The Western Reserve – Athens 2001-2006 – Episode 19

I can’t believe it took me 19 episodes of this podcast to do an all-Athens episode from my college years. This was a lot of fun and I hope you enjoy it as well. A whole bunch of firsts here: this is the first time I play We March (!?!) and The Makebelieves (!?!?!), and even a few others, and the first time I play a song by a band I was in. Enjoy.

The Snails – “Queen of the Dumb”
The Makebelieves – “Busy City”
We March – “Darken My Door”
Small Object a – “Nothing Is Better Than Hitting A Nazi Pinata”
Woody Whatever – “Rocket Space”
Men of Gentle Birth – “The Best Things”
Geraldine – “Cotton”
Appalachian Death Ride – “Railroad Penny”
Southeast Engine – “The Moon”
Casual Future – “Among the Ash Heaps and Millionaires”
Dragline Brothers – “Julie in July”
Wailin’ Elroys  – “Scaredy Blues”
The Arch Villians – “The Age of Steel and Bombs (live)”

 

The Moose Is Loose: Episode One

Well, Brian decided it was finally time to make his own podcast and he is excited to present the results of the first episode of The Moose Is Loose! This podcast will focus on Ohio music and is named after the first ever compilation project he put together in 2003 (which you can download for FREE here). This episode showcases some of Brian’s favorite songs from the Aquabear online compilations and features music from The Franchise, The Makebelieves, Dragline Brothers, We March, Mike Elliott, Machine Go Boom, Washout Corporation, Neo Nothing, Casual Future, The Math Squad, Casiotone Orchestra, Men of Gentle Birth, Blackark, Matt Collander, and Small Object a. Not much talking in this one (Brian is still perfecting his smooth NPR voice) but you will get to hear our host babble a bit about his history with Ohio music. The first of many episodes to come.


   The Moose Is Loose: Episode One

COUNTY FAIR PREVIEW: Thx. Tiger

FULL DISCLOSURE: I am playing with this project at the Aquabear County Fair, and played with Scott in Casual Future for years.

Thx. Tiger is the current outlet for Scott Spice’s recordings, Scott (and myself and others) played for years in Athens band Casual Future. We stopped playing last June because most everyone was moving but Scott continued to write and eventually recorded a album’s worth of songs, playing everything himself (I think). And the record is awesome. Never would I have thought my next live project after Casual Future would be in a band with Scott Spice again, but I am thrilled to play some drums (of all things) and help a few more people hear these songs. You can listen to those Thx. Tiger songs on the Myspace page. It will be very nice to play for folks

Thx. Tiger will be playing the Aquabear County Fair on Thursday, March 4th at The (bruce) Manor. We will play early so seriously get there at 7pm.

Casual Future was not a well-filmed band, so all I can link you to in a visual sense is a performance from last year’s County Fair were we played our newest song “Citizen Watch”, I know some of those guys hate this version but it has its moments… there’s more videos somewhere.

Venue Spotlight: ARTS/West

by Kris Poland –

artswest

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.

The Aquabear Rant #1: Burn Baby Burn

by Rick Dodgson, Foreign Legion Correspondent

Rick Dodgson, Foreign Legion CorrespondentIt’s been a long time coming music lovers, but the end is nigh so raise your glasses and rejoice over the passing of the music industry as we have known it. Sony BMG, Universal, Warner Music and all the other corporate music money-pigs have been condemned to die, guilty of excessive greed and staggering cluelessness. 2008 will be the year of their destruction and I for one will be shedding no tears over their passing. Let’s face it, the major labels have been hanging around like rotting corpses for the past decade or more, putrid, wide-eyed and helpless in the face of new technologies and a disinterested MySpace generation. Stuck in an outmoded model of consumption, the majors have been desperate to recover the golden age of the 1970s with its pass-me-down groupies, mounds of cocaine and cash-cow platinum albums. But those days are long gone (unless you happen to be in Skeletonwitch). In 2007 you could make the top forty by selling just 20,000 CDs. That might sound like a lot to a Casual Future or a Southeast Engine, but in corporate terms those numbers speak only of failure.

Aquabear County Fair! March 5-7, 2009!

fair_bear

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 Live @ ARTS/West on Friday 9/19, Union show on 9/25

abl-at-arts-west-septemberAquabear continues our monthly concert series at ARTS/West in Athens on Friday, September 19th at 8pm! This month we will feature:

Casual Future – www.myspace.com/casualfuture
Flotation Walls
www.myspace.com/flotationwalls
Weedghost
www.myspace.com/weedghost

Come on out and support local music and still make it out to see some great shows in uptown Athens afterward…

AND…

Next week we are having an Aquabear Legion Noise Showcase at The Union in Athens on Thursday, September 25th at 10pm (sharp).

There will be a whole bunch of Athens noise makers doing drone, freeform stuff, improv, and probably just banging on things to some sounds come out. Look for an update this weekend with a full lineup and poster…

And don’t forget:
Saturday, Sept. 27th: RECLAIM MUSIC FESTIVAL (www.reclaimmusicfestival.com)

Sunday, Sept. 28th: Monthly Noise Night @ ARTS/West, 6pm

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 Legion Summer Events

Aquabear Summer Schedule!
Aquabear Legion has a lot going on this summer…

6/28: Monthly Noise Show @ ARTS/West, 6pm

7/12: Aquabear Monthly Show @ ARTS/West w/ Spooktober and Sad Bastards, 8pm

7/26: CD Release @ Casa w/ Machine Go Boom, Casual Future, 1point3, Weedghost, 10:30pm

7/27: Monthly Noise Show @ ARTS/West, 6pm

8/16: Aquabear Monthly Show @ ARTS/West with TBA

8/24: Aquabear Record Swap and Potluck @ ARTS/West (day after ACMF!), 2pm

visit for more information:
www.aquabearlegion.com
www.myspace.com/aquabearlegion

And if you are on Facebook you can become a fan here:
http://www. facebook. com/pages/Aquabear-Legion/16073679690