Crib Notes

Clockwise from top: Tommy Chung, Mario Schambon, Jason and Herb Harris (Photo by Carl La Pan)

Atlas Sound fires up the tour machine once again, this time Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox has enlisted the Selmanaires to serve as his backing band for this show of ghostly pop. Stereolab-esque post-rock Brits Broadcast play in support of their latest release, Broadcast & The Focus Group Investigate. The Selmanaires pull double duty as they open the show Thursday night, Oct. 14. $15. 8:30 p.m. The Earl. 404-522-3950.

Chad Radford: So what’s up with the Atlas Sound tour; the Selmanaires are the Atlas Sound band for the tour with Broadcast and you’re opening the shows as well?
Tommy Chung: Yes. Bradford has been collaborating with Broadcast for a little while and we were always jealous because Broadcast has been one of our favorite bands pretty much since they became a band. Bradford asked Herb if we wanted to go too, and it was like, ‘let me think about it… Um yeah!’ A week later Bradford said he was sick of being a one-man sampler show and asked how we felt about being the backing band too. It sounded cool so we did one practice with him before a Dirty Projectors show and within the first ten minutes he asked us to play that show. We learned four songs, stretched them out and did like a 10-minute cover of “What Goes On” by the Velvet Underground.

We’ve always had a connection with Deerhunter. Our very first show out was in 2003 with Deerhunter at MJQ before the Drunken Unicorn even existed. It was Deerhunter, Tabitha and we were the openers — back when we were still stand up bass, Wurlitzer and acoustic guitar. After that we pretty much played with Deerhunter every month at Lenny’s. It feels like things have come full-circle now that we’re playing with Atlas Sound.

The Selmanaires “Resonance Alright” mp3

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the Selmanaires

In preparation for the Other Sound Fest. that’s taking over L5P this Saturday Pine Magazine conducted a series of interviews with some of the bands who will be playing. Click on the band names below to give hear the interviews.

The Selmanaires

Book of Colors

Tom Cheshire and Ben Thrower R Just Us

Grand Prize Winners From Last Year

Los Buenos

The Other Sound Fest. Free. Sat., Sept. 19. Little Five Points’ Findley Plaza, Criminal Records and the Star Bar. Click below for schedule of performance times and MP3s from scheduled acts.

(Photo by Dave Batterman)

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As of this Saturday night the Fringe Factory will no longer be held at the Highland Inn Ballroom Lounge.

According to resident FF hosts/DJs Vikki V and Suzy Q, after more than a year at the Highland Inn, the reason for their departure is that due to low bar sales, the Highland Inn has asked them to put all future FF events there on hold.

A new home for the monthly psychedelic, multimedia dance party is yet to determined, and the next Fringe Factory will most likely take place in November. “We’re sad to see it go,” says Suzy. “The Highland Inn is where Fringe Factory blossomed.”

In the meantime Vikki V and Suzy Q will be spinning records at the Sleepy Sun show at the Earl on Sat., Sept. 5, and will also be starting up a monthly DJ night in the MJQ cafe on the second Saturday of every month.

They’re also gearing up for the maiden voyage of Fringe Factory Records, a new label that they’re planning to unveil at the Star Bar as part of their weekly Freakout on Thurs., Oct 8, with a new 7-inch single from local garage rock act, thee Electric Cycles.

But before any of that happens the Selmanairs and a host of DJs are primed for the send off this Saturday night.

$7. 9 p.m. The Highland Inn Ballroom Lounge. 644 North Highland Ave. 404-874-5756.

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It’s been a minute since the Orphins last checked-in. Wish You Well, the post-punk outfit’s second full-length to materialize in their 10-year career isn’t a significant shift in style, but it does bring a terse upgrade to the group’s jangle and dirge-pop assaults. As opening numbers “(x2+y2-1)3 –x2y3=0” and “In the Dark” unfold, the old familiar chime moves in leaving a core accent that affects the entire album. Such a distinctive guitar sound was the driving part of the group when they released Drowning Cupid back in 2004. This time it’s woven deeply into the fabric of “Sea Song” and “Elements.” Both are full-bodied pinnacles of the group’s monochromatic rhythms, that are less insular than before, but are still instantly recognizable, and instantly catchy. (Adair Park)

4 stars out of 5

The Orphins play the Drunken Unicorn with the Selmanaires and Club Awesome. Sat. Aug. 15. $8. 8:30 p.m. 736 Ponce de Leon Place.

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Nashville-based film maker Matthew Robison’s (Silver Jew) much ballyhooed, but yet to be released Atlanta rock documentary We Fun premieres at the Atlanta Film Festival this Saturday night (April 18.)

The film is showing on screen no. 4 at the Midtown Art Cinema on Sat., April 18 and again at 2:05 p.m. on screen no. 6 on  Wed., April 22.

