Approaching the box office at Terminal West on Tuesday night, I could hear what sounded like an acoustic version of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.‘s “Beautiful Dream” and I had to check my watch. Doors at 8pm. Music at 9pm. And there’s an opener, right? It’s not even 9:30. How can this be? Am I really missing the show? And one of my favorite songs at that? Sh*t.
I walk inside and indeed, it is true. Detroit boys Daniel Zott and Joshua Epstein are on stage, instruments in hand, singing away. It was only after the next song (which they explained was written for the first album but didn’t make the cut) that I learned what was happening here. The opening act didn’t show. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. was opening for themselves. Sort of awkward. Sort of awesome. They continued with a couple covers, admitting they were killing time, ended with The Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows,” and let the crowd know they’d be back out in a bit.
Returning to the stage after the typical 20ish minute break, the duo are now joined by a live drummer and multi-instrumentalist in the backstage to fill out that bigger sound we were missing in their stripped-down opening set and clad in different outfits (Daniel even dropped the blanket he had wrapped himself in and wrestled his guitar strap over). Like a whole new band, right?
Beginning the “real” set with “Morning Thought,” the first song off their 2011 album It’s a Corporate World, they cruised through a handful of familiar favorites employing the energy and explosiveness we’ve come to love from these guys, with Joshua wasting no time hopping off stage and getting down into the crowd only three songs into the set.
Their newest single, “James Dean” was prefaced with an anecdote explaining that they released the track without the knowledge or consent of their record label, and albeit lacking label support, it’s gone on to be the most successful song they’ve ever put out. Personally, it’s not a favorite. But the crowd most certainly had a more palpable reaction than to any other song so far in the evening, which included some great ones… (“Don’t Tell Me”, “Simple Girl”, “Vocal Chords”…)
Following the new with the old, next up was “When I Open My Eyes” trailed by one of my favorite songs of the evening “Run” off their 2013 release The Speed of Things. This one was a close second to the super-melodic “War Zone” which came up after they played another new one, titled “In the Middle.” This new song was much more promising than “James Dean”… I kept thinking of “Burning Down the House” every time they went into the chorus. Not a bad thing at all.
The telephone mic Josh had been using on and off throughout the show gets called into action to mic his sax for “War Zone,” and they closed the main set out with the anthemic “Almost Lost Detroit” before returning with “A Haunting” to open up the encore. Complete with bubbles galore and the most wild light show we had seen thus far in the evening, they continued with arguably their biggest hit and certainly most dance-inducing song “If You Didn’t See Me [Then You Weren’t On The Dancefloor]”.
The evening closed on a make-you-want-to-hold-hands-with-the-person-next-to-you note with “Nothing But Our Love” and both Joshua and Daniel immediately bolted from the stage to the merch booth, embracing clamoring fans and happily signing countless autographs.
If opening for themselves wasn’t already a fairly big hint, this was a true sign that this couple of Detroit boys, despite their success, haven’t lost their humility and gratitude for their supporters. A good reason to keep on loving Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. and coming out to enjoy their rowdy and shamelessly enjoyable live shows.
As the changing leaves began to fall and the costume ideas began to flow, Halloween weekend was once again on the horizon. The crisp winds of seasons’ change beckoned us to make the annual pilgrimage back to The Spirit of Suwannee Music Park for The String Cheese Incident’s second annual Suwannee Hulaween. While the festival this year started a day early with a pre-party on Thursday evening, the main focus of Hulaween still centered around The String Cheese Incident’s three headlining performances.
Upon arrival we were greeted by the beauty that is The Spirit of Suwannee Music Park. Nestled along the historic Suwannee River, this unique festival ground provided a premium camping experience unlike any other festival on the east coast, let alone the country. The majority of the park is covered by towering live oak and cyprus trees that provide shade to many primitive and powered camping locations. Given that the park is a permanent fixture, bath houses are scattered throughout the property with showers and flushable toilets. The 800-acre park also provides activities for any attendees who are feeling adventurous, such as canoeing down the river or taking on the full-length disc golf course. However, one of the most unique features of Suwannee Music Park is the ability to have campfires. It is a rarity to be allowed to have campfires at most music festivals, and on this chilly Hulaween weekend we were forever grateful for having a campfire to huddle around.
The festival pre-party kicked off on Thursday as attendees poured in from all corners of the country. Although temperatures were already dipping, a little cold weather wasn’t about to spoil anyone’s good time. We arrived at the park shortly after dusk and breezed right in to meet our friends at our camping spot. We quickly set up camp and headed on over to the amphitheater stage to catch the last bit of Particle before Electron took the stage.
Both bands delivered high energy sets blending electronic with free form improvisation. Electron’s set featured various Disco Biscuits tunes like “Home Again” and “Confrontation” which came to no surprise considering the band includes both Marc Brownstein and Aron Magner of The Disco Biscuits. The highlight of the night came when Electron dropped into a cover of Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” to close out their set. Shortly after, we headed back to camp to build the first fire of the weekend and rest up for the upcoming festivities of the next few days.
It was a beautiful day on Halloween with not a cloud in the sky. It was a great afternoon for some bluegrass as our friends Judah and the Lion took the Amphitheater Stage and played some music off of their new album Kids These Days. Greensky Bluegrass was up next on the main stage followed by a early evening Emancipator set. Scheduling for Hulaween provided almost no overlapping sets which made it incredibly easy to see everyone you came to listen to.
Before we knew it, the afternoon had escaped us, and it was time for The String Cheese Incident’s main event. They opened their first set with a jam teasing the Friday the 13th theme before dropping into the classic staple “Restless Wind.” With the first exploratory jam of the weekend coming up next in “ Joyful Sound.” Cheese continued to build momentum throughout the first set with their spin on the traditional instrumental called “Valley of the Jig.” The set closed out with one of their newest songs“Can’t wait another day,” written by keyboardist Kyle Hollingsworth about the birth of his youngest daughter. From here, Shpongle kept the party going on the Amphitheater Stage while the Main Stage was prepared for String Cheese’s Halloween themed “After-Life” set.
