(Photo courtesy of Cable and Tweed)

On the last day of PopFest, you’d think that everyone would have succumbed to fatigue and taken a break from the evening sets at Flicker for a nap.  Not the case:  Just before Oh Fortuna took the stage, the room was packed to capacity.  I’m not sure where the hype came from (maybe from their 40-Watt performance in April), but it was well-warranted.

Easily among my top-ten experiences from the festival, all 7-8 members, decked out in colorful psychedelic garb (insert Polyphonic Spree reference here) picked up their guitars, synths, and horns, proceeding into a powerful set of “dance music”.  They had the entire room jumping about, dancing on folding chairs, clapping along, and breaking out the tambourines.  (Remember, this is PopFest…getting the crowd to do anything other than bob their heads takes a miracle!)

Their 3-song demo, “Whales” has been getting constant rotation on my iPod.  Hopefully we’ll see a full length release in the near future.

Oh Fortuna
8.16.2008
Athens Popfest, Flicker Theatre, Athens, GA

Source:  DPA 4060’s > battery-box > Microtrack II > CF > WAV > Adobe Audition > CDWave > Flac16
Taped by:  Lance Stack (inthistube [at] gmail.com)

Setlist:
1. ?
2. Bodies Broken
3. Billie Holiday
4. Love Tester
5. Might Mountain
6. ?

(Here’s a zipfile of the full set via megaupload.)

It’s no easy task to silence a crowded bar room with a quiet song, but that’s exactly what Reed Foehl did during nearly every song last Friday night in the basement of the Meadowlark.  I have two of Reed’s solo efforts (2004’s Spark and 2007’s Stoned Beautiful), which were primarily recorded with full bands.  While I enjoy both albums, I feel that he shines most when it’s just A Man and His Guitar.  This set contains one of my favorites, “St. Johns Smith Square”, and also boasts plenty of new material.  As an added treat, Gregory Alan Isakov joined on acoustic guitar for the last two songs.

Reed Foehl
8.22.2008
Living Room Series
The Meadowlark, Denver, CO

Source:  DPA 4060s (Core-Sound HEBs) > battery box > Lunatec V3 > M-Audio Microtrack 2 >
CF > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > CDWave > Flac16

Setlist:
1. intro
2. Strange Days
3. St. John’s Smith Square > Far From Me
4. Good Company
5. ?
6. ?
7. Only in Your Arms *
8. Beautiful Life *

Notes:
* = with Gregory Alan Isakov

FLAC files and several other audio formats are now available over at the Live Music Archive.

Another of the three pop/folk acts at Flicker on Thursday evening of Popfest was Atlanta’s Mary O. Harrison. I had met Mary in Athens last year, and subsequently picked up a copy of her marvelous new CD (Factory of Days) from Two Sheds Music, and was anticipating this performance all afternoon. I was on the run to setup microphones over at the 40-Watt and only caught the second half of the set, but loved the renditions of “Last of the First and “Way of Walking” that I actually had a chance to see!

Mary O. Harrison
8.14.2008
Athens Popfest
Flicker Theatre, Athens, GA

Source: DPA 4060’s > battery-box > Microtrack II > CF > WAV > Adobe Audition > CDWave > Flac16
Taped by: Lance Stack (inthistube [at] gmail.com)

Setlist:
1. Where Is Charlotte Anne?
2. Supper Song
3. Surrender
4. My Old Island
5. Born Pretty
6. Last of the First
7. Big Debut
8. Way of Walking

(Download a zipfile of the full show from MU.)

Stuck in LAX for a few hours before heading back to Denver, so I’ll take advantage of the downtime for another PopFest post. (A shame that I’ll be boarding/taking off right around Obama’s speech, and will have to catch it on a rerun later.)

I’m a sucker for both americana and southern accents, so it’s no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed the set from Night Driving in Small Towns. The intimate setting of The Flicker Theatre added to this enjoyment. The tiny venue seemed to be no larger than a master bedroom…the perfect sit-down opportunity after spending the last four hours standing over at Little Kings. :)

Night Driving in Small Towns
8.14.2008
Athens Popfest
Flicker Theatre, Athens, GA

Source: DPA 4060’s > battery-box > Microtrack II > CF > WAV > Adobe Audition > CDWave > Flac16
Taped by: Lance Stack (inthistube [at] gmail.com)

Setlist:
1. The Good That Won’t Come Out (Rilo Kiley cover)
2. Take Me As I Am
3. Moonman
4. Cast Your Love Around
5. Not Coming Home
6. Red Rover
7. Young
8. Close Encounters

(And here’s a megaupload link to the full show.)

