Pylon Reenactment Society
Mall Walk
This event is 21 and over
$16.00– General Admission (Advance)
$18.00 – General Admission (Door)
*plus applicable service fees
Tickets available at The Independent box office (628 Divisadero, SF) with no service charge.
When people talk about the beginnings of the music scene in Athens, GA the discussion usually begins “The B-52’s, R.E.M., ….” Those who know will continue the list, “Pylon.” They were every Athens band’s favorite Athens band. Their musical naïveté, southern upbringing, art school smarts, and house-party roots exploded together to create something quite improbably amazing, hitting the listener on mental, physical, and spiritual levels simultaneously. On the surface, their angular guitar parts and propulsive rhythm section had something in common with UK post-punk bands like Gang of Four and PiL. But Pylon was more fun and less studied. And they had a secret weapon in Vanessa Briscoe Hay, whose inimitable vocal textures and phrasing defined the band’s sound for most listeners.
Pylon’s celebrated history came to a sudden end with the death of iconic guitarist Randy Bewley in 2009. Pylon was and always will be Vanessa, Randy, Michael, and Curtis. It is a certainty that the band will not reform with a new guitarist.
But hey, kids. Everything is still cool! Vanessa has gathered members of Athens bands Casper & the Cookies, The Glands, and world renowned pianist Damon Denton to create Pylon Reenactment Society. Is it a cover band if Vanessa is singing? Technically, it’s the next best thing. PRS are here to have fun and perform in the spirit of Pylon. Don’t be discouraged! Let’s dance!
The driving force behind Pylon Reenactment Society is Vanessa Briscoe Hay, former lead singer for Pylon. Her striking voice has retained every ounce of the power that shocked people upon the band’s debut in 1979.
Jason NeSmith and Kay Stanton were fans before moving to Athens with the band Casper & the Cookies. They snuck in the back door of Little Kings Shuffle Club for a surprise 2004 Pylon reunion show. Kay was asked to join Vanessa’s band Supercluster, which included Randy Bewley and members of New Sound of Numbers, Olivia Tremor Control, and The Squalls. Jason was brought on to produce Supercluster’s recordings and helped fill the guitar slot after Bewley’s passing.
In 2014, Jason gave Vanessa a fifteen minute slot for the first Art Rocks Athens music event. She invited him and Kay to back her under the name Pylon Reenactment Society. They repeated the event for 2015 with an expanded repertoire and two new members, drummer Joe Rowe of the Glands and pianist extraordinaire Damon Denton. At present there are no plans for a national PRS tour. Every show in a special event.