Recompas

Recompas is an experimental ambient band(?) that likes to use half-wave rectifiers to make neat tones and sounds.  Apparently they previously used laptops on stage, and it looks like they traded those for radio shack parts and angry handy-js.  Some of the tracks they have up on their myspace site are fantastic and certainly moody.  It will be interesting to see how close the live performance is to the recorded work.

Life at Sea

Also up that night is Chicago-slash-Atlanta based  Life at Sea.  Apparently, they are a group of leaves that hang out on a branch… because that’s the only picture on their myspace page.  These guys are less experimental, more ambient, and way more Chris Isaak.  The songs they have up are moody and will probably go well with darker coloured liquor– bourbon perhaps.  This should be a nice ambient change to the typical rocker loud night.  Not sure what the cover charge is (BANDS – IF YOU’RE READING THIS, ALWAYS PUT PRICE ON THE POSTER. SO ANNOYING TRYING TO PLAN THE NIGHT WHEN YOU’RE POOR), but 529 is known for being a little pricey at times so I’d expect anywhere from an $8 – $10 cover.  Anymore than that and just go get a drink at a bar.

The Judies

The Judies have a sound that is both unique and intriguing. Front man Warren Ullom has a voice that’s a blend between David Bowie, Brandon Flowers, and Kevin Barnes. Throwing in a blend of piano and hipster rock, they pull off a somewhat timeless sound.  That, and a dash of dramatic flair, is reason enough to see them live.

Modern Skirts

Taking the late spot is Modern Skirts.  This band is one of the biggest acts to come out of Athens in a long time.  Their sound continues to mature as the years go on and their performances get even better.  Smooth melodies and well written songs make them an instant favorite.  What started out more piano rock than anything has matured to a nice balance.  They are a must see.

Untied States

Sat. Oct 24th, ’09 Untied States is having their record release show at 529.  Earlier in the day they’re supposed to be playing at Criminal Records, but not sure if that’s going to happen or not.  This being the release show, and since they’ve been gaining some descent momentum over the last year, this should be a pretty good show.

Orphins

Also playing are Orphins, one of my top 15 favorite bands in Atlanta.  Their music is quite decent and they typically deliver a good show.  Plus they have a video for their song Devil Duck that is extremely awesome

Dignan - Their music is MUCH safer than this picture implies...

Dateline: Oct. 26th at the Drunken Unicorn. This pick is sort of an easy one for me. Take Indie Rock, add in electronics, and add in a Kinsey reference and you’ve got a recipe that piques my interest.   First up is Dignan – a band from McAllen, Texas. Typically I’d throw in a gay cowboy joke here, but it’s late and I’m tired.  Their sound is bordering on the safe side and comes off a little lullabyish, but that doesn’t always mean for a bad live show.  I’m willing to give them a chance…

I built my highschool sweetheart out of all these things!

Headlining the night is local Roswell act I Married My Highschool Sweetheart. While the name implies religious virgin, the music (at least on the surface) doesn’t seem to have any religious overtones.  From what’s available on the net the music is solid and melodic.  The lyrics appear to be a bit highschoolish, but that doesn’t always mean it’ll be a bad showing.

All in all it’ll be a safe night at the Drunken Unicorn, but it should be some good tunes. I’d say if you’re going to take a girl out on a first date and she digs music, this might be a good place to spend a Monday night.

My pal Drew and I piled up in the old mystery machine and headed to the Drunken Unicorn.  Sadly I read the flier wrong and we showed up about 40 minutes before the doors opened.  The only close by refuge was the gay bar at the top of the hill so we took shelter from the rain there.  I also got to see first hand that Drew is a gay/transient magnet… but that’s another story.

Soon after, the venue opened and the night commenced.  The first act was The Peppermint Confederacy. Their a folky rocky country type that (to be perfectly honest) just wasn’t my thing.  This is one of the occasions where a separate bar area can be useful.

Safe Word

Next up was Safe Word, who (mentioned previously) I was willing to give a chance to.   The show started and immediately I could hear that they definitely have potential.  There’s several things in the plus column: Chick lead who plays bass and guitar, fun interesting songs you wouldn’t expect a girl to sing about, youthful energy that they don’t even appear aware of.  (Protip: Playing the bass and singing lead is like counting by sevens while working at Denny’s… You can do it, but it sucks) The Negatives: The band could use some tightening up… This was the first show with their new drummer and it felt like they only got one practice in.  Also, their stage presence could use some work… pauses aren’t your friend when you’re on stage.  Over-all I was a bit disappointed with their showing, but I’m not giving up on them yet.

Mr. Gnome (not pictured: Nicole's ability to destroy worlds...)

Last up was Mr. Gnome, who up until this point I had heard only a little about.  I am going to write the next sentence with as much intensity as I possibly can.  Sweet Zombie Jesus. Mr. Gnome was, hands down, the greatest performance I have seen all year… and it’s October.  They are a two piece that made more sound than both bands combined before them.  Nicole Barille plays guitars and does the vocals while Sam Meister plays drums, keyboards, and the laptop… proving to me that he is a robot sent back in time to destroy every band they play with.  Nicole is a small unassuming girl who apparently got her Master’s degree from Hogwarts. She is some kind of dark wizard with a billion pedals which control every form of distortion pedal and tape delays known to man.

All nonsense aside, Mr. Gnome put on a spectacular performance with haunting tunes and pin-point accurate technique.  At one point Nicole pulls out the old tape-delay trick where you play one part, let it loop, then play another part of top of it.  I’ve seen other acts pull this off (The Rentals) but she pulled it off with such precision and sheer awesomeness that I turned to Drew and shouted “HOLY SHI…”.  The only down-side to their show was that there were only about 10 people in the room to hear them… But there was a LOT of competition in Atlanta that night.  The next time they play through Atlanta, I highly recommend them.

