A plea to the venues

I've visited a massive number of venue websites since the beginning of the Echoreyn of Athens blog. As our regular readers know, every month we put out a Kristen's Concert Picks entry - a list, complete with descriptions, of exciting upcoming shows in Athens, handpicked for the sheer awesomeness of the bands that are playing them. Basically, if my friends and I have seen and loved a band live, we're sure to feature their shows here so that more fans of the scene can get a delicious taste of their tunes. And while checking out the websites, Facebook pages, and, yes, even the MySpace pages of some of our favorite local bands helps us to discover a few of these shows, most of the time the venue websites are our best friends in this matter.

So here's my plea, my call to action, if you will:

Venues, please make your websites cater to the fans!

After all, the whole point of establishing a venue is to create a space where fans can come and listen to their favorite tunes. If there are no fans in attendance (and trust me, I've been to a few of those shows before), then what's the point having the band rock your stage? And, let's be honest here, an empty venue does no favors for the bank account either.

See I've been on a bit of a website-building spree lately, and as such, I've found myself taking a critical eye towards the sites I come across. The venues that serve their fans best are those that post the key feature, the event calendar, right on the main page of the website for all to see.

Proving that a site need not be complicated to be the perfect venue space, the Caledonia Lounge tops the list of Athens venues with sites made for the fans. A single page (yes, just one) provides seekers and makers of rockin' tunes with all they need to find the place, book a show, and discover when their favorite bands are taking the stage. Everything you need to know in one glance... Now, that's awesome! Right up there with the Caledonia's site is 40 Watt's professional site. Their main page features three whole calendars of delectable music with upcoming big name shows listed in a simple breakdown up top and in more detail towards the bottom as well as a weekly show calendar to the side.

But, being one of Athens biggest and most famous venues, there's no way they would just stop there! They've also got a schedule tab which describes each show in great detail among other tabs that provide all sorts of useful information from directions to booking to even the rather fascinating history of how the club came to be. That is one solid website! Other examples of great venue sites built with the fans in mind include WUOG 90.5's site featuring shows for Live in the Lobby, New Earth Music Hall's site, and Nuçi's Space's site.

But what about the smaller venues, those that don't require a full site to keep their fans in the know? Well, Facebook is here to save the day! A well-maintained Facebook page can serve as a venue website too, provided that those who manage the venue's page include all location and contact info and update it regularly with event pages created for every show - a makeshift calendar of sorts. Best of all, Facebook is search engine optimized to be a top result whenever a fan searches for your venue which means that they'll easily find your page when they're dying to know exactly who's rockin' your stage next.

Now, once again, I've got to put in a short word against using MySpace as a website. I've noticed that venues that subsist solely on their MySpace pages tend to forget to update them regularly. Even worse, the site's new layout makes it difficult for fans to see the events listed anyway. At this point and time, I encourage venues to move beyond this site when establishing their web presence.

So, to sum it all up, is a quality website or a regularly updated Facebook page a must-have for venues? YES! In this day and age, nearly every fan who dreams of seeing their favorite band, whether it be a famous touring rock group or a fresh new indie singer/songwriter, will check the Internet first before heading downtown to catch a show. Venues, give these fans what they need: a chance to rock out to the tunes you provide!

An Experience Only Of Montreal Could Give Us

Wow... Last night's show was just about the wildest show EVER! Of Montreal reigns supreme as far as the all-encompassing downtown experience goes. I'm covered in sweat, beer, and feathers, yet I feel awesome! I don't believe I've seen a band or their fans more crazy or more enthused. Since the moment several of my friends from other cities and countries learned that I write a blog about local music, they've been begging me to see Of Montreal. Boy, am I glad I listened to them! They are the pure embodiment of the senses, capturing the attention of every member of the crowd. Just recently, I wrote a whole blog entry about the importance of antics, and I can truly tell you, I've never seen any quite so memorable as theirs. Their antics are legendary!

