Crib Notes

Mon., Oct. 26 Future of the Left, Hawks and Predator. $7. 9 p.m. 529, 529 Flat Shoals Ave. 404-228-6769.

Future of the Left consists of singer/guitarist Andy “Falco” Falkous and drummer Jack Egglestone, both previously of Cardiff band mclusky, alongside singer/bassist Kelson Mathias, formerly of the Ammanford-based group Jarcrew. … The band were signed to Too Pure who had also signed Mclusky, however the umbrella company Beggars Group disbanded Too Pure transferring the band to 4AD; most famous for signing the Pixies in the mid eighties.

Wed., Oct. 28 Lead by saxophone player Julian Julien, Fractale is a Parisian five-piece jazz/electro ensemble that melds traditional jazz and rock ideas with improvisation and a computer-generated bent to arrive at a simple, melodic sound. The music is cinematic in scope, and vastly experimental. $8. 9 p.m. Eyedrum. 404-522-0655.

Wed., Oct 28 Cocktoberfest featuring:  Stolen Hearts, Pillow Talk DJ’s (in bikinis) with Misty Waters and the return of the Star Bar Dating Game. $5. 9 p.m.  Star Bar, 437 Moreland Ave. 404-681-9018.

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There comes a time during every HAWKS show where you start to fear for your own safety. Maybe it’s in watching singer Mike Keenan strip naked and do the zombie walk through the crowd, kissing and singing to whomever he can get his hands on. Or maybe it’s seeing him stuff the microphone down some unsuspecting audience member’s pants and then finish the song with his face buried in their crotch. You’ll likely want to move to the safety of the bar and order a drink, but the cacophonous punk/metal melee unfolding on and off stage is just too awesome to miss. www.myspace.com/hawksisaband.

See the rest of BOA After Dark

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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RELEASE THERAPY: Hawks

Michael Keenan is a man possessed. The vocalist who fronts the band Hawks is a personable guy who’s been a fixture on Atlanta’s punk and hardcore scenes since the early ’90s, most notably playing guitar for Electrosleep Int’l. But put him on a stage and the transformation is like Jekyll and Hyde. “Something about a crowd puts me in a fucking frenzy,” he says.

Over the last year, Hawks have refined an aggressive dirge that recalls a noisier era of indie rock when bands like the Jesus Lizard, Hammerhead and Unsane ruled. Made up of Keenan, Shane Patrick (drums), Andrew Wiggins (guitar) and Sean Fitzgerald (bass), the group concocts a screeching wall of aggressive, guitar-driven mantras, samples and growling vocals. Songs such as “White Buffalo,” “Shitfist” and “The Thrust that Missed” from debut LP Barnburners (Army of Badluck) present a mass of chugging but precise musicianship.

Continue reading “Protect your crotch from the attacking Hawks”

(Photo courtesy Hawks)

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Once again 97 Estoria is celebrating their annual Estoria fest this Saturday, May 9.

The show is free and the music is scheduled to being sometime in the neighborhood of 4-4:30 p.m.  Bands performing this year include:   Noot d’ Noot, Rizzudo, GG King, All the Saints, Hawks and Predator.

Half of this year’s line-up can be heard on Creative Loafing’s the Mixt A vol. 1 compilation.

97 Estoria is located at 727 Wylie St., just beyond the Krog St. tunnel in Cabbagetown. 404-522-0966.

(Photo courtesy 97 Estoria)

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Atlanta post-hardcore, art/noise/spazz/rock weirdos Hawks play a record release party for their debut full-length, Barn Burner, tonight at Criminal Records. The show is free and the music starts at 7 p.m.

The album is being released and co-produced by Deerhunter bassist Josh Fauver for Army of Badluck Records/Vagina Flambe. Barn Burner is techinally available only as an LP, but if you buy the record a full CD of the music is tucked into the sleeve.

(Photo courtesy Hawks)

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Tonight Pine Magazine hosts its free, first Thursday of the month “recession-friendly” free show at the Star Bar.
The line-up for tonight includes:

Thy Mighty Contract
Club Awesome
Hawks
Glen Iris (new band featuring members of Batata Doce, Brass Castle, Grand Prize Winners and ex-Rock*A*Teens)
Mourdella

Free. 9 p.m. the Star Bar, 437 Moreland Ave. 404-681-9018.

