SHOW OF THE MONTH

Athens Popfest

Little Kings/40 Watt Club

Athens, GA

August 8-11

On the opening night of Popfest, Little Kings’ stage was surrounded by a tightly packed crowd crested with faux-hawks, fashion mullets and moustaches. All eyes were on Mouser, one of Athens’ many all-star local supergroups, who supplement guitar, bass and ass-kicking drums with two trumpets, a flute, sax, and other brass. The band was such a behemoth that the horn section spilled onto the dance floor, hemmed in by the audience. Mouser, recipient of the Best Experimental Act award from Athens’s Flagpole Music Awards in 2006, began their set with an appealing assortment of frenzied, energetic pieces chopped up by blizzards of changes, alternating them with slower numbers over which lead singer/guitarist Cody Carter yodeled.

Venice Is Sinking (guitar, keys, bass, viola and drums) was up next, keeping their pensive orchestral pop intriguing by alternating vocals between guitarist Daniel Lawson and violist Karolyn Troupe. Three-piece act Russian Spy Camera almost seemed stripped down in comparison to preceding acts, but supplied the audience’s rock fix, playing a kaleidoscopic set that covered the spectrum of the pop-rock genre. At times discordant, at times jangly, punk, pop and jam, one song seemingly jumed from disco to a riff on U2’s “Mysterious Ways.”

Five-piece Violet Vector and the Lovely Lovelies (guitar, keys, bells, bass and drums) make danceable garage pop that unabashedly takes its cues from the 1960s, keeping their songs interesting by throwing in an unexpected melody or breakdown at the right times, or adding handclaps and sing-a-long choruses. Lead Amanda Brooks is no guitar novice. She also possesses a sweet soprano, an expressive face with exquisite cheekbones and vintage finery, and was was as much a pleasure to watch as to hear.

The first song by five-piece indie pop (guitar, keys, drums) act The Velcro Stars, with its chorus, “We don’t belong here no more / We don’t believe in here no more,” rocked hard enough to grab people out their bar stools out to the dance floor. Later songs in the set were less rock, more pop, hook-filled, and remained energetic. The Velcro Stars are obviously indebted to groups like Superchunk and Pavement, yet they’re able to hold their own on stage as well as in their recordings.

We Vs. the Shark played fast-paced riveting punk and hardcore, providing satiation for ADHD sufferers by switching instruments, inserting odd time signatures, changing hooks multiple times within songs and trading vocals between Luke Fields, Samantha Paulsen and Jeffrey Tobias. Wildly unpredictable yet always on cue, WVTS kept their audience constantly off-guard.

Five-piece Birds of Avalon took their act in a different direction, playing an assortment of ‘70s influenced psychedelic prog-rock tunes, resplendent with the requisite poses that was more traditional (in terms of song structure) than the preceding band but nonetheless scintillating. Drummer Dave Nurkin (Dynamite Bros.) and bassist David Mueller’s solid rhythmic section propelled their fellow birds into flight, with the sweet Zeppelin-esque vocals of Craig Tilley soaring over the harmonized leads of husband/wife duo Cheetie Kumar’s and Paul Silar’s dueling guitars.

The enigmatic Daniel Johnston closed out the festival with what can be modestly described as a once in a lifetime chance to see a reclusive legend at his best. Taking the stage solo, Johnston performed songs from his vast and tattered catalogue of oft-covered songs to the awed crowd. After being joined by a guest guitarist for several songs, Athens’ own Casper and the Cookies (or “Bubbles,” as Johnston introduced them) took the stage to further flesh out the material with him. Johnston held the rapt crowd in his shaking hands while delivering his songs of unrequited love and misunderstood passion. After being joined by Japanese indie popsters Elekibass for several surprisingly exuberant tracks, the “psycho just trying to write a song” closed out a memorable night that the lucky fans in attendance will not soon forget.