The spectacle of last year’s Halloween set was one of the musical highlights that weekend. This year’s set proved to be no exception and in true Cheese fashion it was certainly a party not many will soon forget. Jason Hann started the set off on the bongo’s with a simple riff that could only be “Sympathy for the Devil.” Bassist Keith Moseley was on lyric duty for the Rolling Stone’s classic before dropping into the Ghostbusters theme that had everyone laughing and singing along. Frontman Michael Kang then worked his way through Bob Marley’s “Time Will Tell” before bringing out the first pyrotechnics of the evening with “Live and Let Die.” Guest singers Rhonda Thomas and Tony White as well as the Antibalas horns kicked it up a notch with a stellar version of Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven. Other highlights of the set included “Don’t Fear the Reaper” “Break on Through” and closed out with Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”
“Miss Brown’s Teahouse” kicked off the third set and got the crowd in a groove for a fun version of Kool and the Gang’s “Hollywood Swingin.” This set featured some newer dance friendly tunes like “Rosie” and “You’ve Got The World” and closed out with hard hitting staples like “Way Back Home” and “Just One Story.” Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” held down the encore slot sealing the deal on another excellent Halloween performance from The String Cheese Incident. Following a brief stage change, Thievery Corporation took the stage with their worldly sounds blending traditional middle eastern string instruments with laptops and synthesizers.
Saturday started off with a drastic change in the weather. Brisk winds picked up throughout the afternoon causing the park to make the decision to limit camp fires until the wind died down for everyone’s safety. Although the weather was cooling down, the music was just beginning to heat up as Nahko and Medicine for the People brought a fun filled and inspiring west coast vibe to the Amphitheater Stage and Keller Williams hit the Main Stage. Keller served up some grassy renditions of Grateful Dead classics like “Samson and Delilah” and “Scarlet Begonias” as well as originals like “Kidney in the Cooler” and “Doobie in My Pocket.”
The sun was setting behind the trees as String Cheese took the stage for their second show of the weekend. First set featured sit-ins from Nicky Sanders of the Steep Canyon Rangers and Keller Williams culminating in a short but sweet version of “Franklin’s Tower.” Second set hosted a sit-in from Big Gigantic’s Dominic Lalli on the jazz instrumental “Birdland,” while the highlight of the set for us personally was a cover of the Talking Head’s “Swamp” dropped right in the middle of “Rivertrance.” Bollymunster came in the encore slot as it geared us up for The New Deal on the Amphitheater Stage. The New Deal was a special surprise to be added to the line-up as they called it quits after Jam Cruise last year. Pioneers of the jamtronic sound, The New Deal relies heavily on improvisation and building energy in the moment. It was great to see these guys up on stage playing together and having fun again, and we can’t wait to see them again in the future.
Following The New Deal, Big Gigantic took the stage for their late-night appearance on the main stage. This was a highly anticipated set as their set last year was rained out by a torrential downpour that sent campers running for cover and actually flooded certain parts of the park. Big Gigantic delivered a high-energy set with remixes of popular artists like Wiz Khalifa and Zhu. Frontman Dominic Lalli was personable with the crowd speaking multiple times throughout the set and laid down some soothing sounds on the saxophone while drummer Jeremy Salken held down the beat in what looked like a cow suit.
The party kept rolling with The Applebutter Express as they kick up their set on the Spirit Lake stage at 2:30 AM. The late night bluegrass tunes and their cover of Suwannee veterans The Allman Brother’s “Whipping Post” was top notch. As the evening came to a close, we took in the visual spectacle that was Spirit Lake with all its varying art installations ranging from a jellyfish inspired swing set to humongous burning man art car that spit flames and played music. Perhaps one of the most fun installations at Spirit Lake was the Sonic Forest that had poles scattered about that would create various audible sounds as you passed by.
Sunday morning at a festival always brings about a plethora of bittersweet feelings from the joyous satisfaction of all the fun that has taken place to the sobering realization that it is all coming to an end soon; and we will be left with nothing but a memory as we try to enter back into the real world. The wind had died down and the sky was clear, however Sunday wound up feeling like the coldest day of the weekend. Rising Appalachia who has taken the festival scene by storm over the past year brought their organic and uplifting sounds to the main stage while Dean Ween kept the rock n roll alive on the Amphitheater stage.
String Cheese opened their final show of the weekend with “Sometimes a River;” A feel-good tune sung by bassist Keith Moseley that always builds into an excellent jam. “Close Your Eyes” was up next that provided a jam that ran the gamut of various genre’s before ending up as a fast passed version of The Stanley Brothers “How Mountain Girls Can Love.” “MLT” (My Latin Tune) is a instrumental from Hollingsworth was a welcome addition to the set and it was great to see this song show up during this show, as well as on more setlists as of late. The first set closed out with one of Cheese’s oldest and most popular tunes called “Round the Wheel.” This was the first time this song was dusted off in over a year and it certainly disappoint.
After a short break, the final headlining set was upon as The String Cheese Incident took the stage to lay all the cards out on the table. “Colliding” kicked off the set, a newer electronic influenced song that has really blossomed into a fun song since debuting three years ago at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta. Up next was the Paul Simon tune “Late in the Evening” which was a first time we have seen this song performed. Our favorite part of this song was the a cappella break down ending that saw each member of the band contributing to different vocal themes. Songs like “Look At Where We Are” and “Naïve Melody” reminded us to savor the moment and reflect back on everything that had taken place throughout the weekend while the heavy hitter “Texas” closed out String Cheese’s performance; a song which culminates in arguably the best ending ever.