No introduction needed on this one…an entire set of Blondie songs (primarily from Parallel Lines) performed by veteran St. Louis indie-kings Bunnygrunt.

Blondie-Grunt
8.13.2008
Athens Popfest, Little Kings Shuffle Club, Athens, GA

Source:  Microtech Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > Nomad JB3 >
Firewire > CoolEdit Pro > CDWave > Flac16

Setlist:
1. Hanging On The Telephone
2. One Way or Another
3. Fade Away and Radiate
4. Pretty Baby
5. I’m Gonna Love You Too
6. 11:59
7. Sunday Girl ^
8. Heart Of Glass
9. Rapture *

Notes:
^ = with Sara Oberst (That’s My Daughter) on vocals
* = with Nate Mitchell (Cars Can Be Blue) on vocals

(Here’s a megaupload link to the full set.)

(Photo courtesy of Cable and Tweed.)

After a short dinner break, the festivities at Little Kings started up again with a treat.  Side-project Supercluster, which boasts an impressive lineup of musicians:

Randy Bewley (Pylon)
Vanessa Briscoe Hay (Pylon)
Bill David (Jolly Beggars)
John Fernandes (everyone)
Bob Hay (Jolly Beggars)
Hannah Jones (Sound Houses)
Kay Stanton (Casper and the Cookies)

This semi-acoustic set was a welcome change from earlier bands that day, with Bob on acoustic, Bill on mandolin, and John on violin.  Collaborations like this are what make the Athens experience so special.

Supercluster
8.13.2008
Athens Popfest, Little Kings Shuffle Club, Athens, GA

Source:  Microtech Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > Nomad JB3 >
Firewire > CoolEdit Pro > CDWave > Flac16

Setlist:
1. intro
2. Too Many Eights
3. Brave Tree
4. The Mermaid’s Tale
5. I Got the Answer
6. Just Like Anyone
7. The Night I Died
8. Sunflower Clock
9. Time To End the War

(Full show link here.)

Chris Adolf (of Bad Weather California) put on a blistering solo performance this weekend at the Meadowlark, appropriately livening up the back patio with political and personal rage, on the eve of the DNC here in Denver.  Chris was one of dozens of Denver musicians who convened this weekend for the notable Living Room Series, an event that attempted to showcase the best singer-songwriters along the Front Range.

Many thanks to Jonathan Bitz for working so hard to make the Living Room Series a success!  More from this memorable weekend will be posted as I find time.

Chris Adolf (Bad Weather California)
8.23.2008
Living Room Series
The Meadowlark, Denver, CO

Source:  Microtch Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > Nomad JB3 > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > CDWave > Flac16

Setlist:
1. Dead Flowers
2. You Be the Jesus
3. “Jesus Christ”
4. “I’m on Fire”
5. I’m Not the Poet
6. “Two Ways”
7. “Needle and a Spoon”
8. “Bad Things”
9. My Brave Friend
10. “My Country Too”

As usual, a zipfile of the entire show is available here.

The Gainesville scene had strong presence at PopFest this year, with at least four bands that I know of representing.  The following two acts, Nervous Systems and Oh Sanders, played back-to-back on Wednesday.

Nervous Systems were an aptly named band on this occasion.  The entire set was a collection of high-strung tunes (none longer than two minutes), without any banter whatsoever.  Maybe the band really was a bit nervous, or maybe it’s just part of the act.  Either way, don’t let the hard edge fool you–underneath this maniacal pace is a set of catchy, repetitious lyrics that will have you singing along:

“So shut up, so shut up.  I can’t understand the words that you’re saying to me.  I can’t comprehend the language you’re speaking.” (Mondegreen)
“I realize that sometimes that sometimes I am a verb. I realize that sometimes that sometimes I am a verb.” ” (Sometimes I Am A Verb)

I haven’t run across any details about an album, but they’re supposedly involved with Obscurist Press, who is responsible for putting out records by a number of Gainesville acts.  Anyone have details?  Hopefully we’ll be hearing more from these guys in the future.

