I just got word yesterday that Am I Still Illmatic, the debut album from Atlanta’s Tendaberry, is due out next month.  The news prompted me to sit down this evening and track out their stellar performance from last year’s PopFest.  The set contains many originals that will appear on the upcoming disc, along with an interesting selection of covers.

Tendaberry
8.15.2008
Athens Popfest
Little Kings Shuffle Club, Athens, GA

Source:  Microtech Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > Nomad JB3 > Firewire > Adobe Audition (compression) > CDWave > LAME > mp3
Taped by:  Lance Stack

Setlist:
1. So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)
2. Can’t Tell Me Nothing
3. Prophets
4. MCs
5. Righteous Waiting
6. Orgasm Addict
7. Cold Boy
8. I Need a Job
9. The Complaint
10. Cherchez La Ghost > Born Under Punches > Cherchez La Ghost

A zipfile of the mp3s is available here.
FLAC files can be downloaded as a zipfile here.

Laminated Cat relocated from Boston to Athens over the summer, and have been infusing the southeast with their tunes ever since.  Here’s the PopFest set from August.  If you’re in the Athens area, you can experience them first hand tonight (1/30), opening for Casper and the Cookies at The Caledonia Lounge.

Laminated Cat
8.15.2008
Athens Popfest
The Caledonia Lounge, Athens, GA

Source:  DPA 4060’s > battery-box > Microtrack II > CF > WAV > Adobe Audition > CDWave > Flac16
Taped by:  Lance Stack

Setlist:
1. intro
2. Red Devils >
3. The Driving Song
4. Fuck You Bitch Song
5. unknown >
6. Aquamarine >
7. unknown

A zipfile of the mp3s is available here.
FLAC files can be downloaded as a zipfile here.

(Photo taken by Daniella Maria.)

Some great bands have come out of Murfreesboro in recent years.  Among my favorites is Velcro Stars, who’s album I was turned onto when stopping at Grand Palace Records (en route to Bonnaroo).  Here’s their set from this year’s PopFest.

Velcro Stars
8.14.2008
Athens Popfest
The 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA

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

Setlist:
1. unknown
2. unknown
3. unknown
4. Lush With a Crush
5. Cascade

A zipfile of the mp3s is available here.
FLAC files can be downloaded as a zipfile here.

Notes:
Level adjustments 45-50 seconds into first track.

Purchase the Album:
2007 – Hiroshima’s Revengs (from Grand Palace | from the band’s website)

(Photo courtesy of Cable & Tweed.)

This is another one of those super-short sets from the Saturday night run:  a taste of Peter Erchick’s Pipes You See, Pipes You Don’t.

Pipes You See, Pipes You Don’t
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

Setlist:
1. intro
2. unknown
3. unknown
4. unknown

A zipfile of the mp3s is available via megaupload.
FLAC files can be downloaded as a zipfile here.

The Pipe’s discography can be purchased via PayPal.

Here are a few more from PopFest, starting out with the Big Fresh set on Saturday night.

Big Fresh
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

Setlist:
1. unknown
2. Entertainment
3. Large Crowds
4. Joybomb #1 > Joybomb #2
5. unknown
6. Losing Friends to War
7. unknown
8. unknown
9. WLUV

A zipfile of the mp3s is available via megaupload.
FLAC files can be downloaded as a zipfile here.

This has to be one of the shortest PopFest sets ever.  With the actual music clocking it at 11 minutes, Andy From Denver barely had time to warm up before getting shuffled off the stage.  Still, it was a nice tease.

Andy From Denver
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
Taped by: Lance Stack

Setlist:
1. intro
2. Nasty Dream
3. “Millionare”
4. Hanging On A Cloud

A zipfile of mp3s can be found here.
A zipfile of the FLACs can be found here.

Great Lakes
8.14.2008
Athens Popfest
The 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA

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

Setlist:
1. Precious and Reckless
2. Storming
3. Let Me Ride
4. unknown
5. No Trouble
6. unknown
7. banter/band intros
8. No More Conquistadors

(Here’s the link to a zipfile of the show.)
(Flacs are available on dime.)

(Photo courtesy of The Yellow Stereo.)

I’m getting ready to hit the road for a month or so, and decided to post a few more PopFest sets before I head out…  Dark Meat took the stage on Thursday evening, working the crowd into anticipation of the night’s final act, Roky Erickson.  Paying homage with their psyhedelic hero, the band concluded the set with a cover of Roky’s “Be and Bring Me Home”.

Dark Meat
8.14.2008
Athens Popfest
The 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA

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

Setlist:
1. soundcheck
2. No One Was There
3. Last of the Frontiersmen
4. New Eyes
5. Back in the Light
6. Three Eyes Open
7. Future Galaxies
8. banter/tuning
9. Be and Bring Me Home

(FLAC files are available via the LMA.)

Back to the PopFest material…

This is a nice set from Kim Ware’s The Good Graces.  Based out of Altanta, TGG released their debut album Sunset Over Saxapahaw a few weeks ago.  You can order directly via the Eskimo Kiss website.

TGG are slotted to play 12/19 at Kavarna, along with Hope For Agoldensummer and Night Driving In Small Towns.  And if my holiday travel plans fall into place, I might actually be there!

The Good Graces
8.14.2008
Athens Popfest
Flicker Theatre, Athens, GA

Source: DPA 4060’s > battery-box > Microtrack II > CF > WAV > Adobe Audition > CDWave
Taped by: Lance Stack

Setlist:
1. You and Me and Our Ghost
2. What’s Wrong
3. Stuck Inside
4. Disassembled
5. Bad Driver
6. Unhappy Ending
7. Over It
8. Real To Me

(And here’s the obligatory link the the full show.)

Here’s another band from the Lone Star State, McKinney’s Little Birds.  Brooke Opie started the project as a solo pursuit, and in an attempt to fully realize her vision, assembled a group of great local Texas musicians to back her.  Thankfully, the full band was able to make it out to GA for PopFest performance!  Athens Exchange still has a short writeup chronicling the afternoon.

Little Birds
8.14.2008
Athens Popfest
Little Kings Shuffle Club, Athens, GA

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

Setlist:
1. A Song For You
2. New All Time Low
3. Is It Getting Better?
4. The Fall
5. Now I’m Two
6. New Fake Beard
7. I Was Struck By Lightning
8. Paper Skin
9. Moths and Musk

(Here’s a zipfile of the full set.)