Blog Topic: Live Reviews
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Homedrone: Bruce Hornsby Live in 2014: A Point-Counterpoint Review
Bruce Hornsby does not give a fuck about your nostalgia.
Bruce Hornsby played the Georgia Theatre Monday night. Two Flagpole correspondents were there, and offer their takes below.
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Homedrone: AthFest in Review: Five Eight, Drivin' N Cryin'
There may not be a better up-the-gut rock band in Athens than Five Eight. Having been around for two-plus decades, the band remains as tight as ever, offering up chunky riffs behind Mike Mantione’s manic songwriting. After blasting out of the gate with “Magnetic Fields,” from Five Eight’s eponymously titled album, the band roared through a few songs from their forthcoming release. “Palace Estates” sounded especially refined, due in no small part to the guitar chops of Sean Dunn and the low end being held down by bassist Dan Horowitz.
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Homedrone: AthFest in Review: Breakfast of Champions, Tia Madre, David Dondero
For the second year in a row, the Breakfast of Champions day party, hosted by New West and Normaltown Records, was a real hit. Word must’ve gotten around that free tacos and beer were being slung, because there was a sizeable crowd in attendance as long as I was present.
After accompanying the always endearing Ruby Kendrick for a few songs, Christian Lee Hutson brought what he called his “parade of bummer hits” about growing up, getting sober, and things going terribly wrong. Something of an amalgam between Mark Oliver Everett of Eels and Hank Williams, Hutson’s croon was especially exceptionally palpable on his heartbreaker tune “No Apologies Please.”
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Homedrone: AthFest in Review: IATWTC, The Powder Room, Cinemechanica and More
The Georgia Theatre rooftop was a great place to start the evening again, this time in a more intimate show with Sehrmann. An eclectic rock group that formed in Athens in January and is led by Gresham Cash (who performed previously as Gresham’s Disco and Cedar Waxwing), the band creates a dance-y synthesis of indie, psychedelic, grunge and folk. Standing in the front row, the mix sounded noisier than usual, masking Cash’s voice at times. Back by the rooftop bar, I gleefully found the mix that I was more familiar with and stayed there for the rest of the set.
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Homedrone: AthFest in Review: Dirty Athens, Birdhouse Collection and More
From the thick smell of dude-sweat to the garbage water that leaked all over my shoes halfway through Ruby the Rabbitfoot’s set, Caledonia’s fourth annual Dirty Athens day party lived up to its name.
Co Co ri Co was the first big highlight of the day, with a catchy-as-hell, fun performance. I suspect those who were disappointed by Reptar’s main stage set on Friday (and by all accounts, that seems to be a lot of people) would have appreciated this performance a lot more. Judging by the crowd’s positive reaction, this is the kind of avant-garde dance-rock people are looking for out of Athens right now.
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Homedrone: AthFest in Review: murk daddy flex, David Barbe and More
Although their sound at the Theatre was bassier than usual, Roadkill Ghost Choir ripped through a set of songs culled from their forthcoming LP, In Tongues, due later this summer. The band managed to produce dark sounds with a ton of reverb with the help of Dead Confederate keysman John Watkins. Roadkill also offered a stripped down (but still electric) cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m on Fire,” from Born in the USA. I unabashedly love that song, and while Roadkill’s cover was passable, it was still just too bright for the room.
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Homedrone: AthFest in Review: Timmy and the Tumblers, Spoils, The Woodgrains and More
The post-work Friday evening start to AthFest always brings out an interesting mix of office workers, undergraduates back in town for the weekend and scowling townies looking for the next best place to down a beer. When I finally made it downtown to Pulaski Street a bit before 9 p.m., I poked my head into a packed Flicker Bar and saw no familiar faces other than a few favorite bartenders preparing themselves for the next hour of serving as the “Reptar sidebar.”
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Homedrone: AthFest in Review: Muuy Biien, Family and Friends, Reptar and More
It was exceptionally hot late Friday afternoon as Dana Swimmer kicked into their set on the Hull Street Stage. The energy was definitely dialed down from the group's usual level, and perhaps we can blame the humidity for that. Regardless, Dana Swimmer did what they do best: craft a solid set of sunny, spacey pop-rock. The crowd was less than enthusiastic, but the band provided plenty of energy. Even singer Jack Blauvelt felt inclined to grab a wireless microphone and run into the crowd to sing.
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Homedrone: Live Review: The Jesters' Farewell Show at Georgia Theatre
Photo Credit: Richard Piotrowski
The Jesters filled the stage at The Georgia Theatre Friday night without Harold Williams but with his son, Ben, and other friends.
The Jesters sold out the the Georgia Theatre Friday night, May 30, and they filled up the stage in their farewell performance after 50 years of bringing musical delight to their fans, many of whom have been with them since high school. The show raised a phenomenal $41,000, according to Jester Donny Whitehead, who spearheaded the effort. Proceeds go to fellow Jester Harold Williams, the popular musician/CPA debilitated by a paralyzing fall in November.
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Homedrone: Shaky Knees Fest in Review
For more photos, click here.
Friday, May 9
I arrived just in time to catch the last 30 minutes of The Whigs pound out a raucous set on the Ponce de Leon stage. “The Particular,” from their new record, Modern Creation, sounded especially sweet. It may have been mid-afternoon when the band rounded out its set, but a couple thousand fans doing the Tomahawk Chop in unison made it feel like a typical show at the 40 Watt. After the set, I caught up with the band to discuss their recent performanceon "The Late Show with David Letterman." Regarding the host's complimentary remarks about Athens, the group expressed humility. “We try to be good ambassadors to our hometown,” said Tim Deaux. Julian Dorio agreed: “We may be in Nashville now, but if Letterman says we’re from Athens, we’ll take it.” [DM]
I didn’t do a thorough investigation, but I’m willing to bet Charles Bradley was the oldest performer at Shaky Knees this year. Lucky for those posted up in front of the Ponce de Leon Stage, he was also one of the more impressive acts on the first day. Bradley and his band, The Extraordinares, don’t simply recall the iconic '60s and '70s soul acts; Bradley has a groove that is undeniably his own. [DM]
Dropkick Murphys broke through with "I'm Shipping Up to Boston," the emphatic, Celtic-tinged tune that scored The Departed and has been co-opted by many a film and television production since. The group's hooliganish steez is largely unchanged since its scrappy Warped Tour days, though it's become a decidedly more professional outfit; the band's heretical take on "Amazing Grace," complete with screeching bagpipes, cut through the muggy festival air with an odd sort of grace. [GV]
More below.
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