SHOW OF THE MONTH

500 Songs for Kids - Final Night
Smith's Olde Bar
Atlanta, GA
May 12, 2007

Just imagine all your favorite songs you grew up with on one mixed CD. Then imagine them being performed by your favorite artists. Now...imagine seeing it live in concert. That's what hundreds of generous Atlanta music-goers witnessed on May 12 when they attended the last night of the 10-day charity concert series, 500 Songs for Kids. Organized meticulously by Smith's Olde Bar and Josh Rifkind, the finale of the series was not one to be missed.

The last 50 songs started off well with a performance of The Eagles' "Hotel California," followed by up-and-comers Georgia and their dead-on cover of "The Weight" by The Band. It was only uphill from there. Shortly after, Second Shift's Jonathan Baker and Variac's JT Hall powered through a remarkable reenactment of David Bowie and Mick Jagger's "Dancing in Street," which concluded with Hall laying a big 'ole fat one on the unsuspecting Baker.

Some of the other notable performances were Second Shift interpreting The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter," a string ensemble playing "Stairway to Heaven" and Michael Tolcher showing off his range with a surprisingly stellar baritone delivery for Johnny Cash's "Walk the Line."

Then the night took a turn. Well, it was more like it took a Turner...Tina Turner. The quite comedic host, Josh Rifkind, jumped up on stage in a full-on Tina Turner get-up - complete with big hair - to sing a not-so-pitch-perfect version of "River Deep, Mountain High." With a bit of adlibbed profanity, the slapstick feat was the high point of the night.
Continuing up the list, Aslyn and Collective Soul's Will Turpin did a duet adaptation of "Let it Be;" Left Front Tire arrived together for a quick reunion, Chuck Berry style; New Orleans rockers Club of the Sons and MuteMath's Paul Meany did The Clash justice with "London Calling;" and then the rest of MuteMath joined Meany later to sing Ray Charles' "What I'd Say," complete with Ray Charles daughter, Robyn Moffett.

Moving into the top ten, Angie Aparo did a entrancing a cappella version of "Hey Jude," country music singer, Darryl Worley sang "Johnny B. Goode," R&B legend, and Dionne Farris belted out "Respect."

To culminate the whole event, singer/songwriter/entertainer/producer Butch Walker came out to do an interpretive painting to "Good Vibrations." Then the very talented Pete Yorn made a surprise appearance to sing "Imagine" as Mr. Walker bigheartedly played bass for him. Walker then stayed on stage to sing the No. 2 song, "Satisfaction," as many other musicians joined him to bring down the house.

Before Rifkind could utter the words to announce the No. 1 song, the mix of musicians on stage, which included Butch Walker, Trances Arc's bassist and a member of Sovus Radio who picked up lead vocals, began playing "Like A Rolling Stone." But everyone went with it as swarms of other musicians jumped up and sang with them. Nearing 3 a.m., beer was sprayed everywhere and mic stands tumbled over as the packed Smith's Olde Bar sang their lungs out to the hit.

All in all, more awareness was raised than money, but everyone had a great time and it was all thanks to the very kind-hearted and hilarious Josh Rifkind, who reminded everyone, "Hey...do it for the kids!"

-Review & photo by Katie Bricker

Backstage at 500 Songs For Kids

Each evening from May 3 through 12, Smith’s Olde Bar was THE place to be seen and heard in the Southeast, as local artists came together to aid needy children. The 10-day concert run, known as 500 Songs For Kids, benefited a variety of children’s camps, hospitals, and charitable organizations. 50 songs were performed each night from the 500 greatest songs of all time as chosen by the writers of Rolling Stone magazine, and the area’s arsenal of talent turned out in droves to celebrate the true meaning of life and happiness so gracefully found in youth.

Backstage, however, was more of a private jam session than an arena for hobnobbing. Initially artists were just focused on delivering the songs they were chosen to perform. But soon the energy grew electric and collaborative sparks flew as artists and songwriters began to mix. The atmosphere was painted with beautiful playing and singing, as members of local bands near and far dropped in to contribute their talents, making the event all the more special.

One particularly thrilling happening was an impromptu rehearsal of Marvin Gaye’s classic “What’s Goin’ On?” with members from acts like Trances Arc and Second Shift. And then, within minutes, that unbreakable spirit transcended on stage for a delightful moment frozen in time.

