Bambara brings the sound, Reptar brings the dance!

Say hello to my awesome friend Elizabeth, Echoreyn of Athens' very first guest blogger! Here's her take on Saturday's spectacular Bambara CD Release/ Reptar show. :)

If I truly believe one thing, it’s that each and every one of us participates in the Athens music community for the same reason- we love live music! Meeting the band, sharing the energy with the crowd- there is an experience to be had in a live show unmatched by anything else. But what to do on those days when the world’s just got you down? Do you skip out on the show? My experience at the Caledonia on Saturday proved the answer to be a resounding NO. Like it or not, everyone has those days… you’re tired, you’re cranky, you may not even want to leave the house. But, people, skipping the show is not the answer.

Saturday began with Shithead, a local supergroup comprised of members of too many bands to be counted. Some may call them irreverent, some may call them plain silly, but Shithead’s grungy and often introspective grooves sure put a smile on my weary face. There was no question that those four musicians were doing what they love, and loving it!

Up next were Carnivores, a somewhat indefinable group out of Atlanta. It may not have been clear what exactly they were singing about, or just how far into the crowd the female lead was going to carry that microphone, but it was an energetic experience for sure.

But now we’re halfway through the set, and you’re still feeling blue. Maybe the crowd is getting to you? Not really feeling all the excitement? Well, just you wait for Bambara. Somehow the perfect blend of dark, heavy rock and driving, dare I say danceable intensity, these guys found a way to take the crazy crowd and work them into the set. Guitarist Reid Bateh may have claimed that screechy pedal was a malfunction, but did anyone else notice how perfectly it harmonized with the screechy female fans up front? That was no coincidence, if I say so myself.

Ok, we’ve got one more band, one last chance at making your night. Lucky you, that band is Reptar. They may still be in the ‘up and coming’ category, but these guys definitely know how to please a crowd. Dance-pop beats, electronica intensity, three-person drum solos, and more stage presence than you could shake any of those many drumsticks at- Reptar keeps you up and excited from start to finish. We will definitely be keeping an eye out for more shows, and (reported) LP release coming soon!

So, what did I learn from Saturday? There’s no glass case of complicated emotions that can’t be shattered to pieces by the right combination of bands. And where better to find these crazy line-ups than our dear old Athens? Keep listening, kids.

-Elizabeth.