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

Blog posts by Gabe Vodicka, Editor

Whet Your Appetite for Destruction with ESPN's UGA-Clemson Trailer

Blog: Culture Briefs

Destruction of the Clemson Tigers, that is. AMIRITE?

Some of us over here on Foundry Street are pretty damn pumped for this Saturday's Georgia-Clemson matchup. To further fan the flames of our fandom, ESPN has been playing the commercial below as a trailer of sorts for the game.

By Gabe Vodicka | August 26, 2013
Watch a New Chris Ezelle Video

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Josie Ballard Ezelle

Chris Ezelle

Local singer-songwriter Chris Ezelle's record Monticello was one of the coolest surprises of this past spring, a somewhat experimental take on Americana that explored the murkiest corners of Southern folk and blues music.

Back in March, we premiered the video for "The Loveless Cafe," a "weirdly eerie" song whose visual accompaniment was similarly unsettling. Below, watch another Monticello clip. This one's for "As Far As the Gas Can Go," a snail-paced dirge from the album. It's a highly surreal, black-and-white affair.

By Gabe Vodicka | August 26, 2013
New Music Dump: Easter Island, Rene LeConte, Franco Funicello

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Tobin Russell Brogunier

Easter Island

Here's a new-music dump for your hump day listening pleasure. Below, stream recordings from post-rockers Easter Island, no-fi popster Rene LeConte and indie eccentrics Franco Funicello.

By Gabe Vodicka | August 21, 2013
Read Patterson Hood's Gripping Essay on 'The New(er) South'

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Maria Ives

Patterson Hood

My beloved punk rock showed me a way to blend both things and rebel against the more oppressive forces of my hometown's religious conservative mores. Unfortunately, my coming of age coincided with the Muscle Shoals R&B scene ending, or at least losing its worldwide relevance. I got to the door just as it was slamming shut, and my punk rock leanings did nothing to endear me to my father's peers and associates, most of whom thought I was a spoiled, ungrateful, disrespectful prick.

—From "The New(er) South," an essay penned by Drive-By Truckers' frontman Patterson Hood for new webzine The Bitter Southerner.

By Gabe Vodicka | August 20, 2013
Enter to Win a Pretty Awesome 'Weekend in Athens, GA'

Blog: Culture Briefs

Neutral Milk Hotel

If you've been dreaming of a staycation, it doesn't get much better than the prize at the heart of Nuçi's Space's 2013 Rock 'N' Raffle. Along with two tickets to the very sold-out Neutral Milk Hotel show at the 40 Watt Club on Thursday, Oct. 24, the winner will receive a pair of tickets to see J. Roddy Walston and the Business at the Georgia Theatre that Friday and a pair of tix for Father John Misty at that same venue the following night.

Wowee! But that's not all.

By Gabe Vodicka | August 20, 2013
This is Not a Drill: Television to Play Athens Nov. 7

Blog: Homedrone

Well, ain't this a thing to beat all things. Just when we thought the 40 Watt had nailed down the best fall lineup in town, the Georgia Theatre goes and pulls a fast one. On Thursday, Nov. 7, legendary NYC post-punk outfit Television will perform in Athens as one of only three North American shows—the band's first set of U.S. dates since 2007. (Three-quarters of the band's original lineup are still intact; the group is now minus guitarist/songwriter Richard Lloyd.)

Tickets go on sale this Friday, Aug. 23 at 10 a.m. via the Georgia Theatre site. Listen to the band's landmark 1977 record Marquee Moon in its entirety below.

By Gabe Vodicka | August 20, 2013
AthFest Educates Announces Fall 2013 Mini-Grant Recipients

Blog: Culture Briefs

Today, AthFest Educates announced the recipients of its fall 2013 mini-grants. As we reported last month, the local nonprofit had encouraged schools and other organizaitons to apply for the grants, which range from $250-$1,000 and are meant to help fund music and arts education efforts in Athens.

The fall 2013 recipients are listed below. Exact dollar amounts weren't made available, but AthFest Educates says it awarded over $15,000 total.

By Gabe Vodicka | August 19, 2013
Watch Scab Queen's Vaporous 'Wind Torn' Video

Blog: Homedrone

Local sound artist Michael Lauden has been on a tear with his Scab Queen project of late, releasing two pretty remarkable EPs, Brags and Bodies, in as many months (read Flagpole's dual review). Today, Lauden sent over the link to a video for "Wind Torn," a two-part Bodies track that recalls early Animal Collective in all its looping, pastoral, psychedelic glory.

Watch:

By Gabe Vodicka | August 19, 2013
Athens Power Rankings for the Week of Aug. 19

Blog: In the Loop

Independent Baking Co.

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 | August 19, 2013
Patterson Hood Contributes Track to Slim Dunlap Benefit 7-Inch

Blog: Homedrone

The Songs for Slim 7-inch project is an ongoing series of releases meant to benefit Slim Dunlap, the former Replacements guitarist who suffered a massive stroke last year and "will likely need around-the-clock care for the rest of his life," according to the SFS site.

The singles, which are sold via auction only, feature artists covering various tunes from Dunlap's expansive catalog. Lucinda Williams, Frank Black, Steve Earle, Jakob Dylan and the newly reunited 'Mats themselves have all contributed songs to the project (view all the releases here).

Today, the bidding begins on the latest installment in the series, the A-side of which is our own Patterson Hood, who covered Dunlap's "Hate This Town" with his Downtown Mystic Rumblers band. Stream a clip from the tune below:

By Gabe Vodicka | August 15, 2013
Listen: of Montreal Gets Garage-y With 'She Ain't Speakin' Now'

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Kevin Barnes

Back in July we gave you a taste of what to expect from Lousy With Sylvianbriar, the upcoming LP from local pop freaks of Montreal. "Fugitive Air" featured a more raucous vibe than we've come to expect from the group, which has taken a turn towards disco-flavored glitter-pop in recent years.