-Review by Deirdre Sayer and Micah McLain; photos by Deirdre Sayer

Liquid Jungle / Stokeswood

Vinyl

Atlanta, GA

August 3

Stokeswood epitomize the jam band dilemma. At their Vinyl show, opening for Liquid Jungle, the band didn’t play poorly by any means. Lead singer Adam Patterson owned a fine vocal performance, and the five-piece, including the eccentric Craig Gendreau on percussion, meshed well together. The problem is that Stokeswood doesn’t offer any originality. The band’s songs contain interesting compositional twists but are mostly typical. It was clear that each member of the band was a jam band fan, which made them sound formulaic. Lead guitarist Mark Godwin entertained the crowd with a fantastic harmonica solo but his guitar solos were mostly stagnant with little embellishment or imagination. True, often less is more, but it seemed Godwin was restricted more by ability than aesthetic indifference.

Liquid Jungle, on the other hand, stood out completely. Set opener, “The Hound,” from the band’s new album, Tiny Universe, demonstrated Liquid Jungle’s tenacious personality and will to explore. Its foreboding, Tool-esque versus build tension that juxtapose brilliantly with Radiohead-like, soaring choruses with catchy, sing-along melodies. There’s nothing cheesy or predisposed about Liquid Jungle. Every song was compositionally intriguing, each one a sincere interpretation of four musicians’ obvious appreciation of their influences. A spot-on cover of Radiohead’s “Paranoid Android” showed the audience that Liquid Jungle is comfortable enough with their own novel sound to perform a cover precisely, void of the pretension of “making a statement.”

Each song had elements of hard rock, funk, jazz and pop working at any one time. They owned beautiful harmonies and melodies that drew in listeners, and played with the wicked riffing of early Smashing Pumpkins while, at the same time, opened up the heavy grooviness of dance-bands like Tea Leaf Green. Liquid Jungle represents a pensive and insightful jam band, most poignantly understood by their sincere investment in the exploration of what music can achieve with or without any concept of categorization.

-Review & photo by Brian Gilton

The Lighter Exchange / Million Year Echo / Joshua James / Chris D’Agnese

The Social

Orlando, FL

August 11

Chris D’Agnese started the evening off with a solo acoustic set. In his first appearance at The Social, the Orlando-based singer/songwriter played a spirited half hour set of pop rock tunes, including “Crumble,” “Walk Away,” and “Rock It On.” His songs are nostalgiac, poignant and solid, telling tales of life.

Next up was folk singer/songwriter Joshua James. His first song was a soft, solo acoustic number that masked his fire. For the rest of the half hour set, his tone would shift from quiet and subtle to fiery and aggressive, at times almost shouting his ardent messages of life, love, hate and politics. After the first song, he was joined onstage by Kissle Kopinski, who played a little bit of everything, including banjo, keyboards, xylophone and pedal steel.

Million Year Echo, a four-piece band from Central Florida, hit the stage next with their hyper alt-rock, kicking things off with “So This Is Love.” Lead singer and rhythm guitarist Levi Connor was a frenetic blur of movement, thrusting, jerking, and posing throughout the half-hour set.

Closing out the night on a high note were headliners The Lighter Exchange. Fresh off a tour with Candlebox, the Orlando-based quartet is fronted by Christian Wilson with James McMullin on guitar and vocals, Brett Berdoll on bass, and Travis Zimmer on drums.

Armed with a blend of old school rock ‘n’ roll with a modern edge, The Lighter Exchange’s songs come from life and all it has to offer, with lyrics that are heartfelt and passionate. Most of the set featured songs from the band’s recently released self-titled debut CD, including “Heavy Hearts,” “Let Go,” “Upside Down” and “Lilypads.” At one point, the rest of the band left Christian Wilson alone onstage to perform a solo acoustic version of “God Damn.”

When the audience is brimming with musicians from other bands on a night off, you know you’re in for a musical treat, and this show was it — a musical smorgasbord with something to please everyone. As it states in The Lighter Exchange’s lyrics in “Farewell Song,” “It was a hell of a ride, but it’s time to say goodbye.”

-Review & photo by Kat Coffin

Open Mic Madness: Final Night Round-up

Smith’s Olde Bar

Atlanta, GA

August 18

The August heat continued to swarm the city of Atlanta, yet the real buzz this summer was felt inside the confines of Smith’s, where the 2007 installment of Open Mic Madness was held.

In the end, the roar of the madness captivated the fans till early in the wee hours of the morning. Running in its sixth year and headed up by founder and brainchild Josh Rifkind, Madness offers its winner a playing slot on the Rock Boat.

