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

Blog posts by Gabe Vodicka, Editor

The Spectacular Now Opens in L.A. and NYC, Athens Screenings Set for Aug. 6

Blog: Culture Briefs

The Spectacular Now

After winning big at Sundance earlier this year, Athens native James Ponsoldt's coming-of-age tale The Spectacular Now is set to open in Los Angeles and New York City this Friday.

Shot entirely in Athens, the movie stars Shailene Woodley (The Descendents) and Kyle Chandler ("Friday Night Lights"), among others, and tells the story of an improbable teen romance. The film is already garnering rave reviews from influential critics, like New York Magazine's David Edelstein and The New Yorker's David Denby.

By Gabe Vodicka | July 29, 2013
R.I.P. Birdhouse Collection

Blog: Homedrone

It's better to burn out… Well, you know the rest. Word has come down from several members of local musicians' collective the Birdhouse Collection (read our recent feature story on the group) that the group has all but dissolved. The Birdhouse Bandcamp page features a message that reads, "The end. The music that is here will stay, new music will be elsewhere. This is not abandonment, it is progression."

But, according to some members of the collective, the dissolution is less amicable than that statement would seem to indicate.

By Gabe Vodicka | July 25, 2013
Flagpole Wants Your Food Porn

Blog: Grub Notes

First, a thing I just learned: Do not ever Google image search "food porn" while at work.

Second: Flagpole wants your food porn!

Specifically, we're looking for Instagrammed shots of your late-night local eats for possible inclusion in an upcoming issue. Chowin' down on a JB dog? Wolfin' some Waffle House? Shoving some Streets Cafe down your throat? Snap a photo of it before you start. (Or after you finish.) Throw a Mayfair filter (or, y'know, whatever) on that shit and tag it #FlagpoleFoodPorn. (Be sure to note where the photo was taken.)

Alternately, you can email photos to [email protected]. All submissions should be sent by Tuesday, Aug. 6. So, get to eatin'!

By Gabe Vodicka | July 25, 2013
Watch MTV's Athens-Based Web Pilot

Blog: Homedrone

Remember when all those MTV cameras were filming you a few months ago? Turns out it was for a new web series—for the media giant's new MTV Other venture—called "This is the Place." The pilot episode, set in Athens, was posted today. Watch it below.

By Gabe Vodicka | July 25, 2013
Pitchfork Fest in Review: R. Kelly, Yo La Tengo, M.I.A. and More

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Leif Johnson

R. Kelly

First, a confession: I skipped out on the first several hours of Sunday's P4K schedule to catch the Braves/White Sox game down at Comiskey Park U.S. Cellular Field. So, that meant no Killer Mike, no El-P and, most importantly, no Killer Mike + El-P. Bummed though I was to miss the Run the Jewels fun, at least I managed to catch some quality Braves baseball. Wait, did I say quality? I meant nine hits and only one run. I did see some drunk bros ironically Tomahawk Chopping, so that was something.

By Gabe Vodicka | July 22, 2013
Pitchfork Fest in Review: Savages, Swans, The Breeders and More

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Leif Johnson

Savages

Uh. Still hot. And no breeze today. I entered Union Park to the sweet sounds of Phosphorescent, who were finishing up their Muchacho-heavy Green Stage set (later, I would find former MTV veejay John Norris interviewing former Athenian Matthew Houck by the media tent—livin'!), but the first full set of the day came courtesy of Austin rockers …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, who tore through the classics ("Another Morning Stoner") and some new material, which sounded punker and more aggressive than the group's most recent work. "Who wants to fucking mosh?" asked guitarist Jason Reece, before adding, wryly, "Not me." A certain youthful spark may have been lost since Trail of Dead's early, more destructive days, but their rock and roll heart remains.

By Gabe Vodicka | July 20, 2013
Pitchfork Fest in Review: Bjork

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Leif Johnson

On Friday, Bjork conjured the storm. Before her headlining set was cut short due to approaching weather (the crowd groaned, but 10 minutes later everyone was drenched), she put on a career-spanning show, the indisputable highlight of a day that had already seen some pretty amazing action. Dressed like some strange lightning rod and with her amazing Tesla coil synth on hand, the Icelandic singer and her choir of backup singers/dancers made their way through a set that included tunes from 1997's Homogenic ("Joga," "Hunter") and last year's Biophilia.

By Gabe Vodicka | July 20, 2013
Pitchfork Fest in Review: Mac DeMarco, Angel Olsen, Trash Talk and More

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Leif Johnson

Angel Olsen

Jesus Criminy, it's hot. Daughn Gibson noted as much in his 3:30 p.m. red stage slot. "It is hotter than a two-peckered goat today," he intoned in his wry baritone. Sweatily, a slowly growing crowd agreed. The singer's loop-based country tunes became meatier, more rocking versions of themselves courtesy of his on-point backing band, and Gibson's stage presence was a thing to behold, even in the sweltering afternoon sun.

By Gabe Vodicka | July 19, 2013
Mama's Love Releases New Single

Blog: Homedrone

Hot off a win at the 2013 Flagpole Athens Music Awards for Best Jam Band, laid-back local dudes Mama's Love have released a new single. "Beyond the Divide" seems to be intended as a sort of continuation of the band's 2012 full-length, The Great Divide; that phrase recurs throughout the new tune.

