Newspaper Page Text
Thursday, May 19
Ashutto Mirra,
This Piano Plays Itself,
Odist,
Culture Shock
Caiedonia Lounge
"Psychedelic shoegaze post
rock pop." That's the closest
Justin Newton, drummer for
This Piano Plays Itself, can get
to describing his band's sound.
He laughs as he says it. "I hate
that question. What do you
guys sound like?' or Who are
your influences?' It's like ask
ing, Which bands are you try
ing to rip off?"'
Hailing from Atlanta, This
Piano Plays Itself certainly has
a sound that defies pigeonhol
ing. There's no shortage of
reverb-heavy guitars and lay
ered effects, yet amid complex
swirling soundscapes there
are elements of simplicity
and space, a testament to the
group's musical maturity. Newton has a massive drum sound and the chops to match, but
you won't catch him overplaying. Tve learned it's more important to stay in the pocket
rather than just playing whatever I think sounds rad," he chuckles.
Formed in 2007, part of TPPI's musical evolution came two years ago with the addi
tion of bass/synth player Doug Saylor (formerly of Athens' own Kebert Xela). Saylor
brought with him a Britpop sensibility that helped shape the young band's sound.
"Doug grounded us, in a sense, and helped bring the band together as a whole," says
Newton. "Everyone is dedicated to making this happen. There's no one in the band who
doesn't want to practice or doesn't know if this is what he wants to be.doing. Doug
influenced the music, but even more so, brought us together as a cohesive unit, as a
band."
Live, TPPI's chemistry is impossible to ignore. Saylor and Newton, along with guitar-
ists/vocalists Eric Bouthiller and Jayson Nix, put on a performance that is as energetic as
it is entertaining. "Our live show has tons of energy, and it is loud as shit," says Newton.
Then he pauses. "I've noticed that people don't dance much, though; they just sort of
watch. There's so much going on with all the layers, pedals and sounds... it's not a spec
tacle, but 1 think people get enthralled, sort of blown away. Either that or they're bored."
Go see This Piano Plays Itself at Caledonia on May 19. You won't be bored. (John
Granofsky]
This Piano Plays itself
Hendershot’s Coffee
Bar
8 p.m. FREE! www.hendershotscoftee.
com
AJ ADAMS Solo slap-steel project.
Iron Grill
6:30 p.m. 706-543-2418
RACHEL O’NEAL Local singer/
songwriter who plays a combination
ot soulful acoustic originals and ot
ters an eclectic blend of indie rock,
jazz and Southern-tinged Americana
covers.
Locos Grill & Pub
8 p.m. FREE! www.locosgrill.com
(Timothy Rd. Location)
TANGENTS This country-fried rock
group from Watkinsville carries
Lynyrd Skynyrd licks and John
Mellencamp melodies.
Low Yo Yo Stuff
Records
5 p.m. FREE! 706^06-0842
Y LA BAMBA Indie-folk ensemble
from Portland with sparse, mostly
acoustic instrumentation, eerie *
looping and the personal, hazy
vocals of Lik Elena. Special acoustic
performance!
The Melting Point
8 p.m. FREE! www.meltingpointathens.
com
JOHN KING Frontman of eponymous
band will play muddy blues and
country sweetened with his syrupy
twang.
The Office Lounge
9:30 p.m. FREE! 706-549-0840
KARAOKE Karaoke contest tonight
with your host Lynn!
Omega Bar
9 p.m $3. dg2003@yahoo.com
SPICY SALSA No partner necessary.
Porterhouse Grill
6:30-10 p.m. 706-369-0990
JAZZ NIGHT Every Wednesday! Stop
by for live jazz bands and drink
specials.
Rye Bar
10 p.m. FREE! www.myspace.com/
ryebarathens
MAX EVE Lawrenceville act whose
songs consist of ambient, cinematic
tones.
SIRSY Pop rock band on tour from
Albany, NY. Their energetic sound is
led by the powerful voice of drum
mer Melanie Krahmer.
Terrapin Beer Co.
5-7 p.m. $10 Glass, www.terrapinbeer.
com
TRE POWELL Solo blues and R&B
guitarist.
Thursday 19
Alibi
9 p.m. FREE! 706-549-1010
COUNTRY NIGHT A whole evening of
country karaoke and line dancing to
help work the Ted into your neck.
The Bad Manor
9 p.m. FREE! (21+). $5(18+. before 11
p.m.), $10 (18+. after 11 p.m.). www
thebadmanor.com
DJ RIX Spinning a mix of rock, rap
and top 40 hits all mashed up and
synced to music videos on the big
screen.
Caledonia Lounge
10 p.m. $5 (21+). $7 (18+) www.cale-
donialounge.com
ASHUTTO MIRRA Alternative rock
quartet defined by its dark and steely
sound.
CULTURE SHOCK Brand new aggres
sive metal group that fuses speed
and power with jazz, blues, psyche
delic and funk elements.
