By David Courtright

Somehow this was my first experience at 529. I’ve seen the gory insides of most of the dive bars and music joints in this town, but for one reason or another, this was my maiden voyage into the cramped, smoky, and entirely magical world that is 529. As previously mentioned, Future Islands have made quite an impact on me. So it was nothing but a delight that my first experience at this place was with them.

Just before Future Islands’ set, which was preceded by a bizarre polka band, a rockin’ drums and vocals duo (tour-mates and old friends of Future Islands’, EAR PWR), and a Daft Punk-derived team of space cadets hurling glow sticks and samples into the crowd, I went to the bar for a pre-show cocktail. When I turned around, I came face-to-face with the charismatic and boy-eyed lead singer of Future Islands, Samuel Herring, who smiled wide and asked in a loud growl to fight the din, “How we feeling?”  Never better, I replied.

I stood front and center for the show. Just before beginning, Sam prepared by slapping himself over and over again on the chest – perhaps a preshow ritual, or perhaps his transformation from bubbly outgoing extrovert to fully entranced performer. Though I didn’t realize it at the time, he was entering into an entirely different persona – perhaps a more primal, more esoteric self. And I was, admittedly, intimidated – he looked like a silverback ready to charge. When the music started, the loud and distracting world fell away, and the music took control.

One would think that the intimacy and subtlety the band achieved on In Evening Air (the full-length album the band supports on this tour) was a resolutely studio affair, and that such a feeling would be difficult to recreate in a live setting. Herring has said that they are much more of a live band, and that recreating that in the studio was the most difficult part.  Turns out they can do both: Future Islands put on an effortlessly magnetic, truly awe-inspiring show.

The gravitas of lead singer Herring’s performance cannot be overstated. From the very beginning, his lyrics, which on tape are vulnerable while being simultaneously courageous, become explosive tirades. He enacts the hurt and longing of his songs, ducking and lunging into the meat of them, contorting his face and voice to reach inside them and bring forth a depth of meaning that surpasses the listener’s own relationship with the songs. He at once defines the songs as entirely his, while handing over the secret as to why they are also entirely yours. Before the end of the first song, he was drenched in sweat and the front two rows had been anointed with Future Island saliva. And we danced. Oh, how we danced.

The most meaningful part of the evening, aside from my mind being entirely blown by an underground and very exciting act, was the hour-long conversation I had with Sam after the show. I asked why an act like theirs, that seemed to be gathering steam very quickly, didn’t play somewhere like The EARL, somewhere more on the national radar. He said it was far more important to them to keep up relationships with the people that have made them who they are, to honor those who gave them the stage in the past, and in doing so, to grow slowly, person by person. For them success is something they are in no hurry of rushing towards without due merit. To paraphrase: we love what we do, we love who we are, and we want that seed to grow in the hearts of others, for them to come to us on their own terms. Here’s to that.

By Micah McLain

The She & Him show at the Atlanta Botanical Garden last Friday evening featured everything from gorgeous throwback pop music and vintage dresses, to dangerous weather and a drunken idiot in a moat. The show started off innocently enough, with The Chapin Sisters taking the stage under a foreboding, yet peaceful, sky. This peace was short-lived however, as the duo’s beautiful folk harmonies were soon overpowered by thunder and lightning that ultimately ended their set a mere one and a half songs into their performance. The crowd was forced to retreat to the buildings near the entrance of the Garden for over an hour while the severe storms passed through midtown.

After everyone rushed back to the lawn to claim new (and, in my case, greatly improved) seats in the now wet grass, Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward took the stage along with their band, including the Chapin Sisters. After making a few jokes about how getting struck by lightning would most definitely give them special powers and make for an improved show, Deschanel began playing the opening keys to Volume One’s “I Thought I Saw Your Face Today.” Although the speakers on the right side of the stage crackled and faded in and out during the first couple of songs, the band didn’t appear to be fazed in the least. Aside from the initial sound issues, Deschanel’s voice was impressively clear and powerful while M. Ward’s lead guitar set the pace all night.

To say that Deschanel is the most adorable performer that I’ve ever seen would be a vast understatement. When she wasn’t playing the keyboard or mandolin, she was hopping around on stage with a tambourine in a very child-like manner. Leading the audience through hits like Volume Two’s “In the Sun,” Deschanel displayed many of the qualities that have made her such a well-respected figure in the worlds of both film and music. Although the entire show was a blast, easily the most memorable part of the show took place after Ward and Deschanel had come back onto the stage alone for the beginning of their encore.

