GIVEAWAY: Wildwood Revival tickets - November 8 - Cloverleaf Farm

My pals at Wildwood Revival are back for round two! After a crazy week, I can't wait to leave my laptop at home, watch some bands in the barn, cozy up by the campfire, eat some great food, and make a pillow fort with two of my best gal pals in our teepee rental. As someone who goes to festivals non-stop for work, I'm actually looking forward to this festival like a vacation.

This even is a labor of love from some very kind people, and unlike anything else we have in Athens. Give 'em your support!

CLOSED: GIVEAWAY: Tweedy at Georgia Theatre 9/19

Jeff Tweedy and his son Spencer Tweedy, performing under the name... wait for it... you'll never guess... Tweedy, are bringing their show to Georgia Theatre September 19. Tweedy will perform Wilco and Uncle Tupelo songs, as well as songs from his new record Sukierae, backed by a full band. Sharing the bill is the ever-solid, timelessly catchy Merge Records outfit Hospitality. 

Once again, my friends at Georgia Theatre graciously offered a pair of tickets ($100 value) for a lucky reader (a lucky reader who reads and follows all the directions!) 

Hear: Pinecones - "Sleep is Forget" video

Pinecones: get used to hearing this name, because *hot damn* this Athens/Atlanta band is great. Bonus points for playing inside a human body all Fantastic Voyage-style. 

More on Pinecones: stream "Plays Cosmic Hits" from my friends at Southern Vision.

CLOSED: GIVEAWAY: Wildwood Revival :: July 19

My friends Wildwood Revival are hosting their inaugural happening this month. They were sweet enough to give us a pair of tickets to give away. Full event info is below. Stay with me til the bottom of the post for entry rules, and ready your camping gear. If you don't want to leave it up to chance, tickets are still available here, but going fast! 

CLOSED: GIVEAWAY: Neko Case at Ga Theatre June 24

Neko "Don't Peggy Olson Me" Case is coming to Georgia Theatre, and Arrowhead has a pair of tickets to give away.

k i d s - "Take Forever"

Stream k i d s new album, Take Forever, below. The title is a clever continuation on the joke running through their other releases, k i d s "are US" and k i d s "These Days." Psychedelic, dreamy pop, this is the soundtrack to a hip happening you wish you were at, but your parents probably hadn't even met yet, and you were at least 20 years from showing up on the scene.

Casette is available now, and vinyl lands this summer. 

Deep State - "Bein' Mean" EP

Athens band Deep State shared an EP this week, full of "songs about frustration, crazy friends, self-destructive behavior, little stuff that affects you more than you know, lack of religion, and not getting paid enough." I'm feeling pretty drained this week trying to make everyone happy but myself, so I'll co-sign that. 

Hear: Pinecones new tape "Plays Cosmic Hits"

The Atlanta/Athens band's new release "Plays Cosmic Hits" was recorded live on WUOG 90.5 this past February, and is out on cassette now on one of my favorite names to rally around, Southern Vision. If a live radio session sounds this good, I can't wait to hear what's next.

Reminds me a little of Pontiak, Ex-Cult, Wire, and Dead Meadow at times.

Listen: Shade - "Pipe Dream"

Shade is one of my favorite Athens bands right now. They just shared a stream of their debut LP, Pipe Dream, recorded at Shoal Creek Music Park with Matt Garrison and Zeke Sayer, mixed by the band, and mastered by Joel Hatstat. 

It's a part punk, part meandering psych and kraut rock, and deliciously fuzzed and noisy.

Giveaway: Easter Island @ Georgia Theatre 9/21 plus 7" vinyl

Our friends Easter Island are playing this Saturday with John French & the Bastilles and Brothers to celebrate the release of their new 7". We're giving away a pair of tickets thanks to Georgia Theatre, and Easter Island is throwing in a copy of the new Dinosaur / Drift 7" for the winner. 

Be sure to add Arrowhead to your RSS feed and follow us on Facebook so you don't miss our other Georgia Theatre giveaways this fall, including tickets to Washed Out, Dawes, and Father John Misty!

Stream the 7" and enter the contest after the jump!

Introducing Arrowhawk Records

For some time I thought it would be neat to have a small record label, but I always told myself that was a really dumb idea. My day job is already a music job, so money is tight, leaving little left over for expensive hobbies. (Note: there won't be a part later in this post where I try to convince you it's not a dumb idea. It still might be a dumb idea. I'll find out eventually.) So the idea sat on the back burner of my brain for a few years, postponed for the day when I have free time and spare cash.

Along come my old Athens friends BAMBARA, currently living in Brooklyn, armed with a staggering new record. Through working as their publicist, I've been impressed by and grateful for their positive attitudes. These guys work hard, stay organized, and stay motivated. They do almost everything themselves, and they do it well.

During their set in March in Atlanta, after not seeing them live for a while, I realized:
1. These are the kind of hardworking, positive people I want to be involved with, especially on a project that might never make money, might never break even, but will definitely result in vinyl.
2. This is the record I want to put out.
3. There might never be a time in my life when I have free time and spare cash, so I might as well just go for it.

By the end of the month I was sending a deposit off to United Record Pressing, then there were 250 pearly white LPs in my living room. Soon 100 of those were on tour with the guys. I don't claim to know how to run a label (does anyone anymore?) but from four years of handling publicity for labels, I've got some ideas. If we break even within one year I'll be thrilled, but I'm trying to stay realistic. I'm learning heaps. I don't feel stagnant. I have my gusto back.

So far we've been grateful for positive press from Pitchfork, Ad Hoc, Spin, Vice, and a slew of others. The guys are heading to Europe this fall with A Place To Bury Strangers. Friends and strangers alike are slowly but steadily picking up records. William, Reid, and Blaze (BAMBARA) have been partners every step of the way: encouraging, helpful, and grateful.

