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Bitter Tuesdays
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THE MORE YOU KNOW...
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120 E. CLAYTON ST.
null's space
396 Oconee St • Athens, GA 30601 • 706.227.1515
www.nud.org • space6nuci.org
Volunteers & Donations Always Appreciated
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$20 • Doors @ 8pm
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MINOB MEDICAL CADE:
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will see uninsured musicians from 1-5pm.
($10 donation requested)
Please call ahead for appointment
ID RELEASE PARTY
performances by bands feati
on the AthFest 2005 CD.
11:00 FM - LOVE TRACTOR
1:00 AM . - COUUER
THURSDAY
JUNE 23
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Cover Just $2 or FREE with AthFest FuB Event Wristband. CDs for
$5!
Mouser is a frenetic, frantic, discordant,
garage-y—and fun!—trio that, at times, alludes
to beauty and collapses into mid-set technical-
problem mayhem. So starts my night on Friday,
June 3 at Tasty World. Colby Carter constantly
tunes and re-tunes his guitar up front next to
Michael Ayoob on bass, and Ride Young pumps
out the indie-punk beats on drums before <* small
summer crowd. Moused songs are short, razor
sharp and of interest only to those looking for
garage-y punk with an irreverent sense of humor.
This is the kind of punk that owes its place in the
world to The Clash, but bears no semblance to
that band beyond its pace and rhythm. While the
Clash paid homage to the listeners desire to be
able to make sense of lyrics, Mouser pays no mind
whatsoever, instead preferring to drag the listener
along, kicking and screaming through yelps, scats,
screams and the occasional Spanish yodel, with
only the most occasional nod to melody.
At the 40 Watt, Bum The Dying City hits me
like an 18-wheeled cliche. The crowd here is a
little larger but no .one seems too enthralled by
this heavy grungy metal, even though it's tight,
strong and positively throbbing with throaty
machismo. You don't have to be Einstein to know
that any form of music that involves screaming is
not likely to make it into my must-have list, and I
catching (more for its overall feel than for any
specific musical quality). While the pace is rockin'
it's also hook-heavy as the melodies are well con
sidered, reminding me of a desperate and eager
young Elf Power. Jimmy and Gabe also have an
on-stage rapport as they catch each other enter
taining the same fleeting thoughts about a chord
change or just enjoying their time in the spot
light Keep an eye out for Virgin Box Set
Friday night starts early 3t the Flicker Theatre
& Bar. Bill Mallonee is performing solo, which
gives him a chance to exhibit a tot of his new
material like “November Wind" from this year's
brand-new disc Friendly Fire and “High and
Lonesome" from Dear Life, which came out in
December. Straight-up, Mallonee's vocal style is
unique with an easily-projected, rich, warm timbre
and little, tightly wound-down, restricted yelps,
whimpers and warbles. In feet he's a bit like
either a less congested John Denver, or a more
congested Roy Orbison, with the style and zest of
Joni Mitchell. Mallonee, though, is a real deal folk
troubadour, comparable to Bob Dylan, but more
closely aligned with Tom Petty and Neil Young.
The talkative Mallonee plays strummy acoustic
guitar and harmonica, and while, some performers
will make distracted small talk as they tune their
guitars. Bill just likes to talk, only making dis- .
Mouser
fail to comprehend why anyone pays to be
screamed at unless it's some sonic allusion to
sadomasochism. Just to shut me up. Bum The
Dying City teases with a few lighter, more melodic
verses which leave their fire-breathing lead singer
almost felling over himself as a result of the
sudden lack of exertion. Which means, like a poor
case of good cop/ bad cop, the light and dark
thing doesn't really have the desired effect. There
are some melodic rock moments from the local
four-piece, but all it really boils down to is a
throbbing screamfest
Up at Lunch Paper, local trio Cigarello is
rocking the bar with its '90s-sounding, Queen-
meets-The Pixies vibe. Guitarist Bryan Hamilton
lays his axe down on the carpet to play some
wailing open grunge—running a beer bottle up
and down the neck- while Jim Hicks pours out
indie-rock vocal melodies and kit-crunching beats
while the crowd looks on in awe.
Back at the 40 Watt: pop rock that skirts the
edges of indie, sometimes delving deep into its
washy folds with heavy vocals, and at others
coming out to the edges towards straight rock but
with alluring guitar melodies and sweet har
monies, is the vibe from Jimmy Taylor (Iron
Hero) and Gabe Vodicfca. The band is local four-
piece Virgin Box Set and the sound is ear
tracted comments if he's checking the missed-
calls on his new cell phone. Mallonee's lyrical nar
ratives are mostly jovial, but with the occasional
sentimental insight or reflection of life's struggles,
like the chorus “too hard to swim," which lefers
to a friend's fight with substance abuse, and the
song 'Here Comes Heartache." Bill hopes to have
a new full band together by AthFest and I
strongly advise you to seek him out.
Twenty-four hours pass and I'm back in Ricker.
William Tonks (Barbara Cue) is also doing the
folk troubadour thing, but with a breezier George
Harrison/ Cat Stevens/ Randy Newman feel in
both melody and timing. Tonks mixes his accom
paniment between regular, fast-paced-melodic
acoustic guitar and counter-paced swampy and
laid-back, easy travelin' dobro. Jay Gonzales
(Nutria, ex-Possibilities) preceded Tonks and Don
Chambers follows, and then they all get together
with guitarist John Neff to cover some Gordon
Lightfoot-style folk classics and rarities, with the
whole night drawing quite a deserved crowd.
Ben Gerrard
Ben Gerrard is a radio journalist and writer living
and working in Athens. Club Notes is a weekly look
at the local dub scene.
28 FLAGPOLE.COM • JUNE 8, 2005
BEN GERRARD