Others threw their heart and soul into “Ring of Fire” backstage. The Futurists intensely practiced Beatles harmonies; Mic Levine spruced up for “Fire and Rain;” Coy Bowles, the “Soul Generator” himself, meditated, as Avenge Vegas was soon to light up the venue with “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow.” Meanwhile, the powerful Dead Confederate were eager to unearth the great Ghost of Grunge with a stunning “Smell’s Like Teen Spirit.”

The last night found stars like Butch Walker, Collective Soul, Angie Aparo and Pete Yorn mingling, free and spirited, chatting with the locals.

The respect and camaraderie among these performers truly brought this event to a pinnacle, all for the sake of kids and local rock.

-Shawn M. Haney

Parade / Jupiter Watts / Luigi
Lenny's
Atlanta GA
May 10, 2007

Parade took the stage to a less than enthusiastic crowd this night at Lenny's, launching into an Interpol-esque opener, "Penelope Shoes." But the Interpol comparisons come to a halt when singer Carrie Hodge's passion-filled vocals lifted the group above comparions. With Hodge's voice recalling Tonya Donnelly's ethereal-laced tone, Parade bleeds a level of confidence that many local bands dream of. Their superior talent as musicians and songwriters, as well as their willingness to take risks with song structure, has cemented their reputation in the Southeast. The band powered on, playing a sprinkling of the old and the new.

The crowd stepped up for Jupiter Watts. The five-piece channeled the spirit of The Verve vocalist Richard Ashcroft's British whine and filtered it through a blend of Wilco-inspired songs. The chicken shake opening of "Clouds" brought a much pleased response from the crowd, and the "Yacht Rock" smoothness of "Travel Without A Sound" made it clear that Jupiter Watts can write very emotive, melancholy concoctions. Towards the end of their set, the band shed their stoic stage presentation and began to show as much physical passion as their songs display emotionally.

Rounding out the night was Luigi - another local band with as much oomph in their music as their predecessors, who thanked Jupiter Watts for leaving them with 22 minutes to play their 12-minute set. But this minor faux pas of Jupiter Watts did stop Luigi from tearing the stage apart with their high-energy rock. Luigi is difficult to pin down; their onstage tones were abrasive, but somehow the band brought their instrumental cacophony together to create an interesting blend of offbeat, indie goodness.

When the houselights were turned on, people were sweaty and tired, their ears bled, but no one wanted to stop the rock - Not even the patron who beat his hands against Lenny's subspeakers, perfectly ending the evening with a long, drunken "Woooooooo!"

-Chris Parizo

The Ginger Envelopes / Dark Meat / Elf Power
The Georgia Theatre
Athens, GA
May 12, 2007

This night of hometown bands started off with The Ginger Envelope, who sounded like they belonged on Saddle Creek Records with their country twang and Bright Eyes sound. Lead singer Patrick Carey, with acoustic guitar in tow, sang softly with a hint of emotional angst over Jason Trahan on electric guitar, Steve Miller (not THE Steve Miller) on electric bass, and Jason Robira on drums. Pedal steel guitarist Matt Stoessel established the mood for the entire set with his smooth and melancholy movements, reminiscent of Athens' Japancakes.

The atmosphere of the room was energized by the gajillion-piece Dark Meat, who had 15 or 16 members this evening, depending on if one counts the guy in the back who threw balloons. With so many people, Dark Meat has its own sections within the band. The horn section is known as The Vomit Lasers and the female singers and dancers are called The Subtweeters, although sisters Claire and Page Campbell were absent this night due to being on tour with their band Hope For Agoldensummer, leaving Heather Heyn to handle all the singing duties.

This lot of Athens musicians is headed by guitarist/singer Jim McHugh, who plays Charles Manson to this Family Band. As the group performed, waves of energy bursts could be felt pouring over the crowd. Balloons were being slapped and kicked about the room like excited gas molecules. Just as songs would reach a low point and one thought the end was near, the band would pick it back up again and continue to bang away for two more minutes. The percussion trio created big beats with two drum sets powered by Robira of The Ginger Envelope and Forrest Leffer of Carrie Nations, as well as on most songs from guitarist Tim Schreiber of Col. Knowledge & The Lickety-Splits. There was also a guest belly dancer on stage to add to the eclecticism and chaos of all that is Dark Meat.

