Athens Ohio | AQUABEAR LEGION

Venue Spotlight: ARTS/West

by Kris Poland - Go West, Young Bands There is a place on West State Street where Athens music lovers can see some of the area’s best musicians display their talents. It is a place where engaging local paintings and photographs adorn the walls and where community members meet to consolidate support for the arts. It is a place that has been an invaluable resource for area arts organizations and individual artists since its inception. But its staff is unlikely to serve you vegan burritos. The place is ARTS/West, and Emily Prince hopes that it will increase its presence in the regional arts community for years to come. Prince is ARTS/West’s program specialist and directs many of this venue’s day-to-day activities. She describes her place of work as, “a venue and a little bit more.” Indeed. The administrative and artistic support that ARTS/West provides to Athens’ performing artists includes establishing press contacts and authoring press releases, organization of events, skilled instruction, technical equipment, as well as additional resources and services. A little bit more than a venue? Prince has a knack for understatement.

INTERVIEW: Adam Torres and Brian Wiebe (from Aquabear Reader #1)

In 2007, Adam Torres released his hauntingly perfect album Nostra Nova. Adam performed solo as Nostra Nova and with others (including members of Southeast Engine and Five Deadly Venoms) while continuing to play in Southeast Engine as well. Athens Musician Network called Nostra Nova “the best locally produced record in a decade” adding “this record should be part of every Athenian’s collection.” Filmmaker and good friend of the Aquabear Brian Wiebe made a video for the song “Breakneck Jane’s Fifteen Minute Escape” from Nostra Nova. Aquabear had a chance to talk to both Adam and Brian about the video and a lot more, you can find the full interview and after the break. This was originally published in Aquabear Reader #1 in Spring 2008.

Aquabear Reader #3! Submissions and Advertisers Needed!

The Athens-based Ohio music, art, and film collective Aquabear Legion is starting to get ready for the third issue of our FREE magazine The Aquabear Reader and we need your help! The Aquabear Reader needs writers, photographers and anyone who wants to help to contact us. This is a 2,000 hard copy circulation magazine made right here in Athens and available all around town, in addition we also make the Reader available on our website as a .pdf. We are open to ideas for stories and features and also have a lot of our own if you need an idea. The Aquabear Reader remains a FREE publication because of support from our advertisers, if you are a local business or organization that would like to reach an audience from Athens and around Ohio while supporting a good cause and organization send us an e-mail to contact@aquabearlegion.com and we will send you information on our very reasonable advertising rates (starting at $50!). CONTACT US ASAP if you are interested we want issue 3 out before summer! You can also go take a look at the first two issues online here: http://www.aquabearlegion.com/aquabear-reader/ E-mail us for more information at contact@aquabearlegion.com or visit...

The 3rd Annual Aquabear County Fair March 5-7, 2009 in beautiful Athens, Ohio Thursday, March 5th Kickoff at The (Bruce) Manor with Russenorsk Dinner of Swords Battle Rabbit 7pm Friday, March 6th Night One at Casa Cantina with Brainbow Casual Future Five Deadly Venoms Weedghost 10:30pm Saturday, March 7th L’Aqua Porter Film Festival at ARTS/West Ohio films! 2pm Saturday, March 7th Night Two at The Union with We March Dragline Bros. Kaslo Flotation Walls She Bears Bram Riddlebarger and His Lonesome Self 8pm FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.myspace.com/aquabearcountyfair or www.aquabearlegion.com Based in Appalachian Ohio, The Aquabear Legion provides a community network for creative people. We are dedicated to supporting and enhancing independent music and art in our community and elsewhere. We focus on collaborative relationships to create opportunities for independent musicians and artists.

Aquabear Benefit @ Casa on Thursday, 2/12!

TONIGHT Thursday, February 12th at Casa Cantina in Athens, Ohio She Bears Tim Race (of Russenorsk) Zach Oden (of Sad Bastards) this’ll be a good one. we hope to see all of you there.

Attention Ohio Filmmakers! Submit to the L’Aqua Porter Film Festival!

The Aquabear Legion will be hosting our first ever film festival titled L’Aqua Porter Film Festival as part of our third annual Aquabear County Fair (March 5-7, 2009). Aquabear’s good friend, filmmaker, musician, and OU school of film alum Brian Wiebe will be curating the L’Aqua Porter Film Festival. And we need your films. If you are interested in submitting a piece, this is an entirely free entry festival. As a result the grand prize will most likely be some kind of Aquabear gift package. There are two ways to submit your film. You can send it in the mail to: Brian Wiebe 664 Jacoby Rd, Yellow Springs, OH 45387 or you can send and e-mail to contact@aquabearlegion.com and we will sort out the details. DEADLINE IS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14th Please send this information along More information at www.aquabearlegion.com or e-mail contact@aquabearlegion.com

Aquabear Live @ ARTS/West on Saturday, 8/16 and Aquabear Record Swap on Sunday, 8/24

Aquabear Legion continues our monthly showcase at ARTS/West on Saturday, August 16th… featuring a wonderful lineup of Athens music from: Mike Elliott Kaslo Zephuros Starts at 8pm sharp and it’s only 3 bucks! This will be one of the last shows in this area from our good friend Zephuros, so come out! Aquabear Record Swap on Sunday, August 24th! 1pm-6pm at ARTS/West, FREE ADMISSION! Come on out for our first ever Record Swap and find LP’s, CD’s, 7″, 45′s, Cassettes, Gear, and most importantly local music from local bands. Tables can be purchased for only $10! Send us an e-mail if you are interested. 6 vendors already! We’ll be playing records all afternoon as well. Donations will be encouraged at the door.

Compilation Release Show: Sat. 7/26 @ Casa

The Aquabear Legion is celebrating the release of yet another compilation (Volume 3!, our 5th overall..) on Saturday, July 26th at Casa Cantina here in Athens. The compilation features music from: We March, Southeast Engine, Machine Go Boom, Casual Future, Silo Circuit, Russenorsk, The Makebelieves, The Hiders, Woody Pines and The Lonesome Two, The X Bolex, 1point3, Kaslo, Mike Elliott, Spooktober, Men of Gentle Birth, Sun God, (the) Giants of Gender, and maybe even a few more. Machine Go Boom (Cleveland) Casual Future (Athens), 1point3 (Columbus) Weedghost (Athens) will be featured at the party on Saturday, July 26th at Casa. 10pm. The compilation will be available and there will be some other new Legion merchandise as well including buttons, stickers, and more. Come on out and help us celebrate and here some really great music.

Aquabear Makes Front Page Of Athens Messenger!

The Legion was honored to have a wonderful story about us appear on the front page of the Saturday, July 12th Athens Messenger. Go ahead and take look at it here. Thanks again to Matt Gallagher for the great story!