Six bands, one awesome Friday night

Nights like Friday night don't come along too often on the scene, that's for sure. By some miracle of spectacular timing, I managed to catch two awesome shows that night featuring six rockin' bands. Now, I've got to admit, having been involved in the Athens music scene for quite a some time, I've become much harder to please than I once was. So naturally, I was incredibly surprised to find that every band I caught that night was worth a listen.

Groove Tangent kicked off the evening for us at Nuçi's Space. I'd seen them a few times last year when they were still just a cover band, but since then it seems that they've found and mastered their own original sound. This time around, their tunes were cohesive and solid, and they took the stage like they owned it. One of my favorite things about these guys is the sense of humor they inject into nearly every song and every show. For instance, apparently they played a ridiculous cover medley of various versions of Rebecca Black's Friday at their last show. Wish I could have seen that (although I definitely don't want that song to get stuck in my head again)! This humor quietly sneaks into their original tunes too along with a very old school, almost 50s style rock vibe that is clearly influenced by the songs they chose to play when they were solely a cover band. These songs, keyboard-filled melodies from the heart with great harmonies, have already become fan favorites as well. Several people in the crowd were mouthing the words along with the band. Truly, I think I enjoyed their originals even more than any of their covers, and that's coming from a girl who still remembers their unforgettable take on Lady Gaga's Love Game!

Next up, John French and the Bastilles mixed acoustic guitar, electric guitar, viola, drums, and voice to create a dark, very polished sound. With a taste of southern rock layered over soft pop, the band gave us a set of calm and beautiful melodies. If I were to compare them to any group in Athens, I'd say their style most closely resembled that of blog favorite Venice is Sinking. The sweet voices of the male and female vocalists just meshed together perfectly. And, of course, I can't help but say that I just loved the female singer's hardcore outfit too!

After longtime favorite of mine Doctor Squid had played through their infectious set of hit tunes and crazy 80s covers, I headed over to the Caledonia, hungry for more tunes. As I walked into the Lounge, fog swirled before me. Through the fog, Atlanta band the Balkans fed the crowd dark, hardcore rock that complemented the band that followed them, top favorite noise rock trio Bambara, most excellently.

Then Dip finished out the night with the most insane, dance-inducing madness party ever. If you've never seen this band before, I can assure you that their shows are a mind-blowingly ridiculous experience! The inspiration for their name was clear. Every single one of their songs had the word "dip" in it, and drug references were frequent and unabashedly thrown around. Really, their set was like one big WTF moment. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a bit of fun during their show.

There's truly never been a night on the scene this rockin'!