Before Of Montreal engulfed us with sound, James Huggins, one of the band's masters of the instrument, graced the stage as "James Husband" with several recognizable band members from the headliner itself. Their sound, while calmer and much more relaxed than Of Montreal's, still retains elements of the striking, distinctive style that the band has become known for. And, I've got to say, the gigantic screens that surrounded the band onstage made the performance incredibly visually delicious! Bright colors and scenes wafted across them slowly, in time with the music. My favorite part of this set, though, had to be the way the bass tones traveled across the floor and through my body to rattle my heart in my chest several times. I could feel the beat in every corner of my being. Undeniably, I love that feeling!

After the set came to an end, the audience waited, packed together like a wildly eager container of sardines. Indeed, by the time Of Montreal's crew began setting up for the band, the crowd had mysteriously multiplied to cover every inch of the 40 Watt floor. Unbelievable! I've been to some well-attended shows at the Watt in the past, but nothing prepared me for the sea of fans that flooded the floor for this set. And then, a cheer rose up from the audience. It was beginning...

Now, I've heard a lot of tidbits about Of Montreal's costumes and the general insanity that pervades their shows, but WHOA! Their entrance said it all really. A tiger, several pigs, and a veritable zoo of other creatures pranced onstage, growling and squealing as a tune erupted among them. The animals moved stealthily about, one by one switching off with other members of the band including lead singer Kevin Barnes. What a sight! Once the full band appeared before us, some of them cross-dressed, others in an array of wonderfully eye-catching outfits, the background music burst into one of their well-known tunes. Balloons flew through the air over the audience and, immediately, like a whirlpool just above a drain, a small mosh pit formed in the center of the massive crowd. Everything was wild! Their psychedelic, indie rock sound dominated the room, unique in its every aspect. The screens lit up once more with swirling colors, cartoons, and live video close ups of the band itself. And the antics! Oh, the antics. Men and women dressed in everything from their skivvies to sequined black body suits to even Santa and chicken costumes, leapt onstage at unexpected intervals to complete the unbelievable sight. Being there felt purely out of this world!

As the set progressed, the antics became even more insane. Pigs threw spaghetti at members of the crowd. A man dressed as a priest got beaten up by a man in pajames. Near the end of the set, a woman dressed as a pregnant lady was thrust into the air, legs spread wide, as a pipe full of soft, white feathers exploded onto the audience. No one was left uncovered! Someone behind me got so excited, he doused my friends and I with beer as the feathers continued to fall. Hell, I thought even that was part of the show. At that point, I think nothing could have surprised me. And then, it ended... or so I thought until they came back onstage. Encores were called in a steady stream, giving the set almost as many endings as the last Lord of the Rings movie. Their biggest hit Wrath Pinned to the Mist and Other Games, best known for its incorporation into the Outback Steakhouse commercials, greeted us in the first encore which gave a surge of even more energy to the listeners. The crazy dancing reached new heights during this song and continued through a song about friendship and a final tune, a cover of a Jackson Five favorite.

Honestly, Of Montreal left me nearly speechless. Holy spectacular platypus, I have never seen anything like this in my entire life! The band is, purely and simply, a whole body experience. Absolutely and completely unforgettable.

The 40 Watt Club: One of the best venues in Athens!

Let's start with one of the most famous music venues in Athens: the 40 Watt Club. It's not famous for nothing! You can enter this dance club/ concert space with confidence knowing that the floor will almost always be clean enough sit on during the hours before midnight. Even better, it's filled with little tables, couches, bar stools, and other seating options, so that you won't actually ever have to sit on the floor anyway! Best of all, the large stage, raised several feet off of the ground, can be seen from every seat in the house, and it provides ample space for any number of band members to comfortably jam on their instruments or perform their choice of musical acrobatics. The massive speakers on the sides of the stage have also been used on many occasions as props during concerts; I've seen band members lay on them, lean on them, and even leap from them! They issue some quality sound as well, and the microphones provided work quite well too, a most necessary feature. Oh, and bands, remember to bring your hanging signs. This stage was meant to have gigantic band logos draped over the front edge for all to see!