Headlining the night was Elephant 6 staple Elf Power, headed by Andrew Rieger's sweet, gentle and melodious vocals and his 12-string guitar, which added a dreamy, reverberated twang to each song. Athens Renaissance man Derek Almstead provided poppy bass, with Jimmy Hughes on guitar and ad-libs during technical difficulties and Josh Lott on drums.

The most playful member of the band was keyboardist Heather McIntosh, who was very chipper as she sang backing vocals, but could turn intense when playing the cello, pulling at strings like spaghetti and sliding her fingers down the neck to make deep and disturbing rumbles at each song's climax. Elf Power's well-composed songs often have lyrics that tell fantastical stories, similar to The Decemberists, except shorter and more upbeat.

-Review & photo by Alex Adan

Frantic / Chopper / The Coathangers
1318 (Rob's House Records)
Atlanta, GA
May 12, 2007

For over a year now, Rob's House Records has been throwing almost monthly house parties to promote upcoming releases, local bands, the label - overall just for fun. They also record the majority of these parties, and, if the quality is good enough, they'll make a release out of it, like The Black Lips' Oh Katrina 7-inch and The Carbonas' Lost Cause and Nineteen 7-inches. On this hot afternoon, scattered with thunderstorms and the smell of barbeque, a herd of music fans packed into the tiny basement to enjoy some more great tunes served up by Rob's House.

First up was Frantic, or Frantic Attaque - fast punk in its rawest form; no Aqua Net or black leather jackets, just five guys that played hard and true. If the group looks familiar, it's because drummer Greg King and guitarist Dave Rahn are the singer and drummer (respectively) for The Carbonas.

Chopper brought the crowd into the realm of heavy rock. Singer and guitarist George Asimakos (Blame Game, Teen Archers) has a gritty rock style with a pinch of southern style. He was accompanied by Colin Mee (also the guitarist fro Deerhunter and drummer for The Spooks) on bass and Lamar George, whose drumming was so fast - and accentuated by his excessive use of double bass drum pedals - that it was sure to pulsate any internal organs.

Highlighting the afternoon were ladies of leisure, The Coathangers. For less than a year, The Coathangers have been playing relentlessly around Atlanta, sometimes three times a week, building a following and name recognition. All the girls sang at some point, with Julia Kugal on guitar, Meredith Franco on bass, Candice Jones on keyboard, and Stephanie Luke on drums, with some switching up of instruments throughout the set. The group's playful style, funny lyrical content and varying vocals set them apart from other all-girl groups around. Kugal's pleasant vocals were often part of a duet along with Luke's punk-rock-style singing.

Franco handled vocals on the short and catchy tune, "Nestle In My Boobies." With one hand on her hip and a microphone in the other, she wiggled and danced as she took advantage of being able to sing about subjects that only girls can through lyrics like "Bite 'em, lick 'em, give that nip a tug / grab 'em, shake 'em, show them titties love."

Kugal displayed her shouting ability on "Don't Touch My Shit," with the rhyme "You say you like my boyfriend, you think he's really hot / You look at him again bitch, I'll punch you in the twat." Jones was most remarkable on keyboards, creating a variety of electronic beats that sounded all at once like video game music, an organ and a telephone. The sweltering hotness and humidity of the unventilated basement prevented The Coathangers from their usual ritual of throwing confetti at the audience like Rip Taylor offspring.

-Review & photos by Alex Adan

Band Marino / Modern Skirts
Soapbox LaundroLounge
Wilmington, NC
May 14, 2007

Though the sandwich board along the sidewalk proclaimed "Modern Skirts with Band Marino" (along with Heavy Metal Bingo in the Soapbox Basement), the groups twisted the advertised line-up and Band Marino served as the headliner. There was at least one fan lamenting the switch, but most were none the wiser, as these two bands seemed to be playing in unfamiliar territory. The small crowd was initially more concerned with drink specials, the pool tables and arcade games that populate the lounge space.

