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CHA CHA (Bishop Park) Dance out
side in the covered courts. $10. Dec.
6, 2-3 p.m. dancefx.org
CHRISTMAS AT WIRE PARK (Wire
Park, Watkinsville) The concert
features food trucks, Java Joy, Santa
Clause and live music by The Athens
A-Train Band. Bring blankets and
chairs to relax on the lawn or roast
s’mores over the fire pit. Dec. 12,
5:30-8 p.m. trey@gibbscapital.com
DECEMBER EVENTS (Southern
Brewing Company) Monday Night
Trivia every Monday at 6 p.m. Sun
day Trivia is held every Sunday at 5
p.m. www.sobrewco.com
ENTREPRENEUR WEEK (ACC
Libraries) The Athens Regional
Library System received a Grow
With Google grant from Georgia
Public Library Service to fund virtual
programs for budding entrepreneurs
and small businesses. Programs run
Dec. 1-8. athenslibrary.org
KIESE LAYMON IN CONVERSA
TION WITH ED PAVLIC (Zoom)
Avid Booshop presents a conversa
tion in celebration of the reissue of
Laymon’s book, Howto Slowly Kill
Yourself and Others In America. Dec.
3, 7 p.m. www.avidbookshop.com
LIVE JAZZ (Porterhouse Grill) Enjoy
dinner and some smooth jazz.
Wednesdays, 6-9 p.m. www.porter
houseathens.com
LIVE WIRE EVENTS (Live Wire
Athens) Wedding Industry Happy
Hour is held every Wednesday from
5-6 p.m. Games of darts are held
every Wednesday from 5-10 p.m.
Fresh Garden Jam with live jamming
is held every Thursday from 5-10
p.m. Love Music Live Stream offers
bands streamed from the main stage
every Friday 5-10 p.m. www.livewire
athens.com/calendar
NUQI’S SPACE 20TH ANNIVER
SARY (Online) Watch performances
by Patterson Hood, Five Eight, Wes-
daruler and more. Stream the pro
gram on YouTube (@nucisspace).
The anniversary’s program will be a
condensed version of a larger series
coming next year. Dec. 5, 7 p.m..
www.nuci.org
UUFA VIRTUAL EVENTS (Online)
Attend a virtual screening of the
fi Im Signing Black in America, the
first-ever documentary about the
innovative variety of sign language
that was developed by members of
the historically segregated African
American deaf community. Dec. 6, 2
p.m. kdotson@uga.edu, uuathensga.
org/stay-connected
Kidstuff
ART CLASSES (Online) Treehouse
Kid and Craft hosts a variety of art
classes for children through Zoom.
Visit the website for a calendar of
classes, treehousekidand craft.com
SANTA AT THE MADISON-
MORGAN CULTURE CENTER
Schedule a photo with Santa. Dec.
4-5,10a.m.-5p.m. 706-342-4743,
www.mmcc-arts.org
Support Groups
AL-ANON 12 STEP (Multiple
Locations) Recovery for people
affected by someone else’s drinking.
Visit the website for a calendar of
electronic meetings held throughout
the week, www.ga-al-anon.org
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
(Athens, GA) If you think you have
a problem with alcohol, call the
AA hotline or visit the website for
a schedule of meetings in Barrow,
Clarke, Jackson and Oconee Coun
ties. 706-389-4164, athensaa.org
RECOVERY DHARMA (Recovery
Dharma) This peer-led support
group offers a Buddhist-inspired
path to recovery from any addiction.
Visit the website for info about Zoom
meetings. Thursdays, 7-8 p.m.
FREE! athensrecoverydharma.org
SEX ADDICTS ANONYMOUS
(Athens, GA) (Email for Location)
Athens Downtown SAA offers a mes
sage of hope to anyone who suffers
from a compulsive sexual behavior.
www.athensdowntownsaa.com
Word on the Street
ACRONYM (Athens, GA) ACRONYM
is a new website compiling COVID-
19 aid for Athens-based live music
venues and artists. Check the
website for updated listings on
funding and financial opportunities,
mental health guides, organizational
support, community resources and
more. Visit acroynym.rocks
BE A SANTA TO A SENIOR
(Multiple Locations) Home Instead
Senior Care is organizing an event
to help seniors this holiday season.
