Do You Realize We Don't Have a State Rock Song?

After weeks of controversy, the Flaming Lips' "Do You Realize??"will be the official rock song of Oklahoma. The psychedelic rock trio beat out The All-American Rejects, Leon Russell and the Call in an Internet competition a few months ago. Though a good handful of the Sooner citizens and the state house of representatives were against it, Governor Brad Henry stuck by the band and is scheduled to sign the executive order tomorrow. I'll admit, that song is amazing but what does it have to do with Oklahoma? (other than the fact that the band is from Oklahoma City). According to http://www.legis.state.ga.us, Georgia's official state song is "Georgia on My Mind." BUT what's Georgia's official rock song? Perhaps a little ditty by R.E.M.? Widespread Panic? If you could pick Georgia's official rock song, what would you choose?  

-Kristen Lee

Currently listening to "The City" by Joe Purdy

This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contact  HYPERLINK "mailto:editorial@athensblur.com" editorial@athensblur.com

Vampire Weekend + Ra Ra Riot = Discovery

There’s buzz swirling around about a side project of Rostam Batmanglij from Vampire Weekend and Wes Miles from Ra Ra Riot called Discovery. The one song that is out, entitled “Orange Shirt” is a super synth-electro R&B mix. I like the line “I promise to leave before your mother wakes up in the morning.” Check it out for yourself here. Thoughts?

-Lindsey Lee

Currently listening to: “Orange Shirt” by Discovery

This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contact editorial@athensblur.com

1,000th Facebook friend gets a free t-shirt!

Want a free Blur t-shirt? That's easy. Just become our friend on Facebook!

1,000th friend gets a free Athens Blur shirt! Hurry! 12 spots to go!

Artist of the Day: Randall Bramblett Band

Randall Bramblett is a local-legend in Athens, having graced the stage with Widespread Panic, The Allman Brothers, Steve Winwood and Deep Purple. Not only does Randall have true musical talent, he’s a great guy to be around. Since being with his new band, the Randall Bramblett Band, there has been a growing fan appreciate for the true talents these men have. It’s true Americana rock, but there’s a soul intertwined that can be matched by very few, as Randall and company continue to portray amazing songwriting skills and unequivocal playing abilities. According to Chuck Leavell, who has played with the Rolling Stones and the Allman Brothers, “Randall is in my opinion the most gifted and talented southern singer-songwriter musicians of the past decades.” Each musician in the band is a gifted producer and musician, a conglomerate that sums up to excellence. Be sure to check Randall out this Friday at the Melting Point, as he will be playing with old friend, Chuck Leavell. The show starts around 9 and tickets at $100-$150.

Who’s Who: Randall Bramblett (vocals, guitar, sax), Davis Causey (guitar), Mike Hines (guitar), Mike Steele (bass), Gerry Hansen (drums)
Formed: 2005 in Athens, GA.
Label: New West Records
Latest Release: Now It’s Tomorrow (2008)
Website: www.myspace.com/randallbramblettband

--Will Hackett

This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contacteditorial@athensblur.com

Picks of the Week

Monday, April 27th

1st Annual Athens’ Bar and Restaurant Battle of the Bands Benefit for Nuci’s Space and Athens Area Emergency Food Bank

Bands in competition:
Peppered with Rubbish (The Grit)
The Fist Mitts (The Grit)
Bjorn (Georgia Theater)
Pencilthin Reefer Band (Caledonia Lounge)
Tasty Boyz (Tasty World)
High and Inside (Max Canada)
Magnum Force (40 Watt)
Baby Blues and Baby Birds (Speakeasy)
Wild Cherry (The Last Resort)
The Maverick Mitchell Band (Trappeze)

Band order to be determined by lottery drawing on the night of the competition
Attendees are also asked to bring a box of cereal to help out with the Athens Area Emergency Food Bank
The event is also co-sponsored by Terrapin Brewing Co.