The Final Eight were set up in sudden death brackets: Sealions up against Friendly Strangers; Meghan Coffee and Tracy Hill; Brock Scott Quartet and The Spencer Durham Group; Sommer Melody and Erica Ambrose.

The Sealions, a solid, cohesive trio, continued to perform subtle, richly-layered tunes all week, and the band’s Final Eight piece was no exception. The hooks spelled romance, and the bass and lead guitarists sang an alluring, beautiful chorus duo vocal hook, swooning the audience with rich delay and sparkling, shoegazer pop percussion.

Friendly Strangers is another trio with a fiery female lead vocalist. Their Final Eight song provided an intense chorus yet the vocals were not as approachable as the other bands. Even their winning charm and pulsating rhythms couldn’t help them, as Sea Lions advanced.

Meghan Coffee graced the stage next with a quiet, subtle ballad on richly textured piano called “Dear East.” With mesmerizing song craft and impeccable range, she really threw in a heartbreaker.

Tracy Hill again showed off her winning charisma and smile. Her sultry tone and strong a capella were great in “Off the Meter,” as she won over the listeners, turning them into singers — a feat that propelled her to the Final Four.

The Brock Scott Quartet was the jam band of the week, with stunning performances, richly layered colors and grooves. “The Death of Western Movies” was complete with stand-up bass, congas and xylophone, and the young vocalist provided a much-needed spark of vibe.

Spencer Durham, a finalist here two years ago, now rocked the fans with his band, perhaps the overall fan-favorite. The group was an easy platter of southern rock with a compelling pulse and riveting guitar solos and “Going Home” brimmed with energy. But it was not enough to advance.

Sommer Melody delivered a clean, soothing bossa nova sound with help from a talented backup guitarist, gripping the crowd from beginning to end. Erica Ambrose, like Coffee, did a stirring rendition of her work on piano and seemed like a young Sarah McLaughlin. Ambrose was strong in her passion, genuine and sincere in her delivery. The winner of this round, however, was Melody.

In the final four, the Sealions found their way with off-kilter percussion, and Colplay-like guitar hooks, yet the Brock Scott Quartet flourished. Tracy Hill sang with just the grace of her voice, and advanced over Sommer Melody’s soul infusion.

In the end, it was the brilliance of the Brock Scott Quartet who claimed the honor of becoming 2007 Open Mic Madness champion.

-Review & photo by Shawn Haney

Jackson County Line / Ryan Anderson / Brendan O’Hara

Vinyl

Atlanta, GA

August 9

Brendan O’Hara, a Miami resident, opened the evening with songs from his new solo album, Lovelution. Accompanied by a trumpet player hailing from Paris, O’Hara played the keyboard while belting out up-tempo tunes characteristic of those in a Tijuana-style cantina. From “Mistress” to “Anna,” he offered an entertaining and witty performance to open the evening on a high note.

Ryan Anderson, hailing from Texas, followed O’Hara with songs from his new album The Garden Path. “Oh Virginia” combined attempts at Dylan-style storytelling, vocals reminiscent of Woody Guthrie, and a honky-tonk band. The remaining songs followed this outline, and though Anderson’s sound was neither original nor impressive, he made a welcome transition for Jackson County Line.

Seeing all the different instruments lining up on stage, it can be hard to tell what to expect before Jackson County Line starts to play. A cellist stood in the place of an electric guitarist and a trumpet took the place of a keyboardist, proving that this isn’t your usual rock ‘n’ roll band. Then they started playing, whisking the audience back through time to a 1930s jazz club, but with a dirty grit rubbed on the genre’s smooth surface.

They opened with “Losing Faith” and Matt Phillips’ trumpet whined with Kevin Jackson’s sultry voice resonating closely behind. The two sounds effortlessly melded together. “Let Me Ride” took an eclectic twist, adding in a mandolin and harmonizing vocals. Bassist Cade Lewis and drummer Stephen Warner laid down a waltz tempo indicative of early country and western. “Jackson County Line,” the song, became the high point of the evening, giving the audience insight into what this is all about. It stayed true to the gritty jazz-feel, and gave Phillips’ trumpet some room to hypnotize the audience while Jackson’s vocals boomed throughout the room. Tim Anderson’s cello took over the guitar solos that appear on the album version. The band continued to surprise with a meshing of genres, seamlessly creating an original performance. They ended the evening with “Burden to Fly,” which furthered the rootsy-folk feel but stripped the instruments down so the audience was sure to leave with Jackson’s voice echoing through their memories.

