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)”

 

Visual Review of Aquabear County Fair 2015

Aquabear County Fair 2015 is October 22-25 in Athens, Ohio

The 9th annual Aquabear County Fair features 19 bands on October 22-25 in Athens, Ohio!

Our own little County Fair is really starting to grow up (sniff), this year marks it’s 9th birthday and we are celebrating October 22-25 in beautiful, scenic Athens, Ohio! Over 18 acts are playing over 4 days with 2 bar shows, 2 house shows, and a experimental music show at a record store. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22 at 8:00pm is the County Fair Kickoff at The Bat Lounge w/ Bad Luck (washington), Marina Peterson (athens), and Girl Colors (athens), please bring donations for the bands. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23 at 10:00pm is at Jackie O’s Public House with We March (athens), Kyle Sowashes (columbus), Palestras (cleveland), and Slackluster (athens) with a $5 cover. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24 at 6:00pm is the Nobrow Sound Series at Haffa’s Records with Pete Fosco (cincinnati), Tim Feeney (alabama), Weedghost (fairborn/athens), Nobrow.collective (athens), and bring a $7 donation for the bands. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24 at 10:30pm is a FREE show at Casa Cantina with Blam Blams (athens), The Bygones (columbus), Supernobody (athens), and Water Witches (athens). And we finish up on SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25 at 4:00pm with a show at The Hen House with Dead Hand of Man (athens), Unmonumental (athens), Sardukar (athens), and Dead Winds of Summer (athens), bring some donations for the bands for that one. We’re gonna try to grill up some food too! There will be copies of the 2LP Aquabear Legion Volume 5 record for sale (only $20!) along with amazing limited edition Aquabear Legion screenprints from Charlie Touvell, and new t-shirts and sweatshirts too! See you all at the Fair.

Thursday, October 22nd at 8:00pm
Kickoff at The Bat Lounge – Donations
(e-mail contact@aquabearlegion.com for info)
Bad Luck (last), Marina Peterson (second), Girl Colors (first)

Friday, October 23rd at 10:00pm
Jackie O’s Public House (W. Union Street) – $5

10:00pm:   Slackluster
11:00pm:   Palestras
12:00am:   The Kyle Sowashes
1:00am:     We March

Saturday, October 24th at 10:30pm
Casa Cantina – FREE!

10:30pm:   Water Witches
11:15pm:   Supernobody
12:00am:   The Bygones
1:00am:     Blam Blams

Saturday, October 24th at 6:00pm
Haffa’s Records (15 W. Union Street) – $7 suggested donation

Tim Feeney, Pete Fosco, Weedghost, Nobrow.collective

Sunday, October 25th at 4:00pm
Aquabear-B-Q at The Hen House – Donations
(e-mail contact@aquabearlegion.com for info)

4:00pm:    Sardukar
5:00pm:    Dead Winds of Summer
5:15pm:    Unmonumental
6:00pm:    Dead Hand of Man

Aquabear County Fair is September 5-7: 14 Ohio Bands, All Free!

ABCF13Poster-webThe 7th annual Aquabear County Fair is THIS COMING WEEKEND: September 5-7 in beautiful Uptown Athens, Ohio. Things kick off on Thursday, September 5 at The Union at 10:00pm with Weird Science (athens), Palaces (cleveland), Princess (athens), and Night Stalker (athens). Friday, September 6 we move a few block away to Casa Cantina with music from The D-Rays (athens), Hyrrokkin (yellow springs), Supernobody (athens), and The Dead Hand of Man (athens). And we finish off the weekend back at The Union on Saturday, September 7 at 9:00pm with Wussy (cincinnati),  being joined by a slew of Athens bands including County Pharaohs, Hex Net, Unmonumental, Weedghost, and the night will close out with a performance from We March. ALL FREE. It’s on Facebook here, share this link, bring friends, support Ohio music

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7th Annual Aquabear County Fair (9/5-9/7) Full Lineup: Palaces, Dead Hand of Man, Night Stalker Added

CountyFair090webThe 7th annual Aquabear County Fair is September 5-7 in Athens, Ohio! The weekend features 14 Ohio bands playing three nights for FREE and here’s the final lineup (times TBA):

Thursday, September 5 at The Union, 10pm
Weird Science (athens)
Palaces (cleveland)
Princess (athens)
Night Stalker (athens)

