Kristen's Concert Picks: September rocks its way in

Hey guys, it's September, and you know what that means... That's right, it's time for even more rockin' shows! Downtown is waiting for you.

Thurs, Sept 2: Leaving Araby @ 9 PM @ 40 Watt
Start off the month with a few of Leaving Araby's soft pop tunes!

Thurs, Sept 2: Yo Soy Bean @ 10 PM @ Caledonia Lounge
I've heard good things. Check 'em out!

Fri, Sept 3: Bambara @ 10 PM @ Caledonia Lounge
I knew it. You've been waiting all summer to see the kings of noise rock the stage again. Well, here's great news... They're back to blow us away again!

Sat, Sept 4: Athens & Tealvox @ 9 PM @ 40 Watt
And the youth will inherit the rock! This is certain to be one show you won't want to miss.

Thurs, Sept 9: The Beat Geeks @ 10 PM @ Caledonia Lounge
Luke Galloway of the Novanauts finally brings his Atlanta-based dance pop project to Athens! Are you ready to move?

Sat, Sept 11: Of Montreal @ 9 PM @ 40 Watt

Guys dressed as pigs throwing spaghetti? Flying feathers and giant screens of color? It's Of Montreal... need I say more?

Mon, Sept 13: Nate Nelson @ 9:30 PM @ Caledonia Lounge
This guy is pure voice. Your ears need his songs, trust me.

Thurs, Sept 16: Half Dozen Brass Band - CD Release @ 9 PM @ Melting Point
Sometimes lyrics are overrated. The Half Dozen Brass Band takes this notion and swings with it. Ooh, and they're releasing an album too. Nice!

Fri, Sept 17: Madeline @ 9 PM @ 40 Watt
Soak in the beauty of Madeline's tunes! Ah, how refreshing.

Sat, Sept 18: Reptar & Kuroma @ 9 PM @ 40 Watt
Gotta love Reptar! These crazy fools for pop will have you dancing all night. And Kuroma? This band's been on my list of rockers to check out for a while. Sounds like a party!

Thurs, Sept 23: The Orkids @ 10 PM @ Caledonia Lounge
Yes, the Orkids are back again! These guys and gals are some of my newest favorites. Get ready for some electronic pop that will have you moving your feet in no time!

Without a doubt, September is going to be wild! Of course, if you want to let the world know about a show not listed here, feel free to tell us all about it in the comments. And be sure to check back often to find out about all of the latest shows coming to a venue near you! See you around town, my friends.

Here by Still Here: The pure joy of Fuzzies, Squids, Araby, and the mysterious Moreland

The Warm Fuzzies, my pals, and I

Words cannot describe the euphoria of seeing the Warm Fuzzies and Doctor Squid play together again. Never in the history of music has there been a combination more glee-inducing than this pair, of this I am sure! You can bet I won't ever miss a show where these two are playing together. In fact, every band that fed our ears tasty musical morsels last night was amazing. What a rare but beautiful thing!

To the utter delight of my friends and I, the Warm Fuzzies kicked off the show right as we got to the 40 Watt with a wild mix of our familiar favorites and some new tunes that transported me instantly into the lazy days of summer. I swear to you, even the most depressed person in the world would crack a smile for this band! Though the crowd throughout the night remained rather small, their energy seemed to be that of an audience five times its size. Several people knew the words, and the Fuzzies' catchy sound was the best intro that I can imagine for the night's epic lineup. Eee, I love these guys! I fully intend to find the warmest, fuzziest sweater there is and wear it in their honor all of next winter so that I can bask in the joy of their shows every day!

The lovely Leaving Araby took the stage next with their purely great rock sound. Justin Reynolds' and Jon Dobberstein's soft harmonies combined with their smooth yet intense style to make their set quite the listen! And, lucky for us, they just released their brand new CD As Long As the Devil Is After You which you can check out for yourself here on Rhapsody! Haven't gotten a chance to see them yet? Well then, don't forget to tune in to WUGA today at 4 pm or go to the Two Story Coffeehouse tomorrow to rock out to their tunes live.

