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MUSIC NEWS AND GOSSIP
Welcome to the AthFest week edition of
Threats & Promises. Before we get started,
I want to welcome aU you folks from out of
town to Athens and wish a hearty good luck to
aU local bands that will play this week. I hope
aU your shows are killer and that everyone has
a baiL This is the one column a year where
I say nary a snarky thing about anyone, so
enjoy it. Now let's stop patting each other on
the back and get to it...
Rock to the Second Power: Local rocker,
drummer and teacher Dave Gerow (The Arcs.
Ceiling Fan. A Mercy Union) has come up with
a nifty way to motivate his students who have
expressed an interest in music. For a while
now, he has rewarded those students' achieve
ment by forming a rock band with them that
practices throughout the year and performs
annually at their school's talent show. He says.
*.. the focus Is on the students and how
their improved ability to motivate them
selves and focus as it relates to class work,
also Helps them improve on their instru
ment.* This year, Gerow and the gang will
perform at the AthFest KidsFest stage as The
Torprderos at 3:10 p.m, on Saturday. Gerow
says that even though the performance is on
the kids' stage they'll attempt for it to be a
total rock performance with
full amplification and even a
Clash cover or two.
A Modest Proposal: The
dudes in Pride Parade are
kicking around the idea of
starting a Kkkstarter cam
paign to bring more comfort
to themselves and oomph
to their live show. Seeking
to raise approximately
SI0,000, the band's list of
desired items includes a
complete set of SBK drum
cases, a pink sparkle Les
Paul a new Gibson SG, a
few backup amps, new pub
licity photos, a lighting rig with foot controls,
lasers, Jenny Craig memberships, a couple
of smoke machines, individual personal assis
tants , beard trimmers and 50 cases of beer.
If you think this sounds unreasonable, I can
assure you it's no more unreasonable than
some other campaigns I've seen, although I
admit I like the Kickstarter model. The thing
about the guys ift Pride Parade, though, is
that they're completely joking except when
they're totally serious, and if you're really
wondering which way this new proposal leans
then ask them yourselves over at www.mys-
pace.com/prideparademusic.
W* ...
For Real This Time: Athens pop-duo Grape
Soda started a bona fide Kickstarter campaign
last week in order to release its debut album
on vinyl. Seeking to raise $3,000 for the proj
ect, the pair, brothers Ryan and Mat Lewis,
have, of course, come up with various rewards
including playing in your living room for the
right price. I got to hear the finished album
last week and, lemme tell ya. that Mat Lewis
has one of the keenest ears for creative
melodies in this entire city. The whole record
is realty good. Consider doing your part via
wwwlkickstarter.com/projects/1303621324/
grape-sodas-debut-album-on-vinyt
Turn It Up: Washington Street bar the Max
Canada will host MaxFest this Thursday night
and the musk witt start at approximately 9
p.m. Featured bands are The Starter Kits
Holy Liars, The Stowe Breakers. Retric and
Alt-City Can non bailers DJs Grave Dog will
play tunes into the night afterward for you to
shake your thing. The whole event is free and
takes place on the Max Canada patio.
Speaking of Whkh...: The aforementioned
Southern punk, by way of pub rock, AU-City
CannonbaUers are actually in the throes of
playing a marathon of local shows in order to
purchase lots of two-inch recording tape. Yes,
it's one of those pursuits where coming up
with the money, as hard as that is, is going to
be easier than finding the object they desire
but in any case, you can catch them at the
also aforementioned MaxFest, this Saturday
at 10 p.m. at 283 Bar or Tuesday. June 29 at
Go Bar when they play with Bubbly Mommy
Gun. The Invisible Hand and Naked Gods.
Sample the band over at www.myspace.com/
allritycannonballers.
Bid Away: One of the fundraising methods
that AthFest uses to assist with its AthFest
AfterSchoot, AthFest InSchoot and Keys for
Kids programs is hosting auctions of auto
graphed Gretsch guitars whkh are donated
by the Savannah, GA-based Gretsch and its
CEO Fred Gretsch, who is an enthusiastk sup
porter of these programs. The most recently
donated item is a Brian Setzer hollow-body
Nashville model that was signed by Atlanta-
based band Sugariand. The guitar wHl hit the
auction block via eBay on June 23 ami bidding
will run until June 30. This model guitar is
currently priced at retail for over $4,000, so
maybe you'll get a cool deaL For more info,
please email Jeff Montgomery at auction<®
athfest.com.
''4, *' V ■-''-'•'-■.A.. v
Take the Walk: Although I know most of you
wiU concentrate your AthFest activities around
the downtown area, if you've got folks under
18 in tow and realize you have no luck getting
them into local venues, you might consider
heading down to Mugi's Space on Saturday
where local band of young dudes Second Suns
is headlining that night. The band plays a
blend of guitar and piano-based pop in the
vein of Ben Folds, Collective Soul, et at, but
those are my comparisons, not theirs. They've
impressed a decent amount of folks already
and have won a few “battle*-type competi
tions, Theyli play that night with rising talent
Henry Barbe. Connelly Crowe and Lauren
Lieu. For more info, see www.athfest.com and
check the “venue* section for set times.
• Gordon lamb ^Es^sandpromtses^^ole.com
■ ; :^
Homewood Village Concert
on the Fourth of July
FEATURING
Sunday July 4th from 6pm-9pm
@ Homewood Village Shopping Center
2415 Jefferson Road (Oft the Prince Avenue Exit of the
Athens Perimeter highway)
S3 Parking Fee After 5pm
14 FlAGPOLE.COM JUNE 23,2010
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