Nico Recordings showcases Athens and Atlanta’s experimental music scenes

Nico Recordings showcase to include sets by Mr. Blank, Pryde the Lycan, Plutonian Burrito, and Scraped Face



Given the fact that there isn’t much more than an hour-long trek from Athens to Atlanta (depending on how conservatively you drive), the separation between these two cities’ music scenes is astounding. Sure, local bands from both towns play shows or open for random touring bands, otherwise there isn’t much overlap. It’s comforting to see two veritable powerhouses from each city join forces from time to time. In this case, Eyedrum Art & Music Gallery will host a release showcase for Athens-based experimental music camp Nico Recordings, an imprint operated by Lon Martin (aka Pride the Lycan) specializing in tape manipulation, experimental folk, processed sound, and a bevy of other sonic curiosities. Martin views the label as his baby, drawing inspiration from his literal daughter, who he describes as “the greatest improv three-year old.” This sentiment is compounded with the release of Pine Porky, Martin’s latest work about his daughter Nico and being a father.

The lineup for the evening includes performances by Mr. Blank (Mux Blank), Pride the Lycan, Plutonian Burrito (A Floridian project featuring Charles Pagano on percussion and visual animations by Scott Bazar who also plays guitar, amplified pitchfork, and sampler), and Scraped Face from Atlanta.
Blank & Pride by NICO RECORDINGS


The shindig serves primarily as a release show for Blank’s recently released Say Nothing Of What We Discussed EP, with a set that highlights his experimental theatrics and improvised storytelling, as well as Pryde the Lycan’s aforementioned Pine Porky album. The night will also include an installment of the appropriately titled Ping Pong Sessions, an open-ended improv set that Blank spells out below:

“Me and Nico Recordings owner Lon Martin created the Ping Pong Sessions after we did a show together that I organized. It was part of a series of shows where I invited musicians I knew (but had previously never performed with, not even in practice) out for an improvised “jam” night at Flicker Theater in Athens, we ended up doing a four hour nonstop set that night and it was amazing! Days after the show we were talking about how we should do recordings the same way, gather people together, sometimes strangers, for improvised jam session recordings and we called it Ping Pong Sessions cause that was the best fit for how we felt the process of doing improvised experimental music was like, especially when you were improvising with musicians you hadn’t previously jammed with ... And from there Lon took off with the idea under his own Nico Recordings DIY record label.”
“Pine Porky”(Album coming Dec 22) by Pride the Lycan

Nico Recordings showcase, ft. Mr. Blank, Pride the Lycan, Plutonian Burrito, Charles Pagano, Scott Bazar, and Scraped Face. $5. Thurs. Jan. 15. 9 p.m. Eyedrum, 88 Forsyth Street. www.eyedrum.org. 770-676-1605.