After leading off with a stripped-down version of “You Really Got a Hold on Me,” the duo led into the Beach Boys classic “Wouldn’t It Be Nice.” That’s when things really got interesting. Before She & Him could get to the second refrain, a man from the crowd jumped into the shallow moat that separated the audience from the stage and commenced to repeatedly splash everyone within several yards of the water. Ward and Deschanel pushed on as if nothing was happening for several minutes until Deschanel finally broke down and asked the man to get out of the water because she didn’t “want to see anyone get rough-housed.” He finally conceded and allowed the security personnel to drag him from the moat and off to the side of the stage but I doubt the guards kept Deschanel’s words in mind. Determined to not be upstaged by the wet hooligan, Ward ushered the full band back on stage before launching into a passionate, guitar-fueled cover of the Chuck Berry classic “Roll Over Beethoven.” Although Ward doesn’t get many chances to sing lead in She & Him, instead choosing to focus on his outstanding (and underrated) guitar work, he took full advantage of their final song to showcase his unique vocal style. With the entire crowd standing and singing along, She & Him sent everyone home on a musical high after a very eventful evening.

- It was a pretty rock ‘n’ roll weekend, with The EARL’s 11th anniversary and Ringo Starr on music fans’ to-rock lists, but Saturday night found us at the CW Midtown Music Complex, where Rooney played upstairs and a pretty darn loud Sleigh Bells played to a sold-out crowd down in Vinyl. There was definitely more to hear than to see, as the duo rocked out to a Metallica-meets-M.I.A. sound with a mostly-dark stage punctuated every now and then by a seizure-inducing strobe-light. With constant hands in the air, it was more of a party than a concert, and as evidenced by our comical pictures below, there wasn’t much of a view but it could be taken as a pretty darn cool sight.

- Swedish pop star Robyn got her new tracks “Dancing On My Own” and “Fembot” seriously mashed up with some AC/DC and Salt N Pepa (respectively). We love both versions, and though the two of them are perfect Saturday night tracks, they also might help you get through this difficult Monday morning. Idolator has the goods.

- The Selmanaires kindly released a free EP called An Animated Shadow, which sees the band getting even mellower and more experimental, but thankfully still listenable and terribly enjoyable. Lovely stuff. If Robyn’s dance hits aren’t quite your Monday morning material, then maybe something like this will help you ease into the week. Get it from their blog here.

- We’ve been hearing a fair bit about The Sound Table, the new restaurant-club project from the fine folks at TOP FLR. With a swanky space, interesting yet enjoyable food and DJs of national note, The Sound Table sounds like a welcome addition to the Old Fourth Ward. We look forward to hearing more about it and eating there soon!

- And lastly, in country-American-Idol-fancy-pants-stuff news, Carrie Underwood has managed to make us all a little jealous by getting married to hockey player Mike Fisher over the weekend. Here’s the jealous part: the ceremony took place at the Ritz-Carlton Reynolds Plantation by Lake Oconee, which is pretty lush. We’ll comfort ourselves by thinking about the oppressive heat and millions of mosquitoes that must have dogged the wedding party. Sigh. Reality TV Magazine has the scoop.

By Ellen Eldridge

Smith’s Olde Bar in Atlanta hosted its Independence Day celebration with $1 hot dogs, fresh off the grill, on the back patio in view of nearby fireworks demonstrations and, upstairs, a show by local band I.O.Z. As the opening act for Col. Bruce Hampton, listed as a “Phish After-Party,” one might expect I.O.Z to be a run-of-the-mill experimental jam band. Certainly, aspects of this eight-member band include a second percussionist and a mac-wielding lead guitarist, which lend themselves to an experimental feel, but I.O.Z was a pleasant surprise brimming with talented musicians who made for a fun evening among friends. Not only is the music truly enjoyable to listen and dance to, but it resonates with music professionals as praise worthy. From the bassist, Jonathan Lee, and dual drummers, Greg Perry on drumset and Jeffery Hunt on percussion, congas and even a washboard, to the delightful horn section complete with Jon Marett on tenor sax, Brad Belvin on baritone sax and Jack Rogers I.O.Z completes a talented band.

From the start of the show, which matched the first track of the self-titled release, “Sun,” fans familiar with the music understood the treat in store. Those new to I.O.Z. could feel instantly connected to the group smiling and having a blast playing. One look at the stage and anyone could understand just what it means to play music with a dedicated group of friends who not only appreciate but understand the dynamics of music including a building up and releasing of energy. This could be heard in the opening song around the fourth minute where Steven Senn’s vocals echoed, “Then you turn off the light,” trailed off into cymbal rolls and introduced Daniel Groover’s guitar riff which could have matched that from a pop-punk band. The following chorus exploded by the time the lyrics, “…don’t like it here/Find somewhere else to go/Any second now I know something’s got to blow.”

