Broken Bells - 40 Watt Athens, GA

This past Friday, June 11, Cindy and I were fortunate to make to the Broken Bells show in Athens, GA. If you don't know this band, you may have heard of the principal members, at least their other bands / projects. James Mercer of the Shins and Dangermouse (aka Brian Burton) of Gnarls Barkley took a year to write and record one of the best records of the year. The show was fantastic and of course the 40 Watt is just an amazing venue. (The same band can play there and in Atlanta, and the 40 Watt show is almost always better.) We had dinner at the Grit and drinks at the Manhattan (two reasons that by themselves justify a trip to Athens) and then made it to the show in time to catch the opening band, The Morning Benders. They were also very good - expect more good things from them.

If you want to check out Broken Bells, you can watch an entire show recorded earlier this year at SXSW in Austin (they played in a parking garage!). The sound is very good. http://www.spinner.com/interface/broken-bells-sxsw-2010. If you only have time for a song or two, you should check out 'The Ghost Inside' and 'The High Road.' But you should watch it all - it's all good, and that's not an exaggeration.