Doors at 9 pm, $5/$7 for under 21

Tuesday, April 28th

Steve Kimock Crazy Engine with Zach Deputy

Steve Kimock is on the road with his new venture, Steve Kimock Crazy Engine. With a new direction in mind, Crazy Engine is an unforseen Steve Kimock project .It mashes rock and roll, rhythm and blues, gospel and soul together. The repertoire will include Kimock classics as well as an fresh array of covers and fresh material. The long-awaited development will also feature Melvin Seals, best known for his work with the Jerry Garcia Band. The polished new line up also includes the rhythm section of Janis Wallin on bass (Family Groove Company) and Kimock's own son, John Morgan Kimock on drums. Rounding out the group, with their soulful crooning, are "The Girls" on vocals, featuring Cheryl Rucker and Shirley Starks.

The Georgia Theater— Doors at 8pm, $20

Wednesday, April 29th

Robert Randolph and the Family Band with Black Joe Lewis

By partnering up with Colorblind, Randolph and the Family Band have transitioned from not only being powerful performing artists, but also excellent recording artists. Having surfaced from a House of God church in Orange, New Jersey marked in the “sacred steel” tradition, Randolph’s immaculate pedal steel playing has been a avant-garde force. Randolph, like a fortunate few in the past, has defined and redefined the possibilities of his instrument. Randolph’s mastery is the base of the Family Band’s legendary live appearances, and led to guest spots with artists ranging from the Blind Boys of Alabama to Ozzy Osbourne.
The Georgia Theater—Doors at 9 pm, $20 in adv./$25 DOS

Thursday, April 30th

Incredible Sandwich
Jango Monkey

The Incredible Sandwich is currently recording a five-song EP (their first) at the Green Room in Athens. “The Sandwich,” as called by fans, fuses Latin, jazz, funk and rock and they have been compared to the improvisations of Phish, the Grateful Dead and the Steve Kimock Band. Their strong live performances have generated quite a buzz across town and with each show; their fan base continues to grow.

Jango Monkey plays sly original jam rock in the classic style of Phish and moe., with comparative hinges to Pink Floyd, Beck, and the Beatles. The band formed in 2004 in Atlanta, and consists of members of the now-defunct Atlanta jam band, the Tone Mutts. Musically the emphasis is on strong songwriting, complete with lyrics, hooks, and melody but with room for open improvisational jams.

Caledonia Lounge—Doors at 10 pm, $5 (+21)/$7 (18-20)

Friday, May 1st

Gift Horse
Arizona
Russian Spy Camera

Gift Horse relishes in the fact that it incorporates the stigma of our recent rock legends. It's a combination of detailed concentration, cheerful respect and constructive criticism that surrounds Gift Horse's music...the album incorporates organ, chimes and space-filling reverb that will be sure to take listeners back to the day of rock lore and re-establish the sound we all frantically, whether consciously or unconsciously, seek.

With their recent release, Glowing B Bird Sides, Arizona has continued along with their weirdness, which is paying off with a strong fan base. With influences ranging from Chinese instruments to rainbow socks, the members of Arizona aren’t afraid to push the boundaries. They pull off the laudable mix of both relaxing and exciting the listener with their harmonized melodies and constructive lyrics. Alex, Ben, James and Nick will be sure to satisfy.

Russian Spy Camera continues down the edifice of quirky and weird that Athens has come to greatly appreciate… and for good reason. With comparables to of Montreal and the B-52’s, how can one not like what Russian Spy Camera is doing right now? With funky bass lines and confusing guitar riffs that explain their music, it’s hard not to love RSC.

Caledonia Lounge—Doors at 10 pm, $6 (+21)/$8 (18-20)

-Will Hackett
“1348” by Umphrey’s McGee

This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contact editorial@athensblur.com

Facebook Opens Site to Service Developments

Facebook is set to announce plans that will allow third-party companies to develop a core part of the site—being the “news feed” that users see upon first logging in. This will affect the site in a couple of ways. From the business side, the operation may prove risky if large portions of the sites 200 million users begin to prefer the developments from the third-parties, instead of facebook.com. There is an upside however; as facebook has been under scrutiny about how tightly they control the interface and design of their website. Additionally, upon acceptance of the user, information that appears on facebook can be extended to more companies and even other social networks. This could mean big things for the music world, as more people will begin to be able to access information about any promotion going on. So poke wisely my friends, as you might actually jab a CEO right in the ribs.