A good-time feel permeated the crowd with what could be described as a slow ska, or reggae groove driving the song “Figment,” which added the horn section to the stage. The album version of this song included the horns, but the energy and atmosphere of experiencing it live made all the difference. The audience seemed to open up even more after the brass took the stage and that vibe of freedom and celebration took hold. What made I.O.Z. worth the price of a ticket was the effortless combination of styles mixed into songs. The band performed six of the nine tracks on the self-titled album and closed with “Rahtikan Chant” and “Now.” From the electronic samples in the beginning of “Back At Me” to that island sensation emanating from “Figment,” I.O.Z entertained a musically diverse and fun-loving fanbase which is sure to grow with each show played to promote the album. Check out I.O.Z. at the band’s MySpace and see them live at The Five Spot in Atlanta on July 31.

By Ellen Eldridge

A look of expected yet hopeless acceptance appeared on the faces of fans who enjoyed an entertaining and prompt show by opening act Foxy Shazam only to wait nearly two hours for Hole to take the stage. Voices in the audience discussed the anticipated act, “I heard this was gonna be a train wreck” was answered with, “I believe Creative Loafing used that exact phrase in its Go section announcing the show.”

Click on Image to View Gallery

A general feeling of will this be worth it? hung across the half-filled Tabernacle like heavy smoke, but Courtney Love, the babe of the brand Hole, arrived onstage confessing, “I’m a little late” with a giddy expression and pouty lips. (More pictures below)

Her performance with the latest lineup of Hole at Atlanta’s Tabernacle made it easy to understand why some fans were severely disappointed and others enjoyed a show they had waited years to get a chance to see. Though her arrogance and unprofessionalism were scorned by some, others enjoyed a good show despite hoarse vocals and a short set. The band opened with “Pretty on the Inside” and rolled into a Rolling Stones cover of “Sympathy For The Devil.” Courtney seemed in genuine form as she smiled and waved to her adoring fans; people who may not have noticed she barely strummed her guitar and the band behind her deserved most of the musical credit.

Again, her distinct vocals and personality are what make Love a tabloid, if not household, name. Additional covers included Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer” which Courtney sang as if trying to punish Trent Reznor for some wrongdoing after introducing the song with, “We didn’t write this, but someone I slept with did.” The look of longing on Love’s face as she tousled her hair over her face and head gave the cover a bit more credit. Interestingly, Love dedicated “Letter To God” to “all ya’ll Baptists,” who had “better pay attention,” which may have struck some as odd because the song doesn’t appear to be much of an attack on any religion, but rather an honest cry for help.

Crowd favorites included “Violet,” “Asking For It” and “Someone Else’s Bed,” which Love gave new meaning to as she belted through her torn up throat to sing. She did complain to guitarist Micko Larkin that several of the songs on the setlist were “too throaty” and she “wouldn’t be able to sing in Miami,” but Love pressed on in the spirit of “Rock” and added a sentiment after the song, “I like this song; it’s literal.” For some, that sealed the fact that Love has little input to the songwriting process and she is merely a figurehead holding her drug-addled body up with the microphone stand. For others, the spirit and passion of a grunge rock queen shined through and held meaning. After a mere 90 minutes (approximately) and 18 songs, Hole closed the evening with “Never Go Hungry.”

By Micah McLain

The New Pornographers make the kind of blissful, energetic indie pop that is impossible to resist. The Canadian supergroup features Carl Newman, Neko Case and Destroyer’s Daniel Bejar and has only gotten stronger with each of five LPs released over the last 10 years. For this leg of their Together tour, the Pornographer’s brought along two great up-and-coming bands as openers. Although Seattle’s The Dutchess & the Duke played to a modest crowd thanks to the early slot, their ’60s-influenced guitar pop definitely impressed those fortunate enough to witness the performance. With a surprisingly aggressive live show, The Dodos’ percussion-based, xylophone-tinged, lo-fi rock displayed a band that is steadily gaining creative confidence.
The New Pornographers fan base has grown exponentially as a result of the band’s consistently fun live shows as well as the success of its individual member’s solo efforts. Upon taking the stage in front of the sold-out crowd, the group launched straight into Twin Cinema standout “Sing Me Spanish Techno” and didn’t let up for the next two hours. Although Newman is the de facto leader of the band, Case and Bejar definitely command the most attention, if only because they aren’t as heavily featured. They both seem to enjoy ceding the spotlight to Newman as Case looks like she jumped straight out of bed and into the spotlight while Bejar has the freedom to seemingly wander on and off the stage depending on whether he feels needed or not.

In addition to the comedic banter between songs that Newman and Case have become known for, the band played a set full of fan favorites spanning their entire catalog. Case showcased the majestic voice that has made her one of the most popular females in alt-country on Together’s “My Shepherd” with the powerful line “If I’m honest you come to mind, but baby I’m not.” Bejar took the lead for several of his self-penned contributions, allowing his laid-back writing style and super-casual lyrical delivery to carry songs including the newly-released “Silver Jenny Dollar” and the now classic “Myriad Harbour.” After an initial set that contained no less than 20 songs, the band took a short break before returning to the stage for their encore. Saving some of their most joyous and crowd-pleasing songs for last, the New Pornographers led everyone in attendance through the sing-along choruses of “Testament to Youth in Verse” and “Bleeding Heart Show,” leaving the stage as the crowd echoed the refrain of the latter’s “hey la hey la.”

