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FLAGPOLE vecew&e/z. r t, 1994, III
I first heard about Whippersnapper, who were
called Corpus Spin at the time, about five
years ago. My younger brother told me about
these insanely talented junior-high school kids
playing loud punk rock around town and at
school assemblies. Punk rock and school have
never mixed, and hearing about 13- and 14-
year-old kids having their way in front of
teachers and the principal sounded like a dream
come true. Seeing them play was never dull.
Eventually, 1 recorded their first demo live
to two tracks and the results impressed every
one who heard it. The production was just lo-
fi enough and the music had just enough edge
to make it interesting, and no one could be
lieve that junior-high kids were playing this
great music. Since then, I've kept in touch
with them, seeing them at shows, and hearing
about their progress. They've come a long way
since 1991 and, with a few more years of expe
rience behind them, have finally begun to get
the recognition they deserve.
The band is Andy Munn (vocals), Ben Allington
(guitar), Pat Kerr (drums), Nik Baker (bass),
and Jason Joseph (guitar). After Joseph joined
in the spring of 1995, the band changed their
name from Corpus Spin to Whippersnapper and
took off in a new musical direction. Their
sound became more focused and is probably con
sidered somewhere between new school punk and
melodic hardcore. Munn told me that after Jo
seph was added the music became less about
aggression and more about melody. The playing
hasn't slowed down, but the quality has im
proved, and the energy they project at live
shows is incredible.
Whippersnapper's talent has landed them with
opening spots for Blink 182 and Rhythm Colli
sion as well as interest from sever? 1 punk
labels including the almighty So-Cal label
Fat Wreck Chords. The band toured around Florida
over this past summer and was met by an en
couraging response. Lately they've been play
ing house shows and around Atlanta trying to
get in touch with the local scene. Munn has
been satisfied with Whippersnapper' s progress,
drawing fans from all over the Southeast to
their shows, and he believes that a very sup
portive new punk scene has contributed to their
success. A new split 7-inch with Atlanta emo-
rockers 47 Ronin is scheduled for early next
year, and Munn hopes that this along with
Whippersnapper's upcoming show with Unwritten
Law and 22 Jacks will help them gain an even
larger audience. If what I've seen is true,
their chances are good.
Eric Palmerlee
Whippersnapper plays Wednesday, Dec. 11,
with Unwritten Law and 22 Jacks at the 40
Watt.
ATncn/ /rnPtiQpiT:
19 Yt A£/ AHD dOind /T^ono
When asked to compare his experience conducting the
Athens Symphony Orchestra in Clarke Central High
School’s Mell Auditorium versus *he lush new Classic
Center theater r ductor A1 Ligotti makes no bones
about it.
“There’s no comparison — this new hall is fabulous,"
he said. “This building has wonderful acoustics, a very
big stage, nice accommodations. We rehearse every Mon
day on that big stage. Thar really helps because you hear
everything better. There’s no pressure at dress rehearsal,
because we’ve been on that stage every Monday since Sep
tember."
Ligotti and the Symphony are gearing up
for their Dec. 14 Christmas performance,
which marks only the third time the
Athens Symphony has performed live at
the Classic Center. The performance
will be conducted by Ligotti, and for the
first time will include the local First
Presbyterian Choir (directed by Tom
Granum).
The first halt ot the performance will
consist of classical Christmas music, in
cluding excerpts from Vivaldi’s
“Gloria" and Handel’s “Mes
siah." Then the choir will
do “Jesu, Joy of
Man’s Desiring”
by Bach. The
second half of
the concert will
be more con-
temporary
Christmas mu
sic, with Leroy
Anderson’s
“Sleighride,"
and the fea
tured work
“The Many Moods of Christmas (Suite No.l)," by Robert
Shaw,, and “White Christmas." The evening will close
with an audience sing-along of Christmas carols utilizing
the chorus and Symphony both. (The lyrics will be printed
in the audience’s programs.)
“We’re using two church choirs from First Presbyte
rian Church,” Ligotti said, “and they expect to bring 500
people with them. Christmas concerts always draw more
people than regular concerts.”
One thing Ligotti doesn’t have to w'orry about is draw
ing a crowd. The new Classic Center hall seats 2,150
people. Last month the Symphony put 1,400 people in
Classic Center seats, and there’s not much doubt that
a capacity crowd will show up for this special Christ
mas show.
V
x With some maior sponsors now on board
; (Geo r gia Powei and Golden Pantry, among oth-
\ ers), the future looks bright for Ligotti and the
Orchestra.
“This is our 19th year in business,” Ligotti said,
“and it’s amazing that I’m still having people say
to me, ‘1 didn’t Know we had a Symphony in Ath
ens,’ after 19 years, i don’t know what else you have
to do. With this big new hall, wc’v«_ got to fill it. 1
don’t think we’ll get that every concert, but we’d
sure like to try.”
Marc
Pilvinsky
This Saturday,
Dec. 7, the Ath
ens Sym
phony Or
chestra will
perform its
annual Christ
mas concert at 8
p m. at the Clas
sic Center. The
event is free.
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