Now this is what I'm talking about. What a slate of shows Athens has to offer this weekend ' nearly everything you could want from a rock city. Hip-hop, punk, metal and all the variations of good, old-fashioned rock 'n' roll are available as means to demolish your hearing by the time you're 30.
Having to choose between Southeast Engine and We March is not going to bother many people besides me. I don't see a lot of the same faces at both bands' shows, but to have to pass up one for the other is quite the conundrum. Here's the word on those shows and an infusion of some new blood into this column.
Dropdead Sons, Wheels On Fire, Untamed Pony; 10 tonight; The Union, 18 W. Union St. ' Let's make this quick: If you like rock music, there's nowhere else to be Thursday. Dropdead Sons, featuring the acclaimed guitar stylings and zany footwork of Chris Corbin will soak you in blood, sweat and beer. Rootsy rockers Wheels On Fire also will make a too-rare appearance, and noisy metal miscreants Untamed Pony will present one of the finest spectacles in town.
Southeast Engine, Joe Anderl and the Universal Walkers, Bram Riddlebarger; 10 p.m. Friday; The Union ' Reappearing for the first time in more than a month, Southeast Engine has not been lazy in the interim. Instead, the band ' whose holy trinity is Dylan, Tweedy and Oberst ' has taken its show from southeast Ohio to The Southeast, where it most likely won a new batch of devotees. This weekend also marks the beginning of recording sessions for a new album. They say it will come out in the fall, but these things always take three times as long as musicians think they will.
Speaking of new albums, Joe Anderl and the Universal Walkers will be in tow with their new release, Love and Media. I'm supposed to be getting a copy in the mail for review, but it isn't here yet, so I can't say how it sounds beyond what I already know: The violin-tinged acoustic quartet recorded live in the studio with minimal overdubs. So if you like what you hear Friday, you'd be wise to pick up a CD and relive the experience as many times as you like. Wailin' Elroy, former Dragline Brother and newly published author Bram Riddlebarger, will open the show with a solo performance, so showing up early is a must.
We March, The Terrible Twos, Schweinhunden, Nathan Brown; 10 p.m. Friday; O'Hooley's, 24 W. Union St. ' The loudest show of the week needs little explanation. We March is the best punk band in town and might be the best pure punk band in Ohio, though I'm probably not qualified to make that statement. Meanwhile, Detroit's Terrible Twos arrive with We March's full endorsement ' We March guitarist Curtis Frey has been raving about the Twos on online message boards all week. Add in speed freaks Schweinhunden, and you'll think someone dropped an atomic bomb on your spine. Not sure who this Nathan Brown fellow is, but supposedly he is from Texas and sings like Prince.
The Snails, The Billy Carter Band, Casual Future, Handstand; 10 p.m. Saturday; The Union ' And with that, I have officially promoted every show at The Union this weekend. But this one isn't the average Union show with the same old bands. Two newer acts will join those excellent Snails and Chicago's Billy Carter Band: indie folk practitioners Casual Future and dance punk upstarts Handstand. Casual Future has been playing together for several months, but rarely does the band, made up of familiar faces from the crowd at local shows, take the stage. It would be great if this show were the beginning of a more constant presence by the band.
Meanwhile, Handstand made its debut performance just last week at a house party. I can definitely see this group building up a following if they stick together for a while. Their sound is tailor-made to inspire a lot of hip swinging, toe tapping, head bobbing and perhaps the fish
if the spirit moves you. 17
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Chris DeVille
This weekend will be the G