Friday, September 6 at Casa, 10pm
The D-Rays (athens)
Hyrrokkin (yellow springs)
Supernobody (athens)
Dead Hand of Man (athens)

Saturday, September 7 at The Union, 9pm
Wussy (cincinnati)
We March (athens)
County Pharaohs (athens)
Hex Net (athens)
Unmonumental (athens)
Weedghost (fairborn/athens)

All shows are FREE. We still pay the bands so if you’d like to help by making a donation let us know: contact@aquabearlegion.com

We March and More Added to Aquabear County Fair: September 5-7

Athens' own We March join the Aquabear County Fair lineup and will close out The Union on Saturday, September 7
Athens' own We March join the Aquabear County Fair lineup and will close out The Union on Saturday, September 7
Athens’ own We March join the Aquabear County Fair lineup and will close out The Union on Saturday, September 7

The 7th annual Aquabear County Fair will take place in beautiful Athens, Ohio on the weekend of September 5-7, 2013! And the Aquabear has another round of bands to announce for this ALL FREE weekend of Ohio music featuring (after about a year off) the Athens legendary punk rockers We March who will close out The Union on Saturday night after Wussy’s set. Joining We March in this round of announcements as well are Hyrrokkin (yellow springs), County Pharaohs (athens), Hex Net (athens), and Princess (athens). The new announcements join a lineup that features Wussy (cincinnati), The D-Rays (athens), Weird Science (athens), Supernobody (athens), Unmonumental (athens), and Weedghost (athens/fairborn). More bands are still to be announced and the entire weekend is FREE. We gladly take donations to help pay the bands, drop us a line at contact@aquabearlegion.com if you’d like to help.

7th Annual Aquabear County Fair
Athens, Ohio –  ALL FREE

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
The Union, 10pm
with: Weird Science, Princess, and more

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
Casa Cantina, 10pm
with: Hyrokkin, The D-Rays, Supernobdy, and more

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
The Union, 9pm
with: Wussy, We March, County Pharaohs, Hex Net, Unmonumental, Weedghost

Best of Ohio 2012: Part Five

volume-2-comp-250x250Aquabear is kicking off a brand new year-end tradition by asking some of the state’s best musicians and music related folks to share their favorite Ohio music finds and experiences of the year. Look for a whole bunch of these before the start of 2013! Here’s the fifth batch featuring Paul Maccarrone (Cleveland – Zombie Proof, Curtis Frey (Cleveland – We March, Palaces),  Josh Antonuccio (3 Elliott Studio), Noah Andrews (Cleveland – Aquabear Legion/Sometimes The Bear Eats You, 5unday 5essions), and Eddie Ashworth (Athens – Ohio University Professor, Producer, Engineer, Mixer). Look for more in the coming weeks and please share, if you would like to participate drop us a line at contact@aquabearlegion.com.

_______

Paul Maccarrone
Cleveland  (Zombie Proof)

What were your favorite Ohio releases from 2012?
Obnox – “Rojo”  (12XU): I still have no idea why I like this so much since I’m not a fan of noise or free jazz in general. Bim started throwing curves here. Wetbrain (Bloodclot) This demo doesn’t even touch them live, but it’s good introduction. McShitz “Wish The Morning Never Came.” (self-released) My favorite of 2012. I still play this every Sunday morning. They hired some prog-metal jerk to print the cover and he turned out to be a deadbeat. Perfect for a band that never actually released a record while they were active, but frustrating nonetheless.

Favorite new Ohio band
New? What do you mean? Safeties, Smooth Brain, Murdered Man, Family Dollar, Royal Blood, Homeowners, Black Puddle Noise, Banging Fragiles.

Favorite Ohio show you saw this year
Homostupids playing Class at the end of December. Sorry, they’re still the best live band in Cleveland. Neck and neck for second are Bad Noids @ Class before George went on vacation, Obnox on Halloween @ the WCSB show (Cleveland Public Theater), This Moment In Black History and Homeowners both here in my living room.

What are you most excited about for 2013?
Safeties. Whenever they finish that recording it’s going to be amazing. I heard that the Inmates recorded something new and I’ve never heard anything bad from them. Steve Peffer and Kevin Jaworski got together with Brandon from Brown Sugar and wrote five songs together. If they find someone to put vocals on it, I’m sure it’ll be a crusher. I’d like to see Homeowners put something official out this year. I’m psyched to record Royal Blood  and Shitbox Jimmy this month. Both of these bands have the capability to lay down bizarre and timeless rock. Generally, I’m looking forward to being surprised once again by all of the talented nut jobs that play music in this town whether I know them or not. Obnox is putting out an E.P., a double 7″ and a double 12″  this year. All completely different from one another, all pissed, distorted, and with great heart. I’ve been accused of liking Bim’s music because he’s black, but I think he just writes better rock songs than most of the crackers around here. So there.

