Nuçi's Space: A coffee bar with a taste for tunes

Nuçi's Space is indeed one of the most unique venues in Athens. Just outside the central music center of the town, it serves as a haven for musicians of all ages to practice and perform. Hundreds of records adorn the walls and a disco ball hangs from the ceiling making this cozy space a brilliant setting for an evening of tunes. Now you might be a little disoriented at first if you're a regular in the Athens night scene. One of your first hints that Nuçi's Space brings you a brand new experience is their opening time. More often than not, shows at this family-friendly venue start at around eight o'clock. Perfect for early sleepers and people who like to fill their whole nights with awesome shows! Another hint that this might not be your average club is the coffee bar tucked inside. No alcohol here, but there's quite a nice array of delicious coffees to choose from. Mmm! Had a bit too much coffee? Well, that's alright. Head on over to the back of the venue where you'll find some of the most beautifully clean restrooms in all of downtown Athens!

But what about the most important part? What about the music? A medium-sized, raised stage sits on one end of the dance floor, straight across from a very professional-looking, glass-walled sound room. Need to sit down? Well, you're in luck! Couches line one edge of the wall so you can sip your coffee comfortably while you enjoy the tunes. From your seat near the stage, you can also chat with band members as they head towards the corridor that leads to the many rooms of the backstage area. And if you are a member of a band yourself, Nuçi's Space is dedicated to helping you make the most of your talent as well. They rent out equipment to bands that need it, and through their Camp Amped summer program, they even help youngsters discover the music inside themselves! Truly, Nuçi's Space is quite the venue!

Nuçi's Space at a glance:

Ages: All ages

Cost: Usually around $5

Venue Website: http://www.nuci.org/

Venue Phone Number: 706-227-1515

Venue location & Google Map: 396 Oconee Street, Athens, GA 30601


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Reviews of recent concerts/events at Nuçi's Space:
Venice is Sinking/ Groove Tangent/ Rye
Tealvox/ Athens band/ Second Suns

Have any thoughts of your own about this venue? Dying to know something specific that I didn't mention? Be sure to comment below! Also, to read about all of the venues I've reviewed, visit my venues page!

Kristen's Concert Picks: June's Absolutely Humongous List of Amazing Shows!

Oh man, I'm so jealous of everyone living in Athens right now! There are spectacular bands playing their way through nearly every night in June. Wow! And, to top it all off, we have Athfest too, of course! This month is going to be unbelievable.

Wed, Jun 2: Eureka California @ 9:30 PM @ Caledonia
From what I've heard on their myspace, their loud, grime rock will be the perfect sound to kick off the month!

Thurs, Jun 3: Nutria CD Release @ 9 PM @ 40 Watt
These guys will give us some delicious classic pop rock with their sure to be awesome CD release show!

Thurs, Jun 3: Betsy Franck @ 5 @ Rialto Room
One phrase describes this woman every time: powerful voice! Trust me, you've just gotta check out her tunes.

Fri, Jun 4: Leaving Araby & Yo Soy Bean @ 9 PM @ 40 Watt
Looks like this show's going to be full of fun and good vibes! Oh yes.

Sat, Jun 5: Aman Amun @ 7 PM @ Cine
Celebrate your senses and immerse yourself in the electronic stylings of Aman Amun.

Monday, Jun 7: Doctor Squid @ 9 @ Caledonia
Happiness has a name around Athens, and it's Doctor Squid. Hooray for pop rock!

Wed, Jun 9: Wowser Bowser @ 10 PM @ Caledonia
Seriously, I am DYING to see this band again. Get ready to go wild!

Thurs, Jun 10: Kenosha Kid @ 11PM @ Farm 255
I don't usually like jazz, but even I think these guys are awesome! That oughtta tell ya that this is one band you shouldn't miss!

Fri, Jun 11: Novanauts @ 10 PM @ Caledonia
Yay for the Novanauts! This group is quickly becoming one of my favorite bands in Athens. For an amazing explosion of visuals, electronic pop, and excitement, look no further than the Novanauts!

Mon, Jun 14: Reptar @ 10 PM @ Tasty World
Oh my gosh, it's REPTAR! They're on tour, you know. Catch 'em now before they blow up into international superstardom!

Thurs, Jun 17: The Knockouts @ 10 PM @ Caledonia
The Knockouts are just one of the awesome bands I've discovered while listening to the myspaces of the many groups that fill the Athfest lineup. Haven't heard them live yet, but I'm looking forward to it.

Thurs, Jun 17: Etienne DeRocher @ 5 PM @ Rialto Room
Here's yet another musician I've discovered while prepping for Athfest. Can't wait to get a taste of these tunes!