--Will Hackett
“I’ve Got Friends” by Manchester Orchestra

This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contact editorial@athensblur.com

While You Were Drinking: Weekend Buzz Highlights

While you were enjoying the nice weekend weather, the music world was still moving. So for those of us who aren’t hooked to RSS feeds as if they were an IV, here’s the CliffsNotes of what’s been up in music news.

Leighton Meester got a record deal
She’s famous for being Blair on the hit show “Gossip Girl”, and she guest starred a couple times on “Entourage,” but Meester is no one-trick pony. She just signed with Universal Republic and her album is out due in the fall.

Franz Ferdinand plans to release a dub album
The Scottish band is going to release a dub album June 1. Entitled Blood, the record will remix the songs from their January release, Tonight:Franz Ferdinand. Okay, so I can’t really imagine what this is going to sound like, but I must say, I’m intrigued.

Evan Rachel Wood is joining the cast of “True Blood”
Marilyn Manson’s ex will appear in the last two episodes of the upcoming season of “True Blood,” HBO’s vampire series that is campy, sexy and well, weird. Though the acting is, at times, laughable, the show is a true guilty pleasure. And, it’s not a stretch to imagine Evan Rachel Wood as a vamp, she’s got the pale skin and the creepy allure. I’ll tune in.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are coming back to the big screen...again
If you were disappointed by the last TMNT flop, a live-action movie is slated to come out in 2011. But, considering the director was in charge of such gems as Superman Returns and 10,000 BC, I’m not holding my breath.

-Lindsey Lee
Currently listening to: “Betterman” by John Butler Trio
This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contact editorial@athensblur.com

Selling out: Pumpkins style

Selling out. It’s understandable but still cringe-worthy, and sometimes downright inexcusable. Recently, John Mayer took his song “Say” to undreamt heights of sappiness by licensing it to Hallmark, and now Billy Corgan has pimped out the Smashing Pumpkin’s song “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” to promote pay-per-view wrestling. This one doesn’t past the cereal test…

-Julie McCollum

Listening to: “I Just Wanted To Be Your Friend” by My Morning Jacket

This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contact editorial@athensblur.com

Dylan, Nelson and Mellencamp to Rock American Ballparks This Summer

Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp will share the stage during a 22-date U.S. Summer tour of minor league baseball parks starting July 2 at the GCS Ballpark in Sauget, Ill., wrapping it all up in Stockton, Calif. at the Banner Island Ballpark on August 15. Tickets go on sale May 2 (most at $67.50) at select ballpark box offices and through ticketmaster.com. Sadly, there won't be any dates near Athens, but perhaps Bob will change his mind? Or we could all just caravan to Durham, NC on July 28 where the three legendary musicians will be playing at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Road trip anyone? 

-Kristen Lee

Currently listening to "Got Me" by She & Him

This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contact  HYPERLINK "mailto:editorial@athensblur.com" editorial@athensblur.com

Nickelback Performs Through the Storms Last Night

I admit I have never been a fervent fan of Nickelback. I enjoy a few songs I have heard on the radio, like “Rockstar” and “Far Away”, but I was never inspired to go out and actually buy an album. So when a friend got us tickets to the show last night, I was a little disinclined to go.

When we arrived at Lakewood Amphitheater, rain was pouring and puddles were forming. We were caught in an isolated thunder storm. The lightening was so close, ticket holders not already in the venue were asked to turn around and wait in their cars for the storm to dissipate. As the rain tapered off, we headed through the gates and to our seats (which, thankfully, were in the covered seating section and not far from the stage).

We missed the opening acts and were sitting only a few minutes before Nickelback was to perform. The explosives that went off right before the band came out jolted me to my feet. I was impressed right from the first few chords. This band sounded amazing live. I thought for a minute they were lip synching because the sound was so good but once lead singer Chad Kroeger addressed the audience after the first song, I knew I was wrong.

