Bright Light Social Hour, Emancipator, and Waking Astronomer.
Manchester Orchestra on a far-distant stage at Music Midtown, 2011
Margo Price (Eddie's Attic)
Country traditionalist Margo Price's recent success has set all kinds of records for album sales in a decade when sales have been low, a tribute to the success she's earned as well as the connection she's established with her new fans. Price has the sound of a timeless country singer and has captivated the music industry with her true tales of loss, struggle and redemption. Her song Hurtin' (on the Bottle) has all the heartache of a classic song
Bush, The Dose (The Tabernacle)
Bush formed in London in 1992 and found immediate success with the release of their debut album Sixteen Stone in 1994, which has been certified 6× multi-platinum and launched a string of successful singles (Glycerine, Machine Head, Everything Zen, etc.) At this point, the band probably qualify as rock royalty, and lead singer Gavin Rossdale, aka the former Mr. Gwen Stefani, remains a potent sex symbol.
The Great Backwash: With SXSW wrapping up in Austin today (Sunday), many bands are returning home or continuing their tours, and thus a second wave of bands are passing through the ATL, contributing to a pretty-good week of music. Also, for some reason, Eddie's Attic is really stepping it up this week, featuring not only folk royalty Lucy Wainwright Roche, but also the adorable and irrepressible Basia Bulat, the moody Mount Moriah, and emerging stars Lily & Madeline. Way to go, Eddie's!
You may also note that I've cut down on the number of listings. Frankly, life is too short to waste time researching backgrounds, styles, and trivia of all of those hardcore, pop punk, and metal bands playing at the three stages of the god-forsaken Masquerade, or all of the unknown singer-songwriters passing through Smith's Olde Bar, and let's face it, Steve's Live Music is nothing but an after-dinner date-night destination for suburban white people. I'll scan through those venue's offerings and note anything that looks worthwhile, but you don't need to wade through the complete listings and I'm not interested in writing those complete listings. So there, I said it.
As always, please keep in mind that musicians and night-club proprietors lead complicated lives and I'm prone to errors, mistakes, typos, and fubars; it's advisable to confirm any of the information below on your own before making plans.
MONDAY, MARCH 21
★Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, Tedo Stone (Variety Playhouse)
Like James Brown? Charles Bradley was a JB impersonator before he found his own voice, but the soul styling and hard-work ethic of the master remains. Plus Bradley is one of the most humble, most grateful and kindest musicians to grace a stage.
Charles Bradley at Bumbershoot, 2011
Pusha T, Lil Bibby, G Herbo (Center Stage)
The Darkest Before Dawn Tour comes through the ATL.
Lucy Wainwright Roche and Suzzy Roche, Barnaby Bright (Eddie's Attic)
Talk about musical roots: Lucy Wainwright Roche is the daughter of singer-songwriters Loudon Wainwright III and Suzzy Roche, who, along with her sisters Maggie and Terre Roche, make up the vocal group The Roches. Known for their unique harmonies, The Roches were major influences on the careers of the Indigo Girls, and Lucy has toured as an opening act for the Indigo Girls and the duo is featured on a couple of Lucy's songs. Lucy is also the half-sister of singer-songwriters Rufus Wainwright and Martha Wainwright (whose late mother Kate was half of the Canadian folk duo Kate & Anna McGarrigle).
Kevin Garrett (Aisle 5)
Alas, not former Celtic great and current Timberwolf Kevin Garnett, but Pittsburgh soul-pop musician Kevin Garrett, now based out of Brooklyn.
Little Simz, Go Dreamer (Vinyl)
Islington, England's Little Simz is a tough-rhyming rapper whose approach is equally effective over jagged and smooth productions. She is also known as an actor for her recurring roles on the BBC's Spirit Warriors and E4's Youngers.
