Tag Archives: birmingham

Party at Bottletree. Music always included.

Posted on September 9, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Gil's Mantera's Party Dream - courtesy of MySpace profileTonight at Bottletree: Gil Mantera’s Party Dream!

Any band that I talk to that makes time to mention their undying love for Failure earns an instant fangirl shriek from yours truly (cover you ears, Ultimate Donny!). I had a very very fun phone conversation a few minutes ago and it’s nice to hear from artists who have a genuine love for performing in Birmingham. Hopefully, we’ll make it worthwhile.

Donny also mentioned that they’re “on tour because we don’t have jobs” and that since their last album release was all the way back in 2006, this “is all about fun and playing good music”.  Finally, fans of Zombi are gonna geek out as well because they’re bringing along Tony Paterra as the Party Dream drummer. This guy toured with ISIS — who always perform to a PACKED HOUSE in Birmingham & probably everywhere else — and played for The 1985 as well.

It’s like my iTunes library formed a band. Ridiculous.

Anyway, they take the stage at 10:30 p.m. tonight and it’s only $8. There are two warm-up local hip-hop acts, so zoom on over to The Bottletree’s event page for more info.

Photo: courtesy of MySpace profile

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Last weekend in pictures

Posted on September 8, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Here’s a weekend wrap-up courtesy of me and my faithful photographer, George Atkinson.

More photos can be found in George’s Flickr photostream.

The Photonicas show @ Cave9 (9.6.2008):

Jonathan Boyd of the Photonicas - gpatkinson/Flickr
Photo: Jonathan Boyd of the Photonicas. gpatkinson/Flickr.
A couple more after the jump… Continue reading →

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The Photonicas unleash new EP on the masses

Posted on September 6, 2008 by | Leave a comment

With their EP release show tonight, I knew I had to meet with the members of the Photonicas to see exactly what kind of musical surprises they were about to set free upon us.  This is alot of anticipation on my part from a band who reminds me their first show was a Battle of the Bands at the Hoover Public Library. However, in this rare case, I’m actually not afraid to say that the band has, seriously, come a long way since Jonathan Boyd and Matt Mullinax first hatched a plan to start a band in the 5th grade with Ryan Grayson. Now that they’ve enlisted Matt’s 16 year old brother David on bass, the energy is electric and the sound indeed seems fitting of an older, shoegazier, 90s-er (I said it) band. All very good things.

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Weekend Music Workout

Posted on September 5, 2008 by | Leave a comment

If you want to get with the Whitney Weekend Workout, it’s fairly simple. Just go to an inhumanly possible amount of shows around town and try to stay awake. That’s all. Wait! There’s a late night BK chicken sandwich involved sometimes. And lots and lots of PBR.

This weekend? Keep reading and find out…

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Got plans this weekend? 9.5 – 9.7

Posted on September 5, 2008 by | 1 comment

Yep, I’m out of sports cliches. So without any further witty banter, I’m just going to get on with it …

Friday, if you work downtown, stay downtown. If you don’t work downtown, forget the commute home and point your car downtown. It’s time for Artwalk, probably the third biggest event for downtown following Sidewalk and Magic City Art Connection. I used to live downtown so I really enjoyed seeing all the art in the lofts and office spaces right outside my door. They kind of design Friday night for the hip crowd with lots of music and folks looking cool. THE2NDHAND people take the stage at 7:30 p.m. with some strong readings. Saturday is the day to bring the kids as there is a special area just for them behind Space One Eleven. I like people watching on Saturdays because you can easily spot the folks that hardly ever come downtown. So the hours are Friday 5-10 p.m. and Saturday noon to 6 p.m. I would like to point out that our very own Terminal contributor Charles Buchanan will be somewhere on 1st Avenue North. Be sure to say hi. And wear your Terminal Tee if you have one. Don’t have one? We can fix that. Continue reading →

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Tonight, we have signal!

Posted on September 3, 2008 by | Leave a comment

We Have Signal image - APTV

I will be at Bottletree tonight for the We Have Signal preview.

We’d never miss out on the opportunity to watch a rare union in Birmingham take place: good music and local TV.

There’s a reception — yay for popcorn and drinks — and the screening of the original series begins at 9 p.m. Afterwards, there will be a chance to ask the producers (J. and Matt Whitson) a few questions.

There’s going to be limited seating according to what APTV’s been saying, so get there early if you can. If you can’t make it, don’t worry; the series starts on TV in October.

Image: Alabama Public Television.

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In Love with: School Days and Dog Days

Posted on September 2, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Growing up in Virginia, we had a law that school couldn’t start until the week after Labor Day. Apparently, the thinking went that high schoolers were a vital source of labor for the end-of-summer tourist boom at our historic sites and amusement parks, and thus should not be herded into school any earlier than need be. Why that applied to grade schoolers, I don’t know, but I blissfully reaped the benefits all 12 years that I could. So it’s mystifying to me that students here are already in their fourth week of school, and my teacher husband is gearing up to give his first test. What kind of topsy-turvy world are we living in where “Winter Hours” at the library start on August 17?

Because my internal schedule is so mixed up, I’ve had two warring desires in my brain. The first is to hurry and do all the summer stuff I missed out on this year. (Lounge at the pool! Drink mojitos on the patio! Visit friends at the lake!) The other is to buckle down and do something good for my brain, dammit, because it’s time to start thinking seriously again.

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Got plans this weekend? 8.29 – 8.31

Posted on August 29, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Photo: IM000149. djxspike/Flickr.

The theme for this weekend is to get outside and enjoy the sunshine. That’s after we spent last weekend with Fay and before Gustav brings us more rain. And it’s Labor Day weekend, the last party of summer before we put away the white shoes and get out the sweaters. So grab your sunglasses, slather on the sunscreen and keep reading.

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Bottletree scores Oxford Collapse

Posted on August 25, 2008 by | Leave a comment
Tonight, Brooklyn-based Oxford Collapse is playing Bottletree! These guys have toured with one of my Top 5 favorite bands, We Are Scientists, so that’s good enough for me. If you — like most intelligent people — aren’t an easily convinced fangirl, then you should listen to a few of their tracks and decide for yourself if you want to join in and show some Birmingham love to these guys.

They are here with Love is Laughter. For those of you that caught the Modest Mouse show in the Ham, you’ll remember these guys as the opening band. Described as “almost funk” and “very psychedelic”, I think I wanna give these guys a chance. Any band prefaced with that should be on my radar.

Details: Doors open at 8 tonight, but if you buy advance tickets before 6 p.m. today, you can save yourself 2 bucks. [$8 adv, $10 at the door] 18+

It’ll be rainy all week, so enjoy everything that this indoor show has to offer. I’ll be making an appearance, so see you guys there!

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Meet the Art Before ArtWalk

Posted on August 25, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Photo: Checking out the art at last week’s Artwalk Preamble held at Rojo. Andrea Walker

For seven years, Birmingham has hosted ArtWalk, a juried art show that features all types of artwork on display for the public to enjoy and purchase. Each year, Artwalk organizers have held a Artwalk preamble fundraiser, to raise money for the event. However, this year organizers tried something different. Instead of just one night where donated art is showcased, it’s been broken down into four separate nights during the month of August. On each night, a different type of medium is on display. For instance, on this Thursday night at Rojo, participating artists contributed their photography.

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