Monday, February 27, 2006




Modern Skirts

Bucky talked me into going and seeing a band called Modern Skirts from Athens, Georgia on Friday at the Map Room. I motivated Parsons to get off of the couch and we jumped in the General to ride over to the Map Room. It was a nice surprise to find the Map Room to be a nice, spacious bar albeit stuck behind an Arby's in a West Ashley strip-mall. Having a sound remniscient of a Government Mule and Ben Folds cocktail the Modern Skirts put on one hell of a show.

Bassist Phillip Brantley, drummer John Swint, guitarist and singer Glidewell were a formidable cast supporting the talents of the ivory-tickler Jay (Joe-Joe) Gulley (green-jacket in the photo) and his vocals. Perhaps I am not giving the aforementioned front-three enough credit, but the green-horned, Athenian sound tech was not up to par to perfect the acoustic blend needed with such a wide bouquet of vocals and instrumentals. One would think with the band dressing the part the sound-tech would take his part serously as well.

I rubbed elbows with Bob Ailstock, Bucky and Stephen Blackmore during the show. And I was quite impressed with the skirts the Modern Skirts attracted. They ended the show with their cover of Biz Marky's "You got what I need", and the Bushido gave props to Joe-Joe after the show for their performance. Check out their merch' when you get the chance or just pick up their album "Catalogue of Generous Men (Go to Your Room)"! They just might be the next big thing you hear come out of Athens!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

dug their sound nice write up about the band. they do have the mule-ben f mix sound but also some james blunt gay high notes.

Anonymous said...

i didn't think they were as hot as you described them. you make them sound like the next best thing. i am doubtful.no cover though so i can't complain too much

Anonymous said...

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Anonymous said...

you would have had more fun at the O.A.R. concert in Cola. Y'all missed out.

Anonymous said...

they did not dress the part, they looked like they stopped at grandma's goodies before they went on. they did have a lot of hot fans in the crowd

Anonymous said...

I dunno what above cynics were watching (probably the reflections of the bar lights off their zima bottles) fri night, but that showed looked to me like a damned fine production from a young and promising crew with the counterculture following to boot. Apparently I'm not alone, judging from the fan turnout far from their home stadium in Athens. An apparently dedicated fan base turned out and stood by this budding act who, mind you, were nobodys in the Georgia bar scene this time last year. Keep your eyes peeled, doubters, but something tells me i'll get a laugh watching you stand in a $20 ticket line next year feeling a little out of place with your striped-shirted coworkers, nervously bragging about how you 'saw these guys back before they were big, man'. You'll look like a real visionary hipster then, dawg.