-Review & photo by Selena Lawson

One Hand Loves the Other / Strezo

The EARL

Atlanta, GA

August 9

Kristen Strezo is an unpredictable performer, having staged all kinds of politically charged displays during past performances with band, dubbed “Strezo.” From shaving her pits on stage to dressing as a politician, she’s famed for combining elements of humor and activism into her shows.

Tonight, however, she was relatively understated. With just one symbolic coat hanger dangling from the belt of her “I’m Hot” T-shirt dress. She seemed almost timid, turning to her band mates in between songs and asking, “What should I say?” Instead of going on a tirade, she coyly reminded us that they have CDs for sale and then she let the songs speak for themselves. Through her lyrics, sung strong and clear, she pleaded for women’s rights, for independence, and for peace.

Strezo is the focal point of the performance — the guitarist even turned his back to the audience, facing the two percussionists for most of the show. The supporting musicians could have almost disappeared into the shadows completely if they weren’t creating such mesmerizing sounds. Hypnotizing rhythms conjured an air of mysticism as tribal drum beats and metallic guitar notes rocked the room. Through the span of their short set, Strezo took the audience halfway around the world and back, venturing through klezmer, afro beat, and flamenco.

One Hand Loves the Other also offered unique instrumentation. The ladies created gorgeous warm tones on cello, keyboard and flute, while behind them an electronics wizard lent back-up vocals while manning an arsenal of laptops and drum machines.

But the most astounding instrument of all was the phenomenal voice of their front man. Lou Rodriguez’s impossibly high falsetto soared with such intensity that every jaw in the room dropped agape. Clutching his vintage crooner mic closely, Rodriquez seemed to emulate the cover of Jeff Buckley’s Grace. A fitting reference, indeed, as Buckley’s voice could famously stretch over four octaves and it seems quite feasible that Rodriquez is capable of the same.

The seemingly incongruous pairing of modern electronics and classical instrumentation was further manifested in Rodriquez’ performance. Just as his voice explored operatic heights, his hands would chop through the air, gesticulating with hip-hop mannerisms along with the beat of the drum machine. The novelty of the performance stood out in front at first but once you caught up to what they were doing, the disparate sounds balanced each other elegantly. The set ended all too quickly — this was an eye-opening set to have to say “goodnight” to.

-Review & photo by Michelle Gilzenrat

Bishop Don (CD Release Party) /The Judies / Variac

The EARL

Atlanta, GA

July 29

Saturday night at the EARL was nothing less than pure rock at its finest. Supporting Bishop Don’s CD release show, Variac and The Judies combined their talents for an unforgettable evening.

To start off the 1920s flapper-themed night, Variac took to the stage to perform one of their usual high energy shows. JT Hall led the band in a pulsing set that led to many shaking butts in the crowd.

Next up was another Atlanta favorite, The Judies. The band delivered an exciting collection of catchy songs backed by strong bass licks and lingering keyboard melodies, with lead singer Warren Ullom working the stage in a refreshingly original manner that was both strangely captivating and intriguing.

After The Judies bounced off stage, even more people gathered in the already packed EARL as Bishop Don set up. With an extensive local following anxiously awaiting them to begin, the band geared up to play songs from their new album, That Should Heal Nicely. They had an invigorating line-up of songs that had charismatic hooks and dynamic arrangements supported by strapping vocals provided by front man Blair Crimmins. Although they mainly played ear-friendly rock songs, they brought it down a notch to play a couple acoustic sing-a-longs, one with Asheville singer-songwriter Lyndsay Wojcik joining them onstage. Other band members were Jessie Cole on bass, Cliff Losee on drums and new addition Brent Sandel on keys.

By the end of the show, adoring fans sprinkled wadded up dollar bills at the band’s feet. Bishop Don is unquestionably one of the next breakout bands of Atlanta.

-Review & photo by Katie Bricker