The Union | AQUABEAR LEGION

Buffalo Killers + Chickenpussy + Hexnet + D-Rays at the Union 2/19

Perhaps you’ve heard, but Aquabear Legion and Blackout Booking have once again teamed up to present a jam-packed night of rock and roll at the Union this Saturday, February 19. Headlining the evening will be Cincinnati-based psychedelic blues-rockers Buffalo Killers, who last appeared in Athens this past October. Over the past year, the trio has been hard at work on their next record, the follow-up to their Dan Auerbach-produced 2008 release Let It Ride. The latest finds the group self-producing and expanding their already rich sound—Kelley Deal of the Breeders even provides guest vocals on a track. The record should find its way out this year, but in the meantime the band has contributed a cover of “Scalding Creek” to a Guided By Voices tribute album that will be released on April 16th via No More Fake Labels. Rounding out the night’s bill are Athens regulars Chickenpussy and Hexnet as well as newcomers D-Rays—a new project from Erick Coleman, formerly of the Speedknobs. Doors open at 9 PM, so come celebrate the (temporary?) return of warm weather here in Athens with some blazing-hot rock and roll this Saturday at the Union!

5th Annual Aquabear County Fair (March 3-6 in Athens) Lineups Announced!

This year mark’s the 5th annual Aquabear County Fair so we decided to make it bigger than ever before. We’re pretty excited for this one… many more details to come. This year we present 16 bands total in Athens, Ohio over 4 days on March 3-6. 15 Ohio bands and even 1 from Japan. Thursday, March 3 at 10pm COUNTY FAIR NIGHT ONE at The Union curated by Blackout Zoobombs (Japan) Wheels On Fire (Athens) Valleyboys (Athens) The Pleasuredomes (Athens) Friday, March 4 at 10:30pm COUNTY FAIR NIGHT TWO at Casa Cantina – FREE SHOW! She Bears (Columbus) Narrow + The Brights (Columbus) Whale Zombie (Athens) *donations benefit Aquabear Legion Saturday, March 5 at 9pm COUNTY FAIR NIGHT THREE at The Union Chickenpussy (Athens) Megachurch (Cleveland) Hex Net (Athens) Scubadog (Athens) The 65′s (Athens) Weedghost (Athens/Dayton) Sunday, March 6 at 2pm COUNTY FAIR DAY FOUR at ARTS/West – FREE AFTERNOON POTLUCK Super Desserts (Columbus) Brian Harnetty (Columbus) Adam Remnant (Athens) *donations encouraged to benefit bands and space Support Local Music! Help spread the word.

Bacon, Boobies & Bands: The First Annual Bacon Fest in Review

Showing up for something like Bacon Fest completely sober (hungover) may not have been my best idea, especially when it means abandoning my cool-kid time-code and showing up to the Union at the crack of 10pm. But after a few hours of bacon, boobies and bands, I found myself with whiskey in hand, appreciating the spectacle. The bacon. The night started with a contest for the best bacon-inspired food, which became more of a sexed-out, greasy pep rally for all things pig. Boxcar Burlesque’s Dolly Derringer hosted the festivities, dread-locked, long-lashed and oozing with the kind of sexiness usually reserved for female drummers, bartenders and tattoo artists. Her judges—a mohawk, an ironic mullet and a fake pig nose—braved through dozens of bacon dishes submitted by audience members. There was bacon-stuffed, deep-fried deviled eggs, bacon meatloaf, bacon jam, bacon doughnuts, bacon ice cream, bacon pie, bacon cake, bacon baklava, bacon toffee and more. The judges picked their favorites, and the winners received adorable, homemade pig trophies. I appreciate a good theme, but this part of the night just dragged, probably because it can’t be all that easy to rehearse and time an unprecedented bacon extravaganza. Or maybe I should have...

In the mere months since the release of their sophomore effort Creature, Phantods have solidified themselves as a Columbus-based band to watch. From their record’s inclusion on local year-end lists to an upcoming opening spot with Fitz and the Tantrums, Phantods momentous rise shows no signs of stopping. Fronted by the powerful vocals of Gretchen King, the group’s new-found anthemic pop-rock sound has found an immense local following. In anticipation of their show at the Union on Friday, January 14 with Athens’ favorites She Bears and Blithe Field, Aquabear recently chatted with Phantods guitarist Dan Hagquist about the group’s latest release.

Aquabear and Blackout: Self Destruct Button, Hex Net, The Visitations, Valley Boys at The Union on 9/18/10

Aquabear Legion and Athens-based Blackout Booking are throwing quite a show TONIGHT (Saturday, September 18) at The Union in Athens. The show features old Aquabear pals and Cleveland natives Self Destruct Button, The Vistiations (who hail from the OTHER Athens in Georgia), and local boys Hex Net (members of Dragline Bros.) and Valley Boys (members of Whale Zombie). Doors open at 9pm and music starts round 10. See you all there…

Orchestraville Reunites for Athens and Columbus Shows, Releases New Vinyl

Athens and Columbus legends Orchestraville will be playing THIS WEEKEND: Friday, September 17th at The Union in Athens and Saturday, September 18th at the Rumba in Columbus. They are releasing a new LP titled “Poison Berries” which you should buy. Full story on shows and album after the break….

Athens Community Music Festival is THIS SATURDAY, August 21!

