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

Blog posts by Gabe Vodicka, Editor

R.I.P. Buren Fowler, Drivin' N Cryin' Guitarist

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Shawn Evans

Buren Fowler, Drivin' N Cryin's lead guitarist from 1988–1993, passed away Saturday, according to a statement on the band's website. Fowler, an Athens resident, was also known for his association with R.E.M., having worked as Peter Buck's guitar technician and played guitar on two of that band's tours.

More after the jump.

By Gabe Vodicka | March 10, 2014
Win Tickets: Reptar Plays 40 Watt Club Saturday

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Jason Thrasher

Local party-pop outfit Reptar returns to an Athens stage for the first time in months tonight (Saturday, Mar. 8) at the 40 Watt, where the band will be supported by Space Trucks and Wild of Night. Wanna win a pair of tickets? Tell us in the comments after the jump why YOU deserve to go for free. We'll choose a winner today at 5 p.m.

By Gabe Vodicka | March 8, 2014
Win Tickets: Jonathan Richman Plays 40 Watt Friday

Blog: Homedrone

Legendary songwriter and former Modern Lovers frontman Jonathan Richman plays the 40 Watt Club tonight (Friday, Mar. 7), 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 today at 5 p.m.

By Gabe Vodicka | March 7, 2014
Watch Drive-By Truckers' Jay Gonzalez Play His 'Acoustic Keytar'

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Jason Thrasher

Local musician Jay Gonzalez is a multi-talented fella—this much we know from his 2012 album Mess of Happiness, a headstrong blend of '70s AM Gold and rainbow-hued psych-pop, not to mention his instrument-swapping work with the Drive-By Truckers.

But who knew he would take it this far? In the video after the jump, you can watch Gonzalez play "Dios te Bendiga," Mess' striking instrumental closer, on what he calls his "acoustic keytar": a Casio keyboard attached to an acoustic guitar. Dude pulls it off beautifully, of course.

By Gabe Vodicka | March 7, 2014
Watch a New Video from Don Chambers

Blog: Homedrone

Local songwriter Don Chambers has a new album coming out Apr. 1. Chambers describes Disquietude as "the ugly bastard companion" to last year's A Sudden Loss of Elevation, which was a stripped-down acoustic affair (check out the Flagpole premiere of "Three Steps Down," a plaintive tune from that album, here).

Chambers has delved into more experimental territory in general of late, working with Lucas Kane on a noise/drone project, The 19th Brood (Kane contributes to the new record, as does the Olivia Tremor Control's Eric Harris and longtime collaborator John Barner), so it's unsurprising that Disquietude's first single, "Which One is Worse," is more mysterious than his recent solo work.

Watch the video after the jump.

By Gabe Vodicka | March 6, 2014
Flagpole Premieres!: Ruby the RabbitFoot, 'The Shelf'

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Lindsay Chmura

Folks who only know local songstress Ruby Kendrick—a.k.a. Ruby the RabbitFoot—from her 2012 debut, No Weight No Chain, will no doubt be surprised by New as Dew, the songwriter's upcoming Normaltown Records release, which displays a marked degree of maturity compared to its predecessor.

Back in January, we shared a taste of the new album in "Ways," the record's first single and video. Now, we're happy to premiere "The Shelf," the melodic, energetic second track fromNew as Dew. The song features a trenchant lyrical turn and a killer chorus that calls to mind the best of '90s alt-pop, and serves as a prime example of Kendrick's creative metamorphosis.

Stream it after the jump.

By Gabe Vodicka | March 5, 2014
Win Tickets: NRBQ Plays Melting Point for Mardi Gras

Blog: Homedrone

Legendary genre-hopping party band NRBQ plays the Melting Point tomorrow (Tuesday, Mar. 4) for a Fat Tuesday party, 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 Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.

By Gabe Vodicka | March 3, 2014
Here Are the 2014 Athens Business Rocks Winners

Blog: Homedrone

By Gabe Vodicka | March 3, 2014
Braves Seeking Bands to Play at 2014 Home Games

Blog: Homedrone

Here's a weird opportunity for local bands (with an added bonus for those who love baseball): The Cobb Atlanta Braves are looking for area groups to play Turner Field following select 2014 home games.

More info after the jump.

