Gourmet Magazine Features Athens as a Top 10 Music & Food City

Native Athenians are already familiar with the Classic City's fabulous culinary fare and live music scene, but now, readers of Gourmet Magazine across the country are becoming acquainted with the dining and music of Athens, Georgia, which made the list of the top ten cities in the United States for music and food in the magazine's article, "The Next Big Scene."

Several famous Athens entertainment locales are highlighted, including the 40 Watt Club and the Caledonia Lounge, as well as some of the city's favorite restaurants like 5&10 and The Grit.

Read about it here, and then go check out the venues for yourself to see why Athens, Georgia is one of the best music and food spots in the nation!

--Elizabeth Bertrand

Poppin', Ridin', and Walkin' - Athens, GA This Weekend: Oct. 14-16 Events and Things to Do

As we get closer to the weekend, I personally am anticipating many fun things to do in Athens, GA. The skies have cleared and there are really great outdoor offerings coming up that will give you, your friends, and family the perfect opportunity to begin enjoying the cooler autumn weather. So grab your fall coats and start planning your weekend schedule!

1. Have you gotten your tickets to the 7th Annual Athens Popfest yet? This event is a four-day music festival featuring around 70 rock and pop bands both from the U.S.and overseas. All the events are held at either 40 Watt, Caledonia Lounge, or the Classic Center, and all events are open to all-ages! The festival goes from Oct. 11-15 and you can purchase full festival passes or individual tickets to the shows. This is definitely something to check out for all music-lovers! Make sure to check the show lineup on the Popfest website to see what bands are playing, and when and where they will be performing. This is a great way to enjoy a weekend full of music as well as support the arts. The non-profit Athens Popfest Foundation grants scholarships to a number of Athens high school graduates who intend to pursue a degree in visual or performing arts.

2. Habitat for Humanity is holding its 4th Annual Jittery Joe's Fall Classic Century and Fall Festival. This bicycle race and Fall Festival will be held at Terrapin Brewery on Saturday starting at 10 am. All cyclists 21 and over will receive a t-shirt, special edition Terrapin pint glass, as well as a Terrapin tour; all younger participants will receive a t-shirt and water bottle. The race will begin and end at Terrapin and will circle around Clarke County. For the non-cyclists, the Fall Festival will have music, food, games, and a lot of fun! If you haven't registered for the race yet, and you want to participate, don't worry -- event day registration is available. Make sure to check out this event and spread awareness of the effort to achieve community home-ownership!

3. Don't miss out on this Sunday's Athens Heritage Walk: Downtown Athens. Hal Cofer and Jones Drury will take you through 40 years of the heart and soul of Athens, and you'll be able to get a little taste of how it was like when Broad Street attracted the farmers coming into town to buy their needed goods and the city folk headed over to Clayton Street to shop at the many clothing and department stores. Downtown Athens has changed quite a bit with urban renewal and the growth of the University, and this is a great way to learn of its interesting history! Make sure to book your tickets in advance. The tour begins at 2:00 p.m.

If these don't match up with your weekend schedule, try looking at some of the following events!

• Bring your family to the Southeast Clarke Park on Friday night to enjoy the Family Movie Under the Stars. The movie will be Rio, starting at 7:00 p.m. but the fun begins at 5 :00 p.m. with games and music. A concessions stand will be available with great movie snacks available for purchase, but other than that, this event is free! So bring your lawn chairs and your blankets and enjoy some fun family time.
• The Timothy Road Elementary Roadrunner Rally 5k and 1 Mile Fun Run is this Saturday! The race begins at 8:00 a.m., and there will be a free pancake breakfast provided for all registered runners. Hurry and register, and start stretching those legs - awards will be given out for different categories!
• Love Shakespeare? Ever wondered what a play incorporating all his works would be like? Then you should not miss out on The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) this Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at Quinn Hall at Memorial Park. The Circle Ensemble will be compressing all 37 plays by the famous playwright into less than two hours of hilarity that will be full of fun and laughter! Get your tickets now!

