Spring Break
Band's music powered by elves
KELLY SKINNER
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Sometimes music can be the most powerful form of magic - just ask Elf Power, an original Elephant 6 band that has played with Wilco, the Flaming Lips and R.E.M.
Saturday night, the Athens-based success story will open for Minus 5 (with Peter Buck from R.E.M.).
"Minus 5 is a fantastic band, and this is their first ever Athens show, I believe," said vocalist and guitarist Andrew Rieger.
Elf Power is planning a CD release show for its seventh album, "Back to the Web," on April 15 at the 40 Watt Club, but audience members at Saturday's show will get a preview of most of the band's new songs.
Aside from this weekend's show and the future CD release party, Elf Power also has its hands in a number of other projects.
The band runs a record label called Orange Twin Records and has new albums coming out this year by Sibylle Baier, the Instruments, the Lovers and Geoff Reacher.
Always interested in new music, the band's latest favorites include Boris, Eighteenth Day of May, Witch and Sunn.
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As with any good elves, band members take pleasure not only in making and listening to music, but also in helping the environment.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of albums released by Orange Twin Records goes toward a local land conservation group that covers 150 acres of Athens land.
"We just moved a house onto the land, so hopefully people will be living out there soon," said Rieger, referring to a type of musical commonwealth the band hopes to create.
Starting in April, Elf Power will set out on a tour of America and Europe promoting its new album.
Despite the fact that the band has made its way around the world, it still calls Athens home.
"Athens is a great home base, as it is a very nurturing community for artists and musicians and the cost of living is fairly cheap," Rieger said.
Rieger also offered advice to aspiring Athens musicians who hope to reach similar success.
"If you're really into playing music and writing songs, you just do it for your own satisfaction, and if other people like it, that's great too," he said. "We're very grateful to have an audience that allows us to travel the world and keep making records. It's a blessing."
