ACRN party to kick off with Magnolia Electric Co., Southeast Engine
By Jen Kessler, Entertainment Staff Writer
April 10, 2007 | 3:23 a.m.
A cool tonic of mellow Midwestern sound is a spectacular way to initiate a nine-day party. One part Magnolia Electric Co., one part Southeast Engine, one part Shipwreck.
Thursday, April 12 marks the beginning of ACRN "week," a nine-day celebration in honor of both All Campus Radio Network’s 36th anniversary and the grand opening of their new broadcasting studios. This nine-day week encompasses not only two more days than a typical week does, but a promising string of concerts and events, as well. (Check out ACRN online for more details.) The party is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. on Thursday in the Baker Center Theater with a free concert, featuring Magnolia Electric Co. and Southeast Engine.
Magnolia Electric Co. blossomed in 2003 as the latest creative endeavor of singer/songwriter Jason Molina. Molina, an Ohio native hailing from Lorain, has contributed a plethora of sound to the indie rock scene since the '90s. At the onset of his musical career, Molina operated as a solo artist under various names and recruited musicians to aide him in projects as needed. In 1996, Molina adopted an official epithet and began his seven-year stint as the mastermind and anchor of "Songs: Ohia," a project boasting the accompaniment of a rotation of musicians alongside his work.
Becoming Magnolia Electric Co. in 2003 entailed a relative stabilization of band members and musical style. Molina, who is the lead vocalist and guitarist, shares the stage with Michael Kapinus (piano, trumpet and vocals), Mark Rice (drums), Jason Groth (guitar and vocals) and Pete Schreiner (bass). The sound that flows from said stage is a tonal, acoustic one: mellow indie rock with a tinge of bluegrass rhythm and a sprinkling of piano. Magnolia Electric Co. springs from the same auditory vein as artists like Mason Jennings, Ryan Adams and My Morning Jacket.
Magnolia Electric Co. is signed to Indiana-based record label Secretly Canadian and has released two LPs (What Comes After the Blues, Fading Trails), an EP (Hard to Love a Man) and a live album (Trials and Errors).
Set to join Magnolia Electric Co. on Thursday night is Athens’ own Southeast Engine. A band with a fairly celebrated Midwestern following in tow, Southeast Engine is a catchy, straightforward independent rock band that has found its way into the marrow of the Athens music scene. The band is comprised of Adam Remnant (vocals, guitar), Leo DeLuca (drum kit, percussion), Michael Lachman (keyboard), Matt Box (bass), Adam Torres (guitar, vocals) and Josh Antonuccio (guitar), and their intensely felt indie folk anthems often draw comparisons to artists such Wilco and Bright Eyes.
Southeast Engine has released two LPs (Love is a Murder, a Mystery of Sorts, Coming to Terms with Gravity) and one EP (One Caught Fire).
The opening act for the evening is Shipwreck, another band with roots planted in Midwestern soil. Traipsing to Athens from Champaign, Ill. to partake in the festivities, Shipwreck consists of Harman Jordan (guitar, vocals), John Owen (guitar, vocals), Christopher Waage (drums) and Vladimir Brilliant (bass). Despite fairly simple music and clean, straightforward riffs, Shipwreck harbors a distinct eccentricity that renders them catchy and intriguing.
Shipwreck has released two EPs (Six Megahits, House of Cards), parts of which can be heard on their MySpace page. Magnolia Electric Co. and Southeast Engine can also be found on MySpace.