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.

Kristen's Concert Picks: January's tunes heat things up

It's 2010, you guys.... Another year, another year. Oh, holy platypus! That means it's another month, too! Well, luckily I managed to round up some delicious concert picks for January just in time. These shows are definitely worth braving the icy weather to experience. Enjoy!

Thurs, Jan 7: Dead Confederate @ 9 PM @ Tasty World Uptown
Old favorites Dead Confederate return to our little town to drive our ears wild! The last show I saw of theirs was probably the greatest show I've ever seen in Athens. You just can't miss this one!

Fri, Jan 8: Aman Amun @ 9 PM @ Tasty World Uptown
It's guaranteed to be a different kind of rockin' electronic experience with the massively talented Aman Amun this time around. Prepare yourself for the Eurotrash III party which, rumor has it, will be completely unforgettable!

Fri, Jan 8: Venice is Sinking @ 11 PM @ Farm 255
You know you've been missing them... Now Venice is Sinking's back to fill your ears with sweet melodies once more! And it's free too! Awesome.

Fri, Jan 8: Madeline @ 9 PM @ The 40 Watt
Remember when she opened for Dead Confederate and the Meat Puppets with a set full of dark and southern tunes? This girl's quite the singer. You've got to check out her songs.

Mon, Jan 11: Geronimo! @ 9 PM @ Tasty World Uptown
Hailing from Chicago, Geronimo!'s gearing up to share their loud, indie rock tunes with us here in Athens. And with their use of a keyboard instead of a bass guitar, it's likely to be quite an original experience!

Tues, Jan 19: Futurebirds @ 9 PM @ Tasty World Uptown
If you missed them last week, catch them now! Their southern rock sound definitely riles up the crowd, and their energy takes over the entire room.

Thurs, Jan 21: Doctor Squid & Leading Edge @ 9 PM @ The 40 Watt
The dream team joins together again, this time for a great cause! Help out the Children's Miracle Network while you jam to the tunes of four bands, each with members in the Redcoats. Pure joy!

Fri, Jan 22: Carolina Ridge @ 10:30 PM @ Rye Bar (Postponed till Feb 6)
Remember Pholksinger Josh? He and his band rocked their "gangsta folk" for us several times last year, and now he's finally returned to the Ath-town with a new name and a fresher folk sound too. Don't miss this!

Sat, Jan 30: Deaf Judges, @ 9 PM @ Caledonia Lounge
Deaf Judges will give you an experience unlike any other. Creativity abounds with these rappers! I wonder what they'll do next...

Sat, Jan 30: Modern Skirts & Reptar @ 9:30 PM @ The 40 Watt
Athens just can't get enough of these guys! Hear the buzz-worthy Modern Skirts take over the 40 Watt once more. And I've heard nothing but amazing things about Reptar. It's the cherry on top of a scrumptious month of music!


Well, it looks like January's going to rock. Yay! As always, I'll be adding more awesome shows as I hear about them so keep checking back often. Also, if you're just dying to tell everyone about a show that I didn't mention here, comment below and let the world know about it!

Now, don't forget your coats and scarves, my friends. Hope to see you again in all of our favorite Athens haunts!

Kristen's Concert Picks: December brings frosty tune-filled delights!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope you're truly enjoying this day of food, family, and football too. So, what are you thankful for? Me? Naturally, I'm thankful for the unbelievably rockin' Athens music scene. More specifically, I'm thankful for the absolutely amazing lineup of bands that December has in store for us! Your ears certainly won't be in any danger of freezing off with all of these nonstop music-filled experiences.

Tues, Dec 1: The Ha's Neptica Atlas & Matt Daniel from Leading Edge @ 9 PM @Tasty World Uptown
Start off the month with the public debut of The Ha's Neptica Atlas. You will not want to miss this! And Matt from Leading Edge will be performing too. Brilliant! And best of all, it's a benefit concert so you'll be helping people while you party!

Wed, Dec 2: Allison Weiss @ 10 PM @ The Caledonia Lounge
Oh yes, a CD release party! Don't miss your chance to check out the latest tunes from one of Athens' reigning queens of the music scene. I recently had the pleasure of seeing her sing her heart out for the WUOG listeners , and I can tell you, she truly pours her soul into these songs!

Thu, Dec 3: Madeline @ 10 PM @ The Caledonia Lounge
Madeline's soft dark rock is infused with a taste of southern rock as well. Something for everyone! She has quite a sound. She and her White Flag band are definitely worth your time!

Thu, Dec 3: Venice is Sinking @ 9 PM @ The 40 Watt Club
Ah, Venice is Sinking! After disappearing from the Athens music scene for a few months, they're back to treat our ears to some beautiful, soothing tunes. Excellent!

Fri, Dec 4: Efren @ 9 PM @ Flicker Theatre
Wow, December's full of CD releases! The ever-mysterious Efren is dropping his first album "Thunder and Moan" at this show. Delightful! Stay tuned for my Echoreview of his new tunes, coming soon!

Fri, Dec 4: A Postwar Drama @ 10 PM @ The Caledonia Lounge
The list of bands I'm dying to see keeps getting shorter, and nothing makes me happier. Here's another band I've been hoping to check out since my Athfest research days. Soft, acoustic roots-type music is their style. Very nice!

Sat, Dec 5: Bambara @ 9 PM @ Farm 255
This ever-talented trio of loud, hard rockers is playing a free show at Farm 255. Yay! I mean, let's be honest. Their sound is just plain sexy. Everyone who's had a chance to experience their tunes agrees. And they've got some brand new ones too! Trust me. You'll want to be there.

