Tag: athfest
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15 Must-See Artists At AthFest [PLAYLIST]
You already know you can count on Vinyl Mag for all your AthFest coverage needs, and we figured that with such a killer lineup this year, you might need help cherry-picking which artists to see. Peep this playlist of some of our favorite bands, both big and small. As per the usual, don’t overlook the deep cuts.
As with every year, the free outdoor stages are fantastic – but you’re REALLY missing out if you don’t do the club crawl. Get your wristband here.
REVIEW: AthFest 2015 Compilation CD
AthFest, Athens’ seminal music festival, is right around the corner (June 24-28) and with it comes another stellar compilation CD featuring highlights of the jam packed lineup. This year’s was the first ever to be produced by students of UGA’s own Music Business program, and let us to be one of the first to say they did a bang-up job.
The 21 track compilation has a clear theme, one that has naturally marked every AthFest but seems to be even more present this year: summer. Whether it’s the breezy Kokomo noodling of opener “Fools Like These” by Tongues or the lazy Sunday contemplation of WrennPop’s “Laundromat”, each hand-picked track perfectly encapsulates the slowed down pace of an empty campus and the heat of baking Athens asphalt. Even the obligatory Whigs song, “Hit Me”, is one of their substantially mellower tunes. Major kudos goes out to the MBUS kids for this superbly sequenced compilation. Each sampling flows evenly from one to the next, from bouncy pop to quiet, moody bedroom synth dreaminess; as befits any zen summer festival, nothing about this varied representation is misplaced or jarring.
The CD’s assemblers also made wise choices in including some lesser knowns of our local scene – of Montreal is headlining the fest, sure, but they don’t need to do much to get anyone to visit their sets. But for smaller indie bands like The Orkids and Playground Hero – and especially for oft-shafted Athens hip hop artists like Uncle Pizza and Showtime – this exposure ahead of the festival is crucial.
MBUS student and compilation project co-producer Kelsey Kirpich, along with fellow MBUS student Anna Reed, said a team of five students listened to all 150 submissions, eventually narrowing it down to the 21 tracks it features – a tough feat for most, but moreso for a group of music fanatics. “We kept narrowing down the submissions until we had a list we felt was a great representation of the diverse Athens music scene.” Kirpich said, “The Music Business Program at UGA is a community of passionate music lovers, so it made it a really enjoyable process for everyone involved.” MBUS director David Barbe was also an enthusiastic backer of the project, saying he “instantly loved the idea” of having his own students be part of the process. “[It’s] a great opportunity for students to see the nuts and bolts of a music release – selecting artists and material, mastering, manufacturing, promoting and distributing,” he said. With MBUS’ stature growing every year, it makes total sense to get UGA students more involved in AthFest, which more broadly serves the Athens community, one that is made up of so much more than academia and football.
The CD was produced by Russ Hallauer and is out June 18 on Ghostmeat Records (purveyors of the annual AthFest comp for the last 18 years) and available for purchase here or at the merch table on site. As with everything AthFest, it benefits Athfest Educates, so jump on this thing.
Click here to listen to select comp CD tracks!
Club Crawl Info:
After the free outdoor shows, a $30 wristband grants access into more than a dozen Club Crawl venues Friday and Saturday nights, as well as discounts at AthFest affiliated events and into a VIP viewing area to the right of the stage. 40 Watt has a wristband-only show Friday night featuring Thayer Serrano, Cracker and The Whiskey Gentry, and Shehehe, Mind Brains and Warehouse Saturday night. The Georgia Theatre has two nights of wristband-only shows featuring headliners Blank Range and Roadkill Ghost Choir Friday night, and Darnell Boys and Surfer Blood on Saturday night. Other participating venues include Caledonia Lounge, Cine, Flicker Theatre, Go Bar, Hendershot’s, Little Kings Shuffle Club, Live Wire Athens, Lumpkin Street Station, The Foundry, The Globe, and The World Famous. Club Crawl line-up here.
AthFest 2014: Stokeswood x Vinyl Mag
Imagine a group like Young The Giant on 80’s dance steroids. That’s kind of what comes to mind when I try to describe the incredible and unique sound of five-piece Atlanta rock group Stokeswood.
I had the opportunity to sit down with the guys before their set this weekend at AthFest, and let me tell you – they’re awesome. Sometimes speaking with bands makes you realize that the people you thought were cool aren’t actually that cool.
But man, these guys are cool. After a long buffalo wing and World Cup filled discussion, we got down to business discussing their newest single, their killer logo, and of course, Smashmouth.
VM: So, how did you guys meet?
Jon Joiner: A couple of us went to school together, you know, college years.