The lighting was superior at Lakewood, which really helped emphasize the performance throughout the night. I don’t remember much of the bassist or other guitarist. The drummer had an impressive solo and Kroeger proved himself a comedian in between songs but the highlight for me during the show was when Shaun Morgan from Seether came onstage to perform an incredible cover of Filter’s “Hey Man, Nice Shot”. Despite the foul weather and not knowing many songs, I still had a blast and rocked the night away. Overall, I highly recommend seeing Nickelback next time they roll though Georgia.

-Nicole Black

Rating: 3.5/5

Currently listening to: "Sometime Around Midnight" by The Airborne Toxic Event

This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contact editorial@athensblur.com

Artist of the Day: Silversun Pickups

Combine the sounds of Smashing Pumpkins, Sweet, Sonic Youth,Velvet Underground and Elliott Smith and you get Silversun Pickups. SSPU got started in the Silver Lake area of L.A., as did Elliott Smith and Rilo Kiley, playing in clubs like the Silverlake Lounge and Spaceland. After playing in friend's bands and playing a few gigs together, band members Brian Aubery, Nikki Monninger, Joe Lester and Christopher Guanlao, finally got together in 2000. The band originally chose A Couple Of Couples as their brand; however, as a tribute to their humble beginnings, they settled on Silversun Pickups. They lived at Sunset and Silverlake Boulevards, near the Silverlake Lounge with a liquor store across the street--the inspiration for the band's name. With the release of the Pikul EP, SSPU found a following. The first album, Carnavas, found success, and the follow up album, the recently released Swoon, has met a lot of positive criticism with the first single, "Panic Switch." The album is sick--contrasting quieter songs with songs that are relentlessly loud, heavy guitars with a quiet acoustic sound, and hushed singing with ruthless rocking. Check out their single on www. silversunpickups.com.

Band: Brian Aubert (guitar, vocals), Nikki Monninger (bass, vocals), Chris Guanlao (drums), Joe Lester (keys)

Formed: 2000 in L.A.

Label: Dangerbird

Most Recent Album: Swoon (2009)

Website: www.silversunpickups.com

-Erica Schwartz

Currently listening to "Panic Switch" by SSPU

This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contacteditorial@athensblur.com

Top 5 Reasons We Can't Get Enough of Zooey Deschanel

1. Her unforgettable sardonic, deadpan roles in old favorites like, "Almost Famous" and "Elf."

2. Her parents named her after the male protagonist in J.D. Salinger's novella, Franny & Zooey. How cool is that?

3. The new Cotton (fabric of our lives) commercials star Zooey and her sweet vocals. She somehow makes wearing cotton look like the coolest thing in the world. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJFutyUrllo

4. Her musical collaboration with M. Ward called She & Him is on my iTunes Most Played and it should be on yours too. http://www.myspace.com/sheandhim

5. I saw a preview of her new movie "(500) Days of Summer," an official pick of the Sundance Film Festival, in theaters July 17 and I can't stop thinking about it. Watch the preview here.

http://www.foxsearchlight.com/500daysofsummer/

-Kristen Lee

Currently listening to "You Really Got A Hold On Me" by She & Him

This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contact HYPERLINK "mailto:editorial@athensblur.com" editorial@athensblur.com

Weekend Picks

Fri., April 24

Jazz Festival

downtown on College Ave.

FREE

In conjunction with Twilight, there will be a free jazz festival going on from noon-10:30 p.m. Performers include artists from the UGA Jazz Department in addition to Mark MAxwell, Classic City Jazz and Jazz Guardians. At the end of the day, the musicians will head over to Cine for a jam session.

Athens Americana 2009

Little Kings Shuffle Club

6 p.m. to 2 a.m.

$6

 This annual festival features local bands that specialize in country, folk, bluegrass and Americana. Plus, Little Kings is an awesome spot to hang out, and they will have stages inside and outside. 

Betsy Franck

w/ Bearfoot Hookers

Tasty World

Doors open 10 p.m.

$5

 Betsy Franck imparts a bluesy soul to classic Southern rock. The result is a great show that is appealing to all oratory palates.