TUESDAY, MARCH 22
Palm, Warehouse, Gnarwhal, Dicaprio (529)
Philadelphia's Palm have been compared to everyone from Guerilla Toss, Women and Deerhoof to King Crimson and Unwound. Atlanta's Warehouse finds its inspirations in Brazil’s bossa nova and tropicalia movements; their debut album Tesseract is a departure from some of their earlier new-wave material, and highlights more classic rock elements, matched by Elaine Edenfield’s guttural vocals.
House of Peace (Aisle 5)
Not to be confused with the Christian music band of the same name, the House of Peace tour is actually five very diverse international house music, EDM and funk DJs.
Forever Came Calling, Major League, Sudden Suspension, Lights After Dark, Summer Wars (Drunken Unicorn)
Pop punk. A Masquerade-produced show held at the Unicorn.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23
★Basia Bulat, Daniel Martin Moore (Eddie's Attic)
Basia Bulat is a Canadian folk singer-songwriter known for performing with an autoharp, who became one of the indie world's most talked about newcomers with the release of her first full-length album, 2007's Oh, My Darling. We've seen her before at Eddie's, as well as The Earl opening for Seattle's Pickwick.
★Summer Twins, The Shivas, Black Linen, Koko Beware (529)
Summer Twins are sisters Chelsea and Justine Brown, who write dream-pop and rock 'n' roll songs with a touch of California sun. They formed in 2008 with a focus on singing pop harmonies atop garage rock inspired by the ’50s and ’60s. We saw Seattle's The Shivas at an early-day KEXP show at Portland's The Doug Fir during MFNW (RIP) 2013 (dude-I-was-there video below), and later had brunch at the table next to them at the diner upstairs.
Astronauts ETC, Harriet Brown, Skybison (The Earl)
Oakland, California's Astronauts ETC are a "supermelodic pulp/arena pop" band touring after their appearances as SXSW.
A Night of David Bowie with The Ziggy Stardust Tribute (Terminal West)
These Bowie tribute shows are becoming a regular thing around town - this one will feature Timi Conley, Andrew Hanmer, Jay Rodgers, Chris McKay, Kristoffer Dede Giddens, Michael Wegner, and John James.
Real Friends, Movements (The Masquerade)
Sold Out
Kitten, Keeps, The Greeting Committee (Hell at The Masquerade)
LA quartet Kitten play '80s post-punk-influenced dance-rock and synth pop, fronted by dynamic (and very young) lead singer Chloe Chaidez,
Dreamers, Arkells (Purgatory at The Masquerade)
Brooklyn indie pop-rockers Dreamers play infectious rock in the vein of Surfer Blood and the Vaccines. Arkells are an alternative rock band originally from Hamilton, Ontario that are named after Arkell Street near McMaster University.
Sad Fish, Misery Loves Chachi, Friendship, Lea Lea (Mammal Gallery)
Sad Fish plays Brazilian freak surf rock. Atlanta's Misery Loves Chachi is an indie, dream-pop band combining chill-wave, Motown and African rhythms with post-modern chord changes and jazz harmonies. Friendship are from Philadelphia, and Lea Lea is an Atlanta-based experimental folktronica performer.
The Gordon Vernick Quartet (Red Light Cafe)
Every Wednesday night, The Gordon Vernick Quartet performs a few numbers and then invites other musicians and singers to join them on stage for a jam session. The quartet features Kevin Bales on keyboard, Marlon Patton on drums, Craig Shaw on bass, and Dr. Gordon Vernick on trumpet. There's no cover charge and plenty of free parking. Whether you're a professional or amateur musician, you're welcome to sit in; everyone who wants to perform will be given a chance to play.
THURSDAY, MARCH 24
Hippie Sabotage, Alex Wiley, Kembe X (Terminal West)
Sold Out.
