529 in East Atlanta hosted our own Subsonics last Saturday. I’d been personally counting down the days until this show when I found out it was happening. Subsonics seem to have been playing in Atlanta for an eternity, their first release dating back to a seven inch from back in 1993. Clay Reed, brains behind the outfit, has been romping around Atlanta, spitting out twangy surf punk on vinyl ever since compact discs were the cutting edge.

This guy’s durability alone is enough to make the Subsonics worthy of recognition. The fact that he’s downright cool, sporting a look and attitude that could brand him a title such as Atlanta’s Iggy Pop doesn’t hurt him either, so seeing them play is not only like witnessing a little snippet of Atlanta history, it’s a great way to spend a night snapping fingers and shaking shoulders.  These guys rarely play out at all anymore, making this show all the more anticipated. The Subsonics don’t have much of a reputation for playing many shows, though. In fact the Subsonics’ main criticism is their lack of touring. Many fans of the group will tell you that the band could have really taken off with some more time on the road, but are the Subsonics a case of a missed opportunity? Well, in the eyes of an Atlantan such as myself, I say that’s not the case at all. The band has stayed true to its stomping grounds, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but maybe I’m just being possessive.

Also on the bill on Saturday, and excitedly so, were Atlanta newbies (compared to Reed’s veterans) The North Trolls, and Balkans. The North Trolls were admittedly psyched to be involved in the occasion. For them, the excitement for the night’s show began immediately after showing up, when they learned that the Balkans were all under-age, earning the rest of the bands more drink tickets, as the young Balkans would not be allowed to consume alcohol. Excellent.

After the North Trolls’ quick set of fast, southern style pop punk, the Balkans took the stage. Young age is not taken into consideration in this case. These guys play a low-fi style of hyper rock-n-roll, the singer’s Strokes-like voice putting them in the same category of a band like The Walkmen. It’s impressive.

And so then came the Subsonics, playing their music for a crowd mostly half their age, for musicians and fans who are being passed the torch lit by the band on stage. There was a feeling of respect in the room, made obvious when alluring Buffi Aguero (who plays drums standing up) asked if someone would bring her a vodka tonic, and multiple men handed her her drinks just moments later.

Needless to say the show was a success. Having moved to Atlanta only nine years ago, when Subsonics had already been around for a long, long time, I consider myself lucky to have been able to see them still. I recommend that we all look into the good music coming from Balkans and The North Trolls soon, as it shouldn’t be expected for many other bands to last as long as Subsonics have.

By Gus Fernandez.

I woke up last week in a hurry, late for class. In a hasty search for my keys in the living room I found a stranger on my couch, just stirring from a night’s rest. One good-morning- nod later, I had moved my search into the kitchen, where another stranger was rolling up her sleeping bag. I had to wait to brush my teeth too, because someone was in my bathroom.

As it turns out, Yussuf Jerusalem, a band of which one of my roommates must be a fan, had found a place to crash in the comfort of my house. When I attempted a quick conversation before running out the door, I was surprised to learn that neither of them spoke much English at all. As it turns out, Yussuf Jerusalem is from France and they’ve booked themselves a three-month-long tour of the States.

This isn’t necessarily about Yussuf Jerusalem, but about a time and a place where creative minds are finding a way to make progress in the world of music, where anyone can make music and play it all over the globe. And they’re doing it. In a time where becoming successful in the music industry is just as common as moving up the ladder from janitor to CEO, there are those who do it because they love it and they see the answer to the question, “how can we do what we love all the time?” in doing it themselves.

DIY ethics are not a fresh way of thinking. In fact, doing it yourself has been a popular approach in music almost as long as there has been such a thing as music scenes. It just happens to work nicely with throwback garage rock bands working hard all over the world. Some could say that the Black Lips, Atlanta’s first born pride and joy of garage rock set the standard for re-applying DIY ethics to the growing garage scene in the 21’st century. Assigning instruments not based on who plays what the best, but randomly, eliminates any necessity for talent. Drummer Joe Bradley of the Black Lips once told me, “I’m just a drummer by default”. Access to the Internet, basements, and dive bars eliminates any need for booking agents and the like. All it takes is a creative brain and some iron work ethic. On this foundation, an empire is being created. Independent record labels who release strictly vinyl, distributing home-made, low-fi recordings that sound just like the sixties are popping up, among them Atlanta based Douchemaster and Die Slaughterhaus records.

You see, these kids have found solace in simplicity. While executives in the music industry are deciding what the next phase in the world of music will be, bands like Yussuf Jerusalem are moving forward by looking backward, towards a simpler time, a funner music. Shows at lower capacity venues are being easily filled. The distance between crowds and bands is slashed and nearly eliminated and the intimacy of sharing the energy produced by good songs is contagious.

Atlanta is teeming with this very energy as home of so many artists who will make an imprint on modern day music. Among these artists, Gentleman Jesse and his Men, who play a style of power-pop reminiscent of frontrunners, The Nerves or Ramones. Also The Carbonas, The Lids, Subsonics. These young enthusiasts have made such an impact that they’ve been able to bring to us quality concerts from their idols and frontrunners from the 60’s and 70’s. Paul Collins, lead-man for The Nerves who were tour mates with the Ramones and are responsible for their hit, Hangin’ On The Telephone (made popular by Blondie’s cover) at The Earl. Wreckless Eric, a great influence to Gentleman Jesse, at the Star Bar, a ‘Douchemaster Presents’ event. New fans and old came together to remember or to be introduced to what is the grass roots movement of modern day music.

Bands like the Black Lips who started out eating out of dumpsters while on the road can now say they’ve played to giant crowds at massive music festivals as far as Spain, sharing the same stage as goliaths of music such as Kings of Leon or Coldplay. Yussuf Jerusalem have no reason not to travel to the U.S for shows without an idea of where to sleep at night. There’s nothing to discourage them.

One thing that the language barrier between my houseguests and I couldn’t hold back was their obvious excitement to be seeing the world the way they want to, playing music. Atlantans should be proud to harbor and perpetuate these valiant creatives and the idea that if one wants something, it can be achieved.