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead closed out the festival on the Amphitheater Stage with a wonderful set of Grateful Dead tunes. JRAD, as it is often abbreviated, is comprised of keys player and long time collaborator Marco Benevento, Tommy Hamilton of Brothers Past on Guitar, Bassist Dave Dreiwitz known most notably from the band Ween and Scott Metzger from Particle on Guitar. These guys cruised through classics such as “Truckin” and “Uncle Johns Band” before dropping into a quick tease of Led Zeppelin’s “No Quarter.” The alarming accuracy and precision of these guys became apparent in the more rare tune “Crazy Fingers” before lighting up the night with a remarkable rendition of “Help on the Way”>”Slipknot”>”Franklin’s Tower” to close out a great weekend of music. This set really shed some light on how timeless the music of The Grateful Dead is and how their spirit lives on in this community nearly 20 years after the death of Jerry Garcia.
It’s pretty apparent that Hulaween may have found its new home at The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park. It provides enough space to fit everyone comfortably while still curating an intimate feel, which is a rarity for many of today’s music festivals. While the park plays host to numerous festivals throughout the year with a wide range of musical genres, Hulaween may just be one of our favorite Suwannee fests. Although Hulaween weekend has just ended, we have already marked our calendars and we are counting down the days until next year when we will once again spend Halloween with The String Cheese Incident and about 8,000 of our closest friends.
Before she emerged from the curtain, the lights dimmed and allowed for the audience to get a good look at the multiple neon cacti and her signature arrows adorning the stage. Her all-male band members filed out, each wearing a western style suit fashioned with lights. Finally, Musgraves glided out from the curtain, looking as tranquil as one could ever possibly look, wearing a red plaid shirt and white fringe miniskirt complete with her signature white cowgirl boots. There was no ostentatious grand entrance. In true Musgraves fashion, she began strumming her guitar and immediately went into the show.
Upon entering the stage, she launched into “Silver Lining” – not the most obvious song to begin with, but the audience didn’t seem to mind. Musgraves mentioned she hadn’t had much time in the studio, so she would mostly be playing her album, Same Trailer Different Park. Once again, the crowd didn’t complain. Her first and only album has risen to great heights and even won a Grammy. The fact that she has only one album, and therefore a smaller catalog of songs to pull from, didn’t have a negative effect on her performance whatsoever. Because of this, a majority of the audience was able to accompany her on every song.
Not only is Musgraves a talented singer and songwriter, but she also plays multiple instruments such as guitar, banjo, harmonica, and tambourine. There were very few songs where she didn’t have an instrument in her hands. If there wasn’t an instrument, you knew she was about to launch into a cover complete with the “nerdy” dancing she warned us of at the beginning of the show.
Throughout the show, she engaged with the audience, sharing stories of breaking her tooth during a recent trip to Mexico and gifts she received at meet-and-greet. A clearly intoxicated woman continuously yelled, “Free Gurley!” which drew understandable confusion from Musgraves, who responded “Did you say ‘Merry Go ‘Round’?” and launched into her biggest song to date. The emotional song highlights the negative aspects of life in a small town. Near the end of the song, she instructed everyone to light up their phones. Usually this stereotypical concert move is super cheesy, but in the context of the song, it was a beautiful sight to behold in the Georgia Theatre.
She plowed through her entire album and debuted some newer songs, such as “Biscuits,” “The Trailer Song,” “High Time,” and “Cup of Tea.” After “Cup of Tea,” she mentioned that this was her first show back on tour in awhile and proclaimed, “Georgia, you fixed me right up.”
No show would be complete without cover songs, which she definitely included in the set list. She covered one of her favorite artists, Dolly Parton. A hard rock rendition of “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” by Nancy Sinatra emphasized her love for the classics. In an oddly glorious moment, she covered the notorious ‘90s classic “No Scrubs,” saying “Nobody wants a scrub, not even in Athens.”
The final song was one members of the audience had been shouting for since she stepped on stage: “Follow Your Arrow.” The band emerged one final time to accompany Musgraves in a rendition of “Happy Trails” to offer a farewell to the audience.
Kacey Musgraves delivered the incredibly charismatic, laidback, and powerful performance. She is one of the few artists who has the ability to sound even better live than in a studio. It’s no surprise she sold out the Theatre on her first visit.
How many pop stars do you know from Westport, Connecticut? Didn’t think so. Allow me to introduce Lia Ices, the experimental pop songstress you may not yet be familiar with, but will be soon enough. Having just released her third full-length album (second for Jagjaguwar) and currently touring with Phantogram, it won’t be too long before Lia Ices is a more commonly mentioned name.
Ices released her first album in 2008, but it was 2011’s Grown Unknown LP that first found her spot in the public eye, featuring a duet with Bon Iver‘s Justin Vernon as well as the single “Love is Won” which scored a placement in HBO’s Girls.
Compared to the likes of Bat for Lashes and Feist, Ices’ vocals certainly stand at the forefront of her music, but there’s a lot more going on here than a pretty voice. In describing the influences on her recently released self-titled LP, Ices explained, “We allowed everything we loved to find its way in: Persian percussion, hip-hop beats, lo-fi, hi-fi, Pakistani pop, Link Wray, Jason Pierce, gospel, dub.”
Tuesday night at The Tabernacle in Atlanta, Ices took the stage sporting a jersey printed with her name across the chest and a pair of white high top basketball sneakers. Dressed for the game, indeed. And credit to her confidence as a performer to take hold of the microphone and the stoic crowd’s attention simultaneously, making no delay in marching with conviction and charming smiles onto the faces of a room full of people awaiting a more melancholic experience with headliner Phantogram. Not the most perfect fit for a pairing, in my opinion, but I’m sure she made more than a few fans that night.
Her tour continues with dates in Philly, DC, and Brooklyn and wraps up in the Hudson Valley, where Ices was conceptualized. You can pick up the LP at the Jagjaguwar store, and do keep an eye out for more from Ices. Her quirky pop sensibilities have the kind of charm that won’t leave her under the radar for long.
You know you love a band when you have only three songs in the pit to get photos you need for an article, yet you’re still barely able to control yourself from dancing and jumping in front of the stage. I say barely…when the lights would cut out completely for a couple of seconds during CHVRCHES on Wednesday, and I knew I couldn’t shoot, I was definitely not holding still. I honestly don’t even remember what those songs were. I was too caught up in the moment.
