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MUSIC NEWS AND GOSSIP
As we plow full into late spring, things just seem to be get
ting busier, at least for me they do. Such is the case, too, with
all the bands and people you'll read about this week. Take their
stories with you. Get grabbing below...
Hey All You Volunteers! So, the headliners have been
announced along with several other bands, plans are being
finalized and the overarching organizational aspects of the
2008 AthFest seem to be pretty much completed. However,
lots of folks are needed to help out with various tasks rang
ing from unloading trucks and setting up booths, to selling
wristbands, to helping with KidsFest. All in all, it's a great way
to get some hands-on experience in one of the biggest civic
events our city has, and get a close-up look at how much work
goes into staging an event of this size. Get more information
over at www.athfest.com.
These Colors Don’t Run: Those local masters of the auditory
landslide, Harvey Milk, will invade Europe and the UK for the
first time this summer. The band will play shows in France,
Belgium and Germany along with a few UK dates. Significantly
the band received near-headline status for the 2008
Supersonic Festival in Birmingham, England on July 12. The
band will also play the stupidly
huge Dour Festival in Dour,
Belgium on July 18. In almost-
reiated news, guitarist Creston
Spiers will play an early (as
in 6 p.m.) solo set at the
Caledonia Lounge on Thursday,
May 1 and new member Joe
Preston (ex-Melvins) will bring
his one-man-band Thrones to
the lounge on Tuesday, May 13.
Congratulate them over at www.
myspace.com/harveymilk.
Two Days, Two Shows: Athens
band The Complete Adventurer
has announced that its debut
album is finished. Billed as a
concept album, the record fol
lows a narrative concerning a central character who despairs
at city living, goes mad when isolated, has hopes of giving up
and leads a dull, boring existence. The band, which takes its
name from a Dungeons & Dragons rulebook, has titled this
epic It's Not Science, Its Science Fiction. A staple of the band's
live shows is that local visual artists join them onstage and
create paintings while the band plays. You'll have two chances
to pelt them with 20-sided dice when they play the Rye Bar on
Thursday, May 1 and Go Bar on Friday, May 2. For other secrets
please see www.myspace.com/thecompleteadventurer.
New Tracks: The newly-resurfaced Iron Hero has some new
songs you can dig over at www.myspace.com/ironhero. The new
songs were recorded by engineer Joel Hatstat (Pegasuses-XL)
and mastered by M. Cadet honcho Martin Brummeler (Mass
Solo Revolt). Go listen to them and then you can shout out
in-the-know requests when the band plays Friday, May 2, along
with the new project from Hank Sullivant (ex-Whigs) named
Kuroma and Chattanooga, TN band Coral Castles.
Save Someone's Life Tonight: The 3rd Annual Gimme Shelter
Benefit will happen Friday, May 2 at the 40 Watt. The annual
event is a benefit for the Athens Area Homeless Shelter and
each year sees the various performers covering a particular art
ist's songs. This year the bands are covering the songs of Elton
John. The good news is that tickets are a very reasonable $10
and a pre-party is planned for the same night from 6:30-8:30
p.m. at Cine. The early event will feature tapas from restau
rant Casa Mia, a cash bar and a local version of popular 1950s
game show To Tell the Truth featuring local celebrities. All per
tinent info is available over at www.athensareahomelessshelter.
com. You'd do well to hang around the site for a while, too,
and read about all the good work these folks do.
Old's Cool: Yeah, Elf Power is gonna rock the Caledonia Lounge
on Saturday, May 3. But the Athens rock geds would smite
me immediately if I didn't mention that this night marks the
return of '90s-era Athens band Space Cookie. Although named
after a hippy acquaintance of bandleader Chief Ruiz, the band
itself was at one point among the most outrageous acts to
ever hit Athens. Incredibly tuneful punk played at an early-'80s
hardcore pace. Although the members are scattered 'round the
country now, Space Cookie has been playing a few shows lately
and still insists the band never broke up. This is the only do-
not-miss thing happening this night, and I expect to see you
there. Go listen at www.myspace.com/fuckspacecookie.
Y Raise Awareness. Raise Consciousness & Raise Hell! The 30th
Annual Athens Human Rights Festival occurs this Saturday
and Sunday (May 3-4), and as usual, a variety of speakers
and bands will be featured. Featured music performers include
an acoustic version of classic Athens band Squalls (featur
ing three original members and billed as Squallz), Goodbye
Donovan, Tacit, Art Rosenbaum, Fleeta Mitchell, The Suex
Effect, Jackpot City, Kite to the Moon, Breathlanes, Michael
Guthrie Band, Diva Experience, Vic Chesnutt, Gabriela
Mejias, Jimmy Parr & Michael Crowe. Paul Lombard, Tommy
Jordan & String Theory, Sursie, Squat, Grogus, Music Hates
You and Dubconcious. The two-day event will occupy College
Square and be unavoidable to anyone in the center of down
town, so, even if you weren't
planning on going, if you hap
pen upon it, stick around and
listen for a while. A full list of
speakers, etc., can be found
over at www.athenshuman-
rightsfest.org.
Head Up the Highway: The
Athens Convention & Visitors
Bureau is hosting an event
named Athens Day in Augusta
and they are seeking an acous
tic band, duo or solo performer
to represent the Classic City.
As per its duty, the bureau
(the membership of which is
composed of several local busi
nesses, attractions and hotels)
is promoting Athens as a tourist destination to out-of-state
travelers. The event will take place at the Georgia Visitors
Information Center on 1-20 in Augusta on Friday, May 16. If
you're interested in being the performer selected, you must
agree to play several sets between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., and be
willing to engage audience members between sets with conver
sation as to why Athens is awesome and people should come
here and visit us. No payment is provided, but you'll get fed
and can possibly carpool up there with a bunch of Athenians
already attending. Please contact Jared Bailey ASAP via direc-
tor@athfest.com or call him at 706-613-3810.
Vote or Die: Well, not really. But I'd like to point your atten
tion to the ballot for the 2008 Flagpole Music Awards in this
issue. A couple of weeks back several Athens music folks were
tapped to be this year's nomination committee, spent several
hours hashing out ideas and came up with what you see. There
have been some changes in the categories this year, but, as
always, you do not have to vote for the people nominated. You
can always write in the artist of your choice. Nor do you have
to vote in each category. But what you can't do is vote for
the same artist in each category or stuff the ballot box. So,
with that said, either use the ballot or the handy online form
and vote.
Rlu/b: Some news occurred last week when it was announced
that guitarist Jef Whatley joined Still, Small Voice & the
Joyful Noise. His debut show with the band took place at
Farm 255. And, urn, that's all there is.
As always, be sure to keep your news coming in, and always
mention either Threats & Promises or my name in the subject
line of all emails. We got the beat via email to music@flag-
pole.com, voicemail at 706-549-9523, ext. 203, or by post to
P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA, 30603.
Gordon Lamb
Kite to the Moon
thirsty thursday
tiki barflys
friday 5.2
the electric eelz
Saturday
after august
sports Sundays
MLB, NBA, PGA,
NASCAB and more!
$2.75 corona & corona light
$2.75 negro modelo
$3 margaritas
$5 patron tequila
312 E. Washington Street
706-227-WING (9464)
wildwingcafe.com
NEWS & FEATURES I CALENDAR I MOVIES I A&E I MUSIC I COMICS & ADVICE I CLASSIFIEDS
APRIL 30.2008 FLAGPOLE.COM 37
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