My Own Personal Leprechaun

A leprechaun visited me this morning and showed me some rather spectacular tricks! Luckily, I had my camera on, so I caught our whole adventure on film. Ooh, and don't miss the music! It's by a rockin' new favorite of mine, the amazing Kalvinova.

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone! :)

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!

There and Back Again: A tale of Athens music and beyond

Bet you can guess which foot is mine. :)

Ah, vacation. Taking a break from it all.

As I lay on the beach soaking in the sun's warm but gentle rays, I thought I was taking a short break from my beloved Athens music scene as well. After all, my traveling buddies' music of choice consists mostly of the latest pop radio hits. For the first time in many months, I heard Lady Gaga's, Britney Spears's, and Taylor Swift's newest releases. Oh, and I learned that Justin Bieber is not actually a five year old! Good to know. Yes, that's right. At times, I'll admit it, I can be massively clueless about the popular music scene. For me, nothing can beat the up-close-and-personal experience of a live show in Athens. On occasion, though, it's probably good to get a nice big dose of what the kids are listening to these days.

Interestingly enough, however, Athens music has managed to seep into all of our lives in curious ways. It's no surprise, I suppose, that the shirts I wore on the days that we explored the seaside town nearby were tees I've collected from some of my favorite local acts. More surprising were the times when an Athens song or even a medley of local tunes would find its way onto my friends' party CDs. Wait... Was that... Crumbling Arches? Oh yes, and... Some Constellations too? Very nice. Even my clothes wouldn't let me forget this lovely town. I swear I found a feather on my favorite horned hoodie that had managed to cling to the fabric since that wild Of Montreal show in early February! Well, old friend, fancy seeing you here!

The beauty of Athens music is that, for those of us who are lucky enough to experience it, it truly becomes a part of our lives. There's something that everyone can enjoy here, no matter your taste, no matter your style. It's a feeling of joy that can't be forgotten regardless of where life's journey takes us.

Have a Rockin' Vacation!

For those of you here at UGA, I don't need to tell you twice: SPRING BREAK IS ALMOST HERE!

Hanging with the family? Got some wild plans with your pals? Or perhaps you're prepping for a trip to an exotic land. Well, here's some fantastic news. Our beloved local bands are on the road too!

Headed to Savannah, Georgia? Venice is Sinking has planned a whopping two shows there for tomorrow night, and Dead Confederate is stopping by on Saturday the 13th to finish off your Spring Break Athens-style!

Is North Carolina your destination? Well, Venice is Sinking's dropping by Greensboro too, and Allison Weiss rounds out the first Spring Break weekend with stops in Charlotte and Chapel Hill.

Need some of your favorite tunes in Columbus, Ohio? Both Allison Weiss and the Constellations will be there to treat your ears to some tunes on the 13th.

Want a taste of the ATL in Chicago? The Constellations hope to mix things up in Illinois on the 12th. In fact, they've got the northern U.S. pretty much covered this week with shows in Milwaukee and Minneapolis too! And if you're really lucky, you might even catch them in London, England this Friday!

Or maybe you're hoping for some local love closer to home. Youthful rockers Tealvox are taking over Jefferson, Georgia this Friday while Dead Confederate is visiting Macon and Augusta later in the week.

Jetting off to some of the most popular vacation spots? Bambara's trekking across the country to rock Houston, Texas this Saturday and Los Angelos, California next Monday. And Allison Weiss isn't showing any signs of slowing down with her nationwide tour either. You can check her out in Richmond, VA, Brooklyn, NY, Philadelphia, PA, and several more states throughout the break too!

For more details about all of these shows including locations and times, check out each of the bands' MySpace pages:

• Allison Weiss
• Bambara
• The Constellations
• Dead Confederate
• Tealvox
• Venice is Sinking

Show these rockin' bands some love, and while you're at it, take advantage of a whole delicious feast of new tunes in whatever local music scene you can find. Have a truly awesome break, my friends!

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!

Bambara brings the sound, Reptar brings the dance!

Say hello to my awesome friend Elizabeth, Echoreyn of Athens' very first guest blogger! Here's her take on Saturday's spectacular Bambara CD Release/ Reptar show. :)

If I truly believe one thing, it’s that each and every one of us participates in the Athens music community for the same reason- we love live music! Meeting the band, sharing the energy with the crowd- there is an experience to be had in a live show unmatched by anything else. But what to do on those days when the world’s just got you down? Do you skip out on the show? My experience at the Caledonia on Saturday proved the answer to be a resounding NO. Like it or not, everyone has those days… you’re tired, you’re cranky, you may not even want to leave the house. But, people, skipping the show is not the answer.

Saturday began with Shithead, a local supergroup comprised of members of too many bands to be counted. Some may call them irreverent, some may call them plain silly, but Shithead’s grungy and often introspective grooves sure put a smile on my weary face. There was no question that those four musicians were doing what they love, and loving it!

Up next were Carnivores, a somewhat indefinable group out of Atlanta. It may not have been clear what exactly they were singing about, or just how far into the crowd the female lead was going to carry that microphone, but it was an energetic experience for sure.

But now we’re halfway through the set, and you’re still feeling blue. Maybe the crowd is getting to you? Not really feeling all the excitement? Well, just you wait for Bambara. Somehow the perfect blend of dark, heavy rock and driving, dare I say danceable intensity, these guys found a way to take the crazy crowd and work them into the set. Guitarist Reid Bateh may have claimed that screechy pedal was a malfunction, but did anyone else notice how perfectly it harmonized with the screechy female fans up front? That was no coincidence, if I say so myself.

Ok, we’ve got one more band, one last chance at making your night. Lucky you, that band is Reptar. They may still be in the ‘up and coming’ category, but these guys definitely know how to please a crowd. Dance-pop beats, electronica intensity, three-person drum solos, and more stage presence than you could shake any of those many drumsticks at- Reptar keeps you up and excited from start to finish. We will definitely be keeping an eye out for more shows, and (reported) LP release coming soon!

So, what did I learn from Saturday? There’s no glass case of complicated emotions that can’t be shattered to pieces by the right combination of bands. And where better to find these crazy line-ups than our dear old Athens? Keep listening, kids.

-Elizabeth.