Chances are very good that if you're an incoming UGA student, this is the first issue of Flagpole you've seen. If that's the case, that also means this is the first Threats & Promises you've seen. So, let me explain what this is: Athens music news, and my opinion on that news. Sometimes it's snarky and snappish, but it's just as often, I think, gushing and generous. So, why make such a big deal about local bands? Who cares, right? Well, we do. And so do a lot of others. Thousands of you will pass through town and never even taste what I'm talking about, but there's a select several hundred who will participate in some capacity—be it fan, bandmember, etc. To you, I say: Welcome to Athens, y'all. This is the greatest place on Earth.

Doin' the Punk-n-Grind: Get Rad Skateshop is hosting a Punk Rock Party in support of the Skate Park of Athens. It takes place Sunday, Aug. 19; admission is free, but donations will be accepted. Please don't think it's cool to show up with zero bucks to something like this. Everyone knows who the freeloaders are, and do you really want to be known as one? It kicks off at 6 p.m., and featured bands include Karbomb, Burns Like Fire, Campaign, Thunderchief and Fisty. This is an all-ages event. Get Rad Skateshop is located on Gaines School Road near the corner of Lexington Road. In the words of Karbomb member Nick Fit, it's “in the shopping center with Sexy Suz…” Call 706-543-6368 for more information.

Marty Winkler

Local songwriter and vocalist Marty Winkler has some cool stuff happening after laying low for several months. She most recently composed the music for, and led the performance of said music, for the Town & Gown Players' production of Lysistrata. In other news, Winkler has some cool gigs lined up in the immediate future. First, she and her guitarist-in-arms Michael Steele will open for the legendary Loudon Wainwright III at the Melting Point on Aug. 24. After that, she's got a benefit show at the Lodge for the Loran Smith Center for Cancer Support and a benefit gig in Statham for battered women's shelter The Tree House. In October, the pair will travel up north for a handful of gigs in New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia. For more information, please see reverbnation.com/martywinkler.

Dancing and Leaping: There's a block party happening in the parking lot of Life Church of Athens (120 Ware St.) on Saturday, Aug. 18, from 3–6 p.m.. In addition to the usual hoo-ha of kids games, food and prizes, there's gonna be a big house band composed of members of local bands. Featured members are Scotty Piotrowski (The Jesters), Donny Whitehead (The Jesters), Randy Peterman (The Grains of Sand), Clarence Cameron (Big C & the Velvet Delta), Brent Blalock (New Sound of Numbers), Cody Stalvey (Tealvox) and Michael Meadow (Tealvox). Josh Wootton, formerly of Athens heavy-hitters Marriage, is the Minister of Discipleship and Outreach for the church and says, "We don’t always have live music, but myself and some others in the church have been involved with the Athens music scene over the years, so we like to incorporate musicians from the church and community as often as we can. We have had live bands in the Christmas parade for the last two years, and we are planning a 5K for the spring that will likely involve Athens musicians in some capacity." For more information, please see lifechurchofathens.com.

Tour Mentor: Patterson Hood will be on tour for most of the next few months in varying capacities. Some shows will be solo and some with The Downtown Rumblers—Drive-By Truckers members Jay Gonzalez and Brad Morgan, plus Jacob Morris of Moths. In a very cool move, Hood will take Hope for Agoldensummer on the road as his opening act Sept. 15 through Oct. 11, when the tour hits New York, Canada, Texas, the Midwest and some other spots. And before you ask, no, none of the shows will be anywhere near Athens. For more information and tickets, please see pattersonhood.com.

Press Eject and Give Me the Tape: The Music Business Program at UGA (AKA MBUS) is hosting another open call for musicians to submit a recording for consideration by the program's production class. The way it works is: artists submit a song, the class listens to all submissions and then picks its favorite. The class and artist schedule time—at no cost to the artist—at Chase Park Transduction studio, and lay down a recording. The hard-and-fast rules are that bands can submit only one song, must include a short description of their technical lineup (i.e., which instruments are played by how many members) and all submissions must be in by Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 3. Mail MP3s to program director David Barbe at [email protected]. In other news, MBUS has students available for internship placement this semester. Any and all music-related businesses in Athens are encouraged to contact associate program director Tom Lewis at [email protected]. Even if you've never had an intern before, you might want to consider contacting Lewis to see what's up. That's how you learn, people, by asking questions. So, ask 'em!