Pages tagged “AthFest”

After four days of Bonnaroo, AthFest felt wonderfully local. Instead of trying to decide between Cat Power and The Avett Brothers, I was watching bands I'd never heard of—some good, some bad. And the bad ones left me plenty of time to reconnect with friends in Trappeze, Athens' coolest pub, which also happens to be run with one of my old bandmates.

One set that I wasn't going to miss, though, was Bill Mallonee's. Paste first launched as a company in 1998 by releasing a live album from his old band, Vigilantes of Love, and he played several Vigilantes songs with his new wife, Muriah Rose, including "Skin," about Vincent Van Gogh. Not many folks write lyrics this good:

As anyone who's lived in the south knows, Georgia in the summertime can be decidedly less than pleasant. Ninety degree heat, compounded with 100 percent humidity, has the uncanny ability to turn even the most conservative individual into a nudist. However, one weekend a summer, the music haven otherwise known as Athens, Ga., gives people far and wide a reason to weather the heat.

AthFest, the annual musical extravaganza (which, incidentally, has also featured a petting zoo in past years), will be held this summer from June 18 to 22. For those counting at home, that's five glorious days of music, music, music, petting zoos and more music. Appropriately, the majority of bands featured hail from Athens itself, though out-of-town bands are more than welcome to apply for a spot on the line-up.

The fest kicks off with the Flagpole Music Awards, sponsored by none other than Flagpole, the venerable alt-weekly of Athens. Yearly, readers of the paper hop online and vote for their favorite artists. Categories in previous years have included Best Up and Coming Artist (won in the past by local fave's Electa Villain and Modern Skirts) and Best Rock Band, won in 2006 by The Whigs, who are currently about to head out on tour with Athens giants Drive-By Truckers.

Every year, the AthFest committee releases a compilation of local artists to complement the festival. This year's album will feature 19 Athens artists, including dub/reggae band Dubconscious, folk/pop band Madeline, and indie rock outfit Russian Spy Camera.

Since the deadline for artists submissions has been extended to April 1, the final line-up for the festival has yet to be announced. But with nationally recognized named like Shawn Mullins and Pylon heading up years past, it seems safe to say that it won't disappoint. Check back here for the latest in AthFest news, and we'll keep you up-to-date on the latest line-up announcements, schedule and more.

Related links:
AthFest.com
Paste: Truckers, Whigs Headline 2007 AthFest
Flagpole.com

Got news tips for Paste? E-mail news@pastemagazine.com.

Athens, Ga. favorites Drive-By Truckers, the Whigs and Perpetual Groove will headline the town's annual AthFest this year.

The 11th annual music and arts festival takes place June 20 – 24 in downtown Athens, featuring over 150 bands on two outdoor stages and a “club crawl.” Most of the outdoor events, including KidsFest, are free.

Each year, Ghostmeat Records releases a compilation CD featuring local favorites to coincide with the festival. Two volumes will be released this year, the first at a CD release show on Friday, May 4 at Athens venue Tasty World, and the second on June 19. See this year’s full track listing here.

Related links:
Official Athfest site
The Whigs' site
Drive-By Truckers' site