Justin Mullinix: Adam, Jon, and Mark went to college together, and technically Mike, too. So I’m the only one. I did go to elementary school with Adam, though.
VM: So you guys have a new single out – “Our Streets” – and a video. Tell me about the song.
Mike Roman: We were just writing songs one night. We’d just get together and say, ‘cool, we’re going to write songs on Wednesdays.’ We’d just clown out chords, hum along, and have our Pro Tools rig open. The song actually came together pretty naturally in one night.
VM: That must be super convenient when something just comes together like that.
MR: Yeah, the best songs always do.
Mark Godwin: They don’t always happen that way.
VM: So is this single leading up to a new Stokeswood album, perhaps?
MR: It is. But no official, ‘hey, we’re putting out an album’ or anything. We’re just writing and recording.
MG: We have enough songs for a new EP definitely, but we’re still working and writing. We also had the opportunity to go film the music video [for “Our Streets”] out in LA with Eli Berg, which was great timing.
MR: This single was just ready, and we hadn’t put anything out in a long time. We actually did the whole song as a ruse to get us to California.
VM: Will the new album sound a lot like the old one, or are you all moving in a new direction?
MR: I mean, how much do you miss Smashmouth?
VM: I mean, I miss Smashmouth everyday.
MR: More like Sugar Ray and Smashmouth.
MG: It’s definitely like the next evolution of the last album. It’s going to have the same soundscape that the new single does.
JJ: The first album was more rock-y, but it had some leanings into dance music, and we’re now even more on the dance side.
MR: We’re all 80’s kids, so I feel like it’s always going to have that 80’s retro vibe.
VM: Random technical question, but where did your logo come from? Because it’s awesome.
MG: We did that on a night we got together and decided to come up with a logo.
Adam Patterson: Show her your tattoos.
MG: On the first album, we had this song called “The Extraordinary Mr. Hit,” and this is back when Justin wasn’t in the band, and the song was written by Adam before we went into the studio. Justin had produced some hip hop tracks and was showing us some production techniques, and the sound wave image ended up resembling this guy which I tattooed on my forearm.
AP: The images are vocals, so it’s technically our sound waves.
MG: It wasn’t completely planned, but it turned out nicely and worked well.
MR: [Stoner voice] We all got together and-
MG: [Sarcastically] Oh yeah, we were all on meth!
VM: Oh, great! [Laughs] A lot of artists outsource that kind of thing, so it’s cool that it’s something you all came up with organically!
MR: Sean Kaminsky, he actually goes to UGA [University of Georgia], came up with the final draft of the one we use now though.
VM: So you all played Party in the Park, and now you’re playing AthFest. What’s your favorite part about playing festivals?
MG: I think the fans. Festivals are unique, because people save up money, they plan around it, and they’re there for one reason, and that’s to see live music. That’s the best part for me anyway, because you really get a group of people who are there for the same reason as you.
AP: Yeah, the campout festivals versus the one-day festivals are really awesome, because people are there to really let loose for two to three days in a row. We were lucky enough to play Aura Fest the last couple years in North Florida; we played the inaugural CounterPoint Festival, and the campout vibe is awesome.
VM: So this is a question I love to ask everyone, but if you could plan your ideal musical fest with any artists, dead or alive, who would play?
MG: Smashmouth and Sugar Ray!
MR: We were playing a show with Papadosio, and our third show with them, there was a guy who was very clearly on substances, and he wanted to bring a festival to Brazil, and he wanted it to be ‘avant garde and retarded,’ and he was going to call it ‘Avantarded.’ He was onto something, I think. He wanted us, Paul McCartney, Daft Punk, Papadosio, and U2, and I’m just going to go with him, because I think he is a visionary. Avantarded 2020, we’ll see you in Brazil.
MG: I think on my festy of the dead people I’d say Mozart, Whitest Boy Alive, Talking Heads in their heyday.
MR: Bernie Worrell.
MG: Just dueling pianos Mozart vs. Bernie.
JJ: Talk about Avantarded…
MR: Avantarded! Oh, Kilo Ali!
All: Kilo Ali!
MG: Kilo Ali, Mozart, and the Talking Heads.
JM: And DJ Khaled.
[Whole table laughs for about 10 minutes talking about Stokeswood’s hypothetical new side project, MethMouth]VM: To wrap up, what’s in store for you guys in the future? Obviously, you’re working on an album.
MR: We want to expand our touring to get over to the west coast. But at least for now is making sure we can just put together the best album we can.
VM: What’s the number one west coast city you guys want to play?
MR: LA.
MG: Portland.
AP: Oh, Portland [laughs].
JM: Seattle!