"She Ain't Speakin' Now," another track from the new album, is even more straightforward in its '60s garage-rawk vibes. From the press release:

By Gabe Vodicka | August 14, 2013
Ciné Reaches Kickstarter Goal, Will Evolve Digitally

Blog: Culture Briefs

Last night, beloved local arthouse theater Ciné surpassed its $60,000 goal on Kickstarter, where it had solicited donations to help with the purchase of two new digital projectors, which it requires to continue showing 35mm film. Crazy how that works, ain't it?

As of this writing, the project has exceeded its goal by almost $600. But don't let that stop you from joining the digital evolution if you haven't already. From the Cine website:

By Gabe Vodicka | August 14, 2013
R.E.M. Might Release Box Set of Fan Club Singles

Blog: Homedrone

A bit of (semi-) tantalizing R.E.M. news (kinda) courtesy of the BBC: Guitarist Peter Buck (who's playing the 40 Watt Club on Thursday, Nov. 14) told the British news service that the group plans to release a box set compiling all its fan-club-only 7-inch singles, which it released each year from 1988 to 2011.

Well, maybe. The article quotes the noncommittal musician as saying:

"There were like 24 of them, which makes about 50 songs," said Buck. "We'll put them in a big box set for charity one day."

So. "One day." That could mean, like, any day from here to eternity. WHY DO YOU OBFUSCATE SO, BUCK?

By Gabe Vodicka | August 13, 2013
Oh Hey, Here's Another New Elf Power Tune

Blog: Homedrone

A few weeks ago, we posted the first single from Elf Power's upcoming album Sunlight on the Moon (pictured left). Like prismatic drops of water through a leaky, psychedelic roof, the songs keep coming. NPR recently premiered "A Grey Cloth Covering My Face," a typically fuzz-happy Elfsters tune, on its "All Songs Considered" program (along with a dub version of a new Bill Callahan tune, which is just the weirdest and greatest thing).

Check out NPR's premiere of "A Grey Cloth Covering My Face" here. Alternately, you can stream it via Team Clermont.

Sunlight on the Moon is out Oct. 1 via Orange Twin. Elf Power plays the 40 Watt on Tuesday, Oct. 22 (opening for Neutral Milk Hotel) and again on Saturday, Nov. 16 (opening for Deerhunter).

By Gabe Vodicka | August 7, 2013
Wuxtry's Sidecar to Sell Discount Vinyl Starting This Weekend

Blog: Homedrone

The storefront on the northwest corner of Clayton Street and College Avenue downtown was once home to Wuxtry Records, until the record store moved into the larger space next door in 1989. Most recently, the former location served as an eat-in area for Ike and Jane's nearby stand. Now, Wuxtry is again reclaiming the teensy space (the store housed its used-CD selection there for a brief stint), reopening it as a spot to buy bargain-priced used vinyl.

By Gabe Vodicka | August 7, 2013
Athens Power Rankings for the Week of Aug. 5, 2013

Blog: In the Loop

1. 40 Watt Club (Last Week: N/A)

We thought the venue's upcoming schedule couldn't get any more impressive (Kurt Vile, Deerhunter, Neutral Milk Hotel and Bill Callahan are set to grace its stage this fall). But the 40 Watt continues to add on: Waxahatchee, Blitzen Trapper, of Montreal and Thurston Moore's Chelsea Light Moving have all been announced over the past week or so. The club gets serious bonus points for rebounding after last year's underwhelming fall season.

By Gabe Vodicka | August 5, 2013
Q&A With Spectacular Now Director James Ponsoldt

Blog: Culture Briefs

James Ponsoldt

The Spectacular Now, which opens today in L.A. and New York, is not Athens native James Ponsoldt's first feature-length film (it's his third, following 2006's Off the Black and last year's Smashed) but it's by far his most personal. Set in Ponsoldt's hometown, and shot here last summer, the movie documents a budding high-school relationship. But it's no breezy teen rom-com, having already earned rave reviews from outlets like The New Yorker.

By Gabe Vodicka | August 2, 2013
Washed Out's Ernest Greene Shows off Athens Home Studio

Blog: Homedrone

In this just-released installment of the Creators Project video series, Ernest Greene (pictured above) of synthpop outfit Washed Out describes the instrumentation and processes behind his upcoming album Paracosm, out Aug. 12 via Sub Pop. In the video, Greene, who is newly relocated to Athens, shows off his home studio and also visits Atlanta's Tree Sound for a chat with owner Paul Diaz.

Watch after the jump:

By Gabe Vodicka | August 1, 2013
Neutral Milk Hotel to Tour Everywhere, Forever

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Will Westbrook

Today, the totally reunited members of Neutral Milk Hotel were all, "Listen guys, not only are we gonna tour this fall—a jaunt that includes three way-sold-out Athens shows, two in Atlanta and a stop at Asheville's Mountain Oasis festival—but we'll continue to tour 'til the mothafuckin' wheels fall off."

And then Jeff Mangum added, "We're gonna keep this train a-movin' through the cold, cold winter, playing everywhere and anywhere in the United States of America and Canadia, forever. That's on top of our already-announced series of dates ALL OVER THE WORLD. OMG."

By Gabe Vodicka | July 31, 2013
(UPDATED with Casper & the Cookies Tribute) Remembering Bill Doss: One Year Later

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Eric Harris

One year ago today, we got the word that Bill Doss had passed away. Shortly after, we sent out a call for tributes and remembrances, and were immediately flooded with stories from those who knew Doss best. Read those here.

By Gabe Vodicka | July 31, 2013