Then it was Doctor Squid's turn to blow us away. I seriously can't get enough of this band! Every Doctor Squid show is different, and every time they play, they just amaze me more and more. Joy all around! It will be no surprise to people who've had the supreme pleasure of attending a Squid show that nearly the whole audience collectively knew the words to every one of their original songs. Truly, once you hear them, you're a fan for life. Their unique, upbeat sound drew us in immediately and had us all dancing across the floor in a most exuberant manner. Now, for most local bands, playing a cover or two drives the fans wild since people tend to cling to the more familiar songs they already know. The crazy thing about Doctor Squid, though, is that even a completely rockin' cover of a Stokes' song doesn't get the crowd as excited as their original songs do. That's how unbelievable their own tunes are! I never wanted them to stop! Their sets always feel like an embrace from an extremely happy, many armed giant squid. Awww. Be sure to go out and support them for College Battle of the Bands at the Cotton Club in Atlanta on March 27. No band deserves to win more than these guys do!

Mystery surrounded the very last band on the bill. As far as I could tell from talking to each of the other bands, no one quite knew who they were. Rumor had it that they were from Atlanta, but nobody was really sure. One of my pals turned to me before the band began to set up and asked me, "Wait, this isn't Natalie Hinkle, is it?" (Those involved in the Athens music scene lately will know what I'm talking about here. :D ) I assured her that, no, this was yet another group surrounded by the airs of intrigue. As Moreland took the stage, they told us they hailed from Conyers, Georgia... well, this is curiouser and curiouser! Finally, they began to play, and I can tell you, they were certainly worth staying for. They gave us some solid pop rock tunes that had a sort of professional feel to them. Rather impressive! Their mellow sound truly rounded out last night's incredible show.

Honestly, it's nights like these that make me absolutely convinced that nothing can beat the pure awesomeness of the Athens music scene!

Visuals Escaping From the Confines

Pictures and videos galore! Everything from my computer's sound to the transfer cables are working now which means that it's time for some sense-encompassing experiences.

Feeling nostalgic for the merry days of Squidmas? Well, maybe this video will raise your spirits!


Or perhaps you're dying to relive the ever-so-wild Of Montreal show. If that's the case, I've got a treat for you!


Need some Kalvinova? Here's a small taste of what their show was like. I seriously cannot wait to see them again!


And guess what... Tons more videos from these bands and others, including Leaving Araby, Romanenko, and James Husband, found their way onto the Echoreyn of Athens YouTube channel during the night too!

In a quiet place but still want to experience some shows? The Echoreyn of Athens facebook page has some new pics from the rockin' Bambara and Reptar show that happened just a little over a week ago! Good stuff.

Happy March, my friends! Hope you have a most splendid month... and of course, don't forget the shows!

Kristen's Concert Picks: Spring into March's Tunes!

March won't let February take the medal for best tunes without a fight! Spring Break's on its way, but with these shows to look forward to, you can party it up all month long. This is going to be amazing!

Wed, Mar 3: Allison Weiss @ 9:30 PM @ The Caledonia Lounge
Athens' much buzzed about songstress is back to kick off our month with her truthful tunes. Enjoy!

Thurs, Mar 4: Groove Tangent & Doctor Squid @ 8 PM @ Melting Point
Want to be able to say you knew them at the very beginning? The brand new band Groove Tangent rocks the stage for the first time with old favorites Doctor Squid on Thursday at the Melting Point. While Groove Tangent plans to introduce themselves with some awesome covers, they hope to become a fixture in the Athens music scene with their own original songs in the future.

Thurs, Mar 4: Madeline @ 9 PM @ Little Kings Shuffle Club
Soft rock is the sound! With southern tunes and dark melodies flowing through her music, Madeline's show will certainly make your night.

Wed, Mar 17: The Winter Sounds @ 10 PM @ The Caledonia Lounge
After taking quite a hiatus from the music scene, the Winter Sounds return to share their delicious tunes this month with shows on both the 2nd and the 17th at Caledonia. With Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun, the 17th's show should be quite a treat for the ears.

Thurs, Mar 18: Leaving Araby CD release with Doctor Squid & the Warm Fuzzies @ 9 PM @ 40 Watt
WHAT A LINEUP! Several of our favorites will take over the 40 Watt to celebrate the release of Leaving Araby's latest CD. The sheer joy emanating from these bands will make this a most glee-filled night. You won't want to miss this show!

