A buzz worthy lineup and the "Return of Allison Weiss"

All of the bands on 40 Watt's bill last Friday night have garnered quite a bit of buzz about themselves. As such, I knew I would just have to split my time between my friends' graduation and this crazy stacked lineup. Kicking off the night, the Young Orchids played for us a very indie set with a sort of old school vibe. Their soft pop rock songs layered with the punk-like vocals of the lead singer gave them a bit of a unique edge, and I was certainly intrigued when they whipped out maracas for one of the tunes.

Next up were the Winter Sounds, a band I was introduced to very early in my exploration of the local music scene. I've always been a fan of their rich and powerful sound and their beautifully soft yet upbeat style. This time around, the band featured what seemed to be a whole slew of new members whose presence added a brand new dimension to their tunes though admittedly also made them a bit less cohesive than I remember. The sweet melody of the violin intermixed with the rock, however, was undoubtably exciting, and their banter between songs was just plain hilarious.

Then it was time for the widely advertised return of Allison Weiss. Back in the day, people would refer to her as the queen of the Athens music scene, but she has since changed things up by making the big move up to New York and trimming her locks as well. Fans of Allison can rest assured , though, that she still employs that rather adorably awkward style of crowd banter between songs that had been something of a trademark when she lived here. Backed by members of the Winter Sounds for many of her newer songs, she started things off with the familiar tune I'm Ready before launching into a set that alternated between slower melodies and very upbeat dance tunes. The latter of these naturally caused an eruption of hipster dancing at its finest right in front of the stage as the other fans mouthed the words to every song along with her. During the performance of a cover, Allison even brought two of the dancers onstage to move behind her as she sang. Quite a crazy time!

Finally, after an Eminim song served to us by two girls calling themselves Feminem, headliners Misfortune500 finished out the night with a set that, once again, was impossibly better than their last. These guys are definitely among my top favorites in the scene, no question about it. What a show!

Kristen's Concert Picks: Spring Break 2011 Edition

Ah, to be a student again! Battling tests and projects and papers until the sweet moment of freedom comes to whisk you off to another land, be it home or somewhere exotic or even just the land of sleep and dreams. Spring Break starts today! But what does this mean for the Athens scene?

Well, for those of us still in town tonight, Farm 255's got an awesome show featuring country-meets-hardcore-rock band Sam Sniper to kick off the break. Excellent!

Headed out to Texas later in the week? I can honestly say I'm too jealous for words! Tons of our local favorites are going to be rocking shows in Austin, Texas for the massive South by Southwest festival. Be sure not to miss the all-day shows (starting at noon) at the Side Bar on the 18th and 19th featuring such spectacular bands as Bambara, Venice is Sinking, Reptar, Futurebirds, Gift Horse, Twin Tigers, and so many more!

Or maybe the Midwest is your destination? Well, if that's the case, Atlanta's rock superstars the Constellations have got you covered with shows in Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Minnesota! For more info on those, check out their Facebook page here!

Or perhaps you're trekking to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Well, you're in luck! You have the chance to catch the Winter Sounds as they rock the stage with the one and only Allison Weiss, queen of the Athens music scene turned NYC darling. Mark it down: Club Cafe on the 19th! Too cool.

Know of any other Spring Break shows around town or even around the world featuring some of our local favorites? Don't let us miss them! Be sure to comment below and share the tune-filled love.

And party on, my friends! Party on.

Hear that tune? Athens welcomes you home!

And we're back! Home, sweet Athens!

This entry's going to be a bit short because I've got a few things in the works and I'm busy gearing up for the overflowing cornucopia of unbelievable Athens shows that will be occurring over the next few weeks as well. For those of you (like me) who must miss out on the craziness that is Texas's giant music and arts festival SXSW, Athens certainly won't be leaving your eardrums tuneless. Tonight, catch Venice is Sinking and Spring Tigers at Tasty World and, if you love WUOG like I do, you can also check out a free sneak peek of the Winter Sounds tomorrow at 8 at UGA's Tate Center before their official Caledonia show on Wednesday (St. Patrick's Day!). For a whole bunch more amazing shows, including several newly added ones, don't forget to look back over March's Concert Picks calendar!

These next two weeks look so exciting, I can hardly breathe! Hope you enjoy them as much as I will!

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!

Excitement, changes, and a bit of music!

It's mid-October, everyone! So far, October has certainly continued the tradition of being my busiest month of the year. Where's all the time gone? I haven't even decorated my room for Halloween yet, and if you know me at all, I'm sure that will come as quite a shock. But hey, there's a whole lot to to be excited about this month. Tons of amazing bands will be the gracing the stages at many of the most awesome Athens venues over the next few weeks. I can't wait! Don't believe me? The October schedule is right here for your planning pleasure!