MG: All of them – ‘City of the West Coast.’
Stokeswood on Tour!
Jul 06 PARK TAVERN w/ Radio Birds Atlanta, GA
Jul 17 River Jam Concert Series Charlotte, NC
Jul 18 New Mountain Theatre Asheville, NC
Jul 19 Play it Forward Music Festival Atlanta, GA
Jan 24 The Rock Boat XV w/ Michael Franti &… Cozumel, Mexico
Jan 25 The Rock Boat XV w/ Barenaked Ladies Cozumel, Mexico
Jan 26 The Rock Boat XV w/ Scars On 45 Cozumel, Mexico
Jan 27 The Rock Boat XV w/ Sister Hazel Cozumel, Mexico
Jan 28 The Rock Boat XV w/ The Mowgli’s Cozumel, Mexico
Athfest 2014: Powerkompany x Vinyl Mag
I got the chance to talk to Athens’ own Powerkompany during Saturday night’s portion of Athfest. Guitarist/vocalist Marie Davon (Venice is Sinking) and guitarist/violinist Andrew Heaton (Packway Handle Band) sat down with me after their show at the World Famous to talk about the bands’ dynamic, where they’d like to see Powerkompany going, and their love for Athens.
Vinyl Mag: First off, I was trying to get into the World Famous in time to catch your set, and it was one in, one out. You had a packed house during Athfest!
Marie Davon: Oh, really?! It was so, so amazing in there. Really good energy.
VM: And the crowd definitely felt the same way! I was talking to the people around me, and they all said they had seen you before and were raving about your voice, Marie. They had all seen you play in Athens and Atlanta a few times before. So what’s it like playing during Athfest versus your own shows?
MD: It’s always different during Athfest. It feels like there’s more love. It feels like a family reunion. Every year, you get to see all of your friends, because usually they’re all touring or just being reclusive. That’s like us – very reclusive. We’re always either on tour or at our house. Not to mention there are different people out, too – people that wouldn’t usually be out to see a show.
VM: I noticed you had a keyboardist. In the past it has just been the two of you performing. Are you guys trying to expand and create a different stage presence?
MD: I’m really into musicals and plays and stuff, and I have had the luxury over the past couple months to have the time to dedicate to live performances, so tonight was kind of a rehearsal for continuing on and doing more.
VM: I was also really impressed with your stage set up with the balloons and backdrop. They were all very beautiful and ethereal and tied into the beautiful vocals and violin the both of you were playing. Who has the creative direction in the band?
MD: I guess I am technically the creative director, the main song-writer. Andrew is my editor, producer. Because of the lack of band members right now, we have to somehow figure out a way to play with a drummer who doesn’t exist. So we both really get to experiment and play around. We’re actually scientists. We’re doing music because it is our passion now; it’s almost like a science. The old-fashioned kind of experimentation, making electricity and making things pop.
Andrew Heaton: What ends up happening is she writes the songs and then she brings it to me, and…I put it altogether and add the backing tracks. She’s at the point. She’s at the front. She writes the songs, brings it to me. I will produce things that I think will work well both for the live set and when we’re recording. Sometimes those are similar, sometimes those are different, and then it will bounce back to her, and she decides how it will be expressed on stage visually.
VM: It’s refreshing seeing something different than the typical band set up. Between the two of you and Jillian, the keyboardist, it kept my attention more than some of the other talent I have seen during Athfest, where a lot of the five-piece bands all sound pretty similar. You guys have a comfortable stage presence. Where are you trying to take the band from here? Are you trying to get out of playing in Athens and Atlanta?
MD: In the past two years, we have been developing our sound, we have been doing small weekend tours, or we would take a week up to New York and back, but it’s been mostly regional shows. Ideally, it would be amazing to go on tour with someone like, in our wildest dreams, Kishi Bashi or Lykke Li or Grimes. People we look up to but we also feel like we have a comparable, yet different sound. We have such an odd, eclectic sound, and it’s very hard for us to find people to tour with. With Kishi Bashi and him living in town, it’s like a dream come true.
I played on of Montreal’s last album, so it’s cool being in Athens, because we do run into people who are national acts, and that is our goal. It’s a great place to live. As an artist, it’s perfect, because you can go on tour and come home and not get bombarded with daily life. You can lock yourself in your room in your house and then work. And then go out.
AH: Seriously. There’s like 10 million people in New York City, right? And we all know of some bands that come out of New York and get really big, but not really the proportion it should be. We’ve got 120 thousand people in Athens, and the number of bands…there’s so many!
MD: Sometimes, we’ll play on a random night in Athens, and there won’t be very many people there, and that’s fine because we get to use it as a practice. That’s another plus in Athens – you get to break your new material to not very many people.
