Authors | Flagpole Magazine | Athens, GA News, Music, Arts, Restaurants

Blog posts by Gabe Vodicka, Editor

Nuçi’s Space Hosts Free 'Giving Tuesday' Show at the 40 Watt

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Jason Thrasher

Last month, we wrote about the ongoing efforts of Nuçi’s Space to save the dilapidated St. Mary's steeple, which sits next door to the Oconee Street music resource center.

Though the "Reconstruction of the Steeple" Indiegogo campaign—which seeks money to restore the steeple and to fund the Space's programs for the coming year—raised a whopping $50,000 in its first day, the rate of donations has since slowed dramatically.

By Gabe Vodicka | December 1, 2014
Athens Power Rankings for the Week of Dec. 1

Blog: In the Loop

Welcome to Athens Power Rankings. In the spirit of sports rating systems, through painstaking analysis, we rank the top movers and shakers in the Classic City each week. Who's hot? Who's not? Find out below.

Photo Credit: Missy Kulik/Tofu Baby Bwog

By Gabe Vodicka | December 1, 2014
Harry's BBQ is Closing

Blog: Grub Notes

Photo Credit: Randy Schafer

From the Harry's BBQ Facebook page:

By Gabe Vodicka | November 29, 2014
Hear Tracks From Grand Vapids' Upcoming Debut

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Jason Thrasher

Rising from the ashes of unpretentious and underrated local folk-rock outfit Androcles and the Lion, rockers Grand Vapids are currently prepping the release of a debut titled Guarantees, out Jan. 20. (You can pre-order the album on CD here.)

In advance of the release, the band has premiered five tunes from the record, four of which you can stream below (the fifth is available to stream or download over at Stereogum).

By Gabe Vodicka | November 25, 2014
The Weekly Three: Daniel Lanois, Radian and Howe Gelb, Marissa Nadler

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Courtney B. Hall

Marissa Nadler

This week's new finds from the great beyond:

By Gabe Vodicka | November 24, 2014
Watch a Clip From R.E.M. By MTV

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Cass Bird

The six-DVD R.E.M. retrospective REMTV is available starting Monday, Nov. 24, just in time for holiday shopping, and you can get a sneak preview of its main feature, the full-length documentary R.E.M. By MTV, Sunday at Ciné (read our Calendar Pick here).

For a taste of what to expect, check out the five-minute excerpt from the film below, which follows the band on its injury- and illness-riddled Monster tour. It's a serious blast from the past that reminds us what it was like when MTV was the go-to source for music news and gossip.

By Gabe Vodicka | November 21, 2014
Win Tickets: The Whigs Play 40 Watt Friday

Blog: Homedrone

Ex-Athenian rock and roll heartthrobs The Whigs return to town for a show at the 40 Watt Club Friday, Nov. 21, and we've got a pair of tickets to give away. To enter, tell us in the comments below what your favorite Whigs song is and why. We'll choose a winner Friday at 2:30 p.m.

By Gabe Vodicka | November 20, 2014
Flagpole's Favorite Local Tape Releases of 2014

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Kelly Hart

This week's cover story, about the resurgence of cassettes on both a local-music level and beyond, got us thinking about our favorite Athens tape releases of 2014. Below, a few picks for your listening pleasure:

By Gabe Vodicka | November 20, 2014
The Weekly Three: Captain Beefheart, Loscil, Raekwon

Blog: Homedrone

Captain Beefheart

This week's new finds from the great beyond:

By Gabe Vodicka | November 18, 2014
Photo Gallery: Jason Thrasher's 'Athens Potluck'

Blog: Homedrone

From now until February 2015, you can check out a preview of Athens photographer Jason Thrasher's upcoming Athens Potluck book, which features local musicians in their natural habitats, in the Atrium Gallery at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Read our feature on Thrasher here, and below, check out a selection of photos from the exhibit:

By Gabe Vodicka | November 18, 2014
Athens Power Rankings for the Week of Nov. 17

Blog: In the Loop

Photo Credit: Ted Mayer

Welcome to Athens Power Rankings. In the spirit of sports rating systems, through painstaking analysis, we rank the top movers and shakers in the Classic City each week. Who's hot? Who's not? Find out below.