What have you been working on lately?
Cracked Cup – I get to work with Becket, and two Bad Noids (George and Mike), love it;. Tuk Peenerson & His Weinermen – I get to work with two Paint Chips (Richard and Maude) and Jack and Jim  from the Noise Mafia. Put a McShit on drums (Dave), and you have Dick Salad. An acquired taste, but more fun than I’ve had in years, for sure.

What are you listening to right now?
Old mix tapes that people have made me. I’ve been transferring them to CD and playing them in-between bands @ The Grog Shop and Now That’s Class where I’ve been working doing sound.
_______

Curtis Frey
Cleveland  (We March, Palaces)

What were your favorite Ohio releases from 2012?
Founding Fathers “Rapid Transit”, This Moment in Black History “Higher Deffer”, Obnox stuff. Obnox’s Soundcloud page,  “Black Mail Librarian”  (Paul Maccarrone’s soundcloud) is pretty awesome. I don’t buy records anymore, I don’t have anything to play em on, i just listen to shit on the internet. People would give me records and I would just fuck em up. People don’t give me records anymore.

Favorite new Ohio band
The band I had with Nate Scheible and Eben Nichols. Nate moved. Probably the best thing I’ve ever been apart of.

Favorite Ohio show you saw this year
This Moment In Black History @ the black eye. Kill the Hippies/Founding Fathers @ The Black Eye.

What are you most excited about for 2013?
I don’t get excited about things that haven’t happened yet.

What have you been working on lately?
Playing keyboard in Palaces with Dave Straub, Eben Nichols, Roseanna Safos, and Jesse Alison. We March shows in February. Keeping Variants going with Eben either by recording or getting a new drummer. Also gonna be working on getting a label started with Dave and hopefully others to digitally release our old bands’ stuff and release digital singles of our new projects. Of course, we’d like to eventually release stuff physically as well, but you know…poverty.
_______

Josh Antonuccio
Athens  (3 Elliott Studio)

What were your favorite Ohio releases from 2012?
Got to work on some wonderful Ohio albums in 2012 including releases by Southeast Engine, Old Hundred, and Human Cannonball.

Favorite Ohio show you saw this year
There are so many great bands in Athens right now.  I’ve been digging shows by Hexnet and The D-Rays.  WeldyFest at O’Hooley’s was an amazing assembly of talent and saw a fantastic show on Dec. 16th at Donkey Coffee with Justin Gordon, Adam Remnant of Southeast Engine, Michael Nau of Cotton Jones, and Matthew Milia of Frontier Ruckus.

What are you most excited about for 2013?
Nelsonville Music Festival with Wilco and John Prine and heading back down to Austin,TX for South by Southwest.  Rumor is that Nick Cave is playing.  Very psyched for that.  Also, looking forward to the new Nick Tolford album.

What have you been working on lately?
Producing and engineering great albums for 2013, including new Ohio releases by Chris Shaw, Mike Elliott, The Antivillians, and Joey Hebdo.   Also, new music collaborations are in the works with some of my favorite Athens’ musicians.

What are you listening to right now?
Neil Young and Crazy Horse “Psychedelic Pill”, Grizzly Bear “Shields”, Walkmen “Heaven”, Japandroids “Celebration Rock”, The Antlers “Undersea”, JD McPherson “Signs an Signfiers”, Bill Fay “Life Is People”, Bruce Springsteen “Wrecking Ball”, Window Twins “Wish”, D’Angelo “Voodoo”, Jackson Browne “Waiting for the Sky”, Graham Nash “Songs for Beginners”, Big Boi “Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors”, Elmo Hope – “Trio and Quintet”
_______

Noah Andrews
Cleveland  (Bark & Hiss, Editions Mego, Aquabear Legion, 5unday 5essions)

What were your favorite Ohio releases from 2012?
Emeralds – Just To Feel Something, Wesley Bright and the Hi-Lites – Get It Right/Love (I Got It) 45″, Black Unicorn – Rediscovering Infinity, Machine Gun Kelly – Lace Up, Weedghost – “Rooneysghost”, Trouble Books – Concatenating Fields, Boquet Machine Box – live album , Piano & Elektron – “The Hornet & The Velodrome”

Favorite new Ohio band
The Ohio Players

Favorite Ohio show you saw this year
Giant Claw – at the Noise Cave by Rubber City Noise for Ingenuity-fest 2012

What are you most excited about for 2013?
The ending of recorded time and the unlimited possibilities of the future.

