One of my favorite nights of the year is coming up this weekend, the 11th annual Athens Community Music Festival. This night is Athens’ own version of SXSW with 38 Athens bands playing at 6 venues around town. Other weekends of music throughout the year in Athens have wonderful music (Blackoutfest, Nelsonville Music Festival, and of course the Aquabear County Fair), but this night is ALL Athens, while all of the other mentioned bring regional and national acts in as well. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but there is something special about all of that great live music happening in one night. And seriously, a wristband for all venues all night is ONLY $10 or you can go one venue for $5 and passes and tickets are available at each venue. Proceeds go towards helping local musicians in need and music education.
In fact there are far to many bands and amazing musicians playing it is impossible not to write an article like this and be able to mention everyone, just pick some at random to see or do my preferred method of bouncing from venue to venue as quickly as possible.
Full schedule and more preview after the break…
The annual music fest is entering its 11th year and is the perfect way to experience the diversity and talent of the Athens music scene. Mainstays such as The Makebelieves, The Wailin’ Elroys, Chris Biester (and his band for this evening), Rattletrap are along side more recent Athens regulars Russenorsk, Spooktober, Never Evers, The Hairy Hearts, Sad Bastards and countless others. Everyone should also take this opportunity to see musicians who don’t play nearly as much as they should (Mike Elliott’s Bad Chemicals, local legend J.D. Hutchison, and Athens all-stars The Serfs), and bands from the past who have not played in some time or have recently re-appeared (Poppycock, Stella, and The Wailin’ Elroys). And of course Aquabear favorites The Goodbye Goats and Fleshworld. Not to mention the chance to see brand new bands like Seascapes (members of Paper Machetes, Russenorsk, Spooktober, and The Donnybrooks) and more. You can also check out the ACMF MySpace for more info at myspace.com/athensmusicfest. Look for pictures on here soon.
11th annual Athens Community Music Festival Schedule
Saturday, August 15th, 2009
$10 all venues / $5 each venue
DONKEY COFFEE
5- Rattletrap
6- JD Hutchison
7- Laura Nadeau
8- Leah Nairn
9- Joey Hebdo
10- Bob Stewart Band
CASA
7- Steve Zarate
8- Duke Junior and the Smokey Boots
9- 1/2 Men (members of Wheels On Fire)
10- Speed Knobs
11- The Jarts
12- Russenorsk
1- Spooktober
JACKIE Os
7- The Hairy Hearts
8- Wailin Elroys
9- Broken Ring
10- Liz Pahl & The Pahlbearers
11- Stella Without a Drummer
12- Dave Borowski
1- Lennon Orchestra
SMILING SKULL
9- Tailwinds
10- Wallabees
11- Hell In Gray
12- Empirian
19 SOUTH
7- Red Army
8- No Match for Our Muskets
9- Sad Bastards
10- Poppycock
11- Revulvas
12- Goodbye Goats
1- Fleshworld
UNION
7- Seascapes
8- Bad Chemicals
9- The Serfs
10- Graveyard Shift
11- Never Evers
12- Chris Beister Band
1- The Makebelieves