After you partake in a few drinks from the full bar or some water from the cooler, you may have a few more questions. What about the bathrooms, you ask? As promised, here's my review of them. The walls are painted in a sort of graffiti-type style which looks a bit different from the rest of the club. The stalls themselves don't seem as ritzy as the rest of the place, but I must say, they've never been dirty when I've needed to step inside them, so that's a plus.

Once you head back to the dance floor, don't forget to look up! The ever-present Christmas lights add a bit of festive cheer to even the darkest, most screamo bands' performances. Looking to buy or sell some merchandise? Right next to the 40 Watt door, there's a large stand on a raised platform just for that purpose. Oh, and you may even get a chance to visit one of the two backstage hangouts in the club. There's an open one to the left of the stage with a very wide mirror, a pool table, and some video games to entertain you if happen to find yourself with a bit of free time. The other backstage space is located on the opposite side, down a hallway and through another door. This one's got some couches and small tables lining the walls which makes it a cozy little hangout for the band members and their pals.

The 40 Watt Club at a glance:

Ages: 18 to 20 are welcome!
21 and up usually get a cheaper price.

Cost: Varies depending on the band/event

Tickets: Advance tickets are generally available for larger shows online or at School Kids Records located at 264 East Clayton St. in Athens, GA . You can always buy your tickets at the door too!

Venue Website: http://www.40watt.com/

Venue Phone Number: 706-549-7871

Venue location & Google Map: 285 W Washington St, Athens, GA 30601


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Reviews of recent concerts/events at the 40 Watt Club:
Venice is Sinking
Crumbling Arches
Flagpole Athens Awards Show after party

Have any thoughts of your own about this venue? Dying to know something specific that I didn't mention? Be sure to comment below! Also, to read about all of the venues I've reviewed, visit my venues page!

The 40 What?

Have you ever found yourself wondering about that new music venue in town? How big is the stage? What are the acoustics like? Is it really as clean as their website says it is? Well, introducing the newest semi-regular blog series for Echoreyn of Athens: honest, unbiased articles about what all of the music venues around Athens are really like! Now you'll know if you can (legally) bring your underage pals to your new favorite band's next show. Now even the most inexperienced Athens newcomers will have a reference guide of sorts for all of the places to be (and places to avoid) in this little town!

See, after struggling to find one site that gives a complete account of all of the things I need to know when I'm researching a stage that's playing host to one of my favorites each weekend, I finally threw up my hands in surrender. Hey, if I can't find a site that'll tell me what I need to know, I'll just make one myself! After all, I see quite a few venues as I traverse my way across town in search of new treats for my ears. Why not share my knowledge? Feel free, of course, to chip in with your own experiences in these places, too, as I document my findings! The more info, the better!

Oh, and just so you'll have a link to all of the venues handy, I've added a new blog page too, Echoreyn of Athens: Music Venues. It's empty right now, but every time I add a new venue blog, it will show up on that page as part of an easily accessible guide. Hope this page truly becomes a one-stop guide for all of your venue-related queries!

Echoreyn of Athens takes over YouTube

The introductory video

You might have guessed it was coming, and here it is! The Echoreyn of Athens YouTube channel! Click to enjoy! I plan on filming live show footage from as many of the concerts I attend in the future as I can, so be sure to check the channel regularly (or subscribe) in order to satisfy your desire for more Athens and Atlanta music. Not in the local area? Well now you can experience part of the shows from the comfort of your computer! In essence, you'll get to see a small hint of what I see at these shows. Not sure which bands you want to see live? Hopefully, these videos will put the flavor of each of these acts on the tip of your tongue, so it'll be easier for you to choose. For me, watching these videos over and over fills me with anticipation and enthusiasm. I can't wait to see them perform again and check out even more bands!

Also, I'm going to try something different on the channel as well: a semi-monthly Echoreyn of Athens vlog. That way I'll be able share some of the biggest local music news from each month with everyone on YouTube too. I can't wait!

So there you go! I already have footage up from the Crumbling Arches show on May 8th at the 40 Watt as well as several videos of both The Constellations and Manchester Orchestra at Summerfest on June 7th. Hope these vids pleasure both your eyes and your ears!