By Gabe Vodicka | November 17, 2014
UGA's Off-Putting 'We Are One' Hype Video is Long, Overwrought and Religious-y

Blog: Culture Briefs

By Gabe Vodicka | November 14, 2014
The Gurley's-Back Hype Video is the Zenith of the Hype Video Era

Blog: Culture Briefs

Consider the college football hype video.

Designed to get crowds pumped up for a big home game, and released weeks in advance of said game in order to maximize the potential for Internet virality, it is often short, crisply shot, with a soul-stirring soundtrack.

By Gabe Vodicka | November 12, 2014
Tonight in Athens: Lonesome Leash, Swarming Branch

Blog: Homedrone

Lonesome Leash

It's relatively slim pickings tonight in live music land, but there are a couple notable gigs to get you hot and bothered:

By Gabe Vodicka | November 12, 2014
The Weekly Three: Parkay Quarts, Mark McGuire, Bedhead

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Ben Rayner

Parquet Courts

This week's new finds from the great beyond:

By Gabe Vodicka | November 11, 2014
Tonight in Athens: The Deslondes, Charlie Megira

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Sarrah Danzinger

The Deslondes

In addition to Creature Comforts' can-release party at the Georgia Theatre, there are a couple notable concerts happ'nin' in town tonight:

By Gabe Vodicka | November 10, 2014
Watch an Epic New Dictator Video

Blog: Homedrone

Classic City MC Travis "Dictator" West's 2013 Circus EP was one of the more memorable local hip hop efforts in recent years, an ornate, nine-song collection of steel-edged street-rap. Now West has teamed with Atlanta-based production team Krewsade Films for an epic, nine-minute video for "Watered Down," Circus' sleek closing track.

Watch the tense, cinematic clip below:

By Gabe Vodicka | November 7, 2014
Win Tickets and Onion Rings: Comedians Dave Stone and Lisa Best Play The World Famous Tonight

Blog: Culture Briefs

Former Beard of Comedy Dave Stone is back in Athens for a set of standup tonight at The World Famous, where he'll be joined by fellow L.A.-based funny person Lisa Best. The show will start at midnight, so start guzzlin' coffee now.

Tickets are $7, but we've got a pair—as well as a basket of onion rings courtesy of the world-famous World Famous kitchen—to give away. To enter, tell us in the comments below why you deserve the prize package. We'll choose a winner at 4:45 p.m.

By Gabe Vodicka | November 6, 2014
Flagpole Premieres: Tunabunny, 'Airless Spaces' Video

Blog: Homedrone

Eccentric and prolific local rock group Tunabunny is reportedly prepping yet another new LP, titled PCP Presents Alice in Wonderland Jr., the follow-up to March's weird and lovely Kingdom Technology. But while they're at it, they're still churning out visual accompaniments to tracks from the last release.

Today, we're happy to premiere one such project, the video for Kingdom Technology's ethereal opening track, "Airless Spaces." The clip, which features a first-person journey through a strip mall, is as formless and yet arresting as the band's music.

By Gabe Vodicka | November 5, 2014
Win Tickets: Wildwood Revival at Cloverleaf Farm, Saturday, Nov. 8

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Sarrah Danzinger

The Deslondes

Langhorne Slim, The Deslondes, T. Hardy Morris and many others play the second Wildwood Revival this Saturday, Nov. 8 at Cloverleaf Farm just outside of Athens. We've got a pair of tickets to give away to one lucky winner.

To enter, tell us why you deserve to go for free in the comments below. We'll choose the best comment Wednesday at 4 p.m.

By Gabe Vodicka | November 4, 2014