Show Preview: Strike Down The Stigma
Casa Cantina / Friday, April 11, 2014
By Alexa Smith, Staff Writer
There’s nothing like the atmosphere of a good, old-fashioned Battle of the Bands. The music bounces off the walls, nearly causing permanent damage to the eardrums; sweat flies from the musicians’ faces onto the audience; and the music makers play until they bleed.
This battle though, is a double whammy; not only does one get to experience the fully immersive event that is a Battle of the Bands, but one’s presence benefits other music makers, specifically those of the vocal nature: the Athens County Community Singers.
“A portion of our proceeds will be donated to the Athens County Community Singers. ACCS is a choir for all voices, primarily made up of individuals with developmental disabilities,” said Sara Richardson, the fundraising chair for the American Music Therapy Association Students (AMTAS).
“‘Strike Down the Stigma’ refers to the negativity that is often associated with those who have a developmental disability. The purpose of this event is to raise awareness of the stigma and highlight the fact that people with disabilities are just as human as anyone else,” said Richardson.
Duking it out Friday night will be Athens and nearby units The Nuddhist Monks; indie rock ‘n’ roll unit The Bellflowers; experimental chamber pop outfit Popsicle Rose; and groovy funk/rock bit Mammals on the Moon Each band is from a different end of the genre spectrum, so a true battle it will be.
“I'm looking forward to seeing how the crowd reacts to the diverse lineup. Every band is totally different,” said bassist and vocalist for the Monks, Christian Vogelgesang.
Sarcastic and with the sense of humor of a 13-year-old lad, The Nuddhist Monks are surely a good time. They began as a “shitty punk rock cover band,” the work of Steven Van Dyne (guitar) and Vogelgesang in their youth, and slowly transformed into the punk/ska/rock/funk bit that they are today, picking up Mitch Rossiter (drums) along the way.
“We try not to take things too seriously. We're not interested in being cliquey in the community or limiting ourselves to a few musical ideas. We'll always write music based on what sounds good to us and anyone who also enjoys it is welcome to come along for the ride,” said Vogelgesang.
Their desire to play for the sole purpose of the music is clearly evident in the energy they radiate during their sets.
“My favorite part of The Nuddhist Monks is the energy. The unfortunate people who have to watch us play always bring such an amazing atmosphere with them and it's fun to feed off of that energy and give it right back to them. We like to have a relationship with anyone crazy enough to call themselves our fan,” said Vogelgesang.
“For me, it's about charisma. Nobody wants to see a band that doesn't seem ‘into it.’ Standing still and head banging while you riff it out doesn't cut it, so we go nuts instead. We move, run, jump, make faces, sweat hard and bleed on stage, and when we do it the crowd responds really well. It always feels like we're riding a wave of energy during the show and it's crazy cool,” said Van Dyne.
Accompanying The Nuddhist Monks is Popsicle Rose, hailing from Athens and combining contrasting music styles of pop and chamber orchestra.
“We try to create a sound that is different than anything you've ever heard before while still being fun to watch and listen to. We aren't really a rock band--not to say we don't rock! We use a violin and a vibraphone, two sounds that aren't super widespread in the scene these days. These two sort of paint over textures and grooves that are laid down by electric guitar loops and bass lines on either upright or electric bass,” said Jake Schlaerth.
Their eclectic style is enhanced with their interactive and inclusive presence.“I feel we are approaching our music from a very mindful and interactive place. Our aesthetic isn't one of spectacle; we invite our audience to really tune in and think about the sounds we're producing onstage. As you might expect, this doesn't really get anyone up and dancing, but it can still have a very profound impact on the audience,” said Eli Chambers.
Come down to Casa to support the AMTAS with a small cover of $3. Let the battle begin.