★Mount Moriah, Elephant Micah (Eddie's Attic)
Steeped in the dark, misty mountain lore of their Appalachian homeland and brimming with the fuzzed-out dark twang of their pasts, North Carolina-based alt-Americana outfit Mount Moriah blend the neo-traditional indie folk of the Low Anthem with the fire and brimstone of Sixteen Horsepower. Formed in the late 2000s by Heather McEntire and Jenks Miller, both of whom had spent considerable time at the opposite end of the folk spectrum as members of Bellafea (post-punk) and Horseback (psych-metal), respectively, the project grew out the pair's long friendship and shared love of American folk music. After some drastic shifts in sound and line-up, the band's sound has settled into a sweet, melancholy strain of folk music. Their song Calvander was recently selected by Minnesota Public Radio as The Current Song of the Day.
Jenks Miller (left) with Rose Cross at Hopscotch Festival, 2014
The Broadcast, Autumn Attics (The Earl)
Described as a modern day “Grace Slick meets Led Zeppelin,” Asheville’s The Broadcast is led by female powerhouse Caitlin Krisko. Drawing much of their sound from 70s classic rock, The Broadcast are known for their explosive live performances.
Shepherds, Deep State, Mighty (529)
Atlanta post-punk noise/soul outfit Shepherds is fronted by guitarist Jonathan Merenivitch (Janelle Monae, Del Venicci, Dog Bite, and probably more).
Shepherds at Artlantis
The Malah, Universal Sigh (Aisle 5)
The Malah are a live-electronic trio who have been playing their organic, electro-grooves since 2003.
Sam Outlaw, Whitney Rose (Vinyl)
Sam Outlaw is a country music singer-songwriter who calls his music "SoCal country," country music refashioned with a Southern California vibe of the classic honky-tonk and troubadour pop.
Teedra Moses, DJ Tabone (The Loft)
Teedra Moses is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter born and raised in New Orleans to a gospel singing mother, and brings a little bit of that fervor to her own vocal style.
Jeff Austin Band, Brit La Palm, Seth Winters (Music Room at Smith's Olde Bar)
Jeff Austin is a member of Yonder Mountain String Band.
Supersuckers, Jesse Dayton, Dead Soldiers (Star Community Bar)
Supersuckers are a party band that formed in 1988, playing a gleefully trashy brand of throttling, rockabilly-flavored garage punk. Their lyrics are a raucous, over-the-top celebration of sex, booze, drugs, Satan, and whatever other vices the band can think of, all glorified with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Save for an abrupt and temporary detour into hardcore honky tonk, their approach stayed relatively consistent through the '90s.
Upstate Rubdown, Cortez Garza (Red Light Cafe)
Upstate Rubdown is a group of rowdy musicians dedicated to creating fun and provocative acoustic pop music, with clever rhythms and harmonies. The band's influences range anywhere from traditional to classical and from jazz/show tunes to funk, with a shared love of soul, motown, and classic R&B, for a unique sound.
FRIDAY, MARCH 25
★★Marshall Allen+James Harrar: Soloriens Tetrad, Faun and a Pan Flute, To Too My (Mammal Gallery)
2014's set by legendary Sun Ra alto saxophonist Marshall Allen and experimental filmmaker and musician James Harrar, performing together as Cinema Soloriens, was one of the highlights of that year. This year, they're performing as Soloriens Tetrad, and percussionist Klimchak and guitarist Chris Yonker (Hello Ocho) will join in for the performance. Atlanta avant-gardists Faun and a Pan Flute and To Too My open.
Ruby Velle and the Soulphonics (The Earl)
An Atlanta institution since 2007 featuring soulful lead vocals and a full horn section, Ruby Velle & the Soulphonics make earthy old-school '50s and '60s-style R&B. Upon arriving in Atlanta from Gainesville, Florida, they landed a residency at the Star Bar and built a strong local following, and in 2010 and 2011, Creative Loafing voted them Atlanta's best soul band.
Shampoo, Crown Larks, Omni, Clothes (529)
Atlanta synthpop band Shampoo say they sound like "solo George Michael and the Congos songs where the high harmony dude sings lead."
Anderson East, Andrew Combs (Terminal West)
Athens, Alabama (the other Athens) singer and songwriter Anderson East's music is a potent, heartfelt fusion of soul, rhythm & blues, gospel, early rock & roll, and a dash of country.
