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

Blog posts by Gabe Vodicka, Editor

On the Rise: Watch a New Video from Mothers

Blog: Homedrone

Over the past several months, singer-songwriter Kristine Leschper—a.k.a. Mothers—has firmly established herself as one of Athens music's most essential new acts. Armed with only her formidable voice and one stringed instrument or another, Leschper crafts spare, striking folk tunes that often call to mind Angel Olsen at her most quietly devastating.

After the jump, check out a video of Leschper performing a new tune, "Get Around." The mandolin-powered song, like most of Mothers' output, bobs and weaves before ultimately landing with a crushing emotional left hook. "Tell me when you've had enough," she sings, more dare than reassurance.

By Gabe Vodicka | April 22, 2014
Athens Power Rankings for the Week of Apr. 21

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.

Adam Klein

By Gabe Vodicka | April 22, 2014
Win Tickets/CD: The Whigs Play the 40 Watt Saturday

Blog: Homedrone

The members of The Whigs don't reside in Athens any longer, but that doesn't stop them from considering our town home at heart. Saturday, the band returns for a sure-to-be raucous show at the 40 Watt Club, and we've got a pair of tickets and a copy of the group's new album, Modern Creation, on CD to give away courtesy of New West Records.

To win both of these prizes, comment after the jump with why YOU deserve the tix and tunes. We'll choose a winner Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

By Gabe Vodicka | April 18, 2014
Brian Crane Memorial Scheduled for Apr. 27

Blog: Homedrone

Crane (driving), with The Sugardaddies

Last Friday, we reported that longtime local musician and scene fixture Brian Crane had died. Now, Crane's brother Bill, a Georgia-based political strategist, WSB radio broadcaster and syndicated columnist, writes with the news that the family has arranged an Irish wake-style memorial, per Brian's wishes, to be held at East/West Bistro on Sunday, Apr. 27 from 4–7 p.m.

Bill Crane also pays tribute to his brother in his column this week. After the jump, read Brian Crane's official obituary.

By Gabe Vodicka | April 18, 2014
Win Tickets: Cloud Nothings Plays Georgia Theatre Friday

Blog: Homedrone

Scrappy Ohio-based indie rockers Cloud Nothings play the Georgia Theatre Friday on the strength of a stellar new record, Here and Nowhere Else. (Guitar virtuoso Ryley Walker opens.) We've got a pair of tickets to give away. To win, tell us in the comments after the jump why YOU deserve to go for free. We'll choose a winner Friday at 4:30 p.m.

By Gabe Vodicka | April 17, 2014
Flagpole Premieres! Shehehe: 'Ghost Of' Video

Blog: Homedrone

Local power-punk outfit Shehehe has undergone a lineup shift since its debut, New American Jet Rock, was released in 2012. The additions of guitarist Adam Hebert and bassist Derek Wiggs have proven powerful ones: The band has only grown tighter and more furious in its rock and roll mission, and it plans to enter the studio soon to record the follow-up to the aforementioned album, which mixed low-budget arena-aping sensibilities with proto-punk passion.

Today, we've got an exclusive look at the new video for "Ghost Of," a New American Jet Rocktrack centered lyrically on ghouls and goblins and everything in between. Appropriately, the clip offers a B-movie-esque take on the song's sordid subject matter.

Watch the video after the jump.

By Gabe Vodicka | April 17, 2014
Flagpole Premieres! k i d s: 'were Next Door /III/'

Blog: Homedrone

Local psych-pop crew k i d s, the brainchild of songwriter K. Jared Collins, has been largely inactive for the past several months, but as it turns out, Collins and his rotating supporting cast have just been busy prepping a brand-new album—the looooong-awaited follow-up to last year's live LP are US—appropriately titled Take Forever. Peep the flowery cover art above. The record will be out digitally May 15, but the band is taking pre-orders now via Bandcamp.

The cassette version of Take Forever costs $7; the vinyl version will run ya $17. Collins aims to have the album pressed to white vinyl and ready to ship out in June.

Both pre-orders come with an immediate download of the song "were Next Door /III/," which you can stream after the jump. The tune hints at a scuzzy new direction for the once-R&B-inflected groove-pop crew.