Nervous Systems - 8.13.2008
Athens Popfest, Little Kings Shuffle Club, Athens, GA

Source:  Microtech Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > Nomad JB3 >
Firewire > CoolEdit Pro > CDWave > Flac16

Setlist::
1. All True Believers
2. Soft Weapons
3. Mondegreen
4. Good Luck
5. Sound Effect
6. Sleeping Arrangements
7. Mnemonic Device
8. Sometimes I Am A Verb

Oh Sanders was a favorite for me on this particular afternoon.  Dan had recently returned from Mongolia. This performance was the band’s first in a few months, but they didn’t miss a beat.  Stella’s personal lyrics left me reminiscing about college days past…and wanting to go for an afternoon jog…and take someone to the zoo…   Their first full-length has just been released on HHBTM, and will be christened with a show at The Atlantic on September 6th.

On a side note, Dan had a scrabble table set up for most of the day, challenging the crowd to beat him and win a copy of the new CD.  While I didn’t have the grit to take him on, I now have the option of listening during the downtime on my tapes and expanding my vocabulary.  Thanks!  :)

Oh Sanders - 8.13.2008
Athens Popfest, Little Kings Shuffle Club, Athens, GA

Source:  Microtech Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > Nomad JB3 >
Firewire > CoolEdit Pro > CDWave > Flac16

Setlist:
1. You Should Have Been Nicer
2. Below the Radar
3. The State of Disorder
4. Underwater Voyeur
5. Season for Sleeping
6. The Concrete That Surrounds Us
7. Conspiracy to Commit Arson

I have a confession to make.  Before this set, I had never listened to a single Music Tapes composition.  Yes, seeing Julian Koster, Scott Spillane, and the rest of the E6 crew on stage was phenomenal.  Yes, the singing saw is an interesting curiosity.  Yes, the march of several hundred kazoo players down Hancock at 2 a.m. was a surreal experience.  Yet I got the feeling many in the near-capacity 40 Watt crowd that night were there due to the band members themselves, and not the music they were making.  (This was evidenced by the constant chatter during Julian’s solo tunes on the banjo.)

Yet, after the show, several friends were making comments along the lines of “best musical experience of my life”.  This left me thinking, “I must have missed something”, so I dutifully picked up a vinyl copy of Music Tapes for Clouds and Tornadoes, released this week.  After a few private listenings to both this and the live set, I finally understand what they hype is about.  These lonely yet powerful melodies run in circles and play games with your personality, leaving you happily content and in a state of melancholy, all at the same time.  Go grab up a copy from Merge or your local record store now!  You won’t be disappointed.

Here’s the show in all of it’s chaotic glory.  Several songs are unreleased, so I made a guess at the titles.  (Also, Yetter is planning to add the audio to his video capture.  Keep an eye on the E6 boards for details.)

The Music Tapes
8.16.2008
Athens Popfest
40 Watt Club, Athens, GA

Source:  Microtech Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > M-Audio MicroTrack II >
CF > Adobe Audition > CDWave > Flac16
Taped by:  Lance Stack (inthistube [at] yahoo.com)

Setlist:
1. “Secret to Snowing”
2. The Television Tells Us
3. The Minister of Longitude
4. Kolyada #1
5. An Orchistration’s Overture
6. Song For The Death Of Parents
7. Song For Ocean’s Falling
8. Majesty
9. Aliens
10. ?
11. Manifest Destiny
12. “Secret to Snowing” Reprise
(Post Show)
13. Julian’s Marching Kazoo Army > The Passing of the Bell

MP3s of the full show are available via sendspace.

FLACs are available as a torrent over on DIME.

Cleveland’s Afternoon Naps certainly kept us from falling asleep on last Wednesday afternoon, with their set at Little Kings.  Despite a number of feedback issues throughout their performance, and even losing stage power at one point, they were in good spirits, cracking jokes and working the crowd with a string highly-danceable songs.  The set mostly consisted of number from their recent release, Sunbeamed, but also included several new songs, such as “Discoverse”, which reminded me of a futurepop version of Talking Heads.  Katie over at Athens Exchange has a great review.

BTW, what’s up with musicians the “Brown Chicken, Brown Cow” joke?  I’ve heard three bands use it on-stage this month!

Afternoon Naps
8.13.2008
Athens Popfest
Little Kings Shuffle Club, Athens, GA

Source:  Microtech Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > Nomad JB3 >
Firewire > CoolEdit Pro > CDWave > Flac16

One Disc:
1. Can’t Stop the Weather
2. Orange Paw
3. Postcard
4. Clean Bill of Health
5. Discoverse
6. Catholic School
7. Firefly *
8. Bubblegum 45
9. Winter Olympics
10. The Sun Ain’t the Same
11. Happy All the Time

Notes:
* = aborted after power was lost on stage

Here’s the full show available as a zipfile.