Hey Y’all,
Seeing as this is the week of giving thanks, I wanted to say thank you for always showing up and reading this column every week. We won’t always, or even often, agree on everything. But, the Athens music scene is a total gift to us and, specific criticisms aside, should be celebrated. So, thank you and here’s to your week being a great one. Now, let’s get into it…
CHECK PLEASE: The Asymptomatics have been up to quite a bit lately, including releasing a new single, “Two Possibilities,” which was mastered by Jason Nesmith at Chase Park Transduction. The band reports this is one of the first songs written together as a group. This is a very mellow, below-mid-tempo pop tune that kind of drags along without going anywhere or even really trying to. It’s definitely not befitting of the group’s self-applied descriptor of “sweaty, disco sleazecore dance party.” But, to be fair, the band hasn’t released many songs that even sort of come close to that. The band’s strong debut EP, Modern Ooze, from last year seemed to predict this sort of direction for the band, but that appears to have fallen by the wayside. Your mileage may vary, of course, so feel free to check out the new tune on Spotify as well as the group’s previous releases either there or at asymptomatics.bandcamp.com.
BUY ME SOME PEANUTS & CRACKER JACK: Musicians resource center Nuçi’s Space will host the day-long fundraiser Athens Uncovered Sunday, Nov. 26 from 12–10 p.m. Structured to represent the last four decades of Athens music, 14 bands will appear across two stages. Boy, they really are planning for you to tuck in for the whole day with this stacked lineup. Featured acts are Heffner, David Barbe + (which, in this case, means Brad Morgan of Drive-By Truckers, McKendrick Bearden, Ben Hackett and Graham Powers), Wim Tapley and the Cannons, Rose Hotel, Jim White, Current Rage, Five Eight, Nuclear Tourism, Honeypuppy, Cardynal, Liz Farrell, Rebecca Sunshine Band and a band composed of recent Camp Amped attendees. Just so you’re properly annoyed at intermittent points in the day, there’ll also be a “kids area” with face painting and a photo booth located, according to a press release, “inside the famed St. Mary’s Steeple, on the spot where R.E.M. played their first show more than 40 years ago.” Impossible, considering they played on the now-demolished altar, but we’ll let that pass. Importantly, though, there is an online auction already running for this event, and it includes loads of neat stuff. Find that at 32auctions.com/au2023. Also of note, this event is free to attend, but there is a recommended donation of $15 upon entry. I mean, for real, potential attendees, how ya gonna raise funds without some actual funds? Please RSVP over at nuci.org/athens-uncovered.
DISTANT EARLY WARNING: Because I wrote it in my calendar incorrectly, I was unable to alert you to a fantastic bill put together by Monty Greene for the November instance of ATHICA’s Sonic Space. So, this is an early alert for the December edition, which is to feature Marcel Sletten, Aaron Dylan Kearnes and Organically Programmed. This happens Friday, Dec. 15 from 8–10 p.m., and donations to the artists are appreciated. ATHICA is located at 675 Pulaski St. (aka The Leathers Building) in Suite 1200.
HAPPENING NOW: While the official opening artists reception won’t happen until Thursday, Dec. 7 at 5 p.m., ATHICA is hosting its show “The Elephant 6 Recording Co.: The Visual Artists” at Ciné as we speak until Dec. 25. As you can gather from its title, this show features the visual artists of the popular musicians collective who gave the whole thing its look and feel. These include W. Cullen Hart, Jill Carnes, Beth Sale, Lucy Calhoun, Hannah Jones and Andy Gonzales, as well as second generation E-6er Jeremy Kiran Fernandes. This show was coordinated and organized by longtime Athens musician and friend Dottie Alexander (ex-of Montreal) along with some curatorial assistance from Beth Sale. Word on the street, and on the web, is that the notable installation-based performance art troupe Dixie Blood Mustache may make an appearance at the opening. For more information, please see athica.org/updates/e6.
FOR ALL YOUR NOCLIP NEEDS: The always interesting Iodine Watt has a new three-track EP out named Liminal Spaces and, damn if the title doesn’t match up perfectly with the music here. There’s very much a phenomenon of feeling compelled into this with the first track (“Liminal Space 1”) functioning as a convocation of sorts and then the second track (“Liminal Space 2a”), with its uncharacteristically sprightly piano, working as sort of Sunday school or holding area. That is, not completely cut off from the world but fully occupying its own and organized such that you don’t wish to leave yet. The final track, “Liminal Space 2b,” is where the listener realizes he or she is beyond the point of turning back, and as the subtle fuzz, static and wave sounds eventually peter out the listener can’t even find the door that provided entrance. Yeah, that’s a lot of psychology to attribute to this 17-minute record, but try it out and see if you don’t agree. Find it at iodinewatt.bandcamp.com.
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