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6 1 Friday, January 11, 2002 | The Red a Black
VARIETY
Band members guarantee unique ‘experience’
By DAVID KROSS
dkross@randb.com
Many bands can be easily
categorized as pop, rock,
jazz or hip-hop, The Larry
Keel Experience, however,
cannot.
“We play roots music
that’s original, high-energy
and very down-to-earth,”
said lead guitarist and singer
Larry Keel. “It’s a mix of
bluegrass and a little reggae,
jazz and blues all thrown
together.”
The Experience, based in
Natural Bridge, Va., will
return to Athens after play
ing numerous shows, includ
ing a sold-out concert last
year at the Caledonia
Lounge.
“I love Athens,” he said.
“It’s a good, friendly town.
And we love to turn young
people on to bluegrass.”
The band’s lineup, which
constantly changes, current
ly includes Keel, mandolinist
and vocalist Mark Schimick,
fiddle player David
Vandeventer, and bass player
and vocalist Jenny Keel.
In addition to the group’s
3 studio efforts, Keel is fin
ishing another album, “Larry
Keel, Curtis Burch, and the
Experience.” Burch pio
neered one of the first hybrid
bluegrass groups, the
Newgrass Revival.
“Crowds want to feel the
music and have a good
time,” he said. “We’ve had a
good response. I think
there’s something for every
one in our band.”
THE LARRY KEEL
EXPERIENCE
When & Where: Tonight at
10 at the Georgia Theatre.
Tickets: $8 in advance at
SchoolKids.
Information 549-9918
Similar to the Experience,
bands such as Leftover
Salmon and the local outfit
Bluestring are also merging
bluegrass with other genres.
“I think it’s a beautiful
thing,” he said. “Bluegrass is
not the norm in commercial
music. It’s good to hear peo
ple paying their respects to
the music and preserving the
heritage.”
The Experience, which
formed six years ago, is cur
rently touring on the East
Coast. Keel said he looks for
ward to stopping in Athens.
“I feel more creative than
I ever have,” he said. “People
seem to enjoy hearing our
music.”
▲ The Experience plays
tonight at Georgia Theatre.
‘Stumble into’
By SARA MILLER
For The Red a Black
The Fountains are the kind of roots-rock-
ers who don’t just talk the talk of fighting the
powers that be; they are a band with strong
political views and the motivation to back
them up.
Singer/guitarist Jeff Andrews offers up evi
dence by way of day jobs.
“Everybody in this band is a union stage
hand,” Andrews said, explaining that they
take their cues from Woody Guthrie, an artist
who frequently addresses the struggle of
union workers and a favorite of all four band
members.
The Fountains, an Athens band by way of
upstate New York, began in 1990 as a trio
comprised of Andrews, his twin brother Gary
and drummer Jeremy Allen.
The brothers moved to Atlanta in 1994 and
released an acoustic album featuring their
trademark vocal harmonies and politically
aware, sardonic lyrics.
In 1995, the trio hooked up with bassist
Andrew Robinson and the current incarnation
of the Fountains was bom.
Gary and Jeff come from a large family
with a rich musical past. Their mother’s maid
en name of Fountain carries with it the legacy
of The Fountain Boys, the moniker their fid
dle-playing grandfather and his brothers
played under in the ’40s and ’50s, so Jeff and
Gary have a supportive family who have an
understanding of the musician’s life.
“We have seven siblings,” Jeff said. “Our
sister, who is a year older, was like the emcee.
She would always get us to sing for her.”
Their family sees Jeff and Gary as two peo
ple with a strong dedication to following
music throughout their lives.
The brother’s commitment to music
Tenenbaums
By MATTHEW HUNT
mhunt@randb.com
“The Royal Tenenbaums” is a pleasantly
off-kilter comedic romp through the twisted
lives of a dysfunctional New York family with
too much money, too much fame and just not
enough love.
The players: Gene Hackman is Royal, mas
ter of the house, and Angelica Huston is the
disgruntled wife. Their three kids, child
prodigies, are sullen playwright Gwyneth
Paltrow, hard-hearted, money-driven Ben
Stiller, and tennis-pro-tumed-hippie Luke
Wilson.
Bill Murray and family friend Owen Wilson
love Paltrow, and so does (Owen’s brother in
real life) Luke — which is not incest because
Gwyneth is adopted.
Meanwhile, Royal’s marriage is under fire
from lethal weapon Danny Glover, who is
after his wife.
