Coming up
May 7th, 2009 by AMdC Staff- Dromedary Quartet
8:30 p.m. Friday, Melting Point
Talented core members Rob McMaken and Andrew Reissiger blend their skills on instruments from all over the world as a duo in the Athens-based Dromedary. With the Quartet, they play alongside jazz bassist Chris Enghauser and New Orleans drummer Louis Romanos. This is a not-to-miss show. Tickets are $10 advance, $12 at the door. www.meltingpointathens.com, www.dromedarymusic.com.
- The Presidents of the United States of America, Dusty Rhodes and the River Band, Crumbling Arches
9 p.m. Friday, 40 Watt
The Presidents of the United States of America, the ’90s pop-rock superstars responsible for hits like “Lump” and “Peaches,” will perform. Dusty Rhodes and the River Band play indie rock with hints of folk, soul and psychedelia. Crumbling Arches plays progressive rock with a ’90s alternative rock feel. Tickets are $15 in advance. www.40watt.com.
- Ken Will Morton
5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Terrapin Brewery
Singer-songwriter Ken Will Morton will soothe your soul. For this performance, he will be joined by Andrew Vickery on mandolin, resonator guitar and harmonies. www.myspace.com/kenwillmorton.
- Colt Ford
8 p.m. Friday, 1 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Georgia Theatre
Southern music heavyweight Colt Ford brings together the disparate genres of country and hip-hop to create his distinctive and catchy sound. This weekend, he will perform three shows including a kid-friendly show at 1 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $15. www.coltford.com.
- The Walkmen, Kuroma
9 p.m. Saturday, 40 Watt
The Walkmen sound like U2 if the Irish megaband had spent the past 20 years playing New York bars instead of stadiums. Kuroma is the solo vehicle of Hank Sullivant, a former member of The Whigs and a touring member of MGMT. Sullivant plays a mix of psychedelic soul, progressive rock and pop. Tickets are $10 in advance. www.kuromamusic.com.
- Jazz Jam
6-8 p.m. Monday, Ciné
Local jazz act Sonny Got Blue, featuring Karl Friday on drums, George Davidson on tenor sax, James Goodhand on bass, Andrew Murdison on trumpet, Jeremy Roberts on guitar and Steve Key on piano and guitar, will host a jam session. Free. athenscine.com.
Perhaps the most called-upon “utility” guitarist in popular music finally is stepping to the front of the stage. North Carolina native Jimmy Herring, who has been a fixture in Widespread Panic for the past three years, has released his first album as a bandleader (2008’s “Lifeboat”) and will be hitting the road with an all-star lineup of associates, embarking on spring and summer tours sandwiched between WSP dates. 
There can be no definitive chronicle about the development of the Athens music community without devoting at least a chapter to the venerable Normaltown Flyers. Playing their patented, crowd-pleasing “pickup truck rock ‘n’ roll,” the Flyers - in all their various incarnations - have been an integral part of the fabric of the local music scene for three decades. And the one constant through it all has been guitarist-vocalist Brian Burke. 
Two years ago, Tommy Valentine seemed to have the world by the tail. The veteran rapper and producer had created and released three albums and was doing his part to make hip-hop an appreciated art form in Athens, working with artists like the Renegadez, Badkat, Son 1 and Elite Tha Showstoppa, to name but a few. But after a birthday performance in March 2007 at the 40 Watt, Valentine decided he’d had enough. 
The Junior League of Athens is going rock ‘n’ roll. In its partnership with the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, the venerable Junior League will host a special fundraising concert for the “Food 2 Kids Project” at 8 p.m. Tuesday at the 40 Watt. 
A virtual Who’s Who of the city’s finest songwriters, singers and musicians will assemble this weekend for the second annual Athens Americana, a celebration of American roots music that its co-founder says seeks to build community among artists and fans. 