What have you been working on lately?
Matthu Stull, but he’s a dunce. I’d rather record/produce myself.

What are you listening to right now?
The Halloween re-issues on Death Waltz
_______

Eddie Ashworth
Athens  (Ohio University Assistant Professor, Producer, Engineer, Mixer)

What were your favorite Ohio releases from 2012?
Real Women: Mt Carmel, Let’s Go Eat the Factory & Class Clown Spots a UFO: Guided by Voices, Arrow: Heartless Bastards

Favorite new Ohio band
Sportfishing U.S.A., HellNaw, Burning River Ramblers, Hex Net

Favorite Ohio show you saw this year
Gotta be honest: Concert for Weldy (Qiet, Amish Electric Chair, Controlled Folly, HellNaw, SassafraZ, Burning River Ramblers, Corbin Marsh, The Porters, Jeff Ellis, Rachel Figley and Ben Leeson, Almost Any Colour, Broken Ring, Maza Blaska) at Jackie O’s in December. Made me feel good to live Athens.

What are you most excited about for 2013?
Wilco at Nelsonville Music Festival.

What have you been working on lately?
Anyway, wrapping up the new album by the great WV singer/songwriter Jeff Ellis, mixing with local hip-hop artist Erik Paul, working on some new material with Columbus-based Maza Blaska, recording Silent Lions from Toledo next month, and am in discussion right now to produce a couple of artists that I’m very excited to work with, but can’t talk about it quite yet.

What are you listening to right now?
Lonerism: Tame Impala (2012), Throw it to the Universe: The Soundtrack of Our Lives (2012), Resurrection: Brian Vander Ark (2003), Silver Age: Bob Mould (2012), Propellor Time: Robyn Hitchcock (2010)

 

We March Return to Ohio

Athens’ own punk rock favorites We March return for a limited two show run (three if you include a wedding, but you’re not invited to that anyway so let’s just call it two) in Ohio after several years of quiet. The shows include stops in Athens and Cleveland, with the latter being a Throw Back Night also featuring another of Aquabear’s most beloved Ohio bands, This Moment In Black History (who have a nice new 7″ out too..) and more.

Thursday, July 5th
The Union in Athens, Ohio
We March, Fumes, Fugue State, State Park (last show?)

Saturday, July 7th
The Black Eye in Cleveland, Ohio
We March, This Moment in Black History, Gallo Negro, Crave

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: 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:

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

July 18, 2009 – Live @ ARTS/West with We March, Coshocton and Colonies

Live-at-Arts-West-July2009

We Marchwww.myspace.com/wemarch – A great mix of dirty 80’s hardcore, crazed acid punk, and a slightly bluesy underpinning that doesn’t feel forced in any way. – by John Geek, MAXIMUMROCKNROLL

Coshoctonoculusauris.com/coshocton – Drummer Nate Scheible and Guitarist Todd Jacops used to play in the Athens, Ohio based band Small Object A. This is their new project. They will be performing an improvised instrumental set of rock and roll goodness.

Colonieswww.myspace.com/coloniesohio – Brian Koscho (Casual Future) will be performing a solo set of rumbling loops with diatribes from famous historical figures.

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.

Free Aquabear Show on Friday, 10/17 and Aquabear Night @ The Union on 10/24

The Aquabear Legion is honored to have our monthly concert at ARTS/West be part of this year’s ART/oberfest. ART/oberfest is a community arts celebration here in Athens complete with all kinds of visual art, music, workshops, vendors, and more.

We are helping kick the weekend off:

Aquabear Live @ ART/oberfest
Friday, October 17th
ARTS/West
132 W. State, Athens
7pm-10pm
FREE!

with:
Russenorsk
Bram Riddlebarger and His Lonesome Band
Jesse Remnant

FREE!

Find out more about ART/oberfest at their blog
_______

Friday, October 24th
Aquabear Night @ The Union
with:
We March
1point3
and more.
10pm
________

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.