A Moodswinging Saturday

“This is our night to take over the Echo,” says Kip Thomas, a member of local band Chocolate Kiss who also works for his group’s Atlanta-based indie label, Moodswing. The Moodswing Records Showcase he has organized will provide a time for four of the company’s eight current acts to shine.

“It won’t be a circus, but we are definitely gonna have a good time,” promises Thomas, who has assumed the role of ringmaster of the Moodswing team. While he still has no official title with the label, Thomas juggles at least five roles at the company: artist (in the acclaimed Chocolate Kiss as well as insurgent underground blasters Haricot Verts), graphic designer, radio promotions, publicity and, of course, showcase planner.

“We do most of the graphics and design right here,” Thomas says, from his office at Thomas and Bohannon Printing. That’s where Thomas handles his other duties as well. A self-described “control freak,” Thomas says the six-year-old Moodswing become a bit more organized since he came on board early last year.

“When the Chocolate Kiss album was released, I just sorta helped the company bump it up a notch. We have songs on the radio all over the country and things are going great.” Chocolate Kiss brought additional attention to Thomas and Moodswing with their well-received Music Midtown appearance this year.

Some Soviet Station, the young and popular new Moodswing band who close the show, are helping the label reach an even broader base and building a following locally. “When they did their CD release party a while back, they drew a couple hundred people,” Thomas notes. “I think the Echo and hopefully, the community as a whole, will see that Moodswing is a staple of the independent music scene of Atlanta. We aren’t about selling units, we are about creativity.”

Haricot Verts, Plexorjet, Chocolate Kiss and Some Soviet Station play the Moodswing Records Showcase, Sat., Aug. 19, at the Echo Lounge.