I do remember, however, that “Gun” was the fourth song, which was playing as we photographers were being escorted out of the venue. It was then that I realized just how packed the sold-out Buckhead Theatre had gotten, and was able to see the obvious ecstasy and excitement on the faces of so many adoring fans. Lauren Mayberry is a hard one not to fall for.
I am told I missed a beautiful sky-like backdrop for “Night Sky,” but by the time I had dropped my camera in the car and gotten back into the venue, they were well into “Strong Hand,” followed quickly by “Science and Visions” and “Recover,” an epic breakup anthem which was apparently a favorite of many in the room, as the crowd found themselves clapping in unison and singing (screaming?) along, totally enthralled.
Mayberry took a moment to address the audience before moving into the slower paced “Tether,” which seemed to bring a more romantic mood to the room. The lights were dimmed and less spastic, and there was more swaying and less jumping…until the breakdown, when “the sun” came out, not only with the frenetic display of white lights, but also more literally in the form of the lyrics sung in Iain Cook’s backing vocal chant.
Martin Doherty then took center stage for “Under the Tide,” as Mayberry stepped aside to handle his synthesizer. Proving he’s quite the frontman in his own right, Doherty used the whole stage and seemingly the entirety of his energy and emotion to deliver the words that I would have to assume he penned. While I must admit Mayberry’s enchanting vocals are a huge part of my love for CHVRCHES, I might make the argument that Doherty has a more impressive – at least more energetic – stage presence.
The not-so-last song of the night was, appropriately, their epic first single, “The Mother We Share,” but it wasn’t long before the trio was back on stage for an encore starting with Doherty taking lead vocals again on ballad “You Caught the Light,” before they moved into a promising new song entitled “Richard Pryor,” and closing out the evening in earnest with “By the Throat.”
To be honest, I debated even attending this show, citing that I had already seen them perform the same set of material earlier this year. My point being, the next time you think you’ve seen something once, and that’s all you need, you might want to reconsider that thought. I’m glad I did.
In this environment of musical over-saturation, and after many years of heavy concert-going, it has become a (maybe) sad truth that it’s now quite difficult for me to be truly interested or impressed with a live performance. A band has to possess a truly distinguishing factor. An element of surprise, if you will, in the live show. Just something freaking different, please. Poliça fit that bill, and proved it Monday night at Terminal West.
On-stage, you see two drummers, a bassist, and vocalist. A curious line-up, one would think. Okay. I’m interested. The attentive viewer will find hidden off-stage near the sound booth, one Ryan Olsen, who, contrary to his lack of visibility, is arguably the most important member of the group. Founding the band in 2011 with vocalist Channy Leaneagh, Olsen is responsible for everything you’re hearing outside of the bass and drums (obviously), and also handles the majority of the distortion on Leaneagh’s vocals.
The dual-drummers and heavy bass make for a deep, full-body experience and, along with the overwhelming use of red lighting, the “brutal” feel that it seems the band are embracing translates perfectly to the live show. Leaneagh’s presence and delivery are naturally what draw your eye, but her vocals almost swirl around you like a specter, while the music itself crawls in and makes itself a cozy home inside your gut, creating an experience that is much more than visual.
Leaneagh explained in an interview with Vice that she’s actually a very introverted person, saying,”That show, that performance is the most extroverted performance I will do all day.”
Her stage presence wouldn’t exactly suggest an introverted personality, as she certainly doesn’t reserve any emotion, but you can tell it’s more of an internal episode than an act adopted purely for performance or entertainment. You can feel the pain in the songs without even distinguishing the lyrics, which happen to all be depressing as hell.
So there you have it. Thank you, Poliça. Your show was something different. Something that made an impact. Something with purpose, honesty, and distinction.
I arrive at Caledonia in the middle of Betsy Franck’s performance. The simple two-man show was enough to capture me. Alongside a killer electric violin, Franck’s vocals were deep and flowing. Furthermore, anyone with a Loretta Lynn autograph on his/her guitar has my vote.
Franck leaves the stage but lingers among the small crowd, the size of which can be attributed to the Reptar/New Madrid concert down the street at the Georgia Theatre. Sometimes these things happen. Nevertheless, I think all of the artists at Caledonia, although deprived of a proper Athens audience, left their emotions on the stage. On the bright side, the show becomes exceptionally personal and engaging.
Cory Branan makes his way to the stage with drink in hand. A quick sound check, and he’s ready to go. He has a very relaxed manner and a “unique” sense of humor. He starts by saying, “It’s not about the number” in regards to the intimate crowd.
The first song is one from his newest album, The No-Hit Wonder. With each hard strum of his guitar, Branan displays a little frustration and a little lightheartedness. After a few energetic songs, Branan gets the crowd loosened up and states, “Okay, I’m happy now,” confirming this with his performance of “You Make Me.”
One thing I know that the people at the packed-out Reptar/New Madrid concert aren’t getting – direct acknowledgment. Branan calls people out in the crowd by name and asks the audience for requests. “Survivor Blues!” someone yells, and Branan promptly accommodates.
Branan and Franck are both relatable, approachable. Although this is true for many artists, this show in particular seemed to make it easier. There’s no backstage at Caledonia. There’s only one stage, one front door, one back door, and one bar. During Branan’s concert, it feels like we could have just as easily been sitting around the bonfire, sharing a bottle and a laugh.
Although Athens may not have been Branan’s favorite crowd, I can honestly say he gained a few more fans after his show at Caledonia. I took my cousin and her roommate along with me, and I was curious about how they would react to the music. After listening to and reviewing The No-Hit Wonder, I decided that Branan was the country for me, and I hoped my companions would feel the same way. Success. This won’t be the last time I see Branan, and I suggest you do the same.
Imagine a place where you can immerse yourself in total freedom. A place where responsibilities of the daily grind are abandoned and your inner child is encouraged to come out a play. Inhibitions, judgements, and preconceptions dissolve away with every smile and hug exchanged with a stranger. And that worldly concept of “stranger” fades as old and new friends become a part of this forest family and community.
