The Show Report: Rocktober 2002
Lars Gotrich
Here's a monthly segment where I share a little about a month's worth of shows in the Athens/Atlanta area. I go to so many that I don't have time to write much about them all, so I figure I'd just give the highlights.
10/1/02
10/4/02
10/5/02
10/8/02
10/15/02
10/18/02
10/24/02
10/27/02
10/29/02
posted 10.31.02
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WUOG Live in the Lobby
Michael, a local Athens quartet, put on a semi-acoustic set for WUOG's weekly live show. Passionate and dynamic indie-rock with some outstanding vocals. The set was all the more intimate with the red-bulb lamps the band brought for atmosphere.
University Chapel
Singer/songwriter Vic Chesnutt and poet Forrest Gander went back and forth sharing music and poetry with a large audience on a rainy afternoon. The English Department had the wonderful insight to put these two incredible music and literary figures together for such an event. Halfway through, the two collaborated on a political piece using actual quotes from the Bush Administration concerning the White House's involvement in Iraq. I realized soon thereafter that I saw something truly unique and that few else did.
Tasty World (2nd Floor)
This was the 30th Anniversary Rock n Roll Party for WUOG, the college radio station I volunteer for. Yet, another fun show by the The Sugar Shakers where I danced like a wild man. They never disappoint, but they need to put out that album and write some new songs (I know all of them by heart just from their shows). I skipped out on Jet By Day to talk with Britt and John because I just wasn't in the mood for their loud rock. DJ Twin Powers was just Amy Dykes (I Am the World Trade Center) spinning lots of Brit-pop and new wave for the kids to dance to. Good fun.
Tight Pockets
Tight Pockets is a cool, little DIY venue where you donate a few bucks and BYOB. One Suit Wonder played cutesy pop music that got a little annoying after three songs. This Scares Me was a sloppy hardcore/punk band from the Athens area. I wasn't really into them or the following band, Exit 86, but the local kids love 'em, so whatever keep them happy. Q And Not U keeps my belief that punk rock is still alive. Their progression from No Kill No Beep Beep to Different Damage is an original move from Q And Not U's blatant Fugazi influences to some very catchy and grooving post-punk. The crowd and the band fed off each other. I think the fact that the band was ground level helped the atmosphere of the room. Oh, and those bass lines, forgeddaboutit.
40 Watt
I missed most of the The Good Ship's set due to rain (I'm a fair-weather walker), but the last two songs I saw were intriguing. They were a kind of a late '60s folk collective with climaxes like Godspeed You Black Emperor. Mark Eitzel is a bitter man. He's got great lyrics and a voice that you'll either love or hate, but man, he is bitter. Being one of my top three favorite bands, I had high expectations for Low, and all of them were met and exceeded. Most of the material played came from Trust, but we were treated to "Sunflower" and "Fearless" (a Pink Floyd cover you can get from the "Canada" single). The band was incredibly tight and I could have just stayed there all night listening to Low. The highlight of the evening came when Zak Salley invited the audience to clap and sing "la la la la" along during the "La La La Song." I couldn't stop smiling. Low encored with "Two Step" and "Lust" (the two songs I secretly wished they would perform).
UGA Coliseum
What the heck happened to Grits? I remember when they were truly one of the most innovative hip-hop groups in the underground and now they sound like everyone else. How sad. I would have enjoyed Outkast if the concert had been anywhere else other than the basketball coliseum. The sound bounced off the honeycombed ceiling so I couldn't distinguish the beat. What a waste of $15.
WUOG Live in the Lobby
Carrie Nations play a brand of punk rock that bedroom pop darlings would love. Thankfully, the band was mostly sober for the live taping (the first time I saw them in the living room of the Finley House, every one of them was wasted) and was tighter than they've ever been. Be on the look-out for these punk rockers.
Echo Lounge
We missed the first few songs from Damien Jurado, but we caught the good songs from Ghost of David, "Letters & Drawings" (a personal favorite), and a few new songs from the upcoming Secretly Canadian full-length. Damien promised it will be depressing like all the others, and chuckled. Songs:Ohia played solo with his Gibson SG electric guitar. His blues-man voice yelled and swerved over his soft to pounding guitar strumming. Admitting his sickness, somehow he saw his past and told a story of how he was the "Kindergarten revolutionary" encouraging his classmates to chant "PEANUT BUTTER JELLY" and stomp their feet during nap time. At the encore, Jason Molina invited Damien Jurado onstage to play drums where they climaxed to almost a metal status. It was glorious. It's a shame so few came.
WUOG Live in the Lobby
We didn't have the key to the PA equipment, but Canary was gracious and set up camp while we waited patiently for the key. We were lucky to have everything set-up and sound-checked in time for the 8 o'clock show. Canary rocked out six tunes old and new and obliged my request for "Radio: Kids." If you see them, make sure to ask them about their new "Lars" vocal exercise.
Lars is the music editor for Tangzine.com. E-mail him lots of love at lars59@uga.edu
2002 White Elephant
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