More than anything else, Phoenix Festival, the one-day celebration of Atlanta art, music and literature presented by local collective Deer Bear Wolf, is about building community through action and awareness. Following in the footsteps of last year’s inaugural event, which brought attention to Urban Sprouts Farm, this year’s festival seeks to shine a light on the Wherehouse, a growing artist studio environment. In addition to the many artists across multiple disciplines, the performance pieces and literature readings (including the third edition of DBW’s award-winning Transgression series), there will of course be a considerable amount of live music across multiple stages. This year’s music lineup was curated by DBW’s Elizabeth Jarrett and features a wide assortment of artists in varying genres — everything from psychedelic rock and folk to jazz and soul. We reached out to Jarrett to ask her about selecting this year’s lineup and what festivalgoers can expect from the event. Here’s what she had to say.

How did you go about selecting which bands were going to play this year?

With this year’s lineup, we really wanted something that was representative of multiple genres, instead of staying in our usual genre wheelhouse. We had an idea of a few groups we really wanted, and filled in the rest so that it is cohesive and flows from one band to another. Because this festival is representative of the entire community, we have styles ranging from the high energy, big brass jazz of The Wolfpack to the garage psych surf rock of Midnight Larks. There really is something for everyone.

Was there a particular thematic string you wanted to maintain?

The entire idea behind Phoenix Festival is to activate a community organization’s space, without ignoring the structure, in neighborhoods that want people to positively experience their community. Though there isn’t a theme, we do work closely within the constructs we are given — this year’s festival is in a co-working space for Craftsmen and we can’t ignore the piles of wood and heavy machinery, so we put our stage among the materials. I think it also shows that any space can be used for performance, if you have an open mind.

Did other artists and performances – i.e. Transgression, certain muralists, etc. – have any effect on what artists you chose to invite? In other words, are you attempting to pair certain music with other mediums?

We’re lucky enough to have a lot of artists here in Atlanta who really embrace collaboration. Last year, because the space was so spread out and huge, there really wasn’t a lot of interaction between the visual artists and performers. This year, however, the space is a lot more contained. We have had numerous visual, performance artists and musicians moving and working with us in the space for weeks now and I think people are influencing each other. Book of Colors has asked Kris Pilcher to create a projection piece for their performance. Kebbi Williams was interested in utilizing the entire space for his performance, so we invited him to come have a look. Joe King is painting a huge backdrop for our outdoor stage. There’s a really vocal appreciation for everyone else’s work and that makes for a really positive working environment all around. This particular Phoenix Festival has felt like it’s truly created by a community more than any other event I’ve ever been part of.

How much of the process is curation and how much of it is things serendipitously falling into place?

There is definitely a nice balance between curation and serendipitous booking. I think you have to accept that sometimes that band you really really want is on tour. Atlanta is brimming with so much musical talent, we see these opportunities as the perfect time to work with a band we haven’t had the pleasure of working with yet. While a lot of the lineup comes from people we approach, there’s a good deal of it that also comes from musicians who have approached us. I’m really turned on (as a curator) by people who are passionate about the event and really want to play it. While we still have to be selective, sometimes it definitely doesn’t hurt to ask. Davy [Minor] and I rely a lot on our gut when it comes to putting a show together, and when there’s 10 hours of music and over 30 musicians like this, you have to go with the flow.

Were there any artists that you were absolutely determined to get for this fest? Who and why?

There were a few people we really wanted to play this festival — both who we have and have not worked with before. Book of Colors came on board early because they’re our next Deer Bear Wolf Records release. Andre Paraguassu is committed to presenting a very multi-dimensional set. We knew that we wanted Flamingo Shadow for sure. Madeline Adams played Flamingo Shadow songs solo for February’s Natural Selection and we’ve wanted to get the whole band ever since. Midnight Larks and Clothes have been a favorite of ours lately and we kinda can’t get enough of them. We’ve wanted to showcase some jazz and soul, two musical forms with historical significance in the South and beyond, for a while — that’s where my musical tastes are most at home. We actually tried to get Ruby Velle for last year’s festival but it didn’t work out, so we’re really excited to have her this year. Kebbi Williams knows how to put on a show for sure, encompassing the entire crowd with The Wolfpack’s sound. Their performative nature and audience engagement is really the cherry on top for a community-building event. I am extremely excited about everyone who is playing, though. Perhaps I’m biased, but there isn’t a weak link in the entire lineup.

Check out the full lineup and set times below.

Noon Jared Pepper (outdoor stage)
12:45 p.m. Victor St. Baloo (outdoor stage)
1:30 p.m. Sonic Advent (outdoor stage)
2 p.m. Liminal Space (outdoor stage)
2:30 p.m. Meredith Kooi + The Language of Men Dying (installation area)
3 p.m. Titans of Moisture (outdoor stage)
4 p.m. Ruby Velle (outdoor stage)
5 p.m. Flamingo Shadow (outdoor stage)
6 p.m. Midnight Larks (outdoor stage)
6:30 p.m. Transgression Live Reading (installation area)
7:30 p.m. Book of Colors (indoor stage)
8:30 p.m. Kebbi Williams & the Wolfpack (indoor stage)
9:30 p.m. Clothes (indoor stage)

Phoenix Festival 2015 takes place tomorrow, October 24, from noon-10 p.m. at the Wherehouse located on 55 Ormond Street S.E. Admission is free, but you must RSVP in order to secure your spot and get in.

More Info
Web: phoenixfestatl.com
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