Vic Chesnutt and Elf Power

Athens' musical mainstays Vic Chesnutt and Elephant 6 originals Elf Power will hit the road this fall in support of their collaborative release, Dark Developments (Orange Twin). In addition to performing songs together from Dark Developments, Elf Power will open each night playing tunes from their most recent release In A Cave (Rykodisc).

Recorded over the course of a winter by Vic and Derek Almstead in Chesnutt's own attic studio, Dark Developments revels in the intimate, home-recorded atmosphere you'd expect from an Athenian union like this. Elf Power's tripped-out pop-smarts provide the contradictory musical notions that never allow the album to sway too far in one bleak direction or another: it's the friction between Chesnutt's shadowy worldview and the inventive bounce and bray of Elf Power's joyful chemistry that buoys the album, provides its freshness, and makes for highly rewarding repeated listens. Dark Developments stands as a classic addition to the legendary local pantheon, and, most importantly, as a brilliant statement endemic of a natural partnership between two separately-evolved and vital musical entities that never feels forced, flashy or false.

Chestnutt has been performing in Athens since 1995, when he first moved there and joined the band "The La-Di-Das." After luanching on a solo career, he was spotted by Michael Stipe performing at a local club, and Stipe went on to produce Chestnutt's first two albums "Little" (1990) and "West of Rome" (1991). In 1996, Chesnutt was exposed to a wider audience with the release of the charity tribute album "Sweet Relief II: Gravity of the Situation," which consisted of Chesnutt covers by famous musicians including "Garbage", "The Smashing Pumpkins", "Madonna","R.E.M." and "Live." He has also recorded with other groups and artists several times, and most notably, under the name of "brute," has made two albums with a fellow Athens, GA group Widespread Panic. Most recently, Chestnutt recorded his latest solo effort "North Star Deserter" in Montreal, which was released by Constallation Records on September 11, 2007, and also appeared as a guest musician on 2007's "Trinity Revisited," a 20th anniversary edition of the classic Cowboy Junkies' album "The Trinity Session."

Originally from Athens, Elf Power formed in 1994 and have spent the last 14 years releasing nine albums, two eps, a handful of singles, and touring America, Europe,and Japan. Elf Power’s ninth album, "In A Cave," blasts them past the familiar territories of beautiful records past – landing them on exciting new terrain. While the Elves’ sound is still founded on the bedrock attributes that make them memorable -- leader Andrew Rieger’s otherworldly lyrical stances and his easy way with a melody; their instrumentally-eclectic reappraisal of classic rock; and a propulsive rhythm section that’s tight as ever -- "In A Cave" finds them filtering their powerful live approach through a varied, experimental series of recording processes and approaches. The new album plays like a spirited, exploratory series of treatments on the tried-and-true Elf Power sound.

Non-VIP tickets are also available
by calling CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800