Fri, Jue 18: Nate Nelson @10 PM @ Caledonia
This guy simply rocks. His voice will blow you away! Go see him.

Sat, Jun 19: Kyshona Armstrong @ 11 PM @ Farm 255
Seriously, my Athfest research has given me a flood of new bands and acts to check out! Kyshona's acoustic sound definitely caught my attention, and I'd love to hear her soulful songs live.

Sat, Jun 19: Chris McKay & the Critical Darlings @ 9 PM @ 40 Watt
Woohoo, it's Chris McKay! Let's celebrate the classic rock! This show is sure to be a blast of energy and awesome old school vibes.

Thurs, June 24: Flagpole Athens Music Awards! @ 8 PM @ Morton Theatre
This is the most rockin' award show ever! Wish you had an invite to the grammys? Well, this will be ten times more fun, I swear! Put on your fancy heels and your drawn tie t-shirts, and get ready to have a time! Oh, and don't forget to vote for your favorites while you still can. Voting has been extended till June 4th, so grab your chance!

Friday through Sunday, June 25-27: Athfest all day, all over downtown Athens!
ATHFEST! No other words are really necessary. With more than 150 bands on the bill so far, this festival is going to be beyond brilliant!

Well, there it is! Overwhelmed yet? I'm just thrilled! Looks like I'll definitely be visiting Athens more than once this month. As always, if I hear of even more shows I just know you'll like, I'll add them to the list! To check out this month's lineup of shows later on, you can always click the Monthly Show Picks button on the sidebar. Yay! And also, feel free to comment and let everyone know about any other shows you're just dying to see that aren't on the list. It's time to let the world know! Have a wild month, my friends!

I've got my ears on you!

In my humble little blogger's opinion, Athens is chock full of bands that have the "it" factor (whatever "it" really is). I have no doubt that fans across the world will be screaming many of these bands' names in no time! After all, look at Of Montreal. I'd been hearing their name long before I ever even set foot in the Athens music scene. And, more recently, bands like Dead Confederate, the Modern Skirts, the Whigs and (that still-new band that I know you've heard of by now) Reptar are exploding onto the national/international scene in a huge way! Oh yeah. This town's bands have got the goods!

Now I'm not one to make predictions. The world of music is, after all, an unpredictable place. Hell, that's half the fun of it! I've gotta say, though, there are definitely a few bands here in Athens that I'm keeping my eyes on. Now these aren't the only ones to look out for, by far. No, no. But these bands have a little something to their presence in our scene that I just have to celebrate.

Bambara is certainly one of these bands. Up for a Flagpole Athens Local Music Award this year, it looks like I'm not the only one who's noticed that there's something special about these guys. Their unique style of shoegaze-inspired noise rock draws in crowds every single time they play, and I can't deny they're one of the most searched-for bands that I've written about in this blog. Other bands, too, have taken notice. It's happened a good many times lately that I'll read another bands' interview on a major blog or news source, and they pinpoint Bambara as one of the bands to look out for! Honestly, the numbers and the fans don't lie. These guys are the real deal.

And then we've got the ever-enduring awesomeness of Doctor Squid. Without fail, their fans are always some of the most enthusiastic crowd members I've ever met! You know you're experiencing something special when you're surrounded by a sea of people who know all the words to every single song. I mean, wow, when they performed on UGA's Tate Plaza a few weeks ago, several passerby asked me who they were in just the twenty minutes that I was standing there. Yeah, they felt it too! And, this may not be music-related, but they've got one of the best and well-kept band websites I've seen. Good stuff. From their special events like the ever-popular annual Squidmas celebration to their performances in nearly every venue around Athens, Doctor Squid is definitely one to watch!

The last one I'll mention today is the band led by rising UGA sophomore Luke Galloway. Whether they call themselves Kalvinova or the Novanauts, this band has the makings of an electronic pop superstar. They've got it all: eye-grabbing visuals, pure sound, and fans galore! Honestly, it's a rare time when I've ever seen the Caledonia Lounge more full than on the night they played. And even just outside of the freshman dorms, a small crowd formed as they rocked the afternoon away one day in late April. Since they're still to new to these parts, you may not have heard of them yet but trust me, you will.

So, my friends, what bands are you keeping an ear out for? Let us know below!

May's MASSIVE Athfest 2010 update (and other tune tidbits)

The anticipation is building... Athfest headlines just keep pouring in from all sides! Being out of town for the summer is quite a terrible thing for an Athens music enthusiast like myself, but the excitement of the festival and all of this awesome news fills me with all kinds of joy. June just can't get here fast enough!

