This has been one of the funnest, busiest weeks I've had in a damned while.
Tuesday, August 12Worked day shift at
Taco Stand. Had band practice for a couple of hours. Danced on over to the 40 Watt for the musical stylings of
Elf Power and
Gnarls Barkley. Elf Power is great live. Their melodies have always been catchy to me. I can't stand still when they play. Their bass player shreds hardcore.
Gnarls Barkley came on to the stage to an already-amped-up sold-out 40 Watt crowd. Their band, which included Athens' Heather McIntosh, was smaller than I imagined it would be. But damn, they sounded incredible. Cee-Lo has always been one of my favorite singers, so I was excited to hear him live..... He makes it look effortless. They covered "Reckoner" by Radiohead and I pooped my pants because it was so good. As I was in the restroom, putting on one of my pairs of fresh, emergency-concert-replacement pants, red-faced with shame, I realized I wasn't alone. Upon exiting the bathroom, I encountered a sea of people waiting in line, embarrassed, drawers full of doo doo. It was that good.
Wednesday, August 13
Worked day shift at Taco Stand. Met the guys in
Dead Confederate at
Kingpin's Bowl and Brew at 7pm to help my friend and colleague Jason Jacobson get some video footage of the band and their friends bowling and goofing around. I'm not sure if I can say who the footage is for just yet, but it's pretty awesome shit, Tony. We all bowled and drank and then drank some drank. While we were there, we started interviewing everyone, with Jason videotaping while I asked the questions (How do you know Dead Confederate, etc.) We got great answers from Parker from the
Whigs and Andy from
The Dumps. We then took the party to Little Kings to do more interviews with the band. We got more than we bargained for, being that it was during Popfest, and EVERYBODY was out, having a good time, and feeling loose, footloose. Kick off your Sunday shoes. We got some great stuff from Matt and Aimee from
Twin Tigers, Hunter, Mike, and Brandon from
Gift Horse, Hank from Kuroma, Shane from
Spring Tigers, Vanessa from
Pylon, Kay from
Casper & the Cookies, Ben and Tim from
Dark Meat, Jeff from Dark Meat,
Pegasuses XL,
We vs. The Shark, and lots of other bands. Dead Confederate was cool because they wanted to share their spotlight feature with their contemporaries in the Athens music scene. Jason did a great job editing it, and I will post it as soon as it's all good.
Thursday, August 14
Went in to work at Barnes and Noble at 8:45 am. Tried to buy a Red Bull and a coffee, but one of my managers said I couldn't have them. I was beat down tired, and running on 3 or 4 hours of sleep. I could have used those drinks. Drifted through the day and then had to go directly to the Georgia Theatre to soundcheck.
We played with my homie Calen Nash and his band
Ponderosa. They sounded tight and had some great harmonies. They also have cool boots. It was tough, because we played at the same time that Roky Ericson, Dark Meat, Twin Tigers, and Dead Confederate were playing at other venues. We still had a nice crowd and they were energetic and responsive. It was loud as balls in there and I was pleased about that. We spiritedly enjoyed the cooler full of cold beer that the staff provided us. Thanks, y'all. Stayed up really late having lots of fun!
Friday, August 15Went in to open and manage the Taco Stand at 9am on 3 hours of sleep (I really need to learn how to schedule my shifts better, but I need 'em.) Worked until 3 and Ann was so nice enough to finish the rest of the day for me. Ran by Jason Jacobson's to look at the video, and had enough time to go home and grab some clothes for our gig that night in Birmingham, Al, at the
Nick. I really could have used a shower because, as Staind once said, It's Been a While. Oh well. Had a nice hot stinky van ride to ol-Birmy. Actually had a real good time there. The locals were cool and we played with the Swear from Atlanta, Spencer Ezell from Nashville, and Eyes Around, from Alabama. We played third, so it was mighty late once we busted out of Bama. We drove straight back to Athens. I made it driving to Danielsville before I just coudn't keep my eyes open anymore. Adam drove the rest of the way, and he was a champ, as I fell asleep and woke up every 20 seconds or so in the back seat. We got back to Athens at 7am or so and I got in my car at their apartment in Five Points. I drove back to my place, took off my sweaty stage clothes (still no shower,) and slept from 8am to 8pm on Saturday. Deep, deep sleep. Crazy dreams, adventure, vision quests. Spirit Wolves.
Saturday, August 16
Slept all day and ventured out of the house as it was getting dark.I went to Adam's girlfriend Sandra's birthday feast at Cali and Tito's, and we all then went to Wow Wingery in Five Points to booze, eat, and watch Michael Phelps win his eighth gold medal on one of the restaurant's 48,000 televisions. He won it, and we all felt good for America. Thought I was going home, but got pulled over to the 40 watt for another incredible show.
Circulatory System, Elf Power, and
Music Tapes. EVERYBODY was there. People came out of the woodwork for this one. I missed Circulatory System. Elf Power did great once again, and then I was treated to Music Tapes. Giant metronomes, bouncing a ball as an instrument, banjos, tape organs, tubas, all kinds of shit. The show ended by kazoos being handed out to the crowd, and the band played on as they led the ENTIRE CROWD out of the 40 watt, across Pulaski St, and down Prince Ave. I didn't follow them, but my roommate Joey, who is from Ruston and involved with all of those E6 dudes, and directed
Major Organ and the Adding Machine (coming soon,) said everyone ended up in a big field off of Hancock playing games (bell ringing was involved.) It sounded like townie utopia. Joey overheard a frat boy who was watching the procession as it passed by his house say, "Only in Athens." You know it, Chad.
Stayed up real late again playing Rock Band and watching Rambo and crashing at a friend's house downtown.
Sunday, August 17
Woke up, read Chris Farley's biography, The Chris Farley Show, that his family put together. Read it for hours in bed. Man, his story is so tragic. He lived hard. He was such a genuine man with a big-hearted personality. If you liked his comedy, read the book. If you like stories of hard-core drug addiction and things of that nature, read the book.
We had to be at the Melting Point at 2pm to set up and sound-check for a benefit show commemorating the release of
Beli e-v-e - Songs in Memory of Eve Carson. (
MySpace)
The show was filled to capacity, as Eve Carson was an amazing young woman who touched a lot of people. The
Connelly Crowe Band played, and they were great young musicians, all still in high school. I had fun fooling around with them before the show, playing hangman in the green room, and telling them how much they were pimps for playing such a cool show at their age.
Bain Mattox played a solo set as well. And I appreciated being able to spend some time with him. My old bass player from
Riff Raff Kings, Mike Lamond, plays in his band. Bain's set was moving. I knew he was getting emotional during his last song and as he said goodnight to the crowd, he turned around and was crying as he was packing his guitar. What a great guy. I was very touched.
It sounded so good in there when we played. Wes is a great soundman and the system there is top notch. We played for a lot of people, and there were kids, high schoolers, parents, teachers, you name it. We were honored to be a part of it, and after the show, Eve's father came up to thank us. What a day!
I was supposed to go to an afterparty at Ian and Ryan's, but I fell asleep in my computer chair at 9pm and decided to call it a night...
So that's that! Athens is acton-packed and delicious.