Sat. April 25

Twilight Criterium

downtown

7:45 p.m. Women’s Pro Criterium

8:45 p.m. Men’s Pro Criterium

FREE

 An Athens spring tradition, the annual bike race features events happening all day. There is a 5K run, kids race and the jazz festival continues on the College Ave. stage.  Then, at night, star cyclists from all over the world will speed around downtown under the streetlights. 

Bambara, Futurebirds, The Interns

40 Watt

Doors at 10 p.m.

$5 for 21+, $7 for 18+

These young Athens bands may not be well-known...yet, but they are seriously awesome.  Take my word for it, you will not regret catching this show. These guys are the real deal, and you absolutely must go. Expect rock with a folk edge.

-Lindsey Lee

Currently listening to: “Milk” by Kings of Leon

This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contact editorial@athensblur.com

 

Concert Review: Manchester Orchestra

Wednesday, April 22 at 40 Watt

Manchester Orchestra stopped in Athens last night for their second night on tour in support of their brand new album, Mean Everything To Nothing and blew away the jam-packed crowd at 40 Watt. The band's diverse tracks from the screamy singalong, "Shake It Out" to the slow and catchy, "I Can Feel A Hot One," made for a rollercoaster ride of a show. 

The Atlanta-based quartet began with their already well-known song,"I've Got Friends," setting up for what would be one of the best shows I have seen at 40 Watt this year. Through every song, Manchester's energy radiated from the stage and all the way out onto Washington Street.

Considering the album just dropped on Tuesday, everyone sang along like everything they played was an old favorite. Guitarist and lead vocalist, Andy Hull proved to be quite funny in between songs, at one point thanking everyone for illegally downloading their album earlier today. He sympathized saying he watched season three of "Friday Night Lights" without actually buying it and is just happy people like their music. But really people, this album is worth your 10 or 12 bucks. 

Manchester ended the set with a sleepy song, but Hull came back to play "Sleeper 1972" and "I Can Feel A Hot One" that satisfied fans and put them into a sleepy state (hey, some of us had class this morning). Here's a clip of Manchester Orchestra singing "Sleeper 1972" at 40 Watt last night. Enjoy!

-Kristen Lee

Currently listening to "The Only One" by Manchester Orchestra

This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contact  HYPERLINK "mailto:editorial@athensblur.com" editorial@athensblur.com

Artist of the Day: Andrew Bird

To say Andrew Bird knows music is an understatement. At four years old, he picked up his first violin in Chicago, Illinois for what would become one of his many Suzuki style music lessons. From then on, he began soaking up classical music completely by ear and spent his teenage years exploring Hungarian Gypsy music, early jazz, country blues, South Indian music and more. After graduating from Northwestern with a bachelors degree in violin performance, he self-released Music of Hair on his own label Bowl of Fire. He went on to spit out a few more respectable albums and this past January his fifth solo effort, Noble Beast was born. The classically-driven folk album has received high praise from the critics for Bird's ability to string together all these different sounds (violin, guitar, glockenspiel, and freakishly good whistling) along with strange, incoherent lyrics to make something quite beautiful and ear pleasing. He's a little bit of Bright Eyes with an indie feel like Sufjan Stevens, never leaving behind his classical roots. It's safe to say that Andrew Bird is the coolest dork in Folk right now, and you should be listening to him. Check out "Oh No" on Bird's myspace.
http://www.myspace.com/andrewbird

Andrew Bird will be playing in Atlanta at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on June 15. And if your one of the lucky kids going to Lollapalooza in Chicago this August, you're in for a treat as Bird will be gracing his hometown stage. 