Envision a world where Mother Nature’s beauty is enhanced by the audible and visual delights of artistic wizards; an environment where all human senses are stimulated and the concept of time is nearly nonexistent. Whether a newcomer or Electric Forest veteran, this festival is something special to all of those touched by its magic.
Over the four days at the Double J Ranch, we were truly treated to the splendor of such a treasured venue and special event. It is a challenge to fully describe what is experienced at Electric Forest and although many times impressive, photographs do not do this festival justice. Days later we are still taking everything in and we have comprised a list of our top favorite moments from this year’s Electric Forest.
Sensational Covers: Some of our favorite covers of the weekend came from Umphrey’s McGee, The String Cheese Incident and from the ever surprising Ms. Lauryn Hill Incident. Umphrey’s orchestrated the party Thursday night at the Sherwood stage with their stellar two-set show that included their concoction of “Come As Your Kids”-Nirvana’s “Come as Your Are,” and MGMT’s “Kids”- and Dead or Alive’s “You Spin Me Round” during the second set. The following day, and first night of three of Cheese’s Electric Forest performances, Cheese served up a funky danceable rendition of Chromeo’s “Bonafied Lovin.” Bob Dylan’s “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues,” The Police’s “Spirits in the Material World,” Fela Kuti’s “Zombie,” and Talking Heads’ “Crosseyed and Painless were also performed by Cheese over the weekend. When it came time for the Ms. Lauryn Hill Incident, we came with an open mind and we were impressed with the collaborative efforts that produced some of the best covers of the weekend including Stevie Wonder’s “For Once In My Life,” The Beatles’ “Something,” along with some Bob Marley and, of course, some Fugees throwbacks.
Totems/Rage Sticks: Love them or hate them, totems are here to stay. There seemed to be a lot more totems this year than previous years and the more the totems the more chance for creativity. Some of the top totems seen this year included one with Bubbles (from Trailer Park Boys) with some kitties which read “God, this place makes me frisky.” Another which spoke the honest truth read, “F**k Real Life,” and we cannot forget to mention the totems that read “CARL??” Props to everyone who got their creativity on with these, sometimes annoying, rage sticks and brought a smile to our faces.
Not All Who Wander Are Lost: Some of the best moments of the weekend were spent wandering in the Sherwood Forest both during the day and at night. A headliner in its own right, the forest is a pleasure for the senses. From getting lost in the art instillations, to the conversations with new friends, to (the occasional) losing track of time laying in our hammocks staring up at that blue Michigan sky peaking through the tree tops, to just sitting and watching the ever changing visuals make the forest come to life every night, and to even stumbling upon Super Tall Paul’s show after that second night of STS9 and hearing him break out in The Jungle Book’s “I Wanna Be Like You,” the forest is a magical universe all on its own. Differing worlds between day and night, taking time to explore and fall in love with Sherwood Forest alone is enough to make you never want to leave.
Wish Upon A Star: Now, this may be more of a personal favorite moment for us at Vinyl but one late night walking through the “secret” exit of the forest heading back to camp we happened to look up at the night’s sky and see a shooting star over head. If that doesn’t validate how enchanting this place is, we don’t know what else does.
Havarti Party: The String Cheese Incident knows how to throw a party or two and their performances at this year’s Electric Forest were no different. Going into their sets you know a spectacle is coming, but to what extent, that’s something you just have to wait and see. It was Saturday night, the second night of Cheese, and the second set started off with “Outside Inside” and ‘Valley of the Jig” while a video gamed themed extravaganza raged on, complete with gigantic inflatable Mario coin cubes, floating UFOs above, Pac Man stuffed characters on poles, full costumed dancers, butterfly confetti, lasers, smoke, and, oh, fireworks of course. This sensory overload of a party was ridiculous, insane, and unlike any other of that weekend. Everyone at this performance adorned a smile and there was not one still body in the Ranch Arena. The positive and electrifying energy of the crowd and the collective jaw dropping awe everyone was sharing in seemed to only fuel the band. Positive hoots and remarks could be heard throughout the crowd, we even heard someone calling this display a “Havarti Party”- that brought a smile to our faces. It’s moments and such celebrations of life like this that new and old Cheese fans don’t forget from a weekend like this.
Be Anything, Be Anyone: There is almost this sense of a judgement free zone when you step on the property that houses Electric Forest. This is a place to be free; a safe place to be whoever and whatever you wish. There is no dress code and being yourself is not only encourage but respected. If you want to let your freak flag fly, do it. If you want to wear nothing but body paint, you’re welcome to. This is a place where the mutual respect, acceptance, and support of fellow festival goers is almost unlike anywhere else.
Matt and Kim: First off, we cannot remember a time when an artist so openly talked about her lady parts…and we mean talked about it A LOT. From talking about shoving things up there to rubbing balloons on it before throwing them into the crowd…you get the picture. Shock value and apparent openness was there but it did not overshadow the afternoon party this duo brought to the Ranch Arena on Sunday. Matt and Kim’s intensity, vivaciousness, and love of what they do translated into a responsive crowd that fed off every word and action of Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino. It was hard to not be entertained from the two jumping around stage, Kim standing on her drums, throwing 300 balloons out into the crowd for them to blow up and even getting all the individuals with totems to move to one side. Fan favorites and the band’s hits were played, of course, and became a giant sing-a-long with the crowd singing every words back to them.
Until Next Year…: When was the last time you left an event, concert, anything really, where you exited and a collective cheer with clapping and happy yelling erupted? We couldn’t remember a time either… After Cheese’s third and final performance of the weekend we headed to catch Moby’s DJ set at the Tripolee Stage by the main entrance. While our minds were being blown by the fact that the DJ up there on stage was indeed Moby, we’re not talking your 1999 Play Moby, his set was interrupted by the news that a fierce storm was headed our way and everyone needed to leave the venue. It was an abrupt way to end the music that weekend, but the heads up to batten down our camp’s hatches was appreciated, aka throw everything in our cars and sleep in them for our final night. Leaving the venue was bittersweet; we were a tad solemn that the weekend was in fact over, but we were so grateful and extremely happy to have experienced such a magical event. The crowd as a whole seemed to be going through similar emotions and as the mass of attendees walked their final exit through the gates of Electric Forest, unified cheering and clapping broke out. The outburst was a shared thank you to everyone who had been involved in the weekend.