Karbomb, Seagulls, Campaign, Spray Tan, Breaux (Star Community Bar)
This will be an LP release party for the Karbomb/Seagulls split album.
Yacht Rock Revue (Variety Playhouse)
Performing Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon and The Beatles’ Abbey Road.
Norma Jean, He Is Legend, Forevermore, Rival Choir (Drunken Unicorn)
Norma Jean is a heavy, loud, rock 'n' roll band from Atlanta.
Jerry Garcia Band Cover Band, BYOG (Aisle 5)
I think the title's pretty self-explanatory.
SATURDAY, MARCH 26
★Lily and Madeleine, Shannon Hayden (Eddie's Attic)
Lily & Madeleine are a folk-pop sister duo from Indianapolis. The New York Times wrote that "the thing that flags them as extraordinary is their sibling vocal blend, deep and seamless and relaxed."
★Nomen Novum, FiatNil, Pamela_ & Her Sons, Anticipation (529)
A record release show for Atlanta's admirable Deer Bear Wolf Records, featuring Nomen Novum, FiatNil (Graham Moore and Magicicada). Pamela_ & Her Sons, and a DJ set by Anticipation.
Nomen Novum opening for Future Islands at Variety Playhouse, February 27, 2015
★Dale Watson & His Lonestars, Cold Heart Canyon (Music Room at Smith's Olde Bar)
Dale Watson is a Texas Country singer, guitarist, songwriter, and self-published author based in Austin. He champions "Ameripolitan" as a new genre of original music and has positioned himself as a tattooed, stubbornly independent outsider who is interested in recording authentic country music, and as a result, has become a favorite of critics and alt-country fans.
Rusted Root (Variety Playhouse)
Pittsburgh's Rusted Root are known for their fusion of acoustic, rock, world and other styles of music, with a strong percussion section that draws from African, Latin American, and Native American influences. The band achieved fame in 1994 with its platinum-selling album When I Woke, which included hit single Send Me On My Way. The song has been featured prominently in many films and commercials, and Rusted Root has sold more than three million albums worldwide.
A-Wa, Jaffa Road (Terminal West)
The Atlanta Jewish Music Festival Purim Party. According to NPR, Israeli sister act A-Wa (Tair, Liron and Tagel Haim) "pull inspiration from their Yemeni Jewish roots, as well as exploring commonalities with their Arab neighbors, including language; the band usually sings in Yemeni Arabic." NPR's All Songs Considered even singled them out for mention among the myriad bands at SXSW, especially after they sang a lullaby in Bob Boilen's hotel room. The video for their song Habib Galbi (Love of My Heart) was filmed near their home village in the barren desert of Israel's far south.
Newark Wilder’s debut album, Vanessa Atalanta, produced by Luciano Giarrano at East Atlanta's The Cottage, is a diverse cornucopia of psychedelic punk that utilizes sneering guitars, punchy basslines, steadfast drums, and the swagger of frontman Benjamin Kinzer, a classically trained cellist.
Hot Rod Walt & the Psycho-Devilles, The Royal Hounds, Little Lesley and the Bloodshots (Star Community Bar)
Rockabilly.
Bongzilla, Black Cobra, Kings Destroy, Lo-Pan (The Earl)
Madison, Wisconsin's Bongzilla play an extremely thick and heavy, powerful mega-rock laced with homegrown, psychedelic sludge-core.
India Shawn, MeLo-X, Boyslashfriend, Kiya Lacey (Aisle 5) LA singer and songwriter India Shawn utilizes a fearless experimentation with R&B elements and her smooth voice to connect with listeners. India’s songs have spiritual and emotional components, and in 2013, Solange Knowles featured India’s popular track, I’m Alive, on her Saint Heron compilation album
Reza Sadeghi (Center Stage)
Reza Sadeghi is an Iranian pop singer and songwriter who has been singing since his childhood, when he began chanting the Qur’an at school.