Tues, Dec 8: Aman Amun @ 10 PM @ The Caledonia Lounge - **Postponed till January 7th**
This guy brings new meaning to the words "musical genius" every time he plays. Prepare yourself for a wonderfully impressive and creative display of art and technology intertwined with deep, soul-searching electronic rock.

Thurs, Dec 10: Doctor Squid @ 10 PM @ 40 Watt
MERRY SQUIDMAS! It's time to don your holiday-themed costumes, and get ready to rock the season in style! From what I've heard, last year's Squidmas was epic. And this year, they're playing with Romanenko, and Leaving Araby. I'm definitely not missing this one!

Sat, Dec 12: Hammer No More the Fingers & Gift Horse @ 10 PM @ The Caledonia Lounge
HNMtF will give you a reason to dance! This North Carolina band knows how to make rock truly fun. With Gift Horse, another band I've heard great buzz about, on the bill, this show should be quite something!

Sat, Dec 19: Excali Brah @ 10 PM @ The Caledonia Lounge
And the Caledonia does it again with another awesome December show! Excali Brah is hilarity at its finest. These costumed guys embrace the unexpected in their shows. At Athfest, outdoor rave parties were their thing. Who knows what they're going to do next?

Thu, Dec 31: Deaf Judges @ 10 PM @ The Caledonia Lounge
Here's another band that's up for anything! These rappers will definitely capture your attention and keep it. There's no doubt about that! And, whoa, look at the date. This will certainly be a great show to ring in 2010!


Thu, Dec 31: The Constellations @ 9 PM @ Tasty World Uptown
Back in Athens just in time to usher in the new year, it's THE CONSTELLATIONS! This show's 18+, so all you kids who've been missing out on their amazing tunes, this is your chance. No matter where you are during break, be sure get yourself to Athens for this!

Have you got a show you think should be added to this list? Comment, and let me know! Also, I'll be giving you even more shows to look forward to as I find them, so check back often. Have a truly lovely December, my pals!

Dead Confederate & Meat Puppets: the essence of true rock

Rarely do I ever get to see an entire lineup of bands I've been dying to hear, but Saturday night at the 40 Watt was a night like no other!

I first discovered Madeline as I was making a list of bands that I just had to check out during Athfest. I was quite intrigued by the songs of hers I had sampled on Last.FM and MySpace, but since my underage friends couldn't get into the venues she was playing, we had to miss out on her sets. When I learned she was opening for Athens band Dead Confederate and nineties famed rockers Meat Puppets, I was overjoyed! Indeed, she was the perfect singer to start off the show.

Madeline's sound alternated between soft southern rock and soft dark rock, and she wore an incredibly intense expression on her face as she sang which made her songs all the more powerful. She and the White Flag band particularly fired up the crowd with their Johnny Cash cover and a number of their final tunes. And the crowd she gathered... Wow! I've never seen such a large and eager audience for an opening set before.

Moments later, everyone on the floor waited with bated breath for the first headliner. I had previously seen Dead Confederate own the stage at Athfest over the summer, but nothing could have prepared me for the show they had in store for us this time. They leapt immediately into their hard rock as they stepped onstage, setting the mood as they jammed wordlessly for several minutes in the low light. What an entrance! They followed these songs with a set of amazing tunes which included their much-loved hits The Rat and Get Out. The guitar chords resonated through my whole body, and the lights behind the band flashed almost constantly in a shock-inducing display of sheer madness. Lead singer Hardy Morris was so completely immersed in the songs that he closed his eyes during most of them and even writhed on the floor near the end of the set. Truly, this is how Dead Confederate was meant to be experienced. I adored them at Athfest, but seeing them rock the darkened 40 Watt surrounded by crowds of enthusiastic fans was completely amazing! And as they were packing up after their last song, Hardy jumped off the stage and landed right between Sheila and I so that he could talk to the talented photographer who happened to be standing right beside us. Oh, Athens! Fun times.


And then, there were the Meat Puppets. Getting to see these rock legends take over the stage was nothing short of incredible! Their subtly southern rock and wild long hair screamed nineties in its prime, and their wild energy and badass attitudes captured the attentions of everyone in the audience. Their fans, ranging in age from college students to middle aged partiers, covered the whole dance floor with their exuberant moves as basist Cris Kirkwood jammed across the stage, pushing over sound equipment and grimacing with intensity. One lady in the crowd even held up a shirt she had gotten from them over two decades ago as she danced. Wow, these guys have staying power! I could see why, too. The Meat Puppets sure know how to put on a show! Then, as they finished up their set, Cris lifted up his shirt to show off his tattoo, making one drunk fan so excited that he started screaming and trying to touch the design. And boy, was this guy determined. After several minutes of trying, he finally succeed in diving onto the stage only to be dragged off by a security guy, who was helped by Cris himself, and thrown out of the 40 Watt. Wild!

Then, just as we thought the show was over, another drum appeared onstage and the members of both Dead Confederate and Meat Puppets emerged from behind the curtain. We could all tell they had bonded quite a bit during their joint tour throughout the country. Cris and Hardy even shared a cigarette as they tuned their instruments once more. And then, they began. It was an encore of insane proportions! Together, both bands rocked a short set with such energy that it was an experience unlike any I've had before. The whole dance floor felt so in the moment right then. I wouldn't have missed it for anything! It was like those rock shows of past decades that I've seen on TV. I've really never seen anything like it. Saturday was definitely one of the most unbelievable nights ever!