Musical regulars in Athens are shaking things up for a concert at Casa Nueva Restaurant & Cantina Thursday night featuring The Summoners, Shamantis and Milksop Rabble.
The Summoners — who are opening the show — was formed last year and consists of Liz Pahl, Corbin Marsh, Matt Box and Bryan Gibson, each with their own musical history in Athens.
After taking a brief break from music to raise her two daughters, Pahl decided to get back into the Athens music scene by forming a new band.
“Lately, I've been writing more upbeat rock songs that focus on male-female vocal harmonies, so I asked Matt if he'd join the band because we sing well together, and he's an amazing bass player,” she said. “Bryan is a music staple in this town, both on the performing end and as a music aficionado, and he had contacted me about wanting to play drums as well.”
Marsh was recruited to join the band in December, and Pahl said his blues influence and guitar tone enhances the sound of the band.
The band’s musical history makes creating music an easy process, said Gibson, drummer for The Summoners and arts and entertainment content manager for WOUB Public Media.
“Liz brings the songs in, we help arrange them and that’s basically it,” he said. “We have known each other for years, so I think that helps. We're all anxious to get out there and start playing.”
Concert attendees can expect a unique mix of sounds and new music, Pahl said.
“We've all been playing music for a really long time, so I hope that people enjoy the fruits of our collective labor,” she said. “We're all excited about putting this new music out there into the world.”
Shamantis is a side project of the band Von Lyonson, a female fronted, four-piece bluegrass band.
The “alter-ego” band has more of a rock-and-roll vibe compared to the folky sound of Von Lyonson, explained Kyle Lyons, guitarist for the band.
“It’s hard to stick to a genre, but for lack of a better term, it’s like psychedelic rock,” he said.
Lyons said this will be Shamantis’ first legitimate show at Casa, because the first was a spontaneous set they did an hour after being asked to play a few songs.
Concerts at Casa are fun to perform because the experience is personal, Lyons said.
“I love the sound at Casa, and I like the up close and personal feeling you get on stage since it’s a small space,” he said. “I enjoy that person-to-person interaction that happens, and it’s usually filled with great people.”
The groups are looking forward to hearing each other play and to put on a good show, Gibson, Pahl and Lyons agreed.
“I must admit, I’m not familiar with the other two bands — I think we (the Summoners) were a late addition — but I’m looking forward to hearing them,” Gibson said. “We’re planning on having a good time this Thursday.”
IYGB:
What: The Summoners w/Shamantis and Milksop Rabble
When: 10 p.m. Thursday
Where: Casa Nueva Restaurant & Cantina, 6 W. State St.
Admission: Free
ao007510@ohiou.edu
@thisisjelli