Junior Boys, Jessy Lanza, Borys (The Loft)
Hamilton, Ontario-based electronic pop group, Junior Boys are a duo influenced by a number of underground and commercial sectors, including post-disco, arty synth pop, minimal techno, U.K. garage, and certain contemporary rap production styles.
SUNDAY, MARCH 27
★Takenobu (Eddie's Attic)
A CD release show for the Andrew Bird of the cello.
Phoenix Fest is a DIY celebration of Atlanta music, literature and art curated by Davy Minor of Deer Bear Wolf.
I wasn't around yesterday for most of the event, but I did arrive on time to take in the visual arts and catch a set by Atlanta's Book of Colors.
Last time we saw Book of Colors perform, it was just Andres playing solo at the Park Tavern, opening for Kishi Bashi. Last night could not be more different, as not only was everybody dressed in Halloween costumes but at times they had as many as 10 performers on stage, including Takenobu on cello, who we also saw this summer at Park Tavern (and coincidentally also opening once for Kishi Bashi) and Anna Kramer on backing vocals. There might have been other Atlanta bands represented as well, and I apologize if I didn't recognize them.
They did the best they could on the sound, but given the constraints of a DIY sound system and the acoustics of a metal warehouse building, it did get a bit muddled at times when all 10 musicians were performing. However, Andres and company pulled it off just by sheer power of personality, the audacity of the all-star line-up, and the quirky charms of the rest of the festival. A good set on a good night at a good event - what's not to like?
While we've been to Park Tavern before, a) it was years and years ago, and b) the Park Tavern didn't feature national-level touring acts back in the 90s. Since one of my unofficial jobs seems to be supporting Pacific Northwest bands when they play Atlanta (see The Family Crest and Motopony), I was sufficiently motivated to pass up last night's episode of Game of Thrones to see Seattle's Kris Orlowski and Ivan & Alyosha play the Park Tavern.
The Park Tavern has added a big tent to cover the outdoor diners and the stage since I was there last, but it's still not really set up for live music. The floor is covered with widely spaced, large tables, each of which had anywhere from 4 to 8 to more people seated, talking, drinking and having fun. While there's certainly nothing wrong with that, many of the people seated had their backs to the stage, and many of the tables were so far back that the people were barely aware there was live music coming from the stage. Further, there was no bar or anywhere else for a single person who was just there for the music to hang out, other than to stand alone and conspicuously between the stage and the tables. I bought a beer from inside the tavern and brought it back "outside" (actually, inside the tent), and tried to find a spot against the wall where I could stay out of the way of the busy waiters and busboys as they served the tables. It was only after the music started that I and a few others ventured out into the area between the tables and the stage.
The first band was a surprise (they weren't listed on the bill) but a pleasant surprise - Atlanta's own cellist and singer, Takenobu. He played a lovely, lyrical set accompanied by a violinist, and I think that only I and about a dozen other people even knew he was on the stage. Pity, most people missed out on a great set.
Next up was Kris Orlowski, a solo, acoustic singer/songwriter who had an even tougher time being heard above the din on the diners. He took it all well, and made a few small jokes for the benefit of the few of us paying attention, but then he finally took matters into his own hands and stepped off stage to wander among the tables like a mariachi band in a Mexican restaurant, playing unamplified to those near him.
The gambit worked and got Kris a little more attention and respect from the audience, but a lot of the people present were at The Park Tavern to drink and socialize, and again, there's nothing wrong with that, but it's not a great setting for a folk-style singer.
Ivan & Alyosha are a full band, a quintet, and had enough volume to drown out the audience. Also, as soon as they took the stage, dozens of mostly teenage girls flooded the area in front of the stage, drawn by Ivan & Alyosha's boy-band looks.