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Reptar at AthFest 2014. Photo by Miranda Feneberger.
In the summer, Athens is almost a ghost town in comparison to its usual hustle and bustle that makes it the Classic City. Most of the parking lots are empty, restaurants are slow, and the bars and music scene are practically nonexistent.
Then, for five days over a weekend in June, Athens gets its sparkle back. With two outdoor stages, 14 participating bar and music venues, comedy and an outdoor artist market, Athfest has something for all ages, shapes, and sizes.
The outdoor artist market featured a wide array of different vendors; from handcrafted jewelry, clothing and ceramics, to paintings, posters, and prints by local artists. What was especially appealing was that the majority of the booths seemed very DIY-esque and tumblr-y, in the best way possible. It was like a Pinterest board come to life, full of things you wish you were talented enough to craft yourself.
If you’ve been to Terrapin Brewery, you know Streets Café, Athens’ first food truck. Usually they’re parked on the grass somewhere, and after just a few too many pours of Hopsecutioner, I cannot resist the Street Fries (French fries perfectly smothered with cilantro mayo, Korean BBQ sauce, and Okinomi). After walking past all the other local food booths and trucks – i.e. Your Pie, Kelly’s, etc.), I once again couldn’t resist. Nothing like munching on Street Fries while watching Kishi Bashi at dusk on Saturday.
What makes AthFest so fantastic is that, during the day, you get to walk around the streets of downtown Athens and see beautiful art you can buy, eat delicious food, and enjoy amazing live music. Then, your favorite bars and music venues host even more amazing live music well into the night. Best yet – as Powerkompany’s Marie Davon said, it’s like a “family reunion.”
Roadkill Ghost Choir
Walking into the Georgia Theatre on Friday night was, as usual, nothing short of pure bliss. It was a very long, muggy, crowded, yet fabulous first day of AthFest. With most of the AthFest crowd still outside for Reptar, the Georgia Theatre was a spacious air-conditioned oasis, and Florida’s Roadkill Ghost Choir was setting up to take the stage for their 9:45 p.m. slot for the night.
I had first heard Roadkill Ghost Choir on Bonnaroo’s playlist for its 2014 lineup. The song featured on the playlist, “Beggar’s Guild” off their debut EP Quiet Light, caught my attention for its folksy, Fleet Foxes/Band of Horses-esque sound, yet it still packed a harder, more raw rock sound due to the Andrew Shepard’s rough but crooning vocals. Due to the usual festival frenzy, I didn’t make it to their set and so was very excited to see them perform at AthFest and be introduced to the rest of their music.
With “Beggar’s Guild” being my only exposure to the band, I was pleasantly surprised with their stage presence and energy. I was expecting a mellow half hour of bearded, flannel-clad men, to be honest. Instead, frontman Andrew Shepard’s thrashing, headbanging, stomping around in combat boots and impassioned vocals brought a loud and demanding energy to the growing Georgia Theatre crowd alongside Stephen Garza on lead guitar. Andrew’s brothers, Maxx on drums and Zach on the bass deliver the same kind of oomph, while Kiffy Meyers on the pedal steel, banjo, and guitar played into the bluegrassy, Tom Petty influenced sound that makes Roadkill Ghost Choir an indie folk-rock band.
They played with my emotions. At times, I was bouncing around dancing to the high-energy tunes of the set, then the lights dimmed, and they asked for the crowd to settle and Andrew’s vocals were swoony and perfect and graceful. Then he said, “Where’s our sax man?,” and I stifled a schoolgirl squeal due to my undying love for the saxophone. A flower headband-adorned New Madrid band member came up with his saxophone whilst draped in an American flag cape and blessed the crowd for a short-lived feature.
I left the Theatre almost glad I missed their Bonnaroo set. I got to see them at one of my favorite venues and in a much clearer state of mind (and a lot less dirty and grimy after a weekend on the farm). With a slot on Letterman early this year, an upcoming debut album, In Tongues (produced by Dr. Dog and Tokyo Police Club’s Doug Boehm and recorded in Athens – eep! – set to release by the end of the summer), and a festival-packed summer tour, Roadkill Ghost Choir is a band to watch. – JN
Family and Friends
Being a UGA student, I had already heard a lot of buzz about Athens’ own Family and Friends. So, when they took the Pulaski Street Stage late Friday afternoon, I was excited to see if they lived up to the hype — and they did.
Having only been putting on performances since April of 2013, they already had a comfortable stage presence and fed off of each others charismatic energies. The stage was packed with vocalists, guitars, a violin and upright bass, two dueling drummers, and the occasional what looked like flour bombers running across the stage. At 5′ 3″ it was nice to be able to still see someone playing something as I tip-toed over the heads of the huge crowd watching them — and by watching them I mean almost the entire crowd was dancing and singing along to Casey Harper and Mike MacDonald’s beautiful and inviting vocals.
Just in the 45-minute-or-so set that they had, the band exuded genuiness and pure humilty. I could tell that they were thrilled to be on stage and so thankful for their dedicated and hyped up fans in the immense crowd. Family and Friends is all about the fans. Their first album, Love You Mean It, came out in January of this past year and was funded by a Kickstarter campaign.
As I stood in the crowd, I was in awe of the energy they put forth — especially considering the lovely heat Athens offers us mid-June. They kept the energy of the mostly exhausted and overheated crowd alive the entire time while doing their own shenanigans on stage. F&F changed up the pace throughout their set and finished it off with a cover of The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back.” Members of another Athens band, Programs, ran on the stage by the end of the song yielding what looked like makeshift smoke machines/flour bombs. F&F finished off their set with as big of a bang as they played by stage diving into the ever so accepting crowd.