Find anything of interest? If not, what are you planning on doing this weekend in Athens, GA?

- Debbie

Tonight, Local Music Reigns in Athens

Local Bands featured at the Caledonia Lounge

I'm not a music aficionado. I listen to a mix of whatever is on the radio (R.I.P. 95.5), mos def cd's, and a shuffled iTunes library that I have neither the time nor inclination to organize. Most of the songs are listed by track number. This is why I was surprised to be invited to the Caledonia Lounge tonight to catch a show featuring some rising stars from Athens. Caledonia brings together Nashville's indie-pop group Heypenny and local bands Misfortune 500 and The Orkids tonight at 10:00 p.m. I had a chance to catch up with Chisolm Thompson, singer for Misfortune 500, to pick his brain on the inner workings of the group and on "making" it in the wildly diverse music scene of Athens, Georgia.

Thompson and lead guitarist Pascal Cureton met in highschool and played in several different projects together before meeting bassist Natalie Gazaway. They were acquainted in The University of Georgia's Lamar Dodd School of Art. The band found a fourth member, drummer Lemuel Hayes, through Myspace.

Check out our full interview below:

CCU: Misfortune 500 is a cool name. What's the story behind it?
CT: The name is also the title of a book by Bruce Nash about financial catastrophes in major companies that have ruined the lives of thousands of people; employees, stockholders, consumers, you name it. We felt that this was particularly relevant to anyone endeavoring to pursue a career in any creative industry in the current economy. The entertainment industry and particularly the music industry rewards artists whose work lacks critical content.

CCU: Personally, I'm a big fan of that sort of "britney-ized" pop sound. Does music need a message?
CT: As one who has the opportunity to speak in front of others, if an artist or entertainer doesn't use the opportunity for worthwhile discourse, it's sinful. In our opinion, if you are endeavoring to make a living as an artist for altruistic purposes, you have embarked into an enterprise seemingly destined to meet constant resistance.

CCU: Okay, I'll bite. So how do you come up with music that is interesting from a content standpoint as well as a musical one? What is your inspiration?
CT: We draw from our own experiences. Literature, life, cinema, and a feeling of confusion. The concept of a longing that matures into action is a big component of that.

CCU: What advice would you give to other local artists who are trying to make it in the music industry?
CT: Making it is what you make it. Be prepared for the terms "artist" and "making it" to be disconnected for some time. Success is completely different from fame and is always completely subjective. However, being an artist isn't a hobby, get serious about it, or get out of the way.

I think if you are committed to REALLY getting involved in the industry aspect of it. be prepared to work as hard as if you suddenly decided to invent the tire in a market already saturated with tires. You have Goodyears and Firestones to compete with. It's hard convincing people that your product is new and special.

CCU: That's a weird analogy but it works. Let's talk about the show tonight. What songs can fans expect to hear?
CT: You can expect to hear variations on sets of our originals. Be prepared for gravity and grandeur. We'll be playing a few songs from our upcoming album as well as material from Before This Winter Ends.


CCU: Where can fans get your music?
CT: Firstly, check with the local record stores. If they don't have it, they can get it. Seriously, just ask them. I'm always surprised to see our record in local shops from New York to L.A. Because of those smaller shops, our album landed in the hands of an SNL writer. Local shops are the best.

CCU: Well that's some amazing luck! Is there anything else you would like all of our blog readers to know before the show tonight?
CT: Sleepers, Wake Up. Dawn Approaches Like a Shockwave.

CCU: Okay then.
________

You can check out Chisolm and the rest of Misfortune 500 on their Myspace page or on Facebook. Come out to the show tonight at The Caledonia Lounge in Athens, Georgia. The show starts at 10:00 p.m. (+21) $7, (18-20) $9

Photo: Michael Lachowski