Select an ornament off of a tree for a
senior’s gift request or suggestion,
then return the wrapped item with the
ornament attached. Tree locations
include Bella Salon, First American
Bank & Trust, Fleet Feet, Hawthorne
Drugs, Village Drug Shop and more.
Through Dec. 4. 706-983-1092,
www.beasantatoasenior.com
CORNHOLEATL WINTER LEAGUE
REGISTRATION (Southern Brewing
Co.) The seven-week season for
four different divisions begins in
January. Register by Dec. 28. info@
cornholeatl.com
LIGHT UP ATHENS (Downtown
Athens) In lieu of the annual holiday
parade, the community will host
an inaugural “Light Up Athens”
this season. Downtown Athens
storefronts will decorate with lights
and decorations, and a variety of
events will be held on Fridays and
Saturdays through December, www.
accgov.com/lightupathens
MLK DAY OF SERVICE (Athens, GA)
The Athens MLK Jr. Day of Service
steering committee is seeking
project sites for the 2021 event.
Hundreds of volunteers will work
on community enhancement and
beautification projects like invasive
species removal, litter clean-ups,
painting and more. Event held Jan.
18. athensgamlkday@gmail.com,
www.accgov.com/mlkday
STORMWATER CALENDAR
(Department of Transportation and
Public Works) Request a free storm
water calendar online in advance,
then pickup in person. stormwater@
accgov.com
SUNDAY MUSIC SERIES (Athens
Regional Library System) The library
is seeking musicians of all genres
to perform through its Facebook
Live series. Email your name, band’s
name, contact and a link to your
music to jmitchell@athenslibrary.org
THERE IS A SEASON (Athens
Clarke County Extension) There is a
Season: An Intentional Approach to
Sustenance by master gardeners Rita
Mathew and Suzanne Keifer is a new
cookbook to foster health, environ
mental stewardship and community
connections. A portion of proceeds
benefit the ACC Extension Office.
706-613-3670
VIRTUAL LEISURE SERVICES
(Online) A variety of activities are
offered in arts, athletics, nature and
recreation, www.accgov.com/leisure
WINTER RAIN BARREL SALE
(Contact for Location) The ACC
Stormwater Management Program
hosts a sale of rain barrel kits ($25)
that include a plastic 55-gallon drum
and DIY RainRecycle kit from the
Rain Barrel Depot. Order online and
pickup on Dec. 16. accgov.com/
rainbarrel ©
1'i'illWf^ threats & promises
Nuci’s Space Celebrates 20th Anniversary
PLUS, MORE MUSIC NEWS AND GOSSIP
By Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com
DOUBLE DECADE DEDICATION: Null’s Space is celebrating
its 20th anniversary with a special video presentation
Saturday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. Produced by Athens Rising
director James Preston, this first video is a preview of
coming attractions, if you will. It is a condensed version
of what is to be a larger series of videos celebrating the
Musicians Resource Center. In a press release, Nugi’s Space
spokesperson Mariah Caldwell said of the videos, “They
will showcase our Counseling Program, Youth Programs,
Amplify Recording Studio, Community Partners, Building
Expansion, Local Artists and our beloved volunteers. The
presentations will include some history, program updates,
special performances, interviews and highlights of the
many ways we connect with the Athens music community.’
The streaming presentation happens at the Nugi’s Space
YouTube channel—just search for
“Nugi’s Space”—but you’ll likely find
direct links via either nuci.org or
facebook.com/nucisspace.
PIERCE THE SKY: The brand new and fairly
unexpected new album, Brown Dwarf,
from Creston Spiers (Harvey Milk),
will be out this Friday, Dec. 4, and it’s
also pressed in limited-edition vinyl—
only 150 copies—courtesy of Australian
label WeEmptyRooms. It’s named Brown
Dwarf. Spiers recorded the album and
it was mastered by Kyle Spence. In
advance of its release, you can preview
two tracks: the extra groovy “Snake On
Grass” and the anthemic “We Win.” I
was this close to trying to extract an
advance copy of this from the music
machine system but decided to just wait
for the whole release like everyone else.