Family and Friends is an eccentric group of former/current Bulldawgs who have an obvious genuine love and talent for performing. Their individual eclecticness meshes together well as a whole and creates an exciting and lively performance. – JN
Judah & the Lion
By the time 6:30 p.m. rolled around, I didn’t expect many people to be willing to continue to brave the typical Georgia summer heat. That was until I experienced Judah & the Lion.
A large crowd of eager fans filled the space in front of the Pulaski Street Stage to see the Nashville, Tennessee natives. Soon the air was filled with hits such as “Sweet Tennessee” and “Love Your Love,” and there wasn’t a single person not tapping along to the beats. As the vocals, banjo, and mandolin combined, it became apparent this would definitely be a crowd favorite of AthFest.
Their stage presence was undeniably joyous and spontaneous. At first you were submerged into folksy music, but then Brian Macdonald decided to surprise us all with a rap during their unique cover of Eminem’s “Lose Yourself.” These guys rocked out and were jumping all over the stage, including up on the speakers. With all that being said, I will definitely be seeing them again when they return to Athens in the fall, as well as look out for their new album in September. – KM
New Madrid
Once again the Georgia Theatre was a temple to music. This year, it housed New Madrid for AthFest 2014 as one of its late night acts.
As a veteran group to AthFest, they once again brought a large group of fans out into the night, myself included. Soon enough, the group—consisting of Phil McGill, Graham Powers, Ben Hackett, and Alex Woolley, dove into their music as it echoed around every fan screaming around the stage.
Between the red velvet curtains, New Madrid stayed true to their original sound. It was inevitable that you would begin to sway to the strums of the guitars and the soft beats of the drums. Nevertheless, these Athens natives continue to keep their fans begging for more and never disappoint. – KM
Jubee and the Morning After
It is safe to say that Jubee and the Morning After was a surprise favorite of mine during AthFest. From Macon, Georgia, this band combines high-energy funk with the smooth sound of vocals.
Taking the Pulaski Street Stage to a loud roar of approval from their fan, both local and distant, Jubee and The Morning After wasted no time in getting everyone moving. Soon Jubee in his American flag-printed vest began rapping to an undeniable funky beat. No one in the crowd could have possibly stayed still.
Soon a crowd favorite “Whatcha Made Of” was played. It was amazing to see all four band members create an energetic stage presence. Jumping, bouncing, swaying, or a combination of both emerged when the crowd roared with its approval of this song. I think Athens will agree that we hope Jubee and the Morning After will come back real soon. – KM
Kishi Bashi
On Saturday night, after the temperature had dropped and the numbers in the crowds began to rise, Kishi Bashi took the Pulaski Street Stage with his violin in hand.
A large crowd of eager fans and newcomers filled the space in front of the Pulaski Street Stage to see the composer. As the stage glowed in an array of blue and pinkish hues on top of the white draped fabric, Kishi Bashi played. I have never seen a violinist sing while playing his instrument, but I can’t think of anyone who would top this performance, in skill or in atmosphere.
Playing songs from his newly released album Lighght, Kishi Bashi gave the entire on-looking crowd something unique to remember and experience. I can definitely say that this was by far the most unique performance I saw, and it left me wanting more. – KM
Radiolucent
Once again Athens, Georgia continues to produce great bands that create even better music. Radiolucent, a group of “Georgia Boys” took over the Pulaski Street Stage to rock out with their Georgia fans.
As the performance continued, I found myself caught in between waves of gospel, rock n’roll, country and a whole lot of soul – no complaints here. The fans sang every word of nearly every song that the five-man group played.
Their stage presence was undeniably fun. Everyone could not help but enjoy the environment that was created as these guys rocked out and continued to keep the energy high throughout the entire show. That being said, I will definitely be seeing them again when they return! – KM
Don Chambers
When listening to Don Chambers, two words come to mind: Rock. Star.
Hull Street Stage provided the perfect area for Don Chambers to stun his fans under the Georgia sun. After every song, more and more people crept over into the streets, arriving out of curiosity and staying due to the mesmerizing performance.
The band in its entirety showed natural talent as well as a love for performing. Their stage presence was that of a band that has been playing together for over 20 years and creating hits for nearly as long. As the show slowly closed, I found myself surprised at how short the performance seemed. Even though it was the typical hour, I – along with many other – let out a sad sigh. Guess we all will have to wait till their next performance to hear the rock star sing. – KM
Reptar
Reptar is one of those groups that Athens locals just know about. It’s like the first word of any little baby Athens music lover. The group is made up of frontman and guitarist Graham Ulicny, bassist Ryan Engelberger, drummer Andrew McFarland, and keys player William Kennedy. I had the pleasure of seeing Reptar a year or so ago at CounterPoint Music Festival and that show was insane. AthFest, however, was my first time seeing them play in their homeland, and I was blown away. I imagine that the passion Athenians have for Reptar is greater than or at least equal to that of Brazilians for soccer. And that may be an understatement.
The show started up after fans had been crowding the edge of Pulaski Street for thirty or forty minutes chanting and cheering. Ulicny was wearing a long wig, and the rest of the group was decked out in varying prints and bright colors. The group also had a saxophone and trumpet player on the stage. They opened up with a crowd favorite and people were jumping and pushing into the barriers as Ulicny’s crazy tongue preached to them. The religious experiences I saw people having at Reptar were unbelievable. Clothing was being removed, shoulders were climbed, crowds were surfed, and people were slowly becoming insane.
The group played a lot of new music, which was received well by the crowd, and then “Rainbounce” started. Security rushed in to hold the crowd back and the performers were going crazy. Everyone was jumping and what felt like an earthquake to me was surprisingly just the passion of the incredibly devoted Athenians. The best part of the show (not really, but really) was the little girl sitting on the edge of the stage. She had huge noise canceling headphones but she was clapping and bouncing along to the beat and she looked absolutely adorable. Bassist Engelberger acknowledged her a few times, and she looked overjoyed. Reptar is a crazy-awesome band to see live, and if you’ve never done it you need to go find their next show ASAP. I saw a whole new side of this town that night and let me tell you, I’ve never been prouder to be an Athenian. – MF
An Evening at Ciné
Everyone knows that Athens is home to some incredible entertainers. We Athenians love a good, sweaty show and know how to find one. Nestled just on the edge of town, however, I stumbled into one of the nicest little shows I’ve seen in Athens in a long time.