Be sure to catch Powerkompany on their current tour! Really. You want to.
Dates:
Tue, 08 Jul Athens, GA Georgia Theatre
Thu, 10 Jul Greenville, SC WPBR Radio Room
Fri, 11 Jul Columbia, SC Conundrum Music Hall
Sat, 12 Jul Atlanta, GA Mammal Gallery
Wed, 30 Jul Athens, GA Flicker Theatre and Bar
Tue, 30 Sep Atlanta, GA WREK Radio: Live @ WREK
Athfest 2014: Wieuca x Vinyl Mag
Four piece “characteristically noisy” (their words, not mine) southern rock group, Wieuca, was founded in 2011 by frontman and guitarist Will Ingram and drummer Robert Smith. Three years, two new members and one full length album later, Wieuca takes the main stage at AthFest and kills it.
The chemistry onstage is incredible, and the group works a hot and sweaty 1 p.m. crowd with ease. The four shred through their performance and earn themselves a place in my ranks as one of the best groups in Athens to see live. These guys come from all around Atlanta and are somewhat new to the Athens area, so I think I speak for everyone when I say we’re glad they’re here.
We grabbed an interview with the boys before their set and asked them a little about how it feels to be performing on the main stage this year, and what plans Wieuca has for the future.
VM: I read that you guys describe yourselves as having a “characteristically noisy approach to the southern sound.” With such a unique sound, what kind of artists influence you as a group??
Will: When we started playing together, we were heavily influenced by 90’s college rock and midwestern alt-country, but we’ve started incorporating a little bit of everything. It’s fun to combine different styles in an unexpected way.
Robert: I think it’s always hard to pinpoint exactly who or what is influencing us at any point in time. Consciously trying to emulate any particular artist isn’t something we really do. Our everyday lives, our relationships, are really our biggest influences. But if I had to name an artist, I’ve spent the past couple of months listening to a lot of Todd Rundgren. And War on Drugs. They’re pretty tight, too.
VM: I saw you play at Rowdy Dowdy a few weeks back, and I was thoroughly impressed with your dynamic as a band. You have great chemistry and just all around good stuff going on on stage. You’ve had a few lineup changes in the past; do you finally feel really good about the group?
Robert: Yeah, the lineup seems pretty solid at the moment.
Will: The band is more collaborative and fun than it ever has been, but we’re open to adding more members to expand the potential of our live show.
VM: There Is No Balance, your most recent record, was released in 2013. Do you guys have plans for a new album in the works?
Will: The last album came out seven months ago, and since then we’ve been recording our next one. We haven’t decided whether to release it soon or to make it a double-length and record a few more tracks first.
VM: First of all, congratulations on earning yourselves a main stage performance at AthFest this year! Who are you all most excited to see?
Will: Elf Power. And DEGA was great last night.
Robert: Futurebirds are one of my favorite bands, and seeing them in Athens is always pretty radical, so them of course. And one of their openers, Woodfangs, are another one of our favorite local bands.
VM: You guys clearly have a sense of humor, from the fantastic Jesus Christ critique on your website to the name of your band, Wieuca. Tell us a little about why you finally decided on Wieuca as a band name to represent you all as artists.
Will: Wieuca is straight, so we wanted it to represent us.
VM: What is your favorite song from the record to play live?
Will: We usually play our new songs at shows and try them in front of a crowd before recording them.
VM: Who came up with the idea behind the music video for “Low Probability”?
Robert: Will.
Will: The video stars a handsome young man with a mustache.
VM: What’s your favorite activity, besides playing music, to do together as a band?
Robert: Scoping out new and exciting ethnic cuisines. Which goes pretty well with our other favorite activity of teaching O’Reilly how to correctly pronounce certain words.
VM: What’s in the pipeline for Wieuca? Do you have any exciting plans in the future?
Will: We’re looking forward to releasing our new songs.
VM: I have to ask you my signature question as well: If you could choose the headliners (dead or alive) for a new music festival, who would play?
Will: It would be really cool to see Bill Doss with OTC. Or Vic Chesnutt.
Robert: You could make a pretty awesome festival solely with Athens musicians who have passed away…
AthFest 2014: Party Dolls x Vinyl Mag
After making their debut on Valentine’s Day 2013, the local collaborative supergroup, Party Dolls, knew they had created something awesome. Exactly one year later, they had an album under their belt, and they haven’t stopped playing since. Party Dolls, a conglomeration of members from multiple Athens/Atlanta area acts including The District Attorneys and Tedo Stone, will continue taking the local scene by storm this weekend at AthFest
Party Dolls have a huge Athens following, and they are all about putting on a good show. The group masters their attempt at a “mini-Arcade Fire” sound, and really fosters and rekindles the collab-rock genre. Their debut album, Love Wars Baby, is an album of anthems that front man Drew Beskin says “had to be written.”