In fact, the spectacular Crumbling Arches will be stepping onstage for the first time this school year to rock the Caledonia this Monday night! (That's tomorrow.) Oh yes! You know you want to take a study break and party with these favorites of mine. One thing to note: Original headliners, the Winter Sounds (formerly of Atlanta), are skipping out on this one. Actually, they won't be performing at all again until 2010 owing to the fact that they're in need of a new drummer. Hm, that's unexpected. I haven't gotten all of the concrete details yet, but it looks like their entire fall tour has been canceled. Well, I eagerly await their return. Never fear, though. Tomorrow's show will go on, and it's most definitely going to be a delicious one! Now it's a triple band lineup with Crumbling Arches, Joy in Tomorrow, and The Clouds Are Ghosts. Yay!

Oh, and before I go, I absolutely must share some videos with you! The two in this entry are from Bambara's latest show at the 40 Watt on the last day of September. This band's been getting tons of buzz lately, so be sure to check them out. Enjoy! And naturally, for more videos of your favorite Athens and Atlanta bands, visit the Echoreyn of Athens YouTube channel. Videos galore!

Well, that's all for now. Have a rockin' day!

Kristen's Concert Picks: Back to Athens edition

For a lot of us, August means it's time to return to Athens. However, whether you've been there all along or you've never set foot in the great music city of the southeast, this is the perfect opportunity to check out some new tunes! After quite a bit of extensive research, I've compiled a list of musical treats guaranteed to caress even the most discerning of eardrums. And now, without further ado, I give you my recommendations for the lovely little month of August. Please do enjoy!

DATE: BAND/ EVENT @ TIME @ PLACE

Wed, Aug 12: Doctor Squid & Venice is Sinking @ 9 PM @ The Melting Point
-Two of my favorites playing together on one night? Amazing! Most tragically, I won't yet be in Athens then, but please go see them if you can so that I can live vicariously through you! With both bands sharing a mixture of their familiar and their brand new songs, this show is going to be nothing short of wonderfully delicious!

Thurs, Aug 13: Wormsloew @ 9 PM @ The 40 Watt Club
-I have yet to see this band live, but they passed my Athfest-Myspace test quite awesomely, so be sure to check them out!

Fri, Aug 14: Deaf Judges @ 9 PM @ WUOG.com
-The Deaf Judges, known in this blog for their climbing stint during Athfest, will be rapping up a storm on UGA's own student run radio station, WUOG. Go to http://www.wuog.org to listen in!

Fri, Aug 14: DJRX @ 11 PM @ Sideways
-Our favorite pop music DJ is back to send us dancing into the next school year. I can never get sick of that Free Credit Report Dot Com song!

Tues, Aug 18: The Winter Sounds @ 9:30 PM @ Caledonia Lounge
-These guys played last year after my very favorite band, and they still managed to impress me with their sound; quite a hard feat, I assure you! Lend them your ears for the night. They'll treat them well!

Sat, Aug 22: Rachel O'Neal @ 5:30 PM @ Terrapin Beer Co.
- Rachel's soft and beautiful acoustic tunes will help you start your evening off right!

Sat, Aug 22: Death on Two Wheels @ 8:00 PM @ Tasty World
-These rockers from Atlanta sure know how to put on a show! Let them satisfy your hunger for true rock.

Sat, Aug 22: Excali Brah @ 8:30 PM @ Flicker Theatre
-Remember the glow stick rave party at Athfest? I promise you, you're in for a night full of fun with these guys!

Thurs, Aug 27: Aman Amun @ 9 PM @ the 40 Watt Club
-Opening for Boombox, Aman Amun will give you one of the most amazing immersive experiences you'll ever have! His incorporation of technology into his acoustic music is sure to engage all of your senses at once. Both his sound and his show can only be described as unforgettably spectacular!

Fri, Aug 28: Wilx @ TBA @ Terrapin Beer Co.
- If you want to rock with a band whose songs and covers will get you dancing, look no further than Wilx. I've never seen a band get the audience so enthused!

Sat, Aug 29: Efren @ 8:30 PM @ Flicker Theatre
-For beautiful folk-infused indie rock, look no further than Efren. His acoustic songs have such a calming effect, they could relax even the most agitated person in the world. There's a refreshing earthy quality to them as well that makes you want to listen to them while sitting on a lone hilltop. Check out his latest tunes here!

Sat, Aug 29: Modern Skirts & Excali Brah @ 9:30 PM @ the 40 Watt Club
-Whoa! A double punch of awesome from some of the biggest up-and-coming groups in Athens! The Modern Skirts are well on their way to becoming Athens royalty, and Excali Brah sure knows how to throw a party. This is definitely going to be epic!

Mon, Aug 31: Sean Astin @ 7:30 PM @ Tate II on the UGA campus
-Okay, so you caught me. This isn't a band. But seriously, it's freaking Sean Astin, Samwise Gamgee from Lord of the Rings! My inner nerd wouldn't let me finish writing this blog without mentioning this too. Oh yeah!

And that's all I've got so far... I'll be updating this list regularly as I find out about new shows, so keep checking back often. After all, I know you don't want to miss anything! Oh, and if you happen to think that I've made some grievous error or if you know of a show or band that you believe should most certainly be on this list, comment and tell me so!

Hope this helps you usher in a brand new, fantastically exciting school year!