But the Athens, Georgia-based Modern Skirts did not let a sparse crowd dampen their enthusiasm. The impressive keyboard stylings of JoJo Glidewell and proficiency of guitarist Phillip Brantley soon got more than just lead singer Jay Gulley dancing. The bouncy "My Lost Soprano" and "17 Dirty Magazines" had the pool players doing a jig with their sticks in hand. The group's combination of classic pop with amiable harmonies, filled with easy percussion riffs supplied by drummer John Swint, went over well in this coastal town of shag clubs and beach bungalows.

Gulley and Brantley took advantage of the atmosphere, ribbing the group with a few jokes and indulging in a few moves of their own. But what became immediately apparent was the productivity of Glidewell, who seemed to anchor every song with his energetic keyboard numbers.

Most of the audience hung around for Band Marino. No one seemed to expect such young guys to be playing Americana music reminiscent of a hoedown. Though without cowboy hats and boots, lead singer Nathan Bond did sport a snap-button shirt with a patterned bandana.

Band Marino used all the space allotted, staging dueling rockabilly guitar solos and sarcastic mock crying to simulate a death and resurrection. Later, in a tweak of the familiar metal poses, banjo/keyboard player Jonathan Nee slung his banjo stem high and his legs wide to let the crowd know that kids and banjos were a dangerous and infectious mix. Fellow member Jesse Adams showed off his skills as well, alternately picking up guitar, harmonica and mandolin to fulfill whatever needs the songs required.

Nathan Bond dedicated the song "Chasing Rainbows" to "I think you know who" - a particularly vocal fan relaxing on a couch near the front of the stage who repeatedly thanked Band Marino and Modern Skirts for bringing good music to Wilmington. If only more could have heard it.

-Review & photo by Josh Spilker

The Wynn Brothers Band / Mobella / Country Slashers / The OaKs / Mashlin / RunnAmucks
The BackBooth
Orlando, FL
May 12, 2007

One of the best downtown venues for live music, The BackBooth was host to the CD release party for This Is My Music, a compilation featuring a diverse mix of local bands. In addition to its stage inside, The BackBooth added a second stage outside to accommodate the eight bands scheduled for the show. The only downside to this arrangement was that they didn't stagger the performance schedule so fans could check out all the bands.

The thrash-punk inspired RunnAmucks were the first band on the inside stage. Their fast-paced explosion of sound fired up a one-man mosh-pit as lead singer Josh Dobbs stood on his tiptoes to scream lyrics into the microphone.

Outside, Mashlin greeted the rapidly expanding crowd with their melodic modern rock. Their catchy lyrics and straightforward approach charmed the eager audience. The four-piece closed out their set with their song from the compilation CD, "Faster."
Back inside it was time for The OaKs. Frontman Ryan Costello's lyrics and gentle vocals convey the true spirit of folk, and the layers of instrumentation add an ethereal quality, giving the band its unique sound. The six-piece uses a variety of instruments in its show, starting with the standard guitars, drums and keyboards; they also incorporate trumpet, saxophone, accordion, xylophone and handclaps, to name just a few. Drummer Matt Antolick would move out from behind his kit to take over keys for Tim Cocking as he switched to accordion or trombone.

Outside the rambunctious Country Slashers were taking the stage, giving light to their punk-tinged, high-energy, modern rockabilly. Lead singer Jason Frustration ran (or strutted) from one side of the stage to the other, swinging his microphone cord every way imaginable while he made sure everyone was having as much fun as he was. He slowed down between songs long enough to introduce the next song and mention the band's upcoming CD release show at The BackBooth.

At midnight, a DJ took over inside the club so the rest of the live music carried on outside. Mobella was up next with their funky, jazz-fused rock. The five-piece played a tight, groove-filled set that got a major portion of the audience swaying along to the funky rhythms, and when vocalist James Gambrell wasn't wooing the crowd with his passionate voice and rhythmic dancing, he was captivating them with his sax play.
Headliners The Wynn Brothers finished out the show on a high note.

Their guitar-heavy Southern rock provided the crowd with a foot-stomping good time. The band had an unusual stage setup with all six members lined up across the front of the stage - including the patriarch, drummer Tom Wynn. They started off their set with an excellent cover of "The Weight" by The Band, not that their own music was any less impressive. Lead vocals switched between band members from song to song, and guitar jams were the order of the day as any good Southern rock band knows, and the crowd wasn't disappointed.

-Review & photo by Kat Coffin