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Tuesday, September aB. aoio | The Red a Black
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Invented
Jimmy Eat World has never been a band for the
masses.
Despite an impressive discography spanning 16
years, the closest the Mesa, Ariz., natives have come
to basking in genuine, unrestricted stardom was with
the 2001 release of "Bleed American" (later changed
to self-titled after the Sept. 11 attacks) and its addic
tive radio single “The Middle.”
Notorious for dabbling in a variety of styles and
moods, Jimmy Eat World stays true to its emotional
pop-punk sound to a point.
“Invented,” which hits stores today, isn't nearly as
cohesive and solid as “Bleed American,” nor does it
scream to be put on “Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest
Albums of All Time” it does, however, sparkle with
moments of complete and utter talent, making the
three-year wait since “Chase This Light” worth it.
And as the case often is for Jimmy Eat World, the
band's strength is also ultimately its weakness; “My
Best Theory,” the up-beat, dance-like, “what were
they thinking?" first single is overproduced and easily
forgotten, warranting no more than the 30-second
preview clip the iTunes Music Store offers.
Do not be put off, though the quick strumming,
anthematic “Heart is Hard to Find” has favorite song
potential written all over it. It’s honestly that good.
The album as a whole stays true to this pattern of
“hit or miss," which has been characteristic of Jimmy
Eat World through its career.
“Higher Devotion” leads in with a series of disso
nant guitar chords, builds with a few seconds of
quirky, electronic noises, then loses all momentum by
the time an awkward, feminine harmony joins singer
Jim Adkins in an extremely anti-climactic manner.
Quite the contrary, the simplistic “Cut” shows
Adkins and company at their finest with soft backing
vocals and a repeating two-note echo by drummer
Zach Lind, which is very reminiscent of the band’s
more serious 2004 album “Futures.”
The stand out on “Invented" is indeed “Action
Needs an Audience,” which is oddly reminiscent of
the angsty, forced sound of punk rockers Bad Religion
and features guitarist Tom Linton on vocals for the
first time since 1999’s “Blister.”
Verdict: Although most of Jimmy Eat World’s sev
enth studio album could be cut away without second
thought, the leftovers represent the band at their
very best and are easily worth the price tag alone.
—Joe Williams
Fall 2010 Careers 1n... Series
Wednesday, September 29th / 6:oopm - 8:00pm, MLC 150
Careers in Consulting
Wednesday, October 13th / 6:oopm - 8:00pm, MLC 150
Careers in Nursing
Wednesday, November 10th / 6:oopm - 8:00pm, MLC 150
Careers as Entrepreneurs
Wednesday, October 6th / 6:oopm - 8:00pm, MLC 150
Careers in Intelligence
Wednesday, October 20th / 6:oopm - 8:00pm, MLC 150
Careers in Nonprofit
C&k Panelists for the Careers In Seminars
are professionals from their respective industry.
W ill y* These panels are intended for career exploration
l I I I J and to introduce entry-level career paths.
www.career.uga.edu
STAGES OF ATHENS
Cozy venue offers intimate sets
By JASON AXELROO
The Red & BLack
Editor’s Note: This is the first in a
weekly series of Athens venue pro
files aimed at exposing the history of
each location.
Nestled in the back right comer
of The Foundry Park Inn complex off
of Dougherty Street lies one of
Athens’ unusual music venues.
The Melting Point takes the con
cept of a small, inviting room where
patrons are always very close to the
stage, and weds it with a sit-down
restaurant aesthetic.
“It’s definitely a very up-close
experience, regardless of where you
are in the venue,” said Dede Farmer,
director of operations for the
Foundry Park Inn complex. “We’re
also one of the few places in town
that actually offer a sit-down experi
ence where you can come in and
have a really nice dinner.”
Initially, The Foundry Park Inn
owned a pub that hosted local
bands for over 25 years. The owners
of the inn, George and Michael
McChesney, decided to build The
Melting Point to expand the type of
acts hosted in the pub to include
national acts. However, since there
was a limited space, the builders
were forced to build upwards rather
than expand out.
“About five years ago, the owners
put together a job and brought in a
construction company and just built
the place up to what it is now,” said
Wes Delk, production manager and a
sound engineer for The Melting Point
who has worked at the venue since
its inception. “Wie couldn’t build a
huge room so we just had to build
up; that was the biggest challenge.
The entrance and where the mixing
board stands used to be outside.”
Though The Melting Point,
founded in September 2005, is rela
tively new, the site on which it
stands has a rich history associated
with Athens. The very name of the
venue pays homage to the historic
roots of the location.
“Originally, that little building
was part of a steel foundry in the
town, that’s how the inn got its
name as well” said Kyle Pilgrim,
entertainment director for The
Melting Point.
And the foundry has a real con
nection to the University the arch
was cast there.
“The name ‘Melting Point’ is kind
of a play-on-words of the original
function of the building,” Delk said.
“The arches, double barrel cannon
that sits outside City Hall, all that
wrought-iron fence that’s around the
University, that was all made in
there. That foundry is around 150
VARIETY
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NATASHA PEAT i Tu Rtp a Black
A Originally an Athens steel foundry, the famous cast iron Arch
was built at the location now occupied by The Melting Paint.
years old and was a very vital part of
early Athens.”
The Melting Point does several
things differently from other venues
when it holds shows.
“We usually start shows between
8 and 9 p.m. and are done by mid
night, so if you have to go to class or
work in the morning you can get
home at a decent time,” Delk said.
“And the farthest seat is 52 feet from
the stage.” •
While well known in the Athens
community as a concert venue, The
Melting Point hosts a variety of
other events as well.
“We do a lot of things,” Pilgrim
said. “We hold press for the candi
dates involved in local elections,
debates between political candi
dates, one of which will be held in a
few weeks before the msgor election.
We do private weddings, fraternity
and sorority parties and all sorts of
other events. Farmer said there is
really no limit to what The Melting
Point can host.
“We’ve also done more cultural
events such as an arch show, a wine
tasting, poetry readings, as well as
numerous charity events,” he said.
In terms of concerts, however,
The Melting Point hosts a wide
assortment of acts.
“You can see anyone from Leon
Russell to Owl City to guys who get
off of work in Athens, come over
here and play as part of a local
band,” Delk said. “There's some
thing for just about everybody."
Other big-name artists that have
played the venue include Leo
Kottke, Sean Lennon, Robert Fripp,
Sam Bush and Del McCoury.
Not only do patrons enjoy the
venue those who perform at The
Melting Point love the atmosphere
as well.
“Most of the performers absolute
ly love the ambiance,” Farmer said.
“They love being so up close to their
audience, and they all comment on
our sound in that venue because the
sound is truly amazing.”
As The Melting Point is only five
years old. there are always new proj
ects being worked on at the venue.
Most recently, anew outdoor stage
was built right by the patio area on
the right side of the entryway as an
extension of the pre-existing patio
there.
“We had been doing bluegrass
shows down there for a number of
years and decided it was time to go
ahead and build something with a
roof on it that was permanent,” said
Delk. who was involved in overseeing
the new stage’s construction.
“Construction was finished about a
month ago. Currently, we’re install
ing a permanent sound system there
so opening acts can play there while
main acts can perform on the inside
stage.”
The Melting Point is a remarkable
venue, even in a city as musically
diverse and rich as Athens.
“If I had to put one word on that
room, it would be ‘intimate,’” Delk
said. "And you'll not find a better
sounding venue in this town.”