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For today’s Roll Call we call out Tommy Chung of the Selmanaires.

Who are you?
Tommy Chung to my friends, Thomas Chung to the government and creditors.

Describe yourself in three words.
Hungry Renaissance Man.

Who — dead or alive — would most you like to meet?
Ernest Hemingway, so he can divulge his secrets to success. He did blow his brains out though, so I suppose success is relative.

Who would you most like to slap in the face?
People who infect my world with their negativity. I usually don’t let the hateful attitudes of others get to me, but there are a handful of people and personality types who really know how to get under my skin. You fuckers know who you are.

What song do you wish you had written?
“Mother Sky” by Can. Coolest song ever.

Elvis Costello or Elvis Presley?
Wow. I can’t believe you’re making me choose. I’ll go with the skinny, “Mystery Train”-era King.

LP, CD or MP3?
LPs, but only because you didn’t list cassettes as a choice.

If you could start one trend, what would it be?
Fish on Fridays for protein-deficient vegans and non-Catholics.

If you could end one trend, what would it be?
Ironic mustaches.

With whom would you most like to play a game of spin the bottle?
Anna Karina circa 1967. However, with my luck, the bottle would probably land on her husband Jean-Luc Godard. I respect him and all, but I’m only mildly interested in kissing him.

The Selmanaires play the Earl on Sat., Jan. 31st with the Features and Carnivores. $8. 9 p.m. 488 Flat Shoals Rd. 404-522-3950.

(Photo by Chad Radford)

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For today’s Roll Call we call out drummer Mathis Hunter of Noot d’ Noot and the Selmanaires.

Who are you?
Bimbi, Smoofus, Mathis. Aural Exciter.

Describe yourself in three words.
Seeker, Listener, Glistener

Who — dead or alive — would most you like to meet?
Lame Deer or Don Juan Matus. Wouldn’t mind learning to shapeshift and fly.

Who would you most like to slap in the face?
Limbaugh is pretty jive, but rather than slap him, I’d like to keep feeding him ham sandwhiches and oxycontin.

What song do you wish you had written?
Too many to count. Right this second, I’m wondering what Chuck D and Flav thought when the Shocklee brothers played them the beat for “Fight The Power.”

Elvis Costello or Elvis Presley?
Beatles during the week, Stones on the weekends.

LP, CD or MP3?
Crests and troughs or right angles… a technology that thrived for over a hundred years, or something we just came up with in the last 30… they all have their place in these modern times, I suppose.

If you could start one trend, what would it be?
People learning an instrument BEFORE booking a show.

If you could end one trend, what would it be?
The concept of time, and therefore being “on time” to “things.” I’m just trying to get somewhere.

With whom would you most like to play a game of spin the bottle?
We people who are darker than blue.

“Living the Life” MP3

Noot d’ Noot plays Stomp & Stammer’s 12th Anniversary Party at The Earl w/ the Coathangers and All the Saints on Fri., Nov. 21. FREE. 9:30 p.m.

(Photo courtesy of Bimbi Smoofus)

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Several Atlanta musicians, performers and independent businesses are rallying at The Earl this Sat., Aug. 2 for A Sight For Sore Eyes: A Benefit for Krystal Woods.

Woods is an employee at Aurora Coffee in L5P and suffers from a degenerative eye condition known as Karatoconus, which means her corneas are deteriorating to such an extreme that within the year she will be completely blind. The only way save her sight is via complete cornea replacements, which carries a price tag of $10,000 per eye.

It’s pretty much impossible to raise that kind of money on a Barista’s wages, and Woods doesn’t have health insurance. She applied for Medicaid, but was apparently denied on the ground that she’s not blind enough nor poor enough to qualify.

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Atlanta’s premier space-funk party band, Noot ‘d Noot features members of the Selmanaires, Good Friday Experiment, and too many other forgotten local bands to name.

The Noots create an a cosmic blend of electro and organic beats, that expand the mind and get the party started with deep, psychedelic jams.

The group’s 2006 self-produced, self-released Goofer Dust Mix Tape, has been stepped up to legitimate LP/CD release via International Hits.

According to I-Hits co-owner Shannon Mulvaney the records and CDs should be in stores and available for purchase this evening, hopefully by 6 p.m., and the packaging of the LP is said to be lavish.

Stay tuned for more.

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PIED PIPERS OF ATLANTA: Wherever the Black Lips go, CL is sure to follow.

(all photos by Perry Julien)

Before you left-click to leave another scathing comment about how you’re sick of seeing coverage in CL on the Black Lips, Deerhunter, Snowden or the Selmanaires, you should thank your lucky stars. We’re only running photos from their latest show at the Variety Playhouse Friday, Nov. 30. (more…)

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