I'm not kidding myself into thinking I'm some kind of label hot-shot. It just feels really good to help your friends make a tangible thing out of their music, and I plan to keep it up.

LPs are on sale here now.

We didn't include thank you liner notes, but if I want to thank these folks, for their encouragement, inspiration, help, and/or enthusiasm:
Bill Benson, David Barbe, Brandon Stosuy, Phil Waldorf, Jay Steele, Brad Stabler, Ben Shapiro, Gordon Lamb, Rachel Bailey, Kimberly Drew,  Mason Warner, Sara Padgett Heathcott, Candice Jones, Sibel Yaman, Meredith Melragon, Natasha Murphy, and a bunch of other people I'll be embarrassed to have forgotten. 

Hear: Programs - "Promises" EP

 

We've been playing this record non-stop in the office this week, and it's grown on me quickly. You might recognize Robby Casso from drum duty in Grass Giraffes and Glasscrafts. Programs' Promises EP is full of chilled-out danceable synth pop and lyrics delivered with smooth nonchalance. How could it not be smooth? Just look at that album art. Recommended if you like Washed Out, Yip Deceiver, and Small Black.

They're playing Green Room September 11 with our friends Leverage Models.

Victrola Rotor Oilmen - Bill Doss tribute

The Athens community and the music community beyond lost Bill Doss last year. Last night, members of the Olivia Tremor Control performed under the anagram Victrola Rotor Oilmen as a tribute to Bill at the Flagpole Athens Music Awards. If anyone has a better video, please send it my way and I'll swap out my own. Here's an interview Bill did with Ad Hoc in April of last year.

We miss you, Bill. 

Cocktail Recipes with Dead Confederate

Our friends Dead Confederate put together a video to show you how they trained all winter long for summer tour. Looking for some new cocktail recipes for your next soiree? The guys have you covered, and can probably send you some leads on obtaining a drummer's sock or two.

Catch them on tour this month and have all your burning mixology questions answered:

Dead Confederate tour dates:
May 15 - Knoxville, TN @ The Bowery
May 16 - Winston-Salem, NC @ The Garage
May 17 - Washington, D.C. @ Black Cat
May 18 - Annapolis, MD @ Metropolitan
May 19 - Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell's
May 21 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's
May 22 - Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
May 23 - Brooklyn, NY @ Knitting Factory
May 24 - Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse Music Hall
May 25 - Providence, RI @ Fete Lounge
May 29 - Columbus, OH @ The Basement
May 30 - Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
May 31 - St. Louis, MO @ The Old Rock House
June 1 - Nashville, TN @ The High Watt

Giveaway: of Montreal at 40 Watt 3/1

Our hometown pals of Montreal are playing this Friday, and 40 Watt wants to give you a pair of tickets. Get there early to catch Nashville's Linear downfall and Davey and Nicolas's band Yip Deceiver. Instructions on how to win are below. Read 'em.

Friday March 1

of Montreal

Yip Deceiver

Linear downfall

Doors 9PM / Show 10PM

The Fabulous 40 Watt Club

$13

Last fall I got to have some fun at Kevin and Nina's being a cloaked creeper in the video for the sultry Nashville-tinged "Feminine Effects." Give it a look and listen, and come out to see them this Friday!

of Montreal - "Feminine Effects" Video from stereogum on Vimeo.

CLOSED: Giveaway: Ponderosa, Blue Blood, Party Dolls @ Caledonia 2/14

Want to spend your Valentines Day with Ponderosa? We're giving away a pair of tickets so you can take your Valentine or Galentine to the show and use the money you saved to tip your bartender.

Giveaway: Jonathan Richman at 40 Watt - CLOSED

The delightful Jonathan Richman is coming to The Fabulous 40 Watt Club on February 15, and we have a pair of tickets to give away. All you taken types should probably get your sweetie tickets for Valentine's Day.

Tonight: Grass Widow at Caledonia

San Francisco trio Grass Widow are playing at Caledonia tonight with Shade and Glasscrafts, an  offshoot of Glass Giraffes. Fans of Vivian Girls, Brilliant Colors, Dum Dum Girls, and The Raincoats won't want to miss their fuzzed out harmonies and riffs reminiscent of the first wave of British D.I.Y. Their third album, Internal Logic (perhaps an homage to UK post-punk band Essential Logic?) is out now on the bands own HLR Records.

Ticket Giveaway: The Music Tapes at 40 Watt 1/25!

The Music Tapes are bringing The Traveling Imaginary to 40 Watt this Friday, and we're giving away a pair of tickets to the early show (doors at 8, show at 8:30.) I'm especially excited about this show since Julian, the sweet friend I got my dog Majesty from, will be playing inside of a traveling circus tent, a long-time dream of his. His performances are a magical, hypnotic, and transportive mix of songs, games, and stories. 

CLOSED: Ticket Giveaway: The Soft Moon w/ Majical Cloudz, Twin Tigers

One of my favorite albums of 2012 was Zeros from Bay-area artist The Soft Moon. After one show that fell through due to severe weather, he'll be back January 16, 2013 at the Caledonia Lounge with Majical Cloudz and locals Twin Tigers.

If you have any inclination toward New Wave, Krautrock or Industrial tinged dark fuzzed out atmospheric compositions, you'll want to be at this show. 

To enter: 

Share this contest on Facebook, then leave a comment on this blog post (below) with your email address so I can reach you if you win.

Bonus entry: Like Arrowhead Vintage on Facebook.  Leave another comment for your bonus entry.

A winner will be drawn from the comments on this blog post using Random.org. If you don't leave a comment on this blog post in the comments section below, I have no way of seeing your entry.   

Spread the word, then leave a comment. I'll contact the winner the day before the show.  

Congrats, Colby!