First off, the outdoor stage lineups as well as the lineups for nearly every venue are almost full! Looks like we're just waiting for the bands playing at Nuçi's Space and a few at Tasty World to complete the set. That's 145 bands as of last night, you guys! Wow, so many to choose from! And every time I check, they've added just a few more. See for yourself!

This is the perfect time to start writing out your Athfest plan of attack. Which bands are you just dying to see? Which of your favorites will be rockin' stages all over Athens? Just keep in mind, the schedule's still shuffling around a bit, so don't get too attached to your plans yet. Also, may I suggest searching the bands that you've never seen before on MySpace to hear a few of the tasty tunes each of them has to offer. That's definitely my research method of choice. I've almost gotten through the list of all 145 bands! Who knew there were so many Athens musicians just waiting to be heard?

Oh, and the Athfest folks have given us a few more treats as well. Still not really sure what the festival has to offer? Check out their overall schedule. And I've just got to remind you to vote, vote, VOTE for the Flagpole Athens Local Music Awards! You've got until May 28th, but that's only a week from now! Still not sure who you want to vote for? Well, my friend and blogger Jordan Stepp (Athens Music Junkie) has been writing up a few blurbs about each band again this year, so if you're just a bit flustered, she might be able to help you out.

As always, keep visiting here for more Athfest news and full coverage of this year's festival coming in June!

But wait, before you go, I've got one last treat for you! In other Athens music news, there's this:

What!?! A music video from Mud Scholar? For those of you who don't know, Mud Scholar is the newest creation straight from the twisted mind of Alex McKelvey. It's offensive, shocking, hilarious, brutally honest, and, well, purely brilliant. I was lucky enough to first hear this particular video's tune live a little over a year ago during a brief pause in a Crumbling Arches set. Little did I know what that song would one day become... Oh, I definitely look forward to seeing much more ridiculous imitation douchebaggery from Mud Scholar in the future!

Hope the weekend rocks your flip flops off! Have a wild one, my friends.

Lovin' on the Drums

Oh, the drums! I've always had a thing for the heartbeat of the song. And, ok, I'll be honest: my first crush in elementary school was a drummer too. I used to call him little drummer boy when I whispered about him to my pals. (Hey, in my defense, he was really short... after all, it was elementary school!) But, seriously, the power of the rhythm in a song is undeniable. I love feeling the vibration of the beats thunder through the ground and reverberate in my veins!

I have a great admiration for drummers themselves too. When I was younger, I had almost no coordination. The idea that someone could keep a rockin' beat seemed almost superhuman to me. Thanks to the drummers of all of the songs that I've listened to since then, I have some semblance of rhythm now... and it's glorious!

Really, I feel like drummers don't get enough credit for what they do. Behind the front men and women, blocked by the guitar players and bass players and backup singers, that's where they generally sit. Most of the time, you hear their art before you see its maker.

Truly, though, in my experience drummers are some of the coolest and craziest people I've ever met. They definitely know their stuff. And awesomely enough, they're usually the first people in each band to friend request me too. Ah, what fun! :)

Put simply, the beats give the songs heart, and the drummers that make the beats are generally rather rad themselves. Let's hear it for the drums... Celebrate the rhythm!

Unraveling the Mysteries

Athens is full of overwhelmingly talented people. That's certainly no secret! And our musicians aren't the only ones with talent either. This time I want to share with you the awesome work of budding filmmaker Eric McGaw. Check out his highly professional documentary about Athens' own musician, Aman Amun. Wow, it's well-made! Step behind the scenes of the creative process, and discover a bit more about this ever-mysterious performer.

And speaking of Aman Amun... He and tons of other blog favorites including Venice is Sinking, Reptar, and Bambara are up for this year's Flagpole Athens Local Music Awards! Yup, it's that time again. Don't forget to VOTE HERE for the bands that have taken your ears for a ride this year!

Ooh, I can't wait for the award show! Just a little over a month till it all goes down. Must. Be. Patient. :) Well for now, hope you all have a spectacular weekend, my friends!

Dragon, Defender of Echo Isle

In celebration of the first week of summer break, I give you a video game complete with a few hints of Athens music magic and many late (and I mean LATE) nights' worth of animated joy! Be patient... it takes a bit of time to load (if you see the grey rectangle on your screen, it's coming), but I promise you, it's three levels of crazy, flame-throwing fun! I'm rather proud of it. The most exciting part? See if you can get to the level where one talented Athens musician makes quite a ridiculous appearance. Trust me. You won't want to miss this! Enjoy. :)