From the fine folks at Athens Community Music Festival: The 12th annual Athens Community Music Festival will take place Saturday, August 21st, featuring over thirty-five local acts at seven uptown venues. All proceeds go to grant opportunities for local musicians and music education. Admission is $10 for an all-venue wristband or $5 per location. Tickets will be available the day of the event at the Smiling Skull Saloon, Donkey Coffee, The Union, Jackie O’s, Salaam and the Casa Cantina. Visit myspace.com/athensmusicfest for a complete schedule. Please come out and celebrate the local music of Athens Ohio!!! Full schedule for all venues after the break!

COUNTY FAIR PREVIEW: This Moment In Black History

Aquabear is extremely honored to welcome Cleveland punk-rockers This Moment in Black History to the Union tonight to close out the Fourth Annual Aquabear County Fair. Since forming in 2001, the band have toured the nation extensively and become a staple of Athens own Blackoutfest. The group will likely be premiering some songs from Public Square, their new release on the Chicago underground label Smog Veil Records. If you’re a fan of rock n’ roll that is noisy and abrasive in all the right ways, there’s no better place to be than the Union tonight. Here’s some video of This Moment in Black History at Donewaiting‘s 5th anniversary back in 2008.

COUNTY FAIR PREVIEW: Sun God

Cleveland’s Sun God have in the past described themselves as “arena punk… in a good way” and I completely agree. These guys contain members of Insurrect and countless other Cleveland bands of years past and they will definitely test your hearing threshold. They joined us at the 2nd annual Aquabear County Fair a few years back and still remain one of the loudest things to ever happen at ARTS/West. Plus they have a brand new split 12″ with This Moment In Black History that comes out on March 5 and will most certainly be available at the show. Don’t miss these guys, they don’t come down to Athens nearly enough. Come see Sun God and a whole host of others at the final night of the 2010 Aquabear County Fair at The Union on Saturday, March 6th at 8pm. It’s all about those riffs, dude. Check out Sun God (with Kevin filling in on bass instead of guitar, they are back to a four piece now though) playing at the 2009 Compound Fest in Cleveland.

COUNTY FAIR PREVIEW: Megachurch

Aquabear is pretty excited about Cleveland, Ohio’s Megachurch making its first visit down to Athens… These guys are damn good, they even opened up for Mission of Burma at last year’s Studio-Rama. A drummer and two basses, these guys have spent a good deal of time over the years in many other projects both past and current including Machine Go Boom, The Buried Wires, Washout Corporation, and a lot more. These guys play sweet math rock driven by pounding drums and twice the bass. Megachurch is playing the Aquabear County Fair at The Union on Saturday, March 6th. Check out this video of them playing at last year’s Compund Fest in Cleveland!

COUNTY FAIR PREVIEW: We March

Oh man, I cannot in any way at all think about my life without We March. When I came to Athens as an Ohio University freshman in 2001, We March was one of the first bands I saw down here and it made me feel instantly at home. These guys are the real deal. And we are honored to have them once again play their third Aquabear County Fair on Saturday, March 6th at The Union. Not only has We March seen most venues and towns the road has to offer, been written up in Maximum Rock and Roll, and broken bones while playing shows but they have been doing it FOR TEN YEARS plus. And they are still very, very good. Watch the video of them playing last year’s Blackoutfest from our friend Milo:

COUNTY FAIR PREVIEW: Men of Gentle Birth

So. Aquabear has decided to preview one band EVERY DAY in the weeks leading up to the Aquabear County Fair on March 4-6, 2010. In all, 15 bands will be playing this year over the course of three nights and three venues. Today marks our first entry: Columbus, Ohio’s Men of Gentle Birth. They will be joining the Fair on Saturday, March 6th at The Union. First off. Holy crap! These guys haven’t played in several years (I believe one of their last shows was the 2nd annual Aquabear County Fair at Casa Cantina in 2008), and have remained a favorite of mine and many others too. Aquabear considers it an honor that MOGB has decided to get back together at our little County Fair, and we couldn’t be more excited. If you haven’t seen Men of Gentle Birth before you really need to be at The Union on Saturday, March 6th. Seriously. And instead of trying to describe how much I love their music, watching the video below of a badass show downstairs at The Union about four years ago…

4th Annual Aquabear County Fair is THIS WEEKEND: March 4-6, 2010!

The 4th annual Aquabear County Fair takes place March 4-6, 2010 in Athens, Ohio and we are thrilled to announce the lineups for that weekend! And this one is shaping up to be one of the best we’ve had… Saturday, March 6th at The Union, 8pm This Moment in Black History (Cleveland) Makebelieves (Athens) Men of Gentle Birth (Columbus) Megachurch (Cleveland) We March (Athens) Sun God (Cleveland) Weedghost (Athens/Dayton) Friday, March 5th at Casa Cantina, 10:30pm FREE SHOW! Dragline Bros (Athens) She Bears (Athens) Manor Animals (Athens) Chris Biester (Athens) Thursday, March 4th at The (bruce) Manor, 7pm Seascapes (Athens) In Silent Movies (Athens) Thx. Tiger (Columbus/Athens) Dead Winds of Summer (Athens) - And look for one more event on Saturday afternoon to celebrate County Fair weekend, more details soon! - Holy crap this is going to be awesome And don’t forget to become a “fan” of the new Aquabear County Fair Facebook Page…

03/07/09 – 3rd Annual Aquabear County Fair – The Union

3rd Annual Aquabear County Fair When Saturday, March 7, 2009 8:00pm - All Ages Where The Union (map) 18 W. Union Athens, Ohio, USA 45701 Other InfoCost: « Back to the calendar

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

Aquabear 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