It was Friday night, and we’d all just danced our brains out at Reptar when we made our way over to the local theater, Ciné. The lineup was posted, and we walked in to find Little Chief on the stage. When I say stage, I mean they were set up on one side of the room, and we were standing on the other. The vibes in the room were surreal. There were about 35-40 people there, and everyone was crowded towards the front of the cool, darkly lit room. It felt like we were in a little coffee shop or in that scene from Inside Llewyn Davis where they’re in the dark little open mic lounge (if you haven’t seen that movie, see it).
Little Chief had taken the stage moments before we entered, and the crowd was already getting into it. Apparently, what “began as a few friends wanting something more” turned into a full fledged cross-country tour for these guys. The six of them were on the stage strumming mountain-sounding melodies and singing raspy, soft harmonies, and after the complete insanity that was Reptar, I felt like I’d died and gone to heaven. Standing in the crowd, waving and singing along to the words I could pick up on, and I was loving every second of it. They reminded me of something, but I was not entirely sure what. I got little pieces of Mumford and Sons, then Of Monsters and Men, then Fleet Foxes, but no comparison quite fits. The group closed their set with a gorgeous rendition of “Hey Jude” that had the crowd hollering at the top of their lungs. The whole experience was weirdly spiritual in a good way.
The crowd took a minute to settle down after the boys get a roaring applause, and the next act began to set up. It was Sam Burchfield, usually a solo artist, with a backing band. The band geared up, and the night took a decidedly sexy turn. Burchfield started singing bluesy, soulful love songs, and I was so surprised. I’d never heard them before, and I certainly did not expect that voice to come out of him. The band was great as well; I think they should become a permanent feature if they aren’t already. They have this incredible guy on the keys who periodically pops in with a killer trombone solo. The whole show was like Ray LaMontagne on motown steroids, and it was awesome. The crowd got into a soulful cover of R.Kelly’s “Ignition (Remix),” and Burchfield told us he probably should have closed the show with that. We didn’t even care – we just “toot-toot”ed and “beep-beep”ed, and nothing could bring us down from that high.
These two artists secured my place at next year’s Ciné show, for sure. The evening was an incredible accident for me, and I wish I had gotten some t-shirts to express my affection. Hopefully the two groups will return to AthFest, or even Athens in general, soon, because I did not get my fix. Next time you go to a festival, try going to see an artist you’ve never heard of before – maybe, like me, you’ll find a new favorite. -MF
Kelly’s Favorites:
Favorite Venue: Georgia Theatre
Least Favorite Venue: Hull Street Stage
Favorite Live Performance: New Madrid
Best Band Discovered: Judah and the Lion
Favorite Athens Band: New Madrid
Favorite Non-Athens Band: Judah & the Lion
Overall Favorite Band: Judah & the Lion
Jasmin’s Favorites:
Favorite Venue: The World Famous
Least Favorite Venue: Outdoor Stages (lots of technical difficulties this weekend!)
Favorite Live Performance: Family and Friends
Best Band: Powerkompany
Favorite Athens Band: Woodgrains
Favorite Non-Athens Band: Roadkill Ghost Choir
Overall Favorite Band: Family and Friends!
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Reptar at AthFest 2014. Photo by Miranda Feneberger.
When Australian vocalist Dan Whitford of Cut Copy announced on stage Tuesday night that, based on his observations, Atlanta loves to party, the crowd at Variety Playhouse went out of their way to uphold their reputation.
The sold-out show also featured CLASSIXX, a nu-disco duo from Los Angeles who played songs from their latest LP, Hanging Gardens. The set included a few different female vocalists who were present in spirit on a large futuristic TV screen. Tracks like “All You’re Waiting For” and “A Stranger Love” were fun and poppy, yet intricate and unique. Faster songs like “I’ll Get You” featured the question, “do you like bass?” and judging by the crowds enthusiastic dancing, I think it’s safe to say the answer is yes.
All photos by Michelle King
By the time Cut Copy took the stage, the audience was warmed up and ready for more. As the Aussies provided the party noise, the crowd was expected to bring the boogie. While the title of their most recent album, Free Your Mind, was projected in the background, Cut Copy only played a few tracks from the record. One of which being “Let Me Show You Love,” a trippy feel-good song paired with a black and white spiral background that was enough to put anyone in a trance. “In Memory Capsule” featured a skippy synthesized beat that the audience had great fun dancing along to, but the track ended with too much guitar distortion.
Audience members were appreciative of throwbacks like “Where I’m Going” from their previous album, Zonoscope, and sang along devotedly, but the real climax of the show was when Cut Copy played uber-hit “Hearts on Fire” from the 2008 album, In Ghost Colours, that featured enjoyable samples of saxophone. As Whitford sang, “with hearts on fire, I reach out to you tonight,” arms extended out to the crowd with the audience reciprocating, the positive energy was absolutely infectious.
“Out There On The Ice” was one of the most fast paced and intricate songs of the evening. By the end of the song, Cut Copy was all over the place, chaotically running around stage, playing each others instruments, climbing on top of equipment and jumping off while accompanied by sirens and fast-paced beats. “Lights and Music,” a song about second chances for the sake of a good time, also proved to be energetic enough to get everyone moving.
The band is no stranger to Atlanta, having recorded the previous album, Zonoscope, with local producer Ben Allen (Animal Collective, Gnarls Barkley, Matt & Kim), who happened to be in attendance. This could possibly explain the proclivity for merrymaking that Whitford has come to expect from the people of Atlanta, but one thing’s for sure – Cut Copy’s symbiotic relationship with their audience made for one great party.