By Gabe Vodicka | April 15, 2014
Win Tickets: Thee Silver Mt. Zion Plays 40 Watt Tuesday

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Yannick Grandmont

Punk-leaning Godspeed You! Black Emperor offshoot Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra plays the 40 Watt Club Tuesday, Apr. 15, and we've got a pair of tickets to give away. To win, tell us in the comments after the jump why YOU deserve to go for free. We'll choose a winner at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

By Gabe Vodicka | April 14, 2014
Experimental Mondays Series Continues Tonight at The World Famous

Blog: Homedrone

Future Ape Tapes

The local experimental scene has experienced a dramatic rebirth over the past year or two—this feature from last April provided a general overview of said rebirth. Since that article's publication, Athens' underground has continued to explode, new noise, drone and otherwise uncategorizable acts popping up like shapeshifting flowers throughout the local music landscape.

Two ongoing concert series have emerged of late, both designed to showcase Athens' experimental underground. At Hendershot's, a series of Sunday night shows has featured acts like Motion Sickness of Time Travel and Angel Brown (the next, slated for Apr. 20, features Scab Queen, Royal Futility and Entropidone; looking ahead, noise legendsPedestrian Deposit will perform May 23). Meanwhile, each Monday in April The World Famous is hosting a similarly themed evening of music, curated by Madeline Hassett of Tonda.

Tonight (Apr. 14), the latter series continues with sets from anti-pop warriors Future Ape Tapes, the garage-leaning Strays and drone project Aprotag. Doors are at 9 p.m., and admission costs $3. Check the Facebook event page for more info.

By Gabe Vodicka | April 14, 2014
R.I.P. Athens Musician Brian Crane

Blog: Homedrone

From Paul Reavis of The Dictatortots comes the very sad news that local musician Brian Crane has passed away. Crane, who played in The Sugar Daddies and North Hollywood Model Search, was also known for his offstage work, as tour manager for groups like Flat Duo Jets and The Cramps.

Two friends reportedly discovered Crane's body in his apartment earlier today. Flagpole is inquiring further into the circumstances surrounding Crane's passing and we will update this post as news becomes available.

By Gabe Vodicka | April 11, 2014
24 Hour-ish Film Festival Team Pickup Tonight

Blog: Culture Briefs

The 24 Hour-ish Film Festival, the annual event put on by Film Athens wherein teams are given a line of dialogue, a prop, a special requirement and 24 hours… -ish (very -ish; it's actually more like 42 hours, but who's counting) to create a short film, happens Wednesday, Apr. 23 at Flicker Theatre & Bar.

But if you're interested in entering a movie into the competition, you've gotta scoot on down to Flicker between 4 and 6 p.m. today to get briefed on your mission. There's no pre-registration required (though there is a $20 entrance fee per team for non-Film Athens members); just show up and get crackin'.

Completed films are due back at Flicker on Sunday, Apr. 13 at noon. Cash prizes will be awarded to the Audience Choice and Judges' Choice winners following the Apr. 23 screenings.

By Gabe Vodicka | April 11, 2014
Watch Michael Stipe Induct Nirvana Into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Anton Corbijn

The 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony happened last night at Brooklyn's Barclays Center, where acts like Hall & Oates, Kiss, Cat Stevens, Linda Ronstadt and Peter Gabriel were bestowed with the designation (see the full list of this year's inductees here). But the biggest moment(s) of the night came when grunge pioneers Nirvana were honored, 20 years after Kurt Cobain's death.

R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe was on hand to introduce the group, saying, "Nirvana were artists in every sense of the word. Nirvana tapped into a voice that was yearning to be heard. Nirvana were kicking against the mainstream. They spoke truth and a lot of people listened."

"They were singular and loud and melodic and deeply original," he continued. "And that voice. That voice. Kurt, we miss you. I miss you. This is not just pop music. This is something much greater than that."

Watch the video after the jump.

By Gabe Vodicka | April 11, 2014
Watch a New Video from Sam Sniper

Blog: Homedrone

In February, we gave you the first taste of Throwing Rocks, the new album from grunge-rockers Sam Sniper. Now, the group has released a video for "Nothing is Wrong," the album's second single. It's an upbeat and melodic jam, very much in line with the band's stated '90s rock steez.

Check it after the jump.

By Gabe Vodicka | April 10, 2014
Flagpole Premieres! murk daddy flex: 'Glass Music'

Blog: Homedrone

It's no secret that we at Flagpole have a little critical crush on murk daddy flex, the hip hop producer alter ego of local musician Terence Chiyezhan. His first official full-length, MDF, landed at No. 2 on our 2013 Top 10 list. We asked him to play our AthFest showcase last summer. And we got all hot and bothered when he posted a couple teaser clips from his upcoming LP, Genesis, late last year. (That's the album cover above.)