By Gabe Vodicka | February 28, 2014
Hear a Song From Sam Sniper's Upcoming Album

Blog: Homedrone

Local alt-country outfit Sam Sniper is gearing up to release its sophomore LP, Throwing Rocks, next month. After the jump, you can get an early taste of the album, which singer and guitarist Andrew Klein describes as "a lot more grungy" than the band's debut, We're Not Coming Back This Way. "Something to Say" is a serviceable mid-tempo number that displays some definite '90s alt-rock tendencies.

By Gabe Vodicka | February 28, 2014
Athens Power Rankings for the Week of Feb. 24

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 | February 24, 2014
Neutral Milk Hotel, Drive-By Truckers, Washed Out to Play Bonnaroo

Blog: Homedrone

In case you missed it, the Bonnaroo lineup was announced earlier this week, and it includes three Athens-based bands in Neutral Milk Hotel, Drive-By Truckers and Washed Out. (Oh, hey! You can read recent Flagpole features on all those groups here, here and here.)

More info after the jump.

By Gabe Vodicka | February 21, 2014
Hear the New LP from Little Gold, Playing Friday at Little Kings

Blog: Homedrone

Little Gold, the sorta-country Athens-based folk-rock project helmed by former Woods member Christian DeRoeck, unexpectedly posted a brand new LP, Spectral Sight, to its Bandcamp page earlier this week. The album, which the group describes as "a breakup record, a road trip record and a cautionary tale about the perils of messing with witches," features contributions from Erin Lovett, Mat Lewis, Lucas Jensen and more. Also, it's really good. You can stream it after the jump.

By Gabe Vodicka | February 21, 2014
Tonight in Athens: Water Liars, Leo J.

Blog: Homedrone

Water Liars

Tonight at Normaltown Hall, Mississippi folk-rockers Water Liars return to perform tunes from their stellar new self-titled LP, which is out on Fat Possum this month. The arid songscapes of the group's previous outing, Wyoming, have been replaced with a full-band bombast that serves to elevate frontman Justin Kinkel-Schuster's bleak, desperate songwriting. Stream "I Want Blood" after the jump.

By Gabe Vodicka | February 19, 2014
Flagpole Premieres!: Katër Mass, 'Brain Dead'

Blog: Homedrone

Katër Mass is set to release Circles, the follow-up to its 2012 debut [kaht-ur mahs], later this month via Added Warmth/Pizza Tomb. The album's 11 tracks will delight fans of the sneakily melodic strain of post-hardcore that emerged from the East Coast in the mid-'90s; Katër Mass' urgent, emotionally resonant brand of punk rock has more than a little bit in common with that of genre linchpins like Hot Water Music and Rise Against. In the local band's case, it's all offset by a gleefully goofy attitude that peeks through at unexpected moments but never distracts from the mission at hand.

After the jump, check out an exclusive stream of "Brain Dead," the first track from Circles, which was recorded by Mike Albanese at local studio Espresso Machine and mastered by sound wizard Joel Hatstat. As an added bonus for longtime Flagpole readers, the song features the (unwitting and angry) vocal talents of a certain music columnist.

By Gabe Vodicka | February 18, 2014
Will Johnson Plays Athens Living Room Show Tuesday

Blog: Homedrone

Will Johnson

Centro-matic frontman Will Johnson returns to Athens for a Living Room Show next Tuesday, Feb. 18, and you're in luck, Chuck: Tickets are still available via Undertow.

More after the jump.

By Gabe Vodicka | February 14, 2014
Here's Video of a Guy Playing Drums on a Sled During the Icepocalypse

Blog: Homedrone

By Gabe Vodicka | February 14, 2014
Photos: Southern Fried Championship Wrestling

Blog: Culture Briefs

The Southern Fried Championship Wrestling series returns to Monroe this Saturday for an event that's being dubbed "Valentine's Vendetta." (Read our feature story.) After the jump, check out a selection of photos from last month's event courtesy of Ali Phillips Photography.

By Gabe Vodicka | February 12, 2014
What Are Your Favorite Snow Day Songs?

Blog: Homedrone

Since we're all stuck inside for the next 36 hours and probably beyond that, we might as well listen to some good tunes together. Feel free to post YouTube links to your favorite snow-day/ice-storm songs in the comments after the jump. We'll choose our favorites throughout the storm and throw 'em in our video playlist.

By Gabe Vodicka | February 11, 2014
Athens Power Rankings for the Week of Feb. 10

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 | February 10, 2014