Faithless Town

On Wednesday Oct. 14th I saw that Faithless Town was playing on the main stage at Smith’s, so I decided to drop on by.  The night was a benefit fund raiser  for Emory students and doctors to visit Haiti and provide basic health services.  There were all sorts of art pieces and silent auction type deals in the back while the music played.

The night opened with a Hip-Hop act… which was a man rapping over his own CD… lyrics and all – not even a karaoke version of his stuff.  That’s just about as entertaining as it sounds.

Luckily that didn’t last too long and  Faithless Town was up soon after.  While Rock Country isn’t quite my style, front man Gene Owens does a fine job of blending enough Rock in to make it a very enjoyable show.

A recent addition to the band is Ania Lipowska; a violin toting, tambourine swinging, backup vocalist.  The high counter melodies give the music a 10,000 maniacs dynamic that is really impressive to hear.

Over all this was a great showing and it was for a great cause… making me not feel too bad about the $12 cover.

The Drunken Unicorn

OVERVIEW:

The Drunken Unicorn is probably my favorite venue in Atlanta.  It’s small, so forty people can look like a huge crowd, it’s dirty in a rock & roll way, and it’s got descent drink prices.  The cover at the door is decently priced for most of the shows and the bar has a unique look.

One thing you’ll notice right away about the Drunken Unicorn is that they don’t have a sign and can be hard to find.  They’re in Downtown Atlanta off of Ponce De Leon in the back half of what (a thousand years ago) used to be a parking deck.  Most people like to think of the Drunken Unicorn as the back half of MJQ Concourse which, while technically correct, can be a bit misleading. You can’t access The Drunken Unicorn from MJQ until late at night – and even then it’s after the bands have stopped playing.  Your best bet is to park in the parking lot (if you can find a spot) and then walk to the top of the hill.  There you will see some arena style steps descending to some double doors.  If you’re intoxicated these doors will look like the opening to the gates of hell… and on good nights, it is.

Another thing about the Drunken Unicorn is that the bar is separate from the stage.  You can take this either as good or bad, depending on if you’re the band or if you’re a patron.  Honestly, I like the fact that if a set comes up that’s not my style I can bail out to the next room and drown it out with alcohol.  As a band though, this can lead to people getting lost in the next room and never coming back.  If you’re an under-age band (or if your drummer is dating an underage girl) you can play all ages shows here (due to the separate bar area).  I personally hate all ages shows, and if you play them I probably won’t be there.

SOUND:

Try and remember that this is a converted parking deck.  Basically you’re in a concrete tomb with little air circulation and little to no noise dampening. Add in a powerful PA with a full back-line and you’ve got yourself some real noisy sound.  If you’re a band, monitor world can be pretty muddy even when mixed correctly, so make sure you’re band is tight.  If you don’t practice that much, or if you’re not that good, then you’re going to suck here.

On a plus side, the sound guys are typically johnny-on-the-spot and will do their best to fix any problems.  For best results, tip them before going on.

BOOKING:

The talent buyer’s name is Gavin.  For more details on how to get booked read their link here: http://thedrunkenunicorn.net/unicorn_details.html

Gavin is one of the more responsive talent buyers in Atlanta and is willing to give most bands a shot at proving themselves.  As with most places, if you’ve never played here before don’t start asking for Friday and Saturday night spots… that’s the quickest way to get ignored.  Look at their calendar (it’s usually up to date) and pick a spot 6 weeks out for a Mon – Wed night spot.  Also, it’s best to request a night with an already filled out bill.  So, find two other bands that are flexible and want to play, and request a hold on the night.

Once you get a night, go print up a thousand fliers and drop a stack off at the club a few weeks ahead of time.  Litter the streets, call all your friends, and bring some people out.  If you can’t bring 15 people on a Monday night, then you’re not ready for this venue.

Safe Word

Safe Word just popped up on my radar today. While their myspace page only has one demo posted (and the recording is god awful) it’s got potential and I’m willing to give them a chance live.

Helping make up your mind to go out to this show is Ohio-based Mr. Gnome. While I know you think Ohio sucks and there’s nothing good that can possibly come out of  Cleveland, Mr. Gnome has some very haunting vocals reminiscent of Ladytron, sans electro.

Mr. Gnome

While I know what you’re thinking, Oct. 15th is The Selmanaires and Atlas Sound at the Earl, this show is 10  bucks cheaper. It’s also at the Drunken Unicorn – my favorite venue. It’s small, dirty, cheap, and awesome.  I’ve both rocked the panties off, and had the panties rocked off of me at this venue. If you’re looking for a cheaper Thursday night, this might be the show for you.

Where: The Drunken Unicorn

When: Thurs. Oct. 15th

Cost: $5

The Selmanaires

Thursday Oct. 15th The Selmanaires will be kicking off a twenty date tour withAtlas Sound that stretches from coast to coast as well as Canada.  Atlas Sound is the solo act of Deerhunter’s front-man Bradford Cox.

Having seen The Selmanaires several times and Deerhunter a bunch, this should should be pretty descent… especially since this is the start of the tour, they’re not road-weary yet, and they’re in their hometown…

Atlas Sound

Yet, despite all I just said - the price is $15 bucks…  Don’t get me wrong, the Earl is a great venue with reasonable drink prices, but really? $15?  Say you want, but to take a date – there’s $30 right there before you’ve started drinking.  Let’s say your date is cheap and you can get away with only buying PBR Tall boys.  You’re still shelling out $20 after tip.  Let’s say she’s a hipster or artsy, then she may want something a little classier or tastier, making the drink total more like $40.

If price isn’t an issue for you, then this is an easy “Yes”.

Where: The Earl
When: Thurs. Oct 15th
Cost: $15