Now, we're tickled pink to provide an exclusive premiere of the first single from Genesis—which drops sometime this summer in CD and cassette form via Pizza Tomb Records—the utterly divine "Glass Music." The dense, immersive tune is a departure from mdf's prior work in tone and focus; where before there was tape hiss and muddied jazz samples, now there is booming low end and crystal-clear treble, well-placed empty space and earth-toned organics.

Check out the song, and the album's tracklist, after the jump.

By Gabe Vodicka | April 10, 2014
AthFest Compilation Tracklist Announced

Blog: Homedrone

Drive-By Truckers

The lineup and tracklist for the 2014 AthFest compilation album, which we previously reported will be pressed to vinyl for the first time in the history of the series, has been set, and Flagpole's got the scoop.

Given the obvious space restrictions of a vinyl record, it makes sense that the tracklist is down to 10 from last year's 16; more surprising, though, is that this year's edition—designed, per the press release, as a "cohesive rock collection"—is nearly devoid of AthFest-exclusive cuts.

Still, it's undoubtedly a solid list of songs. Along with cuts from New Madrid, Ruby the RabbitFoot, Family and Friends, Faster Circuits, Shade, Elf Power, Cicada Rhythm, Ghost Owl and Nicholas Mallis, the comp features "Rock Solid," a tune from Drive-By Truckers' recent digital-only Dragon Pants EP (a companion to the band's most recent full-length, English Oceans).

The album will officially be released June 17 via Ghostmeat, the local label that is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Online pre-sales start Apr. 15 at the AthFest site.

Tracklist after the jump.

By Gabe Vodicka | April 8, 2014
Watch a New Video from Cottonmouth, Playing Go Bar Wednesday

Blog: Homedrone

After the demise of the Birdhouse Collection, several acts associated with the volatile and experimental-minded musical collective either imploded or went silent. But there have been rumblings of rebirth of late, with goth-punk faves Muuy Biien dropping a stellar second LP later this month and garage-pop miscreants k i d s re-tooling their lineup and sound (yet again) and readying a new album, reportedly called Take Forever.

Cottonmouth, Jacob Deel's noise/beats/avant-pop/whatever project, is back, as well. Last week, Deel released the Skin EP, the precursor to an upcoming full-length titled Man-Cub. That's the cover art above; you can listen to the EP here. After the jump, check out a rather disturbing new music video for "Firce," the record's industrial-inspired opening track.

By Gabe Vodicka | April 8, 2014
Athens Power Rankings for the Week of Apr. 7

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 after the jump.

By Gabe Vodicka | April 7, 2014
New Earth Garden Party This Weekend

Blog: Homedrone

New Earth Music Hall (or New Earth Athens, depending which logo you trust) has quietly but continually reinvented itself throughout its existence, and the venue continutes to wear many hats: electro hotspot, jam-band base, Freekfest headquarters, etc. Many clubs in town claim to present a metaphorical rainbow of music; few actually do so as consistently.

New Earth has also undergone a physical transformation of late, turning from dingy concrete room to sleek, wood-paneled B corp. On Friday and Saturday, the venue will celebrate the official opening of its newly remodeled outdoor area and garden stage with a two-day "Garden Party" featuring 18 local and regional acts that run the gamut from folk to rock to reggae and beyond.

More after the jump.

By Gabe Vodicka | April 3, 2014
UPDATE: Indiegogo Campaign Set Up for Bren Mead

Blog: Homedrone

Bren Mead via Facebook

The news came in this morning that Bren Mead, a former Athenian known for his work with groups like Still Flyin' and Masters of the Hemisphere, suffered a serious fall while hiking alone in New Mexico, where he now lives, and is currently in critical condition at the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque.

Close friend Kimberly Drew relays a message from Mead's father, who says that his son is currently undergoing a lengthy surgical procedure to address several broken bones, as well as wounds to his shoulder and chest areas. Despite the seriousness of the injuries, family members say, Mead's internal organs are intact and doctors expect him to recover.

Flagpole's thoughts and prayers are with Mead and his family. We will update as the situation progresses.

By Gabe Vodicka | April 3, 2014
Watch a New Video from Four Eyes

Blog: Homedrone

Here's another visually striking, Matthew MacCarthy-directed music video from local pop group Four Eyes. This one's for "Feel Blue," the succinct opening track from the group's very nice new record, Our Insides. (See the clip for the sweetly savage title track here.)

By Gabe Vodicka | April 2, 2014