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!

Kristen's Concert Picks: You're gonna love February!

I can't wait for next month's shows! This February is shaping up to be one of the most exciting months of music I've ever seen. Let's not waste any more time... Here are my picks!

Tues, Feb 2: Futurebirds & Gift Horse @ 9 PM @ Tasty World Uptown
Hard rock and southern rock combine to give us a truly wild night. Party with Futurebirds once more as they continue their Tasty World takeover, and immerse yourself in Gift Horse's awesome tunes while you're at it!

Tues, Feb 2: Venice is Sinking @ 9 PM @ 40 Watt Club
Yay! Time for more Venice is Sinking. These soft but moving tunes will definitely take your ears on a ride!

Wed & Thurs, Feb 3 & 4: Of Montreal @ 8 PM @ 40 Watt Club
Oh. My. Gosh. OF MONTREAL! One of the biggest names to come out of Athens in recent years will grace the 40 Watt stage for a sure-to-be spectacular two-night party. Get your advance tickets now!

Thurs, Feb 4: Crumbling Arches @ 10 PM @ American Tavern
It's time for another delicious taste of Crumbling Arches! Want some wild rock tunes and an unforgettable experience? These guys will caress your eardrums in a most satisfying way!

Fri, Feb 5: Kalvinova @ 10 PM @ Caledonia Lounge
And the purely amazing shows keep coming! I had the extreme pleasure to check out Kalvinova during their Live in the Lobby set last week, and they completely blew me away. You won't want to miss this show!

Sat, Feb 6: Casper and the Cookies & The Shut-Ups @ 10 PM @ Caledonia Lounge
It's another pairing of bands I've seen and bands I've been dying to see! Casper and the Cookies has an absolutely crazy style that differs from all other bands, and rumor has it, the Shut-Ups' new wave indie rock will leave you speechless. Nice!

Sat, Feb 6: Carolina Ridge @ 10:30 PM @ Rye Bar
Formerly known as Pholksinger Josh, Carolina Ridge's triumphant return to Athens is finally here! Check out his new sound!

Sat, Feb 13: Sister Hazel @ 8 PM @ 40 Watt Club
WOW! Here's another one to add to our list of incredibly big names coming to Athens. That's right: rock band Sister Hazel visits the 40 Watt this February too! This is just five kinds of awesome! Don't forget to buy your advance tickets for this one as well.

Wed, Feb 17: Allison Weiss & Creepy @ 8 PM @ 40 Watt Club
Local songstress Allison Weiss and the powerfully-voiced Creepy join together with the Orkids and Incendiaries to celebrate women in music! Help out the Girls Rock Camp and lose yourself in some rockin' tunes at the same time. Sounds like tons of fun!

Fri, Feb 20: Bambara & Reptar @ 10 PM @ Caledonia Lounge
Unbelievable! More and more tremendous shows await us! Everybody's talking about Bambara's insane dark rock sound these days, and Reptar's fanbase just keeps spreading the word about their wild, dance-inducing tunes. Best of all, Bambara will officially release their latest EP, Dog Ear Days, during this show too! There's no question about it; you just have to be there!

Wed, Feb 24: Romanenko @ 10 PM @ Caledonia Lounge
Time for a rockin' midweek celebration. Romanenko's dark indie style will most certainly delight you! What fun!

I am just in shock. The music, the bands, the excitement... February is going to be breathtakingly sensational! And, of course, I'll let you know if I hear about any more shows worthy of this list. Feel free to comment below if there's a show you're just dying to see as well. Now join me downtown, and let's make the most of this rock-filled month!

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!

Kristen's Concert Picks: Rock like it's September

Just a few days ago, the Athens music scene embraced me once again. My friend spontaneously suggested that we visit WUOG's headquarters, and during my visit, we caught the local band Blueswater Bridge playing a set for the Live in the Lobby segment. Afterwards, I headed over to the Myers Quad to enjoy a practice session of one of Athens' newest bands, Neptica. With echoes of all of these bands' tunes dancing in my ears, I decided that it was the perfect time to start compiling another list of shows sure to capture everyone's fancies. After all, it's nearly September already! And off we go...


Thurs, Sept 3: Bambara @ 9 PM @ The Caledonia Lounge
-Formerly 23jinx, this band has spent the past year making a name for themselves under the new heading, Bambara. Hard, dark rock is still their forte, but they've created a new, more refined sound to match their new name as well. And they've just returned from a stint in Europe, so start off your musical month with these guys!

Sat, Sept 5: The Warm Fuzzies @ 9 PM @ the 40 Watt
-Feeling down? Want to hear some tunes that are guaranteed to put a smile on your face? Well, the Warm Fuzzies are here to please! With songs about everything from robots to cheese to love at a drive-thru, you won't want to miss them!

Tues, Sept 8: Fire Zuave @ 9:30 PM @ The Caledonia Lounge
-A new addition to my concert picks, here's another band that passed the myspace test. Their wonderfully unique indie rock sound makes them a group certainly worth checking out!

Sat, Sept 12: Wilx @ 8 PM @ Farm 255
-These rockers aren't afraid to go a little crazy and have fun with their performance. Trust me, you'll definitely want to be an audience member at this show!

Sat, Sept 19: Aman Amun @ 9 PM @ Rye Bar
-What do you get when you mix soothing acoustic and amazing electronic music with a visual experience that is unequaled? Aman Amun's your answer! And this show's free. You can't get better than that!

Sat, Sept 19: Ruby Isle, Venice is Sinking, & the Young Sinclairs @ 9:30 PM @the 40 Watt
-A powerhouse party, indeed! Some of the best bands in Athens and beyond are joining together to rock the 40 Watt on this spectacular Saturday. With Maserati, Allison Weiss, and Still Flyin' on the bill too, this is sure to be an unforgettable show.

Wed, Sept 23: Romanenko @ 9:30 PM @ the 40 Watt
-Here's another local band that I've been yearning to see! Romanenko's beautiful vocals and soft indie rock sound somehow make everything feel right in the world. Also, they will be releasing their latest full-length record at this show, so don't miss it!

Thurs, Sept 24: Doctor Squid & The Warm Fuzzies @ 10:00 PM @ The Caledonia Lounge
Happiness abounds with this pair of bands! I've honestly never seen a more joy-filled lineup for a show. If you like upbeat songs and infectious lyrics, this show is for you!

Sat, Sept 26: The Constellations @ 8:00 PM @ Tasty World Uptown
I've been dying to see Atlanta band the Constellations again since I they rocked the stage this past summer at Summerfest, and now they're coming to pleasure our ears at Athens' own Tasty World. For some incredibly unique and awesome tunes from one of the most up-and-coming bands in the state, check out this show!

Wed, Sept 30: Bambara @ 9 PM @ the 40 Watt
-End this month just as you started it: with another taste of the lovely Bambara! Their rock will certainly ignite a fire of passion in your heart, so come party with them!

And that's all I've got... for now, of course! As always, this list will continue to grow throughout the month, so let me know if you're looking forward to any September shows that seem to be missing from the schedule. Also, August's not over yet, so click here if you're hoping to plan a few more musical adventures to usher in the end of the month. Enjoy!

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