We caught up with them before the fest to chat about what it’s like to be part of such a big collab project, who would play their dream music fest and what’s in store for Party Dolls in the future.
Vinyl Mag: So there are quite a few members in Party Dolls; you’re a kind musical collage featuring members of multiple Athens/Atlanta bands. Do you all have a ‘the more the merrier’ philosophy when it comes to the band?
Drew Beskin: We definitely have a more the merrier attitude for Party Dolls. The band was put together in a very spur-of-the-moment kind of way. We all have or have had bands that fit a very specific structure, so this is everyone’s side pop band where we can just let loose and see how weird we can make it.
VM: Your record has been out for a few good months now – what’s that like? How has the reaction been?
DB: It is great to have it out there. We worked on it casually over a year, and we are very proud of the record. We have had some great press and premieres from some very cool publications. People seem to like it; I am proud of it. That is all that matters. The live version is a trip, because we have accordion, violin and a bunch of random instruments that I have never had on stage before, and I get a huge kick out of that.
VM: A lot of the record, Love Wars Baby, alludes to a bad breakup. I’ve always been curious about what it’s like for the rest of the band to play a song about someone else’s breakup. Is it hard to get into that head space?
DB: By the time the songs were recorded, the meaning behind them kind of vanished. They just turn into songs that happened to be about the past. When we play them now, we just enjoy the music and hope the audience does as well. There is no message or hidden meaning.
VM: Is it easy for you all to collaborate, having come from such varying musical backgrounds and groups? Do your styles all align when you come together to create something new?
DB: Yeah, for sure. We all just want to do the song justice and have as much fun playing as possible. We want to show each other off; we have a lot of amazing musicians in the band right now.
VM: What kind of artists influence you as a group?
DB: A lot of Whiskeytown and Rilo Kiley. We made the album with just four people, but we wanted to try and get a kind of ‘mini-Arcade Fire’ sound. A lot going on in 10 very short pop songs.
VM: Who are you most excited to see at AthFest 2014?
DB: Probably Dead Confederate and Kishi Bashi.
VM: Alright, this is my signature question: if you could choose the headliners – dead or alive – for a new music festival, who would play?
DB: Prince, Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, Rilo Kiley, The Smiths and Oasis.
VM: What’s in store for you all in the future?
DB: Not quite sure post-Athfest. We have some new songs and might record another album under the Party Dolls name or we might start a new project. Kind of playing it by ear right now.
VM: What’s the hardest thing about being in a group with so many members?
DB: Probably trying to write new songs off the fly, so we have stuck to listening to demos and learning from there. It’s never really that hard though; we all want the same thing, and if someone isn’t feeling it, they usually have a better idea. We are all friends with each other, so it’s pretty easy.
VM: What’s the craziest experience you’ve had at a show thus far?
DB: Our band usually floats between having seven or eight members, so whenever we are able to pull that off and get the sound right and everyone is locked in and happy, that is a pretty crazy experience.
*Check out Party Dolls at Athfest Saturday at Hull Street Stage at 4:00 p.m. See you there!
AthFest 2014: Dank Sinatra x Vinyl Mag
It is safe to say that Dank Sinatra is a band that is as unique as the music they play. Originating from Athens, Georgia, these five members manage to fuse energy, joy, an electric mix and a dash of old school rock and roll to create an unforgettable sound in their newest album, Strange.
As they tour the east coast, Matt Henderson, Joe Gaines, Clint Meadows, Josh Birmingham, and Jimmy Mcalpin will take some time from playing concerts on hotel roof tops and travel back to the Classic City for their performance at AthFest.
We caught up with Matt and Jimmy to talk about their biggest influences, “The Dank Tank” and, of course, AthFest!
Vinyl Mag: You recently released your album, Strange – what was the inspiration for the album?
Jimmy Mcalpin: We sought out to make a tighter record than our previous releases and really start to hone a sound that we are continually working on improving and refining.
VM: I saw you recently played the song “Down South Georgia Boy” on BalconyTV Charleston. How was that experience, playing on the roof top of a Holiday Inn?
Matt Henderson: It was a great experience because we met two NASA engineers who were staying in Charleston at the Holiday Inn, and we were able to give them a copy of Strange and chat with them about the opportunity for a tour of the Milky Way in 2015.
VM: You play AtheFest on the 20th. How do you like playing Athens compared to other cities?
