Have you noticed in the past several months that the music on the radio is just blending together? So many of today’s bands sound just too much alike, until now! Athenaeum from Greesboro, North Carolina has just released Radiance. This truly refreshing twelve track album is a pleasant change from the same ten songs played on the radio over and over again. Kano and Brewster’s voices compliment each other so well , and the unique sound brings a very much needed change in music today. The lyrics for Radiance are extremely well written and how the music matches them is something to be admired. This album has a nice balance to it. While some songs are very upbeat and you can’t help but move when you hear them, others are more mellow. Even though there is this variation a common style shines through, beginning to end. If you haven’t heard the first release from Radiance, What I Didn’t Know call your local radio station and request it today! Athenaeum has made an awesome album. So what are you waiting for? Go out, buy Radiance and support Athenaeum!

http://athenaeum.net

Band:Athenaeum
Vocals & Guitar:Mark Kano
Drums:Nic Brown
Backing Vocals & Guitar:Grey Brewster
Bass:Alex McKinney

Athen who? Athen what? Anthenaeum! Everyone has mispronounced the name before, even the announcer introducing the band at clubs! So for the sake of all Athenaeum fans, I’ll clear that up right now. The correct pronunciation is ath-a-nee-um. Now that you know how to pronounce it do you have any idea what it means? Thousands of years ago it was word that described a temple of Athena where poets would go to read their works, later it became a place for the study of science, today it is simply the name of an awesome up and coming band. Nic Brown, Mark Kano, Grey Brewster, and Alex McKinney met six years ago while attending high school in Greensboro, North Carolina. After touring the local club scene for a while, they recorded their first, self entitled album in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1995. Shortly after signing with Atlantic Records, the band packed their bags and headed for California to record Radiance. While Radiance is the band’s second album, it is their first album with a major record label. Radiance is a powerful, guitar driven album. The lyrics to all twelve tracks are artistically written, and mainly revolve around a subject as so many songs do, love. While some songs are catchy, up beat, and give you the incredible urge to dance in the street, others are of a much calmer tone. It is a nicely balance album, and while the music varies, a common style shines throughout from start to finish. Two singles have been released from Radiance, What I Didn’t Know and Flat Tire. Call your local radio station and request them! Radiance is an awesome album. Go out, buy Radiance and support Athenaeum!

Athenaeum
P.O.Box 10246
Greesboro NC 27404

E-Mail: mail@athenaeum.net
http://www.anthenaeum.net

The bands were lined up, the stage set, a crowd that by the end of the day grew to 20,000 people milled around outside the gates of Hardee's Walnut Creek Amphitheater. At noon, the gates opened and ever so slowly bags were checked, tickets were torn, and the lines began to move.

The Big ShinDig, put on by G105.1 FM radio station included fourteen bands and two stages. Featured on the main stage was: Hobex, The Connells, Seven Mary Three, Athenaeum, Marcy Playground, Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Far Too Jones, and Ben Folds Five. Playing the second stage was: Treadmill Trackstar, Long Stem Daisies, Grand Street Cryers, Collapsis, and Edwin McCain. An excellent line up on both stages.

As I spread my blanket out on the lawn, I realized even though it was hotter then nine hells, it was the perfect day for a concert. Soon Hobex, a native band of Raleigh, North Carolina took the stage welcoming everyone with a warm "Hey Ya'll!" and I kicked back to listen to the music.

Going to a concert is almost always a fun experience, but the atmosphere created by the connection between the fans and the music is even more exciting when eight of the fourteen bands are local, some of which have made it big and others that are well on their way. A total of 11 bands were from the southeast. It was unreal to see the music coming out of an area predominately known for NASCAR racing and backwards traditions.

Overall, I was very pleased with the performances of every band. I was however slightly disappointed in Hobex. The music wasn’t especially bad, just a little too chaotic and unstructured for my liking. Seven Mary Three put on a beautiful acoustic set. Athenaeum put on without a doubt one of the best shows of the day, creating quite a frenzy in the lawn with their song "What I Didn't know". The 90's swing craze was evident once Cherry Poppin' Daddies took the stage in full zoot suit attire. Seeing lead singer Steven Perry show off his hip-grinding swing dancing techniques brought hundreds of couples to their feet attempting to swing dance. The Connells, a band with a tremendous following in the college music scene, has been together over a decade, but commercial success for reasons unknown to me, still eludes them. I personally as I’m sure everyone else truly enjoyed them. Far Too Jones took a bit of dive off the deep end so to speak by joining the Big ShinDig line up. The band has spent the last eight weeks in Los Angeles recording their new album Picture Postcard Walls (Mammoth, in stores June 30, 1998) with no live performances, then to suddenly be in front of 20,000 people again was leap of faith! After announcing they were going to play one song, and then accidentally playing another , things settled down and all I can say is WOW! Edwin McCain was delightful, I still don't know exactly why he was on the second stage. Dag, was one of the more funk and R&B bands present. Dag, who is sighed with Sony, has a new song to listen for Our Love Would be Much Better [if I gave a damn]. Then of course, to bring the night to and end was the very famous Ben Folds Five, who I must say did the best "Rain Drop Keep Falling on My Head" I've ever heard. Unfortunately I missed seeing Marcy Playground, but I did hear them as I was hanging out with Athenaeum at the Record Exchange tent. I was happy to hear them perform something besides "Sex and Candy". Evidently I was alone in the thinking, because 19,999 other people jumped to their feet and sang along. Due to the over lapping of bands playing I was unable to see all the bands on the second stage, I regret I wasn’t able to see them all!

I’d like to say thank you to Kip Taylor of G105.1 for putting The Big ShinDig together, he did superb job. The Big ShinDig is an annual event and I look forward to next year's show...same place same time. If you can make it, I suggest you do. It's worth the trip.