By Jim Simpson, photo by Julia Simpson

Mary Gauthier (pronounced go-SHAY) has said that the best nights on stage involve losing herself in her songs, reaching that transcendent moment when she and the audience become one. This certainly happened at her show on Friday at Eddie’s Attic, when — with the crowd’s affirmation — she changed the final line in her song “The Orphan King” from “I still believe in love” to “We still believe in love.”

It’s wonderfully ironic that Gauthier, an orphan who spent the first year of her life in the St. Vincent’s Infants Home in New Orleans, has finally found herself by losing herself.

A slight technical glitch which forced her violinist from the stage for a few moments, gave way to an impromptu Q&A session while Mary strummed.

A notable “truth teller” compared to Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Patty Smith and John Prine, Gauthier chatted easily with fans who seemed very familiar with her music as she related the simple origins of her classic “Drag Queens In Limousines” as well as her connection to Taylor Swift — the song “Sideshow” from her latest record, The Foundling, was co-written with Nashville songwriter Liz Rose, who has also written with Miss Swift. Gauthier’s songs feature the brutal and gritty reality of dysfunction while entertaining the eternal light of hope and grace.

Backed by superb violinist and singer Tanya Elizabeth, Gauthier ran through highlights of her 13-year recording history including “Christmas in Paradise,” “Thanksgiving at the Prison” (“Sometimes love ain’t easy/I guess love ain’t free.”), “Last of the Hobo Kings” and “I Drink.” She then played several songs from The Foundling, an autobiographical “song cycle” that mirrors her own life as an orphan given up for adoption at birth (“A baby unwanted, unloved, and unblessed/Left on a doorstep, an unbidden guest.”). After spending the first year of her life in the New Orleans orphanage, she was adopted by a Baton Rouge couple with emotional and substance abuse problems of their own. At 15, Gauthier famously ran away, stealing the family sedan never to see her adoptive parents again. After a few aborted attempts at college and restaurant work, she started a successful New Orleans-style diner in Boston, which she later sold to finance her music career.

The Foundling, a concept album of sorts, follows this child from birth to adulthood, searching for and eventually tracking down her birth mother. The spoken-word “March 11, 1962” (Gauthier’s birth date) was a heartbreaking, lump-in-the-throat-inducing conversation between a daughter and the mother who wants nothing to do with her.

Gauthier told the Eddie’s Attic crowd “everyone has a story” and that her life was obviously affected by “the blues coming in through the window [of the orphanage] off Bourbon Street.” A Nashville resident now, she also gave a nod to the late Music City songwriting legend Harlan Howard who told her, “Every day above ground is a good day.” Gauthier is certainly making the most of her time. She came back onstage for a fitting encore of 2005’s “Mercy Now,” including a sliver of John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)”.

Pure and simple, this night showed a true artist at the height of her powers and in full command of her craft.

By Leila Regan-Porter

Living in a city full of rock ‘n’ roll bands and hip-hop stars, a music fan can quite forget that Atlanta has a rather fantastic (Grammy-winning) symphony orchestra. Last night I was lucky enough to have fantastic seats at the sold out, one-night encore performance of Verdi: Requiem. The night was a thrill from start to finish, beginning with the ominous warnings that the doors would be firmly closed at 8 p.m. with no one being let in after, and that the 84-minute piece would be performed straight through, with no interruption and no interval. No wonder the bathroom lines were a bit long.

The stage was set for the mammoth performance, with full orchestra and a 140-or-so-person chorus backing the four soloists (soprano Christine Brewer, mezzo-soprano Nancy Maultsby, tenor Dimitri Pittas and bass Burak Bilgili). That the huge collective had the ability of all playing together and sounding hushed and afraid, joyful and triumphant, or terrifyingly damned, speaks to the ability of every artist on the stage. Requiem is surely a tour de force for any group, and that Atlanta had such success the last performance that another one was demanded shows that we are a city of many talents.

Grammy-Award winning star Brewer naturally was stunning, though mezzo-soprano Maultsby shone with glorious tones expressing the words of Verdi like the impassioned prayer as the composer intended. Tenor Pittas and Bilgili were also captivating in their solos, storming through Verdi with the power of a thunderstorm.

The show easily brought the audience to its feet, blowing the roof off of the perfectly-molded Atlanta Symphony Hall.

We’re looking forward to more from the ASO this summer – especially the Chastain series, and especially the show with Liza Minnelli!

By Micah McLain

By Jim Simpson