Kristen's Concert Picks: You'll go mad for February's tunes!

Ah February!  It's the month of love, change, and unpredictable weather... well, at least in Athens.  Let's jump into the music, and make the most of it!

Thu, February 7: Sean VanMeter@ 7 PM @ Melting Point

Rock your Mardi Gras style at this tribute to New Orleans piano greats, featuring the young and amazingly talented Sean VanMeter!

 Fri, February 8: Tealvox @ 10 PM @ Caledonia Lounge
Longtime blog favorites Tealvox will be taking over the Caledonia with their awesome alt rock sound.  Catch 'em on the 8th!

Sat, February 9: Betsy Franck @ 8 PM @ 40 Watt

I'll never cease to be impressed by Betsy Franck's strong southern vocals.  You won't want to miss her set!

Sat, February 9: Chris McKay @ 9 PM @ Flicker Theatre

You've heard and rocked out to the Critical Darlings, but this time the man's going solo.  Head on over to Flicker and get yourself ready for Chris McKay's awesome sound!

Tue, February 12: Grass Giraffes @ TBA PM @ Caledonia Lounge

Ready for some fun?  You'll go wild for the Grass Giraffes' brand of indie rock!

Wed, February 13: Brothers @ 11 PM @ Farm255

Brother's unique sound is the lovechild of indie pop and classic rock.  You've gotta check them out!

 Thu, February 14: The Powder Room @ 10 PM @ 40 Watt

Go hardcore on Valentine's Day with the incredible explosive noise of the Powder Room!

 Fri, February 15: Sister Hazel @ 8 PM @ Georgia Theatre

Big name rockers Sister Hazel returns to Athens this month to bring joy to your ears.  Buy your tickets early for this one!

 Fri, February 15: Bit Brigade @ 10 PM @ Caledonia Lounge

If you're craving an experience like no other and you miss the games of your childhood, then Bit Brigade is your band!  Join them for a rousing rock n' play session as you delve into a pre-digital world.

 Sat, February 16: Emily Hearn @ 8 PM @ 40 Watt

You'll fall head over heels for the lilting sweetness of Emily Hearn.  This singer/songwriter is one of my absolute favorites from last year's Athfest!

 Sat, February 16: White Violet and Thayer Sarrano @ 10 PM @ Caledonia Lounge

The soft rock of White Violet joins with the sweet speech-like vocals of Thayer Sarrano to form an awesome lineup.  What a combination!  

Mon, February 18: Bertis Downs Conversation @ 4 PM @ Caledonia Lounge

Now this one's no show, but if you're a fan of R.E.M., you're definitely want to check out this talk given by their manager Bertis Downs.  With them through their whole 30-year career, he's sure to have some amazing stories to tell!

This is certainly going to be quite a month of shows!  As always, if you've heard of another local lineup that you love hitting the stage this month, tell everyone about it in the comments.  Hope you all have an incredible February!

Happy First Birthday, Echoreyn of Athens!

One year ago today, after finding my journal entry about the spectacular night I first heard Chris McKay and the Critical Darlings up on the band's webpage, I decided the time was ripe to start a blog. I called this blog Echoreyn of Athens since Echoreyn (pronounced "Ecko rain") had long been my pseudonym, and Athens, well... I lived in Athens, one of the greatest music cities in the world! At that time, I had nearly just discovered the scene for myself. I'd been to a few more shows here than most of my friends, but still, I was new to the unique tunes and ever-changing sound of Athens. Nevertheless, I had an inkling that there were tons more amazing experiences to be had in this magical little town. Now, over 100 bands later, I'm overjoyed to say that I was right!

From getting the birthday party of my dreams to having a say about the music of 2009 in Athens' magazine Flagpole to reading about Echoreyn of Athens in UGA's newspaper The Red and Black, it's hard to imagine a more exciting time! And to all of you who read this blog, I love you so much! You're a huge part of what's made this year unbelievably unforgettable. I truly hope you've had just as great a year in music as I've had.

I say, let's celebrate the one year anniversary of Echoreyn of Athens by taking some time out of our busy schedules to simply party it up downtown and discover a few new bands for ourselves that may catch our ears by surprise and put smiles on our faces. April's full of tasty tunes, after all! Oh, and don't forget to check out the video above for some rockin' footage from the past year including some never-before-seen clips of some of our favorite local bands. Here's hoping the next year of music is just as awesome as this one!

P.S. And wow, this seems to be quite a birthday for Athens music fans everywhere... The most famous band to come out of our town since, well, ever is turning 30 today too. That's right, Echoreyn of Athens shares its most joyous birthday with R.E.M.! That's wild!

Athens - The city where time stops, but the music never does

Just a small section of my ever-growing concert poster wall

Athens. I've yearned all summer for this delicious town, and here I am. Back again!

After being away, it feels kind of weird to walk these familiar streets, to see the faces of my favorite musicians and friends again, and to hear whispers of new bands, new songs, and new CDs. It's like moving back into a place where time has stopped and finding that all of the things and people and places that I love have just been waiting for me to return. It's a comfortable feeling as much as it's a strange one.

This semester, I hope to bring my blog back to its roots. I started this page so that I would have a place to chronicle my musical adventures, and most specifically, my great joy in the personal discovery of bands and acts that I'd never heard of. On occasion, a famous band will pass through this city, and it's always nice to check them out. To be honest, though, quite often I find that many of the local groups, the newer artists trying to book gigs with the most well-known headliners and the established bands that keep working diligently to get their names and their tunes to the masses, are just as good, sometimes better. There's true substance there!

These Athens bands have heart. They pour their souls into their music, not for the huge piles of money that their massively famous peers are getting for their national tours, but for the love of the music itself. It's a beautiful thing, and I definitely plan to continue to celebrate this dedication. If I can do my part to help those talented acts that truly deserve to be on the tips of everyone's tongues feed their music to the world's ears, I will. Maybe one day, they too will be among the bands that have emerged triumphant from the Athens scene, with fame in their hands, yes, but with our town's heart and soul still in their songs too.

Oh wow, speaking of famous Athens bands, the very first REM song I ever heard just suddenly started playing on TV. Yup, I'm definitely back in Athens! It's starting to feel like home again. I really can't wait to jump back into the music!

For a list some of the most exciting concerts in Athens during the month of August, don't forget to check out my concert picks. I've added several more for your listening pleasure. Enjoy!