Andrew Bird
Who's Who: Andrew Bird ( violin, guitar, glockenspiel, whistling, vocals)
Formed: 1996 in Chicago, Illinois
Label: Fat Possum
Latest Release: Noble Beast (2009)
On the Web: www.andrewbird.net

-Kristen Lee
Currently listening to "Anonanimal" by Andrew Bird

This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contact HYPERLINK "mailto:editorial@athensblur.com" editorial@athensblur.com

Ian Dury Biopic Stars Gollum

http://s662.photobucket.com/albums/uu345/Athensblur/?action=view¤t=ian_dury.jpg

In an upcoming Ian Dury biopic, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, a stacked cast promises a movie that's actually worth $10. Lord of the Ring's Andy Serkis, aka the creepy, ghoulish Gollum, is set to take on the lead role in the movie. Other cast members slated to play in the biopic: Ray Winstone, Mackenzie Crook, Olivia Williams, Toby Jones, Noel Clarke and Naomie Harris. Harris is set to play Dury's girlfriend while Winstone will play the father. The movie will hit theaters next year, so keep your eyes out for this movie. It should be a pretty neat flick.

-Erica Schwartz
Currently listening to "Not One, But Two" by Now, Now Every Children


This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contact editorial@athensblur.com

Blazed and Confused: Snoop, Slightly Stoopid, Stephen Marley

Dates have officially been announced for the summer’s Blazed and Confused Tour (subtle), featuring Slightly Stoopid, Snoop Dogg, and Stephen Marley. The tour will kick off in Primm, NV and hit 17 other spots across the country in 30 days. The heady trio will be at the Masquerade Music Park in Atlanta on July 30. Pre-sale tickets for most of the shows are on sale now at Slightly Stoopid’s site (http://www.slightlystoopid.com). Here’s all of the dates for those of you who will be heading outside of state lines for the summer:

7/10 - Star Of The Desert Arena Primm, NV
7/11 - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Irvine, CA
7/12 - Santa Barbara Bowl Santa Barbara, CA
7/14 - Journal Pavilion Albuquerque, NM
7/15 - Red Rocks Amphitheatre Morrison, CO
7/17 - Amphitheater At Clark County Portland, OR
7/18 - The Gorge Amphitheatre George, WA
7/19 - Idaho Center Amphitheatre Boise, ID
7/20 - USANA Amphitheatre West Valley City, UT
7/22 - Pacific Coliseum Vancouver, BC
7/24 - Shorleline Amphitheatre Mountain View, CA
7/25 - Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre Chula Vista, CA
7/30 - Masquerade Music Park Atlanta, GA
7/31 - Viony Park Saint Petersburg, FL
8/5 - Merriweather Post Pavilion Columbia, MD
8/6 - PNC Bank Arts Center Holmdel, NJ
8/7 - Festival Pier At Penn's Landing Philadelphia, PA
8/8 - Comcast Center Mansfield, MA

-Julie McCollum

Listening to: “West Savannah” by Outkast

This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contact editorial@athensblur.com

Cannes Film Festival 2009 line-up announced

The Cannes Film Festival just announced their 2009 line-up.  It’s probably the best-known film festival globally, and winning an award at Cannes puts movies you might never see on the map.  (Think “Persepolis” and “The Class”)

The festival is notorious for its loyal love affairs with previous festival winners and 2009 is no different, featuring entries from former Palme d’Or winners Quentin Tarantino, Lars Von Trier and Jane Campion.

This year’s main competition includes Tarantino’s “Inglorious Bastards,” Von Trier’s horror film “Antichrist,” and Terry Gilliam’s “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus,” which stars the late Heath Ledger in the last role he played before his death.  The festival will also feature two biopics: “Bright Star,” directed by Campion, which tells the story of John Keats and Ang Lee’s “Taking Woodstock” that tells the story of concert organizer Eliot Tiber.  And, of course Cannes features several of the weirdest foreign films you can imagine.

For a full list of films in competition, visit the festival’s website, here.

Outside the class and grace of the main competition, Cannes is a debauched beach business trip where million dollar deals go down on cocktail napkins, and everyone hawking something, be it a script, short or just themselves.  The festival opens May 13, with the Disney/Pixar film “Up.”