ODIST This local three-piece weaves
layers of dark, reverb-laden guitars
for a sound that is somewhere be
tween prog rock and shoegaze. Odist
names Mars Volta and At the Drive:
In as key influences.
THIS PIANO PLAYS ITSELF Spacey
rock from Atlanta backed by a wall
of reverb. Prepare for a high energy
live show. See Calendar Pick on
this page.
DePalma’s Italian Cafe
6:30-8:30 p.m. (weather permitting).
FREE! 706-552-1237
WHISPER KISS Acoustic project fea
turing multi-instrumentalist Michael
Wegner (Abbey Road LIVE!, Fuzzy
Sprouts, Sunny-Side Up Band)
and Shelley Olin (DubConscious,
Grogus).
Farm 255
11 p.m. FREE! www.farm255.com
GREEN THRIFT GROCERY New
band featuring Ryan Donegan. Chloe
Tewksbury, Hana Hay and Dain
Marx. Playing “noisy, hooky songs
about dancing, science fiction and
consumer culture.'
MEMORY MAP Bloomington. IN
based indie-pop rock, ranging in
mood from mellow dystopias to
celebratory hollers.
NEVER Psychedelic, swirling guitars
care of Kris Deason and Ryan Vogle
plus, Peter Alvanos on drums and
Chris McGarvey on bass. Melissa
Colbert fronts the band with howl
ing, cathartic vocals.
0L’ BLUE HEELER Wistful, percus
sive folk from good or Athens.
THE0 ZUMM Nana Grizol frontman
plays a solo set of his punk-twisted
pop anthems.
t
Go Bar
10 p.m. www.myspace.com/gobar
DR. FRED'S KARAOKE Hosted
by karaoke fanatic John “Dr. Fred’
Bowers
Hendershot’s Coffee
Bar
8 p.m. FREElwww.hendershotscoftee.
com
DAVE D'ANGELO QUARTET
D'Angelo's sax leads this jazz four-
piece. featuring Rand Lines on the
keys, Ben Williams on drums and
Chris Enghauser on bass.
Hotel Indigo
Live After 5 on the Madison Patio. 6-8
p.m. FREE! www.indigoathens.com
RACHEL FARLEY Performing since
the age of five, this teenager's
decadently rich vocals swoon over
country-flavored pop numbers.
Little Kings Shuffle Club
10 p.m. $3-5 (suggested donation).
www.myspace.com/littlekingsshuf-
fleclub
MISFORTUNE 500 Moody and
melodic local band with soaring
anthemic moments influenced by
post-punk and ‘80s new wave.
SHALLOW PALACE Riff-heavy,
bluesy rock and roll with sheer
punk-rock energy.
RYAN SHEFFIELD Mostly acoustic
indie rock with clever, story-telling
lyrics.
SLEEPY EYE GIANT Indie pop from
Charleston with some shoegaze
tendencies.
The Melting Point
9 p.m. $10 (adv), $12 (door), $10
(door with student ID), www.melting
pointathens com
DAWES This Americana group offers
melodies that tug on your heart
strings with warm, intricate arrange
ments and big harmonies.
THE WELFARE LINERS Bluegrass
band complete with upright bass,
banjo, mandolin, guitar and fiddle,
featuring the founder of Ghostmeat
Records and members of 6 String
Drag. CD release show! See story
on p. 14.
No Where Bar
10 p.m. $3. 706-546-4742
SUMILAN Technically proficient
musicians playing progressive jam
rock.
Omega Bar
5 p.m. www.theomegabar.com
THE SEGAR JAZZ AFFAIR Smooth
jazz with a candlelit atmosphere.
Hosted by DJ Segar (WXAG).
Rye Bar
10 p.m. FREE! www.myspace.com/
ryebarathens
AFTERSHOCK Rock covers
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; $50FF ;
PURCHASE
OF $300R MORE
with coupon Expires 5/25/11.
J
706-369-7418
175 E. Clayton St.
11-8pm Mon-Sat
12-6pm Sun
NEEDS YOU!
-for setup, takedown, KidsFest. merchandising,
wristband sales, waste management, volunteer
management hospitality and other projects!
To sign up or for more information about volunteering
for AthFest June 24-26,2011. please visit our website at
www.athfest.com
the HantfsOn Northeast 6eergia website at
volunteer.tnifst.com/hng/volunteer/home
or ccme join us ter oar tree CD Release Party/Volnmeer signup wi
June 6th at 7pm at the Matting Point
& p 0/j
LOCOS LIVE
_ MUSIC
May 18: The Tangents
(Classic Rock)
May 25: The Vibratones
(B/ives;
June 1: Napoleon Solo
June 8: Normaltown Flyers
Wednesday Nights
2020 Timothy Rd.
Athens, GA 30606
706.549.7700
MAY 18,2011 -FLAGPOLE.COM 17