Kristen's Concert Picks: April's tunes thrive

It's April already? The year's passing by so quickly! The cold, dreary weather of early Spring will soon give way to days of warmth and sunshine, and everything around us will bloom and thrive. For those of us in the scene, this month's tunes are thriving too! There's just so many shows to pick from, and we love it that way!

Fri, April 1: Venice is Sinking @ 10 PM @ Caledonia Lounge

Always a favorite, Venice is Sinking's soft but strong melodies are the perfect way to start off the month!

Fri, April 1: Futurebirds @ 9 PM @ 40 Watt

In the mood for some righteous Southern rock? The Futurebirds have got ya covered with their April Fools set at the 'Watt!

Wed, April 6: Chris McKay and the Critical Darlings @ 8 PM @ The Melting Point

It's Chris McKay and the Critical Darlings 3.0! Chris's long-awaited return with the Darlings is sure to fill the Melting Point with awesome classic rock and boundless energy. Best of all, its proceeds go toward the relief effort for those affected by the disasters in Japan. What a great cause!

Fri, April 8: Bambara @ 10 PM @ Caledonia Lounge

Bambara is, by far, one of my absolute favorite bands in the scene! Their raucous, noise rock style will awaken something native and carnal in your very being, and your soul will beg for more.

Thurs, April 14: Powerkompany @ 9:30 PM @ Caledonia Lounge

Powerkompany is an ethereal serenade traipsing through darkness and light. Your ears are dying to experience their sound, trust me!

Thurs, April 14: The Orkids & Tealvox @ 9 PM @ 40 Watt

The Orkids and Tealvox in one night? This is undoubtably one of those shows where the lineup alone promises an unbelievable night! Infectiously joy-inducing pop will dance through the 40 Watt with solid rock tunes. Excellent!

Fri, April 15: Sam Sniper CD release @ 10 PM @ Caledonia Lounge

Sam Sniper's delectably intense country rock has made it one of my most recent Athens favorites. Releasing their very first album We're Not Coming Back This Way on the 15th with free copies for all who attend, this show is definitely a must!

Sat, April 16: the Athens band @ 8 PM @ The Office Lounge

Awesome youth rockers Athens (the band) are back to help raise funds for Nuçi's Space. Such a worthy cause! You won't want to miss this show!

Sat, April 16: The Shut-Ups @ 10 PM @ Caledonia Lounge

I loved the Shut-ups' joy-filled, electronic style when I saw them at the last Athfest, and I've been yearning to catch another set of theirs. Enjoy!

Sat, April 16: Pholksinger Josh CD release @ 10 PM @ Go Bar

So many bands I love are taking the stage this month! Pholksinger Josh's unique style of folk-insfused spoken word will most certainly make this show one to catch. Also, the band is releasing their newest album Watermelon Mountain that night too! Nice.

Sat, April 16: The Beat Geeks @ 10 PM @ Bad Manor

Get ready to move! The Beat Geeks are back to make you lose control on the dance floor. Don't miss your chance to catch these guys in action before they blow up big time!

Thurs, April 21: Taj Motel Trio @ 9:30 PM @ Caledonia Lounge

Ska returns to Athens in the form of the Taj Motel Trio. Get ready to skank till you drop to their fast-paced, classic tunes!

Fri, April 22: Dead Confederate @ 9 PM @ 40 Watt

I'm actually listening to Dead Confederate on my iPod right now. Why? Because their songs are just unbelievably awesome, and they never get old. If soft rock with a Southern twinge tickles your fancy, Dead Confederate is your band!

Oh man, Caledonia and the 40 Watt are serving up show after incredible show this April! What a month of music! Just like before, if you know of another rockin' Athens show you think the world should see, post in the comments and tell us all about it. And, of course, don't forget to keep checking the Concert Picks link at the top of the page throughout the month as we add new must-see shows to the list. Have an amazing April, you guys!

Skanking with the best of them: Groove Stain, Taj Motel Trio, 50:50 Shot

I have to admit, I was not feeling my best last Friday night, but music waits for no one! Just in time for the show, I grabbed my downtown bag and headed over to the Caledonia for my second taste of the crazy joy and brass-infused style that is ska. After all, music has healing powers, right?

Once the first band, Groove Stain, began to play, I knew I had made the right decision. These guys were undeniably amazing! A mixture of ska, hard rock, and rap, their sound was like nothing I've ever heard. I don't think anyone in the crowd was expecting to experience such a showing of sheer talent. They had everyone skanking, rocking out, and jamming so much that I just had to join in the fun myself. And Groove Stain's stage presence was unbelievable as well. The lead singer/rapper, in particular, drew in the crowd with his magnetic performance personality and wild skills. What an uplift in spirits! I really hope I have a chance to see these guys again.