Crumbling Arches Goes Full Circle

The marquee at the 40 Watt

Honestly, there's no better way to end the year than the way I started it... with Crumbling Arches, of course! Despite the fact that I've now been privileged enough to see eight of their shows, this will actually be my first show blog of my favorite band. Madness, I know!

My friend Susannah and I started off Friday night by arriving at the 40 Watt slightly earlier than we had anticipated, but this merely gave us a chance to rest a bit since we both had spent the day packing up our stuff for the summer. While we were chilling, Alex, one of the lead singers of the band, came by to chat and to steal my pen for Zachary the drummer's use. Curiously, I never saw that pen again. However, losing a pen is a small price to pay for the absolutely amazing show that they served to us later that night!

Before the Arches took the stage, Puddin Tang, a band whose sound resembled that of a rather peppy 50's sock hop, opened the show. I should probably mention at this juncture that this show was originally meant to feature the Presidents of the United States of America, but unfortunately, they had to cancel due to a family emergency of some sort. Puddin Tang was one of the two bands who stepped in to join Crumbling Arches in a celebration of the beginning of summer. While their tunes were quite bouncy, the fact that I wasn't able to understand a single lyric from any of their songs kept me from truly getting into their music.

Then it was time for Crumbling Arches to show everyone how it should be done. They began their set with one of their newest songs, Mutant Love, which has one of the most musically satisfying instrumental intros I've ever heard. Then, after blessing our eardrums with a few of their slower pieces, they played one of their most well-known and most danceable songs, The Preachings of Priamides. Nearly everyone left their seats for this one and crowded around the stage, singing along. The audience was so loud, in fact, that had they pointed a microphone at us, the lyrics would have been clearly heard from every corner of the club. Before they ended their set, they gave the audience a choice between a song about their "love/hate relationship with Athens" and their infamous cover of "I'll Make a Man Out of You" from Mulan. Being a huge fan of both songs, I couldn't choose, but Mulan turned out to be the winner of the night. A cover like no other, Crumbling Arches demonstrates their incredible versatility in this song, showing us that the link between Disney and rock is most certainly an arch.

However, they did more than just pleasure us with their songs that night. I've mentioned before that a band's between-song antics and comments will often make a live show, and honestly, Crumbling Arches spoils me in this regard. No other band does it better! This time, Alex served us a bit of his most hilarious drabble with a public service announcement endorsing the HPV vaccine Guardasil. Later in the night, he managed to surpass even himself in delicious hilarity with an impromtu song about the band Lifehouse and the movie Teen Wolf. Then, while singing the Preachings of Priamides song, he and lead singer Brian reached for each other longingly in time to the music. It's unique bits of arbitrary banter and insanity like these that truly make every Crumbling Arches show an experience to remember! And speaking of experiences, nothing can prepare the first-time CA concert-goer for the acrobatics they might see at one of their shows. Sometimes it's like attending a rock-filled, visually exciting circus. In the past, they've delighted audiences with leaps from speakers and guitar-playing embraces, but this time, they showed us their most ridiculous feat, the one I call the flip. The flip is an indescribable display of balance involving Alex's ability to climb up, over, and through the legs of bass player Ian without touching the ground. You'd have to see it to believe it! Soon, I'll try to provide a video of it so that you can get a small taste of what it's like to view it live.

The show ended with a seven member band Quiet Hooves whose sound could only be labeled, for lack of a better word, interesting. With so many instruments onstage, I was hoping for some combination of sounds that would delight my ears, but instead, I struggled to hear anything that sounded much like music. However, I suppose I'll just give them the benefit of the doubt and say that perhaps this is just one type of music that exists beyond my understanding.

Luckily, though, the night was not over just yet. My friend Sheila, who had been dying to see Crumbling Arches live ever since she first heard the songs on their myspace, finally had the opportunity to buy their CD, the Somnambulist. Because there was no pen to be found, she got all of the members to sign it in my eyeliner. Hooray for creative solutions! It was after this that I truly realized that my Crumbling Arches connection had gone full circle. So many things about this show reminded me of my own first Crumbling Arches show over a year ago, and here was Sheila, just beginning her CA experience. What a way to kick off the summer!