Ivan & Alyosha (named for characters in a Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov) play a folk-rock/ indie-pop hybrid. Frontman Tim Wilson warned us that on one song, a ballad, they "go a little Celine Dion," but their pop tendencies are balanced by guitar-rock rhythms and four-part harmonies. If you imagine a cross between Local Natives and Paul McCartney, you'd be approaching Ivan & Alyosha's neighborhood. Here's a sample:
Yesterday was guitarist Tim Kim's birthday, which still doesn't fully explain all of the homoerotic biting ("birthday bites") going on in the video.
Anyhow, with the music amplified and the energy level raised and the stage area filled with clapping and adoring teenage girls, The Park Tavern finally started to resemble a music venue and not just an outdoor restaurant, and suddenly, everything was alright.
For those of you keeping score at home, this is our second time seeing Ivan & Alyosha, whom we previously caught at Bumbershoot 2013.
Here's the set list from last night. Even though Be Your Man wasn't listed, they closed their set with the song. There was no encore and as soon as the band left the stage, the house music came on and the audience returned to their tables.
I got back home before 11:00 pm, in time to catch the second airing of Game of Thrones (that Valyrian steel!). Next Sunday, Milo Greene play The Park Tavern, and later this summer, Kishi Bashi.
Meanwhile, back in the here and now, Kishi Bashi performed last night at Atlanta's Terminal West. Added bonus points for the dream-team match-up of Atlanta's own Takenobu opening up for him.
Takenobu can be described as the Andrew Bird of the cello (or the Kishi Bashi of the cello, for that matter) for the way he used a loop repeater to build up layers to play over until he sounds almost like a one-man orchestra. We've seen Takenobu before, but never on a stage this big or in front of an audience as large as last night's sold-out Terminal West. Despite some technical problems with a fuzzed-out cable, he performed a great set and hopefully took at least a small step forward in getting the recognition he deserves.
Next up were Kishi Bashi's tour mates Buried Beds. The band includes members Eliza Jones of Strand of Oaks and Dave Hartley of The War On Drugs, some of my favorite bands, and I've long maintained that bassist Dave Hartley is the best in the business at what he does.
Their songs are inspired by folklore, fairy tales, local Philadelphia legends, science theories, and family stories, and contain underground giants, children of the sea, and the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics.
Somehow, it didn't all come together for me. They're all skilled musicians and didn't play a single false note all night, but I didn't warm to the fairy tales and poppish nature of the project. However, given their pedigree and musicianship, I think this could be a great band if they ever get serious and decide to start rocking.
Last night was the end of the Buried Beds/Kishi Bashi tour, 33 gigs in not too many more days. We last saw K. Ishibashi in Athens back before the tour began, and if I could get my way, I'd try to see him at least every 90 days or so. He didn't play or do anything new compared to the Athens gig, but that's not to say anything sounded old or stale either - both nights, he served up his own unique, complex brand of pop rock exactly the way we fans want it.
He opened the set with Philosophize In It! Chemicalize With It!, covered Bright Whites somewhere toward the middle of the set, and held It All Began With a Burst back for the encore.
Amidst all the pop and hit songs, he even found space for a few improvisations, a little bit of experimentalism, and a few spaced-out passages.
As always, props to his sideman, Mike Savino (Tall Tall Trees) on "space banjo."
The set ended with three solo songs by Bashi, including a lovely version of I Am the Antichrist.
The encore included (but was not limited to) a tour finale group shot featuring the band, the entourage, openers Buried Beds, and the audience, followed by It All Began With A Burst, followed by a crowd surf, followed by a cover of Whole Lotta Love.
This early 2014 weekend, as a matter of fact the second weekend of the new year, has the potential to be a pretty good showcase of Atlanta bands, what with Saturday night's Ohmpark Fest 2. But things actually started off on Friday night with a set at the redoubtable Earl by three local bands, headlined by Atlanta's Takenobu, although as it turned out, the audience was primarily there to see Lily & the Tigers.