So here’s to both of us looking forward
to Friday. Before then, sample this over at crestonspiers.
bandcamp.com and then return there on release day.
GET MOVING: Athens dance organization DanceFX is host
ing a socially distanced Cha Cha Footwork workshop
at Bishop Park Sunday, Dec. 6 from 2-3 p.m. Although
designed for participants that have some basic knowledge
of Cha Cha steps, anyone is welcome to attend and learn.
It takes place at the covered courts and masks are required.
Cost is $10, and advance payments are accepted at dancefx.
org/athens-drop-in-form. For more information, please see
facebook.com/dancefx and dancefx.org.
MOOD OPERATOR: Composer Andrew Steck has released his
full-length album Inner Loop / Outer Loop, which he’s been
promising for a while. The 12-track album is a wonderful
batch of pieces that flow so well together, listeners may be
surprised when it concludes. Seemingly inspired—at least
in part—by grand old Hollywood soundtracks and mid-cen
tury easy listening, the whole record is a wonderfully inte
grated celebration of mood and atmosphere, and Steck is
quite adept at creating compositions that are welcomingly
approachable. I’m very partial to his string sections (as dis
played on tracks such as “Cucumber Water”). I’ll be among
the first to remark that I’m less than ideally qualified to
really drill down into these tracks, but I am eminently qual
ified to talk about how much I’ve enjoyed them. Find this at
andrewsteck.bandcamp.com.
SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE: Joe Rowe (The Glands) slipped
out a quiet release under his Fourth Mansions moniker
that pulls together two new ones with two that are now
25 years old. Simply titled Singles, the two new songs are
“People Gotta Hustle” and “Talkin’ ‘Bout It Blues.” The
frailty and lyrical urgency of the former is reflected solidly
in the instrumental latter and, while this effect may have
been unintentional, it makes for compelling back-to-back
listening. The last two tracks are from a 4-track recording
done in 1995. They’re audibly of their time in terms of
production and structure. The first is actually two songs
(“One Hundred Years / This Is My Life”), and the first half
of that is pretty grunge-lite but with a really creative and
catchy chorus. The second half of this pairing is very much
a demo-style, wavy, sort of soft psych track that seems
likely very quickly completed. Finally, though, “I Am The
Rebound” plows straight into the world built by Polvo,
Guided By Voices and other ’90s heroes. Of course, at that
time, they were contemporaries, so respect is due. Give it a
spin via fourthmansions.bandcamp.com. ©
Nugi’s Space’s first official gathering was a fundraising concert featuring performances by David
Barbe, Andy LeMaster, Kitty Snyder and Five Eight in 1999.
D©3SDdl]Ql0a!Z7
Art Contest: Fit Pitcher (Sludge Country Records) Following the 2017 sophomore
release Two Songs, which was written with founding drummer Garrett Burke prior
to his departure for rising act Mothers, Fit Pitcher represents a new chapter as
frontman Cole Monroe expands Art Contest into a four-piece. Through the addi
tion of keyboards and more prevalent vocals, the math rock act enters a brighter,
more accessible territory where its technical wizardry can shine through avant-
pop melodies. Opening track “A Large, White Vase” establishes the fragility and
impact of so many precisely interlocking sounds, while the title track quickly fol
lows to establish the album’s overarching sense of urgency. Jarring rhythms and
disjointed riffs like those of “Small Fortune” and “Not Just Dancing” can feel
physically uncomfortable at times but succeed in jerking you around as math rock tends to do. “Fiery Hand" is a
catchy electro-pop scorcher with beautiful, sweeping interludes, and “Brain Option” similarly races under the helm
of frenetic vocals before transcending into intricate guitar lines. Altogether, Fit Pitcher is a feverish, dense album
that deserves full attention. [Jessica Smith]
DECEMBER 2, 2020 | FLAGPOLE.COM 15