JM: Well it is always nice to drive 10 minutes to get to your gig. It’s a great town to play as well; you can always count on some people who are as in to live music as you are to be around for your show.
VM: How has Athens influenced your music?
JM: It probably hasn’t influenced our music in too many stylistic ways so much as it has in conditional ways. There is so much music and so many musicians that it creates an environment of having a good work ethic and an atmosphere of excitement about creating new music and sharing it with friends and the town you live in.
VM: Have you ever been to/played AthFest before?
MH: This is going to be our fourth time playing AthFest, and we would probably be around even if we weren’t, it being one of our favorite times of the year to be in Athens. Can’t wait to see all the other great bands.
VM: What can your fans expect at your show in the Green Room?
JM: We have been working hard lately writing songs and creating new music, and we are looking forward to the opportunity to play live again, so fans can expect to see a band that is ready to play out, have fun and blow stuff up.
VM: What are you currently listening to?
JM: We’ve been listening to a lot of Sibelius (Fifth Symphony) and the thoughts of such men as Ernest Hemingway and David Foster Wallace. Music is a very important thing to listen to as a musician, and it is equally as important to absorb as many other creative arts as possible to provoke creativity in yourself.
VM: What are some unexpected hobbies that each of you have besides music (other creative outlets?)?
JM: Matt is currently engaged in all the World Cup action happening down in Brasil, while Joe has been holed up in his house with a model train project that he is currently working on. He just finished the first boardwalk he will be using as a platform to the other stations. Also we have been playing a lot of monopoly lately.
VM: I recently read that you all are headlining this year’s Unitus Music Festival at Cherokee Farms. How does it feel to go from a starter band to headliner in just a few years?
MH: It is really nice to be sharing the stage with some of our friends in Sumilan and Funk You and being apart of the festival experience. Hopefully we can do some collaborating and get some other musicians on stage during our show.
VM: Are there any differences in your shows when you play a festival vs. a regular show?
JM: There is a lot of energy at a festival and that inevitably will make it into our performances at festival shows. The opportunity to share our music to a diverse audience is also in our thoughts when we are preparing for a festival show. We want to make sure we can deliver the best of what we have to offer to inspire the listeners and grow our fanbase.
VM: We have to know – where did “The Dank Tank” nickname originate?
MH: That is part of the long storied history of Dank-isms we have been writing and hope to publish in the coming months. Part of having a silly name is the opportunity to have fun with it, which we like to do.
VM: Ok last question. Have you finally calculated how you will play the first concert on the moon?
JM: We were doing some calculations recently about how many shows we would have to play in order to raise enough money and awareness to make a lunar show possible, but our calculator broke right in the middle of figuring it out. Once we raise enough money to get a new calculator (have to use a TI-83 because of the extensiveness of the lunar calculations) we can begin the process again.
AthFest 2014: Judah & the Lion x Vinyl Mag
Nothing compares to the comfort that southern music brings, and Judah & the Lion supplies just that. The Tennessee-based band brings energy and folk spirit to their music and performances. It’s one of those bands where you have to clap in rhythm to every song and really can’t fight it. Tennessee comes to Athens for Athfest, and Judah & the Lion are sure to provide a memorable show…and maybe a barrel of cookies? Their newest music video for “Sweet Tennessee” embodies the bluegrass roots and gospel sound of the south, complete with shotguns and suspenders. Although Judah & the Lion are but mere cubs, there’s no doubt they will continue to create beautiful music that will remain timeless and comforting.
Vinyl Mag: Y’all are from Tennessee – how do you incorporate that culture and your roots into the music? When did you first know you wanted to make music?
Judah Akers: Well, we aren’t all from Tennessee. I am from Tennessee, and I think the culture, rootsy, Johnny Cash vibe definitely comes through, but you have to add a little Chicago sass and Colorado vibes to really get us as a band !
VM: Who (or what) is your inspiration in music?
JA: Backstreet Boys, Boys 2 Men, [The] Gap Band.
VM: How did the group come together? How do you hope to evolve in future albums?
JA: Came together randomly in college. I called the other guys on a wim, and we really hit it off. We hope to revolve and sculpt our craft as the years go. We hope to be the best at being us. Nothing else.
VM: Sweet Tennessee is your most recent album – what challenges have you had to face as a group in order to create the album? How has the response been?
JA: The response has been amazing. We are super grateful. Especially to Athens. We’ve felt so loved by this city since the start!! So thank you!
VM: Where was the video for “Sweet Tennessee” filmed? What process did you have to go through to create the video? How long did it take to make a bucket of chocolate chip cookies? Were there any left over?