The song, which was produced by local luminary John Keane, can be found on iTunes. It's a perfectly serviceable slice of feel-good sunshine-rock that runs nearly eight minutes and features a couple bitchin' guitar solos. You know, the youje.

Mama's Love has a pretty full summer schedule, but doesn't play locally until Saturday, Aug. 17 at New Earth Music Hall. That gig is being sponsored by a local manufacturer of smoking accessories. The headiness never stops.

By Gabe Vodicka | July 16, 2013
Here's a Little Taste of the New Elf Power Album

Blog: Homedrone

We reported back in May that Elf Power's upcoming album, Sunlight on the Moon (see the floweriffic album art above), would harken back to the group's more shambolic psych-folk days of yore, and judging by the just-released title track, that looks to be true.

By Gabe Vodicka | July 15, 2013
Flagpole Heads to Pitchfork Fest This Weekend

Blog: Homedrone

Bjork

Despite recent local weather patterns that would seem to counterindicate this fact, it is, indeed, the middle of summer out there. And summer, as we all know, means festival season. This weekend, July 19-21, Flagpole will head up to the positively balmy burg of Chicago, IL to bear witness to the seventh annual iteration of one of the most consistently consistent summer fests in recent history: the Pitchfork Music Festival.

By Gabe Vodicka | July 15, 2013
New York Times Profiles Athens' 'Downtown Renaissance'

Blog: Culture Briefs

Photo Credit: The New York Times

The World Famous

In the slim chance it's not the only thing on your Facebook timeline right now, we thought we'd alert you to this new New York Times travel feature titled, "In Athens, Ga., a Downtown Renaissance."

The six-frame slideshow cites several local businesses—including The World Famous, Community and The Branded Butcher—as evidence of Athens' cultural uprising. The town "feels like your favorite, secret neighborhood, where iconic locales dovetail with new and resurrected music spaces, boutiques, lounges and restaurants," reads the intro.

By Gabe Vodicka | July 12, 2013
Peter Buck to Play Solo at 40 Watt

Blog: Homedrone

Peter Buck

If Mike Mills can do it, I reckon Peter Buck can too. The 40 Watt Club has announced that on Thursday, Nov. 14, the R.E.M. six-stringer will perform solo alongside Drivin' N' Cryin' axeman Kevn Kinney and his Roamin' Countrymen band. The concert is being billed as a "Special Community Show."

By Gabe Vodicka | July 11, 2013
Here's the First Single From of Montreal's New Album

Blog: Homedrone

The new album from local psych-pop shapeshifters of Montreal is due out Oct. 8 via Polyvinyl (preorder the record on kool green vinyl here). It's called lousy with sylvianbriar (all lowercase), and you can view the cover art above.

Below, stream the record's first single. "fugitive air" (again with the lowercase) is a lower-fi affair than most recent oM, harkening back to the group's early 4-track days. In fact, the press release reports that the new album was recorded on 24-track tape with local engineer Drew Vandenberg.

By Gabe Vodicka | July 10, 2013
Herb Guthrie Memorial Service Planned for July 20

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Stefan Eberhard

Herb Guthrie

The memorial service for local musician Herb Guthrie, who passed away last month while in Uganda on a mission trip, has been scheduled for Saturday, July 20 at Redeemer Presbyterian Church (165 Pulaski St.). Here's the official announcement:

By Gabe Vodicka | July 9, 2013
Watch The Humms' 'Sleepy' New Video

Blog: Homedrone

Here's a hypnotic new clip from the garage-psych freax over in the HUMMS camp.

By Gabe Vodicka | July 9, 2013
Patterson Hood, Nancy Denson, Spencer Frye, Others Talk Mayonnaise

Blog: Culture Briefs

In this promo video for the upcoming Tomatoes at Terrapin fundraiser, the local brewery's annual benefit for the Athens Nurses Clinic—you can eat tomato sandwiches and drink beer while supporting a good cause and who doesn't like all those things—local celebrities debate the merits of mayonnaise.

By Gabe Vodicka | July 9, 2013
Watch a Psychedelic New Pretty Bird Video

Blog: Homedrone

Here's a trippy new clip from recent Flagpole Athens Music Award winners Pretty Bird. The low-budget, high-impact video, for the song "in a tin hut," from the group's ambitious recent release HOUSE, is a shrouded, psychedelic affair.

By Gabe Vodicka | July 8, 2013
Upcoming in Athens: Kurt Vile, Bill Callahan, Deerhunter, Father John Misty and More

Blog: Homedrone

Photo Credit: Hanly Banks

Bill Callahan

What's enigmatic songsmith Bill Callahan hiding behind that pussycat smile? Find out when he plays the 40 Watt this September. Below, get the details on that gig and a slew of other notable shows happening in Athens over the coming few months:

By Gabe Vodicka | July 8, 2013
Fourth of July, I Mean Star-Spangled Classic, Canceled

Blog: In the Loop

Nope.

First my barbecue, and now this? Another day of bummer summer weather, another holiday casualty. This just in from ACC:

By Gabe Vodicka | July 3, 2013