Once upon a time, Royal, a terrible father,
was sued and kicked out of his large
Manhattan mansion by his young son, Stiller
for many side-splitting reasons. Many years
later he was kicked out of the hotel he called
home (for never paying). And so, with no
place to go, he pretends he’s dying in order
to return home once again. And it just so
happens his three kids have recently
returned due to odd reasons, too.
Thus, the whole family is reunited under
the same roof and must struggle
The Fountains
helped lead to the release of the band’s fifth
album, “Roadsigns for Astronauts,” an album
recorded in Ithaca, N.Y., near the band’s
homeland.
“Roadsigns” carries the band’s socially con
scious messages, as well as a love song here or
there, through the use of harmony-driven
folk/pop and catchy, clever songwriting — a
duty shared by Jeff and Gary.
The band’s influences can be heard in the
precise, Stewart Copeland-esque drumming
provided by Allen and the familial harmonies
which stem from the Andrews’ shared love of
the Mills Brothers.
The band also takes an outspoken political
stance in the manner of U2, Credence
Clearwater Revival and Guthrie.
In “I Can Be the Man,” the fifth track on
“Roadsigns,” Jeff sings, “Stumble into fate
with honey in your hands/lick it off your fin
gers and stick it to the man ... who can you
trust when a computer is king?”
Drawing from The Fountains past five
records, Jeff estimates they’ve sold around
12,000 albums since their inception.
“That’s like a bad hour for Britney Spears,”
Jeff said. “But people get caught up in images
and what a band is supposed to be.”
“I love to get my ideas across and speak my
mind, and when people come up and say ‘I
learned who Leonard Peltier was because of
your song!’ it feels great,” he said. “And all
that really matters is that we keep making
music.”
THE FOUNTAINS
When & Where: Tonight at 10 at Tasty World
Tickets: $8
Information: 543-0797
a royal treat
to co-survive.
Director Wes Anderson (“Rushmore”) co
wrote this film with star Owen Wilson (the
Wilson with the twice-broken nose). The
humor is not only subtle and dry, but it’s
startlingly sneaky. Each joke hits hard at
first, but then launches a surprise attack
engaging an army of following jokes that infil
trate your mind and keep you laughing
through the next day.
A sly B.B. gun flashback involves a later
image that is surprisingly amusing, and
someone’s epitaph will have you rolling in the
aisles.
Hackman’s ease at playing an egotistical,
callous, manipulative and scheming charac
ter is almost beautiful. His “logic” will have
you in stitches and his mannerisms are a
sight to behold. The incredible skill of the
rest of this all-star cast, combined with an
incredible amount of wit, makes this film not
only a regal success but a royal treat.
THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS
Starring: Gene Hackman, Gwyneth Paltrow,
Ben Stiller, Owen & Luke Wilson
Rated: R
Playing at: Beechwood
Grade: A-
Lowdown: Is anybody cooler than Gene
Hackman? Well, aside from Mr. Rogers, no.
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In Army ROTC, you’ll get to do some pretty challenging stuff.
Stuff that builds character and discipline. Not to mention
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a good leader. Talk to your Army ROTC advisor to find out
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For more information, call the Military Science Department
CPT Vince Golembeski, (706) 542-2612
J
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DEAR BAXTER...
VGA’s second favorite bulldog answers your questions!
Dear Baxter
I have to buy books for my classes and I
don’t know what to do, where to go or
when to buy ‘em. Help me!
Thanks,
Needsum Books
DEAR NEEDSUM BOOKS: Try
going to Baxter Street Bookstore, right
across from the highrise dorms on
Baxter. They have tons of used books, so
you can save up to 25%. And you can
buy your books as soon as you get to
town. Beat the rush.
Baxter
Dear Baxter
I have a date with a special girl but I’m
on a budget. How can I show her a good
time without looking like a tightwad?
Help,
Budget
DEAR BUDGET: The first way to
economize at UGA is to make sure you
don’t spend more money than you have
to. Take your textbooks for instance.
Don’t spend big bucks on new ones. Get
used textbooks at Baxter Street
Bookstore. They’re exactly like the new
ones except they’re a lot less expensive.
You’ll probably save enough to impress
your date.
QtiF Baxter
Dear Baxter
How can I be sure I get the most buy
back value for my books?
Thanks,
Flat Broke
DEAR BROKE: If your book is being
used again and in a large quantity, then
you have the best hopes of getting a lot
for your book. Baxter Street Bookstore
pays 1/2 the list price for any book being
used again.
Baxter
BAXTER STREET
BOOKSTORE
Everything For Bulldog Students & Fans
3 6() Baxter S t r e e t
cross From the Dorms
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