-Lindsey Lee

Currently listening to: “A Falling Through” by Ray LaMontagne

This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contact editorial@athensblur.com

Naked wizard gets tasered at Coachella

After a man strips off his wizard robes, three cops at Coachella attempted to coerce him into putting them back on saying, "I'll tell you what. You can have a great time -- but you can have an even better time if you put your clothes on...Can I get them for you?" The wizard refused, and the taser came out…

Warning: this video contains nudity, and not the good kind…

Naked Wizard Tased By Reality from Tracy Anderson on Vimeo.

-Julie McCollum

Listening to: “Lively Up Yourself” by Bob Marley

This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contact editorial@athensblur.com

10 Statements to Start the Day

• My generation had Nirvana and Tupac. Yours has Fall Out Boy and “rap.”
• Gasoline smells good.
• Watching an innocent dog die in a movie sucks. A few innocent people... No biggie.
• The best thing about playing sports as a child was getting orange slices and Hi-C Ecto Cooler at halftime.
• TV series on DVD are better than on TV.
• Shirts are not dresses ergo leggings are not pants.
• The most glorious ten seconds after you and a lady have parted ways is when you finally succumb to your flatulence.
• The biggest urge is for my turn signal to be perfectly in sync with the person in front.
• Fall Out Boy sucks
•"Slow Children At Play" signs definitely need a comma in them.
--Will Hackett
“Go it Alone” by Beck

This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contacteditorial@athensblur.com

Miley Cyrus, why are you everywhere?

Fact: Miley Cyrus Hannah Montana: The Movie soundtrack is still number one one the charts.

I just threw up a little.

There is so much great music out there. Please, people, don't let this happen again.

-Erica Schwartz

Currently not listening to Miley Cyrus

This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contacteditorial@athensblur.com

Eminem Tweets like Oprah

Eminem fans need to get on twitter immediately. Apparently, Eminem's tweet is his new publicist. Yesterday he used his Twitter profile to announce, or I guess reveal, the new artwork for his album cover, Relapse--let's just say there's a lot of pills. Also, last night Eminem mentioned a visit to his Sirius XM station tomorrow. Tune in and expect the unexpected. Yeah, so basically, if you're not on Twitter, get on because you're missing out. And don't forget to follow Athens Blur!

-Erica Schwartz

Currently listening to a lot of Leonard Cohen

This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contacteditorial@athensblur.com

Introducing: Dawgmenus.com

Ever wondered why there hasn’t been a complete online food source for Athens bars and restaurants? Speculate no more. Two UGA students, Juan Calle (shout out, bro) and Craig Taylor, have created www.dawgmenus.com and as such have consolidated all of Athens’ menus and drink specials into one happy place. The website shows menus, phone numbers, specials and delivery services for hot spots across town. If you weren’t lazy before, prepare yourself for utter shit-headness. Oh, and if you find it annoying to be put on hold or going through the hassles of ordering over the phone, you can place orders directly through the website. It seems as though the two entrepreneurs have something going. So tell your friends, dawgmenus.com is the shiznit.

--Will Hackett
Listening to “The Moon Shifts the Sea the Sea Shapes the Shore the Shore Shakes the Sand the Sand the Sand Sinks the Ship” by A. Armada

This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contact editorial@athensblur.com

Florida High School Pitcher Throws Fourth Consecutive No-hitter

Never heard of New Port Richey, Florida? Mitchell High School? Patrick Schuster? Well then read up, kids. The Mitchell High senior tossed his 4th consecutive no-hitter on Monday night at his home field, northwest of Tampa. The strong-armed left hander struck out 17 to lift his team to a 5-0 win over rival high school, Pasco. The streak, which began April 3rd, has been witness to 60 strikeouts and a record of 7-0. “I never thought this would happen… I’m just having so much fun right now” remarked Schuster. Schuster, whose fastball tops in around 91 mph has signed with the University of Florida, but hasn’t ruled out going straight into the pros. The record for consecutive no-hitters in high school is six. Stay tuned for updates.

--Will Hackett

Listening to “Funny Face” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers



This content is solely the property of The Athens Blur Magazine and may not be re-produced without expressed written consent. The Athens Blur Magazine is an 8 issue/year music & variety publication proud to be based in the Classic City of Athens, Ga. For more information, please contact editorial@athensblur.com