Taj Motel Trio was up next to give us Athenians another serving of their sound. I first heard their classic ska style during their January show, and I was quite happy to see their return to our scene. Man, the crowd was so into it, the skanking reached near dangerous proportions during the end of their set! Hm, I suppose I should give a short explanation of skanking for those just joining us since I've already mentioned it twice so far. Skanking refers to being loose (with your movements, in this case). That definition just works in so many ways! But anyway, it's sort of a mixture between flailing and moshing but with a sense of joy and freedom that I've never seen in any other form of dance. And Taj Motel Trio's tunes even got the crowd skanking in a circle around one of the band members. Pure awesomeness!

Unfortunately, by the end of their set, the sickness that I had been feeling earlier overtook me, so I had to reluctantly step out. Luckily, my friend Kole was there to catch the ever-amazing 50:50 Shot. Here's his take on their set:

Playing with a still fresh line-up, the seemingly immortal ska entity that is 50:50 Shot gave the best performance at the Caledonia tonight that I have ever had the pleasure of hearing them play. The turnout could have been better, but the crowd was going absolutely crazy for the music, old and first-time listeners alike. 50:50 Shot, like any good ska band, can use its magical energy-filled music to make a worn-out and tired crowd flail and skank in pure bliss and adrenaline. Drummer Bradley Gandy and guitar/singer Ryan Clark played a fantastic last show ever (yea, okay, it's been said before). They will be missed greatly and I am more than enthusiastic to see what 50:50 Shot's future will bring.

Oh wow. Really, I wish that all of life was as carefree as a ska show!

Time for a SKAncert!

It's nights like these that remind me that I'm still so new to the music scene. There's so much left for me to hear, so much more for me to experience, so much I have yet to learn. I mean, who knew skanking could be a good thing? It sounds like... well, you know what it sounds like! But Friday night, during my very first ska concert, I got a glimpse of what it means to skank, wildly, in public, and surrounded by tons of people!

For those of you who, like me, have been completely unaware of ska music and culture until this point, I'll tell you a bit about this skanking. See, skanking is the term used to refer to ska dancing. To skank, you must immerse yourself fully in the music, abandon all tension and control, and just let loose and flail about to your heart's desire. An odd sight for a first timer, yes, but a refreshingly awesome one too. Ska's listeners don't let fear of anyone's judgment affect their complete and utter enjoyment of the music. Ska music itself is like nothing I've ever heard either. A mixture of punk, reggae, jazz, and swing music with a splash of several other styles, it's got a happy, upbeat sound that effortlessly causes everyone to move their feet. You just can't resist! Major props go to my friend Kole for his infectious excitement about everything ska. I'm so glad he convinced me to come!

Taj Motel Trio, a band from Cornelia, Georgia, kicked off the night's SKAncert with what I would call a bit of classic ska. Their whole set had the crowd going skank-crazy! This audience had some mad energy, that's for sure. Then, a few songs in, the band managed to rework the always-awesome Darth Vader theme from Star Wars into a completely incredible and danceable ska tune. That definitely takes some major talent. Everybody loved it!

New York's band Royal City Riot brought a taste of more peaceful reggae to the mix next. Their style made me feel like I was just chilling on the beach in the warm sun, soaking in some nice tunes. Even though their music was a bit slower, the crowd kept on skanking up a storm and wholeheartedly immersing themselves in the moment!

Then it was time for Atlanta's own 50:50 Shot to play us on out. These guys had about eight people performing onstage at a time... quite the spectacle, particularly when compared to the size of the Caledonia stage! Each member had such personality that the band seemed to explode with passion and energy as they played. Their rock-infused ska had elements of the style I like to refer to as "doomsday," and it certainly kept the crowd skanking till the end. In fact, people were dancing so wildly, I'd swear the floor of the Caledonia was shaking. I'm not even sure that's possible, but wow, it was insane! My favorite part of their set had to be just moments in, though, when I heard the awesome tones of an instrument right beside me. I turned to find one of the band members standing in the midst of the sea of concert-goers, blowing away on his trombone. There's nothing like getting that true surround sound feel from a band. It was so undeniably cool!

Simply put, the whole ska scene blew me away. For me, it was truly like a trove of undiscovered treasure, a box of pure joy just waiting to be opened. Here's hoping there are plenty more ska shows and SKAncerts in Athens soon!