JA: [Laughing} No cookies left over – luckily, we had moms and girls involved to help with the cookie-making. We filmed it in my hometown of Cookeville, Tennessee. Right down the road from my house. ‘Twas a special few days.
VM: What do you guys do when you aren’t playing music? Do you have any other creative outlets besides music?
JA: We have a special community of friends we love to be with. Lakes, cliff jumping, bon fires, The Office. We love writing and working on other things as well!
VM: Have you been to Athens before? How has your experience in Athens been so far? What are you looking forward to most during Athfest?
JA: WE LOVE ATHENS. ATHENS IS FAMILY. IT HAS CHANGED US! We have been three times now and will continue to come back, ’cause we love the culture, the people, and feel loved too!
VM: Athens is a hotbed of striving musicians. Since you have also just started, what advice can you give musicians who are trying to find a starting point? From personal experiences, what encouragement can you give artists, in general?
JA: Stay true to yourself. Don’t change for anything. Work hard, keep your head down, and have fun!!
VM: What is next for Judah & the Lion?
JA: New record drops in September, and be road warriors!!! We love it. And can’t wait to share it with people like you!
AthFest 2014: Ruby the RabbitFoot x Vinyl Mag
After two long years, Athens native Ruby Kendrick has released her second album, New as Dew, under the moniker Ruby the RabbitFoot. Her sophomore album exhibits an evolved sound, but remains soft and relaxed, since her first album in 2012, No Weight No Chain.
“New as Dew” and “Ways” are two personal favorites of the new album. “Ways” is accompanied by a vivid music video featuring flowers and solo shots; it is sweet and bright, like her awesome bangs. No doubt, Ruby’s southern heritage comes through in her guitar sound, but her simple voice appeals to modern listeners.
Ruby the RabbitFoot will soon be an essential Athens artist to add to your summer playlist. This year, she plays on hometown soil for Athfest. Although this is only her second album, there are sure to be more to come…at least we hope.
Vinyl Mag: You’re from Brunswick/Saint Simons Island [Georgia], right? How long have you been involved with the Athens music scene? How do you judge Athens as a platform for artists?
Ruby Kendrick: I am from Brunswick/ Saint Simons. It’s a one of a kind place. I’ve been involved in the Athens music scene since 2011. I think Athens is a great place to make music. Cheap cost of living and a supportive community.
VM: In general, how has music been an important part of your life? When did you first know you wanted to make music?
RK: I’ve always loved to sing. Before I knew how to play guitar or piano, I would sing everywhere and anywhere. When I was in third grade, my dad got me a keyboard from radio shack. After that, it was all over.
VM: Do have any other creative outlets other than music?
RK: These days, I’m really into music video production. You can check them out at Cardio Barbie TV. Two more will be added later this summer.
VM: Who (or what) is your inspiration? Most of your sound is very soothing and light – what state of mind do you adopt, and what process do you go through to create a piece of music?
RK: It’s funny to think that my music is described as soothing and light. I might have to give credit to my band for that. They keep things sunny for me in general. Lyrically, I think the songs can get pretty dark… but that is a detail that folks can choose to acknowledge or ignore. I’m really inspired by pop music for the most part. Mostly female artists.
When I write a song, I’m not thinking about any of that. I’m kind of just vomiting something up. I don’t get to choose when, where or what. It just has to happen, and then I feel really good for a few days.
VM: It’s been two years since your first record, No Weight No Chain – what’s been happening in that time?
RK: O lawwwddd… Just getting knocked around by life mostly. The New As Dew era was a very happy one in the RabbitFoot world. I spent those two years (after NWNC) just focusing on the New songs and traveling a bit.
VM: How has your music evolved since 2012? What goals did you have for New as Dew?
RK: I think my voice has gotten stronger. I’m a very quiet singer…and it used to be even worse. I’m more confident in my live performance. I used to be terrified to play piano on stage – my fingers would shake violently.
My goal with New As Dew is to just stick with it as long as I can. I have a tendency to be ‘over it’ before anyone else hears it. I want to parade it around before moving on to the next album. Even though it feels like a part of my life that’s over, I want to share it.
VM: Of course, you have quite a following in Athens, which will surely be supporting you at Athfest. How is the local crowd compared to “out-of-towners?”
RK: Playing in Athens is like playing in front of your family. It’s much more nerve-racking, but much more rich. I want to make them proud.
VM: Have you been to Athfest before?
RK: This will be my third Athfest.
VM: What are you most looking forward to [at Athfest] this year?
RK: I want to see Kishi Bashi.
VM: Do you have plans for the rest of summer and the future, in general? Can we expect another album soon?