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For Today’s Roll Call we call out Michael Keenan of Hawks.

Who are you?
Michael P. Keenan Jr., A.K.A. Mike, Kees, Rah Dynamo, Moss Avitol (Airoes). I’m a freelance print/motion designer that runs by the name of Younganimals, a musician, self proclaimed Atlanta underground scene historian, occasional promoter/show booking flunky, and crisis control expert.

Describe yourself in three words.
Unhinged and constructive.

Who — dead or alive — would you most like to meet?
It would be a tie between Egon Schiele and Chuck D.

Who would you most like to slap in the face?
Thomas Edison.

What song do you wish you had written?
“Maniac Dragstrip” by The Nation of Ulysses hands down. I never would have survived high school with out N.O.U. They honestly had the biggest impact on me musically, in the way I’ve always looked at performing live, than any other band I’ve ever been exposed to. They’ve always been a sort of sonic Tylenol to me, soothing the acts of the day away. Oxbow does run a close second though.

Elvis Costello or Elvis Presley?
Neither really. I’d rather listen to almost any Stax or Volt record than “The King of Rock ‘n Roll” and Elvis Costello just makes me think of bad “120 Minutes” era MTV. I can appreciate them both for what they’ve done but I have to be honest. How about El Vez? How’s that sound?!

LP, CD or MP3?
LP’s are for keeps.

If you could start one trend, what would it be?
The side belt. I’ve worn my buckle to the side since I was 19 after I saw a picture of my grandfather in the 40’s in Hell’s Kitchen. He was stepping right off the boat from Ireland rocking the side belt with flat front slacks and a scarf tied around he’s neck.

If you could end one trend, what would it be?
Bluetooth ear pieces. Nothing in this world is more ridiculous to me than somebody rolling around town with a tiny cell phone crammed in their ear, screaming into the air, acting like a muttering homeless lunatic, looking like they’re talking to themselves and being a general douche. Your not fooling anyone. We all know you’re not that important.

With whom would you most like to play a game of spin the bottle?
My 1st girlfriend (so I can show her all the tricks I’ve learned), Bowie, Winona Ryder, The girl Christian Slater makes out with in Pump Up The Volume, the Bangles (80’s era), Scarlet Johansson and MC Lyte.

“Chocolate Vulture”

Hawks play day two of the We No Fun Fest. at the Drunken Unicorn on Sat., Jan. 31st. $5 (21+). $8 (18+). 736 Ponce de Leon Place.

(Photo by Anthony)

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To celebrate the forthcoming vinyl compilation of Atlanta’s finest outsider, art punk, DIY, post-hardcore and non-garage rock bands, We No Fun,  a gaggle of bands and DJs are headed over to 97 Estoria tonight (Fri., Nov. 28th) to throw a pre-party.

Bands scheduled to perform include Hawks, Brass Castle, Sunglasses, Vera Fang, Skin Problems and Lay Down Mains.

The actual release party for the record won’t be happening until the last weekend in January.

But if you would like a sneak peak at what the record has in store, come check out the show tonight.

The show is free and starts at 8 p.m.

For more information on the record, including a track list and details regarding the forthcoming We No Fun Fest in January at The Drunken Unicorn, head over to the We No Fun Myspace page.

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Word on the street says that there is a new Atlanta compilation in the works, titled We No Fun. The record is being organized by a few folks, including Chris Daresta of local experimental acts Gold Painted Nails and Suitcases, as well as Mike Keenan of the band Hawks.

According to Daresta the title is not meant as a jab at We Fun, the documentary film about Atlanta’s garage rock scene that is currently in production. Rather it’s a reference to Brian Eno’s No New York compilation that documented a handful of bands that made up New York’s No Wave scene in the late ’70s.

“We wanted to put together a cool document of Atlanta’s alternative stuff… Just outsider kind of stuff.” Daresta says.

The comp. will be a vinyl only release and pressed in a limited edition of 500 copies. According to the We No fun Myspace page the record will feature 10 bands and the line-up includes Chrissakes, Hawks, the Sunglasses, Thy Mighty Contract, the Suitcases, Retconned, Judy Chicago, SIDS, Lay Down Mains, Bernard, Chopper and the Felon Wind, which is actually 12 bands.

More details will be posted as they come in.

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