Fri, Mar 19: Betsy Franck @ 9 PM @ 40 Watt
Bands, bands everywhere! The powerfully voiced Betsy Franck brings us an awesome mix of blues and southern rock for the Athens Music Collective Showcase Concert. Eight other bands are scheduled to play as well. Nice!

Sat, Mar 20: Tealvox @ 8 PM @ Nuçi's Space
These guys may be young, but they sure know how to rock! Tealvox has been making a name for itself all over the place, and now you can check them out in their hometown for yourself.

Thurs, Mar 25: Aman Amun @ 8 PM @ UGA's Black Box Theatre
Aman Amun, our favorite electronic soul-searching adventurer, brings his tunes to our yearning ears once more. He's also spreading the musical love at Farm 255 at 10 PM the next day during a Haiti Benefit concert. What wonderful news!

Fri, Mar 26: Deaf Judges @ 11 PM @ The Classic Center
Wild rappers Deaf Judges are back to surprise us with their latest crazy show! What will they do this time? I can't wait to find out!

Sat, Mar 27: Venice is Sinking @ 8 PM @ Nuçi's Space
Oh, how I love them! Venice is Sinking will be here to soothe our troubled hearts with their lovely tunes near the end of March. What joy!

Wed, Mar 31: Romanenko @ 10 PM @ The Caledonia Lounge
Once again, indie band Romanenko ends our month with their wonderfully dark sound. What a perfect finish!

Wow! These nights are sure to be unbelievable! And don't forget... even more awesome shows will certainly find their way onto this list as I hear about them. Know of a show you want everyone to check out? Comment below, and tell us all about it! See you downtown, my friends!

A Merry Little Squidmas!

SQUIDMAS! More specifically, the second annual Squidmas party hosted by Doctor Squid with musical guests Leaving Araby and Romanenko... Wow, what a night!

See, just about a year ago, I heard whispers of a festive costume bash complete with bands and holiday cheer. I was intrigued, but, swamped with finals, I had to pass up the chance to attend. However, during the weeks that followed, I found pictures and video that put the taste of Squidmas on my tongue. I craved more, and I knew there was absolutely no way I was going to miss the next celebration of this musically merry holiday!

This year, on Squidmas morning, I awoke filled with such unbelievable levels of anticipation and glee that nothing could dampen my spirits. The moment my pals and I could meet, we headed off to the 40 Watt for the holiday party of a lifetime. Leaving Araby kicked off the show with a set of soft, pop-infused tunes that filled everyone with Squidmas cheer. A tinsel-adorned bass guitar and mics covered in lights made for quite the festive atmosphere.

Then it was time, time for the moment I'd been dreaming of for a good twelve months. Doctor Squid, festooned in an array of red and green attire, stepped onstage to rock our Santa hats off with one of the absolute GREATEST sets I've ever seen. As anyone who's seen them can tell you, Doctor Squid always manages to bring the house down with their tunes. However, I can honestly say I've never seen them like this. They took their already wildly popular original songs and blended them with all of our favorite Christmas tunes to create what can only be described as pure music magic. Their hit song On My Way, usually remembered for its upbeat series of "whoa's", got a Santa-inspired makeover that transformed those "whoa's" into "ho ho ho's." True happiness! Another one of their tunes got a hint of Grinch when it served as an intro to one of the most rockin' holiday medleys I've ever heard. A feeling of utter joy permeated the air as everyone in the audience danced and sang their hearts out along with the band. What an absolutely amazing experience!

Then it was Romanenko's turn to finish out the night. The calm after the storm of merry insanity, Romanenko is one that's been at the top of my list of bands to see live for quite a while. Their dark, indie sound provided the perfect ending to a Squidmas full of rock. And, with more girls than guys in the band, they brought a bit of serious girl power to the largely male Athens rock scene. It's great to see some women who truly know how drum and play! Boy, am I glad I've finally gotten to see them.

Seriously, nothing can beat a triple lineup of amazing bands full of festive cheer. Without a doubt, Squidmas is one of my new favorite holidays, and you can be sure that, come December 2010, I'll be rocking out to some Squidtastic holiday tunes once more!