RK: This summer, I am touring as much as I can. I’ll be flying to California right after Athfest, then I’ll be looping down to Texas and up to Chicago this Fall.
You can definitely expect another RabbitFoot album. I’m very excited about the new songs and hope to develop them more this winter. I’d love to say that you can expect it in 2015, but time is slippery.
Jun 21 Athfest Hull St. Stage Athens, GA
Jul 05 CAMP OUTPOST Piru, CA
Jul 25 Green Room Athens, GA Tickets
Jul 29 The Beatnik New Orleans, LA
Jul 30 Mudd & Water Baton Rouge, LA
Jul 31 Mango’s Houston, TX
Aug 01 502 Bar San Antonio, TX
Aug 02 Holy Mountain Austin, TX
Aug 03 Wild Detectives Dallas, TX
Aug 21 King Dusko Charleston, SC
Aug 22 Sky City Augusta, GA
Aug 23 Green Room Athens, GA
Sep 03 Southgate House Revival Newport, KY
Sep 07 Daytrotter Rock Island, IL
Sep 10 Sugarlands Distilling Co. Gatlinburg, TN
Sep 26 Gram Parsons Festival Waycross, GA
Athfest 2014 Compilation Album
June is upon us, which means, Athens readers, that AthFest is right around the corner. AthFest Music and Arts Festival is like Christmas in June for the plethora of music lovers in the Classic City, a weekend of more music than you thought possible, with 14 venues and two outdoor stages hosting bands spanning every genre, most of them calling Athens home.
Every year for the festival, AthFest releases a compilation album produced by Ghostmeat Records (David Dondero, Drive-By Truckers), the proceeds of which go to benefit AthFest Educates, supporting art and music education in the Athens area. This year, however, the album will be released exclusively on vinyl—a first for the AthFest compilation.
I had a chance to grab a first listen, and saying I enjoyed it would be a vast understatement. Every year, AthFest reminds me how lucky I am to live in a city filled with such amazing art and music, and this compilation album is a testament to that.
The album kicks off with “Forest Gum” off New Madrid’s newest album, Sunswimmer. New Madrid is band that has been making more than waves, not only in the Athens music scene, but nationally as well, mixing southern rock roots with the psychedelic and indie influences of the modern Athens music scene. “Forest Gum” is awesome.
Ruby the Rabbitfoot takes over next, with “Ways.” Unsurprisingly, this song is instantly catchy, as Ruby croons over the acoustic guitar, universally appealing, but maintaining the down-to-earth indie vibe that has made her an Athens favorite.
“Rust and Bone” by Family and Friends starts slow by way of acoustic guitars, a violin and some heavy drums, and then builds with incredibly intensity, exploding with such pensive lyrics as “wondering if there’s a better way to live or at least a better way to die.” The song picks you up, whirls you around and sets you back on your feet, reeling from the trip.
Faster Circuits is groovy and psychedelic and evokes a good amount head bobbing with their psych-pop jam, “Relative Obscurity.” Indie rockers Elf Power do the same with their tune “Life the Shell,” singing, “and no one’s ever home when you ring the bell, and nothing’s ever there when you lift the shell.”
Of course, the Drive-By Truckers make an appearance on the album, with their raw and mellow “Rock Solid” tune from their Record Store Day EP release, Dragon Pants. The boys do what they do best.
Somewhere between Amy Winehouse and Billie Holiday lie the enchanting and unique vocals of Andrea DeMarco, complemented by the clear voice of David Krislis on the folksy “Meredith” by Cicada Rhythm that redefines the folk sound.
Nicholas Mallis and his deep, booming voice ask, “why do you light the candles when the storm hasn’t happened yet?” on his moody track, “Why Do You Light the Candles?” while Shade remains as capricious as ever on “Know Your Sine” with a mix of rock, punk, noise-pop, and indie music that is uniquely their own.
Ghost Owl closes out the album with “Eleven.” Ghost Owl is three quarters of the disbanded Athens legend and AthFest veteran band, Perpetual Groove, and although I have heard the name many times, I hadn’t had the chance to sit down and listen to them. They are a complete departure from the organic jams of P Groove and sway towards the indie rock genre, heavier, with a greater tendency towards electronic sounds and effects and a much more epic sound that builds throughout the song.
The AthFest 2014 compilation album makes me proud, as always, to be an Athens resident, a member of a community so rich with new and unique sounds, constantly pushing the boundaries to create music that the rest of the world can only imitate. And as someone who has seen about half of these bands live, I can assure you the festival itself will be just as exhilarating as the album. One thing is for certain, you DO NOT want to miss out on buying this record, and especially attending the festival.
Pre-order the album here!