Openers Beau Victrola were new to me, although frontman Victor of Beau Victrola, Molotov Pipedream, and The Dandyls (and probably other bands as well) has apparently been around for a while now. Beau Victrola appears to be Victor and whoever he wants/can get to play with him, which in the past have included such Atlanta luminaries as Nirvana Kelly of Little Tybee and Adron. For this gig, he had a bass player and keyboards with no percussion.
His music is hard to classify, but for lack of a better description, I would call it sweetly psychedelic folk pop in the tradition of Syd Barrett, played with a sardonic, one-raised-eyebrow manner in the fashion of Foxygen. Here's a sample:
When Beau Victrola took the stage sometime between 9:30 and 10:00, The Earl was still filling up with noisy patrons wanting to see Lily & The Tigers. One of the unfortunate characteristics of Earl audiences is to talk loudly, especially around the bar, during a performance but last night the crowd was especially loud and disrespectful to the performer, even by Earl standards, not only back by the bar but even by several gaggles of young women right up front by the stage, who were far more interested in greeting each other, taking group pictures, and chatting about whatever than they were in listening to a band that was not Lily & The Tigers. Victor tried a couple of times to get them to quiet down, at least a little, and compared playing the club last night to being in a high-school cafeteria, with the stage the table where the cool kids were hanging out and the rest of the club where all of the jocks were chatting loudly and not caring one little bit about the cool kids' table.
Which was really unfortunate, as I liked what I heard form Beau Victrola, and wish I could have heard more of them over the din of the crowd. Victor actually seemed a little relieved at the end of the set, and no one seemed to much notice when he walked off stage. Their loss.
Things have changed considerably for Lily & The Tigers since we've seen them last, not the least of which is their new-found popularity. By the time they took the stage, The Earl was quite full with an audience there primarily to see Lily & The Tigers. I don't remember them being this popular back when I saw them open for Viva Voce and for Shearwater. They have a new, Kickstarter-supported album coming out, and if that is the reason for their increased popularity, it says a lot for the power of Kickstarter to get a band's fan base involved and mobilized.
One of the things that I've always liked about Lily & The Tigers was their odd instrumentation. In past performances, singer Casey Hood's acoustic guitar was backed and augmented by stand-up bass, violin, and woodwinds, giving the band a unique, gothic, almost baroque sound.
The violin and woodwinds are now gone, and the band on stage last night was a trio, Casey on guitars and vocals, stand-up bassist Adam Mincey, and the fine guitarist Jared Pepper. Their forthcoming album, The Hand You Deal Yourself, was recorded up in Vermont, which seems to have changed the band's sound as well, with less of a southern gothic vibe and more of a generic folk-country sound. The audience seemed to love it, however, based on both the size of the crowd, the relative attention paid to the stage, and several of the young women up by the stage putting away their cell phones long enough to dance along to several songs. I'm happy for the band and their success, even if I do prefer their older sound.
Takenobu headlined, and much of the audience stayed around after the Lily & The Tigers set for at least the first half of his set before reverting back to chatting and eventually leaving altogether.
We last saw Takenobu at 529, and were quite impressed with his performance. Takenobu plays cello, using loop pedals to build up layers of sound for him to play over, much in the manner of Andrew Bird. As before, he was accompanied by a violinist, and the virtual string section that the two were able to create on stage using just their two instruments was astounding.
To keep things varied, he occasionally switched from a standard cello to an electric version, and brought a drummer on stage with him for the electric cello songs, switching formats every four or five songs or so. The man, Nick Ogawa, is a true artist, and Atlanta is fortunate to have him in its midst, although it's unfortunate for Mr. Ogawa that he's not more widely recognized. He would more than hold his own opening on tour with someone like Andrew Bird, or Kishi Bashi for that matter, which might provide him the exposure he deserves.
The audience was significantly smaller by the end of his set, most of the Lily & The Tigers fans having departed, but a small crowd remained to encourage Ogawa to come back for an encore, an unexpected cover of The Pixies classic, Where Is My Mind?
My first show of 2014, then, was three local bands, including a new discovery, a revamped favorite, and a reliable artist.
